Eurocopter has established a new training subsidiary called Eurocopter Training Services, which plans to offer helicopter operators a broader range of courses and more support personnel. The number of Eurocopter people dedicated to training has risen from 45 to 70, with a target of employing 100 in that role over the next three years.
The Homeland Security Department has issued a congressionally mandated solicitation for alternative technologies to counter the threat of man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) to commercial airliners.
Dassault Falcon now offers hard-mounted Electronic Flight Bags (EFB) on all new Falcon 2000DX, 2000EX, 900DX and 900EX aircraft. The CMC Electronics PilotView system will offer airport, departure and approach charts, along with graphical, real-time weather information. The Class II unit is side-mounted on the pilot or copilot side and certified for all phases of flight.
A new GA airport security system is to be unveiled at a trade show in Washington, D.C. in mid-June. ADT Security Services' Federal Systems Division plans to announce the availability of Aviation PASS, a security system that uses radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. The system works by placing an RFID tag in an airplane that communicates with another tag held by the owner, pilot or other person authorized to move the airplane. If anyone else tries to move the aircraft, an alarm sounds at the local airport and at an ADT monitoring station.
Innovative Solutions & Support, Inc. has begun shipments of its Cockpit Information Portal (CIP) flat-panel display to its authorized distributors/installers for the Pilatus PC-12 cockpit upgrade. The company says that the TSO-certified product is a cost-effective way to upgrade the single-turboprop's avionics while equipping the aircraft with RVSM-capable air-data computers.
THe next level in commercial aviation safety will only be reached through better sharing of safety data, contends Nicholas Sabatini, the FAA's associate administrator for aviation safety. In a recent address to the International Society of Air Safety Investigators, he said, "Today, we don't even know how much safety information is out there, be it with operators, manufacturers, repair stations, suppliers and more across the aviation community. How much of this safety information do you think FAA can access? I'd say about 5 percent.
Promoted to vice president of Raytheon Aircraft Services. He is responsible for all 10 of the company's FBOs in the U.S. and Mexico. Brantner has spent 14 years with Raytheon, 11 of those as vice president of finance for Raytheon Aircraft Services.
The Grob SP made its air show flying debut last week during the ILA 2006 exhibition in Berlin. The light, twin-engine jet recently completed a series of flight tests that validated the key performance specifications that were announced during the airplane's unveiling at the 2005 Paris Air Show. (See article below.)
Model BD-100-1A10 Airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24118; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-034-AD; Amendment 39-14594; AD 2006-10-10] - Requires an inspection for signs of arcing or heat damage of the electrical connections of the terminal blocks, ground studs, and the end of the wires and surrounding insulation for the windshield and side window anti-ice systems; and repairing any arced or damaged electrical connection. This AD also requires re-torquing electrical connections of the terminal blocks and ground studs for the windshield and side window anti-ice systems.
Joined Midcoast Aviation as avionics sales manager. An avionics industry veteran with more than three decades of experience, he is a licensed A&P mechanic, commercial pilot and chairman of the board for the Aircraft Electronics Association, which he has served since 1996. He also has served on dealer advisory boards for a number of manufacturers, including AirCell, Honeywell Aerospace Electronic Systems and Rockwell Collins. Before joining Midcoast, O'Leary was avionics sales manager for JetCorp.
King Air 200 winglets designed by Everett, Wash.-based BLR Aerospace now can be installed by Landmark Aviation and Elliott Aviation. The BLR System is an aluminum wing extension, carbon fiber winglet and integrated position, recognition and strobe lighting system that increases the overall wingspan by three feet, five inches.
NTSB meets this week to discuss final reports on two Learjet accidents. The safety board is slated to convene a public meeting on Tuesday, May 23 at its Washington, D.C. headquarters to review the Oct. 24, 2004 accident in which a Learjet 35A operated by Med Flight Air Ambulance crashed into mountainous terrain shortly after takeoff from Brown Field Municipal Airport (SDM) near San Diego. The captain, the copilot and three medical crewmembers were killed in that crash. The NTSB also is planning to review the Dec. 23, 2003 accident involving a Pavair, Inc.
Dassault Falcon Jet will convene its 26th annual worldwide maintenance and operations seminar at the Boca Raton Resort and Club in Boca Raton, Fla. on May 30. The seminar will feature model-specific technical and operational sessions, information-sharing meetings and a new two-man team presentation format during technical sessions.
Embraer is laying the groundwork to add more business aircraft products after launching its Phenom small-jet family last year. CEO Mauricio Botelho told analysts that the airframer was studying adding two new executive jets with configurations falling between the Phenom 100/300 aircraft that seat eight to nine passengers and the 16-seat Legacy 600 that's built on the ERJ-135 platform. This follows Embraer's recent launch of the Lineage 1000 executive jet built on the airframer's 190 platform.
Could a corporate 787 or A350 be next? PrivatAir, the international business aviation services company headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, recently disclosed that it is evaluating the possibility of operating either the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787, two brand-new jetliners that are slated to enter service toward the end of this decade. Company CEO Greg Thomas explained, "PrivatAir has always been on the forefront of business aviation.
Model EMB-120, -120ER, -120FC, -120QC, and -120RT Airplanes in Operation [Docket No. FAA-2006-24120; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-021-AD; Amendment 39-14593; AD 2006-10-09] - Requires replacing the protective tubes and conduits of the wiring harnesses of the refueling vent and pilot valves with non-conductive hoses; modifying the harness wiring and supports; and rerouting the harnesses to prevent interference with adjacent strobe light connectors; as applicable. This AD results from a fuel system review conducted by the manufacturer.
FlightWorks has added a Gulfstream IV business jet and Bell 407 helicopter to its charter fleet. The G-IV is based at McCollum Field in Atlanta, Ga., and will be managed under the company's FlightWise management program. The Bell 407 is the first rotorcraft in the FlightWorks fleet. FlightWorks will operate the helicopter for customers based in the Southeast.
The FAA has delayed until Jan. 1, 2007 proposed changes in aircraft registration policies that would have severely limited the ability of aircraft owners to request "priority service" in connection with declarations of international flights. Citing an increasingly heavy workload and the fact that many operators routinely request priority service even if it is really not needed, officials at the FAA's Aircraft Registration Branch sought to limit priority handling for international flights to one request per aircraft in any three-month period.
Pilatus Business Aircraft is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Since being established in Broomfield, Colo. in 1996, the U.S. arm of the Swiss aircraft manufacturer has delivered some 430 aircraft to customers in North and South America, thus accounting for about 70 percent of the PC-12 turboprops delivered worldwide.
In an effort to stem the decline in the U.S. pilot population, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is planning to launch "Project Pilot" during its 16th annual AOPA Fly-In and Open House in Frederick, Md. on June 3. AOPA officials note that the overall pilot population has declined 25 percent since its peak in 1980. Project Pilot is designed to increase the number of general aviation pilots in the United States by teaming experienced AOPA member pilots with prospective pilots.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) supports FAA's goal of eliminating the inefficiency of issuing special conditions to protect critical aircraft electronic systems from High-Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF). GAMA also is in favor of harmonizing FAA's HIRF protection requirements with those of European aviation authorities.
Named executive director of Salt Lake City Airport, effective May 30. Since March 2001, he had been director of aviation at Louis Armstrong Airport in New Orleans.
