Hartzell has introduced a new Top Prop propeller conversion kit for early model Cessna 210s and 205s. At 82 inches long, the new two-bladed prop has the same diameter as the original propeller used on Cessna 210, 210A, 210B, 210C, 210-5 (205) and 210-5A (205A) aircraft with IO-470-E and IO-470-S engines. However, the new prop weighs much less - only 60.5 pounds. Also, the time between overhaul has been improved to 2,400 hours or six years, and the system's warranty is for three years or 1,000 hours.
The deadline for SIC type ratings is just over two weeks away for operators who fly outside the United States. An FAA rule released last August stipulated that all aviators who are acting as second-in-command pilots in aircraft certificated for at least two pilots must have a type rating by June 6 if the aircraft is going to fly outside of U.S. airspace and land overseas.
A new type of taxiway lighting system has been installed at Arizona's Prescott Municipal Airport. The new prototype system uses Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology to notify pilots that they are approaching a runway hold line. The taxiway edge lights emit a clear blue light that provides pilots with a visual cue marking the taxiway edge, while the runway guard lights notify pilots that they are approaching a runway hold line.
Midcoast Aviation has delivered the first corporate-use Bombardier Global 5000 aircraft to be custom-completed outside the factory. The long-range aircraft is one in a series of Global 5000s being completed for corporate and government operators by the Jet Aviation affiliated company. Midcoast, a Bombardier-designated preferred completion provider for all models of the Global family, is completing several Global Express XRS and Global 5000 airplanes for corporate operators at its St. Louis Downtown Airport completion center.
NetJets Europe expects to achieve full-year operating profitability in 2006 and net profitability in 2007. The company plans to take delivery of 28 airplanes worth $445 million this year and expects to receive about 30 aircraft next year.
Jet Aviation Dubai has been appointed a Hawker 800 authorized service center by Raytheon Aircraft. Jet Aviation Dubai, the first business aviation maintenance facility at the Dubai International Airport, will perform line and base maintenance and provide warranty and spare parts support.
Sikorsky Aircraft has signed the first European customer for its S-76D. Premier Aviation Services Ltd. of Ireland has agreed to take two of the twin-turboshaft helicopters. The S-76Ds, which are to be used for VIP and executive transport, will be based at Weston Airport outside Dublin. More than 220 operators in 59 countries are flying S-76 helicopters.
Model ERJ 170 Airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24788; Directorate Identifier 2006-NM-073-AD] - Proposes to require a one-time inspection for proper crimping of the terminal lugs for the power cables of each integrated drive generator (IDG), installing a new sleeve on the terminal, and re-crimping if necessary. This proposed AD results from a report that the terminal lugs for the power cables of the IDGs may not be adequately crimped, which could allow the cables to be pulled out of the terminals with no significant force.
Bombardier has designated Omni Aviação/Aero Services as its exclusive Learjet sales representative in France and Portugal. Omni Aviação is an aircraft charter and services company based in Cascais, Portugal.
The newest A318 elite customer is JetAlliance, an Austrian VIP charter operator that operates a fleet of 37 aircraft. The A318 Elite, which is the smallest member of the Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) family, will be powered by CFM International CFM56-5 engines and will feature a cabin installed by Lufthansa Technik.
Hired as senior director in the origination team of the Aviation & Portfolio Group of Republic Financial. Before joining the privately held, Aurora, Colo.-based investment company, he spent 20 years with General Electric, including stints with GE Capital Aviation Services and GE Aviation.
y late last week, the Sport-Jet, a new four-place jet powered by a single Williams International FJ33-4A engine, had made seven flights as part of a 50-hour flight-characteristics validation program. Bob Bornhofen, the aircraft's designer and president of Excel-Jet, Ltd., the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based firm that is developing the light jet, said he was pleased with the stability and handling of the airplane so far. The Sport-Jet is designed to cruise at 340 knots at 25,000 feet and have a range of more than 900 nm.
Flight testing of the Citation Mustang and Citation Encore+ recently passed the 1,000-hour and 100-hour marks, respectively, as development of the new Cessna business jets proceed. The three Mustangs in the certification program have made more than 600 flights, and FAR Part 23 approval of the six-seat business jet is anticipated in the fourth quarter of this year. Mustangs number three through 10 are on the production line in Independence, Kan.
Is the new European field service representative for Gulfstream Aerospace. Previously based in Los Angeles, Turner moved to Zurich, Switzerland recently to support the growing number of Gulfstream operators in Europe. He joined Gulfstream in 1981 as an avionics technician in the company's Savannah, Ga. service center. In 1987, Turner moved into Gulfstream's Technical Operations Department and eventually was promoted to leader of that group.
The FAA's Southwest Region office has revoked the operating certificate of American Air Network, Inc., a Chesterfield, Mo. Part 135 management company. The FAA determined that the firm permitted flights for hire or compensation to be conducted on its air carrier certificate when individuals who did not hold an air carrier certificate exercised operational control of those flights.
AirCell has teamed with MedAire to offer a new program, MedLink Powered by AirCell, to give business aircraft operators access to in-flight, on-demand medical assistance worldwide. The program enables AirCell satcom customers to dial directly into MedAire's 24/7 MedLink Global Response Center. The service will be available in the third quarter of 2006.
FAA Administrator Marion Blakey bade farewell to another member of her inner circle last week as public relations chief Greg Martin decided to return to the private sector. Martin joined Blakey's team more than five years ago when she was chairing the National Transportation Safety Board. After Blakey took over as FAA Administrator in September 2002, she asked Martin to serve as assistant administrator for public affairs (now communications).
Model BO 105 LS A-3 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2006-24632; Directorate Identifier 2005-SW-31-AD] - Proposes replacing certain fixed bolts and nuts, reidentifying certain main rotor nuts, and revising the Airworthiness Limitations - Time Change Items (TCI) list to reflect the new life limits and new part numbers.
Business aviation is growing faster than the overall air traffic market in Europe, and European traffic managers must take into account this growth when making plans for the future, according to a new study released by Eurocontrol. The study, "Getting to the Point: Business Aviation in Europe," predicts that the business aviation fleet in Europe will grow by four percent per year from 2,000 aircraft currently to about 3,000 by 2015 (BA, May 8/207).
Piaggio Aero received an order for the Piaggio Avanti II from Robert (Bob) Pond, the owner of the first production Piaggio P.180 Avanti. The Avanti II will replace the original Avanti, and Pond plans to add the older aircraft to his public collection of more than 25 aircraft. A Navy World War II veteran and military aircraft collector, Pond opened the The Palm Springs Air Museum in 1996 after retiring as chief executive of industrial floor cleaning machines producer Advance Machine Company.
Model AS-365N2, AS 365 N3, EC 155B, EC155B1, SA-365N, N1, and SA-366G1 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2004-18850; Directorate Identifier 2004-SW-19-AD] - Proposes to revise an existing AD that currently requires inspecting the main gearbox (MGB) base plate for a crack and replacing the MGB if a crack is found. This action would increase the time intervals for inspecting the MGB base plate. This action also would include minor editorial changes throughout the AD.
Models AT-602, AT-802, and AT-802A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2006-24228; Directorate Identifier 2006-CE-22-AD] - Proposes to require repetitive inspections of the engine mount for any cracks, repairing or replacing any cracked engine mount, and reporting any cracks found to the FAA. FAA is proposing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the engine mount, which could lead to failure of the engine mount. Such failure could lead to separation of the engine from the airplane. The proposed AD would affect an estimated 368 airplanes on the U.S.
