SAAB Model 2000 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-21341; Directorate Identifier 2003-NM-026-AD; Amendment 39-14231; AD 2005-17-10] - requires an inspection for cracking of the fastener holes in the front and rear spars, a modification of the fastener holes of the front and rear spars and the rear spar web, and related investigative/corrective actions if necessary. This AD is prompted by a report of cracking of certain fastener holes in the lower spar cap of the rear spar and in the lower skin at the front spar.
STIMPSON, GUERRA SELECTED FOR TOP NBAA AWARDS - The National Business Aviation Association board of directors named Edward W. Stimpson and Ronald J. Guerra to receive the association's top awards at this year's NBAA convention. Stimpson, the long-time president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association and former U.S. representative to the International Civil Aviation Association in Montreal, Quebec, will receive the 2005 NBAA Award for Meritorious Service to Aviation.
Premier Jet Aviation named John Hall president. A long-time member of the Cessna Citation sales organization, Hall most recently had been senior vice president of the CitationShares fractional aircraft ownership program. A graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, Hall is a Citation-rated pilot. He will be based at Premier's San Antonio, Texas office and will report to Mark Schweibold, chairman and CEO of the business aircraft acquisition and sales organization, which is headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind.
FAA PROVIDES MORE TIME FOR SECOND-IN-COMMAND COMPLIANCE - The Federal Aviation Administration Friday reissued a final rule creating a second-in-command (SIC) type rating to establish a June 6, 2006 compliance date for the rule. The rule, first released Aug. 4 (BA, Aug. 8/57), had an effective date of Sept. 6, which also served as the compliance date. While some interested parties had asked FAA to give pilots six to 18 months to comply with the SIC rating requirements, FAA said it originally believed that 30 days was sufficient time.
DON EMERLING was appointed director, quality and process improvement, for Executive Jet Management. Emerling joins EJM with more than 25 years of experience in quality management, Six Sigma, process improvement, process design and reengineering and process documentation. He previously worked for 3M, Imation, and Ryobi, and has owned and operated a service business.
ECLIPSE ASSESSING DAMAGE AFTER TEST AIRCRAFT BELLIES IN - Eclipse Aviation Corp. officials were still assessing the damage last week to one of the manufacturer's flight test aircraft after the pilots made an inadvertent gear-up landing Sept. 4 at the Albuquerque International Sunport.
Gulfstream said its G550 long-range business jet set a city-pair speed record between Newark, N.J. and Tel Aviv, Israel. The aircraft departed Newark International Airport at 8:16 p.m. on Aug. 28 and flew 5,031 nautical miles, landing at Ben Gurion Airport Aug. 29 at 1:08 p.m. local time. The trip took nine hours and 52 minutes. The performance would be the 15th city-pair speed record that the G550 has set since entering service nearly two years ago. Gulfstream is awaiting official National Aeronautic Association recognition of the latest record.
NTSB RECOMMENDS MORE FREQUENT AILERON CHECKS ON CRJ FLEET -The National Transportation Safety Board recommended that operators of Bombardier CL-600-2B19 aircraft conduct more frequent aileron checks to ensure that the aileron freeplay does not exceed maximum limits. The safety board further recommended that Bombardier develop guidance instructing CRJ flight crews on proper recognition of and response to aileron links that have worn.
Flight Options won approval for its Embraer Legacy business jets to fly into Telluride Regional Airport in Telluride, Colo., the company announced. The approval, coming just before the start of ski season in the Rockies, is significant because the Legacy "is the cornerstone of our large cabin fleet," Flight Options said (BA, Aug. 22/79).
EMBRAER EARNS FAA APPROVAL FOR EMBRAER 190 - Embraer this month was awarded FAA type approval for its 100-passenger Embraer 190 airliner, clearing the way for deliveries to begin to U.S. launch customers JetBlue and General Electric Capital Aviation Services. FAA granted type approval for the 190 Sept. 2, three days after the airplane earned similar approval from Brazil's Centro Technico Aerospacial (CTA). Embraer expects Canadian and European certification to follow shortly.
BRAC APPROVES TWO MILITARY ROTORCRAFT DEVELOPMENT CENTERS - As part of its base realignment and closure considerations, the independent BRAC Commission approved the Defense Department's intent to consolidate military rotorcraft development in two locations. The changes create the Joint Center for Rotary Wing Air Platform Development, Acquisition, Test and Evaluation (DAT&E) at the Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala., and "enhances" the Joint Center at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Patuxent River, Md.
DASSAULT Model Falcon 2000EX airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-22308; Directorate Identifier 2005-NM-160-AD; Amendment 39-14255; AD 2005-18-15] - requires revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to extend runway length limits for takeoff and landing. This AD also provides for an optional terminating action for the AFM revision. This AD results from an event in which braking efficiency was temporarily lost during landing, but was recovered after the flightcrew fully released and then reapplied the brakes.
Jack Real, a veteran aerospace executive who was particularly known for his endeavors in the helicopter industry, died Sept. 6, according to the Helicopter Association International, which had honored Real with its Honorary Lifetime Member Award at the Heli-Expo 2005 earlier this year. A native of Michigan and a graduate of Michigan Tech, Real began his career in the late 1930s, working for Lockheed on a number of aircraft projects, including the Constellation airliner and the Cheyenne helicopter.
ALMY JOINS SENIOR STAFF AT NATA - David W. Almy, a 25-year veteran of the business aviation industry, has joined the National Air Transportation Association in the newly created post of vice president of membership, marketing and communications. Almy recently concluded more than 12 years with the National Business Aviation Association where he was senior vice president of marketing and communications (BA, July 18/25).
Kelly Aviation Center added Rolls-Royce to the partnership forming the military engine center of excellence in San Antonio, Texas. The venture also comprises Lockheed Martin Aircraft and Logistics Center and GE Transportation. The center was formed in July 2002 and has since begun new engine production assembly and test for the F110-GE-132 for the Lockheed Martin F-16. The center also won FAA certification to overhaul the CF6-50 engine.
National Business Aviation Association officials are urgently seeking a new location for the group's 2005 convention after it became clear early last week that severe flooding and destruction in New Orleans from Hurricane Katrina would make it impossible to hold the show in that city's Ernest M. Morial Convention Center Nov. 15-17 as originally scheduled. The preferred option would be to move the 58th Annual NBAA Meeting & Convention to Orlando, Fla. and hold the show on the same dates.
Schubach Aviation, a San Diego, Calif.-based charter company, added a Challenger 601 business jet to its fleet. In addition to the Challenger, Schubach operates 10 aircraft for charter - two King Air 200s, a Citation 1SP, two Learjet 35s, two Learjet 55s, two Hawkers and a Citation X.
CESSNA AIRCRAFT's first production Mustang business jet (S/N 0001) made a successful first flight Aug. 29 from the company's facilities in Wichita, Kan. The aircraft flew for exactly two hours, as the pilots performed systems and avionics checks, engaged the autopilot and evaluated handling characteristics. By Friday S/N 0001 had logged 7.5 hours in four flights. "We have a strong team working on the Mustang program, and they've achieved a major milestone by getting production unit one off the ground a month early," said Russ Meyer III, Mustang program manager.
American Express teamed with Bombardier to offer participants in its Membership Rewards program the opportunity to redeem points for private jet travel through Bombardier Skyjet and Flexjet. Under the American Express Private Jet Rewards program, card members can redeem 390,000 points for a $5,000 credit toward a private jet flight. American Express is cutting in half the points necessary for receiving credit through the end of the year.
HAINAN AIRLINES and Raytheon Aircraft Company have agreed that the Chinese carrier will establish an authorized service center dedicated to servicing and maintaining Beechcraft and Hawker brand aircraft. The new service center is located in Haikou City, China. It will have full maintenance capabilities and a factory-trained maintenance team that can perform all maintenance on Beechcraft Premier I and Hawker 800 XP aircraft. RAC said it is the first and only original equipment manufacturer to establish an in-country authorized service center in mainland China.
RICH MORGAN was promoted to director of modifications and completions for Stevens Aviation. Morgan, who most recently served as manager of interior modifications for Stevens, will oversee the interior, paint and avionics installation departments. Before joining Stevens, Morgan was director of completions for AvCraft Support Services and has held completions manager positions with Elliott Aviation and Kansas City Aviation Center.
GREG ARMSTRONG was appointed sales director for Bombardier Flexjet's Southeast region. Armstrong joined Flexjet as senior director of sales after serving as a sales manager for Cessna Aircraft. He is a 6,000-hour, airline-transport-rated pilot who flew a number of different helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft while serving in the U.S. Navy.
Seven industry groups representing repair stations, supplies, manufacturers and operators last week sent a second letter to FAA Administrator Marion Blakey urging a 180-day extension in the Sept. 2 deadline for compliance with new insulation rules (BA, Aug. 22/77).
EADS NORTH AMERICA ANNOUNCES LUH BID WITH UH145 - EADS North America formally announced its offering of the UH145 for the Army's Light Utility Helicopter competition on Aug. 24, marking the company's first effort to become a prime contractor on a major U.S. military procurement, said Chairman and CEO Ralph Crosby. Becoming a sole prime for the U.S. Defense Department is "something that we set out to do three years ago when EADS North America was established," Crosby said during a teleconference Aug. 24.
