Bristow Group has taken delivery of the first two Sikorsky S-76Ds, configured for offshore oil support, initially for services in the Gulf of Mexico. Delivery of the first VIP-configured helicopter is imminent, with emergency medical service (EMS) and search-and-rescue (SAR) variants to follow.
FAA was expected to file its response Jan. 10 to a lawsuit filed by the city of Santa Monica, Calif., seeking control over the destiny of Santa Monica Airport (SMO). If successful, the lawsuit could clear the city to close the general aviation airport in 2015.
Cutter Aviation’s facility in Phoenix was appointed an authorized service center for Beechcraft Beechjet/Hawker 400XP series aircraft. The designation expands upon Cutter’s Beechcraft authorizations, which also cover Baron, Bonanza and King Air series aircraft. Cutter’s facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Addison, Texas, are also authorized service centers for Baron and Bonanza aircraft.
M7 Aerospace Models SA226-AT, SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-TC, SA227-AC (C-26A), SA227-AT, SA227-BC (C-26A), SA227-CC, SA227-DC (C-26B), SA227-TT, SA26-AT, and SA26-T airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-1057; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-041-AD]—proposes to require repetitively inspecting (visually) the FS 51.31 front pressure bulkhead on SA26 series airplanes and FS 69.31 front pressure bulkhead on SA226 and SA227 series airplanes for cracks, and repairing any cracked bulkhead. This proposed AD also requires reporting certain inspection results to M7 Aerospace.
MARKE GIBSON , a retired major general with the U.S. Air Force, was named executive director of the NextGen Institute, effective Jan. 13. Gibson spent several decades in the USAF, holding positions in both the Pentagon and in the field. Most recently, Gibson served as director of current operations and training at USAF Headquarters. He was also deputy commander of the 7th Air Force Korea; commander of the 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson AFB, Alaska; wing commander of the 332nd Expeditionary Wing, Balad, Iraq; and as the deputy director of operations of NORTHCOM.
Peter Fleiss, who has steered the Corporate Angel Network (CAN) for the past 14 years, is retiring effective Jan. 20. Former Flying Magazine Publisher Dick Koenig, who has served on the CAN board, will succeed Fleiss. Fleiss will take on the title of director emeritus and work with Koenig during the transition.
DASSAULT Model Falcon 10 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0979; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-223-AD; Amendment 39-17697; AD 2013-25-01] – requires a one-time inspection for cracking of the right-hand (RH) and left-hand (LH) inboard flaps, and replacement if necessary. This AD was prompted by reports of cracking found on the inboard end plate (rib) of the RH inboard flap. FAA is issuing this AD to detect and correct such cracking, which could lead to complete fracture of the rib and loss of integrity of the flap structure, resulting in loss of control of the airplane.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS332C, AS332L, AS332L1, AS332L2, and EC225LP helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0524; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-084-AD; Amendment 39-17696; AD 2013-24-19] – requires visually inspecting each jettisonable emergency exit window panel for sealant, and removing any sealant that exists in the window’s extruded sections. This AD was prompted by jettison tests during routine maintenance inspections that showed the windows failed to jettison.
Signature Flight Support completed its acquisition of the assets of Maguire Aviation Group at Van Nuys Airport (VNY) in California, effectively tripling its presence at the busy general aviation airport. The acquisition expands Signature’s footprint at VNY to 1.17 million sq. ft. of hangar, ramp, passenger lounge and office space.
The U.K. Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has begun an investigation into Rolls-Royce’s activities in foreign markets. The company announced on Dec. 23 that a “formal investigation” had been launched by the SFO relating to “bribery and corruption in overseas markets.” The move follows a Dec. 6, 2012 announcement in which the aero-engine manufacturer revealed it had passed details of an internal review to the SFO about allegations of misconduct in Indonesia and China. Several reports in the U.K.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is mulling over the recommendations of an international working group that would permit commercially-operated single-turbine aircraft in instrument meteorological conditions (SET-IMC), and is expected to release a formal proposed rulemaking in the next several months.
PATRICK O’BRIEN has joined Exclusive Aviation as director of sales. O’Brien previously served as the Western U.S. sales representative for Eclipse Aviation, based in Southern California.
Honda Aircraft’s customer service facility in Greensboro, N.C., received FAA Part 145 certification. The facility, which opened in October 2013, is initially cleared for component-level repairs. Honda Aircraft expects to expand the approvals to cover heavy aircraft maintenance and major services repairs this year. The facility, located adjacent to Honda Aircraft’s research and development, headquarters and production facilities, is the corporate base for Honda Aircraft’s customer service organization.
Landmark Aviation’s facility at Oakland International Airport (OAK) has received clearance as a gateway for business aircraft operators flying to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Operators with approved DCA Access Standard Security Programs (DASSP) can fly direct to DCA from OAK. The approval comes as the Transportation Security Administration has worked to increase the number of gateways and make adjustments to the requirements to increase access of DCA. Even so, with the OAK designation, fewer than 30 FBOs are approved gateways.
Bombardier continues to build up its business jet backlog, closing out 2013 with 30 more orders for its Challenger line and 28 more for its Global business jets, pushing the manufacturer’s total to at least 310 announced business jet orders for the year. Bombardier has not detailed its fourth-quarter orders, so the total yearly number is likely to grow. While it will probably be shy of 2012’s record number of gross orders of close to 400 business aircraft, Bombardier’s total is still well above 2011’s 223 aircraft.
EADS has formally rebranded as Airbus Group, retaining its Airbus commercial aircraft identity and renaming its other two divisions as Airbus Defense and Space, and Airbus Helicopters. Airbus Group is also planning to change its legal status, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals, although its organizational structure and operations will remain the same. After the transition, it will be converted from a Naamloze vennootschap (NV) public company to a European company, or Societas Europaea (SE).
Jan. 14-17—National Business Aviation Association Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, New Orleans, La., www.nbaa.org Jan. 21-22—MRO Latin America, Windsor Atlantica, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, www.aviationweek.com/events Jan. 30—National Business Aviation Association Regional Forum, Signature Flight Support, Boca Raton Airport, Boca Raton, Fla., www.nbaa.org Feb. 4-6—MRO Middle East, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE, www.aviationweek.com/events
Jet Edge International, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., has begun participating in the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s (ACSF) Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP), expanding the effort to the Western Pacific region. ACSF launched the program in August 2012 in the Great Lakes Region in an effort to offer the safety-reporting initiative to smaller operators.
Embraer took a step closer to filling out its business jet product line with the first flight of its Legacy 450, the smaller sibling of the midsize Legacy 500 that has been in test flight for a little more than a year. The “mid-light” 450 completed its first flight Dec. 28, kicking off what Embraer expects to be about a yearlong flight test and certification campaign.
TJ AGRESTI was appointed general operations manager for Mountain Aviation. Agresti will oversee an expansion of Mountain Aviation’s domestic and international flight operations. He has 20 years of aviation, finance, management and law experience. He has served as a chief pilot, manager and senior executive for a number of companies, including as CEO of EquityLock Solutions.
China aviation authorities are believed to be in the final stages of their next step in an airspace redesign that could begin to roll out in early 2014. Whether that rollout will further liberalize airspace – as industry leaders hope – remains to be seen. But industry leaders are encouraged by positive indications that China will continue to move to encourage an expansion of general aviation.
Lawmakers are returning from the holiday break this month with more budget certainty than in the past several years. But for the general aviation industry, it is only a temporary reprieve, and many questions remain about decisions that lie ahead. Congressional passage of the so-called Ryan-Murray two-year budget deal is designed to avert another costly government shutdown through a framework of smaller cuts and tax increases. The deal came as welcome news to a general aviation industry that suffered under the October shutdown.
