MAULE M-4, M-5, M-6, M-7, MT-7, MX-7, MXT-7, and M-8 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0725; Directorate Identifier 98-CE-01-AD] – proposes to revise AD 98-15-18 that applies to certain Maule aircraft equipped with rear wing lift struts, part number (P/N) 2079E, and/or front wing lift struts, P/N 2080E. AD 98-15-18 currently requires repetitively inspecting certain wing lift struts for internal corrosion and replacing of any wing lift strut where corrosion is found.
StandardAero is transitioning its leadership with a new overall CEO and a new senior vice president to steer the Business Aviation group. The appointments, announced last week, come a little more than a week after StandardAero parent Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) announced that talks over a potential merger of portions of its business with BBA Aviation have ended.
T URBOMECA Arriel 1A1, 1A2, 1B, 1C, 1C1, 1C2, 1D, 1D1, 1E2, 1K1, 1S, and 1S1 turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2013-0557; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-22-AD] proposes to require a one-time inspection of the free turbine (FT) module (M04) for the affected Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 1 engines and, if a discrepancy is found, repair of the affected module. This proposed AD was prompted by a “chip illumination event”’ in flight on a Turbomeca S.A. Arriel 1 engine.
Swift Fuels is taking a step to expand its effort to produce a high-octane unleaded aviation gasoline, 100SF, that could potentially serve as a replacement for leaded gasoline. The company officially opened a new aviation fuel blending facility that could store up to 50,000 gal. of the unleaded, high-octane fuel components and broke ground on a new pilot plant operation in Lafayette., Ind. that will be capable of producing more than 10,000 gal. of 100SF per month at full capacity.
PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA PW118A, PW118B, PW119B, PW119C, PW123, PW123B, PW123C, PW123D, PW123E, PW123AF, PW124B, PW125B, PW126A, PW127, PW127E, PW127F, PW127G, and PW127M turboprop engines [Docket No. FAA-2013-0197; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-09-AD; Amendment 39-17524; AD 2013-15-08] requires inspection of the first-stage power turbine (PT) blades, and the removal from service of those blades that fail the inspection, or their replacement with blades eligible for installation. This AD was prompted by reports of fractures of the first-stage PT blade.
AGUSTA Model AB412 and AB 412EB and Bell Model 412, 412CF and 412EP helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0145; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-059-AD; Amendment 39-17554; AD 2013-16-16] – requires, for affected helicopters with certain Dart high gear aft crosstubes installed, adding a life limit of 10,000 landings to the crosstube and removing from service any crosstubes with more than 10,000 accumulated landings. This AD is prompted by five separate reports of crosstube failures.
Sept. 25-27—ALTA Aviation Law Americas, Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach, Miami, Fla, www.alta.aero/aviationlaw/2013/home.php Sept. 25-27—Aircraft Electronics Association Regional Meeting, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., www.aea.net/events.asp Oct. 8-10—Latin American & Caribbean Engineering & MRO Summit, Bogota, Columbia, www.alta.aero/2010/ Oct. 10-12—2013 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Summit, Fort Worth, Texas, www.aopa.org
Jet Aviation Moscow has added a range of interior refurbishment capabilities through an agreement with Kazan-based Tulpar Interior Group. Under the agreement, Tulpar will provide scheduled interior refurbishment services out of Jet Aviation’s maintenance facility at Moscow Vnukovo Airport. The agreement comes as Jet Aviation experiences an increase in demand for interior restoration and upgrade capabilities in the region.
The Flight Safety Foundation is mulling strategies that could help pilots make the decision to perform a go-around rather than continue an unstabilized approach. “We feel that the lack of a go-around decision is the leading risk factor in landing accidents,” says Kevin Hiatt, Flight Safety Foundation president and CEO. He notes that 63 airline accidents occurred in the approach and landing phase of flight from 2001 to 2011, representing 68% of all accidents.
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta is warning that the ongoing “fiscal uncertainty” surrounding the U.S. government’s budget is “very damaging” to the FAA’s long-term planning capability, and in particular could hurt the agency’s effort to modernize air traffic control. Speaking at the NextGen Institute’s annual public meeting at U.S. Transportation Department headquarters in Washington Sept. 20, Huerta noted that the FAA has had to cut $635 million from its budget over the last five months owing to sequestration-mandated cuts.
BILL DARBE has joined Satcom Direct as director of dealer programs. Darbe will implement aftermarket dealer programs supporting Satcom Direct’s hardware offerings, including Wi-Fi certification programs for the Satcom Direct Router. He has more than 25 years of business aviation industry experience, include 15 years with Aircell, and also held various program management and engineering positions for Global Wulfsberg .
Cessna Aircraft dedicated a private facility and some of its top engineering talent and supply chain specialists to Textron AirLand’s new Scorpion intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, but whether the program remains in Wichita long-term is unclear.
Beechcraft continues to expand its international sales reach with the naming of Arrow Aircraft Sales and Charters Private Limited as its sales distributor in India. Arrow, founded in 2009, will be responsible for sales of Beechcraft’s range of piston-engine aircraft and King Air turboprops across the country. The companies are planning to kick off their partnership with a King Air 250 regional demonstrator tour this month.
A new FAA rule is easing restrictions on pilot flight review and recency requirements for both flight instructors and pilots of commuter and on-demand operators. The FAA issued the rule at the request of several parties seeking an overturn of a legal interpretation limiting exemptions from the 24-month flight review requirements. But it also comes as the agency and industry look at areas of flight instructor and pilot requirements to help boost the pilot population and improve general aviation safety.
National Air Transportation Association (NATA) was selected to provide its Safety 1st training programs for branded fixed-base operations that are part of the Eastern Aviation Fuels branding network. Eastern Aviation Fuels is the exclusive marketer of Shell branded aviation fuels. Customers will have access to a range of NATA Safety 1st training products, including the Professional Line Service Training, Safety 1st OSHA Modules and the Supervisor Online program.
BELL Model 214B, 214B-1, and 214ST [Docket No. FAA-2013-0697; Directorate Identifier 2013-SW-009-AD] – proposes to supersede an existing AD for affected helicopters with certain tail rotor hanger bearings installed. The existing AD currently requires inspecting the bearing to determine whether an incorrectly manufactured seal material is installed on the bearing. Since FAA issued that AD, we have determined that replacing the defective bearing is a required terminating action.
As the ban on FAA certification of new foreign repair stations passes the five-year mark, the number of applications from companies seeking U.S. approval has grown to close to 90, according to the agency. Industry groups maintain hopes that the ban could be lifted sometime in the upcoming weeks or next few months, but still fear it could take years for FAA to process the backlog given limited resources.
Meridian, a charter, management and aviation services company based at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, is opening a new sales office in Denver. The new office, based at Centennial Airport, will be overseen by Todd Schieck, an aviation sales executive who recently joined Meridian Air charter. Schieck will maintain relationships with existing clients, as well as develop business for the company in the greater Denver area. Meridian has a Falcon 900EX EASy based at Centennial.
DOMINIQUE GARREAU was appointed managing director of MAINtag, which provide RFID tags, readers, software and integration services for aerospace applications. He formerly managed high-tech companies including Kurtosis Ingénierie, Dassault Electronique, the French Ministry of Defense for Radar Applications, and LEA.
FAA is taking the initial steps to begin a rulemaking that would implement some of the recommendations of the Part 23 Reorganization Aviation Rulemaking Committee, and the agency’s Rotorcraft Directorate already is beginning to consider how to apply some of the certification changes to helicopters, FAA officials told the Senate General Aviation Caucus last week.
Bell Helicopter delivered the first Russia-bound Bell 407GX to Helidrive in St. Petersburg. The helicopter will be used for private and charter flights. Helidrive is Bell Helicopter’s independent representative in northwest Russia. Bell has delivered more than 1,100 407s worldwide, including nearly 100 407GXs.
TURBOMECA Turbomeca ASTAZOU XIV B and XIV H engines [Docket No. FAA-2013-0575; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-21-AD] – proposes to require replacement of the second-stage turbine disc. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of cracks on the second-stage turbine disc. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent disc cracking, uncontained second-stage turbine blade release, damage to the engine, and damage to the helicopter. FAA estimates that this will affect six engines on U.S.-registered helicopters at a cost of $41,910. FAA will accept comments on the proposal through Oct.
The aircraft electronics market softened a bit in the second quarter of 2013 with total sales reaching $1.62 billion, according to the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA).
ROLLS-ROYCE AE 3007A series turbofan engines [Docket No. FAA-2009-0811; Directorate Identifier 2008-NE-41-AD] – propose to supersede an existing AD that currently requires removing certain high-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 2 wheels, or performing inspections on them, and reduces their approved life limits. This proposed AD would clarify the AE 3007A turbofan engine model applicability, would further reduce the approved life limits of affected HPT stage 2 wheels, and would eliminate the inspections required by the existing AD.
A flourishing training market is continuing to provide a boost for light aircraft as Cessna announced one of its largest orders on record for its Cessna 172 Skyhawk single-piston. Moscow-based ViraZH ordered 79 Skyhawks for use at its flight schools throughout western Russia. Cessna did not provide details on the contract, but it could be worth close to $24 million, based on average list prices.
