Industry officials are hopeful that a rule to permit commercial operations involving single-engine turbine aircraft in instrument meteorological conditions will be cleared by late 2015 or early 2016 in Europe. A government/industry committee charged to look into the issue held its third meeting this month and is hoping to have recommendations for a European Aviation Safety Agency notice of proposed amendment by early next year, says Jens Hennig, vice president of operations for the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
FAA on July 26 released the final recommendations of the Part 23 Reorganization Aviation Rulemaking Committee, with the highest levels of both the Department of Transportation and FAA signing off on them as holding the potential of improving safety and reducing certification costs.
Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) is working with Aerocet to bring floats for the Quest Kodiak to market. Aerocet donated floats, which were fitted on a MAF Kodiak that rolled off the assembly line in June. Testing is expected to take place in Renton, Wash. over the next few months. Once testing is complete, the aircraft will be outfitted with wheels to travel to Papua, Indonesia, where it will be used for missions in remote mountain villages.
JASON JOHNSON has joined Bell Helicopter as director, sales and customer support. Johnson was previously vice president, customer support and contract administration for Heli-One CHC, where he was responsible for the financial and operational success of the Canadian division of Heli-One. He has also held positions with Safran and Honeywell Aerospace.
Insitu is planning to launch the first U.S. commercial unmanned aircraft system operation following receipt of FAA type certification for its ScanEagle UAS on July 19. No details are available yet, but the operation is expected to be in the Arctic. Restricted-category type certifications for the 44-lb., gasoline-powered ScanEagle and the 13.4-lb., battery-powered AeroVironment Puma AE are the first to be issued by FAA under Part 21.25 of the federal aviation regulations.
The FAA is canvassing the aerospace industry for low-cost solutions to prevent runway incursions at small- to medium-density commercial airports. A new market survey says the agency wants to evaluate “existing technologies which may be applied, or enhanced through additional research” to prevent runway incursions, which are defined as “any unauthorized intrusion onto a runway, regardless of whether or not an aircraft presents a potential conflict.”
PAUL STRACK was promoted to the newly created position of vice president of acquisitions. Strack, who has served with Piedmont for more than 20 years, most recently was aircraft sales director.
B-N GROUP Models B III-3, BN-2A-2, BN-2A-20, BN-2A-21, BN-2A-26, BN-2A-27, BN-2A-3, BN-2A-6, BN-2A-8, BN-2A-9, BN-2B-20, BN-2B-21, BN-2B-26, BN-2B-27, BN-2T, and BN-2T-4R airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0314; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-004-AD; Amendment 39-17490; AD 2013-13-02] – requires a one-time inspection of the fuel filler cap and fuel filler receptacle to determine whether they are at the same modification state and, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective action(s).
LESLIE CHEN was named vice president, marketing for CIT Aerospace. Based in Singapore, Chen will be responsible for originating new transactions and marketing the existing aircraft portfolio in Northern Asia. He formerly was vice president, Asia, for Aviation Capital Group, where he was responsible for business development, aircraft leases and asset management. He also has served as a regional sales manager for Thales Aerospace Asia.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON Model 407 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0019; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-051-AD; Amendment 39-17485; AD 2013-12-07] – requires, for Model 407 helicopters with certain tailboom assemblies installed, inspecting the tailboom assembly for a crack, loose rivet, or other damage, at specified intervals. This AD was prompted by a stress analysis of the tailboom skin that revealed that high-stress-concentration areas are susceptible to skin cracking.
Gulfstream opened a 9,300-sq.-ft. sales and design center in Dallas to work with customers selecting paint schemes, cabin layout and interior detail. Gulfstream occupies more than 420,000 sq. ft. in Dallas, including a completions center for its G280 and G150 mid-cabin aircraft and a service center that provides maintenance for the full line of Gulfstream aircraft.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model EC 155B and EC155B1 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0501; Directorate Identifier 2011-SW-036-AD] – proposes to require repetitively inspecting the lower and upper front and rear fittings that attach the upper fin to the fenestron for a crack. If there is a crack, this AD would require removing all four fittings from service. This proposed AD would also require, within a specified time, removing all fittings from service, and the fittings would not be eligible to be installed on any helicopter.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS332C, AS332L, AS332L1, AS332L2, and EC225LP helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0524; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-084-AD] – proposes to require visually inspecting each jettisonable emergency exit window panel for sealant, and removing any sealant that exists in the window’s extruded sections. This proposed AD is prompted by jettison tests during routine maintenance inspections that showed the windows failed to jettison.
Thirty House lawmakers signed a letter urging FAA to reverse course on its air traffic control charges for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., stepping up the political pressure on the agency as the event was set to open July 29.
Thrush Aircraft received FAA type certification for its dual cockpit variant of the Thrush 510G, which is powered by the new GE H80 turboprop. FAA signed off on the single-cockpit 510G in October. The dual-cockpit version can carry up to 200 lb. of cargo, equipment or an additional pilot in the rear seat. The aft cockpit can be equipped with full flight controls and avionics.
Anthony (Tony) Janco, a 35-year career certified aviation mechanic who is a senior advisor to the FAA Aircraft Maintenance Division, was selected by the National Coalition for Aviation and Space Education (NCASE) as a 2013 inductee to the Crown Circle, which recognizes achievements in aerospace education. NCASE will honor Janco during the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture this week in Oshkosh, Wis. He is being recognized for his efforts to develop youth aviation maintenance programs that have reached 30,000-plus students.
The House General Aviation Caucus expanded to 200 members just six months after the new Congress convened. General aviation leaders are encouraged by the growth of the caucus to nearly half of the House membership, saying it represents significant support for the industry. “The Caucus helps to raise awareness about the importance of general aviation as an economic engine and connector to life-saving resources,” says Selena Shilad, executive director of the Alliance for Aviation Across America.
Dassault is seeing a slight uptick in Falcon sales even as its second-quarter deliveries fell by two units. Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier says the Falcon market is showing an “uncertain” recovery, but believes that yearend deliveries will be up slightly to 70, compared with 66 in 2012.
Signature Flight Support is continuing its rapidly expanding international footprint with the launch of services at Singapore’s Changi International Airport. Signature on July 21 began providing fuel coordination and ground handling supervisory services at its second location in Asia under an agreement announced during the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in May in Geneva.
SAM JANTZEN was appointed vice president of marketing for Blackhawk Modifications. Jantzen has a lengthy background in business aviation, holding executive positions with Cessna Aircraft, Fairchild Aircraft, Commuter Air Technology and Rasibeck Engineering.
Garmin received European Aviation Safety Agency approval for the installation of the Garmin G1000 avionics suite aboard King Air 300/350 models. The suite meets European requirements for 8.33 kHz VHF Communication, VHF Com Immunity from FM radio broadcasts, along with B-RNAV, P-RNAV, APV/SBAS, RVSM, SSR Mode S Elementary Surveillance (ELS), SSR Mode S Enhanced Surveillance (EHS), ADS-B (automatic dependant surveillance broadcast), and TAWS Class A or Class B.
July 29-Aug. 4—2013 EAA Airventure Oshkosh, Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wis., www.airventure.org July 31-Aug. 1—2013 Deicing and Stormwater Management Conference, Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, Arlington, Va., www.aci-na.org/event/2905 Aug. 12-15—2013 Public Safety & Security Conference, InterContinental Toronto Centre, Toronto, ON, www.aci-na.org/event/2747 Aug. 27-28—Aircraft Electronics Association Regional Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, www.aea.net/events.asp
MD HELICOPTERS Model MD 900 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0486; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-031-AD] – proposes to require, for affected helicopters with certain main rotor blade (MRB) retention bolts installed, a daily check of the position of each bolt and a daily check and a repetitive inspection for a gap in each bolt. The proposed AD also would require, if necessary, removing and inspecting the bolt for a crack and replacing any cracked bolt with an airworthy bolt. This proposed AD is prompted by multiple reports of in-service bolt failures.
FAA and industry groups, continuing their efforts to stem an apparent uptick in general aviation accidents, are pushing pilots to exercise caution when taking medications before flight, warning of findings that nearly half of pilots who died in aircraft accidents over a five-year period tested positive for drugs or medications.
Pilatus Aircraft appointed Aeroservicio S.A. in Santiago, Chile as an authorized service center for the Pilatus PC-12. The center is one of three facilities in South America authorized to provide maintenance for the aircraft.
