Eurocopter has delivered three new EC225s to Asian oil and gas support operators in Vietnam and Malaysia. The long-range, twin-engine, 19-passenger rotorcraft were accepted by Southern Vietnam Helicopter Company, as well as to two Malaysian operators: Awan Inspirasi Sdn Bhd and MHS Aviation. Separately, Era Group Inc. recently signed a contract for 10 AW189 helicopters that also will be used in long-range offshore oil missions. This latest Era contract increases the operator’s commitment to the AW189.
Constant Aviation, the Cleveland-based maintenance firm, has won a supplemental type certificate for installation of the SwiftBroadband Aviator 200 system in an Embraer Phenom 300. The Aviator 200 is a smaller and lighter Wi-Fi product used to provide global Internet access on small to mid-size business aircraft. Separately, Constant Aviation recently completed the installation of Rockwell Collins’ Ascend informational management server on three new Bombardier Challenger 605s.
Cirrus took a step to produce more of its Vision SF50 single jet in-house with the installation of an autoclave oven at its Grand Forks, N.D. facility. Cirrus this spring expanded the Grand Forks facility to accommodate the autoclave, which arrived on-site in late June. Installation is expected to be complete by the end of July and fully operational by mid-August.
FAA has issued special conditions for the Cessna Model J182T because the Jet A-powered Turbo Skylane will have a novel or unusual design feature associated with the installation of an electronic engine control. The agency says that the applicable airworthiness regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature, so these special conditions contain the additional safety standards necessary to establish a level of safety equivalent to that established by the existing airworthiness standards.
FAA has issued final special conditions for the Eurocopter France EC175B. The agency said these special conditions are necessary because the helicopter will have the novel or unusual design feature of a 30-min. power rating, which generally is used for hovering at increased power during search-and-rescue missions.
Fractional ownership provider Avantair is facing an uncertain future as it was forced to furlough its workforce, cease flying operations, deal with a new class action lawsuit and handle potential aircraft repossessions.
Nextant Aerospace appointed FortAero Baltic Business Aviation Alliance as its exclusive sales agent for Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). As part of the agreement, FortAero placed an initial order for two Nextant 400XTis valued at $11.4 million. Nextant says FortAero will play a key role in Nextant’s effort to grow its market in the region. Founded in 1997, FortAero sells, operates and manages aircraft throughout Russia and the CIS and has offices in Tallinn and Moscow.
Certification of Eurocopter’s EC175 medium helicopter will be delayed by at least another four months, as the company tries to mature its troubled Helionix avionics system. The company confirmed the delay during the Paris air show. Eurocopter’s head of engineering, Jean-Brice Dumont says the European Aviation Safety Agency is now likely to certify the aircraft in early 2014.
CAV Ice Protection’s TKS Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI) protection system will be offered as an option on Cessna’s new Corvalis TTx single-engine aircraft when it reaches market later this year or in early 2014. The system uses titanium leading edge panels that secrete TKS ice protection fluid through laser-drilled holes. The system is integrated into the TTx’s Garmin G2000 cockpit display to indicate operational status. Pilots are able to select from three flow rate settings, and the system includes a backup mode for pump redundancy.
Ed Iacobucci, the technology entrepreneur who had a dream of revolutionizing private transportation by selling per-seat charter for the cost of an airline ticket using a fleet of Eclipse Aviation EA-500 business jets, died at his home June 21 following a 16-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 59.
TURBOMECA Arrius 2B, 2B1 and 2F turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2013-0024; Directorate Identifier 2000-NE-12-AD; Amendment 39-17469; AD 2013-11-09] – supersedes an existing AD currently requires replacement of injector manifolds and borescope inspection of the flame tube and the high-pressure (HP) turbine area for possible damage. This new AD requires, depending on the engine model, repetitive replacements of fuel injection manifolds and the privilege injector, or repetitive replacements of the privilege injector.
Bell Helicopter received an order for four Bell 407GX helicopters from CareFlite, a North Texas-based medical transportation company. CareFlite will operate the helicopters to transport ill or injured patients to critical care facilities within a 150-mi. radius of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Delivery of the aircraft is scheduled for this year.
The House and Senate Appropriations Committees on June 27 made substantially different recommendations for the fiscal 2014 FAA budget, clearing bills that are nearly $1 billion apart in funding. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill 22-8 that calls for an increase in FAA’s funding over fiscal 2013 levels to $15.921 billion. This would include increased funding for safety inspectors and NextGen investments. At the same time, the House approved 28-20 a bill that would cut FAA’s funding to $15 billion.
In a rare unanimous vote, the U.S. Senate has confirmed Charlotte, N.C., Mayor Anthony Foxx to become the next U.S. transportation secretary. Senators today voted 100-0 to confirm President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Cabinet department that oversees the FAA, the Maritime Administration and numerous other related federal agencies.
The budget crunch and sequestration cuts are setting the stage for a potential renewed debate on user fees. National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen and Airlines for America President and CEO Nick Calio broached the topic at a recent conference on the next generation air transportation system.
GE Aviation has begun certification testing of its Passport engine that will power the Bombardier Global 7000 and 8000 business jets. The Passport engine, developed under a joint venture between GE, IHI of Japan and TechSpace Aero of Belgium, began ground testing on June 24, running for more than 3 hr., and reaching more than 18,000 lb. of standard day sea-level takeoff thrust, GE says. The engine will be certified to produce 16,500 lbst on the Bombardier aircraft, and meet Stage 4 noise regulations. First run occurred at GE Aviation’s Peebles Testing Operation in Ohio.
CLOVIS MARTINS has joined Vector Aerospace Engines Services –Atlantic as sales and service manager for Brazil. Martins has nine year of aviation industry experience. He formerly has served with Synerjet, Premier Aviation and Linford Aviation.
JOHN MULDER was promoted to director of operations for TWC Aviation. Mulder has spent seven years with TWC, serving as chief pilot, director of training and line pilot. He has also served as director of operations and chief pilot for other Part 135 operators, along with assistant aviation commander for the Washington State Patrol and a U.S. Navy jet flight instructor.
Duncan Aviation was named the exclusive worldwide distributor of Safran Power UK & Safran Power USA’s Learjet 60 replacement starter generator. Duncan houses generator inventories at its Lincoln, Neb., facility and ships units worldwide.
Nepal’s Shree Airlines has placed an order for eight helicopters from Eurocopter, with deliveries scheduled to begin early next year. With the order of five AS350 B3e and three EC130 T2, the Himalayan nation will become one of the largest operators of Ecureuil helicopters in South Asia. Financial details were not disclosed. Shree Airlines currently operates an AS350 B3e for emergency relief operations. The EC130 T2s, however, will be used for commercial operations.
MARISA ALKIN was appointed charter coordinator for Cutter Aviation. Alkin has served with Cutter since May 2012 in the customer service department. She also has previous experience in both the aviation and customer service industries.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702) airplanes, Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) airplanes, Model CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes, and Model CL-600-2E25 (Regional Jet Series 1000) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0459; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-044-AD] – proposes to require repetitive replacement of the bellcrank supports on the inner rear spar of the horizontal stabilizer with new, improved bellcrank supports.
ROBERT MULLINS was named executive vice president, corporate strategy and mergers & acquisitions for Cobham. Mullins was formerly senior vice president, corporate strategy for Alliant Techsystems, an aerospace, defense and commercial products company. Mullins has also served with Northrop Grumman in a number of executives positions, including vice president of operations strategy and development for Northrop’s ISR Systems Division.
San Francisco-based Lam Aviation completed another round of flight tests using a Lancair Columbia fitted with its Lam Aileron, confirming a number of performance improvements that range from 30% improved fuel consumption to a 50% increase in rate of climb over the in-production aircraft, the company says.
DASSAULT Model Falcon 900 and 900EX airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-1322; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-155-AD; Amendment 39-17466; AD 2013-11-06] – requires modifying the tail strobe power supply wire routing. This AD was prompted by reports of chafing between the tail strobe power supply and a hydraulic line.
