Although the House and Senate have drafted substantially different FAA funding bills, both chambers are providing full funding to preserve the contract tower program in their respective 2014 budget bills. The House would provide $140 million for the program; the Senate $140.35 million. The funding is designed to shield the program from the sequestration cuts that had threatened it this spring. The U.S.
SAAB Model 340B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0460; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-222-AD] – proposes to require an inspection of the stick pusher rigging and an adjustment to the correct setting if necessary. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that the elevator position quoted in an aircraft maintenance manual is incorrect for the Saab 340B airplane.
The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA), exasperated by the continued delay in the release of the congressionally mandated aircraft repair station security rule, is urging Congress to reverse course on the penalty it imposed in 2008 after TSA failed to produce the rule. Congress nearly five years ago banned FAA from certifying any new foreign repair station until the rule is released. ARSA is receiving indications of support in the House for a bill to overturn the ban and is hopeful that a measure will be introduced in upcoming weeks.
July 11—National Business Aviation Association, Business Aviation Regional Forum, Denver, Colo., (703) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org July 29-Aug. 4—2013 EAA Airventure Oshkosh, Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wis., www.airventure.org Aug. 12-13—Aircraft Electronics Association Regional Meeting, Sao Paulo, Brazil, www.aea.net/events.asp Aug. 27-28—Aircraft Electronics Association Regional Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, www.aea.net/events.asp
BELL Model 214B, 214B-1 and 214ST helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0470; Directorate Identifier 2013-SW-008-AD; Amendment 39-17465; AD 2013-11-05] – requires inspecting the bearing to determine whether an incorrectly manufactured seal material is installed on the bearing. This AD is prompted by a report that certain bearings were manufactured with an incorrect seal material that does not meet Bell specifications. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent loss of bearing grease, failure of the bearing, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
Signature Flight Support, which teamed with Montreal-based fixed-base operator Starlink Aviation in 2010 under a licensing agreement, is acquiring a majority share of the FBO operations in a move that provides Signature its first majority-owned base in Canada. Under an agreement that is expected to close in the third quarter, Starlink will continue to own and operate the real estate in Montreal, along with its aircraft management, maintenance, corporate shuttle and charter businesses.
The Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) is easing a border-crossing process for business and general aviation aircraft, even as the agency has stepped up its interdiction efforts involving light planes by making unannounced, extensive searches.
The International Business Aviation Council’s (IBAC) International Standards for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) has topped 700 registered operators. IS-BAO was launched 11 years ago to provide a series of standards and best practices that operators can demonstrate. The standard, which includes a safety management system program developed by the International Civil Aviation Safety Organization, has since become internationally accepted.
CESSNA Model 500, 501, 550, 551, S550, 560, 560XL, and 650 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-1001; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-020-AD; Amendment 39-17453; AD 2013-09-11] – requires inspecting to determine if certain air conditioning (A/C) compressor motors are installed and to determine the accumulated hours on certain A/C drive motor assemblies; repetitive replacement of the brushes in the drive motor assembly, or, as an option to the brush replacement, deactivation of the A/C system and placard installation; and return of replaced brushes to Cessna.
TAC Air’s Keystone Aviation facility at Aurora State Airport in Aurora, Ore., was named a Cirrus authorized service center. The addition of the Cirrus capabilities comes as the facility works to expand its line of aviation products and services. Keystone’s Aurora site also is approved as a service center for Daher-Socata. A Part 145 repair station, Keystone also provides charter, maintenance, management and sales and brokerage services in Aurora. In addition to Aurora, Keystone operates facilities in Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah.
BOMBARDIER Model BD-100-1A10 (Challenger 300) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0930; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-251-AD; Amendment 39-17472; AD 2013-11-12] – requires inspecting for the correct serial number of a certain hydraulic system accumulator, and replacing affected hydraulic system accumulators with new or serviceable accumulators.
SIKORSKY Model S-65E helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0454; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-081-AD] – proposes to supersede an AD that currently requires inspecting and reworking the main gearbox (MGB) assembly second stage lower planetary plate. This action would establish or reduce the life limits for certain flight-critical components, remove from service various parts, require repetitive inspections and other corrective actions, and require replacing any cracked part discovered during an inspection.
ART DAWLEY was named managing director of Wyvern Consulting. Dawley has more than 25 years of business aviation experience, serving as a corporate pilot, aviation department manager and most recently, a member of Wyvern’s audit team. He also has owned and operated a charter and maintenance business in Latin American since 2004.
While the light-jet market malaise continues to linger, Bombardier believes the market will return to its prior peak levels by 2016 and is maintaining a forecast of 24,000 deliveries valued at $650 billion through 2032. That is nearly the same 20-year outlook the Canada-based company gave a year ago, even though it had predicted the beginnings of a pickup in deliveries in 2013.
Cobham has received an AUD$7 million one-year contract extension from the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service to provide maritime surveillance services through June 2014 using two Reims F406 Caravan II twin turboprops. The aircraft, equipped with surveillance radar and satellite communications, fly 2,000 hr. of maritime patrol missions each year. The Australian Border Protection operation is the largest civil surveillance operation in the world, which Cobham has supported since 1995.
July 11—National Business Aviation Association, Business Aviation Regional Forum, Denver, Colo., (703) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org July 29-Aug. 4—2013 EAA Airventure Oshkosh, Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wis., www.airventure.org Aug. 12-13—Aircraft Electronics Association Regional Meeting, Sao Paulo, Brazil, www.aea.net/events.asp Aug. 27-28—Aircraft Electronics Association Regional Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, www.aea.net/events.asp
Rockwell Collins is providing traffic alert and collision avoidance (TCAS II) systems for Bristow Group’s fleet of 44 helicopters, including Sikorsky S-76 C++ and S-92A helicopters. Retrofit of the Rockwell Collins TTR-4000 TCAS II systems aboard 24 Bristow helicopters is under way. Rockwell Collins will install its TTR-4100, which adds traffic computer capability and enables automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast applications on the remaining 20 helicopters within the next year.
Kaman Aerospace Group’s Aerosystems division was select to produce fixed leading edge (FLE) assemblies for Bombardier Global 7000 and 8000 wings. Kaman will be under subcontract to Vought Aircraft Division (Triumph), which is responsible for the design and manufacture of the wings. Triumph issued an advanced procurement authorization to Kaman while contract details are finalized. Kaman will produce the FLE assemblies at its facilities in Jacksonville, Fla., and Chihuahua, Mexico. The Global 7000 is expected to enter service in 2016, followed by the Global 8000 in 2017.
GKN Aerospace has signed a long-term agreement with Snecma to manufacture low-pressure turbine (LPT) cases for its new Silvercrest large/long-range business jet engine. First deliveries of cases to Snecma in Villaroche, France, will take place this month, ramping up as the engine is introduced into service through 2016. GKN Aerospace is a risk- and revenue-sharing partner with Snecma in the CFM56 program and has been the sole supplier of LPT cases for the CFM56 since 1986.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-215-1A10 and CL-215-6B11 (CL-215T Variant) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0426; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-084-AD; Amendment 39-17463; AD 2013-11-03] – requires repetitive detailed inspections for cracking of the left-hand (LH) and right-hand (RH) wing lower skin, and repair if necessary. This AD also provides terminating action for the repetitive detailed inspections. This AD was prompted by reports of a fractured wing lower rear spar cap and reinforcing strap.
Bombardier recently commemorated two milestones: the deliveries of the 500th Global long-range business jet and the 400th Challenger 300 super-midsize jet. The 500th Global business jet, a Global 6000, will enter service with French company Groupe Bollore. The 400th Challenger 300, meanwhile, will be operated by BJet, which also operates a Global 5000, Global 6000, Challenger 605, Challenger 850 and Learjet 60 aircraft.
Pilatus Aircraft opted for a clean-sheet design of its new PC-24 business jet after ruling out the Grob SPn-180, says Chairman Oscar Schwenk. During the preliminary design phase, Schwenk says that Pilatus was invited by the German government to bid on the SPn-180 program from bankrupt Grob. He was tempted because he says he has great respect for Dr. Burkhart Grob as an engineer. “I put 40 top people to work for three weeks studying the program. But Grob never built a production conforming prototype. There was no configuration control.
Icon Aircraft, the developer of the amphibious light-sport A5 aircraft, is moving forward to ramp up full-scale production with $60 million in new equity funding led by a Chinese investor. The latest investment is the company’s fourth and final round, which Icon says will be enough to demonstrate regulatory compliance, to ramp up production and to begin work on the next aircraft in the model line.
Voldirect SAS, a Rennes, France-based carrier, received air operator’s certificate approval to provide commercial service using the Daher-Socata TBM 850 in instrument meteorological conditions – marking the first such European approval. The European Commission recently signed off on single-engine IMC commercial operations, and the European Aviation Safety Agency is developing rules to recognize the operations, which are already cleared in Canada and the U.S.
