EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, AS350D, AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0631; Directorate Identifier 2011-SW-021-AD; Amendment 39-17282; AD 2012-25-01] – requires, for helicopters with certain Aerazur emergency flotation gear attachment brackets installed, an initial and recurring inspection of the brackets for a crack, and if there is a crack, replacing the cracked bracket with an airworthy bracket. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks on the brackets.
LONDON – Bristow has predicted it will not see its fleet of Eurocopter EC225 helicopters return to service before the first quarter of 2014. While posting its fourth-quarter earnings recently, the company said progress in Eurocopter’s probe to discover what caused two EC225s to ditch in the North Sea in 2012 was encouraging, but that it would not rush its aircraft back into operation.
Enstrom Helicopter Corp. is doubling the size of its facility in Menominee, Mich. The helicopter manufacturer last month held a groundbreaking for the project, which will add 77,000 sq. ft. to the current 85,000-sq.-ft. facility. The expansion will enable the installation of new paint, gel coat and sandblast booths for component parts, along with additional space in the manufacturing and flight line areas. The expansion will also include a second floor to house the engineering department, a new training center and space for other manufacturing capabilities.
JENNA ALBRECHT was appointed safety analyst for business aviation for Argus subsidiary Professional Resources In System Management (PRISM). Albrecht, who has a master’s degree in safety science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, holds a variety of flight certificates and ratings including commercial pilot and certified flight instructor. She formerly was an aviation claims specialist who provided client safety evaluations and safety management system program reviews.
CAE is continuing to expand its business-aviation training capacity, with plans to add a Challenger 605 full-flight simulator in Europe at the beginning of 2016 under its authorized training provider (ATP) agreement with Bombardier. The Canadian company already offers training on Bombardier’s Challenger 300 and 604 in Amsterdam and on the Learjet 40/45, Global 5000 and Global Express in the U.K.
Daher-Socata delivered its TBM 850 Elite to Nantes, France-based Abalone Group, marking the first corporate operator of the Elite model of the single-engine turboprop. The Elite model can be tailored to accommodate four or six passengers. Daher-Socata launched the 850 program in 2005 and has delivered 307 since. Combined with the successor TBM 700, deliveries have reached 629 and the fleet has exceeded 1 million flight hours.
CALVIN RIEB was named helicopter aviation services program manager for Argus subsidiary Professional Resources In System Management (PRISM). Rieb has more than 11 years of aviation safety management experience. A U.S. Army veteran, he has served as an UH-60 medevac and an Army C-12, King Air 200 fixed-wing pilot. He held a number of positions in the Army, including logistics officer, unit movement officer and company safety officer.
JOHN DAUT was appointed U.S. regional sales director for the Northeast for Nextant Aerospace. Daut has more than 30 years of sales experience, formerly serving as vice president of sales for Marquis Jet. After Marquis was acquired by NetJets, he became senior vice president of sales, leading the Northeast sales efforts and also overseeing the company’s expansion into Asia.
Rockwell Collins added capabilities to its Ascend Flight Operations System (FOS) schedule and dispatch system for business aircraft operations. The new capabilities including integrated flight tracking, an enhanced trip request module and a filtering option for airport databases. Rockwell Collins integrated FOS with its Ascend Flight Manager to provide the flight tracking options, which enables subscribers to view their aircraft’s position in flight, as well as the flight path of completed and upcoming flights. The system enables overlay of satellite and U.S. radar data.
Beechcraft’s factory-owned Hawker Beechcraft Services facilities were authorized to install the CenTex Halo 250 gross weigh increase modification for Beechcraft King Air 200 aircraft. The Halo 250 conversion adds 920 lb. of payload capacity through an increase in maximum takeoff weight from 12,500 lb. to 13,420 lb. Waco, Texas-based CenTex Aerospace developed the modification, which received FAA certification in October. The increase can be installed via a normal category supplemental type certificate (STC) or a commuter category STC.
BARRY COSTA was named director of Mitre Corporation’s Technology Transfer Office. Costa joined Mitre in 1984 and has more than 30 years of experience working with a variety of technologies and data collection projects.
Business aircraft financing has become more available but lending has changed, with financial institutions becoming more segmented and specialized, an industry expert says.
The National Business Aviation Association’s next Business Aviation Regional Forum is set for June 6 at Westchester County Airport’s Panorama Flight Service, White Plains, N.Y. The Westchester Aviation Association is an active supporter of the event. When last held there in 2011, the forum drew 1,900 attendees, and a similar figure is expected this year as well. Some 120 exhibitors and nearly 30 aircraft will be on display.
KINGSLEY OKOLI was appointed regional sales director for Beechcraft products in Sub-Saharan Africa. Okoli will be based in Nigeria. He spent 13 years with the U.S. Air Force, working in the West Africa region and with the Nigerian air force. He was an F-16 crew chief and later a fighter squadron logistics readiness office. Most recently, he was senior program analyst for IMSolutions.
Honeywell is teaming with Swiss-based Jetex to expand its global flight support services reach. The partnership, the companies say, will expand their flight planning aircraft data link, flight following and international trip support services. Jetex will resell Honeywell’s Global Data Center flight support services to customers in Europe, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific. These include Honeywell’s Flight Sentinel dispatch and datalink offerings.
Airworthiness directives issued last week by U.S. and Canadian authorities are targeting unrelated yaw and pitch control system problems experienced by certain Bombardier regional jets.
FAA Administrator Michael Huerta is appealing to general aviation pilots to make sure they’re “ready to fly” before they embark on a trip. The appeal came in an open letter to the general aviation community underscoring that the troubling accident rate has captured the attention of the highest levels of FAA. FAA often puts out safety alerts to operators with common sense advice on piloting aircraft, but they typically don’t come directly from the administrator.
Revo Models Colonial C-1, Colonial C-2, Lake LA-4, Lake LA-4A, Lake LA-4P, and Lake LA-4-200 airplanes. [Docket No. FAA-2012-0845; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-013-AD; Amendment 39-17431; AD 2013-08-14] – supersedes an existing AD that currently requires a one-time, dye-penetrant inspection of the horizontal stabilizer attachment fitting and repetitive visual inspections of the fitting for any evidence of fretting, cracking, or corrosion (with necessary replacement and modification); replacement of the fitting upon reaching the 850-hr.
The San Antonio Airport system will honor the late aviation pioneer and entrepreneur Durrell Unger “Dee” Howard by renaming South Terminal Drive as Dee Howard Way in a June 3 ceremony. The west airport access road runs just south of the giant red-orange hangars built by Howard in the 1960s through 1980s. It is now owned by MRO and completions giant ST Aerospace.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0370; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-034-AD] – proposes to require cleaning the crew oxygen system. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that traces of oil could be found in the crew oxygen system due to the use of incorrect pressure testing procedures during manufacturing.
Nextant Aerospace’s new 400XTi is among a potential new family of aircraft that the Cleveland-based manufacturer his hoping to create. The XTi is the next generation of Nextant’s 400XT – a remanufactured Beechjet 400 that is stripped down and then built back up with a new interior, new avionics, new engines and now winglets. Nextant began delivery of the 400XT in fall 2011 and has since delivered 28 of the aircraft. The company has continued to capture orders, including major fleet orders, and expand its market to Europe and Asia.
Signature is expanding its Signature Select affiliate fixed-base operation program to the EMEA region. Under the program, an affiliate FBO will add Signature Select branding to its own. Signature will offer training, sales, marketing and systems support to participating FBOs. Signature will promote the locations and provide point-to-point coordination of handling and flight support. In addition, the FBOs will participate in Signature’s web-based reservation and TailWins loyalty program. Signature launched Signature Select in fall 2011 in the U.S. and Canada.
While much of the company’s current focus and investment involves its turbofan product line, Cessna is also in the propeller airplane business ... as long as it delivers to the bottom line. The Wichita plane maker plans to defend its leading position in light aircraft, President and CEO Scott Ernest said at the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva. “I’m not giving it up,” he said. But he added a caveat: “... as long as it’s profitable.”
NetJets is helping to launch Bombardier’s newest aircraft, the Challenger 350, with a firm order for 75 aircraft and options for 125 that have a total value of $5.4 billion. Steve Ridolfi, president of Bombardier Business Aircraft, and Jordan Hansell, chairman and CEO of NetJets, on May 20 took the wraps off the $25.9 million Challenger 350, an enhanced version of the Challenger 300 that first flew on March 2. It’s due to enter service with NetJets, fitted with the fractional operator’s custom Signature Series interior, in May 2014.
Sikorsky has received FAA approval for an oil rig approach system that the company claims can reduce helicopter pilot workload during oil and gas operations by 60%. The Rig Approach software upgrade, under development since 2007, is designed to ease workload during the approach to oil and gas platforms. With the system engaged, the aircraft flies to within one-eighth of a mile of the platform, placing the aircraft into a final approach where the pilot can either make the decision to land or go around.
