PILATUS PC-12, PC-12/45 and PC-12/47 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2008-0070; Directorate Identifier 2007-CE-098-AD; Amendment 39-17398; AD 2008-07-11 R1] – rescind an AD that mandated new life limits and shortened time-between-overhaul for the pitch trim actuator and pitch trim actuator parts. The AD stemmed from results of full-scale fatigue testing of the pitch trim actuator. The results showed that without the new limitations, the pitch trim actuator and the pitch trim actuator components could fail. This failure could lead to an unsafe flying configuration.
Signature Flight Support has added a sixth TechnicAir maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) location with the acquisition of Sun Aircraft Services at Washington Dulles International Airport. Signature officially opened its newest MRO base with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 3. Sun Aircraft, a longtime MRO provider at Dulles, formerly had been a Signature tenant. Signature combined the Sun Aircraft hangar with its own facility to have a repair station encompassing 40,000 sq. ft.
More than 220 House members are stating their opposition to a possible $100-per-flight user fee in a letter sent to President Obama April 5. The letter, which comes just days before the administration is set to unveil its fiscal 2014 budget request, reminds the president that user fees have been proposed in his last two budgets, along with former administrations, and “Congress has repeatedly and overwhelmingly rejected them.” The members urge Obama to “abandon this idea once and for all,” calling user fees the wrong approach.
JOSEPH DOUBLEDAY was appointed director of maintenance for StarPort. Doubleday will oversee the day-to-day operations of the aircraft maintenance business, including avionics overhaul and repair refurbishment and paint. He formerly had a 27-year career with the FAA, most recently as manager of the Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Group at the FAA facility in Oklahoma City.
Gearbox tests on the EC225 helicopter have recreated the fault that engineers believe forced the ditchings of two of the aircraft into the North Sea last year, Eurocopter says. In an April 3 statement, Eurocopter said engineers have been carrying out a third round of testing on the main gearbox of the EC225. They reported to operators that they not only reproduced the scenario which caused the cracking in the bevel gear vertical shaft – part of the aircraft’s main gearbox (MGB) – on the test bench, but also believe they have found the “most probable cause.”
Embraer Executive Jets delivered the first customer-bound Phenom 300 produced at the company’s facility in Melbourne, Fla. The aircraft went to an undisclosed customer in the U.S. who will use it for his business network. The first 300 off the assembly line in Melbourne was placed in Embraer’s flight department and is being used as a demonstrator. The delivery demonstrates the “maturity of our assembly facilities in Melbourne.
Bombardier has teamed with the Rodeo Drive Committee and the City of Beverly Hills to participate in the famed street’s annual Father’s Day festivities. The city and Rodeo Drive Committee has selected “The Jet Age” as the theme and will honor Learjet’s 50th anniversary. Bombardier’s fractional ownership operation Flexjet will display a full-scale mock-up of a Learjet 85 at the Rodeo Drive Concours d’Elegance.
MICAH EDMOND was named assistant vice president of industrial base policy for the Aerospace Industries Association. Edmond has more than 15 years of experience in senior advisory positions with the Department of Defense, on Capitol Hill and in the private sector. Most recently, Edmond founded and managed Edmond & Co., a consulting services firm that helped advise the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction and the Simpson-Bowles Deficit Reduction Commission.
The National Transportation Safety Board is meeting April 9 to discuss the probable cause of the Aug. 26 crash of a Eurocopter AS350 B2 helicopter near the Midwest National Air Center in Mosby, Mo. The pilot, flight nurse, flight paramedic, and patient were killed, and the helicopter was substantially damaged.
FAA has granted operators of small business aircraft a two-year exemption that permits them to participate in certain cost-sharing arrangements that are available to large aircraft operators. The approval, for National Business Aviation Association members, extends an ongoing exemption, but came just before that last extension was set to expire April 1.
DAVID ASHTON was promoted to executive vice president for business development and technology for Cobham. Ashton, most recently vice president of Cobham’s Tactical Communications & Surveillance strategic business unit, becomes a member of the company’s group executive committee in his new role. He has more than 20 years of aerospace and defense experience.
ROBINSON Model R44 and R44 II helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-1088; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-005-AD; Amendment 39-17387; AD 2013-05-15] – requires, for affected helicopters equipped with emergency floats, replacing the inflation valve assembly. This AD was prompted by the failure of the emergency floats to deploy during a factory test because a needle was binding within the inflation valve assembly. The actions are intended to prevent the failure of the floats to inflate during an emergency landing. FAA estimates the AD affects 165 helicopters on the U.S.
Rizon Jet received an approved maintenance organization (AMO) designation from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority for its facility in Doha, Qatar. The authorization permits Rizon’s Doha facility to perform maintenance, repairs and inspections on business aircraft registered under the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan. Rizon, which also operates a Part 145 facility at London Biggin Hill, is equipped to service various Bombardier and Hawker Beechcraft aircraft at both facilities.
HUGHES HELICOPTERS AND MCDONNELL DOUGLAS 369D, 369E, 369F, and 369FF helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0890; Directorate Identifier 2011-SW-019-AD; Amendment 39-17388; AD 2013-05-16] – requires, for helicopters with certain serial-numbered tailboom assemblies, measuring the distance between aft longeron rivets and the outboard edge of frame rings. If the distance is too short to ensure a safe flight, the AD requires installing a doubler. This AD was prompted by the discovery of short-edge margin conditions on two tailboom assemblies.
Signature Flight Support is planning to continue its rapid growth as San Jose, Calif., officials are scheduled to meet April 9 to give final approval for a new Signature fixed-base operation (FBO) complex at San Jose International Airport. The $82 million complex, to encompass 270,000 sq. ft. over 29 acres, will be the FBO chain’s largest. Work on that facility could begin by the end of the fourth quarter, says Maria Sastre, Signature Flight Support president and COO. Signature is partnering with Google executives on the project.
SIKORSKY Model S-61A, D, E, L, N, NM, R, and V helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0085; Directorate Identifier 2011-SW-004-AD; Amendment 39-17389; AD 2013-05-17] – requires replacing each forward and aft fuel system 40 micron fuel filter element with a 10 micron nominal (40 micron absolute) fuel filter element.
JULIAN HELLEBRAND was promoted to executive vice president for life cycle management and program management for Cobham. Hellebrand most recently has been chief of staff to the CEO and group director of communications. He will retain those roles until a successor is appointed. He has more than 25 years in project and program management experience.
A. U.S. District Court ruling this week supports the Environmental Protection Agency’s stance that it is not yet ready to issue a finding that lead emissions from general aviation may endanger public health. EPA last summer denied a 2006 petition from the Friends of the Earth (FOE) to issue an endangerment finding and propose standards regulating the use of leaded aviation gasoline, saying it needed to gather more evidence. EPA contended that such a finding could not be made until the second half of 2015.
DAVID WELCH was named vice president of sales for SkyWay Aero. Welch, who has more than 25 years of aviation experience, joined the company in January 2009. Before that he served as an aviation researcher for Gantt Aviation, aircraft sales manager for West Air and regional sales member for Texas Piper. He also launched Intgrity Aero in 2000, selling the firm in 2008.
General aviation supporters on Capitol Hill are renewing their opposition to White House proposals to impose air traffic control user fees. The Obama administration will unveil its budget April 10, and general aviation advocates are preparing for a return of past efforts to impose a $100-per-flight air traffic control user charge. GA Caucus members have drafted a letter in the House once again expressing opposition to user fees. The letter, addressed to President Obama, calls the fees the “wrong approach” and asks him to abandon the idea.
April 16–18—Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE2013), Shanghai, China, (703) 783-9000, www.abace.aero April 16-18—Aviation Week MRO Americas 2013 Conference & Exhibition, George World Congress Center, Atlanta, www.aviationweek.com/events April 22-23—National Air Transportation Association Aviation Business and Legislative Conference, Renaissance Capital View, Arlington, Va., 703-845-9000, www.nata.aero April 29-30—Aircraft Electronics Association Regional Meeting, Munich, Germany, www.aea.net/events.asp
