Eclipse Aerospace took a step toward returning new production Eclipse very light jets to market in the third quarter with the first power up of an Eclipse 550. The March 14 power up of the first production Eclipse 550 followed the launch of the production line in June. “This event is another key signal to the world that we continue on our methodical and well-executed plan to reintroduce production and delivery of the Eclipse 550 jet this year,” says CEO Mason Holland.
New Hampshire Gov. Margaret Hassan declared March 2013 “General Aviation Appreciation Month,” in a proclamation recognizing that general aviation and local airports “play a critical role in the lives or our citizens as well as the operation of our businesses and farms.” Aerospace accounts for 8.8 out of every 1,000 workers in New Hampshire, which is home to 118 registered airports and 2,055 general aviation aircraft, the proclamation says.
StandardAero President and CEO Rob Mionis resigned from the firm to pursue other opportunities. Firoz Tarapore, a director and member of the StandardAero Executive Committee since 2007, stepped in as interim president and CEO until a permanent successor can be found. Tarapore credited Mionis with helping make “strong progress across all our core markets.” Mionis helped form the current company, when he led the acquisition of the legacy Standard Aero, Landmark Aviation and TSS and merged them into what is now branded as StandardAero.
KRISTEN KING was named director of marketing for Metro Aviation. King previously served as director of communications for the Bossier City Chamber of Commerce in Bossier City, La., where she oversaw the design, creation, dissemination and publication of all chamber marketing and communications pieces and events. She also was a reporter and producer for ABC affiliate KTBS in Shreveport, La.
AAR received FAA repair station certification for a facility in Albuquerque dedicated to maintaining the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) fleet of aircraft.
Robinson Helicopter is set to deliver as many as 40 turbine-powered R66s to Russia before the end of the year following receipt of long-delayed type certification from Russian authorities. Type approval follows the U.S. FAA’s recent clearance of the R66’s hydraulic control system to an equivalent level of safety (ELOS), and could clear the way for similar recognition from Canada and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Pending partial furloughs will force FAA inspectors to prioritize current activities and put new projects on the back burner, says FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. Speaking to maintenance executives at the Aeronautical Repair Station Association’s annual symposium March 22, Huerta said inspectors will focus on “the most pressing priorities” and that work on new projects will be very limited. While Huerta did not elaborate, new projects could include everything from an aircraft or product certification to work on a repair station application. Both U.S.
TURBOMECA Makila 1A2 turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2011-1037; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-30-AD; Amendment 39-17373; AD 2013-05-01] – supersedes an AD that currently requires replacement of certain serial number (S/N) N2 sensor harnesses. This AD requires replacement of the same S/N harnesses, and requires replacement of additional S/N N2 sensor harnesses. This AD was prompted by corrosion detected in affected N2 sensor harnesses.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS332C, AS332L, and AS332L1 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-1015; Directorate Identifier 2007-SW-069-AD; Amendment 39-17363; AD 2013-04-06] – requires modifying the main landing gear control panel, 33G, connector 100G, and wiring. It also requires tests to ensure that these modifications function correctly. This AD was prompted by reports of electro-valve power supply disruptions while a helicopter is on the ground, causing the landing gear to retract and the helicopter nose to drop.
FAA will identify technical, political, legal and operational methods to protect aviation users from intentional spoofing and jamming of GPS signals in a report to be issued in September. Results of the one-year study initiated by the FAA in September 2012 and carried out by a government/industry team are critical to the agency’s planned reliance on GPS as the navigation and surveillance backbone of the next-generation air transportation system (NextGen) program.
EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND EC 135 P1, P2, P2+, T1, T2, and T2+ helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0239; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-087-AD] – proposes to required, for affected helicopters equipped with a certain main transmission housing upper part, installing a corrugated washer in the middle of the main transmission filter housing upper part and modifying the main transmission housing upper part.
The proposed one-year suspension of the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for non-EU operators has moved one step closer to legal certainty following the March 20 approval by permanent representatives of the EU’s 27-member states. The text was negotiated earlier this month in a meeting between the Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission.
CESSNA Model 750 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0720; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-059-AD; Amendment 39-17360; AD 2013-04-03] – requires inspecting certain logic modules to determine if certain cabin altitude/pitot static heater module assemblies are installed and replacing those assemblies with a new assembly; and revising the Non-Normal Procedures Section of the airplane flight manual (AFM) to include procedures for resetting the pitot switch in the event of pitot heater failure and for total loss of airspeed indication.
After cutting its workforce nearly in half in recent years, Cessna Aircraft is now looking at expansion: it wants to increase its sales force by 50%. The move comes as the Wichita airframer is in the throes of bringing six new or upgraded aircraft to market this year. The first of which, the more powerful Caravan, has already entered service.
The FAA is gauging the interest of aerospace companies in the development of upgrades to the ground-based portions of its wide-area augmentation system (WAAS) in advance of dual-frequency GPS operations for the aviation community later this decade. WAAS uses a network of ground-based reference and control stations, as well as three geostationary satellites, to boost the accuracy of GPS signals to enable satellite-based instrument approaches and precision navigation operations in North America.
Dassault, citing encouraging signs for the large business jet market, is expecting to see a boost in Falcon sales in 2013 and to slightly increase deliveries to 70 Falcon business jets. The improving sales would follow a year in which Dassault’s Falcon net order intake (minus cancellations) increased by more than 50%, from 36 in 2011 to 58 last year. The orders in 2011 and 2012 mark a dramatic swing from the two previous years, when cancellations outpaced orders by nine aircraft in 2010 and 163 in 2009.
Quest Aircraft Company named SkyQuest International as an authorized dealer for the company’s Kodiak single-turboprop. SkyQuest will represent the company’s sales activities in Africa. Founded in 1999, SkyQuest provides sales and marketing, acquisitions, appraisals, and consulting services.
The U.S. Air Force instructed Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) to restart work to deliver 20 Embraer A-29 Super Tucano Light Air Support (LAS) aircraft to the Afghan air force early in 2014, overriding the stop-work order it was required by law to issue after losing bidder Beechcraft protested the award of the $427 million contract.
JONATHAN DEUTSCH is representing Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI) in emerging markets. Deutsch will be responsible for expanding the company’s presence throughout Africa and in parts of Asia. He previously developed a used aircraft business at a facility where he learned to fly.
Jet Aviation Geneva has received FAA approval to provide line and maintenance to Gulfstream G650 aircraft. The FAA approval follows European Aviation Safety Agency approval in December.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Chairman Bill Trimble, in a letter to members, says the association has begun a national search for a fifth leader of the association to succeed departing President Craig Fuller. Trimble outlines the qualifications – strong in advocacy, business experience and, not surprisingly, a pilot.
BAE SYSTEMS Model BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-1157; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-061-AD; Amendment 39-17371; AD 2013-04-13] – requires a one-time insulation resistance test of ceramic terminal blocks, and if necessary, replacement of the blocks.
