EMBRAER Model ERJ 170 and ERJ 190 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0092; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-067-AD] – proposes to require a detailed inspection for damage to the insulation and inner conductors of the auxiliary (APU) electronic start controller (ESC) power cables, installing new grommet support in the tail cone firewall, and corrective actions if necessary. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of chafing between the APU ESC power cables and the airplane tail cone firewall.
Gulfstream continues to rack up city-pair speed records with its new aircraft models, the latest involving a nonstop G650 flight between Melbourne and Abu Dhabi. The trip was the longest duration nonstop for Gulfstream’s demonstrator aircraft since it entered service in late 2012. The aircraft completed the 6,329-nm flight from Melbourne International Airport to Abu Dhabi Al Bateen Executive Airport in 13 hr. and 5 min., averaging a speed of Mach 0.87. The previous longest flight for the demonstrator G650 was a 6,102-nm trip between Doha, Qatar and Teterboro, N.J.
Beechcraft delivered the 800th T-6 turboprop, nearly 13 years after the aircraft first entered service. The milestone aircraft was one of two Beechcraft T-6Bs delivered to the U.S. Navy’s Training Air Wing 4 at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas. The Training Air Wing 4 is scheduled to take a total of 98 T-6Bs to replace its aging T-34 fleet. Beechcraft has delivered 16 of the aircraft to the Wing 4 so far. Beechcraft began delivery of the first T-6 – which is based on the Pilatus PC-9 – in 2000 after it was selected for the U.S.
Part 135 is a fast growing segment to adopt Aviation Safety Action Programs (ASAPs), says Chris MacWhorter, senior technical advisor for FAA’s Flight Standards Service. Currently, 19 Part 135 operators and eight Part 135/91K operators have the programs in place, which provides a means for employees to voluntarily report safety issues and events. The Air Charter Safety Foundation has begun a program that would enable smaller operators to participate, and ACSF Director of Safety Russ Lawton says four operators are on board with more in the works.
Signature Flight Support parent BBA Aviation is preparing for another flat year in the business and general aviation sector but will continue to make strategic acquisitions in anticipation of market growth in the medium and long term, CEO Simon Pryce says.
SIMON MORRIS was named vice president for ICF International’s aviation practice, SH&E. Morris has more than 20 years of experience, with a background in airport transactions. He formerly was principal of A.T. Kearney’s airport practice and also has served as director for LeighFisher’s European airport practice. He will work with business and strategic planning for airports and lead the London Airport team in projects.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is launching a search for a new president and CEO following the decision of Craig Fuller to step down from the office he has held since January 2009. Fuller, who had succeeded longtime president Phil Boyer, is only the fourth president at AOPA since the association’s inception 75 years ago.
New FAA guidance is providing Part 121, 135 and 91K operators an alternate means to demonstrate compliance with initial training requirements for their contract instructors and check airmen. The guidance, effective last month, was released after the agency met with industry groups, which were concerned that the training requirements were forcing some Part 142 training centers to pull authorizations of their inspectors and check airman.
ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND BR700-710A1-10 and BR700-710A2-20 turbofan engines, and certain BR700-710C4-11 engines [Docket No. FAA-2012-1055; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-33-AD; Amendment 39-17351; AD 2013-03-17] -- requires reducing the life limits for certain high-pressure turbine (HPT) Stage 1 and Stage 2 discs. This AD was prompted by RRD performing an evaluation that determined that certain HPT Stage 1 and Stage 2 discs from a specific supplier may contain steel inclusions that may cause the discs to fail before they reach their current life limits.
Sierra Nevada, with team member Embraer, has once again defeated Beechcraft for the U.S. Air Force’s Light Air Support aircraft contract for the fledgling Afghan defense forces. The winning team, offering a variant of Embraer’s A-29 Super Tucano, originally beat out Beechcraft’s AT-6 proposal in December 2011. But the Air Force was quickly forced to stop work on the contract after Beechcraft protested the source selection. Findings of government auditors prompted the Air Force to redo the competition, leading to the Feb. 27 announcement.
Diamond Aircraft continues to struggle with the ongoing general aviation market malaise, temporarily laying off the majority of its workforce at its London, Ontario-based operation and suspending development of the D-Jet single-jet program. The company cites “continuing low piston aircraft sales, especially in the North American market, and the significant burden of its cost-intensive D-Jet development program” for the latest actions.
Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) have introduced a pair of climate-change bills that could significantly raise the cost of fuel. The bills are similar to legislation introduced by Reps. Henry Waxman (D-Ore.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.) in 2010 in that they would impose a carbon-dioxide tax on fuel and other substances whose use creates greenhouse gas emissions. The bills will next be considered by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which Boxer chairs.
Jet Aviation’s facility in Dubai obtained FAA approval to provide line and base maintenance for the Gulfstream 650 aircraft. Dubai is among the initial service centers authorized to service Gulfstream’s newest aircraft. The center was established in May 2005 as a joint venture with the Al Mulla Group.
DASSAULT Model Mystere-Falcon 50 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-1037; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-008-AD; Amendment 39-17347; AD 2013-03-12] – requires revising the maintenance program to incorporate new or revised maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations. This AD was prompted by a manufacturer revision to the airplane maintenance manual that introduces new or more restrictive maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent reduced structural integrity of the airplane.
AL PETERSON joined Landmark Aviation as general manager of its facility at Los Angeles International Airport. Peterson has nearly 10 years of aviation industry experience, most recently as airport and fixed-base operation manager at Nantucket Memorial Airport. Peterson also served on the boards of directors for the National Air Transportation Association and the American Association of Airport Executives, and is past president of the Massachusetts Airport Management Association.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is installing a Level D full-flight simulator at its Advanced Flight Simulation Center in Daytona Beach, Fla. The CRJ-200 simulator will be installed this summer in time for training in the fall. The university plans to use the simulator to help students meet the proposed Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certification training requirements. While 1,500 flight hours are required for an ATP, the proposal would enable students who attend a college or university to qualify for an ATP with 1,000 hr.
Piper Aircraft is upgrading the avionics on its twin-engine Seneca V from the Garmin G600 to a three-display G1000 suite. The Seneca is the latest model to receive the G1000 – the avionics are on all of the company’s M-Class aircraft, along with the Saratoga twin. The Seneca V suite will include Baro-VNAV approach (used for LNAV/VNAV vertical guidance, whenever SBAS is not available or not approved), Vertical Profile View, User-defined holding patterns and the GSR 56-Iridium Transceiver.
GULFSTREAM Model G150 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0986; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-077-AD; Amendment 39-17357; AD 2013-03-23] -- requires revising the performance section of the airplane flight manual (AFM) to include procedures to advise the flightcrew of certain runway slope and anti-ice corrections and take-off distance values. This AD was prompted by a review that determined that the runway slope and anti-ice corrections to V1 and take-off distances in the AFM were presented in a non-conservative manner.
PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA PW206B, PW206B2, PW206C, PW207C, PW207D, PW207D1, PW207D2, and PW207E turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2012-0942; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-24-AD; Amendment 39-17355; AD 2013-03-21] -- AD requires re-identification of the power turbine (PT) disk to a part number (P/N) with a lower life limit This AD was prompted by the discovery that certain PT disks were made to specific heat codes that may not achieve the maximum in-service life. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent possible uncontained PT disk failure and loss of helicopter control.
FAA has no plans to address Part 135 flight and duty time regulations any time soon, but when it does, the agency will draw upon recommendations of the industry/FAA Part 125/135 Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), a senior regulator reassured charter operator executives.
PILATUS Models PC-12, PC-12/45, PC-12/47, and PC-12/47E airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0732; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-022-AD; Amendment 39-17311; AD 2012-26-16] – requires implementing more restrictive maintenance instructions and/or airworthiness limitations. The AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information from the European Aviation Safety Agency, which cites a need to incorporate new revisions into the limitations section of the FAA-approved maintenance program.
March 5-7, 2013—Airports Council International-North America, 2013 Operations & Technical Affairs Conference, St. Petersburg, Fla., www.aci-na.org/event/2412/ March 5-6, 2013—Airports Council International-North America, 2013 Public Safety & Security Spring Conference, St. Petersburg, Fla., www.aci-na.org/event/2411/ March 10-12, 2013—Airports Council International-North America, 2013 Air Cargo Conference, Las Vegas, Nev., www.aci-na.org/event/2631/
PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA PT6C-67C turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2012-1005; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-27-AD; Amendment 39-17349; AD 2013-03-14] -- requires initial and repetitive borescope inspections to verify the presence of a retaining ring securing the power turbine (PT) baffle located near the second stage PT disk. If the engine fails the inspection, this AD also requires removing the engine from service before further flight. This AD was prompted by five reported incidents of second stage PT disk damage.
