PETER PURCELL was hired to serve as King Air and Beechjet captain for Aero Charter, a charter and fixed-base operation at Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield, Mo. Purcell has 14 years of aviation experience, including eight as a corporate pilot.
Eurocopter is calling the main gearbox issue afflicting the North Sea fleet of EC225 helicopters the most serious technical problem that the company has encountered, but maintains that fixing it is a top priority. CEO Lutz Bertling described the problem as “more severe than any technical issue than we have had in the past,” during comments at the company’s annual press conference in Paris Jan. 24. “We are conducting test flights to find those sets of parameters that caused the issue, but it is not easy,” he said.
LEN LIOTTA has joined West Star Aviation as Northeast regional sales manager. He has 25 years of maintenance, business development, aircraft transactions and financial management experience, most recently as director of maintenance for an aircraft management company. He will provide technical and sales support in the Northeast region, a new territory for West Star.
FlightSafety International has added BoldIQ to its partners in the training company’s Extended Advantage Program. The program is designed to offer additional services that provide more safety or operational assistance to the operators. BoldIQ offers flight operations management platforms. As a participant in Extended Advantage, BoldIQ will offer preferred pricing.
The European Commission (EC) in November proposed to temporarily exempt non-European flights from the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), but the 27 member states and the European Parliament (EP) must legally endorse the decision, which is not yet a done deal. More worrisome is that many operators might have misinterpreted the “stop the clock” message of EU Climate Action Commissioner Connie Hedegaard and wrongly believe they are no longer required to comply with the scheme at all.
The first Russian-built AgustaWestland AW139 has begun flying, bringing the AgustaWestland/Russian Helicopters joint venture HeliVert a step closer to its goal of producing up to 20 of the medium helicopters a year for the Russian market. The first flight, announced Jan. 15, actually took place on Dec. 19 following the aircraft’s rollout the day before. The aircraft flew for 37 min. and completed a series of tests for Russian aviation authorities. It is now involved in a short flight test program before delivery to the as-yet-to-be-announced customer.
MATTHEW CZUBA has joined St. Louis-based Aero Charter as a line pilot. Czuba is qualified on the Sabre 65 and Beechcraft Baron and King Air. He formerly was a supervisor for the University of Central Missouri’s flight program and check pilot for the Department of Aviation.
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), a vocal supporter of the FAA’s NextGen air traffic management initiative, was named chair of the House aviation subcommittee. LoBiondo’s congressional district is home to the William J. Hughes FAA Technical Center, which conducts extensive NextGen research and development. Across the aisle, aides close to Rep. Rick Larsen (Wash.) expect the Democrat to lead his party on the aviation panel and that an announcement is expected Jan. 22.
Chile has become the 14th country to accept the increased gross weight exemption for the Bell 429 light helicopter. The country’s civil aviation authority, the DGAC, cleared the exemption to raise the maximum gross weight of the light-twin from 7,000 lb. (3,175 kg) to 7,500 lb. (3,402 kg). The DGAC has also certified the type’s operation in Chile. The move follows Venezuela’s green light to the weight exemption, announced early this month.
Business jet deliveries appear to have remained flat or even dipped slightly in 2012, according to early manufacturer and analyst reports. The General Aviation Manufacturers Association will release its yearend shipment report and annual industry review Feb. 12. But initial reports are indicating that deliveries remained sluggish in 2012, particularly for the light and midsize end of the market.
FlightSafety International is expanding and renovating its Teterboro, N.J. facility. The project will begin in the spring and continue into early 2014. FlightSafety is reconfiguring the building and adding a wing for flight crew emergency training that will include a pool and other specialized equipment. When the project is completed, the Teterboro center will have eight simulator bays, classrooms, debriefing areas, accommodations for flight-deck simulators and customer service and office areas.
TSA Administrator John Pistole is remaining quiet on the progress of the long overdue repair station security rule. Speaking last week to the International Aviation Club, Pistole declined to detail whether the rule was ready for Office of Management Budget review – typically the final review before a rule is released. A TSA official late last year hinted that the rule could be released in January.
BBA is realigning the leadership in its various aviation units with the appointment of Maria Sastre as president and COO of Signature Flight Support and Pat Pearse as managing director of BBA Aviation Flight Support Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA). Both Sastre and Pearse report to S. Michael Scheeringa, who has become president and CEO of BBA Aviation’s Flight Support division, which includes both Signature and Aircraft Service International Group (ASIG).
TURBOMECA Arriel 1A1, 1A2, 1B, 1C, 1C1, 1C2, 1D, 1D1, 1E2, 1K1, 1S, and 1S1 turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2012-0901; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-19-AD; Amendment 39-17314; AD 2012-27-02] – requires performing a high gas generator speed (NG) rating vibration check. This AD was prompted by several reports of uncommanded inflight shutdown on Arriel 1 engines. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent an uncommanded inflight shutdown of the engine, which could result in an emergency landing.
Cirrus Aircraft is increasing the SR22/SR22T gross weight to 3,600 lb. The company says the increase will enable the aircraft to carry an extra person, more baggage or additional cargo while carrying more fuel. The aircraft can carry five passengers more than 700 nm. Cirrus developed the “Generation 5” change after conducting a comprehensive aircraft review. Generation 5 involves alterations to increase airframe load and provide aerodynamic and flight performance improvements.
JASON LITTLE joined NationAir Aviation Insurance as a sales executive. Based in Atlanta, Little will handle NationAir’s agricultural and general aviation insurance sales in the Southeast U.S.
GROB Model G115EG airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0013; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-046-AD] – proposes to require repetitive inspections of the elevator trim tab arm to detect cracks and, if detected, replacement of the part with a serviceable part. The proposal would provide an optional terminating action for the repetitive inspections. The proposal stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information from the European Aviation Safety Agency, which cites reports of cracks found in the elevator trim tab arms on several Grob G 115 airplanes.
More public endorsements for general aviation and the aviation industry in general: 12 mayors in Virginia have signed a petition asking President Barack Obama to recognize the value of general aviation and to drop his support of a $100-per-flight user fee. The Alliance for Aviation Across America, which helped coordinate the letter, says general aviation contributes more than $728 million into the economy every year and supports 5,200 jobs. The Virginia letter follows a similar letter sent by 15 Ohio mayors in late December.
Jet Aviation’s facility in St. Louis recently reached a milestone when it completed its 200th green aircraft. The aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 605, was completed in December and delivered 11 days ahead of schedule. The 199th aircraft, a Bombardier Global 6000, was delivered the day before the Challenger 605, and that aircraft was 10 days ahead of schedule. The recent deliveries marked the results of a number of changes that Jet Aviation has implemented over the past couple of years to make its completions operations more efficient.
CRAIG SMITH was named manager of Blackhawk Modification’s newly formed aircraft sales department. Smith has more than 28 years of aircraft marketing experience and more than 3,600 flight hours with multiple ratings. He will be responsible for managing the brokerage and upgrade process for Blackhawk Modifications, including locating Cessna Caravans for upgrade and resale in the market.
HONEYWELL air data pressure transducers [Docket No. FAA-2012-1315; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-191-AD; Amendment 39-17310; AD 2012-26-15] – requires, for certain transducers, tests or checks of equipment having certain air data pressure transducers, and removal of equipment if necessary. As an option to the tests or checks, this AD allows removal of affected equipment having certain air data pressure transducers.
Garmin is releasing a new series of aviation VHF COM and NAV/COM radios, the GTR and GNC series, replacing the SL 30 and SL 40 products. The GTR COM transceivers and the GTR NAV/COM radios will meet the requirements of the 8.33 kHz channel spacing mandate recently enacted by the European Union under the Single European Sky (SES) initiative. They also will incorporate new features, such as reversed database look-up, to reduce pilot workload, Garmin says. The SES mandate requires all aircraft using European airspace to be equipped with 8.33 kHz radios by Dec. 31, 2017.
Bombardier’s Flexjet fractional operation is planning modest growth in its fleet with new Learjets coming online and possible additional Challenger 605s, but plans to celebrate the anchor of its fleet – the Challenger 300 – even as competitive pressures grow within the market with that model.
