ROB LEWIS was named vice president for global business aviation, helicopter and maintenance training for CAE. Lewis formerly served as president and CEO of Pentastar Aviation. He also has served as president of Everest Fuel Management and vice president of supply for Sentient Jet.
KEVIN HIATT was promoted to president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF). Hiatt takes over for longtime CEO Bill Voss, who is returning to FAA as an aviation safety official. Hiatt has been COO at FSF since 2010, and before that was vice president for corporate safety and security for World Airways. He also spent 26 years with Delta Air Lines.
Piper reached agreement with local authorities on a plan that will enable it to retain $4 million in incentive awards as long as the Vero Beach, Fla., manufacturer maintains employment at 600 people. The agreement follows a similar deal that Piper arranged with state officials after it became clear that the company could not meet previous employment obligations.
Boeing and Embraer have revealed plans to co-develop new pilot procedures, training aids and flight deck technology to reduce runway excursions–one of the top three contributors to aircraft accidents. The flight safety initiative is the latest venture to emerge from the two companies following the signing of a co-operative agreement in April. The two have signed up to collaborate on Embraer’s KC-390 tanker-airlifter and Super Tucano aircraft programs, as well as on the development of sustainable aviation biofuels made from sugarcane.
TURBOMECA Arriel 1A1, 1A2, 1B, 1C, 1C1, 1C2, 1D, 1D1, 1E2, 1K1, 1S, and 1S1 turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2012-1131; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-34-AD] – proposes to require daily post-flight checks of the engine tachometer’s unit cycle counting feature. This proposed AD also would require ground-run functional checks within every 1,000 operating hours. This proposed AD was prompted by a finding that the engine’s tachometer unit cycle counting feature is unreliable. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent uncontained engine failure and damage to the helicopter.
Dec. 11, 1972 — Falcon Jet Corp., the new joint venture between Pan Am and Avions Marcel Dassault, officially opens its doors at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey. Dec. 20, 1982 — Cessna begins flight tests of the Caravan single-engine, turboprop utility aircraft that Chairman Russ Meyer says would “open up a completely new marketplace for Cessna.” Dec. 14, 1992 — The Department of Transportation calls for mandatory alcohol testing of transportation workers in safety-sensitive positions.
AGUSTA Model AW139 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-1135; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-097-AD; Amendment 39-17281; AD 2012-21-52] – requires inspecting the pilot’s and co-pilot’s collective and cyclic control sticks for correctly installed attaching hardware. This AD is prompted by a report of an incorrectly installed pilot’s collective stick, pilot’s cyclic stick, and co-pilot’s cyclic stick. These actions are intended to prevent detachment of the cyclic or collective control stick, and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
SAAB Model 340A and 340B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0672; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-261-AD; Amendment 39-17276; AD 2012-24-06] – This AD requires replacing the stall warning computer (SWC) with a new SWC, which provides an artificial stall warning in icing conditions, and modifying the airplane for the replacement of the SWC. This AD was prompted by reports of stall events during icing conditions where the natural stall warning (buffet) was not identified.
Dec. 11, 1972 — Falcon Jet Corp., the new joint venture between Pan Am and Avions Marcel Dassault, officially opens its doors at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey.
All About Planes acquired the Sittman Aviation fixed-base operation at Hawkins Field Airport in Jackson, Miss., and leased the facility to Aero Jackson, also based at HKS. Aviation Business Strategies Group (ABGS), founded by former Mercury Air Centers head John Enticknap, facilitated the sale.
Documents released after the U.S. Court of Federal Claims denied a protest filed by Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) to prevent the U.S. Air Force recompeting its Light Air Support (LAS) contract depict a shambolic source selection and potential bias toward SNC, offering the Embraer Super Tucano.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF), which has been working with FAA and its members to expand the use of Aviation Safety Action Plans (ASAP) among smaller operators, is appealing to the International Civil Aviation Organization to endorse the protection of voluntary submitted safety data.
Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), fearing FAA is failing to address privacy concerns involving UAVs, is taking steps to mandate privacy protections and public transparency as the agency begins to facilitate the introduction of UAVs into the national airspace system. Markey on Dec. 18 introduced a bill, H.R.6676, the Drone Aircraft Privacy Transparency Act, calling for disclosure about the use of UAVs and for warrant requirements for law enforcement use.
Because of the holiday schedule, The Weekly of Business Aviation will not publish a Dec. 31 edition. The next issue will be dated Jan. 7. Please refer to the Aviation Week Intelligence Network (subscribers only) or AviationWeek.com for additional coverage. And, please accept our best wishes for a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
The prospects for confirmation this year of Michael Huerta to become FAA administrator continued to dim in as the lame-duck session of Congress enters its final days. If not confirmed by the end of this week, President Obama would need to re-nominate Huerta to the role in the new Congress beginning in January. Whether Obama would hold off until he selects a new transportation secretary is unknown. General aviation groups have urged Congress to confirm the nomination, saying the agency needs a permanent administrator for long-term stability.
GULFSTREAM Model GIV-X airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-1225; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-219-D; Amendment 39-17288; AD 2012-25-07] – requires performing a modified system power-on self test (SPOST) of the flap/stabilizer electronic control unit (FSECU), and revising the airplane flight manual to incorporate these test procedures into the daily preflight check.
LANCE LAJARA has joined Constant Aviation as large fleet account manager. Lajara has more than 15 years of aviation industry experience, most recently serving as the customer care manager with Honeywell. During his 15 years with Honeywell, he held roles involving quality, operations, logistics and customer service.
Raisbeck Engineering and Hartzell Propeller have developed and certified the first swept-blade propellers incorporating swept-wing aerodynamics, similar to those on the Airbus A400M and Lockheed Martin C-130J, in a civilian application, specifically for the Beechcraft King Air 200 family. The Raisbeck/Hartzell 96-in., 4-blade, Swept Turbofan Power Props will be available March 1 as a stand-alone installation or as part of the Raisbeck Epic Performance package for Beechcraft King Air 200/B200/B200GT aircraft. The standard King Air 200 props have a 93-in. diameter.
Sequestration would have a “significant impact” on the nation’s airspace system, possibly leading to the closure of air traffic control (ATC) towers at smaller airports, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) concludes in a report on the effects of a nearly $1 trillion across-the-board budget cut set to take place in January.
The number of general aviation accidents in the first two months of the government’s fiscal year, beginning Oct. 1, has spiked, causing FAA to voice some concern, the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) says. EAA notes that FAA has reached out to the association for help in alerting the public that “the accident rate is heading very much the wrong way.” But EAA adds that the agency has not called for specific safety measures.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is teaming with the Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) to promote and help develop business aviation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Rep. Rick Larsen ( D-Wash.) is likely to replace retiring Rep. Jerry Costello ( D-Ill.) as the top Democrat on the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure aviation subcommittee next year. Larsen is lining up a number of focus areas that he says will “set the table” for the next FAA reauthorization bill. Larsen says he has talked to other Democratic members about committee leadership positions and is preparing for the new role. Larsen’s congressional district includes Everett, Wash., the home of Boeing’s major manufacturing facility.
DAVID BEACH has joined Jet Advisors as vice president of contracts. Beach formerly served as senior vice president of contracts at NetJets, where he managed contract drafting and negotiations, aircraft deliveries from manufacturers, aircraft sales positioning, FAA filings, and owner asset/liability insurance. He also has served as manager of contract administration at the then-Raytheon Corporate Jets (now Hawker Beechcraft).
