The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) is preparing for a prolonged strike at Bombardier’s Learjet facility in Wichita, approving increased benefits beginning on the third week of the walkout. About 825 of Bombardier’s 3,000-plus workers in Wichita went on strike Oct. 8 after IAM members rejected the company’s five-year contract proposal over health benefits and wage increases.
Pilatus Business Aircraft recently honored ferry pilot Robert Engel for his 200th and final transatlantic delivery flight of a Pilatus PC-12. The flight, which takes 22 hr. over three days, begins at the Pilatus facility in Stans, Switzerland, with stops in Prestiwck, Scotland, Reykjavik, Iceland, Kangerlussuaq, Greenland and Iqaluit Nunavit, Thunder Bay Ontario, before reaching Pilatus Business Aircraft in Broomfield, Colo. The Broomfield facility handles all completions work for new aircraft that are destined for customers in North and South America.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON Model 412 and 412EP helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-1016; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-009-AD] – proposes to establish a lower life limit on certain outer rings, requiring a revision of the retirement life on the components’ history card or equivalent record, and a revision of the maintenance manual or Instructions for Continued Airworthiness (ICA). This proposal also would prohibit installing these outer rings on any helicopter. This proposed AD is prompted by reports of cracking in the swashplate outer ring assemblies.
Duncan Aviation recently released a four-part video series to explain Future Air Navigation Systems (FANS), including the evolution of FANS, how FANS operates, certification and upcoming mandates. The FANS video series explains Controller Pilot Data Link, Automatic Dependent Surveillance Contract (ADS-C) and how they operate. The videos also detail initial setup and operation, including air traffic controller handoffs, and explains the components included in a typical FANS system. The series also discusses FANS mandates in Europe and the North Atlantic tracks.
Scott Donnelly, chairman and CEO of Cessna parent Textron, is encouraged by progress in Cessna’s negotiations to jointly conduct business with China’s AVIC. Cessna has been in active discussions on three separate agreements – a general agreement on the development of business and general aviation in China, another covering Citation production in China, and a third involving Caravan production with AVIC’s CAIGA unit. Donnelly says all three are “progressing well.
Bizliner Aviation recently completed comprehensive cockpit and cabin crew ditch training required under Part 125 for a Boeing Business Jets BBJ2 operator based in North America. Bizliner developed customized ditching checklists and standard procedures for cockpit and cabin crews, and provided training on emergency door operation, evacuation and raft use.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702) airplanes, Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) airplanes, and Model CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0997; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-060-AD] – proposes to supersede an AD that requires repetitive inspections of the rudder travel limiter (RTL) return springs and primary actuator, and corrective actions if necessary. Since FAA issued that AD, terminating action has been developed which eliminates the need for the repetitive inspections.
EMBRAER Model EMB-135 airplanes, and Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes. [Docket No. FAA-2012-0638; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-266-AD; Amendment 39-17201; AD 2012-19-06] – requires installing or reworking, as applicable, metallic diverters and aluminum sheets; modifying the light assembly on the tail boom rear movable fairing; and replacing the hood assembly with a new hood assembly and rerouting its electrical harness.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) will recognize four members for their safe flying achievements during the association’s 65th Annual Meeting and Convention next week in Orlando, Fla. NBAA will honor NiSource Inc. and The Procter & Gamble Co. for flying 60 years or more without an accident, along with Hormel Foods Corp. and Muscatine Corp. for 50 years or more without an accident. The awards are based on each company’s safety record compiled as of Dec. 31, 2011.
FAA is hoping that the effort to rewrite Part 23 certification rules for small aircraft will create flexible, global standards that will halve the cost of bringing new aircraft to market, FAA acting Administrator Michael Huerta says. Speaking to the Wichita Aero Club this month, Huerta updated on the activities of the Part 23 aviation rulemaking committee (ARC) and promised to proceed with rulemaking once the committee’s work is completed. But he warns that a rulemaking could take three years.
CHRIS MCDOWELL has joined Vector Aerospace’s Helicopter Services North America team as vice president of sales and marketing. He formerly was vice president of sales and business development for Heli-One, and before that was responsible for strategic sales plans for CHC Helicopter.
One of the world’s largest helicopter operators has established a new corporate identity with a principal goal of driving improved safety and operating standards across its territories. Avincis Group has been established in London from the former Word Helicopter Group, the holding company for global onshore and offshore helicopter service providers Bond Aviation Group and Grupo Inaer.
Bombardier Aerospace has added a second line maintenance facility (LMF) in India. Air Works in New Delhi was named a LMF for Challenger 604, Challenger 605, Global Express and Global Express XRS business jets. The Air Works facility joins the company’s center in Mumbai as a Bombardier authorized service facility. Located at Indira Gandhi International Airport, the New Delhi facility has a 9,042-sq.-ft. maintenance hangar. Air Works, which operates at 14 locations in India, dedicates 550 technicians to general aviation maintenance.
Nearly a year after receiving certification for the 400XT remanufactured Beechjet, Cleveland-based Nextant Aerospace is expanding facilities to ramp up production, working on the next series of product improvements for the 400XT and looking at adding a second airframe to its lineup. Nextant, the sister company of fractional ownership provider Flight Options, is moving over the next couple of weeks into its recently acquired 125,000-sq.-ft. facility, where it hopes to begin production by the end of the month.
Honeywell’s business and commercial aviation products were top performers among its four business sectors in the third quarter and will remain so through 2013, despite expectations for a continued slowdown in the global economy, the company says. Sales for the Aerospace division, which includes business and commercial aviation, as well as defense and space, were up 4% to $3 billion year-over-year in the third quarter due to a 9% increase in commercial product sales. Defense and space revenue decreased 1%.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) expanded its Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) to include N-Jet and Priester Aviation, both of Wheeling, Ill. ACSF launched the ASAP pilot last summer with Best Jets International of Minneapolis and Bemidji Aviation Services of Bemidji, Minnesota. The ACSF ASAP is designed to encourage employees to report safety issues to management and FAA to help monitor safety trends. The program is designed for small and mid-sized companies that do not have the resources to establish their own programs.
LYCOMING (L)O-360, (L)IO-360, AEIO-360, O-540, IO-540, AEIO-540, (L)TIO-540, IO-580, and IO-720 series reciprocating engines [Docket No. FAA-2006-24785; Directorate Identifier 2006-NE-20-AD; Amendment 39-17196; AD 2012-19-01] – supersedes an AD that currently requires replacing certain crankshafts in the affected engines. This AD continues to require replacing certain crankshafts, corrects the start date of affected engine models in Lycoming Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) No. 569A to the start date in Supplement No. 1 to Lycoming MSB No.
FAA is urging transport category aircraft operators and repair stations to check inventories and maintenance records for windows and other glass parts that may have been part of an elaborate records falsification scheme by a former repair station in Florida.
Business Jet Center (BJC) has added a 61,505-sq.-ft. hangar to it its facility at Oakland International Airport (OAK) in California. The hangar, previously a cargo handling facility, is one of the largest in the region, capable of accommodating multiple large aircraft such as the Gulfstream 650. The structure increases BJC’s space at OAK to more than 155,000 sq. ft. BJC, which recently completed $250,000 upgrade of a separate 14,500-sq.-ft. business aviation hangar at OAK, is investing $5 million in renovating the newest hangar.
The Westchester Aviation Association (WAA) sponsored a luncheon Oct. 4 attended by more than 250 people who were members of flight departments at Westchester County Airport (HPN), area business representatives and local government officials. Held at in a Million Air hangar, the “Westchester Business Takes Flight” gathering was designed to highlight the major economic, convenience and safety contributions the airport makes to the county and its surrounding areas.
A team of aviation communication veterans are partnering to launch Conventional Wisdom (CW), an effort to provide small- and mid-sized exhibitors expertise on planning their presence at aviation trade shows and conventions.
