Western Jet Maintenance, a subsidiary of Western Air Charter that does business as Jet Edge International, was awarded an FAA Part 145 repair station certification. Based at Van Nuys Airport in California, the facility is cleared to perform scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, repairs and alterations on a number of aircraft models including Bombardier Challenger 300; Learjet 31, 35, and 36; Cessna Citation X; and Hawker 750, 800XP and 900XP. The operation shares a 150,000 sq.-ft.
Aug. 13-16—Airports Council International-North America, 2012 Public Safety & Security Fall Conference, Arlington, Va., www.aci-na.org/event/1753 Aug. 16—4th Annual BALA Summit, Business Aviation in Latin America, LABACE, Sao Paulo, Brazil, www.aeropodium.com/cp/bala.html Aug. 18-22—54th NEC/AAAE Annual Conference, Providence, Rhode Island, www.necconference.org Sept. 9-12—22nd Airports Council International World-North America Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition, Calgary, Canada, www.aci-na.org/conferences/
NetJets continues to improve on the earnings front, parent Berkshire Hathaway reports, saying it helped offset lower earnings from other businesses in its service group. Berkshire Hathaway notes the fractional ownership provider’s earnings in 2011 were held down by fees incurred from canceling certain aircraft purchases. The most recent quarter also benefited from more favorable foreign currency exchanges.
The business and general aviation market is gaining ground in 2012, with industry billings improving by double digits and business jet and turboprop deliveries both increasing, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Billings for the first half of 2012 reached $8.202 billion, a 13.2% increase from $7.246 billion in the first six months of 2011.
As the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put off, at least for a few more years, potential regulations on emissions from leaded aviation gasoline, the general aviation community has stepped up its efforts to look at alternatives – from new lines of diesel airplanes to replacement fuels and even lower octane fuels. But despite these efforts, the majority of industry leaders believe that leaded aviation gasoline will remain a fixture, at least in the U.S., for some time.
BOMBARDIER Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0724; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-043-AD] – proposes to supersede an existing AD that currently requires a modification to trim the edge of the bumper plate, including performing an inspection for damage or cracks of the bumper plate and base fitting, and replacing any damaged or cracked part. That AD also currently requires, for certain airplanes, reidentifying the bumper plate.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS350BA helicopters with certain AERAZUR emergency flotation gear container assemblies installed [Docket No. FAA-2012-0774; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-057-AD] – proposes to require replacing each affected emergency flotation gear container assembly at specified time limits based on the date of manufacture. This proposed AD is prompted by a recognition that container assemblies with an intended operating limitation of 10 years may not have been replaced because the limit is no longer recorded in the Maintenance Program.
FAA expects to publish minimum performance specifications for the tools that airports use to prevent vehicle incursions on runways in the fall. An agency draft advisory circular (AC) outlines the standards that runway incursion warnings system (RIWS) equipment must meet. Airports install the equipment, which alerts drivers traversing the airfield in ground vehicles, such as fire and catering trucks. GPS technology likely will provide vehicle location information for RIWS equipment, the circular says. But airports also can use radar, transponders or other tools.
EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND Model MBB-BK117 (all versions) and BO-105LS A-3 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0704; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-040-AD; Amendment 39-17113; AD 2012-13-11] – requires inspecting the tail rotor pitch link spherical bearing for proper swaging. This AD is prompted by a report of a tail rotor pitch link with a spherical bearing that had migrated out of the bearing bore. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent failure of the tail rotor pitch link and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
Signature Flight Support parent BBA Aviation is bracing for continued volatility in the market for the remainder of the year, but BBA CEO Simon Pryce maintains that “medium term” indicators look much stronger.
TIM BRADY , dean of the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach, Fla. campus, has joined the board of directors of the National Association of Flight Instructors. Brady joined Embry-Riddle in 1998, and is responsible for the College of Aviation’s five academic departments: Aeronautical Science (Professional Pilot), Flight Training, Applied Aviation Sciences, Aviation Maintenance Science and Doctoral Studies.
Citing the potential effect on the relationship between maintenance, repair and overhaul providers and their customers, as well as the proposal’s overall scope, nine associations have asked the FAA for 90 more days to comment on the agency’s proposed repair station rule changes.
Aug. 13-16—Airports Council International-North America, 2012 Public Safety & Security Fall Conference, Arlington, Va., www.aci-na.org/event/1753 Aug. 16—4th Annual BALA Summit, Business Aviation in Latin America, LABACE, Sao Paulo, Brazil, www.aeropodium.com/cp/bala.html Aug. 18-22—54th NEC/AAAE Annual Conference, Providence, Rhode Island, www.necconference.org Sept. 9-12—22nd Airports Council International World-North America Annual General Assembly, Conference and Exhibition, Calgary, Canada, www.aci-na.org/conferences/
Stronger second-quarter deliveries and order cancellations led to a nearly $1.8 billion drop in Embraer’s backlog, but company executives say they are comfortable with the existing backlog and their mix of orders and have no plans to readjust production schedules. The company began the second quarter ended June 30 with a $14.7 billion backlog, which slid to $12.9 billion by the end of the quarter. This represents a further drop from the $15.8 billion recorded at the end of the same 2011 period.
DONALD SPRIGGS was appointed vice president of quality and technology for PAS Technologies. Spriggs joined the company in 1996 as business unit manager of new product development. He also served as vice president of product development and, most recently, chief technology officer.
Indicators were showing a stronger market for used business jets, while inventories for used aircraft on the market overall continue to inch down, according to data released by industry analyst JetNet.
National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah Hersman concedes the agency was surprised by a safety board study that did not find a measurable improvement in the safety records of general aviation aircraft with glass cockpits. ‘We didn’t see that safety gain that we thought we would,” she says, adding one of the challenges is the familiarity with the technology. The findings underscored the need for pilots with glass cockpits to be fully trained on the technology. But she does not rule out future safety gains.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is expanding its membership by creating a new membership category for students aged 13 through 18. AOPA “AV8RS” was developed to encourage the development of a new generation of pilots by making a connection early and keeping then engaged. “A strong and growing pilot population is vital to the future of our industry,” says Michelle Peterson, vice president of membership marketing.
BELL Model 407 and 427 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0716; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-011-AD; Amendment 39-17121; AD 2012-14-07] – supersedes an existing AD that requires inspecting certain hydraulic servo actuators to determine whether the shaft turns independently of the nut or the clevis assembly, and additional actions based upon the inspection’s outcome. The AD also requires reidentifying the servo. Since FAA issued that AD, Bell has learned that additional servos may need repair or removal.
Textron’s Lycoming engine maker is using its IE2 electronic engine platform to develop new technologies that Michael Kraft, senior vice president and general manager, says will eventually make its way into general aviation.
Embraer-CAE Training Services (ECTS) received Level D approval from the Brazilian aviation authority Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC) for its Embraer Phenom 100 and 300 full-flight simulator at the CAE SimuFlite training center at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The ECTS joint venture provides pilot and maintenance training for the Phenom. The simulator also is FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency qualified, along with a Phenom 100 simulator.
RICHARD LINEVELDT was appointed general manager of Gama Aviation’s UAE operations. Lineveldt will help grow the business aviation group’s base in the Middle East and North Africa. He joined Gama in 2008 to establish the operations department of Gama’s Middle East and North Africa business. He also has held a number of other aviation operations positions internationally.
The Internal Revenue Service has permanently put in place deduction rules involving the use of business aircraft for entertainment purposes, providing little relief to industry on the scope or implementation. Congress in 2004 mandated that the IRS close the gap between what an employee counts as compensation from entertainment-related flights and what a company deducts for its corporate aircraft operations.
DEL DENNY was named director of operations for Wyvern. Denny has 45 years of corporate, charter and airline experience and has been an auditor for Wyvern. He holds an airline transport pilot rating and has type ratings in a number of corporate aircraft. He also has directed several Part 91/135 operations for large corporations.
