FAA is making progress in rolling out its much-maligned en route air traffic control system, which is now operational at nine U.S. ATC facilities. The en route automation modernization (ERAM) system has achieved initial operating capability (IOC) at seven of FAA’s en route centers, says Chris Metts, who heads the agency’s Program Management Organization. ERAM is being used to handle live traffic at these locations for limited periods. This is in addition to the first two sites, where the system is being used continuously.
JEREMY PISELL was promoted to assistant manager of FlightSafety International’s training center in Tucson, Ariz. Pisell joined FlightSafety in 2006 as an instructor at the company’s Dallas facility and was promoted to program management the next year. He also has served as assistant director of training and, most recently, as director of training at FlightSafety’s Bell center in Fort Worth.
Dassault Aviation saw Falcon business jet deliveries jump to 15 units from nine in the first quarter of 2011, boosting its first-quarter net sales to €950 million ($1.25 billion), up 47% year-on-year.
The number of accidents involving general aviation and on-demand operations went up in 2011 as flight operations also inched upward, according to statistics released Friday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). General aviation and on-demand accidents accounted for all fatal accidents last year, the NTSB report adds. NTSB notes that on-demand Part 135 operations experienced a marked increase in accidents, from 31 in 2010 to 50 last year. Fatal accidents increased from six to 16 and fatalities from 17 to 41, year over year.
FAA’s proposal to increase the qualifications for first officers and other pilots has the potential to deplete the available pool of pilots and impose burdensome new costs, says the Regional Air Cargo Carriers (RACCA). At the behest of Congress, FAA on Feb. 29 published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would require airline transport pilot (ATP) certificates for first officers, and change a number of other training and qualification standards.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440),l CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702), Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) airplanes and Model CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0335; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-252-AD] – proposes to supersede an existing AD that currently requires replacing certain water accumulator assemblies having a certain part installed on the pitot and static lines of the air data computer (ADC).
May 1–3—National Business Aviation Association Annual Maintenance Management Conference, Nashville, Tenn., (202) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org May 4—National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Taxes Seminar, Denver, (202) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org May 7-9—Airports Council International-NA Airport Economics, Finance and Human Capital Conference, Nashville, Tenn., www.aci-na.org/conferences/ May 14—16 Annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2012), www.ebace.aero
Gulfstream G650 green shipments helped drive 20% revenue growth for the General Dynamics Aerospace group in the first quarter, but the entry-into-service date is slipping slightly as the company continues testing for full certification, says Jay Johnson, chairman and CEO of Gulfstream parent GD.
North Flight Data Systems of Arlington, Texas has received STC approval for the installation of its Lightweight Aircraft Recording system in Eurocopter EC155 series helicopters. Working with Metro Aviation, North FDS integrated their voice, video and flight data recording system into the EC155B1 airframe. The system records six channels of audio, one channel of video, and more than 200 channels of digital aircraft data.
BELL Model 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3, and 206L-4 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0395; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-007-AD; Amendment 39-17016; AD 2012-02-51] – This AD requires reducing the life limit from 3,600 hr. time-in-service (TIS) to 1,400 hr. TIS for certain part-numbered and serial-numbered main rotor blades, revising the life limit in the Airworthiness Limitations section of the Instructions for Continued Airworthiness or maintenance manual, and recording the revised life limit on the component history card or equivalent record.
SIKORSKY Model S-92A helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2011-1115; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-011-AD; Amendment 39-17017; AD 2012-08-01] – This AD requires revising the Operating Limitations section of the Sikorsky Model S-92A Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM). This AD was prompted by the manufacturer’s analysis of engine data that revealed the data was inaccurate in dealing with available above specification engine power margin.
Pratt & Whitney Canada’s (PWC) PT6C-67E turboshaft has won Transport Canada certification, marking another step toward the start of deliveries of the Eurocopter EC175 helicopter later this year. Certification comes just more than a year since PWC delivered the first production engine to Eurocopter’s Marignane facility in France. Development versions of the engine powered the EC175 for its first flight in December 2009, followed a year later by the second prototype.
Bombardier Learjet today (April 30) will officially break ground on an expansion of its Learjet facility in Wichita. The manufacturer in January said it had received another round of incentives from Kansas as the company expands its facilities to accommodate Learjet 85 work. Those plans include expanding its flight test center, establishing a Center of Excellence of Engineering and Information Technology and building new paint facilities and a delivery center.
North American Jet Charter Group (NAJ) recently obtained approval for use of the iPad for electronic flight bag functions aboard the Eclispe 500 very light jet for its Part 135 flights. The approval enables NAJ pilots to use the iPad to access Foreflight or Jeppesen en route and approach charts, as well as paperless versions of general operating manuals and minimum equipment lists.
AGUSTA Model AB139 and AW139 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0409; Directorate Identifier 2011-SW-055-AD; Amendment 39-17020; AD 2011-18-52] –publishes an emergency AD that requires establishing a revised life limit for each tail rotor (T/R) blade and updating the helicopter’s historical records, repetitively inspecting T/R blades for a crack, and replacing certain T/R blades. This AD is prompted by a fatal accident involving an Agusta Model AW139 helicopter, which may have been caused by cracks in a T/R blade.
Pilatus’s past two years of record profits and revenue will not be repeated in 2012. “The current year is likely to be more difficult,” says Oscar Schwenk, CEO/chairman of the Swiss business and trainer aircraft manufacturer. “Even a major order will not be enough to compensate for the low level of orders in hand,” he adds.
Textron Chairman and CEO Scott Donnelly dismisses concerns that a technology transfer with Chinese counterparts could come with intellectual property risks, saying Cessna Aircraft’s agreement with Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic) instead will position the Wichita airframer to become a dominant player in the burgeoning Chinese aviation market. Textron’s Cessna in late March announced two agreements that involved joint ventures to build aircraft and expand other general aviation activities in China.
Hawker Beechcraft, posting one of its worst losses in company history last year, expects to decide on a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing or other means to restructure its heavy debt load in the next few weeks. The company is grappling with ongoing supplier issues, as some vendors are warning that they may stop providing material out of concerns about the gravity of the company’s financial situation. The company, in its Form 10-K annual report, concedes “there is substantial doubt about our ability as a growing concern” in absence of a restructuring.
Gulf Coast Avionics, based on Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Fla., added international satellite operations in Peru and Spain. The latest locations include Gulf Coast Avionics Peru located in Lima, Peru, and Gulf Coast Avionics España located in Tarragona, Spain. Gulf Coast Avionics is a supplier of avionics, instruments and pilot supplies to customers around the world and is an FAA Approved Repair Station, No. UB4R564M, Class 1, 2, 3/Limited Instrument.
The American Bonanza Society (ABS) has partnered with the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s (AOPA) to co-locate their annual conventions. ABS will hold its annual convention in conjunction with the AOPA Aviation Summit Oct. 11-13 in Palm Springs, Calif. AOPA President Craig Fuller believes the move will help expand AOPA’s annual convention as a platform for other flying clubs or aviation organizations.
The House General Aviation Caucus leadership is circulating a letter to build support for a repeal of the so-called “fuel fraud” measure that requires aviation jet fuel to be taxed at the highway diesel fuel rate. Caucus members – including Reps. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), John Barrow (D-Ga.), and Leonard Boswell (D-Iowa) – plan to deliver the letter to the the House Ways and Means Committee, which would have jurisdiction over the fuel fraud tax measure.
Embraer is maintaining its projections of 90-105 business jet deliveries this year, despite the shipment of just 13 in the first quarter. Embraer delivered 12 Phenoms (including four Phenom 100s and eight Phenom 300s) and one Legacy 650 business jet in the first three months of the year.
PILATUS Models PC-6, PC-6-H1, PC-6-H2, PC-6/350, PC-6/350-H1, PC-6/350-H2, PC-6/A, PC-6/A-H1, PC-6/A-H2, PC-6/B-H2, PC-6/B1-H2, PC-6/B2-H2, PC-6/B2-H4, PC-6/C-H2 and PC-6/C1-H2 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0018; Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-042-AD; Amendment 39-16997; AD 2012-06-16] – requires installation of a new locking screw and the modification of the installation of the hinge bolt.
SAAB Model 340A and 340B airplane [Docket No. FAA-2012-0330; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-116-AD] – This proposed AD would require determining if a certain part number is installed, performing a detailed inspection for individual play between the elevator pushrod assembly and degradation of elevator pushrod assembly, and replacing the affected elevator pushrod assembly with a new elevator pushrod assembly if necessary. This proposed AD was prompted by reports indicating that wear of the elevator pushrods have occurred on some airplanes after extended time in service.
Piper Aircraft last week completed delivery of 18 Piper Warrior trainers to Sekolah Tinggi Penerbang Indonesia (STPI), the government flight school at Budiarto Airport in Curug. STPI trains pilots under the auspices of the Ministry of Transportation for the Republic of Indonesia. The Warrior, a four-place, single-piston aircraft with fixed landing gear, joins the Piper Dakota, Beech Sundowner, Socata Tobago and Beech Barron in STPI’s fleet.
