Business aviation veteran Dennis Keith, who currently is president and owner of Jet Solutions, was named chairman of the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF). Keith succeeds Jim Christiansen, whose term expires June 30. Keith has served on the ACSF board of directors since its inception, is a former chairman of the National Air Transportation Association and also has served on the National Business Aviation Association board of directors. Before his current role with Jet Solutions, he served as president of Flexjet.
BOMBARDIER Model BD-100-1A10 (Challenger 300) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1200; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-136-AD; Amendment 39-16647; AD 2011-07-10] — supersedes an existing AD and mandates a revision of the maintenance schedule, the (repetitive) cleaning of the safety valves, the removal of material from the area surrounding the safety valves and the modification of the safety valves with a gridless cabin pressure-sensing port plug. The required actions also include a detailed visual inspection of the safety valves and surrounding areas for discrepant material.
DASSAULT Model Falcon 7X airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0259; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-196-AD] – proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires the incorporation into the airplane flight manual a new abnormal procedure when radio 1 lockup occurs and also prohibits dispatch of the aircraft with any inoperative radio altimeter.
Aerion, the developer of the supersonic business jet, has kept a steady orderbook for “just under 50” of its $80 million aircraft, says Aerion Vice Chairman Brian Barents. “We’ve essentially maintained that $4 billion orderbook with which we entered the recession,” he says. “We’re delighted with that.” Buyers must put down refundable deposits of $250,000.
Dassault’s newest aircraft, the twin-engine Falcon 2000S, has completed its first year of flight testing. As of Thursday, the test aircraft had accumulated nearly 300 flight hours in more than 100 flights. The first part of the test campaign included numerous maneuvers to demonstrate handling qualities, stability, stalls, pitch, roll rates and failure mode tests, as well as takeoff with engine failure.
Embraer and the University of São Paulo (USP) last week opened a Comfort Engineering Center (CEC) at USP’s Polytechnic School. The center was built in a partnership with the Federal University of Santa Catarina and the Federal University of São Carlos, with financial support from the Research Assistance Fund of the State of São Paulo and the Study and Project Funding Office. The center will study ways to improve cabin comfort, both through esthetic and functional means.
Hawker Beechcraft has been working to climb out of a heavy debt load that led to an estimated $481.8 million loss in 2011, but the company warns that its future is in jeopardy without a comprehensive restructuring.
The National Air Transportation Association recently presented its top honors to Mary Miller, vice president, industry and government affairs for Signature Flight Support and BBA Aviation, and Kenneth Ricci, chairman of Flight Options and CEO of Nextant Aerospace. Ricci was awarded the William A. Ong Memorial Award for “extraordinary achievement and extended meritorious service to the general aviation industry.” Ricci founded Flight Options in 1998 and helped grow it into an entity with annual sales of more than $600 million.
FAA is laying the groundwork for a proposed new requirement for installation of helicopter terrain awareness and warning systems (HTAWS) on helicopters used in air ambulance operations. The agency released draft guidance – draft advisory circulars 27-1B and 29-2C – detailing the anticipated technical requirements for installation.
JEFF LONG was promoted to director of safety for Executive AirShare. Long joined Executive AirShare in 2010, and previously was managed aircraft manager, overseeing the scheduling, maintenance and operations of Kansas City, Mo.-based aircraft managed by Executive Flight Services. Before joining Executive AirShare, Long served in the U.S. Air Force from 1988 to 2008.
Team BBJ has a clear goal for this year, encapsulated by the slogan: “12 in 12.” Specifically, the makers of Boeing VIP jets plan to deliver a dozen executive airplanes in 2012. These include eight of Boeing’s Brobdingnagian 747-8s, two BBJs and a pair of BBJ 2s. In late February, Capt. Steve Taylor, president of BBJ, delivered the first 747-8 to Wichita for installation of an “Aeroloft,” an aft-mounted sleeping berth designed by Greenpoint Technologies for up to eight people.
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and the General Aviation Infrastructure and Investment Coalition (GAIIC) have released a guide of best practices for airport leases with aeronautical service providers. The practices, developed in conjunction with Airports Council International – North America, are designed to help to facilitate long-term private investment in on-airport facilities.
Forbes Chairman Steve Forbes believes that business aviation is a key to growth in emerging markets, and that its growth days will return to old markets as well.
Senate Commerce Committee leaders are pressing Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to release the final repair station security rule sooner than year’s end and seeking regular updates until it is issued. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) chief John Pistole told industry groups late last year that the agency believed the rule would be completed by the end of 2012.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701, & 702), CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705), and CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0142; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-275-AD] – proposes to require an inspection for part numbers; repetitive inspections for any cracking of certain hydraulic system accumulators, and replacement, if necessary; and revising the maintenance program to include a life limit for certain hydraulic system accumulators.
CESSNA Model 560XL airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-1414; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-227-AD; Amendment 39-16982; AD 2012-06-01] – requires modification of the drain installation of the tailcone stinger on the aft canted bulkhead, inspections for drain holes in the forward and aft frames, and modification of the drain holes. This AD was prompted by reports of jammed or stiff rudder control due to water freezing on the rudder bias cables and pulleys of the stinger.
Now armed with additional information, the Obama administration and Congress are revisiting whether LightSquared should be able to build its 4G broadband communications network.
BOMBARDIER Model DHC-8-400 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0267; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-174-AD] – proposes to require replacing the timer and monitor unit (TMU). This proposed AD was prompted by reports that the automatic de-icing mode became unavailable due to a TMU failure. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent loss of the automatic de-icing mode and consequent increased workload for the flight crew, which, depending on additional failures, could lead to loss of control of the airplane. FAA estimates the proposed AD would affect 81 aircraft on the U.S.
Lufthansa Technik (LT) has undergone a careful and slow expansion of its capabilities to handle three widebody completions simultaneously – just in time for a peak in that market, says Walter Heerdt, senior vice president marketing and sales. A Boeing 767-400 now being completed at LT’s Hamburg facility will be joined by a Boeing 747-8, the first of that model, in September and then another 747-8 in December or January, Heerdt says.
Bombardier’s Vision Flight Deck recently entered service on a Global 5000 jet. The aircraft was handed over late last month to Formula 1 champion Niki Lauda, a longtime Bombardier customer. Bombardier partnered with Rockwell Collins to develop the flight deck, which incorporates synthetic imagery on a head-up display. The technology was certified as part of the Pro Line Fusion avionics suite. The Vision Flight Deck was awarded FAA certification in late February, and previously had received approvals from the European Aviation Safety Agency and Transport Canada.
Bombardier Aerospace received an order valued at $292.5 million from AVWest of Australia for five Global 6000 ultra long-range jets. AVWest is a corporate jet operator that also owns and operates the fixed-base operations and business aviation services company Perth Jet Centre. AVWest’s fleet includes a Challenger 604 and three Global Express XRS jets. AVWest also has firm orders for four Global 7000 and two Global 8000 jets.
Correction: An article in the April 2 edition of BA misquoted Gulfstream’s Leo McStravick. The article should have stated that most business aviation operators emit less than 1,000 tons of CO2 annually, far less than the 25,000 tons allowed for the small commercial operators exempted from the European Union’s emissions trading system.
April 14-18—46th International Aviation Snow Symposium, Buffalo, N.Y., www.snowsymposium.org April 16-19—Airports Council International-NA Operations & Technical Affairs Conference, Las Vegas, www.aci-na.org/conferences/ April 16-19—Airports Council International-NA Environmental Affairs Conference, Las Vegas, www.aci-na.org/conferences/ April 18—2011-12 Balchen/Post Award For Outstanding Achievement in Airport Snow & Ice Control. For application information & deadline visit www.snowsymposium.org
MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) last week released preliminary information on its new model MD 540-F, single-engine turbine helicopter intended as a contender for the U.S. Army scout helicopter program and which is also likely to be offered to commercial operators, according to MDHI CEO Lynn Tilton. The company describes the 540F as an upgrade to its model 530F with a new all-composite, six-blade, fully articulated main rotor and ruggedized landing skids to allow for increased gross weight and useful load in high/hot conditions.
