RAYMOND BENJAMIN was appointed to a second three-year term as secretary general of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). His new term runs through July 31, 2015. Benjamin was first appointed to the position in August 2009. He has a 30-year career in civil aviation, including 13 years as executive secretary of the European Civil Aviation Conference.
The International Civil Aviation Organization has published a manual, Flight Safety and Volcanic Ash (Doc 9974), providing guidance on the handling of aircraft operations when there is forecasted volcanic ash contamination. The manual was developed by the ICAO International Volcanic Ash Task Force (IVATF) that was established following the 2010 eruptions of the Eyjafjallajökul volcano in Iceland. “The impact on air travel of the Eyjafjallajökul eruption was unprecedented,” says ICAO Secretary General Raymond Benjamin.
James Coyne, the former congressman who has led the National Air Transportation Association for 18 years, is leaving the association at the end of this year. Coyne issued a notice to NATA members last week, saying the “board of directors and I have decided that 2012 will be my last year as president of NATA.” Coyne tells Aviation Week that he and the board decided on the departure date shortly before the announcement was issued to members.
MATTHEW SANDIDGE was appointed senior regional sales manager for international sales in Russia for Gulfstream Aerospace. Sandidge most recently had been a business development specialist for Gulfstream’s international sales activities, and before that was a sales engineer. He also has served as a munitions test engineer for the U.S. Air Force.
The European Commission has given the green light for France and Italy to financially support the Eurocopter X-4 and AgustaWestland AW169 development programs.
BASIL BARIMO was promoted to executive vice president for Nordam’s Repair Divisions. Barimo will be responsible for Nordam’s Repair units both in Europe and the Americas. He formerly was vice president and general manager for the Tulsa, Okla.-based Repair division. He joined Nordam two years ago after serving as vice president of operations and safety for Nordam. He also has held positions in operations, engineering and quality with Avborne, US Airways, and McDonnell Douglas.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2C10 (Regional Jet Series 700, 701 and 702) airplanes; Model CL-600-2D15 (Regional Jet Series 705) airplanes; and Model CL-600-2D24 (Regional Jet Series 900) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-1227; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-100-AD; Amendment 39-16957; AD 2012-04-02] – requires revising the maintenance program to incorporate the discard task for outboard wing aileron pulleys. The AD was prompted by reports of aileron control stiffness.
Rockwell Collins discontinued its negotiations with Inmarsat regarding development, production and distribution of Ka-band Global Xpress broadband connectivity avionics for the Inmarsat 5 constellation that is due to enter service in 2014. Rockwell Collins says that it is “evaluating alternative broadband solutions.” Company spokespersons declined to elaborate on the cause of the breakdown in negotiations with Inmarsat or to discuss what future broadband solutions the company may offer.
Bombardier is adding a new line maintenance facility (LMF) in Qatar as part of an effort to strengthen its customer support in the Middle East. Qatar Airways’ Corporate Jet Division, Qatar Executive, based at Doha International Airport, was named an LMF for Challenger 300, Challenger 604, Challenger 605 jets and Global business jets. Established in 2009, Qatar Executive provides maintenance and charter services, operating both Challenger and Global aircraft. The company operates a 67,800-sq.-ft. maintenance facility and employs 13 maintenance technicians.
The business aviation market is showing early signs that the momentum at the end of last year is carrying into 2012 with key indicators improving in January, according to initial analyst reports. Used aircraft sales continued to strengthen and prices jumped dramatically for the first time in months in January, according to Jetnet’s latest report. Business aircraft flights, meanwhile, marked the highest increase in nearly seven months, according to FAA and Morgan Stanley data.
SAAB Model 2000 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0184; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-118-AD] – proposes to require performing in certain locations a detailed inspection for corrosion of the electrical and electronics installation, and if corrosion is found, repairing each affected harness braid or replacing each affected component and/or wiring harness. This proposed AD was prompted by reports that environmentally friendly deicing agents used on certain electrical connectors and braids could cause corrosion damage.
FOKKER Model F.27 Mark 050 and F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes. [Docket No. FAA-2011-1067; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-034-AD; Amendment 39-16944; AD 2012-03-03] – requires a detailed inspection of tritium exit signs and emergency lighting strips, and replacement if necessary. This AD was prompted by reports that the brightness of the tritium exit signs and lighting strips deteriorated below accepted levels.
MOONEY Models M20R and M20TN airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0182; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-005-AD; Amendment 39-16958; AD 2012-03-52] – publishes an emergency AD that was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of these airplanes. This AD requires inspecting the tail pitch trim assembly for correct positioning and proper attachment and inspecting the Huck Bolt fasteners for proper security with repair as necessary. The AD also requires sending the inspection results to FAA and Mooney.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) declared March as General Aviation Appreciation Month. The Indiana Department of Transportation estimates general aviation contributes more than $4.9 billion in economic activity to the state, supporting more than 18,000 jobs.
John Sheehan, secretary general of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA), is retiring, effective May 1. Sheehan has more than 40 years of experience in military, commercial and general aviation and has served as IAOPA secretary general since 1997. Craig Spence, vice president of operations and international affairs for AOPA, will serve as acting secretary general.
DOUG NICHOLS was named COO for Aerion Corp. Nichols will be responsible for all operating, financial, business development and marketing activities of Aerion, including partnerships and collaborations related to development of the supersonic business jet. Before joining Aerion, Nichols spent 30 years with Boeing, holding financial, operating and corporate development positions.
TREVOR ESLING has joined Gulfstream Aerospace as regional senior vice president, international sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Esling has more than 25 years of aviation industry experience, most recently as senior vice president of international sales for Cessna Aircraft. He also has served with British Aerospace Commercial Aircraft, BAe Corporate Jets and Raytheon Aircraft.
Iridium CEO Matt Desch says his company will announce an agreement by June with global air traffic monitoring authorities to place automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) terminals on its Iridium Next second-generation satellite constellation, which is scheduled to be fully operational by 2017.
Adding its voice to the growing call for science-based, flight crew flight-time limitations (FTL) for all operators, the U.K. pilots union, the Independent Pilots Association (IPA), has produced a DVD, “Pilot Fatigue” that it is sending to every U.K. lord, member of Parliament and “aviation-interested party” on the ongoing issue of crew fatigue.
The FCC is extending the comment period until March 16 on a recent notice that LightSquared had not met the conditions set by the agency to begin operational deployment of a high-powered terrestrial 4G voice and data network in the L band. Citing concerns that the network would pose aviation safety risks by interfering with GPS units, the FCC last month indefinitely suspended LightSquared’s conditional waiver to operate the network in bands adjacent to those used by GPS.
JOHN CLAWSON was promoted to vice president and general manager of Nordam’s Thrust Reverser Division. In addition to leading this division, Clawson will oversee sales, marketing, quality and business systems for the company’s manufacturing effort. He has served with Nordam for 17 years, and previously worked with Lockheed Martin, McDonnell Douglas and Boeing.
FAA is predicting that the number of sport-pilot certificates will more than triple over the next 20 years. The certificate was created in 2005 and 4,066 have since been issued. In its latest 20-year forecast, FAA says it expects that number will grow to 13,900 certificates by 2032. See article on Page 2.
Russian maintenance, repair and overhaul provider Engineering LLC is buying Epic Aircraft, the Bend, Ore. producer of the Escape and Epic LT turboprop kit aircraft. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Epic Aircraft CEO Douglas King will retain his position under the new ownership, and Engineering LLC has assembled a board of industry executives to help manage the transition.
