CHAD LEEWARD has joined Socata North America as a sales director. Leeward will be responsible for sales of the TBM 850 single-turboprop in Florida. Leeward, a third-generation pilot in the family that developed Leeward Air Ranch, has more than 20 years of flying experience and 12 years of corporate aircraft sales experience with companies that include Pilatus Aircraft and Cirrus Aircraft.
Jet Aviation Hong Kong has received FAA approval to service Dassault Falcon 900 LX/DX/EASy, Falcon 7X and Falcon 2000EX aircraft. The approvals follow similar authorization granted by the European Aviation Safety Agency. Jet Aviation Hong Kong is an authorized Dassault Falcon line service center and is the closest base outside of mainland China for the Dassault services. The facility houses a nearly 100,000-sq.-ft. hangar and holds repair station approvals from FAA, Hong Kong and China, as well as maintenance approvals from a number of other authorities.
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.
Helicopter Association International President Matt Zuccaro is appealing to FAA to take action to “remove people who shouldn’t be in the air.” During a “Meet the Regulators” session at last week’s Heli-Expo in Dallas, Zuccaro notes that some companies operate at unacceptable safety levels, but their actions get the most attention and hurt the entire industry. He concedes that it may be strange for a community to ask for more enforcement, but he notes that the industry must deal with the fallout of operators flying with thin safety margins.
JetCorp Technical Services, a St. Louis-based subsidiary of Flying Colours Corp., has received supplemental type certification for installation of the Aircell Cabin Telecommunications Router (CTR) on a Learjet 60. The CTR provides Wi-Fi capability using the Aircell Gogo Biz inflight Internet service. The system can be used on laptops, tablets and smart phones. JetCorp has completed the first two installations and has five more in the pipeline.
Gulfstream Aerospace donated $50,000 to the Corporate Angel Network (CAN), a charitable organization that arranges free flights to treatment for cancer patients using empty seats aboard corporate jets. Gulfstream was one of the first corporate flight departments to join as a CAN participant in 1982. Joe Lombardo, executive vice president, aerospace for Gulfstream parent General Dynamics, serves on the CAN board of directors. CAN has facilitated the transport of nearly 40,000 patients over the last 30 years.
CHRIS BOTT has joined PATS Aircraft Systems as certification manager. Bott will oversee certification efforts for PATS and Hollingsead International-designed and manufactured products. He is an FAA designated engineering representative with more than 35 years of aviation experience.
The U.S. Export-Import Bank is vowing to better facilitate sales of business aircraft and helicopters, after a long period in which commercial aircraft were at the forefront. The “golden age” of Ex-Im’s support of commercial aircraft is over, but “the golden age for export credit for business aircraft and helicopters is ahead,” says Ex-Im’s vice president for transport, Bob Morin. Last year, Ex-Im provided $11.75 billion in aviation-related financing support, $11.5 billion for commercial aircraft and the rest for business aircraft and helicopters.
LYCOMING Model TIO-540-A [Docket No. FAA–2011–0691; Directorate Identifier 2011–NE–26–AD; Amendment 39– 16909; AD 71–13–01R1] – rescinds an AD (AD 71–13–01) that requires a on-time visual inspection of external fuel injector lines for fuel stains, cracks, dents and bend radii under 5/8 in., and replacement, if necessary. The AD was prompted by a report of a failed fuel injector tube assembly. Since FAA issued AD 71–13–01, the agency became aware that Lycoming Engines no longer supports Service Bulletin (SB) No. 335A, which was incorporated by reference in AD 71–13–01.
AERONAUTICAL ACCESSORIES high landing gear aft crosstube assembly [Docket No. FAA-2012-0083; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-022-AD] – proposes to require certain recurring visual, dimensional, and fluorescent penetrant inspections of each aft crosstube and replacement if necessary. The AD applies to assemblies installed in certain Bell and Agusta helicopters. This proposed AD is prompted by three reports of failed crosstubes because of cracks.
SureFlight has opened a new aircraft completion center in Coatesville, Pa. The center will enable the company to expand its completion capabilities, including both interior and exterior services. The company added Andy Waynick as manager of interior completions to lead the team at the new center. He previously has held interiors management roles with West Star, Atlantic Aero and StandardAero.
The U.S. Transportation Department wants to develop new spectrum interference standards to protect GPS signals from transmissions in adjacent bands as the battle between broadband-wireless hopeful LightSquared and the GPS industry enters a new phase.
Comprehensive FAA reauthorization awaits President Barack Obama’s signature after the Senate approved the bill 75-20 on Feb. 6, ending a nearly five-year stalemate that led to 23 short-term extensions of FAA’s operating authority.
RYAN GIBBS was promoted to Falcon technical sales manager for West Star Aviation’s East Alton, Ill. (ALN) location. Gibbs joined West Star in 2004 and has technical knowledge on Falcon 10, 20, 50B (EX), 900B (EX), and 2000(EX) aircraft. He will be responsible for sales to new Falcon customers, along with maintaining relationships.
A decision by CitationAir to exit the fractional business reflects the prolonged economic turmoil of the industry, but experts believe the model is firmly entrenched even if on a smaller scale. The move also comes as its Jet Card product has begun to improve. CitationAir, which began selling shares in 2000 and grew into the fourth largest fractional program, notified customers that it was suspending sales of its Jet Shares fractional program and Jet Access membership program to focus solely on its Jet Card and Jet Management businesses.
A new law will increase penalties for the use of ultralight aircraft in smuggling operations, particularly along the U.S. border. President Obama on Friday signed H.R.3801, the Ultralight Aircraft Smuggling Prevention Act of 2012, into law after the bill was unanimously passed by the House and Senate late last month. The bill was the last piece of legislation sponsored by former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), who was wounded in a shooting rampage last year.
Feb. 13-15—The Trinity Forum, Organized by The Moodie Report and Airports Council International, Seoul, Korea, http://www.aci.aero/cda/aci_common/display/main/aci_content07_banners.j…^45095_725_2 Feb. 13-16—Practical Aeronautics Short Course: “Introduction to Jet Engines—A Practical Perspective,” The Aero Institute, Palmdale, Calif., (970) 887-3155, www.practicalaero.com Feb. 14-15—JDA Aviation Technology Solutions Regulatory Affairs Training, American Airlines Training and Conference Center, Ft. Worth, Texas
Jettech received FAA supplemental type certification for installation of the Garmin G600 glass panel electronic flight instrument system on legacy Cessna Citation 500 series aircraft, including Models 500, 501, 550, 551 and S550. Jettech will offer modification kits, through certain Garmin authorized dealers. The installation will add features such as synthetic vision, terrain awareness, traffic collision avoidance systems, digital weather radar, satellite weather radar and lightning strike information.
SIKORSKY Model S-61A, D, E, L, N, NM, R, and V helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0085; Directorate Identifier 2011-SW-004-AD] – proposes to require replacing each forward and aft fuel system 40 micron fuel filter element with a 10 micron fuel filter element. This proposed AD is prompted by a National Transportation Safety Board review of in-service events where engine performance degradation occurred and the review determined that some of these events were caused by contaminants larger than 10 microns present in the engine fuel control units (FCUs).
Correction: Greg Kinsella has joined Key Air as vice president of business development. Kinsella has more than 20 years of aviation experience, holding positions with airframe and engine manufacturers – including British Aerospace/BAE Systems, Saab and Rolls-Royce – along with financial institutions, charter providers and private and commercial business aircraft operators. Most recently, he was chief operating officer for an aircraft management company. The Feb. 6 edition of BA incorrectly identified Kinsella.
Finding a strong market for large-cabin aircraft, Gulfstream Aerospace has decided to expand its used aircraft sales to include full aircraft brokerage services for sellers and buyers. Jim Ross, vice president, Pre-owned Aircraft Sales, will head the Gulfstream Pre-owned Brokerage group. The group intends to leverage its worldwide customer and prospect database to present sellers’ aircraft to decision makers.
Schubach Aviation, a San Diego-based charter, has added a Gulfstream G-IV SP to its fleet. The addition increases Schubach’s fleet to 13 aircraft, including two Bombardier Challenger 601s; five Hawkers; a Learjet 35; two Citation Jets and two CJ3’s.
The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) named four nominees for the 2011 Collier Trophy: the Boeing 787, C-5M Super Galaxy, Gamera human-powered helicopter and Taurus G-4 electric-powered aircraft. The trophy is awarded annually for “the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America.” NAA added former Collier Trophy recipients Dick Rutan (1986), Joe Lombardo (Gulfstream - 2003), Bobby Sturgell (ADS-B - 2008), and Jeff Pino (Sikorsky Aircraft - 2010), to the selection committee. Led by NAA Chairman Walter J.
