DASSAULT AVIATION Falcon 7X airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-1061; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-053-AD; Amendment 39-16908; AD 2011-27-06] – requires for Falcon 7X airplanes replacement of certain ram air turbine (RAT) transformer rectifier units (TRUs) with modified units. This AD, which stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information from the European Aviation Safety Agency, was prompted by a report of incorrect design of the TRU part of the RAT system.
ImperialJet took delivery of a new Bombardier Challenger 605 business jet. The aircraft joins the company’s charter fleet. The company says it has seen strong demand for its Bombardier Challengers, particularly in Russia and Saudi Arabia. The company operates Challenger 850, 605 and 604 aircraft in addition to Learjet 60/60 XR and Gulfstream III jets. The company further has five Learjet 85s on order that are slated to enter service in 2014.
West Star Aviation’s facility in East Alton, Ill., was named an authorized service center for the GE CF34 engine. The authorization can provide service and support of the engine and supply related parts and products. West Star’s facility in Grand Junction, Colo., has been an authorized GE service provider for more than six years.
Fokker Services, a Dutch firm that supports out-of-production Fokker aircraft, has seen demand pick up from a mining resources boom—particularly in Australia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia—and new rules in Indonesia. A total of 60 Fokker aircraft changed hands in 2011, and many of the acquirers were airlines in the Asia Pacific region, says Peter van Oostrum, director of aircraft remarketing at Fokker Services. Transactions included Indonesian carriers Sky Aviation and Transnusa each acquiring two Fokker 50s in the second half of 2011.
Saab Sensis Corp. will install its airport surface surveillance technology at nine or more U.S. airports under a contract awarded by the FAA that could be worth up to $119 million. Sensis, a U.S. subsidiary of Saab, will install systems that fuse surveillance data from multiple sources, including multilateration and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B). This gives controllers a highly accurate picture of runway and taxiway movements, and the ability to detect conflicts and provide alerts.
SAAB Model 340A and 340B airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-1062; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-038-AD; Amendment 39-16907; AD 2011-27-05] – supersedes an existing AD that requires an inspection of the main landing gear (MLG) separation bolt harness for broken wires and corroded connectors, and corrective actions if necessary; and for certain airplanes, a modification of the MLG separation bolt’s electrical harness. This new AD requires replacement of the separation bolt harness.
The National Air Transportation Association’s Safety 1st organization is establishing a new Ground Audit Program standard for the fixed-base operation (FBO) and ground-handling community. The first of its kind for FBOs, the standard was developed at the behest of NATA members who face multiple audits each year.
Eurocopter sees residual concerns from the Chinese military over efforts to ease airspace restrictions, but still expects liberalization to take hold and drive growth in the country’s demand for rotorcraft.
Avfuel added TMA Group at Cambridge Municipal Airport in Nebraska to its network of branded fixed-base operation dealers. TMA, which assumed management of the FBO at Cambridge in 2009, has since undertaken a number of improvements, refurbishing the pilot’s lounge, adding A&P services, and outfitting the facility with free Wi-Fi throughout. Ramp and taxiway upgrades also are under way and future plans include the addition of Jet A fuel, the acquisition of a new fuel truck and a ground power unit and the addition of an automated weather observing system.
ANTOINE AJARRISTA was promoted to senior vice president and general manager of Dassault Falcon’s Little Rock Completion Center in Arkansas. Ajarrista oversees day-to-day operations of Dassault’s largest facility, which is responsible for the completion of nearly all Falcon aircraft. For the past three and a half years, he was senior vice president of operational control in Little Rock. He also has served as production director in the Dassault Bordeaux-Merignac facility.
The world’s largest business association would like to see House Republicans keep up a controversial labor fight that is preventing passage of the FAA reauthorization bill. In a State of American Business speech that called on Washington to confront its tough issues with “real leadership,” U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Thomas Donohue said Congress needs to pass the FAA bill, which has been stalled for more than four years.
Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.), meanwhile, is launching a separate petition asking President Obama to embrace the general aviation industry. “Whether through airport fees, aircraft depreciation policies or by repeatedly using the aviation industry as a tool to create class warfare for your political gain—you are hurting American jobs and families,” the petition states. The petition is on a new “America Flies” Web site established by the Pompeo for Congress campaign to promote general aviation.
ExecuJet Aviation Group is capitalizing on the prolonged recovery to expand its network exponentially, the company says. Founded in 2001 at Zurich, the services provider grew its network by nearly 200% last year with the additions of 10 fixed-base operations. The additions increased ExecuJet’s chain to 16 bases worldwide.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has scheduled its AOPA Aviation Summit for Oct. 11-13 at the Palm Springs Convention Center in California, and has committed to returning to Palm Spring on Oct. 9-11, 2014. AOPA has not held its annual summit in Palm Springs since 2006, and nearly $200 million has been spent since on new hotels and upgrades to existing facilities. “Our goal is to create a convention with a national draw, which is why we’re returning to Palm Springs in 2012 and 2014,” says AOPA President and CEO Craig Fuller.
Bombardier, detailing its latest round of incentives from Kansas, is further expanding its Wichita Learjet site in a project that is expected to create 450 new jobs over the next seven-10 years, the company says. Bombardier announced its plans Jan. 10 during a press conference with Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R), a move in part to bolster a community sent reeling this month after Boeing revealed plans to pull out of Wichita after 83 years and either transfer or eliminate up to 2,100 jobs.
GREG DIOGNARDI was appointed to the newly created position of Falcon 900 technical sales manager for StandardAero Business Aviation. Diognardi has more than 23 years of aviation experience, most recently as regional sales manager for Landmark Aviation. Before that he was vice president of sales and operations at Flightdocs and also has served as a maintenance analyst at Camp Systems International.
BILL MCLEOD was appointed vice president, North American sales, Central Division, for Gulfstream Aerospace. McLeod is responsible for leading the sales team covering Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin, as well as Ontario, Canada. He joined Gulfstream in 1982 as an industrial engineering co-op student, and most recently was sales director for the Mid-Atlantic region where, in 2010, he was named Gulfstream’s top worldwide sales executive.
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT Models 95-C55, D55, E55, 58, and 58A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-1420; Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-035-AD; Amendment 39-16905; AD 2011-27-04] – requires, for airplanes with certain supplemental type certificate, assuring the airspeed indicator(s) and/or airspeed limitations placard(s) have the correct minimum control speed (VMC) markings for the STCs installed. The STCs involved are SA1762SO (installation of vortex generators) and STC SA4016NM (Foxstar Baron modification that included installation of winglets and different engines and propellers).
EADS North America CEO Sean O’Keefe was appointed chairman of the company’s board of directors. O’Keefe succeeds Ralph Crosby, who retired. Before joined EADS in November 2009, O’Keefe was vice president for GE’s Technology Infrastructure sector, leading the Washington operations of the GE Aviation business. He also has served as chancellor of Louisiana State University and was the 10th NASA administrator.
CARLOS GRAZIANI has joined Landmark Aviation as general manager of its Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport (TMB) location in Florida. Graziani served as operations manager for Atlantic Aviation’s Tucson, Ariz. location. He also has held management roles at Atlantic Aviation’s El Paso, Texas facility, as well as at Jet Direct Aviation.
The aviation industry continues to expand its presence in Mexico as CAE opened the first business jet and civil helicopter training center in the nation. The center is equipped with flight simulators for Bombardier Learjet 4045 aircraft and the Bell 412 helicopter. Both simulators recently received the equivalent of Level D qualification from Mexico’s Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC).
ENSTROM Model F-28C, F-28C-2, F-28F, 280C, 280F, 280FX TH-28, 480, and 480B helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2011-1382; Directorate Identifier 2011-SW-053-AD; Amendment 39-16900; AD 2011-26-10] – requires, for helicopters with certain trim relays, modifying and testing the lateral and longitudinal cyclic trim actuator assemblies. This AD was prompted by four failures in the cyclic trim system on certain Enstrom model helicopters that resulted in reduced controllability of the helicopter.
Three teams of companies are bidding to provide an air-to-ground data communications network for the FAA that will be a vital element of the NextGen modernization effort, with a contract award expected in June. FAA’s Data Comm program will enable controllers to relay takeoff clearance and other instructions to pilots via text, rather than voice. This will make it quicker to send and revise clearances, while reducing errors. It also will enable the transmission of complex flight profiles required by NextGen and reduce radio frequency congestion.
Bell is boosting the gross weight of its 429 helicopter to 7,500 lb., a move driven by emergency medical services (EMS) and other customers who want the range or additional payload capabilities, the company says. The company received Transport Canada approval for the 500-lb.-weight increase and is now seeking validation from FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency. Bell worked on the change for more than a year and spent the last several months validating data for the weight increase with Transport Canada.
