The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is teaming again with the Veterans Airlift Command (VAC) to raise funds for their mission supporting U.S. combat wounded. VAC, a charitable organization, provides free air transportation to wounded warriors, veterans, and their families for medical and other purposes. NATA and VAC last year established the NATA Wings for Warriors fund for member contributions, and this year is expanding its effort throughout all of the association’s major 2012 events.
FAA issued Advisory Circular 90-114 to all operators regarding usage of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology in compliance with FAR 91.225 and 91.227. These new regulations require aircraft operating in designated classes of airspace to be equipped with ADS-B Out beginning Jan. 1, 2020. The circular contains guidance on compliance with the new rules including an overview of the ADS-B system, general operating procedures, and performance requirements.
Industry may be ready to sell UAVs for civilian use within the U.S., but that does not mean the machinery of government is prepared to regulate them. FAA is trying to ensure safety of the vehicles, which can be difficult for larger aircraft to see. But the process has been slow and already delayed. FAA was expected to release its notice of proposed rulemaking for small UAVs this month; now the notice is supposed to come sometime during the spring, according to FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette.
Daher-Socata delivered 36 TBM850 single-engine aircraft last year, equaling the total of the year before. Deliveries to buyers in the U.S. continued to dominate, with 84% of deliveries topping the 76% that found their way to the U.S. in 2010. Latin America was the second largest market, with Asia-Pacific and Europe following. Europe was the second largest market in 2010. Daher-Socata says it was the fourth best year for the TBM.
The international business aviation and helicopter community is releasing an amendment to the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) this month to include helicopter safety standards.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently approved a five-year extension of its partnership with National Air Transportation Association Compliance Services (NATACS) to provide a range of general aviation security programs. The partnership recognizes NATACS as a Trusted Fingerprint Facility to process biographical and biometric information. The partnership, established in 2002, has been extended through December 2016.
As the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) takes effect this month, the business aviation community is grappling with inconsistent paperwork requirements, potential operational changes and what it believes is a discriminatory implementation of the scheme. The European Business Aviation Association last week aired a number of concerns it has with the scheme, saying it is discriminatory toward business aviation and still needs substantial work to be viable.
In the face of strong opposition, the Obama administration is not backing off its support for a $100 per-flight user charge. “The administration is making tough choices across the federal budget and asking everyone to do their fair share,” says Dana Hyde, associate director for General Government Programs for the Office of Management and Budget.
JAY RANDALL was named Great Lakes regional sales manager for Constant Aviation, a Cleveland-based maintenance, repair and overhaul facility. Randall previously served with Dallas Airmotive, where he was responsible for the sale of engine maintenance services specializing in Pratt & Whitney Canada and Rolls-Royce engine services for customers in the Northeast and Great Lakes territories. He also has held sales positions with Flight Options and Bizjet International.
CONTINENTAL MOTORS TSIO-520, TSIO-550-K, TSIOF-550K, and IO-550-N series reciprocating engines [Docket No. FAA-2011-1341; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-41-AD; Amendment 39-16891; AD 2011-25-51] – adopts an emergency AD that requires replacing affected CMI starter adapters. This AD was prompted by five reports of fractures in starter adapter shaft gears in certain part number (P/N) CMI starter adapters. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent failure of the starter adapter gear shaft, leading to an inoperable oil scavenge pump and engine inflight shutdown.
Switzerland-based maintenance, repair and overhaul provider SR Technics has sold its 49% stake in a Shanghai-based line maintenance joint venture to Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd. (Haeco) and that company’s subsidiary, Taikoo (Xiamen) Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd. (Taeco). The venture has been renamed Shanghai Taikoo Aircraft Engineering Services Co. Ltd. The majority owner is Shanghai Foreign Aviation Service Corp. (Fasco).
Organizers of the National Championship Air Races are moving forward with the annual event in Reno, Nev., but have established a blue-ribbon panel to assess safety concerns that have arisen in the wake of the Sept. 16, 2011 crash of an experimental North America P-15D that killed the pilot and 10 others on the ground and injured 74 people.
The head of the Airports Council International for North America is urging lawmakers to pass a two-year extension of FAA’s operating authority – while negotiations continue on a long-term reauthorization bill. The current, 22nd extension expires Jan. 31. Lawmakers working to strike a deal have been haggling over several differences between the House and Senate versions of FAA reauthorization.
LYCOMING ENGINES fuel injected reciprocating engines [Docket No. FAA-2007-0218; Directorate Identifier 92-ANE-56-AD; Amendment 39-16894; AD 2011-26-04] – supersedes an existing AD that requires inspection, replacement if necessary, and proper clamping of externally mounted fuel injector fuel lines. That AD also states that it is not applicable to engines that have a Maintenance and Overhaul Manual with an Airworthiness Limitations Section that requires inspection and replacement, if necessary, of externally mounted fuel injector lines.
ROBERT NADR has joined NationAir Aviation Insurance as a sales executive. Nadr, based at NationAir’s headquarters in suburban Chicago, will be responsible for general aviation insurance sales in Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. A licensed pilot with commercial multi-engine ratings, Nadr has served as first officer for Billings, Mont.-based Merlin Airways, a Part 135 cargo company operating. He also has owned and operated Nadr POS, which provided information technology product sales and support.
In addition to a lawsuit, Hawker Beechcraft is hoping to build political pressure on lawmakers and the Defense Department to convince the U.S. Air Force to revisit its decision to award the Light Air Support contract to rival Embraer and Sierra Nevada. The company has launched a letter-writing campaign, asking customers and other supporters to contact their local congressmen and DOD concerning the contract. As a result, close to 5,700 letters had been sent to Congress and DOD by Friday afternoon, according to the company. See article on Page 4.
When things get moving in China, they can move quickly. Until about four years ago, Chinese demand for business aviation was one of those things that was forever coming, forever predicted, but never a reality. Then, when orders from China finally began picking up, around 2008, the market revealed its immaturity: almost all the buyers wanted large aircraft. With no business aviation culture, the only people who thought of flying in business aircraft were extremely rich individuals and top managers of huge companies.
U.S. fixed-wing business aircraft operators posted a slightly worse safety record in 2011, with the increase in accidents appearing to exceed the slight increase in operations, according to the latest information released by safety expert Robert E. Breiling Associates. At the same time, however, accidents involving U.S. twin-turbine helicopter operations were less than half the number in 2010.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) declared a 20% dividend for member companies participating in the association’s workers’ compensation insurance program. The program returned a 20% dividend last year as well, and NBAA notes that to date participants have received nearly $1 million in dividends. The association launched the program in May 2009. The program is underwritten by Phoenix Aviation Managers and its affiliate Old Republic Insurance Company, and administered by NationAir Aviation Insurance.
Embraer is beginning ground tests of its midsize Legacy 500 in preparation for a first flight scheduled for the third quarter of 2012. The ground tests follow the Dec. 23 roll out of the business jet from Embraer’s production hangar at its São José dos Campos, Brazil headquarters.
Cessna business jet traffic is showing signs of improvement, increasing year over year and sequentially by month in November, analyst Morgan Stanley says. The year-over-year increase of 2.3% is the first for Cessna business jet flight activity since June. But growth in business jet operations had slowed over the course of 2011 and “going forward, we continue to expect flattish growth,” Morgan Stanley says. Gulfstream jet activity, meanwhile, was down year over year for the second straight month in November. Activity was down 0.8% in the month, and 0.2% in October.
The Jet Business, a showroom for business jet aircraft, is formally opening this month. Based in central London, the company will house displays and mockups of a range of business jet aircraft, including the Airbus Corporate Jet. The showroom will have floor-to-ceiling screens showing full-size cabin cross sections and floor plans. The Jet Business, which is not affiliated with any manufacturer, will educate clients on the various models and guide prospective buyers through the transaction process.
PETER MASTROIANNI has joined Million Air as general manager of the Fayetteville, Ark., facility. Mastroianni recently retired from the U.S. Air Force, where he spent 22 years, most recently as chief, standardization and evaluation, for the 61 Contingency Response Wing at Joint Base-McGuire/Dix/Lakehurst. There, he was responsible for the wing readiness of 705 airmen.
West Star Aviation received FAA approval to install the Safe Flight Instrument Corporation AutoPower System in Pro Line 21-equipped Hawker business jets. With the supplemental type certificate, West Star is able to offer the AutoPower System for Hawker 800XP, 850XP, 750, 900 and 800XPr models. The work is accomplished at the company’s facility in Grand Junction, Colo., under a distribution agreement with Hawker Beechcraft. Under the agreement, AutoPower installations are completed exclusively by either West Star or a Hawker Beechcraft Services facility.
Bombardier Aerospace has received a firm order for five Challenger 850 business jets from a single undisclosed customer. The total value of the order is about $156 million, based on current list prices. The aircraft is an executive version of the Bombardier’s 50-seat CRJ200LR.
