ECLIPSE AEROSPACE Model EA500 airplanes equipped with Pratt & Whitney Canada. PW610F-A engines [Docket No. FAA-2011-0199; Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-005-AD; Amendment 39-16890; AD 2011-06-06 R1] – revises an existing AD that requires incorporating an operating limitation of a maximum operating altitude of 30,000 ft. into Section 2, Limitations, of the airplane flight manual (AFM). Since FAA issued that AD, P&WC has developed a design change for the combustion chamber liner assembly.
Iceland’s air traffic management provider Isavia plans to install a satellite-based surveillance network that is expected to be operational in the summer traffic season. Isavia took a major step in its ADS-B program with the award of a contract to install the necessary ground equipment. Iceland’s ADS-B program is important given the location of the country’s airspace on the busy North Atlantic routes.
DREW MCEWAN was promoted to head of global sales and business development for Piper Aircraft. In that role, he is responsible for the company’s worldwide dealer network, regional sales directors and global fleet sales. Most recently director of sales, Americas, McEwan joined Piper in 2010 to help expand the company’s dealer network in the Americas. Before that, he was a longtime sales executive with Hawker Beechcraft. He formerly was director of sales, Americas for the Vero Beach, Fla., manufacturer.
Correction: The pilot of a Sundance Helicopters air tour helicopter had climbed to 4,100 ft. before turning and descending in the final minute of the fatal flight. The Dec. 19 edition of BA had stated the incorrect altitude.
Because of the holiday schedule, The Weekly of Business Aviation will not publish a Jan. 2 edition. The next issue will be dated Jan. 9. Please refer to the Aviation Week Intelligence Network (subscribers only) or AviationWeek.com for additional coverage. And, please accept our best wishes for a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
AUBRY MAYSE was appointed director of planning and distribution for product support materials for Gulfstream Aerospace. A 23-year company veteran, Mayse is responsible for enterprise planning, distribution, asset control and warehousing for Gulfstream product support parts and inventory, encompassing more than $1.2 billion worth of parts and materials available through 16 distribution centers. He has served with Gulfstream since 1988, most recently as senior manager, planning and distribution for product support materials.
JDA Aviation Technology Solutions (JDA) has scheduled its regulatory affairs training course on Feb. 14-15 at the American Airlines Training and Conference Center in Fort Worth. Designed for certificated organizations and individuals, the course will be led by former career FAA managers, principal inspectors and legal counsel. The course will discuss the FAA Flight Standards organization, including the duties and authorities of the Flight Standards District Office and Certificate Management Office.
Signature Flight Support last week opened a new location at Frankfurt Main International Airport (FRA/EDDF). The new base operates out of the general aviation terminal and offers a range of flight support services. The facility is Signature’s second fixed-base operation (FBO) in Germany. Signature also has an FBO in Munich. Signature named Ykalo Goitom station manager, overseeing the new Frankfurt site. He previously was global accounts manager for Gate Group, and also has served with Acconia Ground Handling and Eritrean Airlines.
Inflight connectivity and entertainment provider Gogo, which until recently was known as Aircell, is seeking new funds through an initial public offering (IPO). Gogo has spent a lot of money to dominate the inflight connectivity sector within the U.S., particularly the commercial sector, and this has in turn has produced losses since 2006, when the company was awarded rights to offer its air-to-ground (ATG) service to commercial and business aircraft.
P. HORST BROCKMUELLER has joined Oriens Advisors as an investment and business aviation expert. Brockmueller will support clients seeking funds, looking to restructure existing businesses or needing advice on their businesses. Brockmueller has experience in startup aviation operating businesses, as well as private equity and funding companies. He will continue as chairman and managing partner of London-based private equity firm Catalyst Equity Partners.
Strom Aviation, a Dallas-based aerospace staffing firm, has launched a new unit, Strom Direct Aviation Staffing, which will focus on permanent placement in the corporate aviation and helicopter markets. The unit will handle executive search, crew and other position placements. In addition, it will offer a payroll and insurance service for crew and operations personnel. Strom Aviation provides aircraft mechanics and technical and engineering contract staffing services to the aviation and aerospace communities.
After a 14-year production run, the 250th and last Gulfstream G200 super-midsize business jet rolled out of the Gulfstream Mid-Cabin Completions Center in Dallas on Dec. 20 for customer delivery later this month.
Executive AirShare on Dec. 20 formally took delivery of the first Phenom 100 to be produced at Embraer’s new Melbourne, Fla., assembly facility. The Embraer plant rolled out the aircraft earlier this month. Based in Kansas City, Mo., Executive Airshare operates 13 Phenom 100s and five Phenom 300s in its managed and fractional aircraft ownership fleet. The fleet addition comes as the regional fractional ownership provider has grown to more than 120 shareowners in 2011, up from 95 in 2010 and 75 in 2009. The company believes the Embraer jets are helping to drive the growth.
While FAA has finished its work on Part 121 flight and duty time regulations, agency officials say they have plans but still no schedule for a similar rulemaking for Part 135. During a briefing on last week’s long-anticipated release of the Part 121 flight duty time regulations, FAA officials say they will “look to put” a Part 135 rulemaking on the regulatory agenda, and noted the original proposal had alerted the Part 135 community to “take note” of what FAA is doing with Part 121 carriers.
Garmin has released a new GTN 750 trainer app for the iPad 2. The trainer, which can be downloaded from the iTunes Store, simulates the behavior of the GTN 750 system interface, enabling pilots to learn the basic operation of the system while on the ground. “The iPad’s touchscreen interface lends itself well to realistically simulating the full GTN experience,” says Carl Wolf, Garmin’s vice president of aviation sales and marketing.
TORBJORN (TOBY) KARLSSON was appointed vice president, sales, Asia Pacific for Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. Karlsson has more than 25 years of aviation experience and has been based in the Asia-Pacific region for the majority of the time. He formerly was regional managing partner with Heidrick & Struggles Industrial Practice, where he worked closely with airlines and aviation suppliers in the Asia-Pacific region. He also has served with Honeywell Aerospace as vice president, commercial aerospace.
Hawker Beechcraft’s facility in Chester, U.K., recently secured European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval for Beechcraft Premier series maintenance and other services. The approval follows similar ratings for the Beechcraft King Air 200 and 300 series aircraft. The ratings for the Premier I/IA aircraft clears the way for the facility to offer inspections, maintenance modifications, aircraft-on-ground support and upgrades on European-registered aircraft. The facility expects to receive FAA approval in January.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is putting off release of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) long-awaited and congressionally mandated repair station security rules by another year, frustrated aviation groups say. The agency notified the groups this week that the rule likely would not be out until the fourth quarter of 2012, dashing hopes of industry advocates that it could come by the end of this year.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is pushing for the elimination of funding for contract control towers serving general aviation airports in the fiscal 2013 budget request, association officials say.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is advising operators traveling to Europe to continue to cooperate with flight monitoring requirements in light of last week’s European court ruling upholding the application of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) to international operations. But the battle over the emissions tax policy is expected to continue as the scheme takes effect Jan. 1.
Phoenix-based Cutter Aviation last week was awarded a supplemental type certificate for installation of the Aircell Gogo Biz inflight broadband connectivity aboard Beechjet 400A and Hawker 400XP aircraft. The STC, developed in partnership with Aircell, uses the Aircell ATG 4000 and ATG 5000 systems for the installations.
Jan. 10—SM4 Advanced Forum in Emergency Response Planning Featuring Don Chupp, President-Fireside Partners and Sponsored by Global and the NorCal Business Aviation Association, Red Lion Inn, Oakland, Calif., (510) 635-5300 Jan. 11-13, 2012—Airports Council International-NA Insurance & Risk Management Conference, New Orleans, www.aci-na.org/conferences/
Honda Aircraft added another FAA design-conforming HondaJet (F2) to the year-old certification flight-test program. Two additional flight-test aircraft are to join the test series in 2012. The first test aircraft (F1) has achieved a maximum speed of 425 KTAS at 30,000 ft., achieved a climb rate of 4,000 ft. per minute and a maximum operating altitude of 43,000 ft. Delayed twice, certification is now expected in mid-2013.
India appointed Ajit Singh its new civil aviation minister as the country’s troubled aviation sector prepares to enter 2012 under the weight of mounting debt and losses. The 72-year-old from the northern state of Uttar Pradesh will be the third person to hold the portfolio in less than a year. He succeeds Vayalar Ravi, who had taken over the Civil Aviation Ministry from Praful Patel, who had held the post for six years.
The Aerospace Industries Association Board of Governors has elected Pratt & Whitney President David Hess as chairman for 2012. Hess will succeed Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Wes Bush, chairman, CEO and president of Northrop Grumman Corporation, was elected vice chairman for AIA.
