A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has agreed to hear arguments Dec. 2 in a case brought by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) to preserve the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program. The organizations have asked the court to find that FAA acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” when it dramatically scaled back BARR.
Oct. 10-12—National Business Aviation Association 64th Annual Meeting and Convention, Las Vegas, (202) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org Oct. 10-14—International Air Transport Association’s World Passenger Symposium, Shangri-la Hotel, Singapore, www.iata.org Oct. 11-14—Inter Airport Europe 18th International Exhibition for Airport Equipment, Technology, Design & Services, Munich Trade Fair, +44 (172) 781-4400, www.interairport.com Oct. 14-16—China International General Aviation Convention, Shannxi, China, www.cigac.blogspot.com
PIAGGIO P-180 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-1040; Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-029-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to inspect the locking mechanism of the baggage door and ensure its proper adjustment, per the instructions of Piaggio Aero Industries Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 80-0289, Rev. 1 (dated Jan. 11, 2011).
Seven out of 10 of the U.K.’s business aviation airports saw departure increases year to date, according to new statistics from Eurocontrol. East Midlands posted the biggest increase (18.3%), going from 5.61 to 6.7 daily business aviation departures. Others posting gains included: Bournemouth, up 16.6%; London Oxford Airport, up 12.2%; and Biggin Hill, up 12.9%. Airports posting negative growth were: London City, down 10.2%; London Stansted, down 6.7%; and Edinburgh, 3.8%.
EMBRAER EMB-505 (Phenom 300) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0713; Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-023-AD; Amendment 39-16810; AD 2011-20-01] – Replace the bolts that attach the balance mass weights to the elevator structure, per the instructions of Embraer Phenom Service Bulletin No. 505-55-0002 (dated Jan. 14, 2011). This AD, which resulted from an MCAI issued by the aviation authority of Brazil, is intended to eliminate free-play between the mass balance weight and the elevator structure.
Virgin Galactic is close to finalizing the initial flight crews for its space tourism and science operations. Three pilots will make up the first cadre of crew who will fly both the SpaceShipTwo suborbital vehicle and WhiteKnightTwo (WK2) mother ship. “There were 550 applicants and we downselected to the finalists this summer,” says Virgin Galactic President and CEO George Whitesides.
DENNIS GILLESPIE was appointed planning leader for HOK Aviation + Transportation Group. Gillespie will work with teams across HOK. He has 33 years of industry experience, including 10 at HOK, working on projects at New Doha International Airport, Indianapolis International Airport and Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco.
Vero Beach, Fla.-based Piper Aircraft is returning to Wichita on Oct. 7 to recruit local talent. The Wichita region—which proclaims itself as the “Air Capital of the World”—has lost more than 30,000 aviation jobs since the beginning of the severe downturn in business aviation in 2008, making it a ripe field for talent recruitment. Piper had its own round of furloughs in 2009 and 2010 as it right-sized production. But as things stabilized, the manufacturer visited Wichita in November 2010 to recruit workers.
Advanced Aircrew Academy has expanded its online course offerings to include Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training for aircraft maintainers and flight crews. The online training satisfies the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) requirement for Occupational Health and Safety (Chapter 13 of the IS-BAO standard).
General aviation jobs on the whole pay better than their airline counterparts, according to FAA’s recent study, The Economic Impact of Civil Aviation on the U.S. Economy. The study finds that the average annual earnings in the GA segment were $44,599, versus $38,415 for commercial aviation. But the commercial segment has categories—such as air couriers and travel arrangements—that bring down the overall commercial wage totals.
Arinc plans to set up a Russian office next year to tap growth in commercial and business aviation in that market. The aviation electronics specialist already has contracts with Russian airports and business jet operators for its infrastructure and inflight offerings. Andy Hubbard, vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, says that although the market has long been of interest, a meeting with potential customers this year prompted Arinc to step up plans for its Russian office.
Phoenix Heliparts and Aspen Avionics expect shortly to receive an FAA supplemental type certificate for the installation of Aspen’s H-series primary flight displays (PFD) and multifunction flight displays (MFD) in the international fleet of MD500 helicopters. Aspen’s H-series PFD and MFD systems are designed and manufactured to meet the unique rigors of helicopter operations. The PFD is a lightweight, compact, all solid-state digital replacement for legacy electro-mechanical flight instruments.
Hawker Beechcraft secured European Aviation Safety Agency approval for its Hawker 800 “XPR” upgrade that includes new TFE731-50R engines and Hawker winglets. The approval follows FAA supplemental type certification in August. Customer deliveries of the Hawker 800XPR have begun, the company says. Hawker Beechcraft offers the upgrade through its factory-owned facilities, including its Chester, U.K. plant. The new -50R engines, which replace TFE731-5BR-1H engines on the Hawker 800XP, are flat-rated to 4,660 lbst and incorporate 70 design and material improvements.
Paul Newman’s estate has put the late movie star’s 1981 Sabre 65 up for sale. The aircraft, serial number 465-56, has a total time of less than 5,000 hr., its TFE731s are on the MSP Gold maintenance plan, and the aircraft was reportedly pampered by Newman, its second owner, since he acquired it in 1995. A placard near the Sabre’s main door identifies it as the official transport of Newman-Haas Racing, a company the Oscar-winning film star co-founded in 1983 with auto racing impresario Carl Haas. The aircraft’s registration is N499NH.
ExecuJet Aviation Group, a Swiss-based aviation management company, reported continued growth in new and used aircraft sales since the beginning of the year, and predicts the trend will continue well into 2012. Year-over-year figures show the company’s deliveries in 2011 increased by almost 100%, with aircraft sales revenues up by 90%. “We’ve never been busier, margins are growing and the amount of aircraft we’re working with is expanding,” says Andrew Hoy, managing director of ExecuJet Aviation Trading, the sales arm of the ExecuJet Aviation Group.
Aviation Industry Corporation of China (Avic) President Lin Zuoming has called on his company to step up its efforts to meet 2020 revenue goals and position itself as a global player.
Flexjet, the fractional ownership and card membership company, has added a debit-card option for its Flexjet 25 Jet Card program. The program, which is operated by air carrier Jet Solutions, enables customers with varied travel requirements to access the hours they need with an unlimited travel calendar aboard Learjet or Challenger aircraft.
August 2011 statistics on the used aircraft markets overall have yielded good news, says aviation information consultancy Jetnet. In the first eight months of 2011, the year-to-date average asking price for business jets rose 3.5%, while the industry maintained double-digit growth (11.4%) for used business jet retail sale transactions.
Shell is planning to present proceeds of donated points from its AeroClass pilot loyalty program to the Corporate Angel Network during next week’s National Business Aviation Association annual meeting and convention in Las Vegas. Shell earlier this year offered the option for pilots participating in AeroClass to donate their points to the Corporate Angel Network. Nearly 200 Shell FBOs are participating in the program across the U.S.
KEITH HUI was named director of HOK’s Aviation + Transportation Group in the Asia-Pacific region. He has relocated from the Seattle office to Hong Kong, where he will direct offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City. He joined HOK in 2008 and has 17 years of planning and designing experience, including modernization programs at Salt Lake City International Airport, Honolulu International Airport and Kona International Airport.
Business aviation internationally needs to work harder to publicize the economic importance of the industry, says Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, chief executive of business jet charter operator London Executive Aviation. “Wouldn’t it be great to see the business aviation industry finally embraced and recognized by the wider community for its true financial worth and contribution?” he asked at the recent Business Aircraft Europe conference. “Our industry is an important enabler to economic growth and a significant employer, directly and indirectly, across Europe.
JAMES KELLEY was promoted to director, Savannah, Ga., service center operations for Gulfstream Aerospace. He is a 25-year Gulfstream employee, most recently serving as senior manager - maintenance, repair and overhaul in Savannah. He is one of three directors who will manage a specific series of lines at the center.
A Chinese customer is set to receive the country’s first Lineage 1000, Embraer’s top-of-the-range executive jet. Embraer recently received Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) type certification for the Lineage 1000, and the managing director of Embraer China, Guan Dongyuan, says the first aircraft will be delivered to an undisclosed Chinese customer later this year. A second aircraft will be delivered to China in 2012’s first quarter, he adds. The Lineage 1000 is based on the Embraer 190 platform, making it Embraer’s largest business jet.
