Satair USA closed on its $30 million acquisition of aviation battery distributor Aero Quality Sales (AQS). National law firm Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry assisted in the sale on behalf of its client Satair, which is a global supplier of aircraft parts and services. AQS will continue operating in its existing sales and service centers in Stamford, Conn., and London for the time being. But its sales activities will be integrated into Satair’s global sales organization.
Jetnet has signed Cessna Aircraft as the launch customer for its Jetnet iQ premium advisory service. Under the deal, Cessna has access to the full range of database details, including quarterly state-of-the-industry reports and the ability to insert unique questions into Jetnet iQ’s Global Business Aviation Surveys.
Kansas State University Salina’s professional pilot program secured a five-year renewal on its accreditation from the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI). AABI is the only professional, specialized accrediting organization approved by the Council on Higher Education to accredit aviation professional programs at universities in the U.S. Only 26 of the more than 100 universities and colleges with aviation programs in the nation have earned the accreditation.
ViaSat was selected by Bombardier Aerospace to provide airborne communications terminal equipment as part of a new high-speed Internet option on Global 5000 and Global 6000 aircraft. The Bombardier option combines the ViaSat VMT-1500 shipset along with the EMS Aviation CNX-200 router to provide an office-in-the-sky connection for business aviation passengers.
Cello Aviation, a U.K.-based charter operator, recently completed a six-week tour of Europe on behalf of the U.S. rock guitarist Carlos Santana. The musician used Cello’s Avro Business Jet for the tour.
Doctor, pilot and former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) was selected for the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) 2011 Al Ueltschi Award for Humanitarian Leadership in recognition of his life-saving efforts worldwide, and the importance of business aviation to those endeavors. Frist has continued his regular medical mission trips worldwide since his retirement from the Senate in 2007.
Up to eight out of 10 would-be pilots fail to complete their training, says Ken Kaplan, a former King Schools executive who recently joined Vaughn College to head a new Aviation Outreach Initiative. Calling the dropout rate abysmal, Kaplan is hoping to design a flight training program with “innovative technology” to reverse those figures. Flight training retention has been a major focus of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which has been holding a series of regional meetings throughout the U.S. on the issue since May, including two sessions last week in Chicago.
MILLIE BECKER was named chief development officer at aviation services company FirstFlight. She will spearhead new business initiatives and will be based in Teterboro, N.J. She joins FirstFlight from Teterboro-based First Aviation Services, where she was vice president of business development. She also held executive-level sales and marketing positions with Landmark Aviation, Skyport Flight Services and Westchester Air.
Initial results of recently completed wind-tunnel testing have verified design concepts of the Stratos 714 very light personal jet, Stratos Aircraft officials say. The company recently concluded five days of wind-tunnel testing using a one-fifth-scale aluminum aircraft model. The testing, which took place at the University of Washington’s Kirsten Wind Tunnel, involved more than 90 runs that focused on airflow over the fuselage, wings and vertical tail.
FlightSafety International held grand-opening ceremonies last week for a new 375,000-sq.-ft. simulation manufacturing plant in Broken Arrow, Okla. The plant is replacing FlightSafety’s smaller manufacturing facilities—which were housed in four separate buildings—about 2 mi. away from the new Broken Arrow site.
An end of certain scheduled routes to Palma De Mallorca, a group of regular travelers and word of mouth spurred the formation of Victor, a new private members club and online community that offers a real-time trading and transaction platform targeting high-net-worth travelers.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet 700, 701, 702, 705 and 900 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0515; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-196-AD; Amendment 39-16776; AD 2011-17-12] – Inspect, repair (if necessary) and reinforce the transcowl assemblies. This AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by Transport Canada, was prompted by several cases of cracks in the joint extrusions securing the outer bondment to the acoustic panel of the nacelle transcowl assemblies.
The California Assembly last week approved a bill that would provide relief from recently implemented California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education regulations that impose a series of new fees and requirements on flight training companies. Senate Bill 619 (SB 619) exempts flight training organizations from the requirements, as long as the flight training program doesn’t require a student to enter into a contract of indebtedness or prepayment of instruction-related costs in excess of $2,500.
Embraer’s third annual Executive Jets Operators Conference for Latin American customers, held in Campinas, Brazil this month, drew nearly 150 attendees. The event covered Phenom 100 and 300 and Legacy 600 and 650 operators. The conference offered attendees the latest information about the company, new program development and also technical information and news on maintenance and flight operations issues, says spokeswoman Elisa Donel. “We had some dedicated panels for operations, maintenance and technical issues.
Global Aerospace, a U.K.-based insurer, has partnered with the Kansas City Business Aviation Association (KCBAA) to offer a Human Factors and Leadership in Corporate Aviation Seminar on Sept. 29. Safety expert Tony Kern, CEO and senior partner of Convergent Performance, will explain how to control human factors hazards and measure risk during a one-day seminar at the InterContinental Hotel in Kansas City, Mo.
EUROCOPTER CANADA Model BO 105 LS A-3 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2011-0596; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-37-AD] – Proposes to supersede an existing airworthiness directive that requires establishing a life limit for certain tension-torsion (TT) straps. This action would require reducing the “number of flights’’ life limit and providing a time-in-service (TIS) life limit for those TT straps.
The Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) recently released air cargo screening regulations drew industry praise for eliminating potential requirements for use of third-party screening and duplicative security assessments.
EMBRAER EMB-500 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0088 Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-072-AD; Amendment 39-16779; AD 2011-17-15] – Replace the left-hand and right-hand Angle of Attack (AOA) sensors and cover plates. Also, inspect the interface between the AOA covers and the AOA sensors, and, if the sealant is missing, clean the areas and apply new sealant, per the instructions of Phenom Service Bulletin SB No.: 500-27-0006, Rev. 02 (dated Jan. 14, 2011).
EPPCO Aviation, based in the UAE, has won the Chevron Global Aviation President’s Award for the sixth consecutive year. The award recognizes the company’s operational excellence and safety. EPPCO Aviation was recognized for meeting the Chevron Award criteria of zero recordable injuries, zero motor vehicle crashes, zero spills and zero product quality incidents.
Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell (R) declared August “General Aviation Appreciation Month.” General aviation generates $728 million in economic impact annually, and supports 5,155 jobs in the state, says the Alliance for Aviation Across America. “Governor McDonnell understands the essential role that general aviation plays in the economy of Virginia,” says Selena Shilad, executive director for the alliance.
Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI) has signed a letter of intent with Prime Fraction Club to enroll its fleet of engines into a JSSI hourly cost maintenance program. Prime Fraction Club recently launched the first fractional aircraft service based in Brazil with a fleet of Embraer Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 aircraft, as well as an Augusta A109 helicopter. JSSI has agreed to provide Prime Fraction Club with comprehensive hourly cost-maintenance programs for all three engine types that is designed to simplify the budgeting process and lower maintenance costs.
GENERAL ELECTRIC CF34-10E2A1, CF34-10E5, CF34-10E5A1, CF34-10E6, CF34-10E6A1, CF34-10E7 and CF34-10E7-B engines [Docket No. FAA-2011-0187; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-07-AD; Amendment 39-16784; AD 2011-18-02] – Remove from service certain fan rotor blade retainers and the fan rotor spinner support that was installed with those retainers.
FlightSafety International plans to provide Gulfstream G450 and G550 aircraft at its learning center in Dallas. The company expects to install a G450/G550 interchangeable simulator at the center next year. Training will begin following Level D qualification of the simulator. The addition follows FlightSafety’s announced plans to add G450 and G550 training in Hong Kong. Once in place, FlightSafety will have 10 G450 and G550 full flight simulators installed in the company’s training center network.
AeroMedevac Ireland is relocating its aircraft to Dublin Airport, which will enable it to provide service 24 hr. a day. The company’s current operational base at Weston can handle overseas medical repatriations, but can only operate with one to two days’ notice to arrange the repatriation flight.
