In the face of recent public criticism over corporate jet tax breaks, general aviation and congressional leaders last week held a rally attended by hundreds of workers and officials in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to promote the industry and improve its image. The rally included several members of the Iowa delegation, along with General Aviation Manufacturers Association President and CEO Pete Bunce, Goodrich Engine Components President Daphne Falletti and Rockwell Collins Chairman, President and CEO Clay Jones.
Flexjet – the fractional operator, charter and jet card arm of Bombardier – has begun selling shares in Bombardier’s newest Learjet, the Model 85. The sales effort comes in advance of the late 2013 planned entry into service of the Learjet 85. “You don’t get green, clean-sheet-of-paper aircraft that often,” says Flexjet President Fred Reid. “We’ll have a very attractive price for the early buyers. Our current owners get first crack at the 85s, and then sometime after Labor Day, we’ll open it up to the general market.”
Jet Aviation Dubai recently completed its first Embraer Legacy 650 L1 base maintenance inspection, which is mandatory after the aircraft accumulates 600 flight hours. The Dubai facility, established in May 2005, has begun experiencing significant demand for Legacy maintenance support from customers in the Middle East, Jet Aviation says. The company offers 24/7 maintenance and aircraft-on-ground support for Embraer aircraft. The base includes 45,192 sq. ft. of hangar space, 10,760 sq. ft. of workshop area and an 11,300-sq.-ft., two-story fixed-base operation building.
BETH RAYNER has joined Aspen Avionics as human resources manager. Rayner joins Aspen with 18 years of human resources experience. For 11 years she owned and managed a technical recruiting firm that specialized in engineering and information technology.
BOMBARDIER DHC-8-400 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0470; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-190-AD] – Trim the edge of the bumper plate and base fitting located on the outboard main landing gear (MLG) door to prevent a potential jamming of the plate and the main landing gear tires (Bombardier Modsum 4-113645), per the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-32-74, Rev. A (dated May 17, 2010).
Jeppesen struck an agreement with the Russian Ministry of Transportation that enables it to add Ramenskoye (UUBW) airport data to its NavData flight information database for operators in Russia. Ramenskoye data is available to Russian domestic operators on an ongoing basis. The UUBW airport date adds a key piece of data to Jeppesen’s NavData service, enabling the company to provide a range of flight information services, including navigation, operations and optimization.
Hawker Beechcraft’s Global Customer Support group has obtained supplemental type certification (STC) for the first of two “XPR” re-engining and upgrade packages announced for its Hawker lines. European Aviation Safety Agency approval is expected to follow shortly.
Quest has named Piedmont Aircraft as its sales representative for the 10-place, utility single-turboprop Kodiak in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states. The agreement comes as the Sandpoint, Idaho manufacturer continues to expand its presence both in the U.S. and internationally. Quest also is negotiating representative agreements with firms in Australia, Brazil, Europe, Mexico and the Pacific Rim. Quest already has representatives in Africa, the Caribbean, India, the Middle East and South America.
A suit challenging FAA’s privatization of air traffic control towers, filed 17 years ago, has been settled with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth District in Cincinnati affirming a lower court’s ruling to dismiss the case.
FAA last week announced plans to cancel TSO-C129a, a standard developed for airborne supplemental navigation equipment using GPS. The cancellation would effectively prohibit the development of new products to that standard. However, FAA notes that products that already have been authorized to the standard could still be installed. FAA has since released several updated standards for navigation sensors and equipment using GPS that are more stringent and require more accuracy.
SOCATA TBM 700 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0530 Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-012-AD; Amendment 39-16770; AD 2011-17-06] – Replace certain elevator trim tab actuators with serviceable units, per the instructions of DAHER-SOCATA Mandatory Service Bulletin SB 70-190-27 (dated January 2011). This AD, which resulted from an MCAI issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency, was prompted by an in-service incident in which a trim tab actuator jammed. A subsequent investigation determined that certain elevator trim tab actuators were not manufactured properly.
While new aircraft demand showed signs of improvement in the second quarter, J.P. Morgan analyst Joseph Nadol warns that macroeconomic events are clouding the business aviation outlook.
WILLIAM RATHERT was named senior director, sales operations for Navtech, Inc. Rathert joins Navtech from Sabre Airline Solutions, where he was sales director. He also has served as vice president for Kiehl Hendrickson Group, consulting with a variety of clients including airports, airlines, state governments and others. Rathert also has held senior leadership roles in several airlines, including the establishment of startup airlines.
Citation Jet Pilots Association has scheduled its annual national convention for Oct. 26-29 at the Ritz Carlton in Amelia Island, Fla. Scheduled speakers include Cessna CEO Scott Ernest and Dan Grace, safety manager, flight operations for Cessna, along with National Transportation Safety Board Member Mark Rosekind, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President and CEO Craig Fuller, National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen, JetAviva Owner Cyrus Sigari, NASA Astronaut Charlie Precourt and Radar Training International’s Erik Eliel, among others.
Wilson Air Center has opened for business as the second fixed-base operation (FBO) at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (KCHA) in Tennessee. The facility includes a new 9,000-sq.-ft. executive terminal and FBO facilities, including an office complex, hangar, ramp and self-serve fuel farm. Wilson Air Center held a grand opening celebration this month, with a silent auction that raised nearly $11,000 for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. The celebration also included static aircraft displays by manufacturers such as Cessna, Hawker and Embraer.
Eurocopter recently established a new international customer technical support center in Dublin, Ireland’s International Financial Services Center. “The new Dublin operation will give Eurocopter greater flexibility and efficiency in responding to its customers’ technical support needs,” says Patrick Berthier, chief executive officer of Eurocopter International Services.
TONY LEITSCHUCK was promoted to assistant manager of customer service for Duncan Aviation’s Lincoln, Neb. facility. Leitschuck started as an airframe mechanic in 1989, then was named lead mechanic/team leader in 1996 before becoming project manager in 2000. He also has served as a structural mechanic for the U.S. Marine Corps and as a line manager for two airports.
Airlines operating smaller commercial aircraft must incorporate new operational procedures or install ice-detection equipment on their aircraft under a new FAA rule. Slated for publication in the Aug. 22 Federal Register, the rule applies to Part 121 operators of aircraft that weigh less than 60,000 lb. maximum takeoff weight (MTOW).
Whipsawing equity markets, sovereign debt issues and overall economic uncertainty are not a precursor to another 2008-like industry free fall, an industry analyst says.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has selected legendary pilot and entrepreneur Clay Lacy to receive its 2011 NBAA Meritorious Service to Aviation Award, and international business aviation pioneer Don Spruston will receive the 2011 NBAA John P. “Jack” Doswell Award. The Meritorious Service to Aviation Award is NBAA’s most distinguished honor, presented annually to an individual who, by virtue of a lifetime of personal dedication, has made significant, identifiable contributions that have materially advanced aviation interests.
MITCH ALEXANDER was promoted to manager of FlightSafety International’s center in Daleville, Ala. Alexander has served in the Daleville center since 2002, beginning as an instructor and later promoted to program manager of the center’s Navy UC-12 training activities. Most recently he was assistant manager of the center. He also spent 22 years in the U.S. Navy.
MONTE REEVES was promoted to manager of customer service at Duncan Aviation’s Lincoln, Neb. facility. Reeves will lead the customer service and line service teams, as well as develop customer service goals and strategies. Reeves joined Duncan Aviation in 1991 in the Avionics Installations department. He later became an airframe mechanic, inspector, airframe structures team leader, project manager and most recently assistant manager. He also has served BF Goodrich Aerospace in Everett, Wash.
Field Aviation has delivered its first two Bombardier Q400 aircraft with custom-designed interiors. Both aircraft were delivered to Avitrade Belgium. The aircraft, with 28 and 40 seats, respectively, were configured with a combination of single VIP-style seats and standard economy-seat pairs. One aircraft features a separate cabin with four individual fully berthable VIP seats in club configuration.
M7 AEROSPACE SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-TC and SA226-AT airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0832; Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-025-AD; Amendment 39-16771; AD 2011-17-07] – Periodically replace and inspect certain elevator, rudder, aileron and aileron-to-rudder interconnect primary control cables. Also, check and set flight control cable tension, per the instructions of M7 Aerospace Service Bulletin 226-27-072 (dated June 27, 2011).
