FAA implemented changes, as expected, last week to the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program, enabling flight-tracking programs to display real-time movements of business aircraft. The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), which had administered the BARR program to protect the tail numbers for 3,000 operators, immediately began receiving calls from members who discovered that subscribers to the flight-tracking programs could track their movements, notes Doug Carr, vice president of safety, security and regulation for NBAA.
Thrush Aircraft obtained Brazilian civil aviation authority (ANAC) type approval for the Thrush 510P. The certification comes after Thrush established a unit in Brazil to sell, service, train and support the aircraft. “ANAC certification is a significant milestone for our company, as it allows us to now serve operators across this nation who have been demanding a state-of-the-art, high-performance agricultural aircraft,” says Thrush President Payne Hughes.
An Air Methods Eurocopter AS 350 B3, N808LF, was damaged but landed safely after the helicopter was struck by an object—possibly a bird(s)—while in flight near Troutdale, Ore., on July 27. The helicopter had departed Aurora, Ore., at about 4:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on a Part 91 repositioning flight to Dallas Port, Wash. About 10 min. into the flight, the pilot experienced a vibration that he thought stemmed from a bird strike. He made a precautionary landing and subsequently discovered the aft section of the tail-rotor drive shaft covering was missing.
Gulfstream is poised to further expand its presence in China with the recent type certificate validation for the G150 business jet from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The validation, which enables operators to register their G150s in the nation, was accomplished through coordination with the FAA, CAAC and the Civil Aviation Administration of Israel, where the airframe is built.
A revised FAA airworthiness directive (AD) issued Friday lays out procedures for U.S.-registered Falcon 7Xs to return to flight. The AD incorporates instructions contained in a series of ADs that the European Aviation Safety Agency issued on the Falcon 7X in June and July after a production problem was discovered involving the 7X’s horizontal stabilizer electronic control unit (HSECU). EASA initially grounded the fleet May 26 after a 7X experienced an uncontrolled pitch-trim runaway during descent.
DASSAULT Falcon 7X aircraft [Docket No. FAA-2011-0631; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-134-AD; Amendment 39-16759; AD 2011-16-01] – Supersedes an existing emergency airworthiness directive that grounded 7X business jets after one of the models experienced an uncontrolled pitch trim runaway during descent. The crew recovered and safely landed. But the FAA says the condition could lead to loss of control of the airplane.
Hawthorne Global Aviation Services, a Charleston, S.C.-based aviation service company, has set in motion a plan to acquire 17 to 22 fixed-base operations (FBOs) at reliever airports across the U.S. Company CEO Steve Levesque told Aviation Week that everything is moving forward and he expects the first deal to close within 60 days. “We can’t talk specifics because we’re under a confidentiality agreement with a number of parties, but we have things moving forward as discussed,” he said.
MIKE QUAID was named operations manager for Gulfstream Aerospace’s newly formed western U.S. field service region. Quaid oversees field service representatives in California, Washington, Colorado and Mexico. He has served as a senior regional field service representative in Southern California since 2002. Before that, he was a regional sales manager for Gulfstream and General Dynamics Aviation Services maintenance facilities.
Australia’s GippsAero has signed a deal with Rolls-Royce to use the engine manufacturer’s M250-B17F/2 turboprop for the GA10, a new 10-seat fixed-wing aircraft. Under the deal, Rolls-Royce will work with GippsAero, a subsidiary of India’s Mahindra Aerospace, on gaining certification of the engine on the GA10, which is in the prototype design phase. The deal also gives Rolls-Royce the chance to use its RR500 engine on future GippsAero applications.
Dassault is seeing a slight improvement in the business aircraft sales environment, but several years of high order cancellations and poor bookings are making themselves felt in low aircraft deliveries. The aircraft maker booked 22 Falcon business jet orders in the first six months of this year, up from only two net orders at the midyear point in 2010, but deliveries during the first half dipped to 19 Falcons from 45 a year ago. Falcon deliveries also were down because of a delay in aircraft handovers following a technical incident with a Falcon 7X.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers on July 27 urged U.S. State and Transportation department officials to file a World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint against the inclusion of international aviation in the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (ETS).
Continued problems with Jet Aviation’s completions business led to softer second-quarter profits and margins for the General Dynamics Aerospace Group—which includes both Gulfstream Aerospace and Jet Aviation—but the group’s backlog grew for the third straight quarter, reflecting the continued strength of the high-end of the business jet market.
Aug. 11-13—Eighth Annual Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition, Congonhas Airport, Sao Paulo, www.abag.org.br/labace2011/ Aug. 12—Aeropodium’s Third Annual Business Aviation in Latin America Summit, Congonhas Airport, Sao Paulo, www.aeropodium.com/conferenceprojects Aug. 13-17—American Association of Airport Executives’ 53rd Annual Northeast Chapter Conference, Sheraton Atlantic City (N.J.) Convention Center Hotel, (609) 641-3833, www.necconference.org
Associated Air Center (AAC), StandardAero’s large VIP aircraft completion center in Dallas, has developed a full-scale airframe mockup that will be used for creating and testing new designs, fabrications and systems for the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ). The mockup enables AAC to reduce aircraft downtime by starting key elements of the completion process before a customer’s aircraft arrives at the completion facility. The tool supports the BBJ, BBJ 2 and BBJ 3, and the company is in the process of developing the same capability for the Airbus Corporate Jet.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood led off a White House press briefing July 28, urging lawmakers to end the partial shutdown of FAA by passing a clean extension of the agency’s reauthorization bill that would let 4,000 furloughed employees come back to work and enable the resumption of important and job-creating airport construction projects.
Airbus has made a major move on the air traffic management (ATM) front with its acquisition of Metron Aviation, a company that is heavily involved in the U.S. NextGen effort. While a definitive agreement has been reached, the transaction is subject to regulatory approvals. The deal is expected to be completed later this year. The financial terms are not being revealed.
Delta Private Jets has partnered with luxury-destination club Exclusive Resorts. Under the agreement, Exclusive Resorts members will receive preferred rates from Delta Private Jets, along with privileged status on Delta Air Lines. Exclusive Resorts members will have access to customized quotes for Delta Private Jets travel through a feature integrated into the Exclusive Resorts members-only website. In addition, Exclusive Resorts members will receive benefits such as Medallion Qualification Miles in Delta’s SkyMiles loyalty program.
Rockwell Collins unveiled a touch-screen primary flight display for business jets and turboprop aircraft last week at the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. Users of iPhones and iPads are familiar with swiping displays and touching icons, but this will be among the first to appear on FAA Part 23 and 25 certified avionics displays. “These displays demonstrate our focus on empowering pilots with natural head-up, eyes-forward interfaces,” says Colin Mahoney, vice president of sales and marketing for Rockwell Collins.
OSHKOSH, Wis.—Production of Icon Aircraft’s A5 light-sport aircraft (LSA) is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2012, said CEO Kirk Hawkins during last week’s EAA AirVenture air show. The manufacturer recently closed a round of financing that will take it through production, Hawkins says. Investors gave the company $15 million, with an option for another $10 million. The company says it has an order backlog of nearly 500 aircraft, valued at $85 million.
Garmin has expanded its G1000 retrofit platforms to include the Daher-Socata TBM 700. The first G1000-upgraded TBM 700 recently was delivered to the French Ministry of Defense as part of a contract for 27 TBM 700 aircraft in French military service. The upgrade has received both European Aviation Safety Agency and FAA approvals. The installation includes a 15-in. multifunction display and two 10.4-in. primary flight displays. The upgrade also includes Garmin’s GFC 700 three-axis, digital, dual channel, automatic flight control system.
SimCom Training Centers upgraded is training devices for its fleet of turboprop and piston-aircraft simulators. The upgrades include improved visual systems to provide a more realistic view of the outside world. Also, SimCom has installed Garmin 530 or 430 Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS)-capable GPS functions in most of the devices to enable pilots to practice advanced instrument-approach procedures. WAAS provides pilots with GPS-derived vertical guidance, enabling precision approaches to smaller airports in poor weather.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has updated its Aircraft Charter Consumer Guide, designed to provide guidance on selecting a Part 135 on-demand operator or charter broker. The NBAA publication provides information on selecting the right aircraft and operators, and discusses international operations, insurance coverage, operator experience and safety records. The guide includes a series of questions that a customer may want to ask an operator, such as type of aircraft, inspection information, crew experience, customs assistance and insurance.
Signature Flight Support has acquired the assets of the former Avitat Boca Raton at Florida’s Boca Raton Airport (BCT) from Premier Aviation of Boca Raton, LLC. The fixed-base operation (FBO), built in 2005, includes a 17,000-sq.-ft. terminal and 72,000 sq. ft. of hangar space. The facilities will be branded as Signature Flight Support, providing another anchor in South Florida for Signature’s FBO chain.
Chantilly Air, a Manassas, Va.-based charter and management firm, has completed the International Standard - Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) registration. To obtain the registration, Chantilly Air underwent an on-site audit of all aspects of its business practices, with a focus on safety. Chantilly Air also has achieved an Argus Gold Plus rating.
