Cello Aviation has been awarded a U.K. Civil Aviation Authority Class A operating license. The company, which started flying in July 2010, operates a 46-seat Avro Business Jet and specializes in flying football teams, royalty, EU Parliament members, golfers, WWE superstars, film stars and pop stars.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet Series 100 and 440 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0648; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-276-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to remove the No. 3 hydraulic system accumulator and replace the No. 1 hydraulic system inboard brake and outboard brake accumulators, per the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 601R-29-035, Rev. A and Service Bulletin 601R-32-107, Rev. B (both dated December 8, 2010).
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and Hawker Beechcraft Corp. (HBC), which are engaged in contract negotiations, stand in agreement on at least one major issue – the Obama administration’s stance on corporate jets. IAM International President Tom Buffenbarger notes that negotiations are beginning “amid a fresh assault” on the industry.
EADS has completed the purchase of Toronto, Ontario-based Vector Aerospace to strengthen the services portfolio of Eurocopter. The purchase of Vector Aerospace partly supports the effort to grow U.S. activities since the company has a substantial presence there. Vector Aerospace also generates a large portion of its revenue in the U.K. EADS paid CA$13 per share to acquire 98.32% of Vector (or around 48 million shares). The remaining shares are still to be acquired. Vector Aerospace will retain its name within the Eurocopter organization.
Hawker Beechcraft Corp. and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) kicked off another round of negotiations on a new contract last week, nearly nine months after union members rejected an early proposal that called for cuts in pay and benefits. The current contract, covering 2,800 workers, expires Aug. 7.
Aircraft penetrating a super-cooled cloud can produce ice crystals, and wake turbulence caused by an aircraft can punch holes or establish canals inside cloud formations, a study by the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has found. As a result, airports may get more precipitation.
BRAD BRUCE was named general manager of charter operations for Landmark Aviation. Bruce, who will be based in Waukegan, Ill., will be responsible for day-to-day operation of Landmark’s Aircraft Charter and Management division. He has 12 years of industry experience, previously serving as vice president of flight for Aerodynamics in Waterford, Mich.
Alliance Airlines has acquired four jets – two 100-seat Fokker F100s and two 70-seat Fokker F70s. The aircraft will be used to help with the company’s expanding natural resources transport business.
CHRISTOPHER CARMODY has joined Executive AirShare as sales director for Missouri and northeast Kansas. Carmody has more than 10 years of business aviation experience, beginning as a flight operations representative with the Anheuser-Busch flight department. He later worked for Southwest Airlines and Kansas Air Center, and most recently as regional sales director for Kansas City Aviation Center in Olathe, Kan.
The Transportation Security Administration has tapped Kerwin Wilson to serve as acting general manager for general aviation. Wilson steps in for Brian Delauter, who left the agency in May to accept a corporate security position with Nissan in Nashville, Tenn. Wilson had been assistant general manager of general aviation for the agency.
A coalition of fixed-base operators (FBO) has been holding negotiations with airport officials to find ways to remove barriers that the FBOs believe have held up approximately $1 billion in airport investments. The General Aviation Infrastructure and Investment Coalition (GAIIC) formed late last fall from a core group of FBO executives concerned about the ability to obtain long-term financing or favorable financing terms for new and expanded facilities, says Michael Scheeringa, a member of the coalition and president of Signature Flight Support.
Sandel Avionics was awarded an FAA supplemental type certificate for installation of its ST3400H HeliTAWS wire and terrain safety system on a Bell 412EP helicopter. The system incorporates the Sandel’s WireWatch wire-strike avoidance technology, which warns of known wires, guy lines and transmission lines. HeliTAWS also includes Sandel’s TrueAlert technology, which is designed to eliminate nuisance alerts.
President Obama and chief lawmakers continued budget negotiations and appeared close to a deal going into the weekend. Unclear, however, was whether changes in taxes on corporate aircraft – something specified six separate times during Obama’s press conference late last month – remain on the table. One of the changes under discussion is altering the corporate aircraft depreciation schedule from five years to seven years – the same schedule used for commercial aircraft.
Eurocopter recently received orders for nine of its AS350 helicopters from Papillion Helicopters and Corporate Helicopters. Papillion Helicopters ordered five Eurocopter AS350 B3e helicopters, with options for three more. The aircraft will be used to expand the Las Vegas-based air tour provider’s fleet and will begin a replacement program for some of the company’s older helicopters. Corporate Helicopters in San Diego has ordered two Eurocopter AS350 B2s and two AS350 B3es.
PATS Aircraft Systems in Georgetown, Del., was recognized with FAA’s Diamond Award of Excellence for its commitment to aviation safety through maintenance technician training. To receive the Diamond Award, a company must have 100% participation from all eligible employees. PATS operates a Part 145 repair station at its Georgetown facility and is a Boeing-authorized BBJ service center that provides completion, maintenance, modification and auxiliary fuel tank installation services.
July 14—National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Regional Forum, San Jose, Calif., (202) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org July 17-19—Aviation Suppliers Associations’ 2011 Annual Conference, Washington Marriott at Metro Center, www.aviationsuppliers.org July 23-24—Dayton Air Show, Dayton Int’l Airport, Dayton, Ohio July 25-31—Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture Oshkosh 2011, Oshkosh, Wis., www.eaa.org
TURBOMECA Arriel 2B and 2B1 engines [Docket No. FAA-2011-0115; Directorate Identifier 2010-NE-40-AD; Amendment 39-16728; AD 2011-13-05] – Insert blade dampers between the gas generator (GG) turbine disc and the GG turbine blade platform, per the instructions of Turbomeca Mandatory Service Bulletin (MSB) A292 72 3166, Ver. B (dated Sept. 20, 2010).
CAV Aerospace, based at Salina Airport in Kansas, has received FAA approval for the repair of its TKS ice protection system. “This achievement is another building block for the continued growth of CAV Aerospace’s MRO capabilities and an extension of our TKS ice protection services,” says CAV Aerospace President Kevin Hawley. CAV notes that more than 6,000 customers fly aircraft equipped with the TKS ice protection system.
JetSuite has moved from its Long Beach, Calif., headquarters to Orange County. JetSuite’s new headquarters is across the street from John Wayne Airport in Irvine, Calif., says Marketing Director Sara De Lowe. The charter operator has 70 employees, including pilots, based at the new facility, she adds. It currently operates 12 Embraer Phenom 100s and will have 13 or 14 by year’s end. “We simply outgrew our space in Long Beach and wanted to create a brand-new, state-of-the-art mission control center,” she says.
Signature Flight Support has become the latest business aviation company to join the microblogging site Twitter. The company was looking to provide a forum for customers, staff and industry stakeholders to have access to real-time information regarding the Signature network, says Patrick Sniffen, vice president of marketing. “We also wanted to listen to the community and engage in conversations that were meaningful,” he says.
Cessna Aircraft has secured a supplemental type certificate (STC) for Wide Area Augmentation System upgrades for the Citation Ultra and Citation Encore business jets. The STC covers Ultra and Encore aircraft with Serial Numbers 260-750, upgrading them to dual Universal UNS-1Espw Flight Management Systems certified for fully coupled WAAS LPV approaches. WAAS updates already have been approved for CJ1+, CJ2+, CJ3 and Citation Encore+ models, as well as for the Citation Excel and XLS.
TREVOR JONES was appointed director of client relations for Gama Aviation. Jones will support the client base and help grow Gama Aviation’s European operation. He has spent the past 18 years as managing director for Manhattan Air and has been a commercial pilot since 1980.
