Hawker Beechcraft is developing a King Air 350 upgrade package that boosts electrical power for special-mission applications. The package includes two 400-amp starter-generators with paralleled output of 760 amps, an additional mission electrical bus with cockpit control and automatic load shedding. The upgrade will add another 190 amps of 28-VDC power for special-mission King Air 350s. The package will be offered for late-model King Airs 350s (serial number FL-500 and on) as an aftermarket kit, but also on new-production special-mission King Air 350s.
Fokker Aircraft Services has delivered a 26-seat head-of-state VIP configured Airbus A320 to aircraft management company Masterjet, based at Le Bourget, France. This is the first A320 produced with 26 seats and certified for commercial and private transport by the European Aviation Safety Agency and FAA.
Claims by communications company LightSquared that it has a solution to the problem of interference with GPS receivers have been met with skepticism from opponents of its plans for a nationwide broadband-wireless network using frequencies close to GPS. LightSquared says tests show the lower of its two 10-MHz blocks of L-band spectrum, located farther away from GPS frequencies, “is largely free of interference issues with the exception of a limited number of high-precision GPS receivers.”
JACQUELINE FAWCETT was named advertising and exhibit sales assistant for Helicopter Association International (HAI). Before joining HAI, Fawcett was co-manager at a Books-A-Million retail store. She has also interned for the Frederick Keys Minor League baseball team and worked as a sales representative for the Washington Redskins.
PIPER PA-24, PA-24-250 and PA-24-260 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0639; Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-016-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to either replace the stabilator horn assembly or conduct repetitive inspections of the assembly, looking for corrosion or cracks, per the instructions of Piper Aircraft, Inc. Service Bulletin No. 1189 (dated April 29, 2010). If any corrosion or cracks were found, operators would need to replace the stabilator horn assembly.
LARRY ALEXANDRE was appointed president of helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul specialist Heli-One. He replaces Neil Calvert, who is retiring after a 30-year career. Alexandre most recently was CEO of Sagem Avionics and also has held leadership positions with Turbomeca and Teleflex’s aerospace business unit.
ST Aerospace completed a full cabin reconfiguration and refurbishment of a DC-8 VIP aircraft for a Middle East-based customer. ST Aerospace’s in-house design and engineering team in Singapore undertook an extensive redesign and reconfiguration of seats, galleys and lavatories, while the company’s facility in San Antonio performed the modification and refurbishment, as well as managed the engineering authorization and certification.
Joe Lombardo, executive vice president of the General Dynamics Aerospace Group and president of Gulfstream Aerospace, is temporarily taking the helm of Jet Aviation in the wake of the upcoming departure of Peter Edwards. Edwards is stepping down from his full-time duties as president of the Jet Aviation Group on July 4, but will support the leadership transition through Aug. 31.
Northern Ireland suppliers are the beneficiaries of £70 million ($113 million) worth of new contracts awarded recently by Bombardier. Five companies — three Northern Ireland firms and two U.S. companies setting up facilities in Belfast — have been charged with supporting development of wing components for the CSeries airliner and the Learjet 85 business jet. Denroy Plastics Limited will manufacture injection-molded thermoplastic hydraulic and fuel brackets for the CSeries aircraft outer wing box.
Since the second prototype joined the flight test program in December, Eurocopter’s 16-passenger, twin-engine EC175 has logged more than 100 hr. and is on track for certification at year’s end, with first deliveries in late 2012. The EC175 sits between the EC155 and the larger EC225, and is being developed initially for the offshore oil and gas markets, which account for all current orders. Program partner China’s Harbin Aviation Industry Group delivered the first production airframe to Eurocopter in December.
JAMES CANNON was named International Standards for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) program director for the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC). Cannon will be responsible for the overall management and expansion of the IS-BAO. Cannon reports to the IBAC director general and will work with Kathy Perfetti and Ray Rohr on the transition of the program’s management.
BELL 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 212, 412, 412CF and 412EP helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2011-0561; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-001-AD; Amendment 39-16715; AD 2011-12-08] – Conduct a one-time inspection of certain tail-rotor blades for corrosion or pitting, and repair or replace any damaged blades. This directive is designed to detect corrosion or pitting before it leads to a cracked blade, loss of a blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. FAA estimates that this AD will affect 263 helicopters and cost U.S.
A Bombardier Global 5000 has completed a series of flight tests in known icing conditions equipped with a composite electro-thermal wing leading edge ice-protection system. The successful demonstration of the environmentally friendly electro-thermal ice protection system “is one step further toward a ‘more electric aircraft’ that will have electrical power as the primary means to operate systems normally driven by less-efficient engine compressor bleed air,” says Avraham Ardman, chief systems engineer for Bombardier Aerospace.
Pilot Training College has chosen the U.K.’s Cambridge Airport as the location for its new professional flight-training academy, Pilot Training College (Cambridge), pending CAA approval, which is expected this fall. PTC will be able to draw on the fully-equipped classroom facilities provided by the Marshall Aeroacademy at Cambridge Airport.
The Central European Private Aviation (CEPA) association will hold its business aviation networking and conference event Dec. 1-2 in Prague. The conference will move from Vodochody Airport to the Prague Congress Center. The event also will feature a manufacturers’ panel and a legal panel.
Eurocopter is nearing a development decision on a high-speed “compound” helicopter that could replace the EC225. The X3 demonstrator made its public debut at the Paris Air Show. Based on an EC155 airframe with dual RTM322 turboshafts driving both the main rotor and wingtip-mounted props, it has flown at 180 kt. in tests, and is expected to reach 220 kt. later this year. An X3-based commercial model would probably be developed in parallel with a conventional design, and take about six years to bring to market.
Eurocopter is hiring more than 300 experienced engineers for its French and German operations as the company strives to enhance its research and development capability. The helicopter maker is recruiting skilled engineers with more than four years of experience to work on the R&D teams in Marignane, France and Donauwörth, Germany. Using the theme “Write the next chapter of our history together,” the campaign’s scope includes a dedicated website (www.a-breath-of-fresh-air-for-your-career.com), as well as specific hiring pages on several Internet social networks.
NetJets and Wynn Las Vegas have signed an agreement to provide mutual benefits to their respective customers. NetJets fractional share and Marquis jet card owners will receive special benefits when staying at Wynn Las Vegas or Encore, while guests staying at Wynn Las Vegas or Encore will receive special benefits when they purchase their first NetJets fractional share or 25-hr. Marquis jet card. The program also involves concierge staff at Wynn and Encore working directly with guests to assist them in securing NetJets services.
JASON MCMILLAN was promoted to business intelligence specialist for Mid-Continent Instruments. McMillan is responsible for the design and implementation of business intelligence software systems and solutions, including financial data analysis and reporting. He joined the company in 2006, performing administrative lab duties and testing flight computers and altimeters.
June 27-28—Aviation Safety Management Systems Overview Workshop, ATC Vantage, Tampa, Fla., (727) 410-4759, www.atcvantage.com/sms-workshop.html June 27-28—Airports Council International-NA Small Airports Conference, Cincinnati, OH, www.aci-na.org/conferences/ June 29-30—MIU Events’ Financial Solutions for Business Aviation, Shannon (Ireland) Airport, +44 (124) 351-3606, www.miuevents.com July 14—National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Regional Forum, San Jose, Calif., (202) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org
Jeppesen has struck a deal to provide its NavData navigation information and charting services for Garmin’s recently introduced GTN glass cockpit for general aviation aircraft. Under the agreement, Jeppesen will offer four data-bundle options for the GTN series, along with Garmin’s G600, G500 and/or G500H. The cockpits will include Garmin’s SafeTaxi, Obstacle, Terrain and AOPA Airport Directory Services. Customers’ bundle options include Jeppesen NavData, Jeppesen eCharts (JeppView for multifunction display) and/or Garmin FlightCharts.
The Pratt & Whitney Canada announcement at the Paris Air Show regarding the selection of its PT6A-66 engine for Africa’s “first indigenous turboprop civil-certified aircraft” leaves open the question of what the aircraft might be. Aerosud of South Africa is using the engine in a new, low-cost yet highly advanced aircraft it has developed for reconnaissance and surveillance roles, says P&W, further deepening the mystery.
GE Capital Aviation Services has ordered 15 ATR 72-600s and taken options on another 15 of the turboprop aircraft. The deal, the first between GE’s commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm and ATR, is valued at about $680 million.
Pratt & Whitney Canada (PWC) plans to develop a new, higher-thrust demonstrator based on the geared turbofan core to break into the heavy business jet market.
SONNIE BATES was appointed International Standards for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) program manager for the International Business Aviation Council. Bates is responsible for education and promotion of IS-BAO, as well as working with specialists who will present workshops internationally.
