40 Years Ago June 14, 1971 — North American Rockwell’s General Aviation division announces the 12-place Sabre 75 and Sabre Commander business jets during the Reading Show. 30 Years Ago June 29, 1981 — The Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) meets to discuss a tentative agreement on a new contract that resulted from around-the-clock negotiations with Transportation Secretary Drew Lewis and PATCO President Robert Poli, temporarily averting a strike. 20 Years Ago
Business aviation groups made good on their threat and filed a legal challenge last week against the Department of Transportation’s plan to dismantle the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program.
BAE SYSTEMS BAe 146 and Avro 146-RJ airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0569; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-240-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to conduct repetitive visual inspections for damage to the main landing gear shock absorber lower attachment pins. If any damaged pins were found, operators would need to replace them with serviceable pins.
Bell Helicopter is selling its assets and intellectual property for the Bell/Agusta 609 tiltrotor aircraft to AgustaWestland, a unit of Finmeccanica, subject to U.S. and European approvals, Bell Helicopter President John Garrison announced at last week’s Paris Air Show. AgustaWestland initially plans to pursue FAA certification of the aircraft, now known as the AW609, in 2015 and begin customer deliveries in 2016, says Bruno Spagnolini, CEO of AgustaWestland.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) applauded a procedural change designed to ease radiation screening done by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents for business aircraft flying into the U.S. Under the change, auxiliary power units (APUs) can stay on while radiation checks are done on aircraft entering the country, as long as the exhaust vents for those units are 8 ft. above the ground or higher, reports NBAA. The association credits cooperation with CBP officials for the new accommodation.
The EASy II cockpit has been certified on Dassault’s Falcon 900LX by FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency. The first production Falcon 900LX with the next-generation flight deck installed will be delivered in July. EASy II offers a number of new enhancements, including a synthetic vision system, improved takeoff and go-around capability and a runway awareness and advisory system. New options include an automatic decent mode.
FRANCIS LEE has joined Dallas Airmotive as general manager of the company’s new Regional Turbine Center that is scheduled to open in early 2012 in Singapore. Lee has more than 25 years of engine repair and overhaul experience, including spending 12 years at a facility specializing in Rolls-Royce 250 and Turbomeca service. He also spent 14 years with Hawker Siddeley Group.
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessment of 13 selected general aviation airports found that all had multiple security measures in place to guard against unauthorized access, but most still had identifiable vulnerabilities. GAO also found incidents of unauthorized access and places where some of the security measures were compromised by obstructions.
Daher-Socota won a contract to upgrade 37 TB 20 Trinidad single-engine aircraft for ENAC (Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile), France’s national aviation school. The upgrade deal, signed last week during the Paris Air Show, includes installation of the Garmin G500 integrated avionics suite, two GNS 430W combined communication-navigation systems, a Garmin GAD 43 digital autopilot and numerous additional options. The G500 features a 6.5-in.
Daher-Socata will not make a decision on whether to proceed with a buyout of the intellectual property rights for the Grob G180 SPn business jet from owners Allied Aviation Technologies (AAT) until this fall, the company announced at the Paris Air Show last week. In its centenary year, many thought the French company would discuss at Le Bourget its intentions to develop and produce the all-composite SPn. But as test flying continues, Daher-Socata has remained quiet.
COURTNEY BLOOM joined Mid-Continent Instruments as a marketing specialist. Bloom has a background in marketing, print media and trade show coordination. In her new role, she will focus on the company’s participation in domestic and international trade shows.
JEAN KAYANAKIS was promoted to general manager of Dassault Falcon Service, the largest company-owned aircraft service operation. Kayanakis previously was vice president, Falcon Worldwide Spares. He joined Dassault more than 20 years ago, initially working on the Rafale fighter prototype. He also has held a number of positions within the Dassault Aviation Customer Service department, along with Dassault Falcon Service.
FAA’s bargaining agreement with controllers, estimated at $669 million when it was established in 2009, may need updating to avoid increases that have plagued the administration in the past, warns an audit by the Transportation Department’s Inspector General. The estimated cost of the three-year agreement with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the FAA’s largest workforce, is incorrect for a few reasons, the inspector general says. Primarily, it relies on assumptions about the rate at which employees will retire.
ROBINSON R22, R22 Alpha, R22 Beta, R22 Mariner, R44 and R44 II helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2011-0588; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-074-AD; Amendment 39-16717; AD 2011-12-10] – Repetitively inspect main-rotor blades for possible defects and replace or rework any damaged blades as necessary. This AD, which supersedes an existing airworthiness directive (AD 2007-26-12) and expands its applicability, is designed to prevent blade debonding, which has caused one fatal accident. FAA estimates that this directive will affect 2,690 helicopters on the U.S. Registry and cost U.S.
Honeywell is acquiring EMS Technologies, an Atlanta-based network and satellite communications company, for $491 million, and the deal is expected to close in the third quarter.
Gulfstream Aerospace increased space at its Dallas Love Field facility with the reopening of a 62,000-sq.-ft. hangar dedicated to the company’s mid-cabin aircraft. Gulfstream says the opening of Hangar F increases space by nearly 18% and enables the company to dedicate hangars to specific aircraft models. The new hangar will be dedicated to the Gulfstream G200 and G250, but also will include a warehouse stocked with parts for mid-cabin and non-Gulfstream aircraft.
Facing an Aug. 2 deadline, support continues to build both on Capitol Hill and within industry to fight the Department of Transportation’s policy to end most participation in the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program. The House already has included language in its version of the FAA reauthorization bill that would protect the program as it is currently in place. Business aviation advocates have been seeing growing support for similar language in the Senate version of FAA reauthorization.
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 the tail-rotor blades for corrosion or pitting, and repair or replace any damaged blades. This AD — which is designed to prevent blade cracking, loss of a blade and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter — was issued after the manufacturer discovered that certain blades may have manufacturing anomalies in the spar area.
Dassault Falcon received approval for the Falcon 900LX from the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC). The CAAC previously had certified the other aircraft in the Falcon 900 family, along with the Falcon 7X and 2000. Dassault expects to deliver the first 900LX to a customer in China by year’s end. “China continues to embrace business aviation at a rapid pace,” says Dassault Falcon President and CEO John Rosanvallon.
Eurocopter will publicly fly for the first time its X3 hybrid rotorcraft at the 2011 Paris Air Show. The X3 demonstrator is powered by a five-blade main-rotor system and two propellers on short-span fixed wings – a combination that delivers the excellent vertical takeoff and landing capabilities of a helicopter, along with aircraft-type fast cruise speeds and maneuverability, says Eurocopter.
U.S. Jet A fuel prices continue to increase, averaging $6.05 per gallon in the first quarter, according to Jetnet. This is up 69 cents per gallon from the $5.36 in the first quarter of 2010. But it still doesn’t beat the 2008 “fuel price bubble” of $6.83, Jetnet adds.
Planning, conceptual design, preliminary design, systems integration, wind tunnel model, testing (2 entries) and loads analysis done around 2 Williams FJ33. Work has been completed by leading FAA Designated Engineering Representatives in Wichita, KS USA. Next step is detailed structure design. (303) 859-4618 or [email protected] Click here to view the pdf
Piaggio Aero, one of the oldest names in aviation, took an important step into its future by breaking ground last week for a new manufacturing plant at Villanova d’Albenga, Italy.
The Department of Transportation is “well along” in its draft of a new proposed rulemaking to regulate charter brokers, says Dayton Lehman, deputy assistant general counsel in the DOT Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings. The proposal, originally spurred by charter broker transparency issues that came to light after the November 2004 Challenger accident in Montrose, Colo., has “become a vehicle for all broker issues,” Lehman says. DOT officials have explored whether brokers should be registered or licensed, he says.
