NATA’s James Coyne believes that fuel tax increases in the Senate bill likely will be included in a final FAA reauthorization conference bill, even though the House bill keeps the taxes at the current levels. Coyne notes the business aviation community had backed the increases because they could help pay for infrastructure. Noting that it has been some time since the industry has faced in increase, he says, “We have to be grownups” and help pay for infrastructure improvements.
Ed Bolen, National Business Aviation Association President and CEO, is continuing the association’s battle against FAA’s proposal to curtail use of the Block Aircraft Registration Request program to protect the dissemination of tail numbers in flight-tracking programs.
Gulfstream Aerospace is expanding its mobile product support network with Field and Airborne Support Teams (FAST) that will be dedicated to aircraft-on-ground and mobile support efforts. FAST team members will be dispatched by airplane, train or automobile to provide maintenance help for Gulfstream aircraft worldwide. They will support a range of issues, from a more complex job such as engine removal, to a simple tire change. Gulfstream is basing the first FAST in Europe, stationing two maintenance engineers in Geneva, one in Altenrhein, Switzerland, and one in Greece.
MICHAEL SATTLER was named VP of Ruag Business Aviation. He came from Jet Aviation in Basel, Switzerland, where he was senior VP of maintenance. He replaces Beat Höhener, who will serve in a transition as VP of strategy and development for RUAG Holding AG.
Mississippi has become the latest state to dedicate a month honoring general aviation. That state’s House of Representatives has declared May as “Aviation Appreciation Month.” General aviation in Mississippi alone generates about $860 million in economic impact annually, supporting more than 1,563 jobs, according to the Alliance for Aviation Across America. It notes that GA provides essential services to local businesses, charities, medical organizations, law enforcement, and farmers throughout Mississippi.
Aircell’s Aviator 300 system was selected as an option on Cessna Citation XLS+, Citation Sovereign and Citation X business aircraft. Beginning in 2012, Cessna will offer the system, which will be integrated with the Aircell Axxess cabin system, to provide global inflight connectivity. With the Aviator 300, passengers and crew will be able to access e-mail, websites and corporate VPNs through their own Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, tablets, electronic flight bags and smartphones.
Swiss-based operator VistaJet continues to rapidly expand its fleet of Bombardier business jets with last week’s announced orders for 18 new aircraft. The orders, including a mix of 12 long-range Global and Challenger aircraft and six Learjet 60s, brings VistaJet’s backlog to more than $1.3 billion, the operator says.
BizJet International, Lufthansa Technik’s Tulsa, Okla.-based U.S. subsidiary, has been licensed by Rolls-Royce to repair and overhaul Tay Mk620/650 engines operated by or for the Lufthansa Group. The engines power Fokker F70 and F100 airliners. BizJet is already an authorized overhaul facility for the Rolls-Royce Spey Mk511-8 (which powers the Gulfstream II/III) and the Tay Mk611-8 (which powers the Gulfstream IV/IVSP).
A Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee collided with a PA-24-250 Comanche while flying over New Hampton, N.Y. on May 9, killing the pilots of each aircraft. The Cherokee, N5275L, was destroyed from the impact, the National Transportation Safety Board says, while the Comanche, N7757P, was destroyed by the impact and a subsequent fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
Cessna Aircraft has received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval for the newest and largest member of its CJ family, the CJ4. EASA certification comes on the heels of the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) last week and a little more than a year after FAA granted type approval in March 2010. The CJ4 debuted at EBACE in 2010, and Cessna delivered the first of the type to a European customer in October.
The first five Boeing customers for the VIP version of the 747-8I will have the option to use loaned GEnx-2B engines that will be replaced with the latest production-configuration GEnx engines upon completion of the aircraft’s interiors. Under the GE Pusher Program, Boeing will use GEnx engines from flight test airplanes or the lease pool to ferry the 747-8I VIPs to the completion centers chosen by customers.
Cessna is beefing up its aircraft maintenance operations in Europe to support its 1,300- strong fleet of Citations there. The company recently opened a service center in Prague, will open another in Valencia, Spain next year, and is improving customer service operations at Paris-Le Bourget and at Amsterdam. A Mobile Service Unit (MSU) truck, currently based at Le Bourget, will be redeployed to Lyon, while a second is to be introduced into southern Germany this year.
CYNTHIA SCHULTZ has joined JDA Aviation Technology Solutions as VP-airports. Schultz will lead the airport line of JDA’s business, focusing on airport safety management systems, services and programs that improve airport safety and efficiency. She formerly was airport director of the Great Falls International Airport in Montana, and also has served with Boeing and Buttrey Food and Drug.
Honda Aircraft’s HondaJet recently marked a number of key performance milestones, as preparations continue for the flight of the second conforming prototype this month. The first conforming prototype recently reached its maximum operating altitude of 43,000 ft. This followed soon after the aircraft reached its maximum speed of 425 KTAS during flight testing at the company’s facilities in Greensboro, N.C. (BA, April 4/3). In addition, the company notes the aircraft also has hit its anticipated climb rate of 3,990 ft./min.
BOMBARDIER DHC-8-400 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0470; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-190-AD] — This proposed AD would require operators to perform a detailed visual inspection for damage to or cracks in the bumper plate located on the outboard main landing gear (MLG) door, along with the base fitting. Operators would need to replace any damaged or cracked parts before further flight, per the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-32-74, Rev. A (dated May 17, 2010).
Bombardier unveiled the top suppliers for its new Global 7000 and 8000 long-range, large-cabin program last week. Describing market response to the latest members of the Global family as “phenomenal” since their announcement at last year’s NBAA show, program VP Bassam Sabbagh named Aerolia, Hamilton Sundstrand, Intertechnique and Triumph Aerostructures as the new team members. Aerolia, a division of EADS that earns most of its revenue building Airbus structures, will design and fabricate the center fuselage for the two newest Globals.
JAMIE ROSE was appointed chief brand manager for fixed-base operator Business Jet Center. Rose will be responsible for managing the customer service experience, along with brand management, including marketing, advertising and technology integration. She moves over from Business Jet Center affiliate Business Jet Access, where she was executive flight solutions manager.
As part of the U.K. government’s commitment to “deliver a safe and secure” 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, a sizeable Restricted and Prohibited Fly Zone that is scheduled to be imposed over London and the South East is causing business aviation planners sleepless nights. Airport operators that will be caught up in the zone are trying to work out how it will affect them as they try to conduct business during the Olympics. The restrictions will be in place for what most operators regard as an overly long period—from July 13 to Sept. 12, 2012.
DIAMOND AIRCRAFT INDUSTRIES DA 42, DA 42 NG, and DA 42 M-NG airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0185; Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-002-AD; Amendment 39-16694; AD 2011-10-13] — Replace the rear passenger-door retaining bracket with an improved bracket and incorporate a temporary revision (dated June 17, 2010) into the FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual. This AD, which resulted from an MCAI issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency, is designed to prevent the inflight loss of the rear passenger door. FAA estimates that this directive will affect 162 aircraft on the U.S.
The world’s first VVIP Airbus A380 is sitting quietly in storage in Toulouse, France, while its owner, Saudi prince Alwaleed bin Talal Abdulaziz Alsaud, chairman of Kingdom Holding Company, decides what to do with it and when to have it outfitted. The completed aircraft will have 551 sq. meters (5,930 sq. ft.) of floor space, some 50% more than the largest VIP jet to date. But who will take on the work as the flood of Boeing 747-8Is strains the world’s completions capacity?
BRAD DREW was appointed VP of sales for Signature Flight Support’s global operations. Based in Orlando, Fla., Drew will lead the company’s global team of sales professionals. He formerly was senior VP of sales for Sentient Jet, where he managed a team of 45 sales professionals. Before that, he was group VP at American Express Financial Advisors.
MATTHEW WRIGHT has joined Landmark Aviation as general manager at the Scottsdale, Ariz., (SDL) facility. Wright will oversee both the facility’s fixed-base operation services and maintenance, repair and overhaul operations. He formerly served with Atlantic Aviation as general manager of the Deer Valley Municipal Airport location in Phoenix and regional manager of maintenance operations.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF), hoping to quell concerns surrounding its Industry Audit Standard (IAS), is reaffirming its commitment to supporting a single audit standard for industry, but plans to continue a dialogue on potential improvements during the National Air Transportation Association’s Aircraft Charter Summit June 6-8 in Chantilly, Va.
Hawker Beechcraft Ltd.’s (HBL) service facility at Chester, U.K., will begin King Air 200 and 300 servicing in the third quarter of this year after receiving EASA and FAA repair station status in December. It allows the company to perform services on the King Air aircraft, including inspections, maintenance, alterations and upgrades. In addition, HBL Chester provides design, engineering, certification and fabrication capabilities, and can perform complex structural repairs.
