Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) joined industry officials in calling for a national aerospace strategy during a speech May 24 before the Senate Aerospace Caucus. Because the nation is facing extreme pressure to reduce the budget deficit, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations transportation subcommittee says focusing the nation’s aerospace goals is essential. Companies large and small, Murray said, have told her, “We need a comprehensive national strategy for aerospace,” she says. “The U.S.
Sikorsky Aircraft has delivered three VIP S-92 helicopters to the Royal Thai Air Force and introduced the first high-end LifePort medical system into an S-92 aircraft. The helicopters were delivered in April and crews have begun about six months of training at Lop Buri Air Base. These aircraft will be used for head-of-state transport missions.
Jet Aviation has assembled some long-established names in the charter and services business to open a charter and management sales office in Van Nuys, Calif. Headed by Jon Winthrop, the former chairman and CEO of The Air Group, the office opens on June 1, giving Jet Aviation coast-to-coast locations in the U.S. A 40-year industry veteran, Winthrop will serve as the organization’s VP and managing director in the Western region and Pacific Rim. Joining Winthrop in Van Nuys is Ken Combs, a pilot with more than 7,700 hr.
Bombardier has signed a deal with Toronto-based training services provider FlightPath International (FPI) to provide entitlement and recurrent technical training for Bombardier’s CRJ commercial aircraft and Challenger 800 business jets. Under the deal, Bombardier and FPI will collaborate to identify opportunities to enhance technical training offerings for Bombardier customers. FPI will provide instruction at Bombardier training facilities or at customer facilities, as required.
BOMBARDIER DHC-8-400 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0043; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-192-AD; Amendment 39-16700; AD 2011-11-02] – Conduct a general visual inspection for red anodized threads on the outlet fitting of the Motive Flow Check Valves (MFCVs) installed in the left and right wing fuel tanks, per the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 84-28-08 (dated March 11, 2010). If an MFCV has a red anodized check valve outlet fitting, replace it before further flight with an MFCV that has a gold-colored fitting.
JANUS KAMRADT was appointed to lead sales activities for the aircraft sales operation and its aircraft management business for Ocean Sky. Kamradt was most recently with Global Jet Concept SA, where he was senior VP for international sales, responsible for business development across the company’s aircraft sales, aircraft management and charter activities.
Piper Aircraft has named Russia’s Sim Aviation as its new aircraft dealer for that country. Sim Aviation plans to establish service and sales centers in Krasnodar, the Moscow region and St. Petersburg. It already has two Piper Meridians and two Piper Altaire business jets on order for Russian customers.
Kansas City International Airport (KMCI) and San Antonio International Airport (KSAT) recently received Transportation Security Administration (TSA) approval as gateway airports for direct flights into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), the National Air Transportation Association says. The additions of KMCI and KSAT push the total number of airports participating in the DCA Access Standard Security Program (DASSP) to more than 50 and reflect an effort by TSA to expand the gateway program to improve access to DCA.
June 1-2—Airports Council International-NA Air Cargo Conference, Arlington, Va., www.aci-na.org/conferences/ June 3—National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Taxes Seminar, San Francisco, (202) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org June 6-8—National Air Transportation Association Air Charter Summit, Dulles, Va., www.nata.aero/events/acs June 8—National Business Aviation Association Business Aviation Regional Forum, White Plains, N.Y., (202) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org
PIPER PA-23, PA-31 and PA-42 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0218; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-006-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to establish life limits for safety-critical nose baggage door components, replace those components, and repetitively inspect and lubricate the door’s latching mechanism and lock assembly, per the instructions of Piper Aircraft Mandatory Service Bulletin No. 1194A (dated Nov. 10, 2008).
Transport Canada has awarded Viking Air production approval for the Twin Otter Series 400 aircraft. The certification clears the Sidney, British Columbia-based manufacturer to duplicate products, issue airworthiness certificates and ramp up production of this new version of the 19-passenger twin turboprop. Viking has completed the first five aircraft and has another 10 in final assembly.
Aviation Concepts, an Asia-based jet management company, has been awarded a certificate of registration for implementation of the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO). “In compliance with the IS-BAO certification, Aviation Concepts developed an approved and robust Safety Management System and protocols for operating, training and maintenance that are strictly implemented for the company’s entire operations,” says Elsie Quenga, VP for operations.
Argus subsidiary Professional Resources In System Management was selected by Marsh’s Aviation Risk Advisory Solutions (ARAS) group as a training and consulting subject-matter expert provider. The ARAS division provides the aviation industry with access to unique services that help identify risk and implements programs to manage risk.
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.
