40 Years Ago April 5, 1971—FAA proposes minimum standards for general aviation transponders similar to those governing air carrier transponders. 30 Years Ago April 20, 1981—Gulfstream American Chairman Allen Paulson outlines plans for a Gulfstream IV business jet that will be powered by three or four engines. 20 Years Ago April 15, 1991—Boeing reaches a definitive agreement to sell de Havilland to Aerospatiale of France and Alenia of Italy.
FAA is soliciting comments on an air tour management plan (ATMP) under development for Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida. The Florida ATMP is one of a number of plans the agency has initiated to develop regulations governing air tours over national parkland. FAA was directed to develop ATMPs under the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000.
In yet another sign that business aviation is recovering, London-based JetBrokers Europe reports it is experiencing increased demand for midsize used business jets.
Despite steadily improving sales and flat deliveries, Cessna posted a $38 million loss in the first quarter, leading Scott Donnelly, chairman and CEO of Cessna parent Textron, to characterize the operation’s performance as below expectations and to promise that more cost-control measures are ahead.
The Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) board of directors has selected Dale Forton as president of the association, which represents aviation maintenance personnel. Forton has 32 years of aviation maintenance experience and has been involved in PAMA for more than 26 years. He has served as an airframe and powerplant technician and director of maintenance. He also has been an active PAMA board member, launching a chapter, serving as Great Lakes regional director and vice chairman of the board.
Oriens Advisors, a business aviation consultancy, has restructured its management team to accommodate a growing client portfolio and recent changes in its operating strategy. Founder Edwin Brenninkmeyer will now be Oriens’ CEO, based at London Biggin Hill Airport. His responsibilities will involve overseeing corporate governance of the company and developing the ongoing business strategy to ensure focus on the entry-level jet market.
HONEYWELL LTS101 and LTP101 series engines [Docket No. FAA-2009-1185; Directorate Identifier 2009-NE-24-AD; Amendment 39-16656; AD 2011-08-06] – Remove certain power-turbine rotors from service. This AD, which was prompted by reports of fatigue cracks in the airfoil of the power-turbine blades, is designed to prevent fracture of the power-turbine blade airfoil, which could result in a sudden loss of engine power.
Embraer delivered just eight business jets in the first quarter, down substantially from the 20 delivered in the same period a year earlier. The business jet deliveries were less than half of the 17 expected by Wall Street for the first quarter. Embraer’s light jets accounted for six of the eight deliveries. In first quarter of 2010, meanwhile, 17 of the deliveries involved Phenoms and three Legacys.
WENDEL LAMBERT has joined Dallas Airmotive as regional service representative for the AgRight agricultural aviation services program, which is Dallas Airmotive’s repair and overhaul program dedicated to ag versions of the PT6A turboprop engine. Lambert will develop new service opportunities with agricultural aviation maintenance providers and provide sales and service support for operators. For the past 16 years Lambert owned North Star Aviation, an independent business and general aviation aircraft maintenance facility and Air Tractor service center.
April 25—Greater Washington Aviation Open 23rd annual golf tournament, Lansdowne Golf Resort, Lansdowne, Va., [email protected], www.gwao.org May 4-5—National Air Transportation Association Day On The Hill and Committee Meetings, Washington, D.C., www.nata.aero/events May 16-19—Regional Airline Association Annual Convention, Nashville Convention Center, www.raa.org/AnnualConvention/tabid/171/Default.aspx May 17–19—11th Annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, Geneva, www.ebace.aero
Timco Aviation Services has rebranded Brice Seating as a product unit of Timco Aerosystems, Timco’s interiors engineering and manufacturing group. Timco says the move is designed to “more clearly convey the full breadth of interiors capabilities and products provided by Timco Aerosystems. Timco acquired Brice in 2002. The unit, which has developed the FeatherWeight line of aircraft seats, will continue operating from its facilities in California, as well as from new facilities near Timco’s headquarters in North Carolina.
Thrush Aircraft has tapped Tropical Aviation Distributors (TAD) to serve as an authorized sales representative, a move that the airframer says will increase the presence of the Thrust line of aerial application aircraft in South America and the Caribbean. TAD will represent Thrush in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and the Caribbean. In addition to sales, TAD will provide expanded service capabilities for Thrush operators. TAD is part of Africair, Thrush’s dealer for Africa.
More China business: Cessna, which originally teamed with Avic’s Shenyang Aircraft Co. to build the 162 SkyCatcher light-sport aircraft, is in initial discussions with Avic on expanding that relationship into business jets. “We see potential in China beyond the SkyCatcher program,” says Michael Shih, Cessna’s director of operations in China. “For example, we recently responded to a request for information from Avic Defense for a new business jet, and we’re having exploratory discussions on that.”
SVEN LEPSCHY was appointed program manager for Executive AirShare’s facilities at Dallas Love Field. Lepschy formerly serve as head of training for Embraer CAE Training Services. He also has served as a line instructor, Citation training manager and Embraer OEM manager during his nine-year stint with CAE.
The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has developed a new computer-generated forecast model that is designed to provide pilots with information on the likelihood of encountering dangerous inflight icing conditions. Develop with funding from an FAA grant, the Forecast Icing Product with Severity, or FIP-Severity, provides 12-hr. icing forecasts that are updated hourly for pilots, air traffic controllers and other users of aviation weather information.
BOMBARDIER DHC-8-400 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0381; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-203-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to revise the maintenance program by incorporating a new task related to the main landing gear (MLG) stabilizer extension springs. This proposal, which resulted from an MCAI issued by Transport Canada, was published after several incidents in which the MLG stabilizer extension springs failed.
MANDY MORRISON was named director of service and support at Constant Aviation’s facility at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Morrison previously held a number of positions with L.J. Aviation, most recently as director of maintenance. In her new role, she will lead customer support managers, as well as oversee maintenance planning, material services, technical support and sales support.
Rockwell Collins secured final technical standard order (TSO) approval for its most advanced business aviation avionics suite, the Pro Line Fusion, clearing the way for work to begin on a supplemental type certificate on Bombardier aircraft. Pro Line Fusion was announced in 2007 as the company’s next-generation platform, building off technologies incorporated in the Pro Line 21 suite.
Concerns that a number of airport operators don’t know how certain requirements affect them have spurred FAA to reopen the comment period on a Feb. 1 proposal to upgrade the standards of Part 139-certified airports. The comment period originally closed April 4, but FAA has reopened it through May 13.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals last week overturned a ruling by a lower district court that found Cirrus Design responsible for teaching pilots how to fly their planes.
Solairus Aviation has added an Austin, Texas-based Bombardier Challenger 604 to its charter fleet, and an Oakland, Calif.-based Challenger is currently undergoing the company’s conformity procedures before being cleared for charter operations. The company has already added a Gulfstream GV, a Gulfstream GIV and a Hawker 800SP to its charter fleet so far this year.
The Helicopter Association International and FAA Safety Team are presenting a seminar, Overview of Current Trends in Helicopter Safety, April 29 in Anchorage, Alaska. The event encompasses both operations and maintenance for commercial and general aviation. Fred Brisbois, of Sikorsky and the International Helicopter Safety Team, will present safety discussions on hazard identification and review helicopter accident trends.
FL Technics JETS, a business aviation services provider in Lithuania, has received European Aviation Safety Agency Part 145 certification, which permits the company to provide repair and maintenance services for the Hawker 700, 750, 800, 800XP, 850XP and 900XP. FL Technics JETS recently launched a new business aviation services center at Lithuania’s Vilnius International Airport.
The number of on-demand fatal accidents increased from two in 2009 to six in 2010, but the number of accidents overall for both Part 135 on-demand and general aviation operations declined, according to the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) annual aviation accidents report.
