FAA has granted type certification for Honeywell’s 7,445-lb. thrust HTF7250G turbofan that powers Gulfstream’s new G250. Engine certification represents a substantial milestone in the development of G250, paving the way for planned aircraft certification at the end of this year.
The HondaJet program recently hit a new milestone when the first FAA-conforming flight test aircraft reached its maximum speed of 425 KTAS at 30,000 ft., Honda Aircraft announced last week. The aircraft, which achieved the maximum speed on March 11, also reached the maximum Mach number of 0.72 above 30,000 ft. The speeds beat the production aircraft’s previous top speed of 420 KTAS. The aircraft first flew in late December. The performance milestone comes as Honda progresses toward expected certification and first deliveries in the third quarter of 2012.
March 29-31—JEC Composites Show 2011: Joint stand for lightweight design from North Rhine-Westphalia, Porte de Versailles, Paris, [email protected] March 30-31—49th Annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Symposium, Greenbelt (Md.) Marriott, www.astronautical.org March 31—The Wings Club Luncheon featuring Giovanni Bisignani, Director General, IATA, The Yale Club, New York, (212) 867-1770, [email protected]
Boca Raton, Fla.-based private jet charter operator Paramount Business Jets has unveiled a new four-level jet card membership program with a fixed management fee of 10-15%. Under the program, jet card members can see exactly how much flights actually cost, along with any negotiated discounts.
NG Aircraft, the Dutch company that is developing the new Fokker 70NG and Fokker 100NG, plans to make some aircraft parts in Brazil. NG Aircraft Managing Director Maarten van Eeghen says NG’s wholly owned subsidiary in Brazil, Rekkof Brasil, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the state of Goias, in central Brazil, and plans to establish a factory at an aerospace park in the state’s city of Anapolis. This factory will make aluminum alloy parts for NG, as well as for third-party customers, he says.
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
Weston Aviation will open a new fixed-based operation at the U.K.’s Humberside International Airport. It is the airport’s first FBO and should open in June. The new facility will offer a variety of services, including VIP ground handling, crew and passenger lounges, Wi-Fi and ramp access.
Louisville, Ky.-based Globalair.com has added a free tool to its website that enables users to compare different aircraft models. Site users can compare specific aircraft, such as a Hawker 850XP to a Gulfstream G200 or Learjet 60XR, all at the same time. The company’s clients and website users suggested this capability, says President Jeffrey Carrithers. “They liked our first release, where they could compare specific aircraft, and asked to expand it to be able to match up side by side other types of aircraft for sale,” he says.
Simon Maina joined Flexjet as fractional sales director for the west central area. A 20-year aviation executive, Maina was most recently president of Premier Aviation in Broomfield, Colo., where he was responsible for the daily operations of a fleet of charter aircraft. In his new role, he will be responsible for Flexjet fractional aircraft sales in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming.
Rockwell Collins has secured a supplemental type certificate (STC) to upgrade Dassault Falcon 50EX business jets with Pro Line 21 avionics. The Falcon 50EX typically is equipped with the Pro Line 4 suite. The upgrade will include four large, configurable 10-in. by 8-in. liquid crystal displays that incorporate Rockwell Collins’ Integrated Flight Information System (IFIS). IFIS provides pilots with access to high-resolution electronic charts, XM graphical weather and enhanced navigation maps.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is in the early stages of developing an Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) for its members, foundation officials say. The foundation is working with FAA to develop a program that would be based on the Medallion program in Alaska, but initially would roll out in the Eastern region. Foundation President Bryan Burns says a foundation-run program could be especially beneficial for small and medium-sized operations that may not be capable of administering it on their own.
Mike Preston was named director of engineering and maintenance for PremiAir, a U.K.-based aviation services company. Preston is responsible for fixed-wing and rotary maintenance at PremiAir’s facilities in Oxford, Biggin Hill and Blackbushe facilities. He has more than 35 years of professional experience in the aircraft maintenance and engineering sector of the aviation industry, most recently as accountable manager/director of maintenance for Netjets (Europe) Technical Services.
Gulfstream has come a step closer to certification of its super midsize G250, completing natural icing tests and moving into function and reliability testing. The Savannah, Ga., manufacturer expects FAA and Civil Aviation Authority of Israel approval later this year.
Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill (Mo.) is pledging to give up a part of a Pilatus PC-12 she and her husband own after the former state auditor was reported to owe more than $300,000 in property taxes. Missouri Republicans filed an ethics complaint about McCaskill’s use of the airplane. After the news broke, McCaskill apologized, paid about $287,000 for the taxes and said she would pay more if necessary. She also said she thought owning her own plane would have ultimately saved taxpayer dollars, but that dividing up trips had become too complicated.
Chea Neitzel was named a jet card sales director for Flexjet. Neitzel will be responsible for jet card sales in Manhattan. Neitzel handled pharmaceutical sales for the past nine years. She formerly was a captain in the Army Corps of Engineers’ 18th Airborne Corps.
Sikorsky Aircraft and the X2 Demonstrator Team have won the 2010 Robert J. Collier Trophy “for demonstrating a revolutionary 250 knot helicopter, which marks a proven departure point for future helicopters,” the National Aeronautic Association announced March 15. The Collier Trophy will be presented at the 100th Anniversary Collier Dinner, to be held this year on May 5 in Arlington, Va.
Private jet-broker TSH aero has unveiled a new iPhone app that enables clients to search for empty leg charter flights. TSH aero founder Thierry Huguenin says the app was designed to make searches easier for clients. The empty- leg finder searches among thousands of empty-leg flights available worldwide that are automatically posted by air charter operators and air carriers into a database, says Huguenin.
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has teamed with McFarren Aviation Consulting to raise funds for the Veterans Airlift Command (VAC) charitable organization during the NATA Air Charter Summit, June 6-8 at the Westfields Marriott in Virginia. Founded by retired U.S. Army helicopter pilot Walt Fricke, VAC provides free air transportation to wounded veterans and their families for medical and other compassionate purposes. NATA and MAC established a NATA Wings for Warriors fund so that NATA members and other interested parties could contribute to the cause.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India is drafting an airworthiness directive asking all operators of the civil variant of the Dhruv advanced light helicopter to temporarily stop flying following a technical issue. A proposed airworthiness directive, dated March 22, seeks comments from various stakeholders before the final AD is issued.
The leasing arm of Agricultural Bank of China will finance Embraer aircraft under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that could make $1.5 billion available to operators over the next five years. “The agreement is designed to create new financing opportunities for Embraer to sell aircraft in China and other markets, with a focus on the development of China’s regional, executive and agricultural aviation,” says Embraer. The leasing company is called ABC Financial Leasing. Its parent is one of China’s largest banks.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. has recognized Svensen Management Services (SMS), its independent sales representative in Australia, for its sales efforts over the past five years. The Melbourne-based company has been an authorized sales representative for Gulfstream since 2006, working closely with Jason Akovenko, Gulfstream’s regional VP, Asia-Pacific, and Roger Sperry, Gulfstream’s regional senior VP, international sales, who oversee sales on the continent.
New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D) has issued a proclamation declaring March as General Aviation Month. The proclamation recognizes that general aviation supports 8,000 jobs and contributes $639 million to the state, adding that New Hampshire “has significant interest in the continued vitality of general aviation.” The proclamation drew support from the Alliance for Aviation Across America in addition to a range of other aviation associations.
FAA is launching a major new safety initiative designed to improve education and outreach with the general aviation community and lower the number of GA accidents. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, FAA Flight Standards Director John Allen and Mel Cintron, manager of FAA’s General Aviation and Commercial Division, outlined the initiative to reporters on March 21, saying the agency has established a goal of reducing the general aviation fatal accident rate per 100,000 flight hours by 10% over the next 10 years.
