The National Business Aviation Association’s Corporate Aviation Management Committee has selected four recipients of the 2011 Corporate Aviation Management Scholarship. Each scholarship, valued at $1,650, will cover expenses associated with attendance at NBAA’s 2011 Leadership Conference Feb. 23-24 in San Diego. The conference promotes the professional development and leadership skills of individuals seeking careers in flight department management.
Aircell has raised another $35 million in new financing from its existing investors and management to fund its expansion in commercial and business aviation. “Since securing our exclusive spectrum license in 2006, we’ve raised more than $500 million,” says Aircell President and CEO Michael Small. The company’s most recent expansion included extended coverage of its Gogo Biz inflight high-speed Internet service to portions of Alaska. The coverage includes Alaska’s more populous regions, key en route segments, and arrival and departure corridors for key airports.
The Alakai Technologies’ digital flight data monitoring (FDM) system and wireless Internet units have been certified for installation aboard Eurocopter AS350 and EC130 helicopters. California-based GA-FDM will offer the systems to operators, analyzing the data produced from each flight to help operators identify accident precursors, reduce risks, improve training and reduce operator costs, Alakai says. Operators will receive detailed reports covering aircraft and pilot performance, along with suggestions for preventative and corrective measures.
The National Institute of Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita State University has expanded its partnership with Dassault Systemes Solutions to further research and education at the university regarding the advanced use of composite materials. NIAR’s CAD/CAM Laboratory is providing hands-on instruction using Dassault Systemes modeling systems, including CATIA for composites, SIMULIA for simulation and DELMIA for digital manufacturing. “For more than a century, metal parts have been the de facto standard in the aerospace industry.
XoJet, the San Francisco-based charter operation founded in 2006, is continuing its rapid expansion with new offices in New York, a partnership with Heliflite to add helicopter service, and a new “Coast2Coast” program for specific flight profiles.
FlightSafety International will offer Bombardier Challenger 605 training to customers in Europe through the company’s London Farnborough facility in the U.K. Training is slated to begin early next year using a new FlightSafety-built full-flight simulator. FlightSafety provides a range of Bombardier Learjet, Challenger, Global, CRJ and Dash series training using more than 60 flight simulators and other training devices installed at 15 learning centers in Asia, Europe, South Africa and North America.
The Senate later this week is expected to vote on passage of a two-year FAA reauthorization bill, S.223, while the House aviation subcommittee plans to consider its own four-year reauthorization package, HR.658, which was introduced Friday.
Snecma subsidiary SMA won European Aviation Safety Agency approval for its 230-shp SR305-230E diesel engine. The Jan. 24 certification followed 2,500 hr. of ground and flight testing. U.S. FAA certification is expected shortly. Designed for single- or twin-engine light aircraft, the SR305-230E uses Jet A fuel. SMA says the engine is scheduled for entry into service in early 2012.
President Barack Obama, speaking last week before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, reiterated his administration’s commitment to extending high-speed Internet service across the U.S. But this may come at the cost of possibly disastrous “overload jamming” of GPS signals.
Dubai-based private aviation company Empire Aviation Group has partnered with RMSI, the Dubai-based medevac, emergency medical services and clinical services specialist, to launch a new intensive-care air ambulance service. Under the deal, Empire will manage and operate a Dubai-based Hawker 800XP business jet that has been converted to an air ambulance configuration for RMSI.
FAA has granted operational certification for the Dassault Falcon 7X enhanced vision system (EVS). The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certified EVS in July 2010. The system shows an image on the head-up display (HUD) and flight deck displays, enabling pilots to see the terrain and airport environment in low-visibility situations such as fog, haze, snow or at night. The system incorporates LCD HUD technology.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet 700, 701, 702, 705 and 900 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1109; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-155-AD; Amendment 39-16597; AD 2011-03-13] – Perform a detailed inspection of the Rudder Travel Limiter (RTL) for broken return springs and damage through the casing, or chafing of the casing of the primary actuator, per the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 670BA-27-055, Rev. A (dated Aug. 6, 2010). Before further flight, replace any broken return springs with new springs, and repair or replace any chafed or damaged primary actuator.
FAA’s recent proposal to strengthen airport standards is raising concerns among airport managers, who fear that it may prove costly and conflict with another proposal mandating safety management systems. On Feb. 1 FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to require a series of new standards for Part 139-certified airports, including mandates to train personnel who access airport ramps and aprons, conduct pavement surface evaluations and set up a Surface Movement Guidance Control System (SMGCS) for low-visibility operations (BA, Feb. 7/6).
BOMBARDIER CL-215, CL-215T and CL-415 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1108; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-151-AD; Amendment 39-16592; AD 2011-03-08] – Conduct repetitive ultrasonic inspections of the hydraulic accumulators for cracks and replace any accumulator in which a crack is detected. This AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by Transport Canada, is designed to prevent hydraulic accumulator screw cap or end cap failures from resulting in loss of the associated hydraulic system and high-energy impact damage to adjacent systems and structure.
General Electric’s M601-H80 turboprop will be certified to power the LET L410 regional aircraft, both new-built and retrofit, under a five-year agreement signed with Czech manufacturer Aircraft Industries. The deal covers delivery of more than 20 engines per year specifically to support the L410-UVP-E20, a twin-engine commuter aircraft, with annual production of more than 10 units.
FOKKER F.28 Mark 0100, 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1114; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-206-AD; Amendment 39-16591; AD 2011-03-07] – Inspect to ensure that the correct Fuelling Control Panel (FCP) power switch cam is installed. If not, replace the installed cam with an improved part. Subsequently conduct repetitive functional checks of the cam and, if necessary, adjust it before further flight until the cam operates correctly.
All seven people aboard a Hawker Beechcraft Hawker 850XP were killed Feb. 4 when the aircraft crashed during its initial climb out from Iraq’s Sulaymaniyah International Airport (ISU), according to preliminary information on the Flight Safety Foundation’s Aviation Safety Network. The aircraft, OD-SKY, was operated by Sky Lounge of Lebanon and carried three crew and four technicians and shareholders with the Iraqi mobile phone company Asiacell. The aircraft was on a flight to Ankara-Senoia Airport in Turkey. Weather was reported as heavy snow with 1,500 meters visibility.
Used business jet sales jumped 16% in 2010, compared with sales in 2009, and last year’s sales were up 4.8% compared with 2008, according to a new report from aviation consultancy Jetnet. Also, the percentage of business jets for sale dropped 1.5 points, from 16.3% in 2009 to 14.8% in 2010, says the report.
Limits to the Blocked Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program could be coming soon from the Department of Transportation, warns the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) in a letter last week to its members. DOT is considering adding “onerous limitations” to the BARR program, starting as soon as Feb. 15, by implementing a security-related eligibility requirement for current participants and for those who may want to participate in the program in the future, NBAA warns in the letter.
Gulfstream Aerospace has appointed Arrow Aircraft Sales and Charters Private Limited as an authorized independent sales representatives for India. Arrow Aircraft will work with Jason Akovenko, Gulfstream regional VP, Asia-Pacific, and Roger Sperry, Gulfstream regional senior VP, international sales. “Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Latin America represent more than 40 percent of Gulfstream’s backlog,” Sperry says. “We need to ensure we have the infrastructure in place to support this growing sales trend.
The National Park Service (NPS) is soliciting comments on a draft plan to address aircraft noise over Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP). The plan calls for new limits on the number of air tour operations, hours of their flights and minimum altitudes. The plan also emphasizes the use of quiet technology. On Feb. 2 NPS released the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS), which covers air tour flights and calls for the “substantial restoration of natural quiet” over GCNP. The DEIS is open for public review and comments are due June 6.
JDA Aviation Technology Solutions (JDA) has established a Training Institute and a New Products and Technology group. Capt. James Hobart, VP of training programs, will head the Training Institute, which will offer courses in safety management systems, regulatory affairs, auditing, emergency response planning, advanced qualification programs and certification. VP William Norwood will lead the New Products and Technology group, which will provide a range of technology-based systems designed to improve airline safety and passenger comfort.
The Indian civil aviation authority has granted Russian Helicopters all-weather operational clearance for the Ka-32A11BC. India is only the latest in a long list of countries that have granted the certification, but it is a key market owing to the difficult operating conditions in the country and the large potential market size. Brazil also has begun the process of providing a type certificate for the coaxial rotor helicopter, the manufacturer says. India’s Global Vectra Helicorp plans to take delivery later this year of a Ka-32A11BC, a multi-role version of the Ka-32A.
ADRIAN MUNDAY was appointed director and general manager of a new TBM 850 sales and customer support organization in the U.K. and Ireland for Socata-Daher. Munday is based at new offices established at London Oxford Airport. Munday has 22 years of aviation industry experience, originally handling Rockwell/Gulfstream and Dornier 228 turboprop sales for the Alan Mann Group of Companies at Fairoaks Airport, Surrey. He also has worked as U.K. and Irish distributor for Agusta/Westland Helicopters, as well as for Harrods Aviation.
