JORGE PEREZ has joined Gulfstream Aerospace as a field service representative based in the U.S. He formerly had been a contract field service representative for Gulfstream, providing support to customers in Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Azerbaijan. He also has been a Gulfstream technician in Savannah, Ga., a line maintenance supervisor for Jet Aviation in Palm Beach, Fla., and chief of maintenance for a Florida-based Gulfstream operator.
FAA last week released a new rule requiring Part 135 operators to include crew resource management (CRM) training for pilots and flight attendants. The rule, the agency says, stems from a recommendation made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in 2003, as well as a recommendation from the Part 125/135 Aviation Rulemaking Committee.
MD HELICOPTERS MD900 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2010-1301; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-008-AD] – This proposed AD would supersede an existing airworthiness directive (AD 2008-22-53), retaining the earlier directive’s limitations on use of the Vertical Stabilizer Control System (VSCS) and autopilot and stipulating that aircraft be operated at a reduced speed until each VSCS tube adapter is replaced with an improved tube adapter. This proposal is intended to prevent loss of yaw control and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE SA-365N, SA-365N1, AS-365N2, AS 365 N3, and SA-366G1 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2010-1303; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-049-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to conduct recurring inspections for cracks in the inner angles and flanges of the 9-deg. frame on the right-hand and left-hand sides. If any cracks were found, repairs would need to be made before further flight.
Abu Dhabi-based charter operator Royal Jet has appointed Qurum Business Group (QBG) as the Oman General Sales Agent (GSA) for all their private charter and medical evacuation services. The Oman GSA, Qurum Business Group, established in the 1990s, has a spectrum of businesses and industries in the country.
Elliott Aviation has added an Astra 1125SP jet aircraft, based at Forest City, Iowa, to its charter certificate. The Astra joins a fleet of 15 jet and turboprop aircraft at its locations at Quad Cities International Airport in Moline, Ill.; Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Neb.; Des Moines International Airport; and Flying Cloud Regional Airport in Eden Prairie, Minn.
Bahrain Airport Co. (BAC) has signed an agreement with MENA Aerospace to build and operate a major private and business aviation hangar complex at Bahrain International Airport. Development is already underway on the northwest corner of the airport. When complete, the first phase’s footprint will be 26,362 sq. meters (6.5 acres), with a hangar, private taxiway and ramp, plus office and workshop areas, making it one of the largest general aviation facilities in the region.
RONALD FREDERICK , president and CEO of M7 Aerospace, has been named vice chairman of the company and a member of its board. He previously held senior executive positions with General Electric, Williams International, Goodrich, Johnson Technology and UNC Manufacturing. During his time at GE, he was president of Garrett Aviation Services.
Cessna Aircraft has delivered more than 30 Skycatchers to date and plans to ship a total of 150 models of the light sport aircraft this year, including the first versions featuring the McCauley two-blade, fixed-pitch composite propeller. In a report issued last week, Cessna says it has received more than 60 Skycatchers from China’s Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, which builds the airplanes and ships them to Yingling Aviation in Wichita for reassembly and subsequent distribution by Cessna.
The National Air Transportation Association has urged its members to lobby Congress in support of a letter circulating on Capitol Hill opposing the possibility of aviation user fees. House aviation subcommittee leaders Tom Petri (R-Wis.) and Jerry Costello (D-Ill.) have begun soliciting signatures from their colleagues on a draft letter that urges President Barack Obama to avoid user fees in the upcoming Fiscal 2012 budget (BA, Jan. 10/1).
Dallas Jet International has tapped Aviation Business Consultants International (ABCI) as a marketing partner. “We recognized the need to communicate with our customers in new ways,” says DJI’s Brad Harris. “Most global Fortune 100 companies are using Twitter, Facebook LinkedIn and YouTube. More than half of NBAA members are using Facebook regularly. We are very interested in the powerful new tools that ABCI brings to the service we offer our clients.”
CESSNA (previously Columbia and Lancair) LC41-550FG and LC42-550FG airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1297; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-068-AD; Amendment 39-16569; AD 2010-26-54] – Operators are prohibited from operating these airplanes without written approval from the manager of FAA’s Wichita Aircraft Certification Office. This written approval must clearly state that operation is approved per emergency AD 2010-26-54.
Two former fixed-base operator executives are hoping to boost competition at Colorado’s Aspen/Pitkin County Airport and reduce the airfield’s carbon footprint by building a new FBO there. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport is updating its master plan, which is expected to include an option for establishing a second FBO at the airport.
PIPER PA-46-310P (Malibu), PA-46-350P (Malibu Mirage) and PA-46R-350T (Matrix) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1295; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-060-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to calibrate their Lewis or Transicoil turbine inlet temperature (T.I.T.) systems, replace any system that fails the calibration test and repetitively replace the T.I.T. probe on certain PA-46-350P airplanes. In addition, operators of certain aircraft would need to insert a copy of this AD into the Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH).
Aviation headset producer Sennheiser was selected to supply its HMEC 26 aviation noise-reduction headsets for Embraer Phenom, E-Jet and Lineage aircraft. The agreement covers both Phenom 100 and 300 aircraft, the Lineage 1000 and the E-Jet 170, 175, 190 and 195 series. The headsets employ Sennheiser’s NoiseGard technology, which can decrease residual noise by up to 90%, the company says.
The Florida Aviation Trades Association (FATA) last week appealed to Gov. Rick Scott (R) to retain the state-owned aircraft or consider using charter. FATA notes that Scott is keeping a campaign promise by directing the Florida Department of Management Services to sell the state-owned King Air 350 and Cessna Citation Bravo.
Corporate Air of Pittsburgh has become the latest operator to join the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s (ACSF) Industry Audit Standard (IAS) Registry. With the latest addition, the registry has grown to 23 operators. The ACSF developed the IAS to provide a standardized comprehensive audit standard for Part 135 and 91K operators. The program calls for an evaluation every 24 months.
At the request of FAA, the Federal Communications Commission last week formally halted a prohibition on the certification, manufacture, sale or use of emergency locator transmitters (ELT) that use the 121.5 MHz frequency. FCC had called for the prohibition after the international Cospas-Sarsat organization announced in 2000 that it planned to end satellite processing of distress signals from 121.5 MHz beacons beginning in 2009. The organization had urged users to switch to more reliable 406 MHz units.
Pratt & Whitney Canada has created the social media microsite PT6nation.com, which enables PT6 operators to share stories and keep up to date on developments regarding the engine. The microsite also is designed to bring brand awareness to potential customers and industry partners.
The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) has formally launched its campaign to curtail illegal charter activity within Europe, the association announced last week. Operating without a valid air operator’s certificate has been a key concern for many within the business aviation community and has been among the top issues for the association over the past year, EBAA says.
ROBERT LEE has joined Million Air as general manager of its Houston facility. Lee has more than 20 years of management and aviation operations experience, most recently as general manager of Atlantic Aviation’s facility in Wheeling, Ill. He also has served as general manager for both Signature Flight Support and Landmark Aviation facilities, along with operations manager for University Air Center and director of marketing for Electronic Flight Solutions.
FAA last week formally kicked off the newest round of meetings of the General Aviation Joint Steering Committee (GA-JSC), which will take a data-driven approach to developing recommendations for improving the GA accident rate. GA industry leaders in 2009 committed to striving to achieve a rate of no more than one fatal accident per 100,000 flight hours by 2018. The GA-JSC will take an approach similar to that of the Commercial Aviation Safety Team, created as part of the “Safer Skies” initiative.
Former Hawker Beechcraft marketer Charles D. Mayer has joined Pilatus Business Aircraft as vice president of marketing. Mayer will be responsive for developing marketing strategies, branding initiatives and promotional activities for Pilatus products and services in the U.S. Mayer previously held the same title with Hawker Beechcraft, where he helped relaunch the brands worldwide. Before that he was director of marketing, media and advertising for Ferrari Maserati North America, where he helped lead the market launch of Maserati in the U.S.
