Gulfstream, Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer, Boeing, Hawker Beechcraft, VistaJet, Jet Aviation, TAG Asia, HK Jet, Asia Jet and JSSI are among those that have signed up to exhibit at Asian Business Aviation 2011, scheduled for March 9-10 in Hong Kong. A record 20-plus business jets are set to be on display in the static park.
APEX AIRCRAFT CAP 10 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1296; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-063-AD] – Conduct repetitive inspections to verify the correct installation of the flight control cable turnbuckles. If any discrepancies are found, correct the turnbuckle installation before further flight. This proposed AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by the European Aviation Safety Agency, follows a fatal accident in which the pilot lost control of the airplane.
Raymond A. Syms & Associates (RAS & A) has begun offering heliport safety compliance inspections designed to help heliport owners and operators meet the new 2011 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 418 standards. The new standards now require all future and upgraded heliports to meet FAA guidance embodied in Advisory Circular 150/4390-2B Heliport Design, in addition to other fire and safety standards. The RAS&A inspections review the heliport’s regulatory compliance with NFPA standards, along with FAA, state and county guidelines.
Flybe will offer training using full-flight simulators for the Bombardier Q400 and Embraer E-Jet 170/190 at its new Flybe Training Academy at the U.K.’s Exeter International Airport. The Q400 simulator is to be installed this spring. FlightSafety International will provide Flybe with Embraer E-Jet 170/190 training services at its facilities in Amsterdam and at Paris’ Le Bourget airport until the new simulator is installed in early 2012.
DORNIER 328 328-100 and -300 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0955; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-013-AD; Amendment 39-16560; AD 2011-01-07] – Replace the aileron trim tab fittings and the rudder spring tab fittings with newly designed fittings, per the instructions of 328 Support Services Service Bulletin SB-328-27-488 or SB-328J-27-237 (both dated Aug. 25, 2009). This AD, which resulted from an MCAI originated by the European Aviation Safety Agency, is designed to prevent inflight failure of tab fittings, which could result in the loss of control of the airplane.
Piper Aircraft has selected Western Aircraft as the airplane manufacturer’s dealer for new aircraft sales in Alaska, northern California, Oregon and Washington. Western Aircraft’s VP-aircraft sales representative Philip Winters, aircraft sales representative Brett Woods and demonstration pilot Vaughn Olson will work with Drew McEwen, Piper director of sales, Americas, to represent the Piper product line, including the new single-jet Piper Altaire. Western Aircraft, part of Greenwich AeroGroup, is based at Gowen Field in Boise, Idaho.
DOMENICK EANNIELLO has joined Million Air Tallahassee as general manager. Eanniello recently retired as a colonel in the U.S. Air Force after a 29-year career. He has served as a pilot, aircraft commander, instructor and evaluation pilot. He also has served as commander of the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale AFB, Calif.; vice wing commander of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, and vice wing commander and active duty element commander of the 116th Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga.
Avfuel Corp. has expanded its dealer network in California with the additions of Jet Air Systems and Tradition Aviation. Jet Air is located at Gillespie Field in El Cajon, just outside of San Diego. The FBO provides overnight hangar storage and 250,000 sq. ft. of ramp space. Tradition Aviation is based at Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal, Calif. Tradition provides more than 200,000 sq. ft. of tarmac and more than 150,000 sq. ft. of insulated hangar space. Both FBOs will offer AVTRIP rewards points and Avfuel Contract Fuel.
DAVID PERRIN was named sales representative for Aviation Instrument Services. Based in Charlotte, N.C., Perrin will specialize in helicopter component and instrument sales, as well as assist in customer component-repair management and exchange services coordination. He previously served with Philadelphia-based Sterling Helicopter and Winnipeg-based StandardAero. He also has managed his own part-time businesses, RWCP and MSP Associates. He has 17 years of helicopter maintenance experience.
CHRISTINE MANKA WILLIAMS was promoted to senior operations manager, refurbishment for Gulfstream Aerospace. Williams will oversee process changes and work performed in the trim, wood, finish and paint shops at the Gulfstream Savannah Service Center in Georgia. A 14-year Gulfstream employee, she most recently was assistant program manager for Gulfstream’s military and special missions unit.
The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) expects U.S. business travel spending to grow 5% this year, more than double the estimated 2.3% increase in 2010. The estimate and projection are based on the NBTA Foundation’s Business Travel Quarterly Outlook-United States, which projects trends over the next eight quarters. NBTA Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer Michael McCormick says business travel spending in 2010 finished stronger than expected.
MARK MALKOSKY has joined FlightSafety International as assistant director, maintenance training business development and sales. Malkosky has 18 years of aircraft maintenance training experience, most recently with CAE. He also has served with Bombardier Aerospace and SimuFlite International.
Bombardier’s facility in Belfast, Ireland, will produce the primary wing structures for the new Learjet 85, adopting a new process developed for the company’s CSeries of commercial airliners.
Cessna Aircraft handed over three Citation Sovereign business jets to the Flight Inspection Center of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. The latest delivery increases the Flight Inspection Center’s Citation fleet to 14. The center previously purchased 11 Citations, including Citation VI, X and XLS aircraft. The center inspects navigation, radar, communication/navaids systems and flight procedures at civil airports and surrounding airspace throughout China, Hong Kong and Macau. The Citation Sovereigns will be used for the calibration of navaid systems.
KELLY REICH was promoted to vice president of product support in Cessna Aircraft’s customer service organization. Reich will be responsible for post-delivery support for customers of Cessna’s entire product line. Reich, who has served with Cessna for 15 years, was most recently director of sales and program administration for service parts and programs.
The National Transportation Safety Board is holding a meeting on Jan. 11 to discuss a study on the effectiveness of airbags in general aviation aircraft. The safety board says it initiated the study to examine the effectiveness of airbags in mitigating injury in a survivable GA accident, identify any unintended consequences and develop procedures in documenting airbag systems in future investigations.
FAA was unusually busy in 2010 when it came to meting out proposed civil penalties, particularly for maintenance-related issues. By Aviation Week calculations, FAA proposed at least $39.4 million in maintenance-related civil penalties, and what likely is a record $50-million overall. FAA usually issues press releases about penalties of at least $50,000. In 2010, there were more than 30 such announcements involving dozens of airlines and other operators, as well as a handful of maintenance, repair and overhaul operators and flight schools.
SARAH MESPELT was appointed design coordinator for business jet broker Freestream Aircraft Limited. Based at Teterboro Airport, in New Jersey, Mespelt will provide interior consulting and specification services on completions of used and new aircraft. She will serve as liaison between Freestream and the completion centers on behalf of Freestream customers. Before joining Freestream, Mespelt served as an interior designer with Gulfstream Aerospace and Jet Aviation.
Private jet operator XOJet says it has posted 50% year-over-year growth in its business, including flight hours. And parent company TPG Capital is rewarding that growth by adding a Bombardier Challenger 300 and putting XOJet’s Challenger 605 into the fleet, for a total of five jets added in 2010. The company will invest more in infrastructure at its New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco bases. The New York office will open in the first quarter this year.
Skyservice Business Aviation of Quebec, Canada, has become the first international charter operator to join the Air Charter Safety Foundation Industry Audit Standard (IAS) Registry. The IAS was developed to provide an industry-wide standardized audit standard that demonstrates a level of compliance with regulatory requirements and Safety Management System.
Flying hours are inching up, used inventories are stubbornly stable and prices remain soft, according to a new analysis of business aviation. “Customers are still buying, but the shift is upmarket to larger, more capable, and more expensive models,” writes Rolland Vincent of aviation consultancy Rolland Vincent Associates.
PETER MCKERNAN was promoted to director of sales and program administration for Cessna Aircraft’s service parts and programs. McKernan is responsible for customer support activities for Cessna Citation and propeller aircraft, including part sales and support, warranty and ProAdvantage sales and administration. He joined Cessna in 1981 and spent the past 10 years as director of parts, service and customer accounting.
Deliveries of Daher-Socata TBM 850 single turboprops inched up to 38 in 2010, the company reported last week. While off from the 60 TBM 850s delivered in 2008, the 2010 results were two more than a year earlier and marked the fourth best year for the TBM program, Daher-Socata says. The deliveries pushed the total TBM 700/850 fleet to 545, including 222 aircraft delivered since the TBM 850 entered service in 2006. The original TBM 700 was first handed over in 1990.
Bell Helicopter has integrated six of its wholly owned support and service subsidiaries into Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. The company says the restructured operations will provide more comprehensive support, increase efficiencies, build on the Bell Helicopter brand and reduce confusion over existing brands. Affected operations are: Edwards & Associates and Aeronautical Accessories in Piney Flats, Tenn.; Rotor Blades in Broussard, La.; Acadian Composites in Lafayette, La.; Bell Aerospace Services in Bedford, Texas; and US Helicopter in Ozark, Ala.
