Embraer is building a new composites facility in Portugal. The new 330,000-sq.-ft. plant in Évora is to manufacture airframe structures and components in composite materials. The facility is to be completed by the end of 2011, and production will begin in 2013. The complex is part of a planned expansion of the aerospace sector in Évora. Recently, the region created a 9.4 million-sq.-ft. aerospace industrial park located near the municipal airfield. Embraer is the first investor.
National Air Transportation Association President James Coyne expressed confidence that the new Congress will finally be able to finish work on a long-term reauthorization bill by late summer, but says he also believes the current lame-duck Congress is headed for a “world record” 17th short-term extension in the upcoming weeks.
The third AW139 helicopter ordered in China for law enforcement duties will be delivered to the Province of Guanxi police. Besides flying law enforcement missions, the AgustaWestland medium twin helo will be used in disaster relief missions across the province. Earlier, the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau and the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau ordered AW139s. AgustaWestland has strong ties to China, having teamed with AVIC II to assemble the CA109 (the Chinese designation for the AW109 Power) locally in a plant in Jingdezhen.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is recommending improved bird-strike standards for windshields on older helicopters and is calling on FAA to evaluate certain helicopter models to ensure that external forces on the windshield do not cause unintended movement of the engine power control levers.
Bombardier Aerospace’s fiscal third quarter mirrored the third-quarter results of other business jet manufacturers, with lower revenues and earnings, but executives at the Canadian company remain optimistic that the market for large business jets continues to strengthen, and they are planning to increase production of the Global line in 2011.
TAC Air a division of Truman Arnold Companies, is seeking a candidate for a corporate level management position to assist with financial and operational oversight of its multi-location FBO operation. Position to be located at its corporate oÿce in Texarkana, TX. Must have at least 5 yrs. management experience in general aviation. Undergraduate degree in aviation management or related field required/master’s preferred. Please forward letter of interest and resume to: Director of Human Resources
Embraer has delivered the first Legacy 650 to the United Kingdom’s Amsair Aircraft Limited, which is owned by Lord Alan Sugar. The aircraft is based at London Stansted Airport and is being operated by charter company Titan Airways Executive. Inflite, Embraer’s authorized service center in the U.K., will provide maintenance services.
Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. has sold two Bell 429 helicopters to Chevron to provide transportation to the energy company’s oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Deliveries are planned in early 2011. Chevron, a longtime customer, will be the first oil and gas company to use the Bell 429 in its offshore operations.
Pricing remains difficult for manufacturers of small business aircraft, notes Bombardier Aerospace President and COO Guy Hachey, adding, “It’s really a dogfight at that end of the marketplace.” Bombardier still has quite a few Learjet “white tails” (aircraft produced but not sold), Hachey concedes. “We have not delivered and sold a lot of Learjets so far this year.” But the fourth quarter does appear to be improving somewhat, he says, noting the company expects to “free up” a number of the white tails this quarter.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has joined other industry associations in opposing an apparent FAA plan to release a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for Part 135 that is “very similar” to proposed Part 121 flight, duty and rest requirements (BA, Nov. 29/1). NBAA reiterates that the Part 125/135 Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) already submitted an extensive set of recommendations addressing regulations tailored for Part 135.
Sikorsky plans to introduce a redesigned main gearbox for the S-92A helicopter this month in a bid to overcome cracking that has required operators to inspect mounting pads within every 10 hr. of flight. FAA has amended a 2009 airworthiness directive (AD) to expand the recurrent inspection requirement to include a previous redesign of the gearbox, which Sikorsky calls Phase II, after discovering it is prone to the same mounting foot-pad cracks and corrosion as the original unit.
National Air Transportation Association President James Coyne notes that attendees at the association’s Aviation Business Roundtable last month represented “a pretty somber group” of people who are hoping that the business aircraft market will turn around over the next couple of years. “Our sentiment is [that] there still is an awful lot of uncertainty,” he says, noting that the industry has faced a “tremendous reduction in asset value.” He estimates that the collective loss of business aircraft value likely is in the tens of billions.
Bombardier Aerospace expects an 11% compound annual growth rate in business jet deliveries between 2010 and 2020, driven by globalization of trade, emerging markets, replacement demand and accessibility, says Bank of America Merrill Lynch. “This represents an opportunity of $254 billion over the next 10 years,” the analyst says, adding, “To reach its target market, Bombardier is investing in ...
Airbus Corporate Jet Centre has signed a flight-hour maintenance agreement with SNECMA. The so-called “EngineLife” accord means that the powerplant maker will provide full service support for CFM International CFM56-5B engines used by VIP, corporate and government customers. Coverage includes engine condition monitoring, shop visits, foreign object damage protection, line replaceable unit pool access and repair, and spare engine availability. The flight-hour rate plan is expected to enable better planning for engine maintenance costs, according to SNECMA.
EMS Aviation has been awarded a supplemental type certificate from FAA authorizing installation of the company’s Network Gateway product on the Gulfstream G-IV. The newly certified unit is a component of EMS Aviation’s Forté AirMail e-mail system, designed to allow users to send and receive inflight e-mail via handheld devices.
Jet Aviation St. Louis (formerly Midcoast Aviation) recently completed the first WAAS FMS installation in a Falcon 2000. The new avionics installation replaced the aircraft’s existing Universal Avionics flight management systems with dual UNS-1Ew WAAS/SBAS-FMS units approved for flying Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) Localizer Performance with Vertical (LPV) approaches. Universal Avionics says aircraft with this capability enjoy greater airport accessibility and improved safety in poor weather conditions.
Elliott Aviation has added an Astra 1125SP jet aircraft, based at Forest City, Iowa (FXY), to its charter certificate. The company operates a fleet of 15 jet and turboprop aircraft at its locations at Quad Cities International Airport (MLI) in Moline, Ill.; Eppley Airfield (OMA) in Omaha, Neb.; Des Moines International Airport (DSM); and Flying Cloud Regional Airport (FCM) in Eden Prairie, Minn.
Congress is resuming its lame-duck session this week, with a month left to either pass another temporary extension of FAA reauthorization or push through a full long-term bill.
Landmark Aviation employees Mike Bennett and Kurt Francis have been tapped as recipients of the Arizona Avionic Technician of the Year and Arizona Aircraft Mechanic of the Year awards, respectively. The awards were made through the General Aviation Awards Program, a cooperative effort between FAA and aviation industry sponsors.
RICHARD BARRET was tapped to direct Huntington’s business aircraft financing segment. Barret has more than 30 years of aircraft financing experience, most recently with RBS Asset Finance.
ROTAX 912 A Series engines [Docket No. FAA-2010-0522; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-022-AD; Amendment 39-16506; AD 2010-23-17] – Conduct initial and repetitive inspections of the engine crankcase for cracks, per the instructions of Rotax Aircraft Engines Service Bulletin SB-912-029 R3 (dated July 11, 2006). If cracks are found, before further flight, replace the crankcase. This AD resulted from an MCAI issued by an aviation authority of another country. FAA estimates that this directive will affect 60 aircraft on the U.S. Registry and cost U.S.
DORNIER 228-100, -101, -200, -201, -202 and -212 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1152; Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-026-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to visually inspect for cracks in fuselage Frame 19, following the instructions of Dornier 228 RUAG Alert Service Bulletin No. ASB-228-266 (dated Dec. 1, 2006). If any cracks were found, operators would need to repair the airplane and subsequently conduct repetitive inspections of Frame 19.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association 2010 Aviation Summit attracted 9,746 aviation pilots and enthusiasts. Held Nov. 11-13 in Long Beach, Calif., the event included more than 60 hr. of educational forums and was coupled with Airportfest, which included a display of aircraft and social events. Airportfest drew 11,373 people, including members of the local community. AOPA expanded its AOPA Live streaming feed with 5 hr. of coverage on each of the three days. The association also presented its Joseph B.
Daher-Socata has developed an “Exclusive Maintenance Program” for TBM 850s. The program covers all scheduled maintenance costs, including annual inspections, for five years or 1,000 flight hours. The program also extends warranties for avionics and systems to five years and for the airframe to seven years.
