SIMON CALDECOTT was named vice president of operations for Piper Aircraft. Caldecott will be responsible for manufacturing operations, manufacturing engineering, sustaining engineering and supply chain. He joined Piper in 2009 as chief of production for the new jet, now called Altaire. He has 36 years of aviation experience, including as vice president of assembly operations with Hawker Beechcraft. He also was vice president of assembly integration and testing for the Hawker Beechcraft predecessor company, Raytheon Aircraft.
Embraer’s new Legacy 650 executive jet demonstrator recently completed a nonstop flight from Dubai (UAE) to London’s Farnborough Airport. The aircraft covered an equivalent still-air distance of 3,500 nm. in 8 hr. with three crew and seven passengers. Launched one year ago at the 2009 National Business Aviation Association Annual Meeting and Convention, the large Legacy 650 can fly up to 3,900 nm. with four passengers, or 3,840 nm.
Avic’s helicopter manufacturer Avicopter aims to achieve certification of its light commercial helicopter, the AC311, late next year and also begin first deliveries before the end of 2011. The helicopter, which had its first flight on Nov. 8 near the Avicopter Tianjin assembly plant, already has secured orders from Chinese customers, Avicopter President Wang Bin said during last week’s Airshow China. The customers are the Guizhou city police force and the Tianjin Binhai police force, each with an order for one AC311, he says.
StandardAero is offering upgrades for Dassault Falcon 20s that have undergone the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 major retrofit. StandardAero has received FAA approval for the amended supplemental type certificate. New features offered through the upgrade include dual multi-function displays, an integrated engine indication system and the ability to view video on the system’s multi-function display.
Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), who is expected to become the next chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, calls FAA’s proposal to require photos on pilot certificates “embarrassingly inadequate.” On Friday Mica asked FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt to “immediately amend its proposed pilot license rulemaking” to comply with congressional mandates for biometrics. “Biometrically enabled pilot licenses will allow for identification, improve security and result in greater screening efficiencies,” Mica says.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet Series 700, 701, 702, 705 and 900 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1106; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-237-AD; Amendment 39-16508; AD 2010-23-19] – Conduct repetitive detailed inspections for damage to the main landing gear (MLG) fairing and seal, MLG door and adjacent structures, per the instructions of Bombardier Alert Service Bulletin A670BA-32-030, Rev. A (dated Oct. 22, 2010). Repair any damaged parts, as necessary.
Van Nuys, Calif.-based TWC Aviation has expanded its base on the West Coast and reinforced its reach on the East Coast with the acquisition of charter and management firm ACM Aviation. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
FlightSafety’s Bell 407 flight training device has been qualified to Level 7 by FAA. The new unit, which is located at FlightSafety’s learning center in Lafayette, La., is being used for initial type training, recurrent training, inadvertent IMC training, and a variety of mission-specific and scenario-based programs. The Bell 407 device is equipped with FlightSafety’s advanced Vital X visual system. Night-vision goggle capability will be added in the near future. The Lafayette learning center also offers training for the Bell 206 and Sikorsky S-92, S-76 C+ and S-76 C++.
PILATUS PC-6 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1011; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-047-AD] – This proposal would require operators to incorporate into their FAA-accepted maintenance program new Pilatus-developed maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations, including ones for the wing strut fittings and spherical bearings. This proposal resulted from an MCAI originated by an aviation authority of another country. FAA estimates that this proposed AD will affect 50 aircraft on the U.S. Registry and cost U.S. operators a total of $4,250, or $85 per airplane.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) has appointed three members to its executive committee. William Haberstock, president and CEO of Million Air Aviation in Salt Lake City, was elected vice chairman. A 35-year aviation veteran, Haberstock formerly was treasurer for ACSF. John Grillo, president of Executive Fliteways in Ronkonkoma, N.Y., is treasurer. Grillo has 36 years of aviation experience. Bryan Burns, who had been ACSF executive director, was elected president of the foundation.
NEIL BACKHOUSE was tapped to oversee Ocean Sky’s new office in Dubai. Backhouse previously served with ExecuJet Middle East, where he was charter sales manager for the company’s managed aircraft fleet. He moved to Dubai in 2001 to introduce the Bombardier Skyjet brand to the region.
FlightSafety International has finished building the first Gulfstream G650 flight simulator and plans to deliver the unit to the company’s facility in Savannah, Ga., in December. In addition, the company’s first G250 simulator is nearing completion and is to be delivered to Savannah next April.
John and Martha King this month had their second encounter with the Santa Barbara, Calif., police, but the Nov. 8 meeting was an amicable reunion to discuss lessons learned from their first encounter. The Kings were handcuffed and detained in August by the Santa Barbara police after officers received erroneous registration information about the Kings’ Cessna 172S. The Kings were released after about 20 minutes. The Kings, along with Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) President and CEO Craig Fuller, met Nov.
FAA Friday released the long-anticipated notice of proposed rulemaking requiring the addition of photos on pilot certificates. The proposal was mandated by the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevent Act of 2004 (IRTPA). FAA notes that it previously had required pilots to obtain plastic certificates, and says this proposal “furthers the fulfillment” of IRTPA by the addition of a photo requirement.
Kaman Aerostructures officially opened its new manufacturing facility in Chihuahua, Mexico. The facility initially will manufacture extrusions and sheet metal details for aerospace applications. The parts will be shipped either to Kaman Aerostructures’ manufacturing operations in the U.S. for final assembly into structures or directly to end customers. Kaman Aerostructures plans to expand operations at the Chihuahua facility over time, and says it could employ up to 500 workers.
MD HELICOPTERS MD900 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2010-1126; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-078-AD; Amendment 39-16515; AD 2010-18-52] – Within four hours time in service, visually inspect the main-rotor hub for cracks, paying particular attention to the five flex beam bolthole locations. If any cracks are found, replace, before further flight, the unairworthy hub with an airworthy one and reporting the findings to the FAA.
Dec. 7-9—Middle East Business Aviation, Airport Expo Dubai, United Arab Emirates, +44 (208) 391-0999, www.meba.aero Dec. 15—The Wings Club Luncheon featuring Gary Kelly, Chairman, President & CEO of Southwest Airlines, The Yale Club, New York, (212) 867-1770, [email protected] Dec. 15—Future of Aviation Advisory Committee meeting, Washington, http://www.dot.gov/faac Jan. 20-21, 2011—European Business Aviation Association Regional Forum “One Europe: A Roadmap for Aligning East and West,” Hilton Vienna, Austria, www.ebaa.org
Mooney Aviation Co. last week alerted employees of plans to “eliminate many of the current positions” at the company by yearend. The notification comes a little more than a month after Mooney Aviation took over the assets of the financially ailing Mooney Airplane Co., to shore up its debt. Mooney Aviation stated at the time that it would continue technical support for all aircraft supported by the former Mooney Airplane Co.
Houston-based charter management company Landmark Aviation has signed a deal to buy DB Aviation, a Waukegan, Ill.-based aviation services company. Charlotte Cheatham, VP-marketing for Landmark, confirmed the agreement, but declined to offer any further details. The deal is expected to close on Nov. 30. Landmark Aviation has a network of five fixed-base operators in Europe and Canada, and 35 locations in the U.S. The company provides charter and maintenance, repair and overhaul services, and owns and operates Encore Support Systems.
RICK STOCKS was appointed general manager for Ocean Sky Aircraft Management. Stocks will oversee Ocean Sky’s range of aircraft management activities. He formerly held senior positions with WhiteConcierge and NetJets Europe. He also has served with the Royal Air Force.
Annapolis, Md.-based ARINC Direct has added two new capabilities to its range of business aviation offerings: online aeronautical charts for flight planning and a safety management system template reflecting FAA Advisory Circular 120-192. The online flight-planning tools offered by the business aviation services arm of ARINC now include electronic charts from SkyVector. The new technology will form the basis for several new service developments over the next 12 months.
Business jet handling services is poised to benefit as the increasing population of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs) and improving government regulations are fueling an expansion of the business aviation market in the Asia-Pacific region, says a new Frost & Sullivan report.
ExecuJet Aviation Group, the Zurich-based aircraft services company, and China’s Tianjin Haite have formed a joint venture to launch a full-service business aircraft maintenance and management company in China. ExecuJet Haite Aviation Services China Co. Ltd. will be based at Tianjin Binhai Airport, located 120 km. (74.5 miles) from ExecuJet’s sales office in Beijing. The 6,000-sq.-ft. facility is to be completed by next August. Meanwhile, ExecuJet plans to obtain a Chinese Part 135 aircraft operating certificate, along with a Part 145 maintenance certificate.
