LONDON — Chile has become the fourteenth country to accept the increased gross weight exemption for the Bell 429 light helicopter. The country’s civil aviation authority, the DGAC, cleared the exemption to raise the maximum gross weight of the light-twin from 7,000 lb. (3,175 kg) to 7,500 lb. (3,402 kg). The DGAC has also certified the type’s operation in Chile. The move follows Venezuela’s green light to the weight exemption, announced early this month.
Former Hawker Beechcraft senior executive for the Middle East, Africa and Europe, Sean McGeough, has been appointed president of Nextant Aerospace the , maker of the Nextant 400XT, the world's only remanufactured business jet.
Former Hawker Beechcraft senior executive for the Middle East, Africa and Europe Sean McGeough has been appointed president of Nextant Aerospace the , maker of the Nextant 400XT, the world's only remanufactured business jet.
In line with Qatar Executive's continued focus on the international market, Qatar Airways' private jet division has launched its corporate website in Arabic and Russian languages.
The Indian Government has dismissed Kingfisher Airlines’ latest revival plan, saying the proposal “may not guarantee a reliable service.” “We want an airline to operate in consistent, efficient and reliable manner. The revival plan, which was submitted by the airline, had lots of issues regarding lenders, staff payment which we felt may not lead to reliable services,” a Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official told media Jan. 11.
BELL 205A, 205A-1 and 205B helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0601; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-033-AD; Amendment 39-17306; AD 2012-26-11] – requires replacing the power cable assemblies and their associated parts, and performing continuity readings. This AD was prompted by the determination that the power cable assembly connector can deteriorate, causing a short in the connector that may lead to a fire in the starter/generator, smoke in the cockpit that reduces visibility, and subsequent loss of helicopter control.
Eclipse Aerospace remains on track to bring new Eclipse very light jets to market in July, Chairman and CEO Mason Holland says. The company in June restarted the production line that had been shuttered for nearly four years. Eclipse executives, who bought the program out of bankruptcy in August 2009, have maintained that they have had the resources to resume production, but first wanted to realign the supplier team and wait for the market to improve before building new aircraft.
REIMS AVIATION Model F406 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-1346; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-047-AD] – proposes to require inspection of the pushrods and horizontal tail structure to detect fretting, bending or eccentricity and, depending on findings, replacement with a serviceable pushrod, or repair. The proposal stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) from the European Aviation Safety Agency, which cites a report of retting (wear and/or chafing) found between the elevator pushrod assembly and horizontal tail structure.
Aerion Corporation promoted Doug Nichols to CEO and appointed him to the board of directors. Nichols, who had been COO, will be responsible for all of Aerion’s corporate activities. He also will be responsible for Desktop Aeronautics, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based software and consultancy firm that Aerion recently acquired. Nichols, who formerly spent 30 years with Boeing, also was CFO for Aerion.
DARWIN STOUT was named product support sales director for Gulfstream Aerospace. Stout, who is relocating to Southern California, will be responsible for sales along the West Coast, mountain states, Hawaii, Alaska, parts of Canada, and Central and South America. Stout has served with Gulfstream for 17 years, most recently as a national sales manager for product support sales.
RICHARD HILDENBRAND was promoted to president of Avjet Corp. Hildenbrand joined Avjet in 1995 as director of aircraft management and became executive vice president in 2006.
Cessna is releasing a series of service bulletins for the installation of Astronics Corporation’s Max-Viz-600 enhanced vision system (EVS) on newer model Cessna 172 Skyhawk, 182 Skylane or 206 Stationair single-piston aircraft. The bulletins provide the factory provisions for retrofit of the systems on the aircraft. The retrofit has received both FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency approval. The Max-Viz systems are also offered as optional equipment on new Skyhawks, Skylanes and Stationairs.
THIELERT TAE 125-02-99 and TAE 125-02-114 reciprocating engines [Docket No. FAA-2012-0885; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-18-AD; Amendment 39-17307; AD 2012-26-12] – requires inspection of the oil filler plug vent hole at the next scheduled maintenance or within 110 flight hours after the effective date of this AD. If chips are found to be blocking the vent hole, additional corrective action is required before next flight. This AD was prompted by an inflight shutdown of an airplane equipped with a TAE 125-02-99 engine.
Bombardier’s Business Aviation division enjoyed gains across the board with orders jumping 80% in 2012. Bombardier received 343 net orders in 2012, compared with 191 a year earlier. Bombardier’s business jet deliveries, meanwhile, were relatively flat in 2012 at 179 aircraft. The manufacturer delivered 163 aircraft in 2011, but that only reflects activity of the final 11 months (an accounting change to a calendar fiscal year shortened the 2011 reporting time frame). The 2012 deliveries were actually at about the same pace – only slightly increased from 2011.
U.K. air accident investigators have widened their search into the root cause of gearbox failures that forced the crews of two Eurocopter EC225 helicopters to ditch into the North Sea last year. In late 2012, investigators from the U.K. Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) linked their probes into two controlled ditchings of EC225s – one operated by Bond Offshore in May and a second operated by CHC Scotia in October. The rest of the North Sea EC225 fleet was grounded in the U.K. and Norway following the incidents.
Constant Aviation, which expanded into the Beechjet landing gear overhaul business last summer, has found demand for the business so strong that it is relocating the services from Birmingham Ala., to a larger facility near its Cleveland headquarters.
Eclipse Aerospace is hoping to secure a potential contract to replace the fleet of T-1A Jayhawks (Beechjet 400s) flown for the U.S. Air Force Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) program. The company responded Jan. 7 to an Air Force request for information (RFI) for a potential large fleet of very light jets (VLJs) to support the SUPT Multi-place Training Track.
SAAB 2000 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-1032; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-079-AD; Amendment 39-17296; AD 2012-26-01] – requires a general visual inspection to determine if certain fasteners are installed, and related investigative and corrective actions. FAA is issuing this AD to detect and correct any chafing on the bottom panel of the center cabin, which could affect the structural integrity of the affected wing-to-fuselage connection. FAA estimates the AD would affect 10 aircraft on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $3,400 or $340 per aircraft.
Embraer has selected Pratt & Whitney’s PW1000G geared turbofan to power its soon-to-be-launched, second-generation E-Jet family, which is scheduled to enter service in 2018. The engine decision marks a key milestone in Embraer’s plan to formally launch the second-generation E-Jet family later this year. Provisionally outlined with 78 to 122 seats, the new aircraft will succeed the current E-170 and E-190 lines.
Chinese interests continue to build up their aerospace portfolios, this time in the U.S. helicopter market with the purchase of light helicopter manufacturer Enstrom. The Michigan-based helicopter manufacturer, which has been producing helicopters since the late 1950s, was acquired by the Chongqing Helicopter Investment Co. (CQHIC). Enstrom hopes the move will enable it to expand its reach into China. At the same time, the new financial backing will permit the company to invest in its plant at Menominee to meet current and expected future demands.
