Transmitter frequency stability regulation, commonly called the “.005” rule, has been withheld from the body of ITU rules just recently put into force by the FCC. Designed to protect air-ground communications from wider band use by transmitters meeting only the present “.01” frequency stability limit, this rule has been vigorously opposed by the AOPA. Objections centered on unnecessary re-equipment of aircraft with new closer tolerance transmitters, which would be required on many light aircraft.
GE Aviation has finalized the architectural design of its Passport engine for the Bombardier Global 7000 and Global 8000 aircraft. The “Tollgate 6” review, part of GE's New Product Introduction Process, was held on April 27. With the design frozen, GE now begins the detailed design phase. Component fabrication will begin soon, leading to the start of assembly of the first full engine by year-end. The first engine is scheduled to begin testing in 2013.
As the Eclipse 550 readies for production, PZL Mielec has signed on to produce airframe components for Eclipse Aerospace, Inc. Major components include the fuselage, empennage and wings for the Eclipse 550 jet. PZL Mielec would manufacture the components in Poland and ship them to Eclipse's facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., for final assembly and delivery to customers once Eclipse officially starts production. PZL Mielec is an affiliate of Sikorsky Aircraft, which is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.
In the first quarter, Gulfstream saw 60% of new bookings come from the U.S. “That breaks a trend,” says company President Larry Flynn, noting that last year it was only 30%. “The U.S. is coming back strong,” he notes, with the pick up that began in the last quarter of 2011 appearing to last.
Bombardier revealed its Learjet 40XR and 45XR replacements at EBACE. The six-seat Learjet 70 and 8-seat Learjet 75 are both slated to enter service in the second half 2013. The new models will feature more thrust, improved takeoff performance, faster climb to cruise altitude, better fuel efficiency and lower operating costs. They will be powered by 3,850-lb. thrust Honeywell TFE731-40BR turbofans and have Bombardier's signature Vision cockpit layout featuring Garmin G5000 avionics. The Vision flight decks will feature three, 14-in.
Dassault Falcon has received a Supplemental Type Certificate to install ADS-B Out on Falcon 50EX's equipped with Rockwell Collins Pro Line 4 avionics. The STC package involves replacing current transponders with upgraded units that support the new protocol, along with wiring and other related components. Installation can be carried out at any Dassault Service Center or Authorized Service Center. By itself, the upgrade takes about two weeks. But if performed in the course of a C-Check, it requires no additional downtime.
In aviation, maintainers face conflicts every day — in scheduling, resource access and prioritization, to name a few examples. Regardless, the end goal is to provide a safe and fully functioning aircraft in time for the mission. So, resolving conflicts quickly and equitably within the department is key, and the solution inevitably revolves around teamwork. The concept is easy, but the execution can be a challenge even for the best of managers.
In today's business aviation world and that includes civil government operations such as law enforcement — strict safety management is required to balance the risks versus benefits of any tactical operation.
When an aircraft crash catches the public eye, such as the 2005 Bombardier Challenger overrun in Teterboro, N.J., the long-term ramifications can be wide-ranging and costly to the entire industry.
The Longitude will be the launch platform for the Snecma Silvercrest, a clean-sheet 8,500- to 12,000-lb.-thrust turbofan that promises 15% better specific fuel consumption than current engines in this thrust class, along with a 50% margin to CAEP/6 NOx limits and 20% margin to FAR Part 36 Stage 4 noise limits. It will be rated for takeoff up to 11,000 lb. for the Longitude.
Embraer Executive Jet's entry-level aircraft, the Phenom 100, passed another program milestone when flight hours totaled 100,000, a little over 3 yr. since it entered service in December 2008. The 100,000-hr. mark comes after the company delivered the first U.S. produced Phenom 100 to Executive AirShare in December 2011 and the certification of an optional fifth seat a month earlier.
Satcom Direct, of Satellite Beach, Fla., a provider of satellite voice, fax, datalink and Internet communications solutions, announced the opening of an international office located in Hangar 2 at TAG Farnborough Airport Farnborough, U.K. The new office will provide European customers with physical access to Satcom Direct's avionics and testing lab, training facility, and support services for pilots, flight operations and maintenance staff. Satcom Direct will also extend their wireless service to customer aircraft flying in to TAG Farnborough Airport.
Is this BARR 2.0? FAA released a proposal in May outlining permanent procedures for aircraft owners seeking to block their registration information from near-real-time flight tracking programs. FAA had restored the program — which had been called Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) — on an interim basis in December 2011 under the direction of Congress. In the fiscal 2012 transportation appropriations minibus bill signed into law Nov. 18, 2011, Congress mandated FAA to remove the restrictions from participation.
I read the safety articles in BCA with great interest, including “Flying Without Airspeed” (March 2012, page 34). It states, “We build airplanes that cannot stall,” and “The FBW system prevented the stall.” (And by the way, where is Figure 1?) This is all true when all these systems and indicators are working correctly: For the Airbus A330 and 340, this is called the “normal” law that commands the flight control computers.
Gulfstream expects to receive FAA type certification for the large-cabin G650 and super midsize G280 in the third quarter with customer deliveries planned shortly after. The two aircraft are “neck and neck,” so it is not clear which will be certified first, says Gulfstream President Larry Flynn. European Aviation Safety Agency certification is due by year-end. The G280 flight test campaign, now at more than 2,000 hr., has completed all company and FAA certification flights, says Scott Neal, Gulfstream senior vice president for sales and marketing.
Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support (GCS) announced the first flight of the Hawker 400XPR engine test article. The May 7 flight was the first of an upgraded 400 aircraft with new Williams International FJ44-4A-32 engines. The Hawker 400XPR upgrade features the increased power of the Williams International FJ44-4A-32 engines and Hawker Winglets. Also available are optional Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics and a number of system enhancements that the company says significantly improve performance, operating cost and resale value.
Laura Hillenbrand's superb book “Unbroken,” recounts the life of Louis Zamperini. A blazing fast Olympian, with the attack on Pearl Harbor, he traded track shoes for flying boots. The young bombardier's most daunting contest came after his jinxed B-24 ditched and disappeared in the wide Pacific. What followed is a testament to human endurance, spirit and courage.
Hawthorne Global Aviation Services has opened an FBO at Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) in Islip, N.Y., co-located with ExcelAire, a provider of aircraft management, charter and maintenance services. The Hawthorne-branded FBO, the largest private jet facility on Long Island, is the cornerstone of its developing FBO network across North America, the company says.
Hawker Beechcraft has secured initial court approval that the company says will enable it to continue its ordinary business while the company proceeds with its prearranged Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. The court approval enables the Wichita manufacturer to pay employees, vendors and suppliers, using $400 million in debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing to meet its obligations. The plan will eliminate $2.5 billion in debt and about $125 million in annual interest expense, Hawker Beechcraft says.
Helicopter repair and maintenance company, Superior Aviation Services, Inc., has recently expanded by moving from Dallas Fort Worth Airport to a larger facility at the nearby Dallas Executive Airport (KRBD). The company says the move offers capacity for more aircraft and easier access for customers. Since 1983, Superior Aviation has been providing helicopter maintenance services for turbine helicopters.
Conventional wisdom is that new aircraft sales will lag until the used inventory shrinks, but business aviation consultant Brian Foley disagrees. “There is no cause-and-effect relationship because, generally speaking, new and pre-owned buyers are totally different groups,” Foley says.
Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support has appointed Gama Support Services at Farnborough Airport, U.K., to its worldwide network of limited service centers to support its Beechcraft King Air 200, 250, 300 and 350 aircraft and Beechcraft Premier business jets. In addition, Gama Support Services will support the Beechcraft Baron and Bonanza products as a fully authorized service center.
StandardAero Business Aviation announced it now offers EASA Supplemental Type Certificate certification services and certification training. StandardAero provides applicants seeking STC approval the ability to obtain both FAA and EASA certification approval concurrently within 30-60 days, compared to the usual 90-plus day approval cycle for each individual agency certification. This expedited approval process saves operators substantial costs by reducing the aircraft's downtime.
General Electric has increased the 2020 revenue target for its business and general aviation engine segment because of strong order bookings. The company had set a target of reaching $1 billion in revenue by 2020, but with business already booked, the company knows it will surpass that level, says Brad Mottier, vice president and general manager GE Aviation business and general aviation. A new target has now been set, he says, without disclosing the new level. The engine division also is closing in on several key milestones for its product portfolio.
