The U.S. is partnering with Brazilian officials to help expand airport, airspace and security infrastructure in Brazil, while opening up new trade opportunities for U.S. companies.
A new European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) rule covering flight-crew licensing has the potential of grounding hundreds, if not thousands, of general aviation pilots in certain European countries, such as the U.K. The rule, which took effect on April 8, enacts EASA requirements for pilot training and the issuance of European pilot licenses, ratings and certificates.
BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON Model 407 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0337; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-090-AD] – proposes to require replacement of the tailboom-attachment hardware and perform initial and recurring determinations of the torque on the nuts of the tailboom-attachment bolts at all four attachment locations.
FOKKER Model F.28 Mark 0070 and 0100 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0300; Directorate Identifier 2011-NM-276-AD] – proposes to require, for all airplanes, applying sealant below the FQIS probes in the wing tanks; and for certain airplanes, applying sealant below the FQIS probes in the integral center wing tank (ICWT). This proposed AD would also require revising the aircraft maintenance program by revising the fuel airworthiness limitations and incorporating critical design configuration control limitations.
As military procurements go, the U.S. Air Force’s competition to supply 20 turboprop light-attack/advanced training aircraft to the Afghan air force is hardly on the cutting edge of technology. Yet a battle for the modest contract has become a political hot potato between the U.S. and one of the world’s rising economic powers, Brazil. Last week, it served as a backdrop to Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s visit to the White House.
Constant Aviation in Cleveland was appointed as an authorized service center for the Rolls-Royce AE 3007 engine. The appointment enables Constant Aviation to offer in-house engine maintenance, on-site parts and warranty claim processing for Legacy 600/650 operators.
FAA officials estimate that they will select six sites for integrating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into the national airspace by December. Since early May, the agency has been accepting public comments that will help it shape the test sites. The comment period runs through May 8, officials said in a web-based conference April 10.
GEORGE G.C. PARKER has joined the board of directors for XOJet. Parker is a former senior associate dean for academic affairs at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and is a Dean Witter distinguished professor of finance (emeritus). He has a background in teaching in research focusing on corporate finance, financial institutions management and corporate governance. He has served on the boards of numerous organizations, including Continental Airlines.
Bombardier recently handed over the first Global 6000 aircraft equipped with the Vision Flight Deck. The aircraft, to be operated by Wideworld Services, was delivered just weeks after the first Vision Flight Deck-equipped aircraft, a Global 5000, entered service with Formula 1 champion Niki Lauda. Bombardier also has handed over a Vision Flight Deck-equipped Global 5000 to Arab Wings of Amman, Jordan. The avionics package, which incorporates synthetic vision imagery on a head-up display as part of the Pro Line Fusion system, received FAA certification on Feb.
The Aviation Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition, which returned last month after a five-year hiatus, underscores the rapid growth of business aviation in the region. The most recent event drew 6,375 attendees, nearly triple the 2,200 who attended the 2007 ABACE in Hong Kong, NBAA says.
KEVIN SHEEHAN has joined the board of directors for XOJet. Sheehan is president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line. He has international business experience, helping found Telmundo, the second-largest Spanish-language television network. He also has served as chairman and CEO of Cendant Corp.’s Vehicle Services Division, where he was responsible for brands including Avis, Budget, PPH Vehicle Management, First Fleet and Wright Express.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport’s South Runway 9R/27L will close this week as part of the airport’s expansion plan. General aviation and commuter aircraft will be the most affected by the closure; most of this traffic from April 18 will be diverted to the North Runway and during heavy demand to the airport’s Crosswind Runway. The upgraded South Runway is expected to reopen in late 2014. The $791 million project will extend 9R/27L to 8,000 ft.
Daher-Socata handed over the first of 37 retrofitted TB 20 Trinidad single-engine aircraft to France’s Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile (ENAC). The aircraft are fitted with an integrated Garmin G500 integrated avionics suite, two GNS 430W combined communication-navigation systems, a Garmin GAD 43 digital autopilot and a number of other optional features. The G500 avionics suite incorporates a 6.5-in. primary flight display and multifunction display, along with an attitude/heading reference system, Garmin’s Synthetic Vision Technology software, and Jeppesen Chartview.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model SA341G helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0338; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-51-AD] – proposes to require establishing a retirement life of 12,000 hr. time-in-service (TIS) for the rotating star. This proposed AD is prompted by an analysis and tests performed by the manufacturer that indicate that the life limit of the rotating star should be 12,000 hr. TIS. The proposed actions are intended to prevent failure of the rotating star and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. FAA estimates the AD would affect 21 helicopters on the U.S.
Corporate raider Paul Bilzerian may have ended up in prison after his takeover and break-up of diversified manufacturer Singer in the late 1980s, but he set in motion a chain of events that shaped and reshaped the flight-simulation market—and which may only now reaching their conclusion. Always technology-driven and highly competitive, the simulation industry has been wracked by waves of consolidation that have seen the some players change hands several times.
When pictures emerged last year showing Afriqiyah Airways aircraft destroyed in fighting in Libya, it was emblematic of the enormous toll that the war exacted on the region's air transport sector. A year later, industry officials at the Marrakech air show tell Aviation Week that they are starting to see signs of the market settling and the groundwork being laid for new orders. Deals themselves may still be months off, but the relatively quick turnaround is nonetheless striking even as carriers are also struggling with high fuel prices.
Canada's CAE and Israeli manufacturer Aeronautics have completed initial flights of a Dominator XP twin-engine unmanned aircraft from Alma Airport in Quebec under Project Miskam. The flights from the UAS Center of Excellence at Alma constitute the first phase of an R&D project aimed at demonstrating how unmanned aircraft can be used for civil applications such as inspecting pipelines and hydroelectric installations, monitoring forest fires and natural resources, and assessing disasters.
Royal Jet's 2011 business performance has carried over into the first quarter of 2012 as the private jet operator recorded a 15 per cent increase in revenue over the same period last year.
NATS has participated in the inaugural Global Aerospace Summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE, to discuss the pivotal role air traffic management must play in shaping the future of the aerospace, aviation and space sectors.
The region's thriving airlines are putting aside their current successes to wrestle with the challenges facing the aviation sector on a global scale – geo-political, natural and economic - at this week's Global Aerospace Summit, being held in Abu Dhabi on Monday and Tuesday, 16 and 17 April, 2012.
Hawker Beechcraft is calling on the U.S. Air Force to re-write specifications when it re-bids the botched Light Air Support (LAS) contract. Chairman Bill Boisture says the original requirements laid out by the Air Force did not include standards mandated in other fixed-wing competitions in areas such as pilot safety and the use of proven U.S. or NATO munitions. That should be corrected when the service releases a new request for proposals later this month, he told Aviation Week editors in an interview.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport’s South Runway 9R/27L will close next week as part of the airport’s expansion plan. General aviation and commuter aircraft will be the most affected by the closure; most of this traffic from April 18 will be diverted to the North Runway and during heavy demand to the airport’s Crosswind Runway. The upgraded South Runway is expected to reopen in late 2014. The $791 million project will extend 9R/27L to 8,000 feet.
Embraer may wait until 2013 to pick a new engine for its family of E-Jets as it talks with airlines about what upgrades are needed to keep the jets competitive. President and CEO Frederico Fleury Curado says the Brazilian airframer is studying a range of options for the E-170/175 and E-190/195 jets, including a next-generation engine, whether to offer three or four variants and what improvements should be made beyond the new engines. But he says the company is “some time away from having a frozen configuration.”
The U.S. is partnering with Brazilian officials to help expand their country’s airport, airspace and security infrastructure, while opening up new trade opportunities for U.S. companies.
The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) has announced its strategic partnership with the Global Aerospace Summit, which is being presented by Mubadala from 16-19th April.
