The Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) team has a new rallying cry: 12 in 12! The slogan refers to the plan to deliver eight 747-8s, two BBJs and two BBJ 2s, all for VIP service, in 2012. Total value: $2.7 billion, or more than double the highest figure ever attained by the unit in a single year.
Arab Wings of Amman has become the first operator in the Middle East to take delivery of a Global 5000 jet featuring the Vision Flight Deck. The Jordanian operator also includes Challenger 604 and Challenger 605 aircraft in its fleet.
An ongoing tax dispute between the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and NetJets is expanding over an apparent effort by the agency to assess the commercial ticket tax on management fees. The IRS recently filed a countersuit against NetJets seeking $366 million in unpaid taxes, interest and fees. The countersuit was filed last month in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, claiming NetJets “has failed, neglected, or refused to pay its federal tax liabilities for the assessments.”
Now armed with additional information, the Obama administration and Congress are revisiting whether LightSquared should be able to build its 4G broadband communications network.
2012 has proved to be a positive year so far for Empire Aviation Group (EAG), the Dubai-based private aviation specialist, as demand returns to the Middle East private jet charter market and outstrips the supply of jets available. According to EAG, leisure charters dominated the recent festive season as families headed for the Indian Ocean whilst the business charter travellers took a break. As demand returns, charter rates have firmed and service has become the main differentiating factor for clients in selecting their preferred operator.
NASA is claiming a breakthrough in the design of supersonic aircraft, with wind-tunnel tests proving it is possible to design configurations that combine low sonic boom with low cruise drag, characteristics once thought to be mutually exclusive.
NASA is claiming a breakthrough in the design of supersonic aircraft, with wind-tunnel tests proving it is possible to design configurations that combine low sonic boom with low cruise drag, characteristics once thought to be mutually exclusive.
SHARON PFLIEGER was named director of organizational effectiveness for Gulfstream Aerospace. In her new position, Pflieger will lead employee learning and development, compliance and technical training and organizational development groups. She formerly was organizational development manager, providing support to Gulfstream’s business units in the areas of coaching, change management, facilitation and implementation of the Gulfstream leadership model.
Industry groups are lining up behind the pending nomination of FAA acting Administrator Michael Huerta to be the next FAA Administrator, but Capitol Hill appears in no hurry to act on it. The White House on March 27 announced its intention to nominate Huerta to fill the role vacated by Randy Babbitt in December. Huerta currently is deputy administrator of the agency and has been acting administrator since Babbitt’s departure.
Minsheng Financial Leasing Co. is spearheading an alliance of 17 companies that are declaring their intent to develop the Chinese business aviation industry in an orderly fashion and to Western standards. “By founding the Shanghai Alliance … Minsheng aims to help nurture China’s business jet market on a sound, healthy and sustainable course,” the company says.
Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Centre, which last fall became the first business aviation services provider in China to win Part 145 approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), is expanding its service reach with recent agreements with Dassault and Cessna to support the growing Chinese business jet fleet.
RUDY TOERING was appointed vice president of business development for FlightPath International. Toering joins FlightPath from CAE, where he held a number of positions, including director, global training delivery standards and data management. While with CAE, he established the pilot and maintenance training standards division and also managed all North American commercial training centers. He also has served with FlightSafety International as managing director of business development.
Hawker Beechcraft is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. The airframer was founded in 1932 by Walter H. Beech, who left an executive position with Curtiss-Wright Corp. to design and manufacturer airplanes in Wichita. The company first delivered the Beechcraft Model 17 biplane, called the Staggerwing, and has since delivered a range of general aviation, business, commercial, special mission, trainer and light attack piston, turboprop and jet aircraft. “Hawker Beechcraft changed the course of general aviation,” says Bill Boisture, chairman, Hawker Beechcraft.
JUDITH MORETON was appointed vice president and general manager of Jet Aviation’s facility at London Biggin Hill. Moreton has 25 years of aviation industry experience, holding operational roles with commercial airlines, senior management positions with Shell Aircraft and as operations manager for UPC Aviation Service. She also served as managing director of Bombardier Skyjet International and established her own business aviation consultancy.
Charter capacity in the Asian region has increased 20-25% over the past 12 months, as operators try to keep pace with the rapidly expanding market, reports Magnus Henrikkson of Avinode Business Intelligence on the opening day of the Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE) in Shanghai, China, Henrikkson attributes the capacity growth to airlines, including China Eastern, Air China, Hainan Airlines and Korean Air expanding into the regional charter market with dedicated business jets.
Avplan Trip Support, an Avfuel flight planning company, has partnered with JSSI, an independent provider of hourly cost maintenance programs, to offer Avplan customers access to JSSI’s global team of experts. Under the partnership, Avplan will connect its customers with JSSI technical advisors when needed. JSSI in turn will serve as a liaison between the operators and local maintenance providers during the repair process, including providing recommendations, making maintenance arrangement and serving as a general point of contact.
The European Union’s emissions trading system (ETS) singles out business aviation for political reasons, Leo McStravick, Gulfstream Aerospace senior flight operations technical specialist, said March 28 at a roundtable on Capitol Hill.
FAA is continuing to assess cost and pricing information as it develops a proposal to charge for digital chart products, the agency says. FAA last fall had indicated a possibility of beginning to charge for digital charts beginning in April, but in a recent notice says, “The FAA has not set any dates for completion of the final proposal or a timeline for implementation.” The agency adds it would keep the community updated about its progress.
BURL A. ROGERS (type certificate previously held by William Brad Mitchell and Aeronca) Models 15AC and S15AC airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-0318; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-033-AD; Amendment 39-16966; AD 2012-04-10] – requires repetitive inspections of the upper and lower main wing spar cap angles for cracks and/or corrosion and installing inspection access panels. This AD also requires replacing the wing spar cap angles if moderate or severe corrosion is found and applying corrosion inhibitor.
Hawker Beechcraft recently sold three Beechcraft King Air C90G Tx turboprops to two aviation colleges in China for multi-engine pilot training. The Civil Aviation University in China (CAUC) bought two of the aircraft, and Xinjiang Tianxiang Aviation College purchased the third. All three will be delivered this year. Hawker Beechcraft previously has sold the C90G Tx for training in China to Shenzhen Kunpeng International Flight Academy, Xi’an Tenglong General Aviation Co, Ltd. and Ordos General Aviation Co.
ALPHA AVIATION Model R2160 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0279; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-007-AD] – Proposes to require replacement of oil pressure transducer hoses, in addition to oil lines. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information originated by the aviation authority of New Zealand that cites reports that the oil lines fitted to affected aircraft are not fire resistant. FAA estimates the AD will affect 10 aircraft on the U.S. Registry at a cost $8,500, or $850 per aircraft. FAA will accept comments on the proposal through May 3.
Cessna’s teaming agreement with China’s state-owned aerospace conglomerate Avic will provide an avenue for the Wichita airframer to move into a larger jet segment. The U.S. aircraft maker late last month signed two separate agreements with Avic and its related companies, one covering a joint venture to produce midsize business jet models and a potential new product, and another to “pursue various activities pertaining to the development of general aviation businesses in China, including the establishment of an aircraft service network in China,” says Cessna.
United Technologies Corp. (UTC) will have to wait a little longer before it completes its proposed $18.4 billion acquisition of Goodrich. European Union antitrust officials are examining competition concerns arising from the combination of the companies’ operations, a move that could delay the deal’s closing beyond UTC’s midyear target.
BOMBARDIER Model DHC-8-102, -103, and -106 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-0190; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-033-AD; Amendment 39-16979; AD 2012-05-07] – requires a general visual inspection for chamfer of the upper edge of each leaf spring, and rework if necessary. This AD also requires installing a new friction brake nut.
Confronted with changes in industry economics and what seems to be the inevitable demise of small, and possibly larger, regional jets, governments and small communities in the U.S. may soon face tough choices over the future of scheduled service at small regional airports. “I think we’re coming to a tipping point where we’re going to have to decide what the real needs are,” Kelly Johnson, airport director for the Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, said at the recent FAA Aviation Forecast Conference in Washington.
