The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute (ASI) finds little evidence of any difference in the safety records of general aviation aircraft with glass cockpits compared with those equipped with analog instruments. ASI last week released a study, the Accident Record of Technologically Advanced Aircraft, which tracks the safety records of more than 20,000 certified piston airplanes produced between 1996 and 2010.
Jet Aviation expanded its network to 14 fixed-base operations (FBOs) with the acquisition of Enterprise Jet Center at Hobby Airport in Houston. Opened in 2006, Enterprise Jet Center provides fuel, catering, aircraft cleaning and maintenance, repair and overhaul services. The company’s facilities include a 28,500-sq.-ft. terminal/office built, an 85,000-sq.-ft. hangar and a 30,000-sq.-ft. maintenance facility. The facility is Jet Aviation’s sixth FBO in the U.S., joining locations in Boston/Bedford, Dallas, Palm Beach, Fla., St. Louis and Teterboro, N.J.
Gulfstream Aerospace is hoping to obtain full certification and delivery of its G280 super midsize business jet in the second quarter, after receiving provisional type certification (PTC) from FAA on March 1. The PTC followed similar approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel on Dec. 29.
Higher revenues and lower aircraft maintenance costs are driving NetJets’ profitability despite slower aircraft sales, says NetJets parent company Berkshire Hathaway. NetJets reported pretax earnings were up 10% to $227 million in 2011, a performance that Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett says was particularly impressive because sales of new aircraft shares were slow during most of the year. NetJets did see an uptick in December “that was more than seasonally normal,” he says, but it’s still unclear whether that improvement is sustainable.
Saddled with mounting debt and heavy losses, India's airlines are caught in a no-win situation. Passenger traffic is increasing, but costs are rising faster. The airlines want to grow and modernize their fleets to cater to passenger demand, but financing planned fleet expansion is problematic. Indian banks, which have about $7 billion already tied up in the airlines, are worried about their exposure to the sector and are unwilling to restructure loans to carriers, including state-run Air India.
Quick, what's the most ambitious aircraft program today? The Lockheed Martin F-35? Wrong. The Boeing 787? Not even close. The AgustaWestland AW609 tiltrotor? Non e corretto. The right answer: Honda Aircraft's HondaJet.
Luxury VIP jet operator Royal Jet has reported a record growth in net profits today as it said its 2011 figures soared by 226 percent out of total revenues that increased by 31.2 percent from the previous year.
The Helicopter Association of America heard operators voice concern over “premature and ill-advised” rulemaking by the FAA in connection with real estate congestion along assigned routes. The fear was restriction from heavily populated routes — and the possible need to control real estate for emergency landing spots — would rob the helicopter of its natural advantage. FAA Administrator Halaby assured that helicopter regs will be written by pilots and engineers, and suggested operators “try before you cry.”
One of the many skills that an aircraft maintenance technician needs to master is the ability to develop and execute a structural repair. A large portion of the FAR Part 147 approved training program involves a wide variety of structural tasks ranging from fabric patches, to riveting and welding. While few of us have ever had the opportunity to tie a seine knot or weld a three-legged tube intersection, the basic skills are necessary to gain a full appreciation for the concept of structural integrity.
Think back to the first hours you spent with your instrument flight instructor under the hood. Remember his litany? “Trim, trim, trim. Scan. Don't focus on one instrument. Keep your scan moving. Trim, trim, trim. There's a combination of attitude, power and airspeed for every mode of flight. Scan, set the power, set the attitude, trim and monitor the result.”
Jet Services, based at Le Bourget airport in Paris, is expanding its operations with the takeover of the Darta Group. Jet Services says the move will enhance its business aviation activities at Le Bourget, but also will strengthen Darta's long-term position. Jet Services provides terminal handling, maintenance, aerial photography and other business aviation services. Darta operates a fleet of Beechcraft and Falcon jets, provides ground handling and client reception, travel agency and charter services.
Proponents of a new airport for the southeast of England that would address a worsening capacity bottleneck are going to get a hearing for their controversial plan. The airport, to be built on reclaimed land in the Thames estuary, is billed by some as an alternative to adding runway capacity at existing London airports.
SureFlight has opened a new aircraft completion center in Coatesville, Penn. The center will enable the company to expand its completion capabilities, including both interior and exterior services. The company added Andy Waynick as manager of interior completions to lead the team at the new center. He previously held interiors management roles with West Star, Atlantic Aero and StandardAero.
Jet Aviation Dusseldorf completed refurbishing its third hangar. Heating, lighting and electrical systems were installed, in addition to transparent insulated gates, converting the former tenant-only hangar to a 2,450 sq. meters (26,372 sq. ft.) combination maintenance and tenant hangar.
Several federal agencies objected to LightSquared's plan on the grounds that it had the potential to degrade or deny GPS signal reception. So, they recently petitioned FCC to pull the plug on LightSquared.
The number 23 is a sore spot in my household. First, it was the number on Michael Jordan's jersey. That might mean basketball greatness for the Chicago Bulls faithful, but if you are from Cleveland, as is my family, it takes on a completely different meaning since he was the source of heartbreak for Cavaliers fans for many years. It was also the number of that traitor LeBron James. The day he announced signing with Miami, my middle son sadly tossed his favorite Cavs jersey into the garbage.
FlightSafety International opened its new Hong Kong Learning Center, which will initially offer training programs for Gulfstream G450 and Gulfstream G550 aircraft using a new Level-D qualified full-flight simulator and advanced training devices. “We are pleased to join with Gulfstream to expand the service we provide our mutual Customers in the Asia-Pacific region by offering Gulfstream G450 and Gulfstream G550 training at our new Learning Center in Hong Kong,” said Bruce Whitman, president and CEO.
CAVU's EFB-Pro for the iPhone and iPad has been selected by the U.S. Air Force for its fleet of C21A (Lear Jet 35A) aircraft. The program allows the pilot to select the aircraft from a pull-down list and then toggle the appropriate configuration. All the weight and balance information is automatically set and integrated directly into the performance calculations. Although an internet connection is not required, if one is available, current weather integrated directly into the calculations by selected from the worldwide database of airports installed in the device.
West Star Aviation has received FAA STC approval to install Wi-Fi on Gulfstream Vs. The certification includes connectivity via both or either Inmarsat Swift Broadband and the Aircell Gogo Biz networks using the Aircell CTR wireless router. West Star completed the installation on a Gulfstream GV based on the West Coast and operated under FAR Part 135.
FAA will increasingly rely upon collaboration with the helicopter community to improve safety as its regulatory efforts are concentrated on the dozens of congressional mandates issued in the most recent FAA reauthorization bill and a pilot safety bill adopted 18 months ago, FAA Flight Standards Deputy Director John McGraw said during Heli-Expo 2012.
The 2012 HAI Heli-Expo wrapped up with 19,023 total attendees, 650+ exhibitors and 60 helicopters on the show floor at the Dallas Convention Center. Next year's show will be held in Las Vegas, Monday, March 4 through Thursday March 7.
