ImperialJet took delivery of a new Bombardier Challenger 605 business jet for the company's charter fleet. The company says it has seen strong demand for its Bombardier Challengers, particularly in Russia and Saudi Arabia. The company operates Challenger 850, 605 and 604 aircraft in addition to Learjet 60/60 XR and Gulfstream III jets. The company further has five Learjet 85s on order that are slated to enter service in 2014.
Community leaders in Wichita are assembling a task force that will develop some “fairly aggressive strategies” to boost the aviation industry as the city wrestles with Boeing's January announcement that it will pull its defense, space and security operations out of Wichita and lay off or relocate up to 2,100 workers, says Suzie Ahlstrand, interim president of the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition (GWEDC).
In “Cabin Electronic Systems” (December, 2011) the listing for Audio International (subsidiary of DeCrane Aerospace) should actually have been Goodrich Interiors — Cabin Electronic Systems. Goodrich acquired the Audio International asset of DeCrane over a year ago.
After a steady decline in his health, the father of a colleague passed away not long ago. In the weeks that followed, the gentleman's survivors, a son and daughter, had to deal with all the details of his departure — accounts to close, notifications to various institutions, cleaning out a lifetime's collections of paperwork, photos, clothing, mementos. A long, melancholy process. The very last item on their To Do list was the biggie: Selling the house.
Although by no measure the business aviation hub of its heyday years, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is once again welcoming — albeit in an admittedly paranoid manner — business aircraft operators to take advantage of the close-in facility, located minutes from the federal capital.
The NBAA expressed strong opposition to a European court's ruling in December 2011 that a plan by European regulators to tax carbon emissions from aircraft should apply to all aircraft operators across the international aviation community, including those based in the U.S. In a decision announced Dec. 21, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) said European authorities are authorized to obligate all operators, including the airlines and general aviation, to comply with the program, known as the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS).
Regarding “Security Outlook, All eyes are focused on LASP II,” (January 2011, page 45) I doubt whether any business aviation insider believes the TSA's next NPRM for the revised LASP will be published successfully anytime soon.
FAA issued Advisory Circular 90-114 regarding usage of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology in compliance with FAR 91.225 and 91.227. These regulations require aircraft operating in certain classes of airspace to be equipped with ADS-B Out beginning Jan. 1, 2020. The circular contains guidance on compliance, including an overview of the ADS-B system, general operating procedures and performance requirements.
Gulfstream Aerospace has enhanced the services available to operators with the addition of a mobile support vehicle and a renovated customer lobby at its Brunswick, Ga., facility. The specially outfitted truck includes an air compressor, generator and a laptop to sign off work in real time allowing technicians to perform or support many maintenance services and transport a range of replacement parts. The renovated lobby has Wi-Fi, a 52-in. HD television and new furniture, among other improvements. Brunswick's 25,000-sq.-ft.
West Star Aviation's facility in East Alton, Ill., was named an authorized service center for the GE CF34 engine. The authorization means the facility can provide service and support of the engine and supply related parts and products. West Star's facility in Grand Junction, Colo., has been an authorized GE service provider for more than 6 yr.
The FAA wants to shift most controller-pilot messages — more than 1.2 million a day — to a digital text-based network. This will be one of the key enablers of the NextGen modernization effort, which requires aircraft to fly satellite-based procedures that are too complex for current ATC communications technology. The agency's Data Communications (Data Comm) program will make it quicker for controllers to send and revise clearances, as well as reducing frequency congestion and allowing the transmission of complex flight profiles.
FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 00-24B cautions that thunderstorms contain multiple weather hazards and that pilots should never regard any thunderstorm lightly, even when radar observers report the echoes are of light intensity. Avoiding thunderstorms is the best policy. Here are the FAA's Do's and Don'ts for thunderstorm avoidance: Don't land or take off in the face of an approaching thunderstorm. A sudden gust front of low-level turbulence could cause loss of control.
Transport Canada has approved a 500-lb. gross weight increase for Bell Model 429 helicopter to 7,500 lb., the company says. As we go to press, Bell is seeking FAA and EASA validation. Responding to customer requests, Bell worked on the change for more than a year and spent the last several months validating data for the weight increase with Transport Canada. The improvement provides increases in range or longer loiter times — which the company notes can be particularly important for EMS and law enforcement, two key markets for the 429.
TSA approved a five-year extension of its partnership with National Air Transportation Association Compliance Services (NATACS) to provide a range of general aviation security programs. The partnership recognizes NATACS as a Trusted Fingerprint Facility to process biographical and biometric information. The partnership, established in 2002, has been extended through December 2016. NATACS provides all pre-enrollment, enrollment, fingerprint collection, and secure data transmission for TSA-conducted background checks of aircrew members and flight students.
A unique “helipod” single-place helicopter design uses a shroud-ring to completely enclose coaxial short-span rotors. The shroud serves to shield counter-rotating blades to overcome lift dissymmetry and increase rotor efficiency. Helipod Inc. of California, which plans to build the ship in Japan, calls it a “shielding rotating wing biplane” and says the prototype will fly this summer.
Eurocopter released improved performance specifications for its new EC175 helicopter scheduled to enter service by year-end. The company announced a baseline payload/radius-of-action with 16 passengers at 135 nm when configured for offshore oil and gas missions, a 30% increase compared with the initial performance baseline. For longer-range missions, EC175 can transport 12 passengers to a radius of action of 190 nm. An 18-passenger configuration option is under development with the goal of achieving a radius-of-action of 100 nm.
Reps. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.) have introduced a “Pilot’s Bill of Rights,” similar to the legislation introduced by Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) last summer. The bill, referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is designed to improve the flow of information during FAA enforcement actions, including access to flight service briefings and other sources that may require a subpoena. The bill also calls for improving the notice to airmen system and reviewing medical forms to ensure they are clear.
BRP–POWERTRAIN & CO KG ROTAX 914 F2, F3 and F4 reciprocating engines [Docket No. FAA-2011-1022; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-20-AD; Amendment 39-16919; AD 2012-01-07] – requires replacing the fuel pressure regulator within 100 flight hours after the effective date of this AD. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) originated by an aviation authority of another country to identify and correct an unsafe condition on an aviation product.
ERIC STUCK was named senior manager, new business development, for Gulfstream Aerospace’s Product Support organization. Stuck will oversee the development of aftermarket avionics and cabin electronics modification programs for Gulfstream aircraft. He has 28 years of experience in the aviation industry, including 15 in product support sales and program management. He formerly worked for Hawker Beechcraft, Bombardier, Banyon Air Services and AMR Combs.
U.S. business jet flights are starting off a little slower in 2012, according to Avinode Business Intelligence. Avinode’s Magnus Henriksson posted a first look at U.S. business jet activity at the beginning of 2012, comparing U.S. business jet flights during the first 22 days of this year with the same period of the three previous years (2009-2011).
Bombardier Business Aircraft’s strong order intake provides another positive indicator of a recovering business aircraft market. Bombardier reports that it took in 191 net orders during its fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2011, which is a near doubling of the 107 taken in the previous fiscal year.
Five months since its formal launch and with growth slightly ahead of plan, Clive Jackson, founder and CEO of the business jet-sharing service Victor, is finalizing the startup’s financing and growth plans.
TAREK RAGHEB was named senior advisor for Gulfstream Aerospace’s international sales team for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMA). Ragheb, who helped develop and headed the EMA sales team for the past 18 years, will provide strategic guidance and counsel to the team. Before joining Gulfstream in 1994, he was vice president General Electric Aerospace for the Middle East and Africa and then president of Martin Marietta International, Middle East.
GE CF34-10E series turbofan engines [Docket No. FAA-2011-0599; Directorate Identifier 2011-NE-19-AD; Amendment 39-16922; AD 2012-01-10] – requires removing from service all CVD support assemblies and any fan drive shaft on the affected engines if wear is found on either the CVD support ring or the fan drive shaft. This AD was prompted by a report of heavy wear found on the seating surface of the center vent duct (CVD) (commonly referred to as center vent tube) support ring and on the inside diameter of the fan drive shaft at the mating location.
