Inflight connectivity and entertainment provider Gogo, which until recently was known as Aircell, is seeking new funds through an initial public offering (IPO). Gogo has spent a lot of money to dominate the inflight connectivity sector within the U.S., particularly the commercial sector, and this has in turn has produced losses since 2006, when the company was awarded rights to offer its air-to-ground (ATG) service to commercial and business aircraft.
P. HORST BROCKMUELLER has joined Oriens Advisors as an investment and business aviation expert. Brockmueller will support clients seeking funds, looking to restructure existing businesses or needing advice on their businesses. Brockmueller has experience in startup aviation operating businesses, as well as private equity and funding companies. He will continue as chairman and managing partner of London-based private equity firm Catalyst Equity Partners.
Strom Aviation, a Dallas-based aerospace staffing firm, has launched a new unit, Strom Direct Aviation Staffing, which will focus on permanent placement in the corporate aviation and helicopter markets. The unit will handle executive search, crew and other position placements. In addition, it will offer a payroll and insurance service for crew and operations personnel. Strom Aviation provides aircraft mechanics and technical and engineering contract staffing services to the aviation and aerospace communities.
After a 14-year production run, the 250th and last Gulfstream G200 super-midsize business jet rolled out of the Gulfstream Mid-Cabin Completions Center in Dallas on Dec. 20 for customer delivery later this month.
Executive AirShare on Dec. 20 formally took delivery of the first Phenom 100 to be produced at Embraer’s new Melbourne, Fla., assembly facility. The Embraer plant rolled out the aircraft earlier this month. Based in Kansas City, Mo., Executive Airshare operates 13 Phenom 100s and five Phenom 300s in its managed and fractional aircraft ownership fleet. The fleet addition comes as the regional fractional ownership provider has grown to more than 120 shareowners in 2011, up from 95 in 2010 and 75 in 2009. The company believes the Embraer jets are helping to drive the growth.
While FAA has finished its work on Part 121 flight and duty time regulations, agency officials say they have plans but still no schedule for a similar rulemaking for Part 135. During a briefing on last week’s long-anticipated release of the Part 121 flight duty time regulations, FAA officials say they will “look to put” a Part 135 rulemaking on the regulatory agenda, and noted the original proposal had alerted the Part 135 community to “take note” of what FAA is doing with Part 121 carriers.
Garmin has released a new GTN 750 trainer app for the iPad 2. The trainer, which can be downloaded from the iTunes Store, simulates the behavior of the GTN 750 system interface, enabling pilots to learn the basic operation of the system while on the ground. “The iPad’s touchscreen interface lends itself well to realistically simulating the full GTN experience,” says Carl Wolf, Garmin’s vice president of aviation sales and marketing.
TORBJORN (TOBY) KARLSSON was appointed vice president, sales, Asia Pacific for Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. Karlsson has more than 25 years of aviation experience and has been based in the Asia-Pacific region for the majority of the time. He formerly was regional managing partner with Heidrick & Struggles Industrial Practice, where he worked closely with airlines and aviation suppliers in the Asia-Pacific region. He also has served with Honeywell Aerospace as vice president, commercial aerospace.
Hawker Beechcraft’s facility in Chester, U.K., recently secured European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval for Beechcraft Premier series maintenance and other services. The approval follows similar ratings for the Beechcraft King Air 200 and 300 series aircraft. The ratings for the Premier I/IA aircraft clears the way for the facility to offer inspections, maintenance modifications, aircraft-on-ground support and upgrades on European-registered aircraft. The facility expects to receive FAA approval in January.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is putting off release of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) long-awaited and congressionally mandated repair station security rules by another year, frustrated aviation groups say. The agency notified the groups this week that the rule likely would not be out until the fourth quarter of 2012, dashing hopes of industry advocates that it could come by the end of this year.
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is pushing for the elimination of funding for contract control towers serving general aviation airports in the fiscal 2013 budget request, association officials say.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is advising operators traveling to Europe to continue to cooperate with flight monitoring requirements in light of last week’s European court ruling upholding the application of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) to international operations. But the battle over the emissions tax policy is expected to continue as the scheme takes effect Jan. 1.
Phoenix-based Cutter Aviation last week was awarded a supplemental type certificate for installation of the Aircell Gogo Biz inflight broadband connectivity aboard Beechjet 400A and Hawker 400XP aircraft. The STC, developed in partnership with Aircell, uses the Aircell ATG 4000 and ATG 5000 systems for the installations.
Jan. 10—SM4 Advanced Forum in Emergency Response Planning Featuring Don Chupp, President-Fireside Partners and Sponsored by Global and the NorCal Business Aviation Association, Red Lion Inn, Oakland, Calif., (510) 635-5300 Jan. 11-13, 2012—Airports Council International-NA Insurance & Risk Management Conference, New Orleans, www.aci-na.org/conferences/
Honda Aircraft added another FAA design-conforming HondaJet (F2) to the year-old certification flight-test program. Two additional flight-test aircraft are to join the test series in 2012. The first test aircraft (F1) has achieved a maximum speed of 425 KTAS at 30,000 ft., achieved a climb rate of 4,000 ft. per minute and a maximum operating altitude of 43,000 ft. Delayed twice, certification is now expected in mid-2013.
India appointed Ajit Singh its new civil aviation minister as the country’s troubled aviation sector prepares to enter 2012 under the weight of mounting debt and losses. The 72-year-old from the northern state of Uttar Pradesh will be the third person to hold the portfolio in less than a year. He succeeds Vayalar Ravi, who had taken over the Civil Aviation Ministry from Praful Patel, who had held the post for six years.
The Aerospace Industries Association Board of Governors has elected Pratt & Whitney President David Hess as chairman for 2012. Hess will succeed Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Wes Bush, chairman, CEO and president of Northrop Grumman Corporation, was elected vice chairman for AIA.
London Oxford Airport became the fifth busiest airport in the U.K. this year for business aviation activity as traffic grew 12.2% this year. The airport supports about 6,000 business aircraft movements a year, representing about 15% of Oxford’s overall aviation activity. Along with growth in traffic, the airport installed a Thales primary and secondary surveillance radar system (Mode S and MSSR), which is currently undergoing testing and will be operational in time for the 2012 Olympic Games.
PIAGGIO Model P-180 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2011-1040; Directorate Identifier 2011-CE-029-AD; Amendment 39-16889; AD 2011-26-01] – requires an inspection of the locking mechanism of the baggage door and adjustment, if necessary. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) from the European Aviation Agency. The MCAI cites an issue with the baggage door lockpins not engaging properly and the baggage door open light illuminating when the baggage door is not open, which could lead to the pilot disregarding a valid warning.
Bell Helicopter recently handed over the first Bell 429 with a multi-mission configuration to Fairfax County in Virginia. The helicopter, the first of two on order with the county, was configured to handle airborne law enforcement, emergency medical services and search and rescue. Paradigm Aerospace Corp., a Bell customer service facility in Mount Pleasant, Pa., completed the configuration. The second Bell 429 is expected to be delivered by mid-2012.
A multi-agency spending bill passed this month by the U.S. Congress includes provisions that would reform the process of obtaining a U.S. visa, changes the U.S. travel industry long has pursued. The spending bill calls for more consular officers to speed visa processing at consulates, particularly in China, Brazil and India.
The pilot of a Socata TBM-700 aircraft had indicated that the single turboprop was picking up icing before it crashed around 10 a.m. Dec. 20 on Interstate I-287 near Morristown, N.J., safety investigators confirm. All five people aboard the aircraft—two adult males, one female and two children, (and a dog)—were killed in the crash.
Royal Jet has announced that it will cater to the demands of Jordan's competitive business aviation sector through its long term business plans for the Hashemite Kingdom.
The "grey market" or the illegal charter market in business aviation has one concern that is no long grey - but very dlear indeed - according to a leading UAE-based law firm.
