Textron Inc. today announced it has closed its acquisition of Beech Holdings, LLC, the parent of Beechcraft Corporation, and that it will bring together its Cessna business and Beechcraft to form a new segment called Textron Aviation.
Eclipse Aerospace, has delivered its first Eclipse 550 twin-engine very light jet from its headquarters in Albuquerque following Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification.
Citing concerns of the potential ramifications on the safety of the national airspace system, FAA is appealing a National Transportation Safety Board administrative law judge’s decision to dismiss a proposed civil penalty for unauthorized use of an unmanned aircraft system. The law judge’s determination puts the penalty on hold while the agency appeals the case to the full NTSB.
Despite substantial opposition from Capitol Hill and industry alike, the White House is continuing its push for the $100 per flight air traffic control user fee. Widely expected, the proposal is one of two significant tax changes directed at business aircraft operations that the administration included in the fiscal 2015 budget request. The second, also widely expected, was a change in depreciation on “general aviation passenger aircraft.”
Bombardier Aerospace dedicated a Learjet 45 to its Customer Response Team (CRT) to be dispatched for aircraft on ground/unscheduled maintenance events in the U.S. The aircraft will be based at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) in Palwaukee, Ill., close to its parts hub and Chicago CRT truck.
GKN Aerospace’s new business jet engine integration facility in Phoenix recently completed its first delivery, Honeywell HTF7250 engines integrated into GKN Aerospace nacelle systems for the Gulfstream G280. Based next to Honeywell’s factory, the 24,000-sq.-ft. facility will pod HTF7000 series engines for the Bombardier CL350 and Embraer Legacy 450/500, in addition to the G280. The facility currently employs 30, but will expand to 50 workers. GKN expects that at capacity, the facility will assemble 28 complete power systems per month.
JOAN POMPA was appointed interior/paint project manager for West Star Aviation’s facility in East Alton, Ill. Pompa joined West Star in 2013 as interior/paint project manager at the Grand Junction, Colo. facility. She will continue to support that work at Grand Junction while she transitions to the East Alton facility. She joins West Star with 13 years of sales experience in interior, paint and refurbishment projects.
DASSAULT Model Falcon 2000 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0466; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-156-AD; Amendment 39-17749; AD 2014-03-12] – supersedes AD 2002-23-19, which required repetitive operational tests, repetitive measurements, and repetitive replacement of certain jackscrews. This new AD requires revising the maintenance program to incorporate new or revised maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations. This AD was prompted by the manufacturer revising the airplane maintenance manual (AMM) maintenance requirements and airworthiness limitations.
FAA will soon launch the contract process for a major tower-based air traffic management initiative that has been delayed significantly in the past. The tower flight data manager (TFDM) program will upgrade the backbone operating system for the agency’s control towers nationwide. It is the equivalent of high-profile automation upgrades that have previously been launched in the terminal and en route environments. Most of the major manufacturers active in the ATM field are expected to compete in various teams. TFDM has been under discussion for years.
DIAMOND Models DA 42 NG and DA 42 M-NG airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0937; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-029-AD; Amendment 39-17762; AD 2014-04-04] – requires installation of an additional independent alternator fail caution trigger. This AD was promoted by reports that during maintenance troubleshooting, a DA 42 NG alternator indication system did not give a warning indication when one alternator was inoperative.
FAA is banning more than 4,200 older Cessna twin pistons from flight into known icing, a move the agency says is necessary because the aircraft were not certified for such operations and have exhibited unusual flight characteristics when encountering icing.
Despite a relatively flat year in 2013, BBA Aviation is continuing to aggressively build up its Signature Flight Support business to position it to capitalize on the market as it gradually grows.
Textron is hoping to close on its planned $1.4 billion acquisition of Beechcraft this month after receiving a key regulatory clearance from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC agreed to an early termination of the requisite waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, paving the way for a first-quarter closing, Textron said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SAAB Model 2000 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2014-0056; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-160-AD] – proposes to require deactivating the potable water system, or alternatively filling and activating the potable water system. This proposed AD was prompted by a report of a rudder pedal restriction which was the result of water leakage at the inlet tubing of an in-line heater in the lower part of the forward fuselage.
While FAA continues working to revise its policy calling for mandatory testing for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a coalition of 10 aviation associations is appealing to the Senate to quickly act on a bill that would force the agency to undertake a formal rulemaking process before it could implement the policy.
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES Models MU-2B-30, MU-2B-35, MU-2B-36, MU-2B-36A, and MU-2B-60 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2014-0108; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-052-AD] – proposes to require inspecting the side and lower frame at frame station (STA) 4610 and 5605 for cracks and corrosion and making all necessary repairs and replacements.
National Air Transportation Association named Gary Dempsey, president, flight services – the Americas for Jet Aviation Holdings USA, as its next chairman of the board of directors. Priester Aviation President and CEO Andy Priester will serve as vice chairman and Pentastar Aviation President and CEO Gregory Schmidt was elected treasurer.
Fractional aircraft share sales strengthened in 2013 for NetJets, leading the fractional ownership provider to a 7.5% increase in revenues and a 7% improvement in earnings, NetJets parent Berkshire Hathaway reports. NetJets’ increase in revenues was slightly behind other businesses in Berkshire Hathaway’s “other service” group, which also includes FlightSafety International, TTI, Business Wire and Dairy Queen, among others. The businesses reported in that group collective contributed to a 10% increase in revenues to $9 billion in 2013.
HARRY MITCHEL was promoted to chief operating officer for Executive AirShare. Mitchel joined the fractional ownership operation in 2013 as vice president of operations.
