Bell Helicopter’s independent representative Heli-Charter signed an agreement for Wiltshire Air Ambulance Charitable Trust to operate the Bell 429. The helicopter will be equipped for air ambulance operations – the second such equipped 429 to be operated in the U.K.
ROLLS-ROYCE RB211-524G2-19, RB211-524G3-19, RB211-524H-36, and RB211-524H2-19 turbofan engines [Docket No. FAA-2013-1004; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-34-AD; Amendment 39-17719; AD 2013-26-10] – requires a one-time reduction in the cyclic life of certain high-pressure (HP) compressor rotor stage 1 and stage 2 discs, and removal of discs that exceed the reduced cycle life. This AD was prompted by a review by RR of the cyclic life of life-limited parts (LLPs) for RB211-524 series engines.
Bombardier Aerospace is to lay off 1,700 employees in a bid to contain costs after stretching out CSeries development by at least 12 months and seeing business and commercial aircraft orders decline in 2013. Announced last week in an internal memo to employees, the layoffs will be split between 1,100 in Canada and 600 in the U.S. Plants in Northern Ireland and Mexico are unaffected, the company says.
Cobham, working in cooperation with Pro Star Aviation, secured FAA supplemental type certification (STC) for use of its Aviator 200 SwiftBroadband system aboard King Air 200 and 300 series aircraft. The STC covers King Air models B200, B200C and B300 (Super King Air 350) aircraft and includes activation of the Aviator 200s built-in Wi-Fi option. The Aviator is the smallest and lightest system in Cobham’s SwiftBroadband line. Pro Star also holds an STC for the Aviator 200 on Pilatus PC-12 aircraft.
PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA various PT6A turboprop engines [Docket No. FAA-2013-1009; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-35-AD] – proposes to require installing a reinforcement liner to the power turbine (PT) containment ring and, for certain PT containment rings, adding scallops. This proposed AD was prompted by in-service events involving the perforation of engine cases as a result of the liberation of PT blades and the fracture/displacement of the PT containment ring. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent uncontained engine failure and damage to the airplane.
Helicopter Association International (HAI) fears that a provision calling on FAA to develop rulemaking covering helicopters operations over Los Angeles further establishes a precedent of allowing local noise concerns alone to dictate airspace design and access.
M7 AEROSPACE Models SA26-T, SA26-AT, SA226-AT, SA226-T, SA226-T(B), SA226-TC, SA227-AC (C-26A), SA227-AT, SA227-TT, SA227-BC (C-26A), SA227-CC, and SA227-DC (C-26B) airplanes. [Docket No. FAA-2014-0023; Directorate Identifier FAA-2013-CE-048-AD] – proposes to require repetitively replacing and lubricating the aileron chain, sprocket, and bearings in the control columns. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of jamming of the aileron control cable chain in the pilot and copilot control columns due to inadequate lubrication and maintenance of the chain.
MATTHEW GREENE was appointed executive vice president for Safe Flight Instrument Corp. Greene has served with Safe Flight since October 2003, taking on roles of increasing responsibility. Most recently he was vice president of program management.
DANN RUNIK was promoted to executive director, advanced training programs for FlightSafety International. Runik joined FlightSafety in 2004 and most recently has been manager of OEM and customer relations at the company’s Learning Center in Savannah, Ga. He is also an instructor for Gulfstream aircraft and works with Gulfstream Aerospace on procedures and courseware development. He has also been a Delta Airlines Boeing 747-400 captain, flew for the Flying Tigers and worked on the Space Shuttle program as a staff engineer at Rockwell International.
FlightSafety International received FAA and/or European Aviation Safety Agency Level D qualifications for five simulators equipped with its new Vital 1100 visual system. FlightSafety expects to receive similar approvals for three more Vital 1100-equipped simulators in the next few months. The most recent approvals include an EASA-approved Sikorsky S-92 simulator in Stavanger, Norway and FAA approved AgustaWestland AW-139 and Sikorsky S-92 simulators in Lafayette, La.; an Embraer 190 simulator in St.
Hangar 8’s aircraft management group recently took delivery of four more long-range aircraft, marking the largest monthly increase for the U.K.-based management and charter company. The latest additions increase Hangar 8’s long-range charter capacity to 30 aircraft. The additions were a Bombardier 604, two Bombardier 605s and an Embraer Legacy. Hangar 8 manages more than 50 aircraft.
Certification of Airbus Helicopters’ new EC175 intermediate twin-engined helicopter is imminent, but the company does not plan to begin deliveries until the second half of 2014.
Business aircraft flight activity in the U.S. and Canada in December declined seasonally from November, but remained up year-over-year by 5.1%, according Argus. Part 135 and Part 91 operations were both up from December 2012, by 13.4% and 1.6%, respectively. But fractional operations were still down overall, reflecting the demise of Avantair. This was in part due to the 53.5% decline in fractional turboprop flying (Avantair flew Avanti twin-pusherprops). But large cabin fractional operations were up 21.9% and small cabin fractional operations increased 19.8%.
GULFSTREAM G150 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2014-0003; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-103-AD] – proposes to supersede AD 2013-03-23, which currently requires revising the airplane flight manual (AFM) to include procedures to advise the flight crew of certain runway slope and anti-ice corrections and takeoff distance values. Since FAA issued AD 2013-03-23, a revision to the AFM has been issued, which modifies runway slope and anti-ice corrections to both V1 and takeoff distance values.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation added Jet Access Aviation to its membership base. Jet Access is a charter and management company based in West Palm Beach, Fla. It expanded its operations in early 2012 through the acquisition of Arcadia Aviation, the former Wayfarer Aviation/TAG Aviation USA operation. Jet Access joins more than 100 companies that are part of the Air Charter Safety Foundation.
Fixed-base operations are rethinking how they charge for services as they continue to face increased price pressures with little expectation of volume measurably increasing in the near future.
After three consecutive quarterly losses, late 2013 certifications of its new Sovereign+ and M2 helped Cessna Aircraft finish the year with a slight fourth-quarter profit and position the company for a 19% growth in revenues in 2014.
Despite mixed activity in the second and third quarters, the used market finished the year with the strongest quarterly activity for business jets since fourth quarter 2007, and the available inventory dipped below the 20-year average, according to market analyst Amstat. According to Amstat’s latest Market Update Report, 2.9% of the active business jet fleet turned over in the fourth quarter of 2013, up from the 20-year average of 2.8%.
Daher-Socata reported improved deliveries of its TBM 850 single turboprop in 2013, and is hoping the program will continued to expand as Europe considers permitting single turbine-engine commercial operations in instrument meteorological conditions. The French manufacturer delivered 40 TBM 850s in 2013, up 5% from 2012 deliveries. Daher-Socata says 2013 became the fourth best year for the TBM family since its introduction in 1990.
Duncan Aviation completed the first two Dassault Falcon 900B flightdeck upgrades under a partnership with Universal Avionics. The upgrade program includes technologies that would enable use of the latest NextGen capabilities, including Satellite-Based Augmentation System (SBAS) and Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV), Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC), Future Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A+ and Link 2000+.
MARIN TODOROV was promoted to manager, specialty and enrichment training programs for FlightSafety International. Todorov has served with FlightSafety since 2006, initially working on development of the company’s web-based training programs and providing eLearning technical assistance. He was promoted to manager of eLearning Systems in 2008.
Henry Ogrodzinski, the president and CEO of the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) and a longtime industry advocate, died at his home in Washington, D.C. Jan. 22 after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 65.
Gulfstream Aerospace signed a lease with the Brunswick and Glynn County Development Authority to expand its service center at Brunswick Golden Isles Airport in Brunswick, Ga. The company is planning to build a $25 million, 110,000-sq.-ft. maintenance repair and overhaul facility near its two existing hangars. Groundbreaking is expected to begin later this year, with the new facility opening in May 2015. Gulfstream expects that the new facility will result in the creation of 100 more jobs, a 50% increase over the existing base.
