1. Electronics for All Markets Company: Esterline CMC Electronics Services: Located in Montreal, Esterline CMC Electronics focuses equally on its business, commercial and military aviation markets, with a wide product line including FMS/GPS, enhanced vision system sensors, satellite communications antennas and cockpit systems integration. The company recently certified its CMA-9000 FMS for retrofit on the Airbus A310, offering operators a replacement for older FMS components with more limited memory capacity.
Flying the Piaggio P180 Avanti twin-turboprop pusher from the front seat is a unique experience, but taking control of the same Avanti using a sidestick and a virtual windscreen from a side-facing seat in the rear of the cabin is a rare treat indeed.
Al Bateen Executive Airport has announced that its Fixed Based Operator (FBO) DhabiJet held an awards ceremony honoring its partners for their outstanding services in supporting DhabiJet in the handling of all visiting and based aircraft at Al Bateen.
FLYHT Aerospace Solutions, Calgary, Alberta, promoted Matt Bradley to the post of president. This realignment will allow Bill Tempahy, FLYHT's current CEO and former president to focus on the company public market participation and other business initiatives.
FAA is streamlining the process for obtaining certain letters of authorization (LOAs) for Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums (RVSM) approval. Both the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and National Air Transportation Association (NATA) welcomed the changes.
Gulfstream Aerospace has enhanced its support of operators attending major U.S.–based events with the addition of its biggest and most capable Field and Airborne Support Teams (FAST) vehicle — a specially equipped 74-ft. (22.6 meters) tractor-trailer. The vehicle debuted at this year's Super Bowl at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Using the capabilities of the FAST vehicle, on-board technicians can perform: line-service repairs; engine exchanges; post-flight and storage inspections; unscheduled inspections; and cabin interior repairs.
Innovative Solutions & Support, Inc. (IS&S) received an FAA STC for its Autothrottle System and Standby Display Unit incorporated into its Integrated Flight Management System (IFMS). The IS&S-developed autothrottle allows a pilot to control the power setting of the aircraft's engines by setting a desired flight characteristic rather than manually controlling fuel flow.
At the dawn of aviation, among the toughest challenges confronting its pioneers was controlling the aircraft. Otto Lilienthal steered his gliders by shifting his weight and upsetting the balance between the center of lift and gravity. The Wright brothers refined the control in all three axes through a combination of wing warping and coordinated movements of the elevator and rudder using pulleys and cables. As aircraft grew faster and larger, so did the forces necessary to maintain control.
In 2013 Embraer delivered 209 aircraft, 119 of which were business jets. That record compares to 205 aircraft it delivered in the previous year. A breakdown of 2013 business jet production is: 90 Phenoms, up from 77 in 2012 and reflecting improvement at the lighter end of the market, including major orders for the Phenom 300 from fractional ownership providers NetJets, Flight Options and Executive AirShare. The Brazilian manufacturer's larger business aircraft deliveries also increased in 2013 to 29, compared with 22 in 2012.
National Business Aviation Association, Washington, elected Jim Schwertner to the board of directors. He is president and CEO of Schwertner Farms, Inc.
Blackhawk Modifications, Inc., of Waco, Texas and Wipaire, Inc., of South St. Paul, Minn., received FAA approval of the Blackhawk XP42A engine upgrade for operators of Cessna Models 208 and 208A Caravans on Wipline floats. Approval enables operators of these aircraft to install a new 850- hp P&W PT6A-42A turboprop engine in place of the standard 600-hp PT6A-114 or the 675-hp PT6A-114A installed in these two models.
After three consecutive quarterly losses, late 2013 certifications of its new Sovereign+ and M2 helped Cessna Aircraft finish the year with a $33 million fourth-quarter profit — $10 million better than the same quarter in 2012 — and position the company for a 19% growth in revenues in 2014. However, the Wichita planemaker posted an overall $48 million loss on the year, down from the $82 million profit in 2012. Revenues slid from $3.11 billion in 2012 to $2.78 billion in 2013.
Executive AirShare, Kansas City, Mo., promoted Daniel Ireson to assistant chief pilot. He is based at Fort Worth Meacham Airport and Love Field in Dallas and reports to Chief Pilot Alex Franz.
Epic Aircraft is proceeding with plans to certify its E1000, a high-performance, carbon fiber, single-engine turboprop, which evolved from the Epic LT experimental aircraft. The Bend, Ore., manufacturer anticipates earning FAA approval by mid-2015, with deliveries beginning shortly thereafter. Powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-67A, the six-place Epic E1000 has a max cruise of 325 kt., a 34,000-ft. ceiling, and an economy cruise range of 1,650 nm.
There now are more than 50 Gulfstream G650 jets in service, an impressively large number of new aircraft deliveries for just over one year of production. Operators say the airframe, engines and basic systems have been remarkably trouble free, resulting in near flawless dispatch reliability. That's an impressive milestone as the G650 is the first completely clean-sheet Gulfstream since the 1967-vintage GII, doubly so because of the reliability of early serial number airplanes.
When a modern swept-wing aircraft is properly maintained within its certification limits, it is safe. Operating outside of the certification limits or not maintaining the aircraft to its airworthiness specifications can carry a steep price in the high-altitude environment.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore officially inaugurated the new Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre (SATCC) during the Singapore Airshow in February. The Centre represents a quantum leap in the capacity and ability of CAAS in providing high-quality air navigation services.
Universal Avionics, Tucson, Ariz., named Chris Cannady OEM sales manager responsible for developing and maintaining the company's products to original equipment manufacturers in the U.S.
Dassault has named CAE as its approved training provider for the Falcon 5X jet, now under development. The selection covers pilot, maintenance and cabin crew training. Nick Leontidis, CAE Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services, says his company “will be ready for training with a complete training program, including the deployment of two full-flight simulators, to support entry-to-service of the 5X.” The location of the first 5X simulators has yet to be determined, but CAE says it plans additional deployments as the Falcon 5X fleet grows
RUAG Aviation and YASAVA are collaborating to deliver the innovative Astral design concept for long-range, large-cabin business jets such as Dassault Falcon 7Xs, Bombardier Globals and the Embraer Lineage 1000s. Some unique features include a dedicated VIP zone that has a day lounge that converts into a private bedroom with a double bed; a redesigned lav with a full shower. The VIP area for the Global features four 16-g, electrically articulating and swiveling Aiana seats that converts into a full-flat 2-meter bed.
Implicit in human achievement from the moment our ancestors climbed down from the trees to stand upright in the tall grass of the savannah has been the Law of Unintended Consequences. It works like this: Leave the arboreal sanctuary for the foraging temptations of the plains, and you increase your vulnerability to predation, perhaps winding up as some larger creature's lunch — and possibly leading to extinction of your species.
John Leahy is not satisfied with the status quo of ACJ activity and wants to change that. The COO-Customers at Airbus, Leahy recently told reporters that the European manufacturer is making a renewed effort to revitalize Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) sales to take a bigger share of the VIP market away from archrival Boeing. “If we look at Corporate Jets to BBJs, it looks like about an equal split there,” he said speaking of 2013 results, “but it won't be quite the same on a net basis.” He continued, “On our corporate jet program, it switches around.
It took a data link mandate in the North Atlantic and, finally, pressure from airframe OEMs and operators, but avionics manufacturers are stepping forward with Future Air Navigation System 1/A options and upgrades to allow customers continuous unimpeded access to prime aerial real estate in the North Atlantic region, especially on the Organized Track System. (See “CPDLC: Texting for Pilots,” October 2013 B&CA, page 80.)
