Rockwell Collins is rolling out a series of upgrades to its Pro Line Fusion avionics suite to improve cockpit capabilities and prepare the systems for the latest Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) programs.
The America Association of Airport Executives, under the leadership of new President and CEO Todd Hauptli, has unveiled a new executive management team, comprising a core of veteran AAAE executives. Spencer Dickerson, who has been with the association for 33 years, is senior executive vice president, global operations and secretary to the board of directors. He will also continue to lead the U.S. Contract Tower Association and International Association of Airport Executive programs.
DASSAULT Model Fan Jet Falcon; Model Mystere-Falcon 200 airplanes; and Model Mystere-Falcon 20-C5, 20-D5, 20-E5, and 20-F5 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0626; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-180-AD; Amendment 39-17642; AD 2013-22-10] – requires checking manufacturing references of pyrotechnical cartridges for batch number and date, repetitive checking of cartridges for electrical continuity, and replacing defective pyrotechnical cartridges, if necessary. This AD was prompted by reports of defective fire extinguisher bottle cartridges.
DON MILUM was named avionics sales director for Hawker Beechcraft Services. Milum will oversee global avionics sales efforts within the company’s network of factory owned service centers. A 25-year industry veteran, he spent 21 years with Honeywell, most recently as a senior sales manager. He has also served with Midcoast Aviation and Atlantic Aviation.
TURBOMECA Arriel 2D turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2012-0940; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-26-AD; Amendment 39-17654; AD 2013-22-22] – supersedes an existing AD that required replacing the hydromechanical metering unit (HMU) at a reduced life. This AD maintains that requirement and also requires conducting inspections of the HMU. This AD was prompted by further cases of deterioration of HMU rotating components. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent an uncommanded inflight shutdown of the engine and possible loss of the helicopter.
Eric Byer, who spent more than 14 years with the National Air Transportation Association, was named president and COO of the National Association of Chemical Distributors, effective Jan. 1. Byer most recently has served with Obadal, Filler, MacLeod & Klein, PLC. There he led association programs for the firm’s largest clients, including holding the role of senior vice president of the Aeronautical Repair Station Association.
Signature Flight Support, continuing on an ambitious capital expenditure program for new and upgraded facilities, is opening a new private aviation terminal at its Newark Liberty International Airport location in New Jersey. The company has scheduled a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for Dec. 13.
Spirit AeroSystems is “deep” into the process of selling its Tulsa production facility, a move that should mean significant bottom-line improvement as the supplier shifts focus to growing airliner programs and tackles issues uncovered in a sweeping strategic review, say analysts at Canaccord Genuity.
RALPH LEACH has joined FlightSafety International’s FlightSafety Academy in Vero Beach, Fla. as managing director, marketing and sales. He has a range of experience, holding senior positions with an aircraft manufacturer, airline training companies, fixed and rotor-wing aircraft operators and transportation and management consulting firms. Leach formerly served as vice president, business development for Jet Asia in China, and before that was a senior consultant with CMR, London.
European Aviation Safety Agency Executive Director Patrick Ky reiterated his organization’s commitment to rewriting regulations governing light aircraft (CS-23 in Europe/Part 23 in U.S.), and says based on experience from that effort, EASA would then like to turn its attention to CS-27/CS-29 governing rotorcraft. Ky, who spoke during the EASA 7th Annual Rotorcraft Forum last week, said EASA needs fewer rules, but better rulemaking. He highlighted the CS-23 effort as an example of improved rules.
Inmarsat confirmed a Dec. 8 launch date for the first of its Global Xpress (GX) satellites, the Inmarsat-5 F1 (I-5 F1). Built by Boeing Satellite Systems International, the satellite was to have launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The satellite is the first of three that will be used for Inmarsat’s Global Xpress Ka-band. Inmarsat teamed with Honeywell to bring its planned GX Aviation inflight connectivity services to the business aviation market.
Bombardier has conducted low-speed taxi tests on the all-new, all-composite Learjet 85 business jet, with a first flight from Wichita expected “in the next few weeks,” says Guy Hachey, president of the Canadian manufacturer’s Aerospace division. Deliveries of the Learjet 75 have also begun following delayed certification of the revamped version of the super-light Learjet 45 in mid-November.
Clay Lacy Aviation, working with Envoy Aerospace, is hoping to secure certification next year for a Universal Avionics package that would enable Gulfstream IV and IVSP aircraft to meet new equipment requirements for North Atlantic crossings.
Duncan Aviation, one of the largest family-owned aircraft support companies in the U.S., is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its facility in Lincoln, Neb., this month. Established Dec. 5, 1963 by Donald Duncan, the company began with 12 employees and has since grown to more than 1,200. Duncan had a varied background, ranging from working on the family farm to selling surplus government airplanes and involvement with a car dealership in Clarinda, Iowa, before he became a Beechcraft distributor in Omaha, Neb.
EADS CASA Model CN-235, CN-235-100, CN-235-200, CN-235-300 and C-295 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0870; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM- 166-AD; Amendment 39-17657; AD 2013-23-02] – requires inspection of the feeder cables of certain fuel booster pumps for damage (including, but not limited to, signs of electrical arcing and fuel leaks), and replacement if necessary. This AD was prompted by a report of an inflight problem with the fuel transfer system.
House lawmakers continue to move quickly to ensure that FAA conducts a formal rulemaking if it plans to require sleep apnea testing and treatment for pilots and controllers.
AERMACCHI Models F.260, F.260B, F.260C, F.260D, F.260E, F.260F, S.208, and S.208A airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0939; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-043-AD; Amendment 39-17655; AD 2013-22-23] – for airplanes equipped with a Lycoming O-540 wide cylinder flange engine with a front crankcase mounted propeller governor, revises an AD prohibiting aerobatic maneuvers and calling for inspection of the propeller governor idler gear shaft set screw and corrective actions, if necessary.
Argus has partnered with CharterPad, an online charter marketplace, to provide customers access to the Argus Ratings. Customers visiting the CharterPad can search Argus ratings and link directly to the Argus CHEQ website. The partnership comes as CharterPad has increased the number of Argus-rated operators in its system. Nearly half of all Argus-rated operators have joined CharterPad.
Poor weather and forecast icing conditions prompted the General Aviation Manufacturers Association to postpone its latest General Aviation Rally. The event was to be held Dec. 6 at Bombardier’s Dallas service center at Dallas Love Field. GAMA, noting Texas is home to more than 50,000 FAA-certificated pilots and more than 2,000 civil use landing facilities, is working to line up a new date.
It's that time of year when ads for timepieces crowd newspapers, home mailboxes and every other game break on television. Since pilots are big watch wonks, I offer up two new models that could jingle any aviator's Christmas bells.
While there is plenty to debate about where U.S. defense budgets could settle in 2014-15, there is no debate about the Pentagon's desire to continue to compete with cutting-edge technology. It expects defense advantages to be sustained through investment in new weapons and support systems that provide a generational lead over those fielded by adversaries.
Bombardier Aerospace has appointed Raymond Jones as senior vice president for sales, marketing and asset management for Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, effective immediately. He succeeds Chet Fuller, who will leave the company at the end of the year. Jones has been vice president for worldwide strategic accounts for Bombardier Business Aircraft.
Serving up a most unlikely exception in a town where “Nay!” prevails, the U.S. Congress and the Obama administration have said “Yea!” to the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013, benefitting manufacturers of general aviation aircraft.
Since Olympic ski runs rarely occur in palm-treed towns, Russian President Vladimir Putin may soon be sweating the snow report for Sochi. But Rhonda Fullerton is fretting over her summer Olympics conditions now. As director of the Citation Special Olympics Airlift, she must find big-hearted jet operators to supply 175 Citations to carry athletes, coaches or sponsors to and from the games in the Princeton, N.J., area, June 14-21.
