A Challenger 601-3R crashed Jan. 5 at Colorado's Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (KASE) during a second landing attempt in gusting conditions. The aircraft, N11WF, flipped on impact and burst into flames. Copilot Emilo Carranza Brabata, 54, died in the accident; pilots Miguel Henriqez and Moises Carranza, the only other people aboard, both suffered injuries. The flight had originated in Toluca, Mexico, and landed in Tucson, Ariz., before continuing on to KSAE where it flew a missed approach before making the second landing attempt shortly after noon.
David W. Naumann Chief Pilot , NHS Management, LLC (Tuscaloosa, Ala. )
Here I am in my easy chair all ready for the January 2014 edition of B&CA. As I read your “Viewpoint” column, I realized you need a copilot. Now we all know what copilots are for: someone to blame our mistakes on. In your case, substitute the words “proof reader” for copilot. I usually overlook grammatical errors in modern print material, what with spell-checker and grammar checker screwing things up so much. But to do it in the first two words of your piece, well. . .
Safe Flight, White Plains, N.Y., announced the appointment of Matthew Greene as executive vice president. Since joining the company in 2003, he has taken on increasing roles of responsibility, most recently as vice president of Program Management where he led the improvement of new product time to market.
Signature Flight Support won San Jose City Council approval for its planned $82 million fixed-base operation complex at Norm Mineta San Jose International Airport. The approval included a 50-year lease and operating agreement to build and operate the FBO on 29 acres on the west side of the airport. The city council in April formally approved Signature's bid to develop the project. Signature teamed with Blue City Holdings, a San Jose company representing the personal aircraft of the principals at Google, on the project.
Beginning Jan. 8, Airbus Helicopters became the official name of the organization formerly known as Eurocopter. The name change tracks with that of its parent, formerly known as the European Aeronautic Defense and Space ace and Defense Co. (EADS), but henceforth to be called the Airbus Group. “This rebranding works hand in hand with our ongoing transformation, which is now bolstered by the Airbus brand's strong foundation in innovation, quality and industrial excellence,” said Guillaume Faury, president of Airbus Helicopters.
During the National Business Aviation Association's (NBAA) most recent convention in Las Vegas, John Pistole, who heads the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), had welcome words for the business aviation community. He pledged to continue to work with industry on initiatives to improve access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
Call letters of the renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport changed from IDL to JFK. The cost, including navaid signals, air navigation charts and reservation computer codes, is estimated at $500,000. Then, there's all those little baggage tags. No matter how successful, an airplane sooner or later goes back to the drawing board to be taken from good to better. The twin-Baron recently emerged from a face lifting with a longer airframe, added baggage space, increased useful load and upped performance figures.
AP On Air launched a range of fresh blended cocktails offering passengers exotic drinks at altitude. In partnership with London-based Pontoon Cocktails, a menu of seven mixes will be offered to flight attendants along with its regular food and beverage menus. The drinks incorporate hand-pressed juices, infusions and syrups and are delivered frozen to maintain freshness. They are individually packed and come with the appropriate garnish and serving instructions.
In the early days of aviation, the fragile wood and fabric aircraft were simple to repair with some patches and glue, a handsaw and drill. As aircraft became more advanced, specialized tools and processes and the knowledge to employ them became necessary. Eventually, the equipment and systems became so complex, their repair became the exclusive purview of the manufacturers or authorized service centers, effectively putting a stranglehold on the operator for the long haul.
Cockpit automation is here to stay, and will probably increase in the future. Automated cockpit systems have contributed significantly to improvements in safety, operational efficiency, and precise flight path management, all welcome developments. Unfortunately accidents continue to point out vulnerabilities attendant to automation as well.
Zenith Aviation, a Fredericksburg, Va.-based marketer and distributor of Dornier 328 parts, has significantly increased its inventory with the purchase of Dornier 328 jet assets from Comtran and Jetran International. The assets include two Dornier 328-310 heavyweight jets, six Pratt & Whitney 306B engines, two sets of Dornier 328-310 heavyweight landing gear, a complete 12-seat executive interior, and more than 2,000 line items of rotable parts .
Keith Plumb, president and COO of regional fractional ownership provider Executive AirShare, added the title of CEO on Jan. 1. Plumb is succeeding Bob Taylor as part of a succession plan that began in early 2013. Taylor, who has been chairman and CEO, will become chairman emeritus, focused on various sales and business development projects. Taylor, who turns 67 shortly, jointly founded Executive AirShare with Plumb in 2000 in Wichita.
Although cleared, the driveway was snow crusted. So, I watched with keen interest as my daughter made her way up its steep incline, her all-season tires going slower and slower until just inches from the summit, they stopped. Not good. Hustling up, I told her to take a back seat. Daddy would get it over the top. A perfect Papa Berenstain Bear* moment: Don't be upset getting stuck on a hill, Driving cars through snow takes know-how and skill
Priester Aviation, Wheeling, Ill., hired William (Bill) L. McNease as vice president and director of Flight Operations. Kevin Brink was named sales director, North American Sales responsible for sales in Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Hawaii, Nevada eastern Oregon, Saskatchewan and Washington. Scott Clarey joined the company as sales director, North American sales for Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Utrak. He is based in Tempe, Ariz.
Biggin Hill Airport, London, appointed Robert Walters as director. He spent seven years as business development manager for the airport and will continue to lead sales and marketing but will also manage customer service.
Raisbeck Engineering's Swept Blade Turbofan Propellers are now being delivered after their FAA certification covering the entire King Air C90 and E90 family. When added to the Raisbeck EPIC Performance Package for the C90/E90 aircraft, the Swept Blade Propellers deliver performance increases across the board, according to Raisbeck. The EPIC Package is priced at $99,864 plus installation and includes Raisbeck Dual Aft Body Strakes and FAA-Approved Airplane Flight Manual Supplement.
ExecuJet Africa, which is exhibiting at Mining Indaba 2014 from February 3-6 in Cape Town, South Africa, is expanding its charter fleet with the addition of an Embraer Phenom 300 business jet.
Embraer's business aviation sales and marketing teams in Africa, the Middle East and Europe will have new leadership following the resignation of vice president EMEA, Colin Steven.
With just three months to go until Africa's first ever dedicated Business Aviation exhibition, AfBAA Expo, taking place in Marrakech 23–26 April 2014, the organisers - the African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) and IEC - have announced the participation of leading aircraft Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) alongside a number of business aviation services.
CAE and Dassault have announced an agreement naming CAE as the exclusive Dassault-Approved Training Provider (DATP) for the newly-launched Dassault Falcon 5X.
INCREASINGLY MEXICAN: Bombardier Aerospace (BA) has a goal to boost local suppliers. According to investment advisors at National Bank Financial, about 30% of the supply of BA’s components comes from Mexican sources, with the goal over the next five years to reach 70%. That means going from eight local suppliers now to 12-15. “If BA is able to achieve this level of local content, the cost savings will become much more meaningful,” the advisors say. The Canadian-based OEM is also relying more on Mexican locals for management.
LONDON — Investigators conducting an inquiry into the loss of an Airbus Helicopters—formerly Eurocopter—AS332L2 Super Puma in the North Sea in August have recommended changes to emergency equipment and pre-flight briefings. Four oil workers died when the CHC Scotia-operated helicopter crashed on approach to Sumburgh Airport on the southern tip of the Shetland Islands, after a flight from the Borgsten Dolphin drilling platform on behalf of the oil company Total, on Aug. 23. Fourteen others—including the two crew—were rescued.
Canada’s Transportation Safety Board says the risk of runway incursions at Canada’s airports will not be reduced until “additional strategies” are put in place, including safety systems that directly alert crews of an impending high-speed collision.
