Ameriflight President and CEO Gary Richards, who founded the cargo operator more than 45 years ago, has sold the operation to Pebbles Aviation, LLC. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
SIKORSKY S-70, S-70A and S-70C helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0636; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-065-AD; Amendment 39-17709; AD 2013-25-13] – establishes a new life limit based on a prorated formula for certain identified components (parts) installed on Model S-70, S-70A, and S-70C helicopters after being previously installed on certain military model helicopters.
Jan. 30, 2014—National Business Aviation Association Regional Forum, Signature Flight Support, Boca Raton Airport, Boca Raton, Fla., www.nbaa.org Feb. 4-6, 2014—MRO Middle East, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai, UAE, www.aviationweek.com/events Feb. 5-7, 2014—National Business Aviation Association Business Aircraft, Finance, Registration and Legal Conference, St. Pete Beach, Fla. www.nbaa.org Feb. 10, 2014—ATW’s 40th Anniversary Airline Industry Achievement Awards, Pan Pacific Singapore Hotel, Singapore, speednews.com/all/conference
TURBOMECA ASTAZOU XIV B and XIV H [Docket No. FAA-2013-0575; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-21-AD; Amendment 39-17718; AD 2013-26-09] – requires replacement of the second-stage turbine disk. This AD was prompted by reports of cracks on the second-stage turbine disk. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent disk cracking, uncontained second-stage turbine blade release, damage to the engine, and damage to the helicopter. FAA estimates that this AD will affect about six engines on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $41,910. The AD takes effect Feb. 14.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model EC225LP helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0635; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-081-AD; Amendment 39-17720; AD 2013-26-11] – requires inspecting the swashplates for corrosion or a crack, and making the appropriate repairs or replacement of parts. This AD was prompted by the discovery of corrosion on the swashplates when the main rotor hub (MRH) assemblies were reconditioned. The actions of this AD are intended to detect corrosion or a crack in the swashplates, which could lead to failure of the swashplates and subsequent loss of helicopter control.
TAC Air reached an agreement in principal with the Omaha Airport Authority to build a new Customs and Border Protection facility next to the fixed-base operator’s executive terminal at Eppley Airfield in Nebraska (OMA). Construction of the 2,200-sq.-ft. facility is slated for completion in the second half of this year.
Vertis Aviation’s London charter broker business continues to rapidly grow as it celebrates its first anniversary since opening in January 2013. The Kensington office of Vertis Aviation UK Limited, headed by Managing Director and Vertis Aviation Partner Julian Burrell, brokered several hundred charters since launching, and is experiencing growth for charters to and from Russia and the Middle East. Vertis is also seeing a pickup in business from the oil and gas sector in West Africa, along with Central America and Mexico.
General Dynamics (GD) is crediting its Aerospace group, including both Gulfstream Aerospace and Jet Aviation, for serving as its primary growth engine for both earnings and revenues as the group posted significant gains both in the fourth quarter and on the year, and continued to receive strong bookings.
ROBERT RANDALL was appointed sales manager, U.S. for Universal Avionics. Randall will manage the company’s regional sales manager and oversee all authorized dealers in the U.S. He joined Universal Avionics in September 2008 as Midwest regional sales manager before becoming OEM sales manager in 2012. He came to the company with more than 30 years of avionics maintenance, testing, sales and management experience.
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.
