LONDON — Bond Air Services has grounded its U.K. fleet of Eurocopter EC135 twin-engine light helicopters for precautionary testing. The company, which is part of the Avincis Group, grounded 22 aircraft in the U.K., affecting air ambulance and law enforcement operations around the country. According to Bond, the tests involved work on the function and accuracy of the fuel indicator system on the helicopter. The operator said it had identified a number of aircraft with a fuel indication anomaly.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has demonstrated a complete sense-and-avoid system on its Predator B unmanned aircraft, generating test data that will help the FAA and industry develop standards for integrating UAVs into civil airspace. The test demonstrated both the short-term collision avoidance and longer-term self-separation functions required of an unmanned-aircraft sense-and-avoid architecture, the company says.
Bemidji Aviation Services, Inc. (BASI) in Bemidji, Minn., has joined the Air Charter Safety Foundation. BASI provides fixed-base operation and charter services, specializing in cargo transportation using a fleet of piston and turboprops. The Air Charter Safety Foundation has more than 100 members.
Flights into Stansted Airport in the U.K. were disrupted on the morning of Dec. 10 after a Gulfstream G550 struck and damaged the airport’s instrument landing system (ILS) while landing in low visibility. The aircraft struck an ILS mast aerial on runway 04 at 3:30 a.m. local time on Dec. 10, putting the system out of service and disrupting inbound operations throughout the morning. A Stansted Airport spokesman confirmed that the G550 landed safely and taxied to stand under its own power, but there was “some damage” to the ILS system.
Daniel Clare, who stepped in to take the reins of Jet Aviation in July 2011, is going back to Gulfstream as CFO after steering a restructuring that has returned the aviation services business to profitability. Clare, formerly CFO at Gulfstream, moved over to sister company Jet Aviation to succeed Peter Edwards amidst a management shake-up and realignment of facilities. Both Gulfstream and Jet Aviation are General Dynamics companies.
FAA and airport funding are already emerging as key issues as Congress begins initial preparations for the next FAA reauthorization bill. Airport groups are urging a $4 increase in the passenger facility charge (PFC), airlines are appealing to Congress to refrain from looking at them as a piggy bank and business aviation groups are stressing the importance of retaining current fuel taxes.
Two House General Aviation Caucus members are taking steps to ease medical certification requirements for recreational pilots, a move that comes after FAA failed to act on a nearly two-year-old petition from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) seeking relief from third-class medical certification requirements.
Textron’s low-cost, jack-of-many-trades Scorpion aircraft has made its first flight at McConnell AFB in Wichita. The company is promoting the 1.4-hr. milestone as “one of the fastest developments of a U.S.-built tactical jet.” The flight reached a maximum altitude of 15,000 ft., according to Textron. The flight included pitch, roll and yaw doublets; controllability evaluations at 20- and 30-deg. banks; evaluations of the aircraft’s sideslip characteristics; tests of single-engine operations; and evaluations of the aircraft’s controllability in its landing configuration.
Sabreliner is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the certification of the original Sabreliner business jet, the Model 40. The aircraft’s roots began as the Air Force T-39 aircraft, and incorporated many of the design standards to become the 40. Sabreliner subsequently delivered four additional models – the 60, 75, 75A/80 and 65. Production of the Sabreliners ended in 1982 after 631 were built. Of those, 232 are still in service, include 42 Sabre 40s. Sabreliner Corporation, which has facilities in Perryville and Ste.
DORNIER Model 228-212 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0962; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-028-AD] – proposes to require a one-time inspection of the main landing gear (MLG) axle and, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective actions. The proposal stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information from the European Aviation Safety Agency, which cites a report of a MLG axle break during touchdown. The subsequent investigation revealed improper restoration of corrosion protection was the likely cause of the initial fatigue cracking.
Yankee Pacific Aerospace, a specialist in custom structures, components and systems to the VVIP and business aircraft markets, is being rebranded to Advent Aerospace, Inc., beginning Jan. 1. The company says the new name reflects its growing geographical reach, along with its emphasis on technology and product development.
THIELERT TAE125-01 reciprocating engines [Docket No. FAA-2013-0561; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-23-AD; Amendment 39-17680; AD 2013-24-06] – requires applying sealant to close the engine clutch housing opening. This AD was prompted by a report of engine power loss due to engine coolant contaminating the engine clutch. The design of the engine allows the crankcase assembly opening to be susceptible to contamination from external sources. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent inflight engine power loss, which could result in loss of control of, and damage to, the airplane.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS350B, AS350BA, AS350B1, AS350B2, AS350B3, AS350C, AS350D, AS350D1, AS355E, AS355F, AS355F1, AS355F2, AS355N, and AS355NP helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0523; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-091-AD; Amendment 39-17664; AD 2013-23-09] – requires, for helicopters with sliding doors (except those with modification AL.4262), removing from service certain part-numbered nuts and washers from the lower ball-joint bolt. This AD was prompted by a report of a sliding door detaching from the helicopter in flight.
Bell Helicopter is planning to build its SLS helicopter at a new facility in Lafayette, La. Bell CEO John Garrison jointly announced with Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal plans for Bell to lease a newly built 82,300-sq.-ft., $26.3 million hangar facility at Lafayette Regional Airport. The facility, to be constructed on a 14.5-acre site, will be funded by the state of Louisiana.
Beechcraft Defense Company and FlightSafety International completed delivery of 131 T-6 aircraft training devices (ATDS) for the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS). The last of the devices were delivered to the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas. Beechcraft and FlightSafety began delivery the T-6A and T-6B training devices to U.S. Air Force bases in 2000 and then to the U.S. Navy. Beechcraft and FlightSafety also have delivered the ATDs to customers in Greece, Israel, Morocco and Iraq.
Business aviation advocates are anxiously watching European Parliament (EP) deliberations on the next iteration of the European Union’s Emissions Trading System (EU-ETS), worried that as deliberations focus on the scope of EU-ETS, important reforms for business aircraft operators will be left behind.
While the budget deal that passed the House last week would double passenger security fees to $5 this year and then to $5.60 in fiscal 2015, proposals floated recently to lengthen business aircraft depreciation schedules were left out of the package. Democrats in both the House and Senate in recent weeks have expressed a desire to close “tax loopholes,” such as the five-year business aircraft depreciation schedule. The budget deal must still pass the Senate, where it may run into more opposition.
Inmarsat’s first Global Xpress satellite successfully launched Dec. 8 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on a Proton Breeze M rocket. Inmarsat expects the Global Xpress constellation to comprise three satellites by the end of 2014, enabling Inmarsat to provide seamless global Ka-band coverage under the GX Aviation brand. The satellites are built by Boeing Satellite Systems International.
Wheels Up, the recently established and rapidly growing private membership and aviation services company, is teaming with Cessna’s CitationAir operation to offer flights on Cessna Citation Excel and Sovereign jets.
KELLY ALLENDER was appointed manager of FlightSafety International’s learning center in Dallas. Allender joined FlightSafety in 2001, serving in the company’s Cessna facility in Wichita. There he served as assistant manager, director of programs, program manager for Cessna Citation Mustang training, and ground and simulator instructor. He most recently was manager of the company’s facility in Tucson, Ariz.
The Drug Enforcement Agency is investigating a Florida executive jet company for its alleged role in aiding drug traffickers in South America, Africa and Mexico.
Beechcraft is nearing completion of the sale of its shuttered Hawker 4000 and Premier aircraft lines along with tooling and associated facilities. The company has long maintained that it had hoped to close on the sale of those programs by year’s end, and confirms that it is still on track this month.
ERICKSON AIR-CRANE (type certificate previously held by Sikorsky) Model S-65E helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0556; Directorate Identifier 2007-SW-30-AD; Amendment 39-17662; AD 2013-23-07] – supersedes an existing AD that required checks of the main rotor blades for a crack. This new AD retains the actions required by AD 90-26-12, reflects that the type certificate (TC) for this model helicopter has been transferred to Erickson Air-Crane, and expands the applicability to include the similar Erickson Model S-64F helicopters.
