Criticized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) for lax safety oversight, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has responded in part by banning domestic business aircraft operators from conducting international flights until they demonstrate compliance with new safety standards. The DGCA's decision comes in the wake of an ICAO audit that found that operators were inadequately prepared for long-distance flights. ICAO officials also cited India as among 13 nations with the worst record for air safety oversight.
Retrix Aviation has begun construction on the company's new FBO at Worcester Regional Airport in Massachusetts. The new Worcester facility is one of two FBOs that the Retrix will be constructing as a result of a multi-million dollar contract awarded by Massport. The other facility will be at Hanscom Field, and combined, they will create almost 100 new jobs and will be large enough to accommodate business jets.
If you're willing to dig for it, one of the great troves of information regarding operations in Europe and the North Atlantic region is ICAO's Paris website, or more formally, “The European and North Atlantic Office [EUR/NAT] of ICAO.” It can be found at www.paris.icao.int/welcome/welcome.htm
Eurocopter expects to win certification for its EC175 helicopter early next year. Certification of the 16,000 lb., 16-18 passenger utility lifter, the first of four all-new types that Eurocopter plans to offer this decade, will be “very early in 2014” with deliveries beginning shortly thereafter, according to Faury. Eurocopter is working with the European Aviation Safety Agency, the FAA and Transport Canada to certify the EC175, which it is developing with Avicopter of China.
Kenneth E. Gazzola (President and CEO FlightLogix Inc. McLean, Va. )
Regarding “London's Light” (Viewpoint, July 2013, page 7), you may be half German, but it is your other half that enables you to spin such compelling yarns and repeatedly link them productively to aviation. But then again, aviation is the link to most everything and more and more business executives are realizing that. President and CEO FlightLogix Inc. McLean, Va.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is spearheading an appeal to FAA to either extend the Oct. 11 deadline for comments or withdraw altogether a proposed Airworthiness Directive (AD) calling for inspections and replacement of Engine Components Inc. (ECi) and Airmotive Engineering “Titan” cylinders found on 6,000 Continental 520 and 550 engines. Released Aug. 12, the AD would cost operators upward of $82.6 million and has generated hundreds of comments, mostly in opposition.
In response to a request by Dassault Aviation, FAA is extending to Oct. 15 the comment period on a proposal to expand use of enhanced flight vision systems (EFVS) in place of natural vision during landing. The comment period was set to close Sept. 9. The proposal calls for permitting use of EFVS to continue descent from 100-ft. height above runway through touchdown on certain straight-in instrument approaches, including Category II and Category III approaches. The proposal would also permit the dispatch and approach when the destination airport is below minimums.
The search is on for bad players in the Avantair bankruptcy. Beth Ann Sharrer, a court appointed trustee says she is “actively reviewing the debtor's books and records to determine whether the estate has any causes of action against the Officers or other directors and officers of the Debtor, including but not limited to claims for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, or self-dealing.” She has also filed a notification that FAA has issued emergency orders of suspension of most of the Avantair fleet.
Surf Air, a fly-all-you-want membership airline, has begun operation in California serving three destinations with Pilatus PC-12s. Founded by brothers Wade and David Eyerly, the anti-airline sells memberships for $500 and then charges each cardholder $1,650 a month. For that investment members can ride Sur Air's three Pilatus singles as often as they like on the operations 16 daily flights linking Burbank, San Carlos near Palo Alto, and Santa Barbara. It plans to expand service to Monterey, Palm Springs, San Diego, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, and the Sonoma/Napa area as well.
West Star Aviation, East Alton, Ill., announced that Cristian Byman has joined the company as technical sales manager-Avionics at the East Alton, Ill., facility. Craig Winterrowd has joined the company as as regional sales manager in California. Awards and Honors
While the objective of the North Atlantic Data Link Mandate is safety, data link equipage is also the enabling technology for reduced lateral and longitudinal separation (RLongSM) programs that will be introduced in the immediate future in the North Atlantic Track System. As such, it is expected to facilitate increased capacity and offer operators more options for preferential flight levels and tracks. Here is a description of the separation reduction programs and phased introduction schedules:
If you want a solid indicator of where the economy is heading in the next few years, watch the private aviation industry. From the 1980s to today, economic data shows that when the private aviation and small aircraft manufacturing industries are doing well, so is the rest of the economy. If you want to get ahead of market trends, watch and see how much money banks are loaning the leaders of industry to finance corporate jets. The spending trend here is usually ahead of the rest of the market. Think of corporate jets as a high-end stimulus package.
Shadin Avionics now has TSO approval on the initial release of its flyTab Aircraft Interface Module (AIM), a data converter that integrates an iPad into the cockpit accessing real time flight data for iPad applications. The AIM was developed in collaboration with the Avionics & Systems Integration Group, as a part of the flyTab Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag announced in 2012. The current model provides an ARINC 429 interface for two iPads from a single unit. Shadin Avionics St. Louis Park, Minn.
Significant budget cuts are the latest threat to the FAA’s vision for a 21st century air traffic system that already faces formidable challenges. The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) needs to integrate a complex web of air traffic management capabilities to serve growing needs in the world’s busiest airspace, while enhancing safety, saving fuel and reducing environmental impacts. NextGen is more than technology. It includes policies and procedures, and requires a return on investment.
Sunrise Jets, formerly known as Eastway Aviation, has received FAA Part 145 certification for its new maintenance facility at Westhampton Beach Airport (FOK) in New York. The certification follows last year’s relocation of Eastway from its former facilities at MacArthur Airport – where it had been based for 30 years – to its new location in the Hamptons. At the same time, the company rebranded itself to Sunrise Jets. In addition to providing maintenance, Sunrise operates a range of Cessna Citations and Beechcraft King Airs.
FERNANDO LOMBO joined American Eurocopter as vice president and chief financial officer. He has spent the last five years with Airbus Military, where he was responsible for all financial planning, reporting accounting and financial systems for the Airbus Military and Airbus Spain programs. In his new role, he will have day-to-day responsibility for planning, implementing, managing and controlling all financial activities of the company, including oversight of all contracts with both commercial and military customers.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS350 and AS355 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0240; Directorate Identifier 2011-SW-060-AD; Amendment 39-17565; AD 2013-17-01] - requires inspecting the tail rotor control stop screws to determine if they are correctly aligned and adjusting the screws if they are misaligned. This AD is prompted by the discovery of a loose nut on the tail rotor control stop and a misaligned tail rotor control stop screw.
Bombardier Aerospace is hosting its 17th annual Safety Standdown U.S.A. Sept. 30 at the Hyatt Regency Wichita. The standdown, first held in 1996 as a safety-training event for the Learjet flight demonstration team, has since expanded, with more than 6,700 corporate, commercial and military pilots, crew members, maintenance personnel and flight department managers attending the seminars through June 2013.
Beechcraft Corp. completed a demonstration of a Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System Situational Awareness (SINCGARS SA) Waveform capability, using its AT-6 light attack aircraft in concert with the U.S. Air Force Air National Guard and Georgia Tech Research Institute.
DAVID O’NEILL was appointed director of sales for Premier Aviation Overhaul Center. O’Neill has more than 30 years of aviation experience, beginning as a structures mechanic. He has served with Canadian Airlines and later, Air Canada. Most recently he was vice president of international sales and marketing with Aeroframe Services in Louisiana.
ROTAX various aircraft equipped with Rotax 912 A series engines [Docket No. FAA-2013-0738; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-022-AD; Amendment 39-17568; AD 2013-17-04] - requires a one-time inspection of cylinder head assemblies, and, depending on findings, replacement of the cylinder head assembly. That AD stemmed from the discovery, during a production test run, that the cylinder head may not have been manufactured in accordance with the specification.
Bombardier is moving closer to the long awaited first flight of its all new Learjet 85. The manufacturer recently rolled out the first 85 in a private celebration with employees in Wichita, and CEO Pierre Beaudoin says the aircraft remains on track to fly this year. He also says the issues with the Garmin 5000 avionics certification on the Learjet 70/75 series are resolved and certification of that program is still anticipated later this year or early next year.
Atlantic Aviation is facing a few mostly procedural hearings as the company continues its effort to halt development of a Signature Flight Support fixed-base operation at Mineta San Jose Airport in California. The two sides are meeting Sept. 27 for a settlement conference required under California law when a petition is filed citing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Santa Clara County Court on Oct. 3 will then follow with a hearing on objections to the lawsuit.
