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.
Aviation Fabricators (AvFab) secured FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) approval for installation of its two-place divan aboard Learjet 60 aircraft. The STC expands the approvals for the divan aboard Learjet aircraft. AvFab previously received approval for the Learjet 55, 55B, and 55C series aircraft. The divan can be installed without airframe modification, providing a larger, more open look in the cabin.
Bell Helicopter selected Garmin’s G1000H avionics suite for its new short light single (SLS) helicopter. Bell also has the G1000H on the 407GX and says the panel would “be the first of its kind in the short-light single class.” The suite is designed to improve situational awareness through its Helicopter Terrain Avoidance Warning System, Helicopter Synthetic Vision Technology and Traffic Information Systems. Powered by the Turbmeca Arrius 2R engine, the 5-place SLS is designed to fly at 125 knots with a range of between 360-420 nm and a useful load of 1,500 lbs.
The FAA is facing considerable uncertainty, with the U.S. government headed toward a possible partial shutdown Oct. 1 and sequestration levels of funding likely to remain in place even if a shutdown is avoided. The situation is unsettling to those in the agency and the business aviation industry alike. “I have no idea what’s going to happen,” Kate Lang, FAA’s deputy associate administrator-airports, said last week. “Frankly, nobody knows.”
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Eclipse Aerospace is close to achieving the third of three business objectives set when it acquired the assets of bankrupt Eclipse Aviation – resuming deliveries of the very-light jet, last produced in 2008. The first goal set when the “new” Eclipse opened for business in September 2009 was to restore service and support for the 260 EA500s built by the “old” Eclipse. The second was to complete development of the aircraft and field the upgrades to existing operators.
EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND EC 135 P1, P2, P2+, T1, T2, and T2+ helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0239; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-087-AD; Amendment 39-17552; AD 2013-16-14] - requires, for helicopters equipped with a certain main transmission housing upper part, installing a corrugated washer in the middle of the main transmission filter housing upper part and modifying the main transmission housing upper part.
BEECHCRAFT Models 58, 95-C55, E55, and 56TC airplanes; and Hawker Beechcraft Models 58P and 58TC airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-1180; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-032-AD; Amendment 39-17539; AD 2013-16-01] - requires inspections of elevator balance weights and replacement of defective elevator balance weights. This AD was prompted by reports of elevator balance weights becoming loose or failing because the balance weight material was not strong enough and did not meet material specifications. FAA estimates the AD affects 1,326 airplanes on the U.S.
FreeFlight Systems has developed an ADS-B Out upgrade for Garmin’s GTX 330 Mode S transponder. FreeFlight, which signed a technology licensing agreement with Garmin, is interfacing its Model 1201 WAAS/GPS sensor with the GTX 330 to provide an additional 1090 MHz Extended Squitter (1090ES) ADS-B Out upgrade. The system, tested during FAA’s ADS-B Capstone Program, meets ADS-B and RNP accuracy, integrity and availability requirements worldwide.
The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority will conduct a review of offshore helicopter operations in the North Sea following a fatal accident off the Shetland Islands last month. Four oil workers died Aug. 23 when a CHC-operated Eurocopter AS332L2 Super Puma ditched into the North Sea just minutes before it was due to land at Sumburgh Airport. Twelve passengers and the two pilots escaped, but one crewmember was seriously injured.
Flexjet is staging six private events across the nation as part of its celebration of the Learjet’s 50th anniversary. Flexjet is teaming with brands including Aston Martin and Royal Salute Scotch Whisky in the “Legends Redefined” six-city tour that will showcase the Learjet 85 aircraft. Stops include Menio Park, Calif., Chicago, Columbus, Ohio, Washington, D.C., New York and Houston. Flexjet has 30 of the aircraft on order, with deliveries scheduled to begin next year.
Quest Aircraft is reaching a “critical decision” point on whether to boost production of its single-turboprop Kodiak from two to three aircraft per month, a move that comes as the Sandpoint, Idaho-based manufacturer reaches a milestone delivery mark. Quest this month celebrated the handing over of the its 100th aircraft, six years after it received type certification and 12 years after the company was formally established. The 100th aircraft went to Phoenix-based Sunstate Aviation.
Business aviation leaders are backing an emissions proposal that the full International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Assembly is set to consider, saying it could lead to a global compromise on aviation emissions. The ICAO Council earlier this month agreed to a proposal to implement global market-based measures by 2020 to help curb aviation emissions. The assembly is expected to take action on the proposal during its meeting from Sept. 24-Oct. 4.
KIMBERLY HOLLOWAY has joined the SkyWay Aero aircraft acquisitions team. Holloway has more than 16 years of industry experience, beginning as a marketing coordinator with Textron Financial’s Aerospace Finance Division. She has since worked with other companies including Stevens Aviation, Gantt Aviation and Piedmont Hawthorne Aviation.
Eurocopter is shoring up work at its Columbus, Miss., plant by opening an assembly line for the AS350 Ecureuil/AStar light helicopter. Work on AS350 assembly will begin during the fourth quarter of 2014 in a bid to offset the impact of the U.S. Army’s decision to reduce the number of UH-72 Lakota light utility helicopters it plans to buy. The factory will initially build 50 AS350s, with plans to expand by 2016 by producing up to 60 additional helicopters annually by 2016, the company announced on Sept. 20.
Embraer plans to unveil a number of enhancements to its business jet lineup during next month’s National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas. The improvements will involve new equipment and upgrades to existing products, along with some new features and specifications for Legacys under development.
328 SUPPORT SERVICES Model 328-100 and 328-300 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0702; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-181-AD] - proposes to supersede AD 2008-14-16, which currently requires installing warning placards on the inside of the passenger door and service doors and modifying the hinge supports and support struts of the passenger doors. Since FAA issued AD 2008-14-16, the agency received reports that certain fasteners, which were installed as part of the modification, are the wrong length.
CHRIS LESNIAK was named manager of outside parts sales for RBR Maintenance. Lesniak has more than 30 years of experience, holding positions as director of sales and marketing, account manager and parts manager for companies including Arnoni Aviation and Avant Aerospace. In his new position, Lesniak will be involved in all aspects of the parts department, including overseeing inventory levels, working with clients, providing parts support and working with the logistics team.
A former Metrojet and Hongkong Jet executive has launched T3 Private Jets Asia Limited to help clients in the Asia Pacific region better manage their aircraft. T3, which has bases in Hong Kong and Thailand, will advise on management companies, reviewing contracts, monthly billings and aircraft logbooks, along with performing aircraft inspections to ensure client expectations are met. The company was founded by Mark Thibault, former COO at both Metrojet and Hongkong Jet, with the aim of providing an “unbiased and unrushed approach” in the Asia Pacific region.
While Redbird Skyport’s $1-per-gal. aviation gasoline trial does not begin until Oct. 1, the fuel price sensitivity experiment is already gaining substantial attention from would-be customers, company executives say. The San Marco, Texas-based fixed-base operator announced in August that it was working with more than a dozen general aviation companies and organizations on a $1-per-gal. avgas experiment to gather data on the price sensitivity of operators.
Oct. 8-10—Latin American & Caribbean Engineering & MRO Summit, Bogota, Columbia, www.alta.aero/2010/ Oct. 10-12—2013 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Summit, Fort Worth, Texas, www.aopa.org Oct. 20–21—National Business Aviation Association Tax, Regulatory & Risk Management Conference, Las Vegas, Nev., (703) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org Oct. 20–23—ATCA 58th Annual Conference and Exposition, Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, Washington, D.C., www.atca.org/58annual
BEECHCRAFT Models 1900, 1900C and 1900D airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0753; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-025-AD] - proposes to require inspections of the vertical stabilizer spar angles and hat section for cracks, with corrective actions as necessary. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of cracking in the front spar cap angles and hat section structure of the vertical stabilizer. FAA estimates that the proposal affects 400 airplanes on the U.S. Registry at a cost of $51,000, or $127.50 per aircraft. FAA will accept comments on the proposal through Oct. 11.
House General Aviation Caucus Co-Chair Sam Graves (R-Mo.) is planning to host a general aviation roundtable with industry leaders this week to delve into a range of issues. The meeting, tentatively scheduled for Oct. 3, comes as the caucus has surpassed the 50% mark with 223 members. The Senate GA Caucus, meanwhile, has reached 40 members and has remained equally as active, holding a meeting this month on certification concerns.
Jet Aviation’s base in Zurich has moved into a new fixed-base operation built alongside the existing General Aviation Center in Zurich. The facility incorporates the new branding and corporate look that was unveiled earlier this year at Jet Aviation’s Geneva FBO. The company also moved its operations center rampside, placing it closer to the customs and immigration area, and farther from the customer area.
I began my career in the aerospace and defense (A&D) industry as an export sales manager for a European missile manufacturer (now MBDA). It was a somewhat unusual career move for a business school graduate with no engineering background. Today, even fewer graduates have A&D high on their lists when they look for jobs as sales or marketing managers. This is, after all, an industry built by engineers, and its reputation is based primarily on products and the technological innovations that underpin them.
