Jet Aviation is introducing an Airbus ACJ318 to its managed fleet in the U.S. The U.S.-registered aircraft will be operated by Jet Aviation Flight Services’ West Coast team and based at Van Nuys, Calif. When the ACJ is added to Jet Aviation Flight Services’ FAR Part 135 aircraft operator’s certificate (AOC) later this year, or in early 2014, it will become the first ACJ318 in the U.S. and the only VVIP ACJ available in the country for charter.
Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) and Beechcraft are combining forces to forge a total tip-to-tail airframe and propulsion support package for the potential fleet of up to 100-plus King Air 350i aircraft ordered by start-up charter and business aircraft services company Wheels Up.
Commercial aftermarket growth continues to bolster United Technologies Corp.’s (UTC) business units, boosting the company’s overall commercial results and helping offset its struggling military business across the board, executives say. Pratt & Whitney’s large commercial spares revenues increased 22% in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, the second straight increase after five quarters of decline. Legacy Pratt engine spares “are recovering” and the V2500 market is growing, helping offset weaker demand for PW2000 parts, says UTC CFO Greg Hayes.
Commercial aftermarket growth continues to bolster United Technologies Corp.’s (UTC) business units, boosting the company’s overall commercial results and helping offset its struggling military business across the board, executives say. Pratt & Whitney’s large commercial spares revenues increased 22% in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, the second straight increase after five quarters of decline. Legacy Pratt engine spares “are recovering” and the V2500 market is growing, helping offset weaker demand for PW2000 parts, says UTC CFO Greg Hayes.
Embraer is hoping to capture market share in the VVIP category from Boeing and Airbus with the rollout of the Lineage 1000E. The new aircraft is 500 lb. lighter thanks to the removal of a dozen windows and the forward service door, and it sports a redesigned five-zone interior. The new version of Embraer’s top-of-the-line Lineage business jet has an extended range, a redesigned interior, new equipment and other changes.
Bigger is better in the booming large-cabin business aircraft segment, and the debut of Dassault’s $45 million Falcon 5X is the biggest news at this year’s National Business Aviation Association Convention. Formerly known as the Falcon SMS, this newest member of the family will have a cabin cross section that is slightly larger than that of Gulfstream’s G650, but it is considerably shorter, in keeping with its 5,200-nm. maximum range at Mach 0.80.
LONDON — U.K. air accident investigators are examining pilot error as the possible cause of a fatal crash of a CHC helicopter off the Shetland Islands in late August. Four oil workers died when the CHC Scotia-operated Eurocopter AS332L2 Super Puma, registered G-WNSB, crashed into the sea while on approach to Sumburgh Airport in the Shetland Islands on Aug. 23 after a flight from the Borgsten Dolphin drilling platform on behalf of oil company Total.
A softening of purchase expectations in several regions led Honeywell Aerospace to scale back its 10-year forecast for new aircraft deliveries, but the increasing preference for large-cabin, long-range aircraft is keeping the anticipated dollar value of those deliveries at the same level as previous forecasts.
The FAA has given Applied Research Associates Inc.’s (ARA’s) Nighthawk IV micro-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) a special airworthiness certificate, which will allow potential customers to apply for agency approval to operate the 2-lb. aircraft in the national airspace. “This special airworthiness certificate is supported by extensive safety, manufacturing, inspection, maintenance and crew training procedures that were reviewed and accepted by the FAA as part of a recent visit to witness post-certification maiden flights,” ARA says in an announcement.
Embraer Executive Jets has announced, during its press conference at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition 2013, Jackie Chan is the launch customer of the Legacy 500 executive jet in China, with scheduled delivery for 2015.
Citing the U.S. interstate highway system and the space program of the 1960s, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta in an address last week at Princeton University argued that “only the government” is capable of coordinating the development of major transportation infrastructure projects such as NextGen. However, he also stressed that close coordination across government agencies and with private sector partners will be essential to successful deployment of the system.
BELL Model 214B, 214B-1, and 214ST helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2008-0288; Directorate Identifier 2006-SW-25-AD; Amendment 39-17587; AD 2013-19-05] – requires creating a component history card or equivalent record for certain pylon support spindle assemblies, establishes a new retirement life for spindles installed on Model 214B and 214B-1 helicopters, reduces the retirement life for spindles installed on Model 214ST helicopters, and requires replacing any spindle that has reached its airworthiness retirement life.
The end of the 16-day government shutdown comes as a relief to the business aviation industry, but questions linger as to how long it will take FAA to ramp back up and whether the industry will face the same situation in another three months. National Business Aviation Association President Ed Bolen says the agreement ending the shutdown is welcome because “it brings a resolution to an untenable situation,” adding the consequences have been devastating.
The number of U.S. business jet accidents appears to be going down based on the 2013 returns, but landing-phase accidents continue to be a problem and have helped spur an increase in fatal accidents, according to preliminary data from safety expert Robert E. Breiling Associates.
Bombardier Aircraft held a ceremonial celebration for the “delivery” of the first Learjet 75s on Oct. 17 – ceremonial because the aircraft is not yet certified. Bombardier had hoped to have U.S. FAA certification of the aircraft leading into the National Business Aviation Association convention Oct. 22-24, but the U.S. government shutdown pushed it off. Official deliveries will occur later this year when the aircraft is certified.
Jet Aviation was named an authorized reseller of VisionSafe’s Emergency Vision Assurance System (EVAS) cockpit smoke protection system. Jet Aviation will offer the technology to its aircraft management and maintenance customer based in the U.S. Jet Aviation’s facilities in Bedford, Mass., Teterboro, N.J. and Houston will be authorized to train and install the system. EVAS is standard on the Gulfstream G650 and is certified for use in more than 80 aircraft types. FAA has installed EVAS on its jet fleet.
Beechcraft reportedly has instructed Credit Suisse to approach prospective buyers, including Cessna Aircraft, just months after the manufacturer emerged from an extensive Chapter 11 reorganization. Beechcraft is not commenting on the Bloomberg report, but CEO Bill Boisture last summer noted to Aviation Week that three of the company’s major shareholders are those that specialized in distressed properties. In those cases, he said, the question comes up on whether they’re long-term owners. “I wouldn’t think so,” he said.
Oct. 22–24—National Business Aviation Association 2013 Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA2013), Las Vegas, Nev., (703) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org Nov. 6-8—SpeedNews 18th Annual Regional & Business Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference, Paradise Valley (Scottsdale), Ariz. www.speednews.com Nov. 6-8—Aircraft Electronics Association Regional Meeting, Kansas City, Mo. www.aea.net/events.asp
SPP Canada Aircraft (SPPCA) is forming a business alliance with established maintenance, repair and overhaul companies Lufthansa Technik and its subsidiary Hawker Pacific Aerospace in a move that the landing gear system supplier hopes will help build its base in the North American market and attract new programs as a Tier 1 supplier.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS350B3 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0822; Directorate Identifier 2013-SW-004-AD] – proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires installing two placards and revising the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM). The AD also requires certain checks and inspecting and replacing, if necessary, all four laminated half-bearings.
CHAD CUNDIFF was appointed president of Astronautics Corp., succeeding Michael Russek, who is retiring. Cundiff has more than 20 years of aerospace experience, most recently leading strategy and business development for UTC Aerospace Systems. Before that, he spent more than 15 years with Honeywell Aerospace, where he held positions of increasing responsibility, including vice president of crew interface products. He began his career as an engineer with The Boeing Company, working on the development of the 777.
