Piper Aircraft continues to test an autogas-fueled Piper Archer, recently completing a 2,100-nm roundtrip from Vero Beach, Fla. to Oshkosh, Wis. Powered by a single Lycoming 0-360-A4M engine producing 180-hp, the Archer was fueled by 93-octane unleaded automobile gasoline. The aircraft, which carries 48 U.S. gal., completed stops in Vidalia, Ga., Somerset, Ky., and Valparaiso, Ind. Piper completed the cross-country trip to demonstrate the capabilities with the autogas. Piper is working with Airworthy AutoGas LLC, Phoenix, Ariz., to test the fuel option.
CRAIG WINTERROWD has joined West Star Aviation as regional sales manager in California. Winterrowd will provide sales and support of West Star services for customers in California, with the exception of those at Burbank and Van Nuys airports. He has 40 years of corporate aviation experience, holding a range of technical, business and sales positions.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Flying Club Network has surpassed the 400 mark. AOPA’s network has grown to 415 clubs, with another 133 in the process of forming. AOPA created the network to encourage their formation, share information and best practices among clubs and provide a stronger collective voice. The association is also developing programs to assist flying clubs with marketing, insurance and legal support. The effort is part of AOPA’s larger initiative to attract new pilots and retain existing ones.
Dallas Aeronautical Services (DAS) Brazil is planning to move into a new, larger facility in São José dos Campos, Brazil, beginning in the first half of 2014. The facility will span 70,000 sq. ft. A subsidiary of Dallas Aeronautical Services, DAS Brazil produces, repairs and overhauls composites, structures and assemblies.
Jet Aviation is expanding its presence at Tegel International Airport in Berlin to add a new customer lounge and briefing offices at the General Aviation Center. Jet Aviation opened a fixed-base operation in February at Schonefeld International Airport to provide handling services at both Schonefeld and Tegel International airports. The new accommodations at Tegel will complement Jet Aviation’s existing crew and VIP passenger lounge and operations office at Schönefeld.
DASSAULT Model Falcon 7X airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0669; Directorate Identifier 2013-NM-117-AD; Amendment 39-17540; AD 2013-16-02] – requires incorporation of a new procedure into the airplane flight manual (AFM). This AD was prompted by a report of a runway excursion caused by failure of the nose landing gear position feed-back assembly. FAA is issuing this AD to detect and correct an incorrect angle signal causing an uncommanded nose wheel deflection, which could result in reduced controllability of the airplane.
CRISTINA BYMAN has joined West Star Aviation as technical sales manager-avionics at the company’s East Alton, Ill. facility. Byman will be responsible for technical support for all avionics products and services that West Star offers. She has 11 years of corporate aviation experience, most recently overseeing the MRO sales of avionics and cabin modifications for Challenger and Global aircraft.
HARTZELL propeller models HC-(1,D)2(X,V,MV)20-7, HC-(1,D)2(X,V,MV)20-8, and HC-(1,D)3(X,V,MV)20-8 [Docket No. FAA-2013-0130; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-07-AD; Amendment 39-17520; AD 2013-15-04] – requires replacement of the propeller hydraulic bladder diaphragm. This AD was prompted by failures of the propeller hydraulic bladder diaphragm and resulting engine oil leak. FAA is issuing this AD to prevent propeller hydraulic bladder diaphragm rupture, loss of engine oil, damage to the engine and loss of the airplane.
While the light end of the business jet market has languished over the past five years, the used market is showing encouraging signs of a potential turnaround for smaller aircraft, a Texas based broker finds. Rene Banglesdorf, CEO of Georgetown, Texas-based aircraft broker Charlie Bravo Aviation, is experiencing a notable pickup in inquiries for light and medium-sized jets. Importantly, she says, these inquiries are coming from small and medium-sized companies looking for Cessna CJs and Bombardier Learjets, along with other light and medium-sized aircraft.
BELL HELICOPTER Model 204B, 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 210, 212, 412, 412CF, and 412EP helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0639; Directorate Identifier 2013-SW-020-AD; Amendment 39-17518; AD 2013-15-02] – supersedes AD 2008-10-03, required certain checks and inspections of each tail rotor blade assembly (T/R blade) at specified intervals and repairing or replacing, as applicable, any cracked or damaged T/R blade. Since FAA issued AD 2008-10-03, an accident attributed to a T/R failure occurred.
WILLIAM GIBSON was appointed director, product support global distribution for Gulfstream Aerospace. Gibson manages the movement and warehousing of spare parts throughout the Gulfstream Product Support global distribution network. He previously spent 10 years with Honeywell, most recently as senior manager, customer operations for its Space and Defense segment.
Van Nuys Airport in California late last month celebrated the completion of a major $20.5 million rehabilitation of its 8,000-ft. primary runway, 16R. The project was the largest maintenance undertaking conducted by the airport in more than 50 years, airport officials say. More than 300 business, community and aviation industry representatives joined in the Aug. 29 ribbon-cutting event. The rehabilitation included a phased asphalt overlay along with partial reconstruction over the north, south and center sections.
WILLIAM BROWN was named director of global security for Gulfstream Aerospace. Brown will manage activities to protect Gulfstream employees, assets and property. He joined the company in 2008 as manager of security services and later was promoted to senior manager of company security services. He has 20 years of experience in security and security management.
While comments aren’t due until Oct. 11, eight aviation organizations are appealing to FAA to either extend the comment period or withdraw a proposal seeking inspections and replacement of Engine Components Inc. (ECi) and Airmotive Engineering “Titan” cylinders found on 6,000 Continental 520 and 550 model reciprocating engines. The proposed airworthiness directive (AD), released Aug. 12, is estimated to cost operators upward of $82.6 million.
Investigators probing the crash of a Eurocopter AS332L2 Super Puma in the Shetland Islands in August say they have not yet found any evidence of technical failure onboard the helicopter.
LONDON — Investigators probing the crash of a Eurocopter AS332L2 Super Puma in the Shetland Islands in August say they have not yet found any evidence of technical failure onboard the helicopter. Four oil workers died when the CHC Scotia-operated Super Puma ditched into the North Sea just minutes before it was due to land at Sumburgh Airport in the Shetlands on Aug. 23. Twelve passengers and the two pilots survived, although one of the crew was seriously injured.
LONDON — Rolls-Royce has completed the sale of its share in the RTM322 turboshaft program to Turbomeca. The two companies announced Rolls-Royce’s sale of its 50% share in the engine program in April, formally completing the €293 million ($382 million) transaction on Sept. 2.
Russian Helicopters has achieved civil certification of its Kazan Ansat twin-engine medium helicopter. Kazan initially designed the Ansat with fly-by-wire controls, but the company struggled to have the aircraft certified for civil use, so instead it developed a new version with hydro-mechanical controls. The new version was awarded type certification from the Aviation Register of the Interstate Aviation Committee (AR IAC) at the MAKS air show near Moscow on Aug. 28.
The $1 avgas experiment: More than a dozen general aviation companies and organizations are sponsoring an experiment to see how price-sensitive operators are. Redbird Skyport in San Marco, Texas, will sell avgas for $1 a gallon during October. Redbird maintains the promotion is an effort to gather data on how much it will spur activity. Jeff Van West, director of Redbird Media, acknowledges that $1 offer will increase flying “if by novelty alone.” But the question remains how much will it increase flight and for how long, he says.
Indian business aircraft operators are facing a headwind after the country’s aviation regulator banned them from international flights until they demonstrate compliance with new safety standards.
An offshore safety committee that called for the grounding of all variants of the Super Puma helicopter following the loss of a CHC-operated aircraft in the Shetland Islands has lifted the suspension. The Helicopter Safety Steering Group (HSSG) came to the decision following a two-day meeting of helicopter operators, trade unions and regulators in Aberdeen, Scotland, on Aug. 29.
Garmin is jumping into the competitive market for retrofitting Beechjets with a new flight deck modernization program. Garmin is developing a supplemental type certificate to install the G5000 avionics suite in Beechjet 400A and Hawker 400XP aircraft. The company hopes to have the STC complete by 2015 and offer the upgrade through its dealer network.
