John McGraw, the former deputy director of flight standards at FAA, has become head of regulatory affairs for the National Air Transportation Association. McGraw retired from FAA in December 2012 and launched his own consultancy, John McGraw Aerospace Consulting. A 40-year aviation veteran, McGraw held a number of positions within FAA Flight Standards, Aircraft Certification Service, Aircraft Engineering Division and others. Before joining FAA, he was test director/test pilot for the U.S. Army Aviation Technical Test Center and a flight test engineer for the U.S.
Avantair President and CEO David Haslett resigned from the ailing fractional ownership provider, effective July 10. Haslett will provide consulting services to the operator as needed. The resignation follows the decision last month to ground the fleet and furlough the workforce while the company attempted to seek new financing. The company is also facing multiple lawsuits from customers over the lack of service and has been warned of potential aircraft repossessions.
GREG MARTIN was named COO for European operator Hangar8. Martin previously served with AJW Technique, a unit of parts specialist A J Walter Aviation Group. He has also served as vice president of business development for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Jet Support Services.
BELL Model 230 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0492; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-013-AD] – proposes to require installing a placard on the instrument panel and revising the limitations section of the rotorcraft flight manual (RFM). This proposed AD is prompted by several incidents of third-stage engine turbine wheel failures, which were caused by excessive vibrations at certain engine speeds during steady-state operations.
Business aviation posted a spotty accident record in the first half of the year with business jets and turboprops involved in fewer overall accidents but more fatal accidents, according to the latest statistics released by safety expert Robert E. Breiling Associates.
If mandatory federal spending cuts put in place this year carry over into fiscal 2014, FAA should not be expected to come through as unscathed as it did this year, a top Senate staffer warns. “Everybody expects we’re going to have another critical point in September” once Congress gets back to work after a summer break and the Oct. 1 start of fiscal 2014 looms, says Senate aviation subcommittee staff member Rich Swayze.
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is awaiting court action on its petition that the association hopes will put an end to FAA’s recent efforts to charge for air traffic control services at AirVenture and other aviation events. EAA this month filed a petition with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Chicago to require FAA to refund more than $450,000 in payments that the agency is charging for air traffic control services it will provide during EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., from July 29-Aug. 4.
Cessna is progressing with its efforts to build aircraft in China, expecting the first Caravan single turboprops to come off the assembly line by year’s end followed by the XLS+ aircraft next year, says Scott Donnelly, president, CEO and chairman of Cessna parent Textron.
The National Air Transportation Association is rolling out a new NATA Aviation Legal Services Plan, which is designed for aircraft management and charter operators, fractional ownership programs, maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities, fixed-base operators, flight schools, part manufacturers and other aviation business.
NAVEEN RAO has joined the aviation practice of Washington, D.C. law firm Patton Boggs. Most recently with Jones Day, Rao brings a background of aviation regulatory and policy experience. He formerly was counselor to the assistant secretary for Aviation and International Affairs for the Department of Transportation and also worked as a regulatory attorney in the Office of the Chief Counsel at FAA.
JIM GRANT was appointed senior vice president of military programs for Beechcraft Corp. He will be responsible for new business in Beechcraft’s Trainer/Attack, Special Mission and Global Mission Support organizations. He was a former command pilot with the U.S. Air Force and has more than 5,000 flight hours in a range of combat aircraft. After retiring from the service in 1995, Grant joined Lockheed Martin, where he has held a range of leadership positions including vice president of new business.
AGUSTA Model A109A, A109AII, and A109C helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0518; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-021-AD] – proposes to require installing a placard on the instrument panel and revising the limitations section of the rotorcraft flight manual (RFM). This proposed AD is prompted by several incidents of third-stage engine turbine wheel failures, which were caused by excessive vibrations at certain engine speeds during steady-state operations.
International Jet Aviation Services at Centennial Airport in Colorado added a Falcon 900B to its charter fleet. The aircraft joins a fleet that includes a range of Learjet, Hawker, Beechcraft and Gulfstream aircraft.
Duncan Aviation’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility in Lincoln, Neb., was recently named an approved aircraft maintenance organization by the South African Civil Aviation Authority. The approval increases the number of authorizations to 10 that Duncan has received for its facilities in Lincoln, Battle Creek, Mich., and Provo, Utah.
Gulfstream Aerospace is expanding its market for its G280 super midsize business jet with recent type validations from China and Canada. The approvals enable operators to register the aircraft in those countries. Gulfstream has been encouraged by sales interest from both Canada and China, and says the validations will provide a boost to that interest. China and Canada are the first validations to come outside of the FAA, Israeli Civil Aviation Authority and European Aviation Safety Agency. The 3,600-nm aircraft entered service in November.
A bill calling on FAA to improve certification standards for light aircraft moves to the Senate following House passage July 16. The bill, H.R.1848, the Small Aircraft Revitalization Act, is designed to boost the sagging general aviation segment by mandating the adoption of new Part 23 standards by the end of 2015.
Skytime Jets was designated as a certified broker by ratings firm Wyvern. Skytime joins only 2% of the European broker firms to receive such recognition. As part of the designation, Skytime will offer a comprehensive safety program to its customers using Wyvern’s safety materials. Wyvern will provide Skytime Jets with access to an expanded database of audited operators that are included in the Wyvern Report. Skytime Jets will be able to download safety information on the operator, aircraft and crew and send that information to clients.
The Experimental Aircraft Association board of directors expects to return its attention to the search for a new president after the association’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., concludes next month, a spokesman says. Former Cessna Chairman Jack Pelton has steered the association as chairman since Rod Hightower stepped down as president in October. Hightower was only the third president of the association that was founded by Paul Poberezny. Pelton has clearly stated he had no plans to lead EAA on a permanent basis, but that he wanted to help with the leadership transition.
Gulfstream Aerospace’s Beijing Service Center recently secured authorization to service Gulfstream aircraft registered in Hong Kong and Macau. Gulfstream was granted that approval through a Joint Maintenance Management (JMM) agreement among the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), the Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong and the Civil Aviation Authority of Macau SAR.
Thrush Aircraft last week handed over the first three of 20 new dual cockpit 510G aircraft to China. The order, from Heilongjiand State Farms Beidahuand Group in Jiamusi, is the single largest that the Albany, Ga., airframer has received and includes spare parts and training. Thrush has been conducting pilot and mechanic training over the past two months at it training center in Albany. Once the aircraft arrive in Jiamusi, Thrush will provide on-site orientation and assistance. At least six of the new 510Gs are slated to enter service during the 2013 spray season.
BELL Model 206L-4 and 407 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0526; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-14-AD] – proposes to require replacing or reworking certain aft bearing caps. This proposed AD is prompted by the manufacture of certain freewheel aft bearing caps without a lubrication channel to allow oil flow into the aft bearing support assembly. The proposed actions are intended to prevent failure of the freewheel unit and subsequent loss of control of the helicopter. FAA estimates that this proposed AD would affect 80 helicopters on the U.S.
BELL Model 439 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0491; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-012-AD] – proposes to require installing a placard on the instrument panel and revising the limitations section of the rotorcraft flight manual (RFM). This proposed AD is prompted by several incidents of third-stage engine turbine wheel failures, which were caused by excessive vibrations at certain engine speeds during steady-state operations.
While most engine makers generally support a few hundred users of their products, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) supports the maintenance needs of a hugely diverse set of over 10,000 operators, 90% of whom have only one or two aircraft.
