EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS350B3 [Docket No. FAA-2012-1297; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-100-AD; Amendment 39-17285; AD 2012-25-04] – supersedes an emergency AD with certain part-numbered laminated half-bearings and tail rotor (T/R) blades installed. The existing AD currently 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 bearings. Finally, the AD requires a one-time removal and inspection of the bearings, and replacing the bearings if necessary.
SCOTT GUNNUFSON was appointed vice president of sales, marketing and support for Rockwell Collins Commercial Services. He has more than 20 years of experience, holding a number of leadership roles with the company. He most recently was vice president and general manager for Rockwell Collins International and Service Solutions.
DIAMOND DA 40 NG airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0348; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-005-AD; Amendment 39-17439; AD 2013-08-21] – requires repetitive inspections of charged air tubing for the presence of the chafing marks and, depending on findings, replacement of damaged tubing, or installation of improved design tubing. This AD stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency that cites reports of chafing between the charge air tubing and the engine firewall that may cause a hole in the charge air tubing.
The Pilatus PC-12 fleet surpassed the 4 million flight-hour milestone. Nearly 1,200 aircraft have entered service since first delivery in October 1994, and the high-time PC-12 has logged more than 24,000 hr. in operation as an air ambulance with Air Bravo in Ontario, Canada.
While Dassault’s business jet deliveries dropped in the first quarter, the French manufacturer expects shipments to improve throughout the year and remain on track to reach the highest total in three years. Dassault expects to deliver 70 Falcons this year, up slightly from the 66 delivered in 2012 and 63 in 2011, company executives say. As Dassault worked to certify its newest Falcon 2000 models, deliveries were down nearly 50% in the first quarter to eight, compared with 15 in the first quarter of 2012.
Beechcraft has received the latest renewal for the U.S. Air Force/Navy Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) program, a $210 million contract for 35 T-6 trainers. The renewal, which is for the 19th production lot, will carry JPATS production at least through February 2015. The latest order, which comes in the face of sequestration cuts, includes 33 T-6 aircraft for the U.S. Navy and two more for the U.S. Army. Deliveries on Lot 19 will begin this month.
AGUSTAWESTLAND Model A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0350; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-050-AD] – proposes to require inspecting the pilot and co-pilot doors to ensure that the windows are properly bonded within the doors. If the windows are not properly bonded, the proposed AD would require applying bonding to the windows, the seals, and the window frames of the pilot and co-pilot doors. This proposed AD is prompted by the loss of a pilot-door window during a test flight.
Four years after interest all but died in a new generation of midsize, long-range business jets, Honeywell is refreshing plans to develop a new or derivative engine for the sector amid signs of a coming market revival.
TURBOMECA Arriel 1A1, 1A2, 1B, 1C, 1C1, 1C2, 1D, 1D1, 1E2, 1K1, 1S, and 1S1 turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2012-1131; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-34-AD; Amendment 39-17440; AD 2013-08-22] – requires daily post-flight checks of the engine tachometer’s unit cycle-counting feature. This AD also requires ground-run functional checks within every 1,000 operating hours. This AD was prompted by detailed analysis and review of the accuracy of the engine’s tachometer cycle-counting feature.
The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) is hoping to expand its business aviation conference venues to multiple locations throughout the Middle East. The event will continue to be held in Dubai, but MEBAA is adding a Middle East Business Aviation Conference (MEBAC) in Saudi Arabia. The first MEBAC in Saudi Arabia will be held on June 4. The event, to be held at the Hilton Hotel in Jeddah, will provide a forum for aviation leaders in the region to discuss issues affecting the Kingdom’s business aviation market.
ALAN PROWSE was appointed vice president and managing director for the Americas for Rockwell Collins. Prowse most recently was senior director, Government Systems sales and business development operations for Rockwell Collins. He has 21 years of Rockwell Collins experience, serving in sales, marketing and as a life cycle value stream manager in Government Systems.
The used market has crawled out if its trough from 2009, when a high of about 17% of the business jet fleet was up for sale, but it has come at a cost as aircraft values continue to plummet, industry experts say. The used market hit an all-time high in 2012 with the number of transactions reaching 2,240. This bested the 2007 peak of 2,181 aircraft transactions, JetNet reports. And the number of aircraft for sale has declined over the past three years, reaching 13.4% by the end of 2012.
Eclipse Aerospace Inc. (EAI) named Crownair Aviation in San Diego as an authorized “Gold Service Center” for both the Eclipse 500 and the new Eclipse 550 very light jet. The authorization covers maintenance, inspections, parts and warranty support, as well as aircraft-on-ground services for Eclipse aircraft.
Solairus Aviation named industry veteran Bob Marinace executive vice president. Marinace, who has 30 years of aviation experience, formerly was president and CEO of Oxford, Conn.-based Key Air. He also formerly served with Sentient. He has held positions on the National Air Transportation Association board of directors and the Air Charter Safety Foundation executive board, along with a number of FAA advisory groups. The appointment comes as the San Francisco-based charter and management company moves to expand its presence on the East Coast.
CORRECTION: Signature Flight Support has plans to relocate its West Coast headquarters to San Jose, Calif., as part of its plans to open a new fixed-base operation complex at Mineta San Jose International Airport. The April 22 and May 13 editions of BA incorrectly stated Signature’s plans for its headquarters.
FlightSafety International (FSI) is expanding its Gulfstream maintenance and support training curriculum to add cabin systems courses. The courses will be folded into a Total Technical Training program that FSI and Gulfstream jointly developed for Gulfstream maintenance technicians, along with flight attendants, pilots and others who would support and operate the cabin systems. Initial course offerings at the Savannah, Ga., training center will cover G650, G450 and G550 systems. Additional G280 cabin systems courses will be taught at FSI’s Dallas training center.
In the next legislative session, the European Business Aviation Association plans to push for more fair treatment should the European Union’s Emissions Trading System remain in place, says EBAA President Brian Humphries “Today, what we have is not acceptable,” Humphries says. EU ETS has created a market in carbon credits that favors small airlines, severely penalizes business jets and has raised the specter of an international trade war.
While fixed base operations (FBOs) are key elements in business aviation's infrastructure, their existence is largely unknown to the public. Except in San Jose, Calif. Silicon Valley's Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) is owned and operated by the city. Business aircraft alighting there use Atlantic Aviation, which succeeded the San Jose Jet Center when its parent, Australia's Macquarie Group, acquired it in 2007.
For the first time in a long time, general aviation planemakers have good news to report, as one of their standouts had been staggering not all that long ago. According to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), 458 aircraft were delivered during the first three months of the year, representing total billings of $4.6 billion. Compared to the same quarter in 2012, those represent increases of nearly 10% and 32%, respectively.
Citing the potential for NextGen airspace modernization, unmanned aircraft technology and certification reforms to revolutionize general aviation, flying-car developer Terrafugia has unveiled its concept for a hybrid-electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) four-seater. The new TF-X is planned to become available after 2020 as a follow-on to the Transition two-seat roadable aircraft now under development. First delivery of the Transition was originally slated for 2011 but is now expected between January 2015 and March 2016, says CEO Carl Dietrich.
Four years after interest all but died in a new generation of midsize, long-range business jets, Honeywell is refreshing plans to develop a new or derivative engine for the sector amid signs of a coming market revival.
Inmarsat has announced it will be working with Satcom Direct, the provider of satellite voice, fax, datalink and Internet communications solutions, to take its GX Aviation proposition to the business aviation market.
