Cessna, which recently completed the fuselage for its first midsize Citation Latitude, has begun production on the first prototype article in preparation for first flight in early 2014. Cessna mated the fuselage and nose sections in July, and recently has begun using the completed article for static tests. Work is well under way on the second test article, which will be used for structural trials. Cessna expects testing to begin on the second article shortly.

FAA is calling for repetitive inspections and eventual replacement of Engine Components Inc. (ECi) and Airmotive Engineering “Titan” cylinders found on 6,000 Continental 520 and 550 model reciprocating engines at a cost that could reach $82.6 million.

Pricing is showing a mild recovery in the used market, but as prices begin to inch up, the number of transactions are also starting to slow. The number of transactions reached record levels in 2012 as aircraft values plunged. But industry analyst Jetnet reports this trend reverses in the first half.

A fatal midair collision between a Beechcraft Bonanza piloted by a National Transportation Safety Board employee and a Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee piloted by an FAA employee underscores the fact that the see-and-avoid principle alone is insufficient to guard against midairs when aircraft are flying under visual flight rules (VFR), the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) concludes.

Eclipse, in the final stages of certifying avionics systems before it begins delivery of the new Eclipse 550, has packaged some of the upgrades developed for the new aircraft as a retrofit option for existing Eclipse 500 very light jets.

Inflight connectivity specialist Aircell has enjoyed a fourfold growth in its business aviation division over the past four years as inflight Internet is becoming commonplace in fractional, charter and other operations.

While business aviation flights in the U.S. and Canada have remained flat to down overall this year, Part 135 activity continues to gain strength with improvements every month this year, according to the most recent data by aviation safety expert and industry analyst Argus International. Part 135 flights jumped 17.8% in July compared with July 2012. That follows a 12% improvement in June and a 10.7% increase in May. In fact, charter-activity gains have been in the double digits every month this year except March, which was up 9.3%, and February, up 5.5%.

UPS suffered the second fatal accident in its 25-year air package service history Aug. 14 when Flight 1354 went down on final approach to Alabama's Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) following a flight from the carrier's Louisville, Ky., hub, killing the two pilots. The Airbus A300-600F hit the ground about one-half mile short of BHM's 7,099-ft. Runway 18 on its initial approach. BHM's primary runway, the 11,998-ft. 6/24, was closed for routine maintenance at the time.