Perfect storm drives early aircraft retirements and engine part-outs

Industry predictions call for 12,000 aircraft to be replaced in the global fleet over the next 20 years as they reach the end of their service lives. As airlines move to more fuel-efficient, quieter and more environmentally sensitive aircraft, older ones are shuffling downstream, often to be parked or dismantled. This may be happening faster than in the past, since operators appear to be deciding more quickly to disassemble, taking advantage of the spare parts market for early end-of-life aircraft and engine models.

The aviation community is calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to shelve its newest plan to phase out use of 121.5 MH emergency locator transmitters (ELT), saying the proposed rulemaking is misleading, has a hidden agenda, demonstrates a lack of knowledge of aviation safety and overreaches into FAA’s regulatory authority. FCC earlier this year released a proposal considering “whether to prohibit the certification, manufacture, importation, sale or use of 121.5 MHz ELTs, and, if so, under what timetable.”

The Friends of the Earth (FOE) is evaluating its next steps after a district court dismissed its lawsuit to compel the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to issue a finding that lead emissions from general aviation may endanger public health. Despite the ruling, the environmentalist group says it plans to continue to put pressure on EPA until it takes action.

Signature Flight Support has added a sixth TechnicAir maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) location with the acquisition of Sun Aircraft Services at Washington Dulles International Airport. Signature officially opened its newest MRO base with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 3. Sun Aircraft, a longtime MRO provider at Dulles, formerly had been a Signature tenant. Signature combined the Sun Aircraft hangar with its own facility to have a repair station encompassing 40,000 sq. ft.

Gearbox tests on the EC225 helicopter have recreated the fault that engineers believe forced the ditchings of two of the aircraft into the North Sea last year, Eurocopter says. In an April 3 statement, Eurocopter said engineers have been carrying out a third round of testing on the main gearbox of the EC225. They reported to operators that they not only reproduced the scenario which caused the cracking in the bevel gear vertical shaft – part of the aircraft’s main gearbox (MGB) – on the test bench, but also believe they have found the “most probable cause.”

FAA has granted operators of small business aircraft a two-year exemption that permits them to participate in certain cost-sharing arrangements that are available to large aircraft operators. The approval, for National Business Aviation Association members, extends an ongoing exemption, but came just before that last extension was set to expire April 1.

Garmin, which expanded into the Part 25 market in 2010, is widening its reach at the smaller end of market with a range of new products for experimental and light-sport aircraft. Garmin unveiled its first seven products targeted for the experimental market that were designed by a dedicated engineering team – many of whose members are pilots and home builders.