"Boosting DCA" (Washington Watch, February 2014, page 59) is the first article regarding Reagan Washington National Airport that hasn't totally ignored the fact that access to DCA is still severely limited. I've been getting very tired of aviation publications extolling TSA's superb efforts at relaxing the guidelines at DCA every time a new gateway airport is added. You are right on in acknowledging that there has been progress, but we are a long way from where we should be.
While aircraft design and certification has certainly minimized the occurrence of Mach Tuck, there are many important lessons to be remembered from earlier investigations that apply to swept-wing training.
Embraer, Sao Paulo, Brazil, appointed Peter Griffith vice president, sales and marketing for Europe and Africa, for the company's Executive Jets unit. Griffith has had sales positions with Raytheon Aircraft, Cessna and Honda, among others. Peter Walker was named vice president sales and marketing for the Middle East and Asia Pacific. He has served as a chief pilot and has had sales roles for Hawker Beechcraft and Nextant.
Air Medical Group Holdings (AMGH), one of the largest independent providers of helicopter air ambulance services, is buying 20 Bell 206L4s. Deliveries are scheduled to begin this year and continue through 2017.
It took a data link mandate in the North Atlantic and, finally, pressure from airframe OEMs and operators, but avionics manufacturers are stepping forward with Future Air Navigation System 1/A options and upgrades to allow customers continuous unimpeded access to prime aerial real estate in the North Atlantic region, especially on the Organized Track System. (See “CPDLC: Texting for Pilots,” October 2013 B&CA, page 80.)
The long running fight for control of Santa Monica, Calif., Airport entered a pitched legal battle recently to determine the future of the facility, a key general aviation field outside Los Angeles — and possibly put hundreds more airports in jeopardy. Late last October the city filed suit with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California seeking to control the fate of SMO, insisting it has “unencumbered title” to the airport property and can do with it “as it chooses.” The municipality wants the option to close the airport after July 2015.
FLYHT Aerospace Solutions, Calgary, Alberta, promoted Matt Bradley to the post of president. This realignment will allow Bill Tempahy, FLYHT's current CEO and former president to focus on the company public market participation and other business initiatives.
Southeast Aerospace, Melbourne, Fla., appointed Darrel Davies regional representative for Canada. He will help expand SEA's service in the Canadian helicopter market.
P180 Avanti and Avanti II aircraft are the flying Ferraris in a turboprop world awash in airborne Fiats and Fords. They soar as high as FL 410, fly as fast as 400 KTAS and sip jet fuel. Their cabins provide midsize jet passenger comfort and interior sound levels are as low as some older light jets. They can fly six passengers 1,300 nm in less than four hours and consume less fuel than any other pressurized, twin-turbine aircraft.
Executive AirShare, Kansas City, Mo., promoted Daniel Ireson to assistant chief pilot. He is based at Fort Worth Meacham Airport and Love Field in Dallas and reports to Chief Pilot Alex Franz.
There are two articles in the January 2014 edition that take medical issues from one extreme to the other. The first, “Keeping your Medical Qualifications,” has the Federal Air Surgeon on his own basically deciding that every pilot take a sleep apnea test. Pilots with a body mass index (BMI) over 40 or a neck circumference over 17 inches will be the first that take the test. Then the BMI will be lowered and lowered “until every pilot with OSA [obstructive sleep apnea] is identified and receives treatment.”
Metropolitan Aviation, Manassas, Va., announced that Justin Harris is the new director of safety. Tony Massinon was named the company's new director of operations.
Organizers of the 2014 Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE), set for April 15-17, report exhibitor registrations early this year were far ahead of last year's pace and have expanded the exhibit hall and pavilion to allow for more booths at the Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Centre. ABACE is produced through a partnership between the Shanghai Airport Authority and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), and co-hosted by NBAA, the Asian Business Aviation Association and the Shanghai Exhibition Center.
Operators could spout off five favorite things they like about the aircraft almost faster than we could write them down. Speed, range and cabin comfort topped the list. They also say the G650 burns considerably less fuel at Mach 0.85 than other large cabin aircraft.
New charter operator World Health Jets of Jackson, Miss., has contracted with JDA Aviation Technology Solutions (JDA) for the company's 135Pro product. The program is a low-cost FAR Part 135 certification support program designed to simplify the certification process and lower costs. It includes manuals tailored to help new charter operators and corporate flight departments satisfy FAA requirements and while obtaining full-time support from the JDA expert 135 team. Visit www.jdasolutions.aero for more information.
Business jet operations last year topped 4 million, an activity level not seen since 2008, according to preliminary FAA data. The 4.072 million operations recorded in 2013, represented a 2.26% increase over 2012. Since the data is preliminary, this is likely to increase slightly once FAA finalizes December operations. Business jet operations peaked at 4.825 million in 2007 before falling 11% in 2008 to 4.291 million. Operations plunged almost 20% the following year to a decade-low 3.449 million. They have been on the rise every year since, but recovery has been slow.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has scheduled a series of six regional AOPA Fly-Ins and an “ AOPA Homecoming ” in Frederick, Md. The fly-ins will include a town hall meeting with association President Mark Baker, who will discuss industry issues and association initiatives. The events will also include educational and safety seminars, aircraft displays and exhibits , flying activities and clinics. The events will include a return of AOPA 's annual Frederick Fly-In on Oct. 4 that will feature a celebration of the association's 75th anniversary.
Safe Flight, White Plains, N.Y., announced the appointment of Matthew Greene as executive vice president. Since joining the company in 2003, he has taken on increasing roles of responsibility, most recently as vice president of Program Management where he led the improvement of new product time to market.
I just finished “A Classic Accident Chain” (Cause & Circumstance, December 2013) and have a completely different perspective. I think its should be retitled, “Don't leave well enough alone!!”
The FAA will keep its minimum random drug and alcohol testing percentage rates the same for calendar year 2014, testing at least 25% of covered employees for drugs and 10% for alcohol, the agency has determined. The decision, set to be formalized in a Federal Register notice, is made each year based on full-year testing results from the last full calendar year. If positive test rates exceed 1.0% for drugs or 0.50% for alcohol in a year, FAA must boost the percentages of employees tested.
Cockpit automation is here to stay, and will probably increase in the future. Automated cockpit systems have contributed significantly to improvements in safety, operational efficiency, and precise flight path management, all welcome developments. Unfortunately accidents continue to point out vulnerabilities attendant to automation as well.
Fly Comlux, the VIP operator of Comlux Aviation Group, announced that its Boeing 767BBJ widebody aircraft is now available for charter, having come back into the market after a major mandatory maintenance check and significant upgrades to the cabin. Upgrades include reupholstered seats, a new humidification system, SwiftBroadband and GSM throughout the cabin. Comlux, The Aviation Group Hergiswill, Switzerland
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is mulling recommendations of an international working group that would permit commercially operated, single-turbine aircraft in instrument meteorological conditions. It is expected to release a formal proposed rulemaking in the next several months. The action brings Europe the closest to permitting such operations, which have been sought by local operators for decades. It would also take a step toward operating regulations long in place in the U.S., which permits both single turbine and piston operations.
