Executive AirShare is continuing its rapid expansion coming off its third consecutive year of double-digit growth in 2012. The regional fractional ownership program called 2012 its most successful year yet, increasing its shareowners to more than 140 and adding 36 more members in equity charter, lease and management programs, including Launch, Launch Premium and EMBark 32. The company has gone from 75 shareowners in 2009 to more than 130 by the end of 2012.
FAA has no studies on the possible toxicity of pilots' breathing 100% oxygen for prolonged periods, but Jeffrey Sventek, executive director of the Aerospace Medical Association, co-authored just such a study using rabbits in the mid-1980s. The goal was evaluate the possible side effects of breathing almost pure oxygen on the rabbits' cardiovascular systems. Significant changes in the rabbits' responses to certain enzymes that regulate blood pressure and heart rate were recorded after 72 hr. of almost continuous exposure to pure oxygen at normal atmospheric pressure.
In reference to your editorial comments in “Who's Up Front?” (Viewpoint, February 2013), as I recall, years ago United Airlines tried the approach of hiring individuals who had at least at least a Private Pilot certificate. Then at the airline's expense, they were provided additional training to achieve certification as Commercial/Instrument pilots who met the airline's first officer qualifications. I don't recall how long this plan remained in effect, but I suspect it didn't prove to be a viable avenue to provide qualified pilots to meet the airline's needs.
Keystone Aviation was named a dealer for Quest Aircraft's Kodiak single-turboprop aircraft for Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Northern California. The addition marks the fourth manufacturer that Keystone represents. Others include Piper, EADS Socata and HondaJet. Quest, meanwhile, continues to expand its reach as it remains on pace to deliver its 100th aircraft by early fall. Originally designed for mission and humanitarian work, the Kodiak has been delivered for a range of uses, including personal use, FAR Part 135 and government operations.
Fokker Services VIP Completions and DynamicSource AB have developed an iOS application to run Fortran Takeoff and Landing SCAP modules on the iPad. The app allows an operator to make the performance calculation shortly before takeoff thereby allowing the incorporation of last minute changes such as aircraft loading or runway conditions. The app is being used by commercial operators with the performance calculation and is now available for large cabin and airline-class business aircraft operators. Price: Free Fokker Services
Jet Aviation's six U.S. FBO facilities — Boston/Bedford, Mass.; Dallas and Houston, Texas; St. Louis, Mo.; Palm Beach, Fla., and Teterboro, N.J. — have joined Paragon Aviation Group's network of independent FBOs nationwide. The new partnership increased the total number of connections available to support customer requirements to 23 locations in North America.
New twin born to the Piper tribe: Long, sleek engine nacelles distinguish the newest addition to Piper's twin-engine line. Dubbed the Twin Comanche, the four-place aircraft has a top speed of 205 mph, a range of over 1,000 mi. and a price tag of $33,900.
When Blain Stanley, international operations director at Aircare FACTS Training, begins a class on cabin emergency training for flight crews, he asks the pilots — many of whom have described their passengers as “Type A's” — if they think their charges would be assets or liabilities during an emergency. According to Stanley, the nearly universal answer is the latter.
ViaSat Inc. and the L-3 Platform Integration Division (L-3 PID) have signed a memorandum of agreement to provide private transport-class aircraft with inflight connectivity services. Under the agreement, the companies will collaborate on a complete broadband satellite communication system for airline-size aircraft that are custom-fit for use by heads of state and “VVIP” customers.
In April a Gulfstream G650 set a city-pair speed record between Shanghai and Newark, N.J., by covering more than 6,855 nm (12,695 km) in 13 hr. and 32 minutes. The manufacturer said the aircraft departed Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 10:38 p.m. local time on April 18 with five passengers and four crewmembers on board. Once airborne, ATC held the aircraft below 31,000 ft. for an hour before it could climb to its normal cruising altitude of 41,000 to 51,000 ft. (12,500-15,500 meters).
David Esler's “Euro ETS Reconsidered” (April 2013, page 36) was very politically correct. Esler does a great job of describing all the players, but does not point to any benefit to the global aviation community by implementing this ridiculous program.
Freshly free of bankruptcy constraints, Beechcraft exhibited surprising strength in the first quarter, delivering a total of 56 civilian aircraft, plus nine military trainers. Beechcraft Chairman & CEO Bill Boisture attributes his company's positive performance to a restoration of customer confidence in the brand — “They're no longer worried about whether we'll be here or not,” he says — rather than “sea state change” indicating an improved market overall.
Gulfstream enhanced its Field and Airborne Support Teams (FAST) replacing two Gulfstream G100s with two G150s. A G100 serves as a backup. Other enhancements include adding a third shift of two pilots and naming a new chief pilot, Tenille Cromwell. Gulfstream FAST has made more than 3,400 mission flights and surpassed 10,000 flight hours. The team uses more than 20 vehicles throughout the U.S. and Europe, including a pair of specially outfitted rapid response trucks.
Cessna recently completed the mating of the wing and fuselage of the first production unit Citation M2. The light jet, a step up from the company's Mustang very light jet, is on track for certification in the second half of this year. Wing mating clears the way for engine installation and preparation for function testing of the aircraft systems, including avionics, hydraulics and flight controls. The M2, powered by Williams FJ44-1AP-21 engines producing 1,965 lbst, will have a maximum cruising speed of 400 kt., a 1,300-nm range and the ability to take off in 3,250 ft.
Michelin and the Federal Aviation Administration Safety Program (FAASTeam) have teamed to offer pilot and aircraft maintenance technicians an online tire maintenance course titled “The Impact of Tire Maintenance on Aircraft Safety.” FAASafety.gov is the primary training website for pilot and aircraft maintenance technicians. There are FAA incentive credits available for taking the training courses, which cover a variety of topics. This new course helps expose pilots and AMTs to the possible consequences of inadequate tire inflation pressure and the damages of FOD.
Universal Avionics announced its new FlightAssure Extended Warranty Program at the recent Annual Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) Convention in Las Vegas. FlightAssure removes the uncertainty and guesswork from a customer's avionics maintenance, downtime and overall cost. The program was designed to help customers budget the cost of component repairs by extending the avionics' protection plan.
EASA has a far different requirement for supplemental oxygen aboard high flying jets. EU-OPS 1.770 (b)(iii) and (iv) only require that O2 masks “be within immediate reach of flight crew members” and that “quick donning” masks be installed for flight crewmembers in pressurized aircraft flying above 25,000 ft. Similarly, the ICAO Annex 6 3.4.4.2.2 rule for supplemental oxygen use essentially is the same as the EASA regulation. Canada, in contrast, requires one pilot to use an oxygen mask above FL 410, according to CAR 605.32.
Dassault Aviation's Mystere 20 s.n.1 took to the skies for the very first time on May 4, 1963, and the French planemaker is holding celebrations and displays throughout the year to commemorate the 50th anniversary of that signal event. The centerpiece of the moveable feast is s.n. 1 itself. The aircraft has undergone a three-year restoration by a team of former airline and Dassault employees.
Piper Aircraft handed over eight single-engine Piper Archer TX training airplanes to Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Delivery of the aircraft follows the FAA's approval last month of the new Garmin G1000 avionics suite aboard the trainer. FIT is the launch customer for the G1000-equipped Archer, and has options for up to 16 more aircraft — either for the Archers or twin-engine Seminoles.
Think the unthinkable. Consider the grimmest of scenarios. Contemplate a crash. What's your contingency plan for handling an accident or a ditching with survivors on board? Could you execute it, if necessary? Have you ever thought about it?
AgustaWestland is planning a final assembly line for its new twin light-intermediate category AW169 at its Philadelphia facility. Assembly of the helicopter is to begin there in May 2014, with first customer delivery in early 2015. The Italian/British manufacturer expects to ramp up Philadelphia production to 20 helicopters per year by 2017. The new line will be scalable based on demand. AgustaWestland's facilities in Vergiate, Italy and Yeovil, U.K., will also be involved in AW169 production.
Federal Aviation Regulation 91.211 requires a single pilot when above FL 350 and one of two pilots in the cockpit when above FL 410 to wear and use an oxygen mask as a precaution against incapacitation in the event of a rapid or explosive decompression event. It's a rule that's routinely ignored by scores of business aircraft pilots, based upon recent confidential interviews conducted by BCA.
Argus Pros and its sister company, Prism, have released the 2012 edition of their Safety Management Systems (SMS) Audit results. The audit result report was launched in 2008 and has grown to incorporate and compare the findings from over 300 audit events. The main object of this comprehensive report is to highlight the recurring problem areas found in SMS implementation and execution.
