Gulfstream Aerospace introduced a mobile version of its Nonstop magazine. The app is available as a free download from the Apple App Store. The magazine was introduced in 2011 and targets Gulfstream aircraft owners, business travelers and aviation professionals, and includes features on the business of aviation, business and leisure travel, and lifestyle topics for a wide audience. Visit the App Store on iPad or www.itunes.com/appstore. Gulfstream Aerospace www.gulfstream.com
Ing. Jan Rusin (Slovakia ), HEMS Pilot (Slovakia )
I am a regular reader of Cause & Circumstance and I would like to thank you for the excellent review of the helicopter accident in “A Disastrous Save“ (June 2012, page 52). I look forward to any new reports, particularly involving helicopter investigations. Slovakia
Feb. 8 — Approximately 1245 CST, a North American Medore SNJ-4 (N2269U) was substantially damaged during a forced landing south of Garden City, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a VFR ferry flight. The flight departed San Antonio and was en route to Midland, Texas.
The South Korean government is looking at backing development of a business jet as the foundation of a national industry capable of building its own civil transports. If the program goes ahead, possibly in a year or two, the manufacturer will be Korea Aerospace Industries. For the moment, the Korea Advanced Business Jet (KABJ) is the backstop to a priority program, a turboprop airliner. Either aircraft could serve as a basis for a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement, under which the FAA would coach South Korea's air safety authorities in certifying an aircraft to U.S.
“Analysis: Gulfstream G650” (April 2013) was very informative and the online video was a great addition. I just wanted to bring to your attention that the cockpit photo in the article was of a G550 not a 650. Please keep up the good work on your great magazine, which I am sure all subscribers look forward to receiving each month. Northolt Airport, London
Dassault Falcon will hold a series of Regional Maintenance & Operations (M&O) seminars in 2013. Six seminars have already taken place. The remaining seminars are planned for: May 2 in Dallas; May 14 in Toronto; May 16 in Mahwah, N.J.; May 22 in Toluca, Mexico; and June 12 in Sao Paul, Brazil. These seminars provide Falcon operators an opportunity to communicate directly with Dassault's specialists, engineering teams and pilots on a variety of topics.
Piper Aircraft announced two major trainer fleet orders at Sun 'N Fun in Lakeland, Fla. Piper on April 10 announced a three-year agreement with Airline Transport Professionals (ATP), one of the largest flight schools in the U.S., for 15 Archer TX single piston trainers, equipped with Garmin G500 glass cockpit avionics suites, for delivery this year. The order includes options for up to 85 more.
Rockwell Collins delivered its 20,000th air transport weather radar system, a MultiScan Threat Detection System — on a new Next-Generation Boeing 737. The fully automatic airborne weather radar system combines the up-to-date weather science with advanced engineering concepts to identify and analyze thunderstorm cells, and display the actual weather threat. All new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, Boeing 747-800s and Boeing Business Jets delivered today come standard equipped with Rockwell Collins' MultiScan.
Evergreen Apple Nigeria (EAN) has been selected by Avjet routing, the Sharjah, United Arab Emirates-based business aviation services company to serve as its preferred ground handler in Nigeria with principal services being provided at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. All private and business aviation traffic from Avjet Routing passing through Lagos will be handled exclusively by EAN Ltd.
A key regional lender sees the Chinese business aviation market beginning to evolve. ICBC Financial Leasing has approached business jet leasing, not as a form of equipment financing, but rather as part of its service to its wealthiest clients. Those clients have opted for the largest, long-range models, rather for prestige, instead of mission suitability.
Nextant Aerospace appointed Jet Aviation Singapore as an authorized service center in Asia for its 400XTs. Jet Aviation Singapore will provide maintenance service for Nextant aircraft based in Southeast Asia. The appointment follows Nextant 's entrance into the Asian market in August. Nextant says it continues to see strong interest in the region.
EPIC Aviation has chosen to partner with NATA Safety 1st to provide training to its branded FBOs. EPIC and UVair FBO Network locations will receive comprehensive training in an easy to administer, self-paced and self-directed online platform. All locations will have access to the full range of NATA Safety 1st training products at special network pricing, including the Professional Line Service Training and the new Supervisor Online training program, which is FAA approved to meet the requirements of 14 CFR Part 139.321.
The King Schools Online High-Altitude Weather course contains seven major subject lessons including such topics as mountain waves, jet stream turbulence avoidance, thunderstorm avoidance, coping with icing conditions, among others. The course helps pilots meet the initial and transition pilot training requirements for weather, FAR 135.345(a)(3) and recurrent training, Part 135.351, also Part 91K (91.1065). Pilot may individually order and enroll or flight departments may order multiple courses.
As with all Gulfstream large-cabin aircraft since the GII, the G650 is powered by twin Rolls-Royce turbofans. The 16,900-lb.-thrust BR725 is a growth version of the 15,385-lbf BR710 that powers the G550. The new engine has a 50-in., 24-blade fan with new swept airfoils. The core has improved compressor aerodynamics, including five one-piece blisk stages in the 10-stage axial flow compressor, a low emissions combustor adapted from the BR715 and an improved thermal efficiency, two-stage high-pressure turbine.
Dassault expects to see a boost in Falcon sales and slight increase in deliveries to 70 Falcon business jets in 2013. The improving sales would follow a year in which Dassault's Falcon net order intake (minus cancellations) increased by more than 50%, from 36 in 2011 to 58 in 2012. Deliveries were up last year by three units from 2011 to 66. But with the lead time in orders to deliveries, Dassault's production output is still reflecting slow orders during the downturn and is well beneath the 2010 peak of 95 deliveries.
New FAA guidance is providing FAR Part 121, 135 and 91K operators an alternate means to demonstrate compliance with initial training requirements for their contract instructors and check airmen. The guidance, released in February, after the agency met with industry groups concerned that the training requirements were forcing some Part 142 training centers to pull authorizations of their inspectors and check airman.
Despite broader economic woes and a continuing climate of fiscal uncertainty, this year's Heli-Expo convention set another record for attendance with well more than 20,393 visitors. The record marks the sixth consecutive year of growth. Matt Zuccaro, president of Heli-Expo organizer Helicopter Association International (HAI), says for the past five years “it has been trending up each year and exceeding attendance from the previous year.” Some 730 exhibitors booked 1 million sq. ft.
G650's cabin is not only one of the quietest in the sky, its architecture assures that no single failure can cause loss of functionality of essential cabin systems including fresh and waste water, air-to-ground communications, lighting, cabin power and cabin systems control. The crew and passenger vacuum toilets, for instance, have both electrical and manual flush capabilities. Vacuum is supplied by both an AC-powered suction pump and cabin pressure differential above 16,000 ft.
EASA has updated guidance for flying in volcanic ash-contaminated airspace, revamping its recommendations to reflect the latest research conducted by industry groups studying the threat of ash to aircraft operations. Feedback from original equipment manufacturers convinced EASA to take a more aggressive stance on flying through ash clouds, and the agency's first recommendation urges carriers to “avoid operations in visible volcanic ash.”
