Soloy Aviation Solutions has engineered and received STC approval for an LED-based aircraft lighting kit for the Cessna 206G and 206H. The kit installs a second light source on the leading wedge of the right wing to complement the factory installed left wing taxi and landing lights. It further converts both sides to LED illumination and is compatible with the 50-gal. fuel tanks from Sierra Industries. The new kit includes pulse-light capability pulsing the landing light between the two wings.
How to Wave at Airplanes Guiding an aircraft to a parking spot is one of those everyday tasks that few involved closely consider. The military has always had a standard set of hand/wand signals, but rarely do you find one place with the “official” guide for airside civilians. Despite that, there exists a common set of signals used at airports around the world.
In the 1963 Handbook for Planning & Purchasing, the five most expensive aircraft listed in the “Fixed-Wing Business/Utility Aircraft” tables were: Lockheed JetStar 1329-23A, $1,450,000; Fairchild Stratos Corp., F-27 Business, $895,000; North American Aviation, Sabreliner 265-40, $795,000; de Havilland DH 125 Series I, $625,000; Howard Aero, Howard 500, $597,000. (In BCA's 2012 edition the most expensive airplanes listed are the Airbus Corporate Jetliner at $80 million and the Boeing BBJ at $70 million).
The emergence and strong sales of Robinson's R66 Turbine is causing helicopter manufacturers to think again about the light single-turbine market. For years, Robinson's piston R22 and R44s were considered to be in a league of their own. But the development and certification of the R66 — nearly 200 of which were delivered in 2012 — has raised eyebrows, as it begins to impinge on markets that were previously strongholds of models produced by Bell, MD, Enstrom and to some extent Eurocopter.
Gulfstream and FlightSafety International worked together three years prior to the G650's entering service to develop flight crew, cabin crew and maintenance technician training programs. Each G650 pilot instructor has flight time in the actual aircraft and each maintenance instructor has turned wrenches on real aircraft.
The approach into Juneau, Alaska, International is infamous because the majestic mountains that tightly encircle the airport produce a complex wind-flow pattern and constrain maneuvers when arriving or departing. It is no surprise that JNU has a lengthy history of turbulence-related incidents involving passenger jets.
The hat caught my eye. An egg white gambler, with its distinctive wide brim and handsome crown. I had to have it. “Got any more like that?” I asked the old fellow wearing it. “No, but you can have this one. I don't have cooties or nothing.”
The Bell 47 is reborn as a turbine. Scott's — Bell 47 (SB47), a Minnesota-based upgrade and modification specialist, has launched a program to restart production of an all-new variant of the venerable Bell 47 light utility helicopter. Although outwardly identical in most respects to the original 1946-vintage design, the new variant will feature an array of 21st century features, including composite main rotor blades, an improved instrument panel with solid-state electronics, LED lighting and a new interior.
Piper Aircraft has adopted the most recent Garmin G1000 software supporting a three-display avionics suite as standard equipment in new piston-twin Piper Seneca V models available in 2013. The announcement was made at Airshow 2013, the Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition in February.
Robert E. Breiling Associates' annual Business Turbine Aircraft Accident Review has become the industry's guide for detailed narrative accounts of business aviation accidents worldwide. The Review is 500 pages with accounts of over 415 reported fixed- and rotary-wing turbine aircraft accidents and incidents. A summary of each accident includes model, operator type, phase of operation, conditions and a factual description of all reported circumstances.
JSSI has introduced the Embraer Legacy 650 Airframe Program and Platinum level coverage for the Honeywell HTF7000 series engine. The Legacy 650 program covers almost every part, component, assembly and system on the aircraft, excluding the engines and APU, for a limited contract term. Legacy 650 clients can also opt to include engine and APU to get JSSI's Tip-To-Tail coverage. The HFT7000 program allows for the option of adding coverage for scheduled repair and replacement of life-limited components, as well as routine inspections.
Cessna Aircraft says it wants to increase its sales force by 50% as the manufacturer is bringing six new or upgraded aircraft to market this year. The first of which, a more powerful Caravan, has already entered service. Cessna is planning decentralized satellite offices worldwide to expand its reach in growing markets and reinforce its presence in well-established ones.
Enstrom said it was working on STC approval to fit Garmin's G1000H integrated cockpit system into its 480B light turbine helicopter. The company is hoping to achieve certification of the upgrade before September. The upgrade cost is expected to be around $155,000.
Boeing is moving all of its full-flight simulators (FFS) from Seattle to Miami. The relocation began when the first 787 simulator was shipped by truck to the company's training facility at Miami International Airport. This starts a consolidation of the company's pilot training activities in Miami that is expected to finish by year-end. Maintenance training for all but the 787 will remain in Seattle.
Embraer remains cautious about the business jet market, even as the company's revenues from the segment grew 15.5% last year. Embraer has been encouraged by the growth of American corporate profits and the number of millionaires worldwide. But the company says slow growth of some economies and uncertainty in Europe, as well as lower utilization of business jets are factors “that jeopardize a full recovery of the demand for business jets.” The company, which released its fourth-quarter 2012 results on March 13, delivered the same number of jets in 2012 as in 2011 (99).
Four, 14.1-in., landscape configuration LCD screens dominate the Gulfstream G650's second-generation PlaneView instrument panel with several layouts that can be customized by the flight crew. The outboard displays normally are configured as PFDs and the inboards as MFDs. The glareshield-mounted flight guidance panel has improved functionality, including LED illumination and annunciator buttons, an “FLXXX” flight level indication in the altitude window above the transition altitude, a push in/pull out, 1,000 ft./100 ft.
Argus TRAQPak data shows that February 2013 flight activity levels decreased from January, finishing the month down 2.3% overall. The results by operational category were mostly negative with the exception of fractional activity, up 0.8% over January. Part 135 and Part 91 flight activity were both down for the month, 4.5% and 1.7% respectively. Reviewing the individual market segments, the Part 91 large cabin segment posted a 5.5% month over month increase, while the Part 135 turboprop segment posted an 8.3% month over month decrease.
Helicopter Association International is mounting a legal challenge in federal court in Washington to what it sees as a potentially growing and unwarranted threat to airspace access for helicopters over residential areas of the U.S. The move follows the reintroduction of a bill in Congress that requires the FAA to set guidelines on flight paths and minimum altitudes used by helicopter operators over residential areas of Los Angeles County. The bill, which has been reintroduced in both the House and Senate, is sponsored by Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Sens.
David Velupillai ( Marketing Director Airbus Corporate Jets Blagnac, France )
I was surprised to read that “GA Manu–facturers Embrace Fly-by-Wire” (February 2013, page 33) does not mention Airbus, despite its leadership in introducing the technology. You seem to mention every other manufacturer but Airbus, and even describe Dassault as the first to use FBW in a business jet (a claim that it makes but which is nevertheless untrue, as we have pointed out before)!
Metro Aviation has released a smart phone app with the potential to decrease response time by up to 5 min. When air transport is needed, hospitals and first responders can use Metro Alert to notify one of Metro Aviation's bases and send GPS coordinates using the helo- alert function. Users will receive an estimated time of arrival and availability of the closest helicopter, as well as have access to other functions such as tips for preparing the landing zone.
Summing It Up GAMA has advanced three major objections to the EU's Emissions Trading System for aviation that pretty much condense the worldwide industry's misgivings about the program: The administrative burden far outweighs the environmental benefit from including small operators.
Duncan Aviation has put together an airframe-specific team dedicated to Gulfstream work at the company's Lincoln, Nebraska, campus. Duncan Aviation's Battle Creek, Michigan, location has been running with a dedicated Gulfstream airframe team since 1993, says Rod Christensen, Airframe Services Manager at Duncan's Battle Creek location.
ARINC Direct, Annapolis, announced that Jim Banville and Michael Shearer have been promoted as directors of sales for the company. Banville will head the Western U.S. and Canada sales team and Shearer will be responsible for the Eastern U.S. and Canada team.
A Frasca Sikorsky S76 Level B full- flight simulator (FFS) is on its way to Bristow Helicopters in Scotland to join two other Frasca FFSs (for the S92 and EC225) already in service. Also, nearing delivery is an AW139 Level 6 flight training device (FTD) for the Trinidad and Tobago Air Guard and a Bell 206 FTD for the Japanese Coast Guard.
Bombardier's Global 5000, the shorter version of the Global Express and fitted with smaller fuel tanks, has the best cabin of any business aircraft in its range class, along with the fastest cruise speeds and best runway performance, according to operators. They like its cockpit room, soft ride in turbulence, automated systems and three seating zones in the main cabin.
