Feb. 14 — About 1630 EST, a Cessna 310H (N104DR) operated by a private individual was substantially damaged during impact with terrain, following an inflight loss of control during cruise flight near Yeehaw Junction, Fla. The private pilot, pilot-rated passenger and a second passenger were killed. It was marginal VFR and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Sebastian Municipal Airport (X26), Sebastian, Fla., around 1600, destined for Bartow Municipal Airport (BOW), Bartow, Fla.
The Obama administration is again accusing business jet operators of enjoying “subsidies” and availing themselves of “loopholes that give advantages to the wealthy and to corporations that average Americans and average businesses don't have.” The so-called loophole is depreciation. For every other business, depreciation is normal course of business. But for business jet operators, apparently it is a loophole.
Whatever the fate of the continuing resolution limiting Contract Control Tower cuts, GA groups are continuing to appeal directly to the Obama administration to back away from the plan and other cuts that affect the industry.
Part 135 operators are increasingly adopting Aviation Safety Action Programs (ASAPs), says Chris MacWhorter, senior technical advisor for FAA's Flight Standards Service. Currently, 19 Part 135 operators and eight Part 135/91K operators have the programs in place, which provide a means for employees to voluntarily report safety issues and events. The Air Charter Safety Foundation has begun a program that would enable smaller operators to participate and ACSF Director of Safety Russ Lawton says four operators are on board with more in the works.
AgustaWestland is testing a fan-in-wing, electric-powered tilt-rotor demonstrator for advanced rotorcraft concepts. Measuring several meters in wingspan, the “Project Zero” subscale demonstrator has been developed and flown in secret since 2011 at AgustaWestland's Cascina Costa facility in Italy.
Sikorsky is insisting it has not abandoned its Schweizer light helicopter product line, but is working to rationalize it in a bid to reduce costs. Sikorsky took over Schweizer in 2004, taking on the product lines of S-300, S-333 and S-434 light-piston and light-turbine helicopters. But since the takeover, production of the light helicopter line has been significantly reduced, and several operators have struggled to get parts for the helicopters, limiting training and operations.
The FAA confirmed it has resumed its search for six unmanned aircraft systems test sites after the process stalled on privacy issues, which were not fully addressed in the original site selection criteria. The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 required the FAA establish test sites for domestic drones by the end of 2012, a deadline which the agency missed as it assessed privacy concerns. The agency is also required to fully integrate unmanned aircraft systems into U.S. airspace by September 2015.
Business aircraft manufacturers pay close attention to runway performance because potential customers want to know if they'll be able to land at the general aviation airports closest to their regular business destinations. Of the 5,000+ public-use airports in the U.S., only about 760 have runways that are 6,000 ft. or longer. So aircraft that need that much pavement are far more limited in the number of airports available than those that need less. For example, there are 2,300+ U.S. airports with runways at least 4,000 ft.
After reading, “Who's Up Front?” (February 2013, page 9) I'd like to share my thoughts on airplanes without pilots. PA announcement of the future: “Folks, welcome aboard No Pilot Airlines Flight 1 to Frankfurt. You're currently at 35,000 ft. just east of Boston. You are flying an engineer's dream, a plane without pilots. “The engineers have won. At this mo–ment there are 1,500 airliners airborne and 40 U.S. and allied fighters heading to destroy terrorist targets. All of those are pilotless.
IMP Group Limited (IMP), the Canadian conglomerate that owns Canjet, Innotech Aviation, Execaire and Pacific Avionics, continues to expand its aviation portfolio with the acquisition of Toronto-based Image Air Charter to compliment Execaire's charter and management services. The company, which has 60 employees, manages a fleet of 20 aircraft. Execaire employs 290 workers and has a managed fleet of 53 aircraft.
I enjoyed Fred George's “Truly Earning That Fourth Stripe” (February 2013, page 45). As a captain with Continental/United starting my 30th year, I've had the privilege of mentoring upgrading captains both as a check airman and as a human factors instructor. The author's thoughts are spot on!
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is launching a search for a new president and CEO following the decision of Craig Fuller to step down from the office he has held since January 2009. Fuller, who succeeded longtime president Phil Boyer, is only the fourth president at AOPA since the association's inception 75 years ago. He has agreed to remain until a successor is found. In addition, he's also agreed to assist in the search for a new president, along with the leadership transition.
Sikorsky is taking another look at the fixed-wing M-28 light twin-engine transport plane. It inherited the development when it took over PZL Mielec back in 2007. The aircraft has achieved some success, with a large sale to the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, and the company is confident of more future sales .
The FAA's Aerospace Forecast for 2013-2033 predicts the general aviation fleet will increase at an average annual rate of 0.5%, from an estimated 220,670 in 2012 to 246,375 by 2033. This growth reflects an anticipated 2.8% increase in turbine aircraft on average per year. Business jets in particular are forecast to grow 3.5% on average per year, reaching 24,620 by 2033.
The NTSB, March 12, issued five safety alerts aimed at reducing the number of general aviation accidents: reduced-visual reference; aerodynamic stalls at low altitude; pilot inattention to indications of mechanical problems; risk management of aviation maintenance technicians and risk management for pilots. The five Safety Alerts issued are: “Is Your Aircraft Talking to You?
Engineered Propulsion Systems (EPS), Inc., of New Richmond, Wisc., has validated its 4.4-liter, “Flat-Vee” Vision 350 aero-diesel engine design after testing at Hartzell Propeller headquarters in Piqua, Ohio. The testing proved that Hartzell's family of propeller blades are all adaptable to the EPS engine at power levels exceeding 350 hp without the need for further engine vibration dampers, the company said.
The U.S. light helicopter company Enstrom is receiving $10 million from its Chinese owner for new infrastructure to help the manufacturer boost production levels. The funds from Chongqing Helicopter Investment Co. (CQHIC) and follow-on investments will, according to Enstrom President and CEO Jerry Mullins, add new equipment and enable the company to produce up to 100 helicopters per year.
EASA certified both the Dassault Falcon 2000S and 2000LXS March 11. This puts the 2000LXS ahead of schedule. It was originally anticipated to enter the market in 2014, but Dassault now expects the aircraft to enter service in the second half of this year. The Falcon 2000S is slated for first deliveries in the second quarter. Dassault unveiled the Falcon 2000S during the 2011 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition as a successor to the Falcon 2000DX.
After losing the USAF Light Air Support (LAS) competition for the second time Feb. 27 to a Sierra Nevada/Embraer team, Beechcraft once again protested the loss. The LAS contract is worth up to $950 million. Once a protest is filed with the Government Accountability Office, auditors have up to 100 days to review the case and make a determination. Citing the need “to honor a critical and time-sensitive U.S.
The FAA is gauging the interest of aerospace companies in developing upgrades to the ground-based portions of its wide-area augmentation system (WAAS) in advance of dual-frequency GPS operations for the aviation community later this decade. WAAS uses a network of ground-based reference and control stations, and three geostationary satellites, to augment the accuracy of GPS signals to enable satellite-based instrument approaches and precision navigation operations in North America. Similar satellite-based augmentation systems are available in Europe, Japan and elsewhere.
February's Viewpoint (“Who's Up Front?” page 9) was very good, as usual. I am 62. I have been an A&P since 1975 and pretty much worked since then for a certain business jet OEM with headquarters in Teterboro. I was always puzzled by the 65 and out rule for the guys up front. Maybe it's me, but I'm not disappointed to retire early. To steal a phrase from an old baseball player, “Them fancy jets been good to me, man.” Our industry will be in need of wrenches as well as pilots. It's anyone's guess how it will work out.
Aireon, which is developing a global air traffic surveillance network using satellites instead of ground stations, is forming an eight-member advisory panel to involve airlines and other stakeholders in the effort. The committee will include representatives from airlines, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and air navigation service providers (ANSPs).
The NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention will now be called the Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (BACE). “NBAA's largest U.S. show has been referred to as an 'annual meeting' [since its 1947 inception], but in recent decades, it has grown in size and importance to be much more than just a meeting, and this change reflects that reality,” says NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. At the same time, Bolen says the change strengthens the brand for all NBAA-related shows. While the U.S.
