International Communications Group, Inc., (ICG) has completed the testing and received the Iridium Certified Equipment (ICE) designation for its NxtLink ICS-220A Iridium Communications System. The approval acknowledges that the unit has fulfilled the requirements and functionality specified by Iridium for interfacing with its on-orbit satellite constellation. The ICS-220A is a three-transceiver device that combines dual LBTs providing two channels of global voice with a Short Burst Data (SBD) modem dedicated to data link services.
Pilots soon will be able to control many avionics and aircraft systems by touching panel and console screens in much of the same way as they use their smart phones and PDAs. Avionics and airframe makers rapidly are embracing this proven user interface because, in most instances, it's easier to touch, tap, scroll and stretch screen icons and images with your fingertips than it is to use a multifunction control display unit (MCDU) or point-and-click cursor control device (CCD).
Despite high hopes for a growing Indian business aviation market, importing business aircraft into India has become more difficult because of increased bureaucracy, a business aviation advocacy group says. Along with the usual monthly aircraft acquisition committee meeting, India's civil aviation minister is now said to be scrutinizing every application personally. Rohit Kapur, president of the Business Aviation Operators Association of India (BAOA), says this has been going on for about five or six months and the backlog has reached around 40 aircraft.
Used business aircraft transactions reached a record 2,240 in 2012, according to industry analyst Jetnet. The previous record was 2,181, set in 2007. Used market transactions had plunged after the 2007 record, reaching a low point of 1,539 in 2009. But at the same time, business jet prices continued to slide — falling another 0.3% in all of 2012.
Cambridge Airport is offering free landing to all operators who purchase between 5,000 and 10,000 litres of fuel. For operators purchasing over 10,001 litres, further heavy discounting will be offered. The promotion will run until the end of 2013. ExecuJet Europe is celebrating its first anniversary at Cambridge. The company's first full-service FBO in the U.K., has expanded its services during the past year and has seen an increase in aircraft movements. In June 2012, it launched the U.K.'s first free pet travel service (PETS), which has proved popular with clients.
Jan. 22 — About 1925 EST, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR20 (N140PG) operated by Epic Blue was heavily damaged after it deployed its Cirrus Airplane Parachute System (CAPS) while on approach to Danbury Municipal Airport (DXR), Danbury, Conn. The flight instructor, a private pilot, and a passenger were not injured. It was VFR and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed Groton-New London Airport (GON), Groton, Conn.
Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. announced its new Web-based flight scheduling software solution, Universal Flight Scheduling Software, providing complete remote access and full functionality in an easy-to-learn and use application. The software works for FAR Part 91 and Part 135 operators, and is designed to allow users to remotely access preflight, post-flight, database, reporting, tools and other functions, as they would from their office desktops, on any Web-enabled mobile device. It was designed based on feedback from schedulers and dispatchers.
Satcom Direct is taking their products for a ride across the country during June and July. The touring, regional road shows will be used to update current Satcom Direct customers on new products and features, including updates on new mobile applications, maintenance training and troubleshooting. They will also offer free training for flight departments who use Satcom Direct products and services. The training program includes about 3 hr. of classroom-type lectures with 2 hr. of hands-on troubleshooting and live testing. All hands-on work will be in their 40-ft.
It had all begun when the doc said, “Turn and cough,” followed long seconds later by, “Hmmmm,” something he'd never said before. The diagnosis, alas: a hernia. Normally, it's no big deal and can be monitored for years, he said. But then again, things can go bad quickly, at which point it's 911 and sirens. I chose to be proactive. A grown-up. That was before. Now with less than 24 hr. to showtime, the kid in me was worried. How much will this hurt?
The eighth generation of the S-76 line is powered by newly developed, twin dual-channel FADEC-controlled Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210S engines, each producing 1,077 shp. These give the S-76D 14% more takeoff power and an 8% better fuel burn rate than the 922-shp Turbomeca Arriel 2S2 engines that power the S-76C++. They also take the S-76 full cycle in its choice of engines.
L-3 Aviation Products is preparing to increase its presence in India. L-3 plans to add more capability and collaborate on the manufacture, delivery and support of products in India for domestic and international aviation markets, while developing a foundation for a long-term support and services center in the region. L-3 Aviation Products is a major provider of commercial and military avionics.
Corporate Angel Network has transported its 42,000th patient. The flight carried one-year-old cancer patient Alexander Hopper home to the Denver area after he received treatment for Retinoblastoma at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City. The milestone flight was operated by Ball Corporation, a CAN participating company since 1985. The charity arranges about 250 patient flights each month.
EPIC announced the release of the iGo EPIC app at the recent NBAA S&D Conference in San Antonio. The app offers easy search functionality and fuel pricing for FBOs within the EPIC FBO Network. For EPIC cardholders there is an added convenience of getting account specific pricing by FBO location and quick access to Bravo Rewards information and account login.
Piper Aircraft Inc. ended 2012 with increased annual revenue from new aircraft sales of $148,968,967, up more than 13% from $131,263,539 in 2011. The revenue increase was a result of a 16% rise in new Piper deliveries to 158 aircraft in 2012 from 136 the previous year. “We stabilized the manufacturing and delivery of new aircraft throughout the year as our initiative to level-load factory production continued to meet with success. At the same time, our overall aircraft deliveries rose faster than the rest of the industry,” said Piper President and CEO Simon Caldecott.
The new Thales TopDeck avionics suite developed Sikorsky's S-76D is designed to function much as a computer, with the pilot simply calling up a menu, moving a curser to the desired position and hitting “execute.” It is also designed to provide the pilot access to a massive array of capabilities in flight with no more effort than pushing a maximum of two buttons.
Rockwell Collins' 1964 Sabreliner 50 flight test aircraft has a new home — the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Ore. The museum houses the Howard Hughes H-4 Hercules “Spruce Goose.” Rockwell Collins acquired the Sabreliner, N50CR, in 1976 and used it to test some of its most significant commercial and military avionics development programs. The aircraft was flown about 8,000 hr. with more than 5,000 landings.
Six years ago when the plethora of new 10K business jet engines was emerging, one of the contenders was Rolls-Royce's RB282, at the time destined for a super-midsize aircraft proposed by Dassault Aviation and identified only as “SMS.”
Any public company operating a business aircraft must decide early on how the costs of running the corporate aviation department will be borne. These costs may be allocated internally, or the department may be treated as a service and its costs absorbed by the company as a whole.
Sikorsky Global Helicopters (SGH) delivered the first of 16 completed S-92 helicopters that the Avincis Group will use to provide transportation for its customers' offshore oil and gas crews, and for search and rescue. The aircraft order announced in February 2012 is the largest single purchase of S-92 helicopters to date. SGH is the commercial aircraft business arm of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.
The FAA is calling for horizontal stabilator control system inspections on more than 34,000 older Piper piston aircraft. In an airworthiness directive (AD) published in the Feb. 4 Federal Register, the agency is mandating inspections and repair or replacement of damaged or corroded control cable assembly parts on Piper PA-28, PA-32, PA-34 and PA-44 (Cherokees, Warriors, Archers, Lances, Saratogas, Senecas and Seminoles) that are 15 years old or older.
I enjoyed reading your tribute to Al Ueltschi (“The Alabama Bet,” Viewpoint, December 2012, page 9). It brought back quite a few memories. My family owned the FBO at KSUA (St. Lucie Skyways) from 1949 through 1980. During the 1950s Al flew in a lot with Juan Trippe's B23. Frequently, I flew with them back and forth to Long Island to visit some relatives there. Being only five or six years old at the time I was not used to some of Al's vocabulary!
A U.K. helicopter operator has received EASA approval that would allow it to begin flying air ambulance operations using night vision goggles (NVG), with pilots using the goggles to make landings into unlighted sites near accident scenes. Until now, air ambulances in the U.K. were allowed to operate only during daylight, with nighttime operations limited to landings on lighted helipads. The rules particularly limited operations in the winter months, forcing emergency services to rely on ground vehicles to reach patients in remote areas.
