National Air Transportation Association's new President and CEO Tom Hendricks , who officially stepped into his new role Sept. 1 after serving as senior vice president, safety, security and operations for Airlines for America, has emphasized the importance of the aviation associations of all industry segments working together to educate the public and Washington about “how critically dependent we all are on aviation. We need to make sure they don't take aviation for granted.
While business aviation indicators appear stronger — deliveries up, the used aircraft market improving and the North America market ticking up — JP Morgan analyst Joseph Nadol cautioned in September that deliveries are could flatten during the remainder of the year and recovery is “not yet imminent.” Excluding Airbus and Boeing, business jet deliveries rose 11% through the first half of this year. But several market forces may stunt that growth, including a falloff in Hawker Beechcraft deliveries as the Wichita OEM remains in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
London Oxford Airport-based aircraft management and engineering company, Hangar8 plc, has enhanced its third-party support capabilities at its Oxford MRO facility. The company now provides CAMO-Part M support and line support for all Hawker Beechcraft business jets, the Dassault Falcon 2000, the Cessna CitationJet 525 family and the Embraer Phenom 100. The company now employs 22 people who are involved with the new MRO operation. Hangar8 supports one of the largest managed fleets of Hawkers and Challengers in Europe.
The used aircraft market is continuing to strengthen as the numbers of available aircraft shrink across the board, according a JetNet report on July activity. The percentage of the business jet fleet for sale dropped to 13.5% in July, a near low since the market plummeted in 2008, welcome news for business aircraft makers who have been waiting for the oversupply of used aircraft to dry up and spur demand for new aircraft. The 13.5% is a slight improvement over July 2011 — when it was 13.7% — but it marks a consistent downward trend.
Washington has a few catch phrases that never seem to go away, with “budget deficit,” “debt ceiling,” and “budget cuts,” among the most persistent. Even in the best of times, doomsayers bemoan tight budgets, the need to slash programs and an inability to spend new money. This year is no different, only the talks are more dire. Washington will likely be in hyperdrive after the elections.
Beijing and Shanghai are likely to get dedicated airports for business aviation, boosting growth prospects for the industry while relieving commercial airports of the accompanying airspace congestion. The director-general of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, Li Jiaxiang, says building the two airports will be part of a set of policies that the agency is working on for the promotion of business aviation. “Business aviation needs greater convenience, speed and smoothness,” he noted at the Beijing International Business Aviation Show.
Eurocopter is the latest aircraft manufacturer to invest in a Chinese joint venture anticipating that the Peoples Liberation Army will lighten prohibitive airspace restrictions that has put a damper on general aviation development. But noting it expects those restrictions to ease, Eurocopter last week signed a partnership with the Tianjin Free Trade Zone (TFTZ) to set up a China Completion Center in Tianjin to assemble and customize the company's AS350 family of light helicopters.
Aiming to improve the consistency of the FAA's certification and approval processes, a government-industry committee tasked with drafting recommendations has received input from aviation groups to help meet its year-end deadline. The committee offered an online survey to stakeholders ending Sept. 25. The four-year FAA reauthorization signed into law in February mandated the creation of the Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to examine differing regulatory interpretations practiced by the FAA's various Flight Standards District Offices and Aircraft Certification Offices.
North America, not China, holds the key to industry recovery says aviation analyst Brian Foley. “Although the China region provided a steady sales stream of large and expensive jets at the height of the world economic downturn, we see that trend rapidly losing steam,” he asserts. The China market, “was a conveniently timed mini-rescue, a nice shot in the arm at a critical moment, but now it's starting to slow down. Chinese GDP is almost halved from 2010 and its stock market is at its lowest in three and a half years.
West Star Aviation now has a roll-around HS 124-700A/B/ 800A/B/XP series landing gear shipset that will allow technicians to remove the original landing gear from the aircraft while still having the capability to reposition the aircraft as required for any additional services. The new equipment supports decreased downtime during gear swaps and multi-shop events where paint is tied to airframe maintenance and gear overhauls.
Rockwell Collins' Airshow 3-D moving map is now available for download in the Apple iTunes App Store. The iPad app delivers an interactive way for business jet passengers to view the world around them and stay informed during their journey. Existing Airshow 4000 or Venue HD cabin management system users can take advantage of the new app for passengers' iPads.
FAA is laying the groundwork for the new “Pilot's Bill of Rights,” beginning with a new website that will facilitate access to air traffic data. The new law requires FAA to inform individuals subject to investigation that they are “entitled to access” to air traffic data, including air traffic communication tapes, radar information, air traffic controller statements, flight data; investigative reports or other air traffic information related to the investigation.
Aviation Resource Management added a 2001 Falcon 900EX to its FAA Air Carrier Certificate. The 12-passenger aircraft features high-speed Internet and is available for charter from Teterboro, N.J. Established in 1989, Aviation Resource Management is an Argus and Wyvern approved charter operator and aircraft management firm with a fleet based in Teterboro and Caldwell, N.J.
A new AgustaWestland Service Center has been opened by AVIASUR in Santiago, Chile to provide maintenance and support services for AgustaWestland civil helicopter customers. The service center, located at Santiago's Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport in Chile, officially opened Aug. 8. AgustaWestland now has 17 of its helicopters operating in Chile: 8 AW119 Koalas, 7 AW109s, one Grand and one W-3A Sokol. The first GrandNew light-twin helicopter is scheduled to be delivered to Chile later this year.
AMAC Aerospace, a provider of corporate aviation maintenance and completions services, has gained European EASA Part 145 approval to undertake heavy base maintenance on the Airbus A330 and A340 series of aircraft. The company now can perform all major inspections including repairs and modifications; OEM CBs, SBs and ADs; and avionics repairs, installations and upgrades. AMAC Aerospace Basel has also received UAE CAMO approval and the company is now authorized to provide continuous airworthiness management services on UAE-registered aircraft. AMAC Aerospace
Gogo was granted a subordinate license from Industry Canada for Canada's air-to-ground radio frequency spectrum that enables Gogo to provide aircraft inflight connectivity over Canada. Gogo will operate on the same frequency over Canada as it does in the U.S., providing a seamless transition across borders. It also will service business aircraft currently using Aircell's Gogo Biz service. Aircell is a Gogo company.
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Windy City Charter is rebranding as Ventis Aviation. The company's home offices, leadership and air carrier certificate remain unchanged. Ventis also announced the addition of a Beechcraft King Air 350 to its charter fleet at Chicago Executive Airport (PWK) in Wheeling, Ill. Ventis' charter fleet includes a Hawker 700 based in Grand Junction, Colo., and a Beechcraft Baron based at Chicago Executive Airport.
Embraer's Phenom 100 executive jet has won a Validation of Type Certificate issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). “Embraer has been strengthening its market position in China's executive aviation market over the past few years,” said Guan Dongyuan, president of Embraer China. “CAAC's certificate for the Phenom 100 is great news for Embraer and prospective customers.” The Phenom 100 accommodates up to eight occupants. Its range of 1,178 nm (2,182 km), with NBAA IFR fuel reserves, makes the aircraft capable of flying nonstop from Beijing to Tokyo.
Aeropro Flight APO201, a Beechcraft King Air A100, departed from Runway 30 at Quebec/Jean Lesage International Airport at 0557 EDT on June 23, 2010, with a crew of two and five passengers. The flight lasted 68 sec., terminating in a field 1.5 mi. from the departure end of the runway. The airplane burned and all seven persons on board were killed.
Ever wonder what your long-range nav system would look like if your aircraft were crossing the north pole? After “90 deg. N” appeared on the display, what would the FMS do? How would it orient itself coming out “the other side,” given that all directions radiating from the pole are “south”? Would the GPS sensors be able to triangulate a reliable position, given that the balk of the satnav constellation is concentrated in the mid-latitudes?
NBAA named safety expert Robert E. Breiling the recipient of the 2012 NBAA John P. “Jack” Doswell Award. The award, to be presented during NBAA's 65th Annual Meeting & Convention Oct. 30-Nov. 1 in Orlando, recognizes lifelong individual achievement on behalf of and in support of the aims, goals and objectives of business aviation.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corp.'s Gulfstream G650 received full FAA type certification Sept. 7, just days after the company's G280 was certified by U.S. and Israeli authorities (see below). Gulfstream expects to deliver the first fully outfitted, ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range G650 business jets to customers before year-end. Gulfstream received provisional type certification in November 2011 for the G650 and delivered the first 12 green aircraft by the end of that year, fulfilling a promise the aircraft manufacturer had made to customers and the financial community.
