The TSA is working to devise means such as gateway airports that would enable business aviation to access restricted airspace during TFRs, says Zach Carder, who handles business aviation issues for TSA. Carder, speaking at the June National Air Transportation Association 2012 Air Charter Summit, said he “recognizes fully that this is a tender topic” for the business aviation community, particularly as it is facing an increasing number of TFRs with the presidential election season heating up.
Hawker Beechcraft Services has opened a new full-service MRO facility offering airframe, engine, avionics and mobile support for the company's entire product line on the New Castle airport in Wilmington, Del. The facility includes maintenance hangar and back shop space, customer reception and break areas, a customer lounge and two fully-equipped customer offices.
After decades of overflying Central America, executives of U.S., Canadian, and European corporations in growing numbers are accelerating their commercial activities in the seven countries constituting the subcontinent and dispatching their owned and chartered business jets to take them there.
ExecuJet Europe is now offering a complimentary pet handling service at London Cambridge Airport, enabling domestic cats and dogs to travel internationally without quarantine and overseas vet inspection. Under PETS (Pet Travel Scheme), the team at Cambridge Airport will check the arriving pet's passport, travel credentials and microchip with the owner or the pet's escort in the cabin. All applications to bring a pet into the U.K. under PETS regulations must be emailed to the ExecuJet Cambridge pet handling team at least 24 hr. before flight departure.
NATA's 2012 survey of general aviation service employee compensation is now available. The report includes salaries and benefits for pilots, line-service personnel and maintenance technicians. The 2012 Compensation Report is provided at no cost to NATA members who participated in the study. The charge for non-participating members and non-members is $130 and $310, respectively. Visit www.nata.aero and under Products and Services, click on Publications.
The TSA and its Cabinet-level parent, the Department of Homeland Security, rose from the ashes of the World Trade Center and serve as a constant reminder of the terrorist attacks that felled those buildings a decade ago.
My town loves its trees, and boy, we've got 'em — sycamore, sugar maple, sassafras, scarlet oak, beech, birch, yellow poplar, black tupelo. If they can handle winter, they're here in abundance. The town crest features a spreading white oak. A Tree City USA for 10 years running, we have a tree committee, annually budget for tree plantings, which are overseen by our tree warden, and publish a directory of our “Notable Trees.”
The FAA notes that while the number of fatal general aviation accidents over the last decade has gone down, so have flight hours due to economic factors. The general aviation fatal accident rate has remained static, despite the reduced flying activity. In FY 2011, there were 457 fatalities in 271 fatal GA accidents. In 2010, there were 457 fatalities in 270 fatal GA accidents. The accident rate for 2011 was 1.13 fatal accidents per 100,000 hours flown and was 1.10 fatal accidents per 100,000 hours flown in 2010.
“A Disastrous Save” (Cause & Circumstance, June 2012, page 52 highlights the double tragedy associated with the crash of a helicopter attempting a rescue. Twenty years of flying U.S. Air Force rescue helicopters left me feeling that remote area operations are one of the most challenging flight operations a pilot can confront. This is due to the wide range of uniqueness each remote area brings. Add nighttime, weather and fatigue to this and you have an operation that probably should be in the Emergency Section of the AOM.
What has become of the TSA's controversial Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) for FAR Part 91 operators? The initial proposal met with such fierce resistance from the business aviation community that it was withdrawn for further revisions. A Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for a kinder, gentler LASP II was slated for release in the September 2012 time frame. But now, word has it that because of the presidential election cycle, the NPRM will be delayed until next year — perhaps as late as spring 2013.
Bombardier Aerospace announced that charter operator London Air Services of Richmond, B.C. ordered five Learjet 75s. The $65 million order makes the aircraft charter firm the Canadian launch customer for the light jet. London Air has a fleet of five Learjet 45XRs, a Challenger 604 and two Challenger 605s. It has a Global 7000 on order for delivery in 2017.
Eclipse is starting production of its Eclipse 550 very light jet model with initial deliveries planned for 2013. On June 1, Eclipse dealers representing more than 30 countries attended the first international Eclipse dealer sales conference at the company's headquarters in Albuquerque, N.M., and signed agreements to purchase new Eclipse 550 Jets for delivery in 2014 and early 2015.
On May 14, with little advance notice, Teterboro Airport (TEB) was shut down to all traffic and remained closed for 5 hr. How much notice was given is unclear — some say it was 1 hr., while others suggest 12. Undisputed is the fact that TEB, among the nation's busiest general aviation facilities, was shuttered on a workday, surprising many users and forcing the reroute of scores of incoming aircraft. The reason? A presidential visit to the west side of Manhattan, directly across the Hudson River from the close-in New Jersey airport.
Flexjet joined other fractional operators suing the IRS over assessments of federal excise taxes. Flight Options and NetJets/Executive Jet Management already are enmeshed in lawsuits over refunds and imposition of the passenger ticket tax over certain activities. Flexjet filed its suit a couple of weeks ago, says Tony Gasaway, principal of Gasaway Tax Law. The lawsuits come as management companies face their own escalating tax assessments based on recent IRS guidance that management fees could constitute commercial air carrier activity.
NetJets announced the next phase of its fleet refresh plan, placing orders for as many as 425 midsize Bombardier Challenger 300s and 605s and Cessna Citation Latitudes. The order breaks out into 75 firm orders and 125 options for the Challenger 300 series with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2014. The Bombardier contract order also includes 25 firm orders and 50 options for Challenger 605s, with deliveries to begin in 2015. NetJets Chairman and CEO Jordan Hansell valued the Bombardier portion of the newest order at $7.3 billion.
A recently created FAA/industry committee is planning to develop recommendations by year-end on how to improve the FAA's ongoing problem with a lack of consistency between its various Flight Standards District Offices (FSDOs) and Aircraft Certification Offices (ACOs). The Aviation Rulemaking Committee, co-chaired by Flight Standards Director John Allen and NATA Vice President Eric Byer, met for the first time June 1 to begin tackling the standardization problems that have plagued the agency for years.
Jet Aviation has launched a global refurbishment program to “renew and harmonize” the look and feel of its FBO and major MRO facilities worldwide, beginning with the Geneva, Zurich and Basel facilities in Switzerland and focusing on the facility lobbies and customer and crew lounges, Completion of the Geneva and Basel facilities is scheduled for year-end. The Zurich facility is scheduled for completion in spring 2013.
In 2010 NBAA presented Wendi Gavigan with its Outstanding Achievement & Leadership Award for having shared her industry expertise while making “significant contributions to the scheduling and dispatching function.” Beginning with this presentation in our Schedulers and Dispatchers quarterly, Gavigan, whose day job is vice president and manager of flight operations for Citigroup Corporate Aviation, continues to lead and share with this the first in a series of discussions with S&D professionals about their work, challenges, solutions and aspirations.
Beech is claiming that its Twin Bonanza is the strongest airplane in commercial aviation — designed and tested to withstand inflight loads equal to almost seven times its own weight. It's even got an airstair door so you don't “ever have to get near the engines.”
Bell Helicopter plans to open its first company-authorized flight training school in China. Bell Helicopter and Guanchen Aviation have signed a memorandum of understanding to that effect. Eric Cardinali, executive vice president, customer support and services for Bell Helicopter, said, “Partnering with Guanchen Aviation to provide a high-quality, local flight training solution is an important first step in meeting our customer needs in the region. . . .
As of June 1, the only way for general aviation pilots, flight instructors and mechanics to learn about and register for FAA safety seminars will be online at FAASafety.gov. The FAA will no longer send postcards. If you have not already done so, the FAA Safety Team encourages you to register online using your airman certificate number.
Airbus, Amsterdam, announced the appointment of Fabrice Bregier as CEO. He replaces Tom Enders, who is now CEO of EADS. Gunter Butschek was appointed COO. Amway Corp., Grand Rapids, Mich., promoted Rick Fiddler to the position of vice president-aviation. He also recently was appointed to the State of Michigan Aeronautic Board by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder.
The Global Vision Flight Deck designations for the Global 5000 and 6000 do not represent FAA, EASA or Transport Canada model designations. They are Bombardier's commercial names for Global airplanes on which Major Change Modifications, known as “modsums,” 700T001900 and 700T901901 have been fitted to BD-700-1A10 (Global XRS) airplanes or modsums 700T901900 and 700T901902 have been installed on BD-700-1A11 (Global 5000) airplanes.
