One of the many highlights at this year's MMC was the chance for participants to support the NBAA Maintenance Committee's Technical Reward and Career Scholarship (TRACS) program. These scholarships are designed to help jump start the career of technicians who are either completing their A&P training or aspire to advance a business aviation career already begun. Earning an A&P license gets you into the hangar, but further training and experience are necessary to advance beyond entry level. The TRACS program is designed to serve both categories.
Every year, the NBAA's week-long Maintenance Management Conference (MMC) provides resources for learning both new technology and updating each attendee's personal knowledge toolbox. In addition, the event provides an excellent opportunity to network with fellow managers and provides insight for those interested in professional development or creating new career goals within the business aviation community.
Reflecting sour European market conditions, Jet Aviation is restructuring its Basel, Switzerland, location into two independently managed maintenance and completion business units, each reporting directly to Dan Clare, president of General Dynamics' Jet Aviation Group. Neil Boyle has been appointed vice president of completions and Johannes Turzer is vice president of maintenance at Basel.
Embraer Executive Jets' Melbourne, Fla., campus has received its own FAA Production Certificate to assemble Phenom 100s in the U.S. Previously, Phenom jets assembled in Melbourne were certified under the FAA type certificate granted to those produced in Brazil. “This is a significant milestone for Embraer and is the culmination of a series of achievements in the last year,” said Ernest Edwards, president, Embraer Executive Jets.
Associated Aircraft Group (AAG) has established helicopter operations at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, which is a 10-min. flight to Manhattan aboard one of the company 's Sikorsky S-76 helicopters. AAG operates a fleet of S-76 helicopters in both fractional and full management programs with bases in the New York and Philadelphia areas.
Exact Air Flight ET822 descended below MDA into dark, wooded terrain while attempting a night non-precision RNAV (GNSS) Runway 12 approach at Chicoutimi/Saint-Honore, Quebec, on Dec. 9, 2009. Both pilots were killed and two passengers — the only other occupants of the aircraft — were seriously injured when the Beech King Air A100 (BE10) struck the ground in controlled flight on the approach centerline some 3 nm from the threshold.
A Secret Service-imposed TFR that shut down New Jersey's Teterboro Airport May 14 with little advance notice is raising fears over airspace restrictions on the horizon as the presidential election season ramps up. The TFR shut down Teterboro for nearly 5 hr. on a Monday, when the airport — the nation's busiest general aviation facility — typically experiences peak traffic. The TFR was issued just before it took effect, causing the rerouting of dozens of aircraft.
The FAA has issued a revised Advisory Circular, AC 120-76B, that provides guidelines on the certification, airworthiness and operational approval of electronic flight bags (EFB). While the information contained in the revised AC is consistent with previous FAA information on this subject, the NBAA has pointed out some new terms and concepts introduced in the revision. The main difference is specific guidance for FAR Part 91F (large and turbine-powered multiengine aircraft) operators that goes beyond the guidance for other Part 91 operators.
Jet Aviation has launched a new fuel sales service for its entire chain of Fixed Based Operations in the EMEA and Asia regions. Using its global purchasing power to negotiate a better fuel price with World Fuel Services, a leading jet fuels supplier, Jet Aviation has introduced the new fuel sales service to pass significant cost savings on to FBO and MRO customers visiting Jet Aviation FBO facilities in EMEA and Asia: London Biggin Hill, Dusseldorf, Riyadh, Dubai, Jeddah, Singapore, Zurich and Geneva.
Nav Canada and Iridium are partnering on a project that will bring Iridium satellite-based air traffic surveillance to areas of the globe with no coverage, starting with crucial North Atlantic routes. The two companies are forming a joint venture called Aireon, which will provide surveillance data from a new constellation of satellites being launched by Iridium Communications. ADS-B receivers will be a hosted payload on Iridium's NEXT communications satellites. Desch says Iridium has invested about $3 billion in the constellation of 66 satellites. Harris Corp.
ARGUS TRAQPak data indicates that May 2012 business aircraft flight activity increased from April 2012 at 3.5% overall. The only month over month decrease was the fractional segment, down 1.0%. Part 135 activity was up 5.3% and Part 91 was up 3.9%. Reviewing activity year over year (May 2012 vs. May 2011) TRAQPak observed a 1.6% increase in overall aircraft activity. Results by operational category were mixed with Part 91sector activity up 4.3%.
I read Capt. Enderle's letter (Readers' Feeback, June 2012, page 11) and the accompanying comments with great interest. While there is a plethora of woulda's, coulda's and shoulda's therein, there are but three positive conclusions that can be drawn at this point in the investigation:
Crewmembers can now complete their initial and recurrent training requirements for both first aid and emergency procedures through a new bundled offering from MedAire and FlightSafety International. The program allows crewmembers to schedule, attend and complete required emergency preparedness training at one location. The bundled training packages available include the FlightSafety Corporate Cabin Attendant training program and Crew Emergency training with the MedAire Management of Inflight Illness and Injury course. Visit www.flightsafety.com or www.medaire.com.
Business aviation operators, both private and commercial, have the NBAA's Security Council, among other aviation advocacy entities, to thank for the currently harmonious relationship with the TSA.
If FAR Part 135 is meeting the same security requirements as the airlines — crew and passenger screening, baggage inspections, secured facilities and aircraft, etc. — why aren't charter operators conferred the same access to presidential Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs)?
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and ITT Exelis have entered into a licensing agreement for Exelis to provide its real-time integrated next generation flight-tracking data for ERAU's academic research and analysis.
The two Rolls-Royce BR710A2-20 engines that power the Global 5000 and 6000 are 4.2:1 bypass ratio, conventional axial flow, two-shaft designs with a single 48-in. front fan powered by a two-stage low-pressure turbine and a 10-stage high-pressure compressor driven by a two-stage high-pressure turbine. They are rated at 14,750 lb. thrust for takeoff up to ISA+20C. An aft-mounted, deep-fluted forced mixer nozzle both reduces noise and improves high-altitude cruise thrust output.
NetJets also has signed 15-year engine maintenance, repair and overhaul agreements with GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC), the two companies announced on June 18. The contracts are associated with NetJet's order for midsize and heavy business jets announced in early June. The GE agreement covers maintenance, repair and overhaul of the CF34 engines included in NetJet's June order that contains 25 firm CF34-3B-powered Bombardier Challenger 605 aircraft with options for up to an additional 50 aircraft.
The Beech King Air 350 is the largest business turboprop yet built by the Wichita manufacturer and by far its most versatile performer. More than 685 first-generation aircraft were built between 1990 and 2009 before it was succeeded by the more luxurious King Air 350i in 2010.
The first prototype of the AgustaWestland AW169 4.5 ton light intermediate helicopter made its maiden flight in May at the company's Cascina Costa plant in Italy. The flight included an assessment of the helicopter's general handling and basic systems. The first prototype will be joined by two more aircraft later this year and a fourth prototype in 2013. The company says the AW169 program is on schedule to achieve basic civil certification in 2014.
StandardAero Business Aviation announced it now offers EASA Supplemental Type Certificate certification services and certification training. StandardAero provides applicants seeking STC approval the ability to obtain both FAA and EASA certification approval concurrently within 30-60 days, compared to the usual 90-plus day approval cycle for each individual agency certification. This expedited approval process saves operators substantial costs by reducing the aircraft's downtime.
Former FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt is expected to continue an aviation consulting career following the May 10 dismissal of drunk driving charges that led to his resignation from the agency in December 2011. A district court judge in Virginia dismissed the charges, ruling that the police had stopped him without sufficient reason. Babbitt said he plans to remain in aviation as a consultant.
As the Eclipse 550 readies for production, PZL Mielec has signed on to produce airframe components for Eclipse Aerospace, Inc. Major components include the fuselage, empennage and wings for the Eclipse 550 jet. PZL Mielec would manufacture the components in Poland and ship them to Eclipse's facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., for final assembly and delivery to customers once Eclipse officially starts production. PZL Mielec is an affiliate of Sikorsky Aircraft, which is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.
