EBAA says that the European Union has agreed to raise the threshold for smaller emitters from 10 to 25,000 tons of CO2, (a metric ton is 1,000 kg or 2,205 lb.), but was disappointed that regulators didn't go further. “This threshold certainly does not [exempt] smaller aircraft from EU ETS, but simply enables operators to benefit from a simplified monitoring and reporting procedure,” the association says.
Blue Sky Network received supplemental type certification for use of its D1000 flight-tracking unit and ACH1000 communications control aboard Sikorsky S-92 helicopters. The D1000A uses built-in GPS position reporting combined with an Iridium satellite transceiver and telemetry data link to provide flight-tracking capability. The ACH1000 communications control head adds voice communication and two-way messaging connectivity between operators and the control center.
On July 8, 2009, five people gathered at Collin County Regional Airport (TKI) in McKinney, Texas, for a planned corporate flight to Tampa, Fla., International Airport (TPA), 800 nm to the east. Among the voyagers was the company pilot. A 33-year-old former mechanic, he held a commercial license and instrument rating and at that point had logged some 2,000 hr. of flight time.
Daher-Socata delivered 38 TBM850 single-engine aircraft last year, equaling the total of the year before. Deliveries to buyers in the U.S. continued to dominate, with 84% of deliveries topping the 76% that found their way to the U.S. in 2010. Latin America was the second largest market, with Asia-Pacific and Europe following. Europe was the second largest market in 2010. Daher-Socata says it was the fourth best year for the TBM.
Embraer is starting 2012 with a slight year-over-year decline in the value of its backlog, after a year in which commercial aircraft deliveries increased slightly but business aviation saw another drop in aircraft going to customers. Embraer delivered 99 executive aircraft in 2011, down more than 30% from the 144 units delivered in 2010. Both Phenom and large aircraft deliveries (the Legacy and Lineage product lines) recorded declines. On the commercial transport front, deliveries were up to 105 units from 100.
West Star Aviation's facility in East Alton, Ill., was named an authorized service center for the GE CF34 engine. The authorization means the facility can provide service and support of the engine and supply related parts and products. West Star's facility in Grand Junction, Colo., has been an authorized GE service provider for more than 6 yr.
In 25 years, the parsing of whole aircraft into fractional shares subsequently sold through five-year management contracts featuring guaranteed accessibility and high-quality service levels grew from the company that introduced the concept — mathematician and leasing expert Richard Santulli's NetJets — into a major aviation industry comprising multiple providers collectively fielding more than a thousand business jets and turboprops.
NBAA reminds aircraft owners with registration certificates issued in July of any given year before October 2010 to apply to re-register their aircraft with the FAA before Jan. 31, 2012. Those operators should have already received a notice in the mail containing an online re-registration code.
There is one thing all maintenance managers never have enough of — time. Not enough hours in the day to address all of the necessary tasks involved with running a maintenance operation. Your world revolves around the aircraft and the flight schedule. Break an aircraft and your workday becomes a chaotic vortex of activity. The only consistency comes in the form of perpetual change. But you handle it like you do, every day with competence and flexibility.
ImperialJet took delivery of a new Bombardier Challenger 605 business jet for the company's charter fleet. The company says it has seen strong demand for its Bombardier Challengers, particularly in Russia and Saudi Arabia. The company operates Challenger 850, 605 and 604 aircraft in addition to Learjet 60/60 XR and Gulfstream III jets. The company further has five Learjet 85s on order that are slated to enter service in 2014.
The Independent Pilots Association, representing UPS pilots, filed a petition Dec. 22 with the U.S. Court of Appeals challenging the FAA's exclusion of cargo operations from the new flight and duty time rules. “To potentially allow fatigued cargo pilots to share the same skies with properly rested passenger pilots creates an unnecessary threat to public safety” said Capt. Robert Travis, IPA president. “We can do better.” Pilot union leaders at UPS and FedEx sent a joint letter to President Barack Obama opposing any cargo exemption from proposed new regulations.
The FAA wants to shift most controller-pilot messages — more than 1.2 million a day — to a digital text-based network. This will be one of the key enablers of the NextGen modernization effort, which requires aircraft to fly satellite-based procedures that are too complex for current ATC communications technology. The agency's Data Communications (Data Comm) program will make it quicker for controllers to send and revise clearances, as well as reducing frequency congestion and allowing the transmission of complex flight profiles.
“Operators Survey: Dassault Falcon 7X” (March 2011, page 46) mentions fly-by-wire controls being offered by other manufacturers. Which other purpose-built corporate jets currently offer full FBW? As for the airplane, we were fortunate in that we have a later airplane with Load 10, enhanced brakes, higher crosswind limits, etc. installed prior to initial delivery, and we have had no problems other than a faulty radar altimeter, which we replaced.
Sporty's has introduced the Garmin G1000 glass cockpit course that has 2 hr. of in-depth video content including Garmin's complete Cockpit Reference Guide, two G1000 Training Course Outlines (student and instructor versions), G1000 simulator software for download and a review quiz. The app is divided into 16 individual video segments for quick review and the quiz provides instant feedback on your score and the ability to review missed questions. It's available for the iPhone/iPad. Sporty's Pilot Shop www.sportys.com Price: $79.99
Constant Aviation LLC, Cleveland, announced that Jay Randall has been named regional sales manger for the Great Lakes region, responsible for selling the Constant Aviation services that include maintenance, avionics, interior modifications/refurbishments and parts. Dassault Falcon, Teterboro, N.J., promoted Antoine Ajarrista to senior vice president and general manager of its Little Rock Completion Center in Arkansas. He replaced Frederic Lherm, who was named senior vice president of Industrial Operations for Dassault Aviation in St. Cloud, France.
The prototype AgustaWestland AW189 helicopter made its first flight in December 2011, ahead of schedule. The aircraft was launched at the 2011 Paris Air Show. AgustaWestland aims to achieve civil certification for the AW189 in 2013 and to start deliveries in early 2014. The first prototype will be used for avionics systems testing and certification of offshore equipment options, while the second prototype, set to fly this year, will be dedicated to a “load survey” program. The AW189 design is optimized for long-range offshore transport and SAR missions.
FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 00-24B cautions that thunderstorms contain multiple weather hazards and that pilots should never regard any thunderstorm lightly, even when radar observers report the echoes are of light intensity. Avoiding thunderstorms is the best policy. Here are the FAA's Do's and Don'ts for thunderstorm avoidance: Don't land or take off in the face of an approaching thunderstorm. A sudden gust front of low-level turbulence could cause loss of control.
Spidertracks launched its Spider S3 Lite designed specifically for recreational pilots. The more affordable system still offers the reliability and accuracy of the company's commercial Spiders, according the James McCarthy, spidertracks operations managers. The new S3 Lite combines with Aviator (online tracking for recreational flights) allowing the user to share experiences with friends and family, and to compare notes with other pilots. spidertracks www. spidertracks.com Price: $495
Saab Sensis Corp. will install its airport surface surveillance technology at nine or more U.S. airports under a contract awarded by the FAA that could be worth up to $119 million. Sensis, a U.S. subsidiary of Saab, will install systems that fuse surveillance data from multiple sources, including multilateration and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B). This gives controllers a highly accurate picture of runway and taxiway movements, and the ability to detect conflicts and provide alerts.
German airline Lufthansa wrapped up a six-month biofuel test, but will not take testing further unless the fuel was more widely produced. The pilot project “has had a positive result from which we want to continue to work,” the airline's official in charge of the project, Joachim Buse, said. But he indicated that the airline would not introduce the use of the biofuel. “The objective is to arrive at a price (for fuel) on the basis of which we can work,” he said in a telephone conference.
Community leaders in Wichita are assembling a task force that will develop some “fairly aggressive strategies” to boost the aviation industry as the city wrestles with Boeing's January announcement that it will pull its defense, space and security operations out of Wichita and lay off or relocate up to 2,100 workers, says Suzie Ahlstrand, interim president of the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition (GWEDC).
FAA has issued a technical correction returning 61.57(d), which explains when a complete instrument proficiency check (IPC) is required for individuals serving as pilot in command (PIC), to its original form. A PIC is instrument-current for six months following the completion of recent experience requirements. After that, the pilot has an additional six months to regain currency without a full IPC. If currency is not established in this period, a full IPC is required.
The Cessna Citation CJ4 received mostly strong praise for its design, performance and reliability during our recent survey of operators. Respondents say it's fast, it can carry 900-plus pounds. with full tanks and it's easy for a pilot to fly alone. The CJ4 is the most-powerful, most-capable and most-expensive CitationJet family member yet offered by the Wichita firm.
