You know the drill. If it's Tuesday, it must be hydraulic failures and hot-and-high takeoffs. Break out the manuals Monday night, study the systems and plan for the predictable emergency to be encountered some time after takeoff during tomorrow's sim session.
We were standing back in steerage, awaiting those in front to grab their carry-ons and deplane, so we could do the same. Two women behind me struck up a conversation about laborsaving appliances. The younger woman said, “I don't know what I'd do without my garbage compactor. I use it all the time.” The other woman said, “That's fine, but I couldn't live without my dishwasher.”
Speeding up NextGen air traffic control systems is not being impeded by the technology itself, but the inability to develop processes and procedures to support the technology, GAMA President and CEO Pete Bunce says in testimony to the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee. Bunce, who testified Nov. 7 during a T&I field hearing on NextGen, says FAA needs to leverage research resources from various accounts to expedite deployment.
Garmin International has received European Aviation Safety Agency approval for the installation of its Electronic Stability and Protection (ESP) and Iridium data link in G1000-equipped King Air 200 and B200 aircraft.
Bell Helicopter has received type certification of the Model 429 from the Civil Aviation Administration of China. “This is an important milestone as Bell Helicopter continues to grow its presence within the Asia Pacific region,” says Larry D. Roberts, senior vice president for Bell Helicopter's Commercial business. The Bell 429 — used in VIP, aeromedical, law enforcement, utility and oil support operations — has been certificated in more than 40 countries.
Nav Canada, the Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) for Canada, is deploying Saab subsidiary Saab Sensis Corp.'s multilateration system for surface surveillance at Calgary International Airport. Sensis will provide complete coverage of the runways, taxiways and terminal areas of the airport for improved all-weather surface situational awareness. In addition, Nav Canada will be deploying Saab Sensis VeeLo NextGen vehicle locators for surveillance of vehicles operating on the airport surface.
The Civil Aviation Flight University of China (CAFUC) has started its first helicopter ab initio technician training class at its campus in Guanghan, Sichuan Province. This is the first step in a long-term plan devised by Eurocopter and CAFUC to develop a pool of qualified helicopter technicians to meet China's future needs. The goal is to train 120 helicopter technicians annually by 2015.
Sim training most often includes cockpit resource management or single-pilot resource management. It almost never includes passenger expectation management, a critical pilot task that can interfere with mission completion or even cause a breakdown in safety margins. “Don't forget who signs your paycheck.” That threat looms over the heads of many professional business aircraft pilots for whom every flight with the boss onboard is “mission critical.” No delays. No diverts. No excuses.
In recent issues there have been letters and now “Battling Back” that focus on President Barack Obama's comments regarding business jet use. These have been nothing but exercises in partisan (right-wing) Obama-bashing and have contributed nothing to any serious discussion of the economic issues now facing Americans.
Embraer, Boeing and Brazil's São Paulo State Research Foundation (FAPESP), are conducting a study that will outline “the unique opportunities and challenges of creating a cost-effective, bio-derived and sustainable jet-fuel production and distribution industry in Brazil.” When completed in late 2012, the report, which will include a technology and sustainability road map, will be made public. Brazilian commercial carriers Azul, GOL, TAM and Trip will be strategic advisors to the study partners.
Clint Bowyer, a Kansas native and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, has signed an order for upgrades to his Beechcraft Premier IA. Bowyer is the launch customer for a synthetic vision system (SVS) upgrade to his Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 displays, addition of new aftermarket winglets by Winglet Technology and installation of an Aircell ATG 5000 system, which provides high-speed wireless Internet service in flight.
Lower-than-expected deliveries of executive aircraft are forcing Embraer to moderate its earnings guidance, although the situation is cushioned by strong regional jet and defense activities. The move, coupled with the release of third-quarter results, means the full-year guidance is for revenue to come in at $5.6 billion to $5.8 billion, after the Brazilian aircraft maker upped the guidance to $5.8 billion at the half-year mark.
Duncan Aviation plans to open a new 45,000-sq.-ft. paint shop at its Lincoln, Neb., facility next spring. After four months of construction, the hangar's main frames are complete, along with extension of the ramp at Lincoln Airport (LNK). Duncan says the new $10.5 million shop will be able to handle some of the largest business aircraft, including the Gulfstream 650, Bombardier Global Express and Dassault Falcon 7X.
Bell Helicopter delivered three Bell 412s to Heliservicio Campeche for use in the company's oil and gas support operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Heliservicio operates a fleet that includes 22 Bell 412s.
As aircraft become even more complex, the need for precise and accurate maintenance instructions increases. Back in the early days of aviation, a good mechanic could tell what was wrong with an aircraft engine by putting a long-handled screwdriver up to the cylinder and listening. Today, even the most-advanced diagnostic tools sometimes fall short. Having correct maintenance and troubleshooting guidance is essential for maintaining a safe aircraft and keeping it operational.
Once again, one of your Washington Watch columns (“Battling Back,” November 2011, page 71) was on target. There is seldom a month that goes by that I don't rail at the TV or computer screen in regard to the Obama administration's attempts to further saddle the taxpayer with more taxes and compromise our economy. The $100-per-flight user fee is simply unconscionable. Aviation is again being used as a piggy bank for congressional shortcomings.
Daher-Socata rolled out its 600th series production TBM turboprop aircraft, a TBM 850, during a ceremony at Daher-Socata's factory in Tarbes, France. The milestone aircraft is destined for a customer in the Northwestern U.S. The company first certified the TBM 700 single turboprop in 1990 and delivered the 300th in June 2004. The aircraft evolved into the TBM 850 with an 850-hp engine in 2006. The fleet has amassed nearly 900,000 flight hours.
Universal Avionics has helped upgrade a low-time, privately owned DC-9 to make the VIP airliner's cockpit NextGen-compliant. The Universal flight deck package includes four EFI-890R flat-panel integrated, high-definition flight displays; two UNS-1Fw flight management systems with 5-in., flat-panel control display units; two radio control units; and two application server units. Universal Avionics officials say the STCed upgrade gives DC-9 operators “a new option for advanced flight deck upgrades for the aircraft.”
Hawker Beechcraft deliveries fell across the board. Issues with Hawker 4000, King Air and piston deliveries contributed to a nearly 23% drop in third-quarter deliveries, the company reports. Deliveries fell from 49 in third quarter 2010 to 38 in the most recent quarter. As a result, revenues for the company's Business and General Aviation segment dropped 15.9% for the quarter. Hawker Beechcraft reports that it has now “substantially resolved” the disruption surrounding the Hawker 4000, and deliveries have resumed.
Jeppesen has released a new web-based training program focusing on Garmin G1000 avionics systems. The new online program includes three Garmin G1000 training courses—visual flight rules (VFR) procedures, instrument flight rules (IFR) procedures and VFR/IFR procedures. The web-based program is interactive, with self-paced courses that provide a comprehensive overview of all operational aspects of VFR and IFR flying using G1000 avionics.
The Rolls-Royce RR300 turboshaft engine has been certified by the Interstate Aviation Committee, the Russian airworthiness authority, paving the way for the Robinson R66 helicopter to operate in Russia. The 300-shp RR300 was designed specifically for the R66. Robinson has delivered more than 40 units of the helicopter.
The FAA insists that it will make major strides with a vital air traffic control upgrade by year-end, but serious questions are being asked in Washington about whether revised timetable and cost estimates can be met. The En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) program was “re-baselined” midyear, but the agency has already missed an important near-term milestone in September. The FAA says this delay will only be a matter of months, and if that is true it would help ease the skepticism of lawmakers and government watchdog agencies.
A wide disparity continues to exist in today's pre-owned business aircraft market, “and just about any adjective will accurately describe some part of the market,” says Carl Janssens, editor of Aircraft Bluebook's Marketline newsletter.
The FAA has certified Honeywell's Ovation Select cabin management system, which brings business jet passengers connectivity on par or better than they have at home and at work, according to Tony Brancato, Honeywell vice president for the business and general aviation aftermarket.
To the surprise of many, hard-pressed Cessna Aircraft introduced an all-new jet, the Citation Latitude, at the NBAA Convention in Las Vegas, and in so doing challenged those hoping to supplant its leadership in the less-than-heavy-iron market. Notably, it's the second new model to be announced by the firm in just two weeks. It unveiled the Citation M2, an evolutionary successor to the CJ1+, in late September (BCA, October 2011, page 82).
