As for our “Hypocrite-in-Chief,” President Obama went from the White House to Richmond, Va., to deliver a jobs speech at a college there. It's 107 mi. from D.C. to Richmond, yet he took Air Force One! Just appalling. Even Marine One from the White House to a landing area near the college would have gotten him there more directly, faster and cheaper. And how about that big black bus? Ridiculous. Briarcliff Manor, N.Y.
The Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO), responsible for maintaining the long-term vision for U.S. airspace modernization, is developing a revised 2025 “end- state” for NextGen, recognizing that traffic growth is not expected to meet projections made when the program was launched in 2003. While the FAA is responsible for implementing NextGen and is focused on capabilities that can be deployed in the mid-term, by 2018, JPDO is the custodian of the overall architecture and long-term vision.
Jetnet reported that during the first six months of this year the pre-owned market showed “early-stage recovery signs.” This trend continued in July as the Utica, N.Y.-based provider of corporate aviation information reported an 11.2% growth in pre-owned business jet retail-sale transactions in the first seven months of this year.
The NBAA believes that UAVs will share the skies with manned aircraft. It's just a matter of time. The greatest challenge lies in how to ensure that unmanned aircraft are ready to safely navigate the skies outside the controlled environment of a restricted test area, or over a military base. NBAA Director, Air Traffic Services & Infrastructure, Bob Lamond says the FAA “is being appropriately cautious” in moving forward with wider deployment of unmanned aircraft systems (UASs).
The FAA and Australia's Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to continue research and development of clean, sustainable alternative aviation fuels. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Australian Ambassador to the U.S. Kim Beazley signed the agreement Sept. 13. The MOU calls for Australia and the U.S. to exchange information about policies, programs, projects, research results and publications, and to conduct joint studies in areas such as fuel sources and environmental impacts.
If you're a scheduler or dispatcher and you just received this issue of BCA, you have just about two weeks to make the Oct. 17 deadline for filing an application for a scholarship under the NBAA's Schedulers & Dispatchers Scholarship Program. The awards are announced in December and presented at the next S&D annual meeting, scheduled for Jan. 15-18, 2012, in San Diego.
“Gas and go” is a fitting description for 1993 through 2004 Gulfstream GIV-SP and G400 business aircraft, the second generation of classic GIVs. Operators say these are among the most reliable business airplanes in their fleets and that Gulfstream's product support is top notch. Typically equipped, they can carry ten passengers with full fuel. They can fly 4,000-plus nm at Mach 0.80 and land with 200 nm NBAA IFR reserves.
Gulfstream Aerospace displayed three of its business jets at the sixth annual Jet Expo Russian International Business Aviation Exhibition held Sept. 14-16 at Vnukovo-3 Airport near Moscow: the wide-cabin, high-speed Gulfstream G150; the large-cabin, long-range Gulfstream G450; and the large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G550.
It was very refreshing to read “Mixed Signals” (Flight Log, August 2011, page 110) in which James D'Agostino puts a human side to the issue of loss of control when pilots are confronted with confusing flight information.
Naples Jet Center at Naples, Fla. Municipal Airport was named an Embraer-authorized Phenom service center. The company will offer maintenance, service, upgrades and warranty work for owners and operators of Phenom 100 and Phenom 300 aircraft.
An easy-to-surf guide to 31 CFR 515, the federal code governing licensing for travel to Cuba. Note, especially, the “definitions” section. (http://www.law.justia.com/cfr/title31/31-3.1.1.1.4.html) worldtravelguide.net/cuba/ passport-visa (Good review of Cuban visa requirements.)
Seattle-based Aviation Partners has won certification of its high-Mach, blended winglets for the Dassault Falcon 900 and is accepting reservations for installation of the performance-enhancing airfoils on the three-engine, French-built business jet. Aviation Partners says the winglets 7% seven percent at long-range cruise speed. The airfoils also enable higher initial cruise altitudes and faster climbs to altitude.
Evidencing the drive to deploy unmanned systems in the national airspace system (NAS), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GAASI) has embarked on a company-funded program to develop a radar-based airborne sense-and-avoid system for its Predator/Reaper/Avenger family of unmanned aircraft. The company plans unmanned flight tests late next year, the time line set by potential international customers requiring the capability to operate their aircraft in civil airspace. While the U.S.
At Moscow's JetExpo 2011 in September, Embraer signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Jet Aviation Moscow Vnukovo to establish an enhanced maintenance service able to respond 24/7 with certified mechanics, special tools and a readily available on-site spare parts stock. Already approved as an Embraer Authorized Service Center at Vnukovo International Airport (VKO) since 2009 for line support, Jet Aviation will stock parts consigned by Embraer for Legacy 600 and Legacy 650 executive jets.
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Diamond Aircraft's DA20-C1 was granted expanded European Aviation Safety Agency type certification to include approval for night VFR operations, significantly increasing the aircraft's utility in the European market, the company says.
The arch cantilever design of TWA's new terminal at Idlewild is based on four concrete shells joined at the center, tapering out to a thickness of only 8 in. at the edge. Designed by architect Eero Saarinen, it covers one and one-quarter acres, cost $15 million and uses four concrete buttresses to support the massive shell.
Should you have a security program even if the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) doesn't require one for your operations? Of course. And most corporate flight departments have at least informal security measures that would prevent a stranger from boarding their aircraft. However, ramp access at smaller airports does not seem to have changed enough in the decade since 9/11. Punching in “6736” will still open far too many airport gates. Why is 6736 so common? It spells “OPEN” on the keypad.
I read your “An End to Surrender” (Viewpoint, September 2011, page 9) with interest and would like to add a personal story regarding the “good reason and reasonableness” you hope will prevail. Our local uncontrolled airport has two scheduled flights a day in a small turboprop, to the same Southern California destination. During this last Christmas my 82-year-old mother decided to take one of those flights for her holiday visit since she no longer drives.
Flying Colours has delivered another two Bombardier Challenger 850s — to the Middle East and Russia. ExecuJet Middle East accepted a Challenger 850 on behalf of a private customer in June. A second completed Challenger 850 was delivered to Russian aviation business Ak Bars Aero in late July. Both aircraft were certified in those countries and completed at Flying Colours' head office in Peterborough, Ontario.
Canadian Chris McCabe, chief pilot for Toronto-based Chartright Air Group, has had extensive experience flying chartered business jets into several locations within the Republic of Cuba. As the country adheres to ICAO procedures and altimetry, McCabe offered to provide a PANS OPS review for domestic operators who might eventually be Cuba-bound (or flying anywhere else that uses ICAO procedures):
West Star Aviation recently received an amended FAA STC for the Dassault Falcon 50B that permits inclusion of Engine Indication Systems (EIS) during Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 upgrades. In addition, the amended STC also allows installation of EIS in Falcon 50Bs that already have had Pro Line 21 retrofit installations performed.
