The NBAA applauded the House Transportation Committee for approving legislation prohibiting U.S. participation in the European effort to limit and tax carbon emissions from civil aircraft. The committee voted unanimously Sept. 9 to send H.R. 2594, the “European Union Emissions Trading Scheme [EU-ETS] Prohibition Act of 2011” to the floor of the House for a vote. “We appreciate the strong, united message this proposed legislation sends to the EU against the imposition of a new carbon tax on companies based outside its borders,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.
Officials of the Chinese Civil Aviation Authority (CAAC) visited Raisbeck Engineering's Seattle headquarters on Aug. 30 to develop certification criteria for Raisbeck Performance Systems in China. The first two Raisbeck systems to complete the process are Dual Aft Body Strakes (DABS) and Nacelle Wing Lockers (NWLS) for the Beechcraft King Air 350, according to Bill Lally, Raisbeck's FAA coordinator.
Step into the cockpit of a Hawker 4000 that has the newly available block point upgrade (BPU) package and it's immediately apparent that the super midsize aircraft has undergone quite a comprehensive improvement program. The FMS, flight guidance system, avionics and autothrottles offer new functions and greater utility. Airframe systems were upgraded to reduce workload and to provide better operating flexibility. In all, nearly two dozen hardware and software changes were made from which pilots can benefit in everyday operations.
India's Mahindra Group is test flying a prototype aircraft. The C-NM5 is a five-seat, all-metal, fixed-gear aircraft, powered by a Lycoming IO-540 engine with a large cabin and large access doors. The aircraft is being developed in a public-private partnership by National Aerospace Laboratories and Mahindra Group's Mahindra Aerospace, with GippsAero, Australia (a Mahindra Aerospace subsidiary acquired in 2009), says Anand Mahindra, vice chairman and managing director of the $12.5 billion Mahindra Group a major manufacturer of utility vehicles.
It takes considerable effort on our part, but BCA's annual Purchase Planning Handbook (May issue) has become one of the most trusted specifications and performance references for business aircraft extant. The handbook is regularly used to gauge the capabilities of business aircraft during pre-purchase negotiations because multi-million-dollar investment decisions frequently hang in the balance. PPH readers have confidence that aircraft in the listings will perform up to published expectations.
Regular readers of this column may have noticed an increase in accidents that seem to reflect a decline in professionalism in the cockpit and behind the radar screen. Certainly this situation involves only a small minority of pilots and controllers; nevertheless, it may be part of a larger, troubling trend.
In the September issue, page 59, Business Turboprops accident statistics, the total accidents should read: Total: 2011-20; 2010-26; Corp./Exec.: 2011-3; 2010-2; Comm./Air Taxi: 2011-10; 2011-13; Private: 2011-6; 2010-9; Public/Goverment: 2011-1; 2010-2.
The U.S. Commerce Department has formed a government/industry group to promote export sales of NextGen products and services developed for the FAA. Formation of the NextGen Vendors Group (NVG) is part of a wider Obama administration initiative to double U.S. exports and generate jobs. Other aspects of the initiative include streamlining U.S. export controls.
The Caribbean region is a popular recreation and business destination for North Americans, Europeans and Middle Eastern residents. Universal Weather & Aviation's Dwayne Janczak, who is assigned to the Flexjet fractional ownership headquarters in Dallas, provided a review for operating in the area.
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.
Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, chief executive of London Executive Aviation (LEA), a major European charter operator, called on the industry to work harder to publicize the economic importance of business aviation. Speaking Sept. 14 at the Business Aircraft Europe conference at London Biggin Hill Airport, Margetson-Rushmore said: “Wouldn't it be great to see the business aviation industry finally embraced and recognized by the wider community for its true financial worth and contribution?
A change in FAR Part 61.58 taking effect Oct. 31 will require all pilots in command (PIC) of turbojet aircraft to undergo annual proficiency checks. Previously PICs with a single-pilot type rating in certain jets were exempt. When the rule was first posted, the majority of comments came from operators of experimental category aircraft who resisted the change because of the absence of appropriate simulators, examiners and the cost of flight in their aircraft.
As pilots we don't seem to think much about the brakes until we really need them, and then our interest intensifies in direct proportion to the proximity of the runway end and the speed at which it is approaching.
Lou Churchville (Vice President Business Development )
The FAA is seemingly oblivious to the operational and economic realities of the industry it regulates. Case in point is its Runway Status Lights (RWSL) initiative by which it plans to install 23 of these expensive, automated traffic light systems at airline-served airports, all of which already have control towers, with ground and even ramp control. The move may get the NTSB to quiet down about runway incursions, but it has little practical value. Airports are simply the venue for incursions.
Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support (GCS) announced an increased inspection interval for Beechcraft Premier I/IA aircraft — from a 200-hr. core interval to a 600-hr. interval. All new and in-service Premier I/A aircraft will be transitioned to the program. and benefit from the change, the company said. “Our customers asked us to examine ways to reduce the cost of operations for their aircraft, as well as increase availability,” said Christi Tannahill, Hawker Beechcraft vice president, GCS.
FAR Part 91 and Part 135 operators increasingly are asking aircraft manufacturers to provide range charts based upon crew duty times rather than aircraft fuel endurance.
Sept. 2 — At about 1335 Alaska Daylight Time, a Cessna 208B Caravan (N207DR) and a Cessna 207 (N73789) collided in midair, approximately 9 mi. north of Nightmute, Alaska. Both airplanes were operating VFR when the accident occurred. The Cessna 208B was operated by Grant Aviation Inc., Anchorage, Alaska, and the Cessna 207 was operated by Ryan Air, Anchorage, Alaska. The sole occupant of the Cessna 208B, an airline transport pilot, sustained fatal injuries. The sole occupant of the Cessna 207, a commercial pilot, was uninjured.
Pressure continues to grow on Capitol Hill for the DOT to reverse its policy on the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program. Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.) introduced The BARR Preservation Act of 2011 (H.R. 2897) to continue the full program, which enables aircraft owners to request that their tail numbers be removed from displays of near-real-time flight tracking programs. “A stand-alone piece of legislation is needed to roll back this regulatory overreach by the FAA,” says Pompeo.
Baldwin Aviation Safety & Compliance, which assists flight organizations in implementing and maintaining safety management systems, has launched a program to support the owner-operator of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. “SMSace has been developed specifically for owners and operators of light business aircraft to provide them with a set of tools for a structured safety program,” said Baldwin President and CEO Don Baldwin.
Cuba is the largest and westernmost island in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea. It also bears the distinction of having been “discovered” by Christopher Columbus on his first journey to the New World in 1492.
Clinton, Mo.-based Aviation Fabricators (AvFab) recently received an FAA STC for a two-place divan for the Beechcraft 400A. The approval enables the small sofa to be installed in all Beechjet and Hawker Beechcraft 400A series aircraft.
The first AOPA-China Fly-In was postponed after the crash of a Beijing Police Department Agusta Westland AW139 helicopter into the Miyun Reservoir northeast of the Chinese capital. Four of the five people on board the helicopter were killed. The first fly-in, scheduled for September, had been restricted to privately owned helicopters, and more than 20 were expected. AOPA China says the accident may put the increased accessibility of Chinese airspace into question.
Bombardier Aerospace said that final assembly of its new Global 7000 and Global 8000 business jets will take place at its manufacturing site in Toronto, Ontario. Bombardier says it continues to evaluate options for the production support work package, which includes functions such as technical publications and procurement in support of the manufacturing program.
Minimize quick turn-arounds. Fully release brakes during turn-arounds. Don't drag a brake during taxi. Consider single-engine taxi. Use reverse thrust/flat pitch if allowed. Anticipate the need to slow down and make necessary power changes ahead of time. Minimize brake applications. Apply a smooth, firm pressure to slow down the aircraft. Land at the slowest speed consistent with safety. Land on longer runways with the wind.
