Hawker Beechcraft has added a King Air 350ER special mission aircraft to its demonstrator fleet. The aircraft, which is equipped with a belly radome, electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) lift and other special mission equipment, made its debut at the company's static display at the Paris Air Show in June. The airplane is now on a tour that includes stops in Europe, Africa and Latin America, with future plans for a visit to Asia.
While acknowledging his former employer had poor relations with the community initially, Brian Delauter, the TSA's former general aviation manager, says, “The relationship between government and business aviation is now being recast as a business relationship. Now we can go forward on the same page, and going forward we can achieve more. Not working together, we will fail.”
The August Viewpoint (page 9) was a wonderful column. To quote: “. . . an impressive reminder that government can be a positive force in commerce; that sincere, visionary political leadership can help all society advance itself.”
Beechcraft Barons and Bonanzas can be upgraded to LED landing, taxi position and anti-collision lights, with an aftermarket package offered by Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support (GCS). Designed in conjunction with Astronics LSI, the lights have no filaments to break, are shock- and vibration-resistant, and consume substantially less energy, according to GCS. The solid-state LED lights also are highly reliable, with a mean time between failure of more than 8,000 hr.
I was working on my second cup of coffee that Tuesday morning at 800 Independence, and reviewing some paperwork, when the phone rang. My wife, Lenore, was all business: “Go to the TV! Oh my God! It's unbelievable.”
Larry Flynn has been named to succeed Joe Lombardo as president of Gulfstream Aerospace. The appointment, announced Aug. 5, takes effect this month. Flynn will report to Lombardo, who continues in his role as executive vice president of General Dynamics' Aerospace Group, which includes Jet Aviation, as well as Gulfstream. Lombardo has held that corporate position since 2007. According to Rob Doolittle, a General Dynamics spokesman, the new executive arrangement brings the aerospace group in alignment with the $32 billion corporation's other three business groups.
United Rotorcraft Solutions refurbished two Eurocopter EC135s for Air Methods. The renovation included a complete reupholster of the interior; sanding, repairing and repainting the exterior; and performing major inspections and clearing discrepancies. The work on both helicopters was completed on schedule.
Obama administration officials say the U.S. Navy will provide the market for the nation's nascent biofuel industry as part of a White House initiative to kick-start the alternative energy sector. The Navy and Marine Corps will partner with the Energy and Agriculture departments to share equally in a $510 million investment over three years — estimated at half the private sector's cost — in the production of so-called “drop-in” aviation and marine biofuels, which can be used with existing fuels to power military and civilian vehicles.
Aircraft batteries have come a long way since they were first introduced in the 1920s. Early maintenance technicians were skeptical of carrying the wet-cell, lead-acid devices on board. They would vent sulfuric acid and hydrogen gas and required frequent servicing to add water and electrolyte and check the charge state. Most batteries were used for auxiliary power systems and emergency backup; few aircraft had the luxury of a battery-powered start. In the 1930s, as aircraft grew larger so did the need for reliable battery-powered starting.
“Inflight Monitoring Systems for Business Aviation, Part 1” (August 2011, page 28) was nicely done. These devices are effective tools for managing the safety and cost-effectiveness of flight departments. It may take some time and possibly education before business aviation accepts these tools, but I suspect flight department managers will embrace this technology in time. General Aero Co.
Wilson Air Center is operating its fourth FBO at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (KCHA). The facility officially opened Aug. 4 and includes a newly constructed 9,000-sq.-ft. executive terminal and modern FBO campus featuring an office complex, hangar facilities, ramp and self-serve fuel farm. Wilson Air Center also operates FBOs in Memphis, Charlotte, and Houston.
When asked recently about the state of his used aircraft business, John Newton said Cessna's deliveries of previously owned Citations are 300% ahead of last year, and the order rate “is pretty consistent. I am feeling pretty good.”
ICON Aircraft secured 143 deposits for its A5 amphibious light sport aircraft during July's 2011 EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wis. The latest orders push the order book to position number 694 and production into 2015. The composite A5 sport floatplane flew for the first time with its production folding-wing design on July 25.
AOPA and GAMA formally urged the FCC to recall the conditional waiver it granted Jan. 26, to LightSquared, a company whose plan to create a national wireless broadband network would interfere with GPS signal reception. They also asked the agency to begin a rulemaking process that would ensure GPS signals are adequately protected from any similar proposal in the future, and that those rules receive concurrence from FAA and Department of Defense.
According to Thrush Aircraft and GE Aviation, August was an important milestone when GE delivered the first production H80 turboprop engine for installation on the Thrush 510G agplane. When it receives its FAA certification, expected before year end, the 510G will become the first new-build aircraft to be powered by the engine — a power plant aimed directly at the market dominated for decades by the PT6, produced Pratt & Whitney Canada.
On Sept. 3, 2010, a Boeing 747-400 cargo jet departed Dubai International Airport bound for Cologne, Germany. About 20 min. later, the crew made an emergency call indicating that there was a fire onboard. They returned to Dubai, donning oxygen masks and smoke hoods. Smoke entered the cockpit and eventually the crew was overwhelmed. The aircraft crashed south of the runway, killing both pilots. It was carrying a shipment of rechargeable lithium batteries.
In the August issue's Intelligence section (page 17), there is an item about Flight Options, the second largest fractional jet operator in the U.S., obtaining financing for its 150 Embraer Phenom order from a bank in Brazil. I understand the ramifications of globalization in the world marketplace for all kinds of products. And yes, those jets will be using a lot of American-made products such as avionics. However, it shows the depth of the frustrating problems facing the U.S.
The Gulfstream Aerospace service center in Dallas, which supports business jet operators in Latin America and the Southwestern U.S., has earned approved maintenance organization (AMO) designations from Mexico and Brazil, meaning that aircraft registered in those countries can undergo maintenance, repairs, alterations and inspections at the Dallas Love Field facility.
Recent research reports published by corporate aviation information provider JETNET and J.P. Morgan's aerospace and defense analysts say there are some positive signs in the pre-owned aircraft market, but that a broad-based recovery has yet to take hold. In releasing first-half results for the pre-owned business jet, business turboprop and helicopter markets, Utica, N.Y.-based JETNET called 2011 a “year of correction.”
Delta Private Jets continues rebranding, changing the name of its Air Elite Card to the Delta Private Jets Card. The company also added the option to purchase flight time in $50,000 increments, along with the currently available $100,000 increments. The company formerly was called Delta Air Elite, but in fall 2010 was rebranded as Delta Private Jets.
Business aircraft activity in July was down 3% from the previous month, with Part 91 and 135 segments dropping 5.8% and 0.7% respectively, according to Argus “TraQPAk” data. The fractional segment, however, was up 2.6% over June. The number of flights fell across all aircraft categories, says Argus. Small-cabin aircraft posted the smallest decline, down 1.2%, followed by turboprops, down 2.8%, midsize cabin aircraft, down 3.9%, and large-cabin aircraft, down 5.4%.
Cessna Aircraft completed its latest order for nine Model 208/208B Caravan aircraft to Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB), the Brazilian air force, bringing the total number of Caravans delivered to the FAB to 32. Delivery of the FAB Caravans began in 1987. The single turboprop workhorses are based around the country and perform a range of missions.
Digital monitoring systems that can record various parameters of aircraft operation in flight, covering engines, systems and the airframe, for maintenance purposes, trending or emergency response are becoming de rigueur in business aviation.
I enjoyed “High Altitude Upset Recovery” (July 2011, page 52) and feel it will be of great benefit to our crews. Chief Pilot TAG Aviation U.K. Farnborough, England
A practical replcement for Halon in aviation is still beyond the horizon. Practical alternatives to Halon, a hydrocarbon used for fire-extinguishing systems in cockpits, engines, lavatories and cargo holds, are still a few decades away from mass development. Halon has been banned by the EU for non-critical uses since 2003 and has not been produced in developed countries since 1994. “It's easy to say in a conference room we should stop using Halon, but if you're at 40,000 ft.
