Jeppesen received Department of Homeland Security approval to issue Form I-20s to non-U.S. students in the company's dispatcher training program who are seeking a visa. The procedure streamlines the visa process for students and offers a marked improvement over applying for a business visa, which, according to Jeppesen, often results in denial of application and causes delays. The company says it can help out with B-1 (business) and M-1 (student) applications for those seeking a dispatcher certificate from the FAA.
While no determination has yet been made as to the probable cause of the crash of Air France Flight 447 into the South Atlantic two years ago, I have read that ice contamination of the Airbus A330's pitot tubes could be a factor. If that proves correct, all I can say is that circumstances confronting those pilots were likely to be confusing and frightening all the way to their doom. I know.
The first production Dassault Falcon 900LX equipped with the new EASy II cockpit was scheduled to be delivered in July, and now operators of existing Falcon 900 aircraft equipped with the EASy cockpit can upgrade to the EASy II standard via a Service Bulletin. Dassault has developed a training course for EASy II in conjunction with CAE SimuFlite, and the course has been approved by the FAA, European Aviation Safety Agency and the U.K.'s Civil Aviation Authority so flight crews can begin to familiarize themselves with the state-of-the-art flight deck.
Aviatrax S.A., a Luxembourg-based aviation consultancy, and Aviation Consulting Ltd., a U.K. technical services company, have announced a new joint venture whereby Aviation Consulting Ltd. begins trading as Aviatrax Technics Ltd. Aviatrax Technics has Continuous Airworthiness Management Organization subpart G and I approval, issued by the U.K. CAA (EASA Part M requirements) as well as Cayman CAA certification (OTAR 39 requirements),
I have read Ross Detwiler's articles for years and particularly enjoyed his “Aviation Computers Part II” (June 2011, page 58). It was a very informative and enjoyable article, as my company is currently bringing iPads on line.
Here are some examples of actual incidents in which Boeing's Aircraft Health Management (AHM) service played a role in keeping 'em flying: A flight en route lost its weather radar, an MEL item that would have grounded the aircraft after arrival at its destination. The fault had been reported to the operator's central maintenance facility via ACARS, analyzed and the necessary part identified, ordered, and transported to the arrival airport. The aircraft landed, the part was installed, and the flight continued after a brief delay.
Within hours of President Barack Obama's June 29 press conference (see above), at least nine aviation associations — ranging from the manufacturers, service companies, operators, a union and the Alliance for Aviation Across America (which represents 5,700 aviation, government, local and business groups) — had come out condemning Obama's remarks.
Gama Aviation received Wyvern approval for all its operating bases in Europe, the Mideast and the Americas. The business aviation services company is based at Farnborough, England. In receiving the seal of safety excellence, The Wyvern Standard, Gama agrees to meet strict standards audited annually and monitored continually.
Toby Smith, the Tulsa-based aircraft broker, says the state of the pre-owned turbine aircraft marketplace is mixed. However, he sees a couple of positive signs. “When considered as a percentage of the active fleet, inventory levels for all classes of turbine aircraft are now almost back to 2008 levels, well before the flood of aircraft hit the market in 2009. Additionally, although not back to pre-downturn levels just yet, the number of resale transactions has been steadily growing since 2009.”
Everett, Wash.-based BLR Aerospace has received Direccíon General de Aeronáutica Civil approval for its King Air 90 winglets. Now Mexican operators of the twin-turboprop aircraft can install the performance enhancing modification on their airplanes. Earlier, the FAA, the European Aviation Safety Agency and the ANAC (the aviation authority for Brazil) approved the airfoils.
Honda Aircraft's production facilities in Greensboro, N.C., are now complete, and CEO Michimasa Fujino says one of the reasons he selected the site for the $100 million plant (not including the equipment) and headquarters facility is “space for expansion,” clearly implying there is more to come. Honda refers to the current HondaJet as the “Model 420,” based on the design maximum true airspeed. The first three conformal aircraft for flight test exist, with a fourth to start in assembly soon. F1 is flying and will soon begin a series of stall tests.
I've been in the business aviation world for over 37 years and greatly look forward to the arrival of my BCA magazine monthly. The May edition is my favorite for obvious reasons. So, I was 'just slightly' disappointed this year when I flipped back to the avionics section and 'lo and behold' it was missing. Perhaps that field is expanding so rapidly you thought it best not to include it. Aviation Manager
The ability to maneuver is severely restricted around many business jet airports in mountainous terrain, such as Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field, Colo. (ASE) and Truckee-Tahoe, Calif., Airport (TRK). Often such airports are served by rather infamous instrument approach procedures with missed approach points (MAP) that terminate at significant heights and/or a long way from the runway.
Rockwell Collins, in collaboration with helicopter operators Bristow, CHC, and Dancopter, the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Eurocontrol and the Netherlands Civil Aviation Administration, has completed an operational evaluation to successfully validate ADS-B Out airworthiness requirements for helicopters operating over the North Sea. The multi-year project, consisted of flight tests using a Rockwell Collins TDR-94D transponder and, in some instances, a Rockwell Collins GPS-4000S GPS sensor.
Some aircraft accident and incident investigations require years of meticulous laboratory analysis, human factors studies, meteorological research, flight deck simulations and inflight experimentation before a probable cause can be determined. Alternatively, some incidents provide investigators with few mysteries, but rather a collection of facts that leave them simply amazed that such things can happen in modern sophisticated aircraft operations.
The latest edition of Vref's Market Leader newsletter says the current market for previously owned business aircraft remains “uneven” and “mixed,” but “continues its transition to . . . the new normal — a sluggish, almost flat-line recovery.”
Looking for a light jet that can fly four people non-stop between most east and west coast U.S. city pairs? The Israel Aircraft Industries Astra SPX, produced by Gulfstream as the G100 after 2002, can fly 2,790 nm at Mach 0.72 to 0.75 and land with NBAA IFR reserves. Originally, the aircraft sold for as much as $14 million, but now they're available on the resale market for about a third of that figure.
GE Honda Engines said the HF120 engine for the HondaJet has amassed about 2,000 ground and flight test hours and 1,860 starts. Certification testing is on schedule for completion by the end of this year. Eighteen engines have been built for “certification testing and customer flight tests,” including several that were “rebuilt multiple times with instrumentation to support unique certification tests.” GE Honda Engines has embarked on product support and services infrastructure development “to assure a flawless entry into service,” according to a company spokesperson.
China's Minsheng Bank to buy 50 Gulfstream and 20 Embraer business jets. Minsheng's website said a non-binding MOU was signed June 28, covering Gulfstream G650, G550, G450 and the newly renamed G280 (see below) jets. The bank signed a similar agreement with Embraer for 20 unspecified executive jets July 19. It's notable that Embraer is in the process of gaining approval to convert its ERJ135 China production facility to the manufacture of Legacy 600 and 650 super midsize business jets. Minsheng Financial Leasing Co. Ltd.
From the simplest knives of the caveman days to the most advanced computers of today, tools have helped make our lives easier and enabled us to do amazing things. Aircraft maintenance technicians have a special relationship with tools. From wrenches to laptops, we just cannot work on aircraft without them. However, a lost or misplaced tool can cause missed flights, damage or even destruction of an aircraft. Keeping tools where they belong through good tool control is the cornerstone of good maintenance practices.
GE Aviation is developing a 2,000-shp class CT7-2E1 commercial turboshaft engine to power the recently announced commercial AW189 helicopter as well as its military AW149 variant. The latest version of the CT7 family is being designed with an emphasis on low-fuel consumption, low cost of operation and other technical features to ensure the aircraft's requirements for long-range, high-speed and “Category A” performance.
So what was Barack Obama doing 24 hr. before his now infamous June 29 press conference in which he repeatedly bashed “the tax break for corporate jets?”
The latest edition of the Aircraft Bluebook Price Digest notes that prices for most types of previously owned aircraft are stable. Values for the majority of business jets held firm in the second quarter, with prices for 583 models categorized as stable, while prices for 298 decreased and 41 types enjoyed price appreciation. According to Aircraft Bluebook, among the biggest movers were late-model Bombardier Global XRSes, whose value gained $1 million when compared to the previous quarter.
My fourth and final scholar enters college this month. Four years to go, and we're done. Hallelujah. He was accepted at a number of schools that were relatively close to home, so predictably, he chose the farthest, one located in a small town in upstate New York. He and I participated in an orientation program there last month, and when he was off with his fellow freshmen learning the rules, rights and ropes, I wandered into town to look about.
NBAA and AOPA are concerned that in the tumult of federal debt reduction and searches for new revenue sources, the issue of general aviation user fees may reappear. Most reports suggest that no decision on that contentious issue has been made, but on the heels of recent hot rhetoric about the use of private aircraft, general aviation has much to worry about, writes Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association President Craig Fuller.
