China Eastern Airlines Executive Air, a unit of the Chinese air carrier, is expected to soon launch business jet operations. The business aviation operator currently owns a Hawker 800, but hopes to expand the fleet to three business jets this year and then eventually to seven. The operation was established in 1995 as a ground handler in Shanghai, and has since provided services for more than 5,000 VIP, cargo, charter, air ambulance and other business jet flights.
Enflite, the interior and galley products division of LifePort Inc., has achieved AS9100B certification and in the process received a perfect score from third party registrar Intertek. The audit also evaluated Enflite’s compliance with ISO 9001: 2008 quality standards. LifePort is a unit of Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS) — the aftermarket division of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.
The Florida Aviation Trades Association (FATA) appealed to Gov. Rick Scott (R) in early January to retain the state-owned aircraft or consider using charter. FATA notes that Scott is keeping a campaign promise by directing the Florida Department of Management Services to sell the state-owned King Air 350 and Cessna Citation Bravo.
American Eurocopter’s FAA Organization Delegation Authorization (ODA) issued WAAS STCs for both the EC135 and EC145 helicopters. The STCs upgrade the IFR single- or dual-pilot configuration and are predicated on the use of either the Garmin GNS 430W or 530W in conjunction with a type-certified MEGHAS display system. With coupled vertical guidance, pilots can execute steep-angle GPS approaches.
The first flight of General Electric’s Caravelle with GE CJ-805-23 turbofan engines took advantage of 40% more takeoff thrust than the straight jet Caravelle. The range will be up 40%.
Bombardier Aerospace, Belfast will develop and produce the composite wing skin panels and spar components for the Learjet 85 in a new manufacturing and assembly facility currently under construction in Belfast, Northern Ireland, where CSeries wings also will be manufactured.
Quest Diagnostics has medical specimen collection facilities and regional laboratories all over the country. To support that business, the company fields one of the nation’s largest FAA Part 91 operations — a fleet of 30 airplanes including 13 Beech Model 58 Barons, six Mitsubishi MU-2s, four TBM 700s, three Pilatus PC-12s, one Hawker 800XP, one Dassault Falcon 2000, one Cessna 310, and even a single Eclipse 500.
CAE and CHC Helicopter announced Dec. 20 that they have signed an agreement for CAE to acquire CHC Helicopter’s flight training operations including four simulators: a Eurocopter AS332L/L1 Super Puma and a Sikorsky S-61 located in Stavanger, Norway; an AS332L2 Super Puma in Aberdeen, Scotland, and a Sikorsky S-76 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Additionally, CAE will provide training for CHC’s 2,000+ helicopter pilots and maintenance engineers. The agreement will also include general training, pilot provisioning, and search and rescue training.
The Gulfstream G650 flight-test aircraft flew for the first time using only an electrically powered, fly-by-wire backup flight-control actuation system. G650 s.n. 6001 flew a total of 3 hr. and 33 min. on Dec. 21. Test pilots Jake Howard and Gary Freeman along with flight-test engineers Bill Osborne and Nathaniel Rutland evaluated the fly-by-wire system in electric backup actuation mode for 2 hr. and 20 min. of the flight, performing five landings with the backup system engaged.
The U.S. controllers’ union has for the first time been given a seat on the FAA’s top advisory council. Paul Rinaldi, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, will serve on the FAA Management Advisory Council (MAC) along with 12 other members. Rinaldi says the event is “reflective of the inclusive management style that [Administrator Randy Babbitt] has instituted at the agency.”
Financial analyst JPMorgan painted a mixed picture for business aviation’s fledgling recovery in the December 2010 edition of its Business Jet Monthly report. During November, inventories of used business aircraft decreased for the first time in three months, to 11.7% of the active fleet. But demand for airplanes remains weak, and average asking prices continue to slide, says JPMorgan.
Cessna Aircraft Co. delivered two Grand Caravans to Russian operator AirGEO. The aircraft will be based at Krasnoyarsk Yemelyanovo Airport in Siberia and support the community with passenger and cargo transportation as well as special missions. Alexander Mamaev, general director and owner of AirGEO, said: “Until now, our fleet has consisted entirely of helicopters, so these aircraft represent a breakthrough move into fixed-wing operations for us. We fully expect the two Caravans to be the first of many fixed-wing aircraft in our fleet.”
The Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE) will be held Feb. 28-March 1, 2012 in Shanghai. NBAA canceled ABACE 2009 in Hong Kong, citing a bad economy. Back then, the future for business aviation seemed dim, said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “A lot of people were saying business aviation had no future because of air space restrictions and the economy was not as good,” he recalled. But times have changed and ABACE is back on.
Airports across Western Europe have been accused of serious under-investment in winter equipment and staff to cope with December’s severe weather. The European Commission (EC) is criticizing the airports over the handling of recent disruptions caused by heavy snowfall and is suggesting that it may have to set minimum service requirements for airports. In a statement issued Dec. 21, EC Transport Policy Commissioner Siim Kallas said he is “extremely concerned about the level of disruption to travel across Europe caused by severe snow.
Jet Works Air Center of Denton, Texas, has been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract to convert a Boeing MD-87 airliner into a 24-seat luxury VIP aircraft for a Middle Eastern client. The revamped aircraft will feature a luxurious cabin with a leading-edge entertainment system and Wi-Fi Internet access, said Jet Works President Trey Bryson. The aircraft, the first of this type converted by Jet Works, was scheduled to arrive at the completion center at the end of January.
Bell Helicopter announced in January that it has integrated six of its support and service subsidiaries, officially merging them into Bell Helicopter Textron. Bell says the change allows the company to build Bell Helicopter’s brand recognition, reduces confusion over existing brands and aids in growing its international presence. The operations affected by this activity are: Edwards & Associates Inc. and Aeronautical Accessories Inc. (Piney Flats, Tenn.), Rotor Blades Inc. (Broussard, La.), Acadian Composites (Lafayette, La.), Bell Aerospace Services Inc.
American Eurocopter has delivered a VIP-configured EC145 to Lewis Energy. It is the third Eurocopter aircraft for the company. “We started with an AS350 and then moved to the EC135 for its larger cabin size and twin-engine performance,” said Rod Lewis, Lewis Energy founder, president and CEO.”The EC145 gives us an even bigger cabin.” American Eurocopter said it worked closely with the customer on the interior completion and the exterior paint of its new aircraft.
Asia-Pacific’s share the global market for new business jets has been increasing, growing from 7% of global deliveries in 2007 to 12% in 2009. As of August 2010, Asia-Pacific had 637 business aircraft, or 3.6% of the world fleet, according to JetNet. Within the region, the relatively mature market of Australia/Oceania remains the biggest, with 161 aircraft. However, India was second with 143 aircraft, followed by China with 114 and Southeast Asia with 110.
AgustaWestland delivered two AW139 medium twin engine helicopters to the Cyprus Ministry of Justice in December to perform law enforcement, border patrol and search and rescue missions. Three more AW139s are to be delivered to the Cyprus Ministry of Defence for search and rescue and utility-EMS duties in the Cyprus Flight Information Region (FIR).
Bell Helicopter will upgrade its 412EP medium turbine twin with uprated engines and a glass cockpit for retrofit and as an option on new production aircraft beginning in 2012. Pratt & Whitney Canada is to increase the output of its PT6T Twin Pac powerplant, now 1,800 shp, by 15% to increase single-engine and hot-and-high performance and provide for growth in payload and range. The upgrade also will introduce digital engine controls.
Raymond A. Syms & Associates (RAS&A) is offering heliport safety compliance inspections designed to help heliport owners and operators comply the new 2011 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 418 standards. The standards now require all future and upgraded heliports to meet FAA guidance embodied in Advisory Circular 150/4390-2B Heliport Design, in addition to other fire and safety standards. The RAS&A inspections review the heliport’s regulatory compliance with NFPA standards, along with FAA, state and county guidelines.
The first and second Embraer Phenom 300s to start commercial service in Europe have arrived in England at FlairJet’s London Oxford Airport facility. The new Phenom 300s will be based at Oxford Airport, joining FlairJet’s three existing Phenom 100s.
On April 11, the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame will enshrine the following people at its annual banquet at the Century of Flight Hangar at the Georgia Museum of Aviation. (Contact Nicole Bissette at (478) 328-0704 for reservations and information.)
In 2010, the U.S. business jet and turboprop fleet combined experienced 45 accidents including seven fatal mishaps resulting in deaths of 19 passengers and crew members during routine business operational flights, according to Robert E. Breiling Associates, Inc. of Boca Raton, Fla. Overall, this is one more accident than the previous year, but in 2009 seven crashes claimed 32 lives. Breiling reports that incidents or occurrences involving minor or no damage in both jets and turboprops have increased in recent years.
“In Close and Gusty” (October 2010, page 44) by Ross Detwiler is an excellent article on the subject of wind-shear landing and should be mandatory reading for all pilots with regard to VREF bug setting.
