The original Sabreliner, serial number 282-001, was completed on April 18, 1963, and was originally used as a demonstrator by Remmert-Werner, the St. Louis-based marketing arm of OEM North American Aviation. Today, the venerable Model 40, renamed Sabre One, continues flying up to 150 hours a year, serving as Sabreliner Corp.'s company airplane, as well as a test bed for possible product improvements.
Bombardier named CAE the authorized training provider for Learjet 40/40XR and 45/45XR aircraft in Europe. The authorization builds upon an agreement announced in June 2007 that designated CAE as Bombardier's authorized pilot and technical training provider for Global Express, Global 5000, Global Express XRS, and Challenger 300 aircraft. CAE will build and install new Learjet 40/40XR and Learjet 45/45XR aircraft full-flight simulators at its Burgess Hill Training Center in the United Kingdom. CAE also plans to add a Challenger 300 simulator in Europe in fall 2009.
*During testing on April 10, the Fairey Rotodyne transitioned from vertical to forward flight. The transition was made in straight and level steady flight. The big autogyro logged more than 80 flights since its first on Nov. 6. *New VFR cruising altitudes put aircraft on courses of zero to 179 degrees at odd thousands plus 500 feet; those at 180 to 359 degrees cruise at even thousands plus 500 feet. The rule, which applies to VFR aircraft below 29,000 feet, becomes effective Aug. 15.
In the June edition of its Business Jet Monthly, JPMorgan's Global Equity Research department declared, "The market for used business jets continues to cool from unsustainably high levels." Although strong orders recorded at the recent European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition "are indicative of a still healthy new market, the used [aircraft] data are beginning to look more and more like the data from [the year] 2000, particularly for heavy jets, when inventories rose off their lows but before pricing declined significantly.
Pilatus Aircraft delivered its first PC-12 NG. The aircraft features a number of improvements over its predecessor, including a fully integrated Honeywell Primus Apex avionics suite, a cockpit designed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA, and a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67P turboprop engine that provides 15 percent more power than its original engine. The $3.8 million aircraft received both EASA and FAA certifications in March.
A recently issued amended STC will enable European operators of King Air 200GTs to modify their aircraft with performance-enhancing winglets from BLR Aerospace. The FAA granted an STC amendment to the Everett, Wash.-based company in April, and EASA approval was granted in May. Earlier, EASA had certificated BLR's King Air 200 and 300 winglets.
A half century ago, commercial jetliners were making their debut, but business aviation had yet to embrace turbine power. Big radial piston twins, mostly World War II-vintage transports, bombers, patrol planes and trainers converted for the carriage of executives, were then the mainstays of the business aviation fleet.
CAE, the big Canada-based simulator manufacturer and trainer, announced it has purchased Sabena Flight Academy, which includes its ab-initio training base in Mesa, Ariz., its 40-aircraft fleet that includes an Eclipse 500 and its six-simulator training center in Brussels, Belgium. Begun as a unit of Sabena Airlines, the Sabena training organization later became an independent entity. Its Belgium center's full flight simulators include an Avro RJ85/100; Airbus 320, 330 and 340; and Boeing 737 and 737NG. The two JAA- and JAR-approved bases employ some 135 people.
King Aerospace, Ardmore, Okla., announced that Richard (Rick) Penshorn is the company's new president and general manager. John Hartzler is the new chief operating officer and Lloyd Landburg is the new chief inspector.
-Agusta A109C, E and K2 helicopters - Inspect for swelling, deformation, bonding separation or cracks on each main-rotor blade with a certain tip cap installed. If any of these conditions are found, replace the main-rotor blade before further flight. -Bell 204B, 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 210, 212, 412, 412CF and 412EP helicopters - Inspect each tail-rotor blade assembly at specified intervals and repair or replace, as applicable, unairworthy blades.
Jetcraft Corp., Geneva, announced that Jahid Fazal-Karim will become a shareholder and member of the board of directors and serve as the new managing director of Jetcraft Trading.
In April, the financial analysts at JPMorgan Securities stated in their industry research report that the market for used business jets was "beginning to show signs of softening." However, the pundits said it was too early to say that the market had turned.
Ambassador Ed Stimpson, chairman of the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), presented the Business Aviation Meritorious Service Award to George Saling at the 53rd annual Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar in Palm Harbor, Fla., in April. The award recognized Saling's work as director of aviation services for Philip Morris and Altria, where he implemented corporate flight operational quality assurance (C-FOQA) programs and developed safety management systems that have become the best practice standard for the NBAA.
Bombardier Aerospace, Montreal, Canada, has appointed Guy C. Hachey as its president and CEO; Gary R. Scott has been named president, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft, a new business unit integrating Regional Aircraft and New Commercial Aircraft programs; Steve Ridolfi is the president of Bombardier Business Aircraft; and James Hoblyn is president, Bombardier Aircraft Services. Other appointments are Brant Dahlfors as vice president, U.S. sales, Challenger and Global aircraft sales and Mark Karls as the director of Bombardier's Dallas Service Center.
Held near NASCAR's hallowed oval in Daytona, Fla., this year's NBAA Maintenance Management Conference -- a record setter with 363 attendees -- quite appropriately embraced "Fueling Your Knowledge" as its theme. And Committee Chair Jim Janaitis opened the gathering by encouraging all maintainers to share their knowledge and improve their toolbox of skills to improve safety all around. "Chances are that if you are seeing a problem today, someone else here has already seen it and has come up with a solution," he said.
Cessna Aircraft rolled out the first production Citation XLS+ on April 25 at the company's Wichita facility. Priced at $11.86 million, the XLS+ features a fully integrated Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite and electronically controlled (FADEC) Pratt & Whitney Canada PW545C engines. Exterior and interior restyling is also integrated into the new model, most prominently the extended contour of the nose and expanded seat widths, both introduced to more closely resemble Cessna's Citation X and Citation Sovereign models.
Embraer has launched a new maintenance support program, Tool on Time (ToT), to expand the company's customer services in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Under TOT, an inventory of more than 130 maintenance tools and ground support equipment will be available to customers. The new service builds upon Embraer's spare parts pooling program to ensure access to the most critical tools and ground support equipment necessary to complete repairs or other maintenance work.
It is a pleasure to read Business & Commercial Aviation each month. It is wonderfully put together and provides the aviation community with very useful and practical information. In May's issue, I particularly enjoyed reading Fred George's "Garmin's New SVS for the G1000" (page 60). This is amazing technology.
Jettech, the Littleton, Colo., firm that specializes in RVSM and other avionics aftermarket solutions for aircraft not supported by an OEM-engineered installation, has teamed with Vista, Calif.-based Sandel Avionics to develop a glass cockpit for all Piper Cheyennes and pre-275 serial-numbered Cessna Citation 500s. The installation is expected to receive an STC shortly. The STCed installations will incorporate Sandel's new LED-powered SA 4550 primary attitude and SA 4500 primary navigation units, as well as the company's SG 102 AHRS directional gyro.
At 1957 CDT, a Piper PA-32-300, N303TE, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a field one mile south of Runway 04 at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), Houston. The pilot received minor injuries and the three passengers were unhurt.
