SAN CARLOS, CALIF.-based XOJET has unveiled Market Price Assurance, a program that guarantees customers the lowest price available for every trip. The assurance provides members guaranteed availability along with market-rate charter pricing. XOJET Market Price Assurance customers buy a Fleet Exchange Membership program, which begins at 50 hours. For each trip, XOJET applies the lowest price whether charter or member pricing. If charter pricing is lower for a particular trip, the customer can use program hours to “pay” for the trip.
A group of Eclipse 500 owners negotiated a nonbinding letter of intent with Hawker Beechcraft under which HBC’s service network would provide maintenance and upgrades for Eclipse Owners Group (EOG) members, the group said last week.
BANYAN AIR SERVICE has signed an agreement that authorizes the South Florida fixed-base operation to serve as a StandardAero-approved installation center for the Cessna Caravan 208 engine upgrade program. The Caravan retrofit involves replacing the single-engine turboprop’s original Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114 or -114A powerplants with the more powerful PT6A-135A. The new 750-shp engine increases power at altitude and improves rate of climb. Also, a redesigned air inlet improves ram-air recovery to the engine intake, further increasing powerplant performance.
ELITE JETS, the Dubai-based charter operator, recently took delivery of its second new Gulfstream G450 and began flying the 14-seat aircraft in revenue service last week. Elite Jets received its first G450 in August 2008.
TEXTRON SHARES enjoyed double-digit gains all last week as rumors intensified about a potential takeover. Rumors began earlier in the week that either Lockheed Martin or Raytheon would be interested in the parent of Cessna Aircraft. But those rumors shifted gears after the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Watan reported that unidentified sources believed a consortium of United Arab Emirates firms and a Kuwaiti company were nearing a deal on purchasing Textron for $21 a share.
BMW Group DesignworksUSA is hoping that strong brand recognition and a growing reputation for handling luxury design will expand its reach in the business aviation jet interior design market.
AVIATION ACCIDENT STATISTICSAccidents, Fatalities, and Rates, 1989 through 2008,for U.S. Air Carriers Operating Under 14 CFR 135,On-Demand Operations AVIATION ACCIDENT STATISTICSAccidents, Fatalities, and Rates, 1989 through 2008,for U.S.
U.S. Registered Business Jet and Turboprop Accidents/Incidents1st Quarter 2009 vs. 2008 U.S. Registered Business Jet and Turboprop Accidents/Incidents1st Quarter 2009 vs.
DORNIER 228-100, -101, -200, -201, -202 and -212 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0123 Directorate Identifier 2009-CE-005-AD; Amendment 39-15868; AD 2009-07-09] – Conduct a test to determine if the aircraft has unequal aileron steering wheel force. If any defect is found, modify the attachment bracket riveting before further flight in accordance with RUAG Aerospace Dornier 228 Service Bulletin No. SB-228-275 (dated Oct. 8, 2008).
HONEYWELL’S HTF7000 turbofan engine fleet has amassed more than 500,000 hours. The engine powers the Bombardier Challenger 300 and was selected for the Gulfstream 250. Some 499 HTF7000 engines are in service, and Honeywell said the fleet has marked a 99.7 percent dispatch reliability. Honeywell, which invested in a new Boeing 757 aircraft test platform, said it is using a “Tech7000” engine aboard the aircraft for a continuous improvement program.
INDIA now has three Cessna Pilot Centers, with the recent designation of Chimes Aviation Academy. The company, which is based at Dhana Airport (VA1J) in Sagar in central India, has a fleet of brand-new Cessna 172s equipped with Garmin G1000 integrated glass cockpits. Last year Cessna named Amber Aviation in Uttrakhand and Touchwood Aviation Academy in Raipur as the first two Cessna Pilot Centers in India.
A KEY REPORTING deadline passed on Friday and a number of other deadlines are approaching in upcoming months for operators to comply with new European Union Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) requirements, the National Business Aviation Association notes. Certain operators were required to submit basic reporting information to the United Kingdom by April 10. Carbon emissions monitoring plans are due at the end of August, and monitoring is slated to begin in 2010.
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY’s Aero Design Team won first place in the regular class event at the annual SAE Aero Design Competition West. K-State competed against 30 other teams in the design competition, which requires students to plan, design, fabricate and test a radio-controlled aircraft that can take off and land while carrying the maximum cargo. K-State designed a biplane, The Purple Berserker, which lifted a 24.7-pound payload.
BOMBARDIER CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 and 440) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0310; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-012-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to temporarily revise the Maintenance Requirements Manual, Appendix A, “Certification Maintenance Requirements” to ensure that unacceptable wear on the nut and ball screw of the inboard flap actuators is detected and corrected. This proposal, which resulted from an MCAI originated by Transport Canada, was prompted by the discovery of inboard flap actuators with an excessive amount of wear.
EXECUTIVE AIRSHARE took delivery of its first Embraer Phenom 100 very light jet. The Kansas City, Mo.-based fractional aircraft ownership company has 50 Phenoms on order – 44 Phenom 100s and six Phenom 300s. The company plans to operate the Phenoms in both Part 135 operations as well as Part 91 fractional service. Executive AirShare also has received approval to fly the Phenom under single-pilot operations.
PIPER AIRCRAFT PA-46-350P and PA-46R-350T airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-0007; Directorate Identifier 2008-CE-072-AD; Amendment 39-15867; AD 2009-07-08] – Inspect the 35-amp and 250-amp current limiters to verify they are installed in the proper locations. If they are not, install them in the proper locations. Also, aircraft operations are limited to day VFR until the limiters are inspected and corrected.
A federal judge Friday dismissed a lawsuit filed in an attempt to block the closing of the sale of charter and management specialist JetDirect Aviation Inc. to JDA Acquisition Corp. (JDAAC), an investment group led by Brantley Partners. Brantley Partners Managing Partner Robert Pinkas Friday told BA he was still hopeful that JDAAC could close on the acquisition by the middle of this week, but he acknowledged that some last-minute details were still being finalized.
– Phoenix-based StandardAero has become the latest company to announce layoffs, with plans to release 119 employees in four locations under its business aviation unit. The layoffs were caused by a slowdown in shop volume due to current economic conditions, spokesman Mike Turner said. Affected are facilities in Augusta, Ga., Houston, Los Angeles and Springfield, Ill.
ELIAS MAROUN was appointed executive vice president sales and marketing, Middle East for VistaJet. Maroun formerly was group director, Middle East for NetJets and he also held Middle East regional roles with General Motors and Ford Motor Company.
SWEDISH CHARTER OPERATOR QuickNet Air has begun to offset the carbon dioxide emissions from its fixed-wing aircraft through the JetOffsets program. Based in Santa Barbara, Calif., JetOffsets (www.jetoffsets.com) helps calculate carbon footprint and provides verified offsets and market awareness campaign services. QuickNet Air flies both airplanes and helicopters throughout Europe.
Business aviation companies and organizations are increasingly using Twitter microblogging to reach out to customers, network and promote the industry. Twitter is a Web site that allows participants to communicate with fellow “followers” using “tweets,” or posts of 140 or fewer characters.
AVIATION ACCIDENT STATISTICSAccidents, Fatalities, and Rates, 1989 through 2008,U.S. General Aviation AVIATION ACCIDENT STATISTICSAccidents, Fatalities, and Rates, 1989 through 2008,U.S.
CHRIS SWAN was appointed vice president/general manager of StandardAero’s Component Services operation in Cincinnati, Ohio. Swan will manage the day-to-day operations of the facility. He previously managed StandardAero’s facility in August, Ga. for the past six years. Before that he served with GE Aviation in various field services roles, including regional director, Americas for Commercial Field Service.
Aircell has begun shipping the provisioning equipment for its air-to-ground, high-speed Internet service for business aircraft and expects to begin shipment of the full systems beginning in September. The systems will enable passengers and crew to access the Internet on their laptops, smartphones, and PDAs via Wi-Fi at full mobile broadband speeds in flight over the continental U.S.
