Raytheon Aircraft this month delivered the first Beechcraft Bonanza G36 equipped with a Garmin G1000 integrated avionics system. Delivery of the aircraft came within days of FAA certification (BA, Nov. 7/216). Formerly called the Bonanza A36, Raytheon Aircraft redesignated the aircraft the Beechcraft Bonanza G36 with the avionics upgrade and a new paint scheme. The first G36 was delivered to Ron Boyer, owner of Courtesy Ford in Portland, Ore.
ATG LINES UP SUPPLIERS FOR JAVELIN BIZ JET - Aviation Technology Group said Nov. 3 that it has lined up several suppliers for its Javelin executive jet, which is also expected to be developed into a military trainer in conjunction with Israel Aircraft Industries.
FAA is continuing to push for a fundamental change in its funding mechanisms, complaining in the latest version of its Flight Plan - 2006-2010 that the agency is in "an untenable position" because Airport and Airway Trust Fund revenues cannot sustain the costs of running the National Airspace System.
SOCATA Model TBM 700 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-21464; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-32-AD; Amendment 39-14320; AD 2005-20-24] - requires inspecting the fuselage skin in the VHF1 antenna mounting area for cracks and loose rivets. This AD also requires modification of the area if cracks or loose rivets are found. This AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the airworthiness authority for France. FAA is issuing this AD to detect and correct cracks in the fuselage skin, which could result in loss of aircraft pressurization.
EMBRAER Model EMB-135 airplanes and Model EMB-145, -145ER, -145MR, -145LR, -145XR, -145MP, and -145EP airplanes [Docket No. 2003-NM-271-AD] - revises an earlier proposal that would have required inspecting the pilot's and co-pilot's seat tracks for proper locking of the seats, and adjusting or replacing the seat tracks, if necessary. This new action revises the proposed rule by revising the applicability statement and requiring replacement of the seat locking pin on certain SICMA-brand seats.
The Nordam Group was selected by Honeywell to provide the thrust reverser system for the Gulfstream G150 business jet. Honeywell is supplying the integrated powerplant system for the jet, including the TFE731-AR engines. NORDAM also is supplying interior components for the G150, including the configured liner and composite panels that Gulfstream will use to fabricate cabinetry.
EMBRAER PICKS GARMIN TO PROVIDE AVIONICS FOR NEW JETS - Brazilian Manufacturer Embraer selected the Garmin 1000 avionics suite for installation in its two new business aircraft, the Phenom 100 Very Light Jet and the Phenom 300 Light Jet. The "Prodigy" flight decks on the two aircraft will feature three interchangeable 12-inch displays - two primary flight displays and one multifunction display.
EU AGREES ON BLACK LIST OF UNSAFE AIRLINES - The European Parliament last week voted overwhelmingly in favor of the creation of a European Union-wide black list of unsafe carriers, and a new regulation setting up the black list is scheduled to go into effect in January 2006.
BLUE PREPARES NEW LIGHT JET FOR FLIGHT - Aviation veteran Linden Blue, who led Beech Aircraft during the early days of the composite Starship program, is preparing his newest composite aircraft, the Spectrum 33 entry-level jet, for first flight within the next couple months.
VETERAN HAWKER GROWS WINGLETS - Raytheon Aircraft continued to evolve its Hawker family with the introduction of the Hawker 850XP, a follow-on to the Hawker 800XPi with Raytheon-designed winglets. The winglets give the aircraft 100 nautical miles more range, a four percent improvement over the 800XPi, and eight percent faster time-to-climb ratio, the company said. The winglets incorporate LED position lights that have a 5,000-hour mean time between failures.
National Business Aviation Association revised attendance figures for its annual meeting and convention this month in Orlando, Fla., to 28,796. Early estimates pegged attendance at 28,269, but that number did not include media registration or some attendees who registered at the static display at Orlando Executive Airport (BA, Nov. 14/227). During the convention, the association presented its American Spirit Award to Rep.
WOODIE WOODWARD STEPPING DOWN AS AIRPORTS LEADER - Woodie Woodward, a veteran FAA employee who most recently has been associate administrator for airports, is retiring from the agency, effective next month. Woodward joined FAA in 1987 and has held several management and executive assistant positions in the Government and Industry Affairs, NAS Systems Development, FAA Southern Region and Deputy Administrator's organizations.
VINTAGE CITATION CLAIMS TWO ON FINAL FLIGHT - A 1972 Cessna Citation which had been parked for months and which had recently undergone maintenance crashed Nov. 5 while the pilot was attempting to take off from Hobby Airport (HOU) in Houston, Texas. The instrument-rated commercial pilot and one passenger - who had done some maintenance on the business jet - were killed in the crash and explosion.
AirCell recently shipped its 3,500th airborne telecommunications system, and company executives said AirCell is on track to complete its most successful year yet. AirCell Chairman and CEO Jack Blumenstein called 2005 "a record-shattering year in every respect." The company shipped more than 1,100 airborne telecommunications systems from Oct. 31, 2004 to Oct. 31, 2005, a 50 percent increase from the year earlier.
Piaggio America named Jet Aviation in West Palm Beach, Fla. and Jet Works Aviation in Denton, Texas authorized Avanti completion centers. The centers will complete P.180 Avanti and Avanti II aircraft for single-operator owners. Stevens Aviation in Greenville, S.C. will remain the primary completion center for fleet aircraft. Piaggio said the additional completion capacity was necessary due to demand for the Avanti II.
ADAM AIRCRAFT BEGINS DELIVERY OF A500, ROLLS OUT SECOND A700 - Adam Aircraft is ramping up production of the A500 as the company has begun delivery of the centerline twin piston-engine aircraft, company executives said during the National Business Aviation Association this month in Orlando, Fla. At the same time, the Colorado-based airplane manufacturer rolled out a second A700 very light jet (VLJ) and is preparing to fly the plane before yearend.
Rockwell Collins was selected to provide its Integrated Flight Information System (IFIS) for the Bombardier Challenger 300 flight deck. The IFIS will be incorporated into the Challenger 300 Pro Line 21 avionics suite. The upgrade will be a factory option on aircraft delivered in early 2007 and become standard equipment later in the year. IFIS facilitates access to electronic charts, graphical weather and enhanced map overlays.
Flightsafety International is expanding its Hypoxia Awareness training program with plans to offer the curriculum at six different centers by the end of the year. Developed in concert with the Aerospace Medicine section of the Mayo Clinic, the program includes ground school and hypoxia profiles that are conducted in a flight simulator. The program enables pilots to experience symptoms of hypoxia and trains them to take corrective action. A Mayo clinic observer and a co-pilot monitor each pilot during training.
Recent comments by the new owners of Jet Aviation and executives at Landmark Aviation about plans to invest heavily in acquiring fixed-base operations underscore a widespread interest in FBO acquisitions these days, driven by the strong business aviation growth curve. "I have never seen such a feeding frenzy of people wanting to invest in the FBO industry," one veteran consultant and deal maker told BA Friday.
Sikorsky successfully flew a Schweizer 333 helicopter equipped with a fly-by-wire system that will be incorporated into the X2 Technology demonstrator rotorcraft. Sikorsky called the flight a key milestone in the development of the X2 demonstrator, which is expected to fly by the end of next year. Sikorsky in April announced plans to build a demonstrator for a coaxial XT technology helicopter that will have counter-rotating rotors on the same vertical axis and have a high-speed configuration that can cruise at 250 knots.
SUSAN HARRISON was promoted to manager of the delivery center for Mooney Airplane Company. Harrison will interface with new aircraft customers during initial delivery of their aircraft and with customers picking up their aircraft after major maintenance. Harrison, previously delivery coordinator, has served with Mooney for nearly four years.
SIKORSKY Model S-76A, B, and C helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2005-22757; Directorate Identifier 2005-SW-32-AD; Amendment 39-14345; AD 2005-22-01] - requires certain inspections of the main rotor lower bifilar arm assembly in the attachment area around the lower bifilar lugs for a crack. If a crack is found on any bifilar lug, this AD requires replacing the bifilar arm assembly with an airworthy bifilar arm assembly.
PILATUS Models PC-12 and PC-12/45 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2005-21835; Directorate Identifier 2005-CE-35-AD; Amendment 39-14357; AD 2005-22-13] - requires inspecting the left and right main landing gear (MLG) assemblies for any part number (P/N) 532.10.12.077 or FAA-approved equivalent part number bolts that do not have white primed and painted heads; and replacing non-compliant bolts found with new P/N 532.10.12.077F or FAA-approved equivalent part number bolts in all MLG assemblies.
