BELL Model 206A, 206B, 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3, 206L-4, 222, 222B, 222U, 230, 407, 427, and 430 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0400; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-48-AD; Amendment 39-17579; AD 2013-18-06] – requires inspecting each bearing to determine if it has been properly staked and replacing the bearing or assembly if it has not been properly staked. This AD was prompted by bearings not being properly staked and migrating out of their proper position, which may limit the functionality of the affected part.
SCOTT NORDSTROM was appointed director of business development for Zenith Aviation. Nordstrom previously has served as vice president of corporate sales and services for AvCraft Support Services, the former distributor of the Dornier 328 regional aircraft. Most recently, he was president of the International Trade Group.
Duncan Aviation’s base in Provo, Utah, recently received approval from the Brazilian civil aviation authority (ANAC) as an approved aircraft maintenance organization. Brazilian approval follows similar certification for its Battle Creek, Mich., location from Argentina. The Battle Creek and Provo locations hold certifications from 10 international civil aviation authorities, along with FAA approval.
ARTHUR SCOTT was named global market director for commercial transparencies for PPG Aerospace. Scott, who joined PPG’s automotive glass business in 1977, had served as global director for general aviation transparencies since 2010. He joined the aerospace transparencies group in 1987 and in 1991 directed operations at the Wichita office. He returned to Huntsville, Ala., where he is now based, in 1996.
The Department of Transportation is considering a proposal to strengthen consumer protections for the use of charter brokers and charter transportation.
Jet Aviation Hong Kong received authorization from the Hong Kong Business Aviation Center to provide maintenance services for third-party aircraft, along with those in Jet Aviation’s aircraft management division in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong base serves as an authorized factory warranty center for Gulfstream and an authorized service center for Dassault Falcon. Jet Aviation also has a 24/7 aircraft management and charter operation in Hong Kong and 25 aircraft in its Asian Management fleet.
Oct. 8-10—Latin American & Caribbean Engineering & MRO Summit, Bogota, Columbia, www.alta.aero/2010/ Oct. 10-12—2013 Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Summit, Fort Worth, Texas, www.aopa.org Oct. 20–21—National Business Aviation Association Tax, Regulatory & Risk Management Conference, Las Vegas, Nev., (703) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org Oct. 20–23—ATCA 58th Annual Conference and Exposition, Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, Washington, D.C., www.atca.org/58annual
MD Helicopters is making performance enhancements to its MD540F as it prepares to move toward certification in 2015. The new aircraft, an updated and modernized variant of the MD500 family, will get a new anti-torque system. Engineers are studying a number of options including a four-bladed tail rotor to improve the aircraft’s performance in conjunction with the new Rolls-Royce M250-C47E turboshaft, which the company announced it had selected for the MD540F during Heli-Expo 2013 in Las Vegas.
Bombardier Aerospace has begun construction on a 150,000-sq.-ft. facility at the Midparc Casablanca Free Zone in Nouaceur in Morocco. The facility, scheduled to open in mid-2014, is producing simple structures, including flight controls for the CRJ. Bombardier in January began operating out of a transitional facility in Nouaceur. The company expects to employ more than 100 workers there in December. Bombardier says it is investing about $200 million in its new plant, which will eventually employ 850 workers.
PACIFIC SCIENTIFIC seat restraint rotary buckle assemblies [Docket No. FAA-2013-0752; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-44-AD] – proposes to require, within 30 days, inspecting each buckle for a crack and replacing any cracked buckle with an airworthy buckle. Also, within six months, this proposed AD would require inspecting the thickness of the buckle handle vane and replacing any buckle with a handle vane thickness of 0.125 in. or greater. Lastly, this proposed AD would prohibit installing an affected buckle on any helicopter or airplane.
ASIG Panama, S.A., a joint venture including Aircraft Service International Group, is expanding its services in Panama, providing aircraft fueling services at Albrook Marcos A. Gelabert International Airport (PAC) for all general aviation and domestic commercial flights. ASIG, which is managing and operating the airport’s sole fuel facility, received a contract to provide these services on behalf of PAC’s fuel suppliers, including Petróleos Delta, S.A.
The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) is urging the Small Business Administration (SBA) to weigh in on FAA’s proposed airworthiness directive (AD) calling for inspections and replacement of Engine Components Inc. (ECi) and Airmotive Engineering “Titan” cylinders found on 6,000 Continental 520 and 550 model reciprocating engines.
FlightSafety International has taken the next step in its simulation technology with the introduction of a new Vital1100 visual system, which it says provides “unprecedented fidelity” for use in both full flight simulators and advanced trainers. FlightSafety says the new system has a computational performance five times greater than the VitalX predecessor. As a result, the technology provides mission-specific imagery with improved scene content and new levels of detail. This includes dynamic shadowing.
House GA Caucus co-Chair Sam Graves (R-Mo.) is urging the inspectors general for both the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Transportation to investigate recent practices of Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) in conducting searches of general aviation aircraft. Graves cites more than 40 reports of “general aviation pilots being stopped, in many cases for extended periods of time, while their documentation, belongings and aircraft are exhaustively searched.” Graves adds the searches appear to be taking place without probable cause.
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) is hoping the investigation into the Sept. 29 crash of a Cessna Citation CJ2+, N194SJ, at Santa Monica Airport (SMO) will lead to a much larger look at the safety of the airport’s layout. SMO critics have long pushed for curbs on the use of the airport or closure of it altogether, arguing that the layout does not provide enough safety buffers to protect neighboring residents.
Brazilian airframer Embraer believes the next notable pickup in the market will be for midsize jets, but cautions that improvement will require consumer confidence to grow. Embraer, which keeps a rolling forecast of the market, sees a shift, with midsize jets playing a much greater role in the next few years than they have recently.
EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND Model EC135P1, EC135P2, EC135P2+, EC135T1, EC135T2, and EC135T2+ helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0398; Directorate Identifier 2011-SW-065-AD; Amendment 39-17578; AD 2013-18-05] – requires, for helicopters with certain fire extinguishing systems installed. This AD requires modifying the fire extinguishing system injection tubes. This AD is prompted by a report that the injection tubes are deforming due to heat.
Constant Aviation recently secured a supplemental type certificate for installation of a Wi-Fi system, along with Aircell’s Gogo Biz inflight Internet system, on an executive configured Boeing 737-200. The installation marked an expansion of the facility’s in-house capabilities and STCs. Constant already has STCs for the installation of Gogo Biz inflight Internet aboard Gulfstream, Embraer, Beechcraft, Hawker and Cessna Citation aircraft.
PAUL CLASS was appointed senior vice president of charter sales for Solairus Aviation. Class has more than two decades of charter industry experience, including serving as vice president of charter sales at TAG Aviation for nearly 10 years. He also served on the National Air Transportation Association’s Air Charter Committee.
Embraer has scheduled five Embraer Executive Operators Conferences (EEOCs) this month and next in Jakarta, Bangalore, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Los Cabos, Mexico. The EEOCs cover various aircraft of the executive jet programs, including Legacys, Phenoms and Lineage, based on the regional customer base. Embraer also will demonstrate its fly-by-wire technology incorporated in the Legacy 500 and 450.
Sunrise Jets, formerly known as Eastway Aviation, has received FAA Part 145 certification for its new maintenance facility at Westhampton Beach Airport (FOK) in New York. The certification follows last year’s relocation of Eastway from its former facilities at MacArthur Airport – where it had been based for 30 years – to its new location in the Hamptons. At the same time, the company rebranded itself to Sunrise Jets. In addition to providing maintenance, Sunrise operates a range of Cessna Citations and Beechcraft King Airs.
FERNANDO LOMBO joined American Eurocopter as vice president and chief financial officer. He has spent the last five years with Airbus Military, where he was responsible for all financial planning, reporting accounting and financial systems for the Airbus Military and Airbus Spain programs. In his new role, he will have day-to-day responsibility for planning, implementing, managing and controlling all financial activities of the company, including oversight of all contracts with both commercial and military customers.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS350 and AS355 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0240; Directorate Identifier 2011-SW-060-AD; Amendment 39-17565; AD 2013-17-01] - requires inspecting the tail rotor control stop screws to determine if they are correctly aligned and adjusting the screws if they are misaligned. This AD is prompted by the discovery of a loose nut on the tail rotor control stop and a misaligned tail rotor control stop screw.
Bombardier Aerospace is hosting its 17th annual Safety Standdown U.S.A. Sept. 30 at the Hyatt Regency Wichita. The standdown, first held in 1996 as a safety-training event for the Learjet flight demonstration team, has since expanded, with more than 6,700 corporate, commercial and military pilots, crew members, maintenance personnel and flight department managers attending the seminars through June 2013.
Beechcraft Corp. completed a demonstration of a Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System Situational Awareness (SINCGARS SA) Waveform capability, using its AT-6 light attack aircraft in concert with the U.S. Air Force Air National Guard and Georgia Tech Research Institute.
