Thirty House lawmakers signed a letter urging FAA to reverse course on its air traffic control charges for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis., stepping up the political pressure on the agency as the event was set to open July 29.
Thrush Aircraft received FAA type certification for its dual cockpit variant of the Thrush 510G, which is powered by the new GE H80 turboprop. FAA signed off on the single-cockpit 510G in October. The dual-cockpit version can carry up to 200 lb. of cargo, equipment or an additional pilot in the rear seat. The aft cockpit can be equipped with full flight controls and avionics.
Anthony (Tony) Janco, a 35-year career certified aviation mechanic who is a senior advisor to the FAA Aircraft Maintenance Division, was selected by the National Coalition for Aviation and Space Education (NCASE) as a 2013 inductee to the Crown Circle, which recognizes achievements in aerospace education. NCASE will honor Janco during the Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture this week in Oshkosh, Wis. He is being recognized for his efforts to develop youth aviation maintenance programs that have reached 30,000-plus students.
The House General Aviation Caucus expanded to 200 members just six months after the new Congress convened. General aviation leaders are encouraged by the growth of the caucus to nearly half of the House membership, saying it represents significant support for the industry. “The Caucus helps to raise awareness about the importance of general aviation as an economic engine and connector to life-saving resources,” says Selena Shilad, executive director of the Alliance for Aviation Across America.
Dassault is seeing a slight uptick in Falcon sales even as its second-quarter deliveries fell by two units. Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier says the Falcon market is showing an “uncertain” recovery, but believes that yearend deliveries will be up slightly to 70, compared with 66 in 2012.
Signature Flight Support is continuing its rapidly expanding international footprint with the launch of services at Singapore’s Changi International Airport. Signature on July 21 began providing fuel coordination and ground handling supervisory services at its second location in Asia under an agreement announced during the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in May in Geneva.
SAM JANTZEN was appointed vice president of marketing for Blackhawk Modifications. Jantzen has a lengthy background in business aviation, holding executive positions with Cessna Aircraft, Fairchild Aircraft, Commuter Air Technology and Rasibeck Engineering.
Garmin received European Aviation Safety Agency approval for the installation of the Garmin G1000 avionics suite aboard King Air 300/350 models. The suite meets European requirements for 8.33 kHz VHF Communication, VHF Com Immunity from FM radio broadcasts, along with B-RNAV, P-RNAV, APV/SBAS, RVSM, SSR Mode S Elementary Surveillance (ELS), SSR Mode S Enhanced Surveillance (EHS), ADS-B (automatic dependant surveillance broadcast), and TAWS Class A or Class B.
July 29-Aug. 4—2013 EAA Airventure Oshkosh, Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wis., www.airventure.org July 31-Aug. 1—2013 Deicing and Stormwater Management Conference, Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City, Arlington, Va., www.aci-na.org/event/2905 Aug. 12-15—2013 Public Safety & Security Conference, InterContinental Toronto Centre, Toronto, ON, www.aci-na.org/event/2747 Aug. 27-28—Aircraft Electronics Association Regional Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, www.aea.net/events.asp
MD HELICOPTERS Model MD 900 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0486; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-031-AD] – proposes to require, for affected helicopters with certain main rotor blade (MRB) retention bolts installed, a daily check of the position of each bolt and a daily check and a repetitive inspection for a gap in each bolt. The proposed AD also would require, if necessary, removing and inspecting the bolt for a crack and replacing any cracked bolt with an airworthy bolt. This proposed AD is prompted by multiple reports of in-service bolt failures.
FAA and industry groups, continuing their efforts to stem an apparent uptick in general aviation accidents, are pushing pilots to exercise caution when taking medications before flight, warning of findings that nearly half of pilots who died in aircraft accidents over a five-year period tested positive for drugs or medications.
Pilatus Aircraft appointed Aeroservicio S.A. in Santiago, Chile as an authorized service center for the Pilatus PC-12. The center is one of three facilities in South America authorized to provide maintenance for the aircraft.
Mooney is hoping to raise its visibility again during this week’s Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wis. with plans to celebrate its 60th anniversary and assurances that it is continuing to seek investments to return its shuttered lines to production.
Gulfstream received FAA clearance for the enhanced vision system (EVS) II and Head Up Display (HUD) II option on its new super midsized G280 business jet. Offered as an option, the EVS is integrated with the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics and HUD II to increase situational awareness at night and during low visibility and to enable operational credit for landing in certain weather conditions. The EVS uses an infrared camera mounted in the nose to provide real-time images that are displayed on HUD II.
40 Years Ago July 16, 1973 – Cessna outlines plans to build more than 9,000 aircraft during the 1974 model year, including 2,500 172/Skyhawks and 120 Citations. 30 Years Ago July 18, 1983 – The estate of Howard Hughes begins seeking buyer of Hughes Helicopters. 20 Years Ago July 12, 1993 – House Speaker Tom Foley (D-Wash.) promises to talk with House leadership about progress on Rep. Dan Glickman’s (D-Kan.) bill to create a statute of repose for general aviation aircraft.
TURBOMECA Arriel 2D turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2012-0940; Directorate -Identifier 2012-NE-26-AD] – proposes to supersede an existing AD that requires replacing the hydromechanical metering unit (HMU) at a reduced life. Since FAA issued that AD, further cases of deterioration of HMU rotating components have been reported before the HMU reached the replacement interval in that AD. The proposed AD would maintain the existing AD requirements and would also require inspections of the HMU.
Jet Aviation’s facility in St. Louis was designated as an authorized service center for Embraer’s Lineage business jet. The facility is the first such center in the U.S. for the Lineage. Jet Aviation last week began servicing the first Lineage. The approval comes three months after the St. Louis Center began servicing aircraft in a narrow-body hangar designed specifically for larger airframes. The Lineage also helps continue to expand Jet Aviation’s St. Louis capabilities, which also include the Embraer Legacy business jet.
RICHARD WADE was named operations manager for AeroFlight Solutions, an international flight planning services company. Wade will lead and manage the flight planning and operations team and focus on business growth and client satisfaction. He has more than 30 years of international flight planning experience, including as an international flight coordinator for ARINC and for Tempus Jets, operations manager for Southern Air Transport and Polar Air Cargo and director of operations and fuel for AvCard.
The FAA last week published a rule simplifying drug and alcohol testing program requirements for commercial certificate holders with separate tour operations, eliminating the need to have dedicated testing programs for each. The rule, effective Sept. 14, gives Part 121 and 135 operators the option of having a single testing program to cover both its commercial operations and Part 91 air tour businesses.
PILATUS Models PC-6, PC-6-H1, PC-6-H2, PC-6/350, PC-6/350-H1, PC-6/350-H2, PC-6/A, PC-6/A-H1, PC-6/A-H2, PC-6/B-H2, PC-6/B1-H2, PC-6/B2-H2, PC-6/B2-H4, PC-6/C-H2, and PC-6/C1-H2 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0223; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-049-AD; Amendment 39-17468; AD 2013-11-08] – supersedes AD 2010-0176, which requires the addition of maintenance instructions and airworthiness limitations for the flap actuator, to add more restrictive maintenance requirements and/or limitations.
Delays in certifying software in Garmin’s G3000 and G5000 avionics suites are pushing back certification of three of Cessna’s new or upgraded aircraft – the M2, Sovereign and X – by a few months, Cessna parent Textron reported July 17. The all-new M2, along with the Sovereign and X upgrades, are among six new or upgraded products Cessna had hoped to bring to market this year. But with the software delays, deliveries of the X now will push into early 2014, while the M2 and Sovereign are to come later this year.
FAA published its “residential-through-the-fence” policy, following through on a congressional mandate and easing a ban on agreements that permit pilot access to airport runways and taxiways from adjacent homes. The new policy reverses a March 2011 interim policy that prohibited new through-the-fence access points.
Embraer’s Phenom deliveries are showing signs of improvement, reaching their highest second-quarter total since 2010. At the same time, the Brazilian airframer’s backlog fully rebounded from last year’s slide, coming in at the highest level since third quarter 2009.
