Eurocopter expects the three interim fixes that will return the grounded fleet of EC225 heavy helicopters back into operations to be certified in the coming days. The EADS-owned company is packaging together the fixes, which it hopes will allow the aircraft to return operations over hostile environments by mid-July. Eurocopter has already indicated to EC225 operators that the final definitive correction to the problem will be redesign of the bevel gear shaft, a critical component in the main gearbox that drives two lubrication pumps.
VistaJet is expanding its operations with a new office in Malta. The European carrier celebrated the opening of the new Malta operations center with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, the minister of tourism and other top-ranking Maltese officials. The center currently employs more than 75 VistaJet employees, and the company has five aircraft under Maltese registry, with plans to add another Global 6000 before the end of June.
FAA is poised to take steep cuts under the House version of the fiscal 2014 transportation funding bill, but air traffic controller salaries and the contract tower program would be protected. The House transportation, housing and urban development appropriations subcommittee on June 19 approved a fiscal 2014 funding bill that would provide FAA with $11.8 billion (not including Airport Improvement Program, or AIP, funding), $756 million below the current fiscal year and $103.3 million below the level from the automatic sequestration cuts.
VistaJet is continuing its rapid growth with another major order for Bombardier business jets, this time a 20-aircraft deal valued at $518 million that further entrenches the European carrier as one of Bombardier’s biggest business jet customers. The order was one of two that Bombardier announced during last week’s Paris air show. The second, from an undisclosed customer, was for 12 Global 8000 aircraft valued at $804 million.
The Experimental Aircraft Association is paying $450,000 to cover FAA controller expenses, but the association says it is continuing to fight the charges and “this isn’t over.”
FAA, trying to strengthen its access to aircraft registration information, released a policy clarification that acknowledges the use of non-U.S. citizen trusts (NCTs) for registration, but stresses that the agency expects to have access to owner and operator information on request.
SHAWN SCHMITZ was named turbine engine tech representative for Duncan Aviation. Schmitz will work with Honeywell and Rolls-Royce lines of aircraft engines. He joined Duncan Aviation in 2001, most recently as team leader for the engine line shop. He also spent six years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Siksorksy and Zhuhai Helicopter Company (ZHC) have signed an agreement for four more S-92 offshore utility helicopters. Since May 2011, ZHC has contracted for eight S-92s to support its customers’ expanding offshore oil operations in the South China Sea. When it takes delivery of the new helicopters in 2014 and 2015, ZHC will operate a total of nine S-92s and 12 S-76s, maintaining its place as the largest Sikorsky commercial fleet operator in Asia and one of the key offshore helicopter operating companies in the region’s offshore market.
HAMILTON STANDARD Model 6/5500/F, 24PF, 14SF, 247F, and 568F series propellers [Docket No. FAA-2013-0262; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-13-AD] – proposes to require incorporating inspections, based on a calendar time, into the propeller maintenance schedule. This proposed AD was prompted by the amount of corrosion detected during major inspections. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent corrosion that could result in propeller failure and loss of airplane control. FAA will accept comments through July 22.
BOMBARDIER Model CL-600-2B19 (Regional Jet Series 100 & 440) airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-1072; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-141-AD; Amendment 39-17449; AD 2013-09-07] – requires installing stopper plates on the aft uplock frames in the MLG bay adjacent to the right and left main landing gear (MLG) uplock assemblies. This AD was prompted by reports of two in-service incidents where the left MLG failed to extend.
SPECTROLAB Nightsun XP searchlight assembly [Docket No. FAA-2012-0221; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-082-AD; Amendment 39-17454; AD 2013-10-01] – applies to searchlights installed on, but not limited to Agusta Model AB139 and Model AW139 helicopters, Sikorsky Model S-92A helicopters, and Eurocopter Deutschland Model EC135 and Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters.
BRENDA PAAUWE-NAVORI was named regional sales director for Western regional sales for Embraer Executive Jets. Paauwe-Navori will be responsible for large and ultra-large aircraft sales. She formerly has managed sales for an aircraft manufacturer and fractional ownership provider and has experience with Virgin Charge and Northwest Airlines. She also co-founded Gogo Jet.
Avantair is beginning to return aircraft to service after voluntarily grounding its fleet late last week following a discrepancy uncovered in its maintenance tracking program. The fleet grounding, which began June 6, was the second for the Clearwater, Fla.-based fractional ownership provider in the past nine months.
Beechcraft, which lost its appeal to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to overturn the U.S. Air Force’s award of the Light Air Support (LAS) contract to a Sierra Nevada/Embraer team, is urging Congress to limit the scope of the contract, worth up to nearly $1 billion, to the minimum requirements.
Eurocopter is claiming to have beaten Sikorsky’s X2 unofficial speed record by reaching 263 kt. in a dive with its X3 high-speed demonstrator. During trials in early June, Eurocopter test pilots flying at the Istres test base near Marseille, France, also achieved 255 kt. in level flight, breaking the X3’s previous top speed of 232 kt. set in May 2011.
The National Aeronautic Association, in concert with the Air Care Alliance, has issued a call for nominations for the 2013 Public Benefit Flying Awards. Nominations will be accepted through June 30. NAA will present awards for Distinguished Volunteer Pilot, Distinguished Volunteer, Outstanding Achievement in Advancement of Public Benefit Flying, Public Benefit Flying Teamwork Award, and Champion of Public Benefit Flying. Nominees must be either U.S. citizens or U.S. organizations. For more information, visit www.naa.aero.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is writing to the Department of Homeland Security to seek answers on why a growing number of pilots and aircraft are being searched at the request of Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officials and on what authority the searches are taking place. AOPA is also developing a checklist for pilots who encounter such situations.
Frontier MEDEX rolled out a new program to help corporate aircraft crews handle emergencies and other situations both inflight and on the ground. The aviation assistance program AirAssist will provide inflight medical consultations, including immediate access to emergency physicians who are trained to manage emergencies at altitude. The physicians, based at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, can help crew through a medical emergency and coordinate with dispatch, operations and ground emergency medical services.
Aviation Performance Solutions (APS) has developed a high-altitude, high-mach, all-attitude jet training program designed for commercial pilots. The program is aimed at addressing loss of control inflight, which was identified in a July 2012 Boeing report as the cause of the most fatalities in commercial aviation crashes over the past 10 years. The program, using aerobatic-capable trainers, will provide training for upset prevention and recovery.
NASA plans to launch an intense airborne campaign to study the migration of black carbon, organic gases and aerosols from the surface to the stratosphere, using agency-owned DC-8 and ER-2 aircraft, along with a leased Learjet.
June 17-19—National Air Transportation Association 2013 Air Charter Summit, Marriott Dulles, Dulles, Va., 703-845-9000, www.nata.aero June 21–22—National Business Aviation Association Flight Attendants/Flight Technicians Conference, Washington, D.C., (703) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org July 11—National Business Aviation Association, Business Aviation Regional Forum, Denver, Colo., (703) 783-9000, www.nbaa.org July 29-Aug. 4—2013 EAA Airventure Oshkosh, Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wis., www.airventure.org
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT Models 58, 58TC, 58P, 95C55, E55 and 56TC airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2012-1180; Directorate Identifier 2012-CE-032-AD] – revises a proposal that would require inspections of elevator balance weights and replacement of defective elevator balance weights. That NPRM was prompted by reports of elevator balance weights becoming loose or failing because the balance weight material was under strength and did not meet material specifications. This action revises that proposal to prohibit the installation of designated spare parts and to clarify applicability.
California lawmakers are keeping up pressure on FAA to impose mandatory operating restrictions for helicopters over Los Angeles, but the agency believes the regulatory process “is not well suited” to solving regional noise issues and is pushing for a series of collaborative voluntary measures.
