A Gulfstream G650 recently set a new city-pair speed record between Shanghai, China and Newark, N.J. The aircraft flew the 6,855-nm trip in 13 hr. and 32 min. The G650 departed Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 10:38 p.m. local time on April 18 with five passengers and four crewmembers on board and landed at Newark Liberty International Airport at 12:10 a.m. local time. The aircraft cruised at speeds between Mach 0.85 and 0.88.
PILATUS Model PC-7 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0383; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-008-AD] – proposes to require additional life limits, revisions to life limits and additional inspections of the emergency fuel control system. This proposed AD results from mandatory continuing airworthiness information (MCAI) from the Federal Office of Civil Aviation for Switzerland, citing a need to incorporate new revisions into the Limitations section of the FAA-approved maintenance program (e.g., maintenance manual).
Hawthorne Global Aviation Services is hosting a fly-in June 1-2 at its facility at New Orleans Lakefront Airport. The event takes place as New Orleans Lakefront has slowly renovated and returned to full operations following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Hawthorne acquired the KNEW base – formerly called AeroPremier Jet Center – in July 2012. The facility once housed a National Guard helicopter unit, but sustained critical damage from the Katrina floodwaters, and its fate had become uncertain.
EUROCOPTER DEUTSCHLAND Model MBB-BK 117 C-2 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0020; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-107-AD] – proposes to require inspecting the rigging of the power-boosted control system and, if there is a nonparallel gap between the rigging wedges and the inner sleeves, performing a rigging procedure. This proposed AD is prompted by the discovery, during rigging of the main rotor controls, of movement of the longitudinal main rotor actuator piston after shutdown of the external pump drive. Such movement could cause incorrect rigging results.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS350B3 [Docket No. FAA-2012-1297; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-100-AD; Amendment 39-17285; AD 2012-25-04] – supersedes an emergency AD with certain part-numbered laminated half-bearings and tail rotor (T/R) blades installed. The existing AD currently requires installing two placards and revising the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM). The AD also requires certain checks and inspecting and replacing, if necessary, all four bearings. Finally, the AD requires a one-time removal and inspection of the bearings, and replacing the bearings if necessary.
SCOTT GUNNUFSON was appointed vice president of sales, marketing and support for Rockwell Collins Commercial Services. He has more than 20 years of experience, holding a number of leadership roles with the company. He most recently was vice president and general manager for Rockwell Collins International and Service Solutions.
DIAMOND DA 40 NG airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0348; Directorate Identifier 2013-CE-005-AD; Amendment 39-17439; AD 2013-08-21] – requires repetitive inspections of charged air tubing for the presence of the chafing marks and, depending on findings, replacement of damaged tubing, or installation of improved design tubing. This AD stems from mandatory continuing airworthiness information issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency that cites reports of chafing between the charge air tubing and the engine firewall that may cause a hole in the charge air tubing.
The Pilatus PC-12 fleet surpassed the 4 million flight-hour milestone. Nearly 1,200 aircraft have entered service since first delivery in October 1994, and the high-time PC-12 has logged more than 24,000 hr. in operation as an air ambulance with Air Bravo in Ontario, Canada.
While Dassault’s business jet deliveries dropped in the first quarter, the French manufacturer expects shipments to improve throughout the year and remain on track to reach the highest total in three years. Dassault expects to deliver 70 Falcons this year, up slightly from the 66 delivered in 2012 and 63 in 2011, company executives say. As Dassault worked to certify its newest Falcon 2000 models, deliveries were down nearly 50% in the first quarter to eight, compared with 15 in the first quarter of 2012.
Beechcraft has received the latest renewal for the U.S. Air Force/Navy Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) program, a $210 million contract for 35 T-6 trainers. The renewal, which is for the 19th production lot, will carry JPATS production at least through February 2015. The latest order, which comes in the face of sequestration cuts, includes 33 T-6 aircraft for the U.S. Navy and two more for the U.S. Army. Deliveries on Lot 19 will begin this month.
AGUSTAWESTLAND Model A119 and AW119 MKII helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0350; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-050-AD] – proposes to require inspecting the pilot and co-pilot doors to ensure that the windows are properly bonded within the doors. If the windows are not properly bonded, the proposed AD would require applying bonding to the windows, the seals, and the window frames of the pilot and co-pilot doors. This proposed AD is prompted by the loss of a pilot-door window during a test flight.
Four years after interest all but died in a new generation of midsize, long-range business jets, Honeywell is refreshing plans to develop a new or derivative engine for the sector amid signs of a coming market revival.
TURBOMECA Arriel 1A1, 1A2, 1B, 1C, 1C1, 1C2, 1D, 1D1, 1E2, 1K1, 1S, and 1S1 turboshaft engines [Docket No. FAA-2012-1131; Directorate Identifier 2012-NE-34-AD; Amendment 39-17440; AD 2013-08-22] – requires daily post-flight checks of the engine tachometer’s unit cycle-counting feature. This AD also requires ground-run functional checks within every 1,000 operating hours. This AD was prompted by detailed analysis and review of the accuracy of the engine’s tachometer cycle-counting feature.
The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) is hoping to expand its business aviation conference venues to multiple locations throughout the Middle East. The event will continue to be held in Dubai, but MEBAA is adding a Middle East Business Aviation Conference (MEBAC) in Saudi Arabia. The first MEBAC in Saudi Arabia will be held on June 4. The event, to be held at the Hilton Hotel in Jeddah, will provide a forum for aviation leaders in the region to discuss issues affecting the Kingdom’s business aviation market.
ALAN PROWSE was appointed vice president and managing director for the Americas for Rockwell Collins. Prowse most recently was senior director, Government Systems sales and business development operations for Rockwell Collins. He has 21 years of Rockwell Collins experience, serving in sales, marketing and as a life cycle value stream manager in Government Systems.
The used market has crawled out if its trough from 2009, when a high of about 17% of the business jet fleet was up for sale, but it has come at a cost as aircraft values continue to plummet, industry experts say. The used market hit an all-time high in 2012 with the number of transactions reaching 2,240. This bested the 2007 peak of 2,181 aircraft transactions, JetNet reports. And the number of aircraft for sale has declined over the past three years, reaching 13.4% by the end of 2012.
Eclipse Aerospace Inc. (EAI) named Crownair Aviation in San Diego as an authorized “Gold Service Center” for both the Eclipse 500 and the new Eclipse 550 very light jet. The authorization covers maintenance, inspections, parts and warranty support, as well as aircraft-on-ground services for Eclipse aircraft.
Solairus Aviation named industry veteran Bob Marinace executive vice president. Marinace, who has 30 years of aviation experience, formerly was president and CEO of Oxford, Conn.-based Key Air. He also formerly served with Sentient. He has held positions on the National Air Transportation Association board of directors and the Air Charter Safety Foundation executive board, along with a number of FAA advisory groups. The appointment comes as the San Francisco-based charter and management company moves to expand its presence on the East Coast.
CORRECTION: Signature Flight Support has plans to relocate its West Coast headquarters to San Jose, Calif., as part of its plans to open a new fixed-base operation complex at Mineta San Jose International Airport. The April 22 and May 13 editions of BA incorrectly stated Signature’s plans for its headquarters.
FlightSafety International (FSI) is expanding its Gulfstream maintenance and support training curriculum to add cabin systems courses. The courses will be folded into a Total Technical Training program that FSI and Gulfstream jointly developed for Gulfstream maintenance technicians, along with flight attendants, pilots and others who would support and operate the cabin systems. Initial course offerings at the Savannah, Ga., training center will cover G650, G450 and G550 systems. Additional G280 cabin systems courses will be taught at FSI’s Dallas training center.
In the next legislative session, the European Business Aviation Association plans to push for more fair treatment should the European Union’s Emissions Trading System remain in place, says EBAA President Brian Humphries “Today, what we have is not acceptable,” Humphries says. EU ETS has created a market in carbon credits that favors small airlines, severely penalizes business jets and has raised the specter of an international trade war.
Embraer has received both FAA and Brazilian Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC) clearances for installation of its Prodigy Touch flight deck aboard the Phenom 300. NetJet is launching the new flight deck aboard the Phenom, and Embraer is offering the suite as an option for other Phenom 300 aircraft beginning in the fourth quarter. Based on the Garmin G3000 platform, the Prodigy Touch incorporates touch-screen technology with automation designed for single-pilot operation. The suite includes three 14.1-in.
Ametek Sensors & Fluid Management Systems (SFMS) was selected by Embraer as a supplier for the recently awarded U.S. Air Force Light Air Support (LAS) contract. Embraer teamed with Sierra Nevada Corp. on the program and is producing the Super Tucano for the LAS contract. Ametek was selected to provide products including advanced triaxial accelerometers and Amphion solid-state relays.
BELL 206A, 206B and 206L helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2013-0349; Directorate Identifier 2012-SW-058-AD] – proposes to require replacing certain part-numbered engine auto-relight kit control boxes. This proposed AD is prompted by a design review that revealed the control box chipset did not meet the required temperature range requirements, which could cause the control box to malfunction, disabling the engine auto-relight system. This condition could result in increased pilot workload during a power loss emergency and subsequent loss of control of the aircraft.
