Nextant has secured an anchor customer in China under a sales agent agreement with China Great Wall Industry Corp. (CGWIC) that includes an initial order for up to 18 Nextant 400XTs valued at $89 million. The agreement, which makes CGWIC Nextant’s exclusive sales agent for the greater China region, also calls for CGWIC to help establish service, sales support and parts distribution in China.
Jim Swickard, a long-time aviation communications veteran and contributor to Aviation Week’s Business & Commercial Aviation (BCA) magazine, died April 14 from a heart attack at home in Tucson, Ariz. He was 68.
Signature Flight Support received a green light on its largest yet fixed-base operation project, an $82 million complex at Mineta San Jose International airport. The San Jose City Council on April 16 voted 10-1 to approve a 50-year lease for the FBO, which will be developed on 29 acres at the west side of the airport. As part of the development, Signature is relocating its headquarters from Orlando, Fla. to its new San Jose, Calif. base.
Emirates-CAE Flight Training received certification from authorities in the U.S., Asia, Europe and the Middle East for its dual configuration full-flight simulator for Bombardier Challenger 604 and Challenger 605 business jets. Based at the Emirates-CAE facility in Dubai, the simulator received approvals from the Hong Kong Aviation Civil Aviation Department, FAA, European Aviation Safety Agency, the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority, the General Authority of Civil Aviation of Saudi Arabia, and the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority.
Air traffic controller furloughs, scheduled to have begun April 21, could cause an average flight delay of 50 min. at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and delays as long as 210 min. at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International, FAA and U.S. Transportation Department (DOT) officials say. O’Hare and Hartsfield are just two of 13 airports that will see “heavy to moderate” flight delays because of the furloughs, which are necessitated by the sequester-driven cuts in the federal budget, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said during an April 18 briefing at DOT headquarters.
Last week’s Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition (ABACE2013) in Shanghai eclipsed nearly all records, reflecting the continuing growth of the business aviation market in the Asia-Pacific region.
MARK FERGUSON was named environmental/health/safety manager for West Star Aviation’s facilities in East Alton, Ill., (ALN) and Chesterfield, Mo. (SUS). Ferguson has 19 years of business experience, most recently overseeing federal and state regulatory compliance for Wal-Mart. In his new role, he will oversee overall safety of both the facilities and employees and monitor for environmental and energy improvements for both locations.
A coalition of local officials and industry stakeholders in May are expected to release recommendations to reduce helicopter noise over the Los Angeles region, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta says. Huerta told the Senate transportation appropriations subcommittee last week that the recommendations should cover voluntary routes and operating practices to help reduce noise. House and Senate lawmakers have introduced bills calling on FAA to implement mandatory noise reduction measures. Similar legislation covering New York’s Long Island was unsuccessful.
The South Korean government is looking at backing development of a business jet as the foundation of a national industry capable of building its own complete civil transports. If the program goes ahead, possibly in a year or two, the manufacturer will be Korea Aerospace Industries.
C.M. HWANG was named managing director of commercial sales, Asia Pacific. Hwang will oversee all marketing and sales activities within the Asia Pacific region for Bell Helicopter. He has more than 20 years of aviation industry experience, 18 of which were with Bell. He formerly served as commercial business development manager for Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Singapore for the company. Before joining Bell Helicopter in 1995, Hwang served in the Republic of Singapore Air Force and subsequently joined DHP Aviation.
MITCHELL WIEDENMANN has joined Aero Charter as first officer of the Hawker 400A and Cessna Citation XLS aircraft. Wiedenmann recently obtained his master’s of science in aviation safety from the University of Central Missouri, and also worked as a flight instructor providing private, instrument, commercial, and multi-engine training. He also has served as a first officer with Express Jet Airlines.
General aviation groups are expressing frustration that the Obama administration’s fiscal 2014 budget resurrects controversial proposals such as user fees and business aircraft depreciation extensions, saying that combined with planned contract tower reductions, it gives the appearance of “a widespread attack on general aviation.”
India is about to relax rules that severely restrict the flexibility of business jets to visit or overfly that country. The application time for a landing permit will be reduced from seven working days to three, and for an overflight from three days to one, according to local reports.
Pilatus, working with Garmin, has secured FAA supplemental type certification to retrofit the Garmin G600 New Perspective avionics systems in PC-12 aircraft produced between 1994-2008 (pre- PC-12 NG models). The retrofit provides a flat-panel glass cockpit for the single turboprop aircraft. Pilatus says the new suite will reduce pilot workload, improve situational awareness, reduce maintenance costs, and boost aircraft value. The system combines the primary flight display and multifunction display in a single 10-in.
The Obama administration’s fiscal 2014 budget plan halves its previously proposed cuts to federal grants for airport improvements by narrowing the reduction’s impact primarily to large hub airports. But the administration also wants to impose a new cost on airports, and it still is counting on an unlikely increase in the airport passenger facility charge (PFC) to help offset the reduction in grant money.
Jet Aviation’s facility in Hong Kong has become the latest in the network to receive FAA approval to provide line and base maintenance for Gulfstream G650 aircraft. The Hong Kong maintenance facility also supports Gulfstream 400/450/500/550 aircraft. The approval comes as Jet Aviation’s charter and management operation in Hong Kong adds a G650 to its fleet.
BOMBARDIER Model DCH-8-100, -200, and -300 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0209; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-127-AD] – proposes to supersede an AD that currently requires replacing certain parking brake accumulators. Since FAA issued that AD, the agency has determined that it is necessary to protect the hydraulic system and airplane structure from possible damage by any faulty screw cap or end cap of any accumulator. This proposed AD would require installing restraint devices around the parking brake accumulator end caps.
MIKE SHONKA is joining West Star Aviation as CFO. He formerly spent 14 years as CFO for Cessna and has a long background as an executive in financial services and aviation.
Piper Aircraft, announcing two of its larger fleet orders back to back during last week’s Sun ’N Fun in Lakeland, Fla., is beginning to see the results of a new direction put in place almost 18 months ago to rebuild a stable and steady backlog through its trainer aircraft, company President and CEO Simon Caldecott says.
DOMINIC DUFFY was appointed vice president, sales - Asia for aircraft interiors supplier Muirhead. Duffy formerly served with cabin interiors specialist Zodiac, where he was territory manager, Asia. He has four decades of industry experience, beginning with British Aerospace.
SAMEER REHMAN was appointed director of international trade support for commercial sales and marketing for Bell Helicopter. Rehman will assist with an expansion of Bell Helicopter’s globalization strategy, working with the global sales, marketing and customer support and service teams. He joined Bell parent Textron in 1999, holding leadership positions at both Cessna Aircraft and Textron Financial, and most recently was managing director for Bell Helicopter’s commercial business in Asia Pacific.
AUSTRO ENGINE Model E4 engines [Docket No. FAA-2013-0164; Directorate Identifier 2013-NE-10-AD] – proposes to require removing from service certain part number (P/N) waste gate controllers. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of several power loss events due to fracture of the waste gate controller lever. FAA is proposing this AD to prevent engine power loss or inflight shutdown, which could result in loss of control and damage to the airplane. FAA estimates that the proposed AD affects 72 engines installed on U.S. registered aircraft at a cost of $6,120.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is seeking a ban on “non-operational” use of portable electronic devices (PEDs) for pilots while flying under Part 135 and 91 Subpart K. The recommendation was one of nine the safety board issued following its investigation of the Aug. 26, 2011 crash of an Air Methods Eurocopter AS350 B2 helicopter that was on an emergency medical services (EMS) mission.
LEARJET Model 45 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2013-0213; Directorate Identifier 2012-NM-207-AD] – proposes to require modifying the fire seal on the baggage door, including doing inspections of the fire seal for correct contact and corrective action if necessary. This proposed AD was prompted by a report that the fire barrier seal on the external baggage door does not seal the surrounding door structure due to incorrect positioning of the barrier.
