Jet Aviation Zurich recently received approval from the Thai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) to provide maintenance support to aircraft registered in Thailand. With the authorization, the company is now approved to perform maintenance on Cessna 208, 510, 525, 550, 650 and 750 series aircraft; and Hawker Beechcraft B200, B300, B350, 400, 400A, 400XP, 700, 800, 750, 800XP, 850XP, 900XP airplanes registered in Thailand. This includes support for Williams International FJ44 series and Pratt & Whitney PT6A, JT15D and PW530 series engines installed on these aircraft.
Africa’s first full-motion helicopter flight simulator has been commissioned by Eurocopter in Johannesburg, South Africa. The simulator, designed to train pilots and flight engineers operating Super Puma and similarly compatible helicopters (including the South African Air Force’s Oryx), is located at the SimAero training center adjacent to O.R. Tambo International Airport.
Embraer received a production certification (PC) from FAA to assemble Phenom 100s at its facility in Melbourne, Fla. The PC comes a little more than a year after the Brazilian manufacturer opened the facility and six months after the first U.S.-produced Phenom was delivered. But until now, Phenoms assembled in Melbourne had been certified under the FAA’s type certificate granted to those produced in Brazil, Embraer says.
BELL 205A, 205A-1, and 205B helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0601; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-033-AD] – proposes to require replacing the starter/generator power cable assemblies and their associated parts and performing continuity readings on certain helicopters. This proposal was prompted by the determination that the power cable assembly connector can deteriorate, causing a short in the connector that could lead to a fire in the starter/generator, smoke in the cockpit and subsequent loss of helicopter control.
BELL 205A, 205A-1, and 205B helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0601; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-033-AD] – proposes to require replacing the starter/generator power cable assemblies and their associated parts and performing continuity readings on certain helicopters. This proposal was prompted by the determination that the power cable assembly connector can deteriorate, causing a short in the connector that could lead to a fire in the starter/generator, smoke in the cockpit and subsequent loss of helicopter control.
NetJets’ announced orders and options for up to 450 business jets worth nearly $10 billion are bringing substantial long-term aftermarket business to both Bombardier and Cessna, along with their suppliers.
Rolls-Royce broke ground on a new $50 million jet engine test facility at the company’s outdoor testing site at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi. The Mississippi Development Authority is helping to support construction and workforce training at the facility, with additional support provided by Hancock County. The new jet engine test facility is the company’s second such company facility to be built in the U.S.
FAA issued special conditions for certification of the Gulfstream G280 because the new business jet will have novel or unusual design features associated with the architecture and connectivity capabilities of the airplane’s computer systems and networks, which may allow access to or by external computer systems and networks.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is cautioning pilots to be aware that in-cockpit Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD) information can be up to 15-20 min. older than indicated on display and that relying on such information for real-time reports can cause safety problems when aircraft are transiting through fast moving weather systems. The safety board issued a safety alert that the actual age of NEXRAD data “can differ significantly” from the age indicated on the cockpit displays.
Jet Aviation Dubai has obtained FAA approval to perform maintenance on the Bombardier Challenger 604 and 605, as well as Airbus A318, A319, A320 and A321 aircraft. FAA awarded Jet Aviation Dubai approval to support light scheduled maintenance (A checks) on the aforementioned Airbus airplanes and base maintenance on Bombardier Challenger 604 and 605 aircraft.
BELL 205A, 205A-1, and 205B helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2012-0601; Directorate Identifier 2008-SW-033-AD] – proposes to require replacing the starter/generator power cable assemblies and their associated parts and performing continuity readings on certain helicopters. This proposal was prompted by the determination that the power cable assembly connector can deteriorate, causing a short in the connector that could lead to a fire in the starter/generator, smoke in the cockpit and subsequent loss of helicopter control.
Embraer has secured Chinese government approval to assemble Legacy 600/650 business jets in China, extending a relationship that existed on the ERJ145 using the Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry Co. joint venture with Avic. The first aircraft is to be delivered next year. Embraer initially considered moving some E-Jet assembly to the site, but China balked because of its own ARJ21 program.
The Transportation Security Administration is working to devise means such as gateway airports that would enable business aviation to access restricted airspace during temporary flight restrictions (TFRs), says Zach Carder, who handles business aviation issues for TSA.
House aviation subcommittee Chairman Tom Petri (R-Wis.) is seeking a congressional review of the IRS’s recent interpretation that would consider aircraft management fees and related activity as commercial transportation that should be taxed accordingly. Petri wrote a letter to House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.), noting industry’s concerns over the recent interpretation and says it raises questions of double taxation.
Bombardier Aerospace broke ground this month on a factory-owned service center for business aircraft at Seletar airport in Singapore. The facility, which will open in the second quarter of 2013, will include 31,500 sq. ft. of hangar space and 23,800 sq. ft. of office and backshops. The center will provide light and heavy maintenance on all Bombardier Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft. The facility will serve as a center for a full-service hub in the region. Plans call for Bombardier to move its Singapore Regional Support Office (RSO) to the hub.
Aerion Corporation in July will begin the next round of trials involving a test article positioned under NASA’s F-15B aircraft as the Reno, Nev., engineering firm moves to validate its supersonic flight designs and continues to search for a manufacturing partner. The newly built test article, which includes a 40-in. vertical span by 80-in. chord, will not look like Aerion’s wing design but will behave similarly aerodynamically, enabling the company to collect further data on laminar flow, says Aerion COO Doug Nichols.
Under the shadow of a second lawsuit, Hawker Beechcraft (HBC) and Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) have submitted their bids in the restaged competition to supply 20 light-attack aircraft to Afghanistan. Technical and cost proposals for the Light Air Support (LAS) program were submitted to the U.S. Air Force on June 18. HBC is offering its AT-6 and SNC the Embraer A-29 Super Tucano. Contract award is scheduled for mid-January, leading to first delivery to the Afghan National Army air force in July 2014 — a delay of more than a year.
June 12, 1972 — Pan Am and Avions Marcel Dassault-Breguet Aviation agree to establish Falcon Jet Corp. in New Jersey, with each owning a 50% stake but enabling Pan Am to divest itself of the liabilities of its Business Jet Division that distributed and marketed Falcon business jets. June 7, 1982 — Gulfstream Aerospace joins other general aviation manufacturers forced to resort to employee layoffs, cutting 5-6% of its 1,150 workforce and imposing a four-week production shutdown at its Commander Division in Bethany, Okla.
Bell Helicopter plans to open its first authorized flight school in China in conjunction with Guanchen Aviation. Eric Cardinali, executive vice president, customer support and services for Bell Helicopter, said, “Partnering with Guanchen Aviation to provide a high-quality, local flight-training solution is an important first step in meeting our customer needs in the region.
Gulfstream Aerospace will soon support business aircraft operators in northern California, Colorado, and Nevada by using a specially outfitted Field and Airborne Support Team (FAST) mobile maintenance vehicle. From its base at San Jose International Airport, the vehicle will service aircraft located in San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento and Fresno in California, and as far east as Reno, Nev. Also, from December through early March, the vehicle will be based at Denver’s Centennial Airport to serve operators in Colorado during ski season.
Rockwell Collins has won a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop the synthetic-vision avionics backbone for next-generation helicopter operations under the Multi-Function Radio Frequency Program. Rockwell Collins is teamed with BAE Systems on the first two phases of the $5.1 million contract. An optional third phase would bring the award’s total value to $6 million. The contract calls for Rockwell Collins to develop a 3D synthetic vision-based imagery system that will be used with multifunction radar.
June 20—National Business Aviation Association, the United States Aircraft Insurance Group and the Connecticut Business Aviation Group Runway Excursion Safety Forum, Key Air, Waterbury-Oxford Airport, Conn., www.nbaa.org June 20-21—World Aviation Event Ltd. Aviation Expo 2012, Bitburg Airport, Germany, www.expo.aero June 21-22—Business Aircraft Transactions Conference, Le Parker Meridien Hotel, New York, www.nbaa.org/events/atc/2012/
ROY AUKAI has joined Aloha Air Cargo as director of cargo operations, overseeing cargo and ground handling activities at the company’s five Hawaii stations. He has more than 39 years of transportation and airline experience, most recently with the Department of Transportation, Harbors Division. He also has been with Hawaiian Airlines.
