Unfettered by the sagging business jet market, Gulfstream booked more orders in the third quarter than in any other quarter since the economic downturn, and its service business logged its highest total ever, Jay Johnson, chairman and CEO of Gulfstream parent General Dynamics, reported last week. These increases led to a 15% jump in revenues and a 59.2% boost in operating earnings in the third quarter for the GD Aerospace group – comprising Gulfstream and Jet Aviation.
Chicago-based Aero Resources, LLC has expanded its virtual flight department business by adding aircraft charter brokering, flight department consulting and personnel training.
CONSTANCE (CONNIE) ARNOLD was appointed director-safety and technical affairs for the Regional Airline Association. Arnold previously spent four years with the US Airways Technical Operations group, holding safety, environmental and regulatory compliance roles. She also has served with the City of Phoenix as an environmental quality specialist and safety analyst.
UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has certified Al Bateen Executive Airport to provide free landing and parking services for executive jets coming to Abu Dhabi between Nov. 10-14 for the Etihad Airways Formula 1 Grand Prix race.
MARK BIANCHI was named vice president and general manager of StandardAero’s Los Angeles (LAX) facility. Bianchi previously had served as senior and executive vice president of aircraft maintenance for NetJets Aviation. Before joining NetJets in 2004, he spent 18 years with US Airways in a number of leadership positions, including manager of quality assurance and regulatory compliance, 737/757/767 fleet manager and base maintenance manager.
Jet Aviation’s facility in Teterboro, N.J., has added Dassault Falcon 7X and Cessna Citation X aircraft maintenance to the company’s FAA repair station authority. Jet Aviation also has authority to support those models through its foreign certificates, including the European Aviation Safety Agency, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. Jet Aviation Teterboro services all major business jet models and components, the company says. It provides base and line maintenance as well as 24-hour aircraft-on-ground assistance.
ARGUS awarded platinum ratings to six charter operators in the third quarter of 2010. Awards were given to five U.S. operators – Airborne Inc. d/b/a FirstFlight of Horseheads, N.Y.; Business Jet Services d/b/a Business Jet Access of Dallas; Corporate Flight Alternatives of Vandalia, Ohio; Omni Air Transport of Tulsa, Okla.; and USA Jet Airlines of Belleville, Mich. Sao Paulo-based Colt Aviation was the sixth.
BOMBARDIER BD-700-1A10 and BD-700-1A11 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0959; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-119-AD] – Relocate the No. 2 and No. 3 hydraulic system lines in the wing auxiliary spar area on the left side of the aircraft. Also, modify the left wing rib and left and right debris shields, per the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletin 700-29-021 Rev. 01 (for Model BD-700-1A10 airplanes) or 700-1A11-29-004 Rev. 01 (for Model BD-700-1A11 airplanes), both dated Jan. 25, 2010.
Given the widespread view that any order improvement in 2011 will be modest at best, OEMs with new products should outperform peers on revenue and earnings growth, says a new Credit Suisse report. “Embraer is currently driving such growth with its Phenom light jet introductions, and Gulfstream will follow with its new mid-size G250 in 2011 and ultra-long-range G650 in 2012,” says the report.
Honeywell Aerospace’s Green Jet biofuel could produce a 65% to 80% net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, claims Ron Rich, vice president of propulsion. The fuel is slated for ASTM certification shortly, allowing it to be a “plug in” replacement for petroleum-based jet fuel. It already has been flight tested by four airlines and three military organizations.
GARETH CADWELL was named as general manager of U.K.-based private jet company Ocean Sky. He will oversee all areas of Ocean Sky Aircraft Charter, including expansion of the charter sales team and the fleet to meet increasing customer demand. He previously led the charter division at Bookajet.
General Dynamics Chairman and CEO Jay Johnson is encouraged that Gulfstream Aerospace’s “pipeline of new opportunity remains strong,” particularly in the Latin America and Asia Pacific regions. Speaking to analysts last week, Johnson estimated that those two regions represented about one-third of third-quarter sales activity and now comprise more than 40% of Gulfstream’s backlog. See article on Page 3.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE AS 350 B, BA, B1, B2, B3 and D; and Model AS355 E, F, F1, F2 and N helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2010-0611; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-18-AD; Amendment 39-16487; AD 2010-22-08] – Replace all main-rotor and tail-rotor servo-controls, per the instructions of Eurocopter Emergency Alert Service Bulletin No. 01.00.58 Rev. 1 (which applies to AS 350 series helicopters) or No. 01.00.53 Rev. 1 (which applies to AS355 series helicopters), both dated April 19, 2007.
PPG Industries’ aerospace transparencies group has introduced the Alteos Interactive Window System dimmable window shades. Alteos Interactive Window Systems enable passengers to control the amount of light coming through windows, switching from a bright, clear state to a dark state and intermediate levels.
CAV Aerospace, which recently teamed with Yingling Aviation to outfit the FedEx Express fleet of Cessna 208 Caravans with CAV’s TKS Ice Protection, has begun work on its first follow-on installation. CAV had expected the FedEx contract to lead to additional installations. The first follow-on contract came from Superior Airways, a charter based at Red Lake, Ontario, Canada. Superior flies cargo, fishermen, hunters, firefighters, First Nation individuals and others in Northwestern Canada.
PIAGGIO P-180 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0737; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-037-AD; Amendment 39-16468; AD 2010-21-08] – Conduct repetitive visual checks of the engine oil levels to prevent an undetected low-level condition. Also, conduct repetitive inspections of the oil dipsticks to detect faulty units. Replace faulty oil dipsticks or perform visual checks of the oil level at reduced intervals until the faulty units are replaced.
Jeppesen has developed a new service that will enable business aircraft operators to tap into electronic versions of charts similar to those already in use by commercial airlines. Jeppesen unveiled eChart Viewer during last month’s National Business Aviation Association Annual Meeting and Convention, hosting a signing ceremony with the service’s first customer, Avantair.
CAE continues to expand its business aviation network with plans to install a new CAE 7000 series full-flight simulator (FFS) for the Dassault Falcon 7X at the Emirates-CAE Flight Training (ECFT) in Dubai, as well as a CAE 5000 series FFS for the Cessna Citation Sovereign at the CAE North East Training Center in Morristown, N.J. In addition, FAA recently qualified a CAE 5000 series Dassault Falcon 50EX FFS at the CAE SimuFlite center in Dallas. The Falcon 50EX FFS meets Level D standards.
CESSNA 336 and 337 series airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1013; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-048-AD; Amendment 39-16478; AD 2010-21-18] – Inspect the wings for internal and external damage and repair any damage found. Also, install an operational-limitation placard in the cockpit, add limitations to the flight manual supplement and report the results of the wing inspections to the FAA if damage is found.
Avro Business Jets (ABJ) used the National Business Aviation Association annual meeting last month in Atlanta to launch the third of five planned business aircraft versions of the Avro RJ. The company launched the ABJ at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in 2009. There are 27 ABJs in service or undergoing conversion that covers every version of the BAe 146 and RJ series except the 146-300.
Nov. 11—The Wings Club Luncheon Featuring James McNerney, Jr., Chairman, President & CEO of The Boeing Company, The Yale Club, New York, (212) 867-1770, [email protected] Nov. 17-19—ALTA Airline Leaders Forum, Panama City, Panama, www.alta.aero/airlineleaders/2010/ Dec. 15—The Wings Club Luncheon Featuring Gary Kelly, Chairman, President & CEO of Southwest Airlines, The Yale Club, New York, (212) 867-1770, [email protected] Dec. 15—Future of Aviation Advisory Committee Meetings, Washington, http://www.dot.gov/faac
Kansas City-based fractional ownership operator Executive AirShare has launched EMBark 32, a new equity program designed to fill a niche between on-demand charter, charter cards and fractional ownership. Under the EMBark 32 program, customers can earn a 1/32-share interest in a 2009 Phenom 100 without committing to the standard five-year fractional aircraft ownership contract. Participants pay a deposit of $80,500 to enroll in the program and have access to one aircraft.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware has approved a plan for San Antonio, Texas-based Emivest Aerospace Corp. to secure to $4 million in debtor-in-possession financing to continue operations after the manufacturer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on FAA standardization problems drew criticism from industry and congressional leaders for not taking into account the impact those problems have had on industry. Released Friday, the report, Certification and Approval Processes are Generally Viewed as Working Well, but Better Evaluative Information Needed to Improve Efficiency, finds that FAA Flight Standards does not monitor how long applicants wait for agency approvals and is unable to reallocate resources to better meet demand.
