AmSafe, a pioneer of aircraft airbags, has signed an agreement with B/E Aerospace to launch the restraint systems on corporate aircraft. Under the agreement, B/E Aerospace will offer side-facing divans equipped with the AmSafe Seatbelt Airbag to the business jet market.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet Series 100 and 440 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-1037; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-202-AD; Amendment 39-16481; AD 2010-22-02] – Amend the Airplane Flight Manual; deactivate the Hydraulic System No. 3 accumulator; and remove the Hydraulic System No. 2 and No. 3 accumulators. Also, conduct repetitive ultrasonic inspections of the Hydraulic System No. 1 inboard brake and outboard brake accumulators for cracks until they are replaced by new accumulators.
New approaches to lending have created an interesting financing dichotomy that could potentially affect every used business jet buyer, says general aviation analyst Brian Foley. “On the one hand, with 2009’s credit crisis now abated, banks are back in the game and ready to lend – or so they say,” he notes. “On the other hand, pre-owned aircraft brokers complain their client’s loans are often not approved. Why?”
Embraer has tapped an aerospace manufacturing veteran to run a new business jet assembly plant it plans to open early next year in Florida. The center, expected to be fully functional in 2011, will become Embraer’s first manufacturing facility in the U.S. Embraer has slowly grown its presence in the U.S. since 1979, employing 700 workers in Tennessee, Arizona, Connecticut, Minnesota and Florida. Phil Krull will become managing director of the Brazilian aircraft builder’s assembly plant.
Extra Aircraft is hoping to begin operating an assembly facility for the Extra 500 in Montrose, Colo., Extra Aircraft owner Ken Keith says. The unfavorable euro-versus-dollar exchange rate was a prime motivator in opening the U.S. facility, Keith says. All Extra aircraft were previously manufactured at the company’s facility outside Dusseldorf, Germany. The company received approval from the Montrose County Commission earlier this month to use a county-owned hangar at Montrose Regional Airport for completing the small general aviation aircraft.
Bombardier is upgrading its packages for its Learjet 40 XR, Learjet 45 XR and Learjet 60 XR, including the option of Aircell SwiftBroadband on all Learjets. The company is increasing the fuel capacity on the Learjet 40 XR to boost range by 268 nm. to a maximum of 1,991 nm. and providing an avionics upgrade to include dual angle-of-attack indicators. In addition, the 40 XR and 45 XR will have upgrades to the cabin, aircraft equipment, interior design and furnishings. These include a 12.1-in.
WILLIAM MERMELSTEIN was appointed vice president of sales and marketing for compliance and safety solutions for Aircraft Technical Publishers. Mermelstein has more than 30 years of managing general aviation operations, most recently as head of operations for Saudi Aviation Flight Academy. He also has served as vice president, flight operations and business development at Corporate Flight Management, vice president of propulsion at Adams Aircraft, manufacturing production manager at Eclipse Aviation, and sales and marketing manager at Twin Commander.
Gulfstream Aerospace’s G650 large-cabin and G250 super-midsize business jets are marking a number of firsts—from the use of Apple iPod touch cabin management capability to establishing new speed and range milestones—as the aircraft continue to progress toward certification next year.
U.S. airports are preparing to establish organized programs to manage and promote safety under pending FAA regulations that represent a departure from the fixed and precise requirements of Part 139 under which they operate.
PIAGGIO P-180 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0736; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-035-AD; Amendment 39-16469; AD 2010-21-09] – Repetitively inspect the left-hand and right-hand engine-mounted fuel heaters for wear damage and minimum clearance, per the instructions of Piaggio Mandatory Service Bulletin 80-0175, Rev. N. 1 (dated May 14, 2010). If any wear damage to either fuel heater or to the oil cooling system hose is detected, replace both hose assemblies before further flight.
EMBRAER EMB-500 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0754 Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-039-AD; Amendment 39-16475; AD 2010-21-15] – Drill new drain holes in the elevators, elevator trim tabs and aileron surfaces, per the instructions of Embraer Service Bulletin 500-57-0001 (April 28, 2010). This AD, which resulted from an MCAI issued by the aviation authority of Brazil, is designed to prevent water accumulation inside of flight control surfaces.
DAVE MONACELL has joined the sales team of Exclusive Aviation, the aircraft sales division of Fargo Jet Center. Monacell will lead turboprop and jet aircraft sales, acquisitions and brokerage for Exclusive Aviation. He has more than 18 years of industry experience and has been involved in aircraft sales for more than 12 years.
Oct. 25-28—FAA Fire Safety Branch’s Sixth Triennial International Aircraft Fire and Cabin Safety Research Conference, Tropicana Hotel Casino, Atlantic City, N.J., www.fire.tc.faa.gov Oct. 26-27—American Bar Association Forum on Air and Space Law, (312) 988-5660, Seattle Oct. 27-28—Precision Strike Technology Symposium, John Hopkins University, Laurel, Md., (703) 247-2590, fax (703) 524-5094, www.precisionstrike.org
103: The Chinese business aircraft fleet has grown to 103 aircraft, according to a Mainland China Business Jet Register. These aircraft include three corporate variants of the Airbus A318, as well as a Boeing BBJ. The Gulfstream fleet is the largest, with 36 aircraft, followed by Cessna with 24. Bombardier, Hawker Beechcraft and Dassault also have placed multiple aircraft in the growing Chinese market.
The National Business Aviation Association last week awarded its David. W. Ewald Platinum Wing Award to George Larson, senior editor of BA affiliate Business & Commercial Aviation magazine (B/CA). The award, presented on the opening day of NBAA’s Annual Meeting and Convention in Atlanta, recognizes Larson’s “decades of commitment to business aviation,” the association says.
Optimism was the key word heard at this year’s National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) 63rd Annual Meeting & Convention despite the chaotic times the industry still faces, says Association President and CEO Ed Bolen. “It has been a pretty challenging couple of years for business aviation,” says Bolen. “By almost any measure, our industry fell 25% to 40% over the past year. But even in this climate, the people and companies in business aviation continue to seek out effective venues for conducting business, sharing information and networking.”
Exclusive Aviation, the aircraft sales arm of Fargo Jet Center, has moved its operation to St. Paul Downtown Airport in Minnesota. Exclusive Aviation purchased a 17,000-sq.-ft. hangar on the airport. The facility includes 1,700 sq. ft. of office space with a lobby, conference room and sales team offices.
Advanced Aircrew Academy has completed development of customized training modules for Des Moines, Iowa-based Elliott Aviation. The training modules for Elliott’s flight schedulers complement the online pilot training Elliott Aviation has been using from Advanced Aircrew Academy for the past three years. The training package incorporates Elliott Aviation’s specific procedures and authorizations.
EUROCOPTER FRANCE Model AS350B3 and EC130 B4 helicopters [Docket No. FAA-2010-0779; Directorate Identifier 2009-SW-84-AD; Amendment 39-16467; AD 2010-21-07] – Inspect the pilot’s and co-pilot’s throttle twist for proper operation of the contactors. This AD, which resulted from an MCAI issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency, is intended to prevent a dormant failure of one of the two contactors (53Ka or 53Kb), which can prevent switching from “IDLE’” mode to “FLIGHT” mode during autorotation training.
Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack Pelton says last week’s unveiling of the new Citation “Ten” is the first of several new products in the pipeline, and further announcements likely will be coming “on an annual basis.” Asked if he had seen a Photoshopped image of turboprop Citation Mustang or the real thing, Pelton replied, “Well, I haven’t seen a Photoshopped image.” When pressed further, he added that he was aware that “there have been sightings” of such an aircraft.
Hangar Ten this month celebrated the grand opening of Phase II of the aviation services complex on Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (MKC) in Kansas City. The addition includes 55,000 sq. ft. of terminal and hangar space. The complex includes a two-story, 26,000-sq.-ft. executive terminal with crew rest areas that have “hotel-style pilot overnight rooms” and a fully equipped fitness center with separate men’s and women’s locker rooms. The 29,000-sq.-ft. hangar is capable of handling a Gulfstream 650 or Bombardier Global Express sized aircraft.
Cessna Aircraft business jet shipments sunk to a low of 26 in the third quarter, leading the Wichita manufacturer to post a $31 million loss. Seven of the business jet shipments were for the Mustang very light jet. Cessna had delivered 68 business jets in the same period in 2009.
NBAA and the Asian Business Aviation Association are planning the return of the Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition in Shanghai, China in 2012, the beginning of what officials hope to become an annual event. When first held in 2004, business aviation was still in its infancy in the Chinese market. Since then, the fleet has surpassed 100 (see “NBAA By the Numbers” on Page 4), and just this month the Chinese government has opened the airspace below 4,000 meters to general aviation without having to ask for approval a week in advance.
