Gulf Coast Avionics has teamed with Quick Aviacao to establish a presence in Brazil. Gulf Coast will operate out of the Quick Aviacao facility in Goiania, Goias, Brazil, doing business as Gulf Coast Avionics Brasil. Jonata Berberian, who has an engineering background with Rockwell Collins, Honeywell and Garmin and is a member of the family that owns Quick Aviacao, will run the new Gulf Coast operation. Gulf Coast supplies avionics, instruments and other equipment and operates an avionics installation center at Lakeland Linder Airport in Lakeland, Fla.
Boca Raton, Fla.-based charter broker Airstream Jets (ASJ) has established a new joint venture company, Airstream Jets (Asia Pacific), as part of an effort to expand its reach into the Asia-Pacific region, the company says. ASJ teamed with Australian operators Vas Nikolovski and Sam Iliades to form the new office. Nikolovski is the founder and former director of DirectAir Charter, and Iliades is an international commercial pilot. They will be joint CEOs of the joint venture.
July 26-Aug. 1—Experimental Aircraft Association AirVenture Oshkosh 2010, Oshkosh, (920) 426-4800 Aug. 3-5—FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute’s Cabin Safety Workshop, Monroney Aeronautical Center, Oklahoma City, www.faa.gov/data_research/research/med_humanfacs/aeromedical/cabinsafet… Aug. 10-13—Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International & Flight International: Unmanned Systems North America 2009, Washington, (703) 845-9671, www.auvsi.org/events
The board of Piper Aircraft last week replaced CEO Kevin Gould on an interim basis with Geoffrey Berger, currently managing director of Brunei-based Imprimis Fund, which owns the Vero Beach, Fla.-based manufacturer. Piper will begin a global search for an executive to lead the company. Imprimis bought Piper Aircraft in May 2009 under the leadership of then-CEO Jim Bass, who focused on turning around the manufacturer and positioning it to find a potential buyer.
Piper Aircraft has selected Mecaer Aviation Group in Borgomanero, Italy, to supply the landing gear system for the PiperJet very light jet. Mecaer is responsible for the design, certification, system integration and production of complete “bolt-on” systems, including main and nose gears, electro-mechanical actuators, emergency release, wheels, brakes and tires.
Hawker Beechcraft recently rolled out the first of 24 Beechcraft T-6C military trainers ordered by the Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) to replace its existing fleet of T-34 and T-37 jet trainers. The T-6C incorporates a number of upgrades to the original T-6 single turboprop, including an integrated glass cockpit and hard-point wings that can accommodate auxiliary fuel tanks. The RMAF, the first customer for the T-6C, ordered the aircraft through a government-to-government agreement between Morocco and the U.S.
Eclipse Aerospace selected VNE Jet in Henderson, Nev., as the “Gold Service Center” for the Eclipse 500 aircraft in the Southwest region. VNE Jet will provide maintenance services, parts distribution, inspections, in addition to aircraft-on-ground services for Eclipse 500 very light jets in the southwestern U.S. Based at Henderson Executive Airport outside Las Vegas, VNE Jet primarily comprises former Eclipse Aviation Corp. (EAC) employees and has provided maintenance for EA500 aircraft since EAC entered Chapter 7 bankruptcy.
New York-based aviation services company Arcadia Aviation last week signed a definitive asset purchase agreement to acquire financially troubled Wayfarer Aviation. The deal closed a month after Arcadia signed a letter of intent to buy Wayfarer, averting a shutdown of the charter management firm’s operations (BA, June 21/2). “The completion of the transaction ends speculation about the fate of Wayfarer Aviation, its operations and client base,” the company says.
Bombardier Aerospace booked nearly $1 billion in orders in the run-up to last week’s Farnborough International Airshow and its first two days, the company said last week. The Montreal-based manufacturer announced deals for 12 ultra-long-range Global Express XRS aircraft, two super-large-size Global 5000s and a pair of large-cabin Challenger 605s, worth in excess of $800 million in aggregate.
El Seif Group of Saudi Arabia added a Bombardier Challenger 605 aircraft to its corporate jet fleet. The aircraft will be used for travel between the company’s Middle Eastern operations. El Seif, which also operates Challenger 600 and 601 jets, is a privately owned group of companies with diverse business interests, including engineering, construction, health care, real estate development, commercial investment and power generation.
DALE HAWKINS was appointed to the newly created position of airframe sales for StandardAero’s Business Aviation sector. Hawkins will be responsible for Falcon service sales. Hawkins formerly spent 28 years with Kal-Aero/Duncan Aviation as a technician, team leader, department manager and airframe service sales representative.
The Beechcraft Baron twin-piston aircraft recently was granted approval for operations at London City Airport, Hawker Beechcraft says, adding the Baron is the only aircraft in its class to receive such clearance. To win approval for London City operations, the aircraft must be able to demonstrate certain performance capabilities, including a 7.5-deg. approach, and receive authorization from both the European Aviation Safety Agency and London City Airport.
McCauley Propeller Systems has achieved ASTM compliance for a new two-blade, fixed-pitch composite propeller for the Cessna 162 Skycatcher, Cessna Aircraft announced. The propeller is the first in a family of composite propellers under development for a range of aircraft, the company says. Specifically designed for the Skycatcher’s Teledyne Continental Motors O-200D engine, the 1L100 propeller consists of a continuous-fiber, single-piece design that provides strength, as well as light weight.
Hawker Beechcraft Chairman and CEO Bill Boisture last week stressed that the company has not made any decision on whether to move work out of Wichita, but says that the company is analyzing alternatives and plans to make a series of decisions over the next six months.
PIAGGIO P-180 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0736; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-035-AD] – This proposed AD would require operators to repetitively inspect the left-hand and the right-hand engine-mounted fuel heater for wear damage and minimum clearance, per the instructions of Piaggio Mandatory Service Bulletin N.: 80-0175, Rev. N.1 (dated May 14, 2010). If any wear damage to the fuel heater or to the oil cooling system hose is detected, replace the hose assembly before further flight.
U.S. Bank Multi Service Aviation has begun issuing its Multi Service Aviation Card to companies that operate aircraft in South Africa. Including South Africa, Multi Service Aviation issues cards in 35 countries. Sales in South Africa will be managed by Multi Service Aviation’s regional representative, MH Aviation Services in Johannesburg.
A small-business tax bill in the Senate has become a potential vehicle for a measure to extend bonus depreciation for the purchase of business assets, including aircraft, the National Business Aviation Association notes. The bill has been under debate in the Senate this month and consideration is expected to continue this week. The House passed its own version earlier this month. Attempts to attach bonus depreciation to other bills have proved unsuccessful, primarily because concerns raised by key House Democrats.
JIM HEASLEY was promoted to general manager of Cessna Aircraft’s Citation Service Center in Greensboro, N.C. Heasley formerly was maintenance manager at Greensboro. He has been with Cessna for 13 years and has 20 years of aerospace experience.
RICHARD SHAW was appointed manager of Gulfstream Aerospace’s PlaneParts spare parts subscription service. Shaw formerly spent 25 years with the product support unit of Bombardier Aerospace in Montreal.
EMBRAER EMB-500 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0733; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-038-AD; Amendment 39-16375; AD 2010-15-09] – Insert new information regarding the Air Data System (ADS) sensors into the “Abnormal Procedures” section of the Airplane Flight Manual. This new AD, which supersedes an existing directive (AD 2009-23-11) and resulted from an MCAI issued by the aviation authority of Brazil, was prompted by the discovery that the heating function of the ADS sensors could deactivate.
The U.S. is re-emerging as a leading market for business jet orders, at least for Cessna Aircraft, notes Scott Donnelly, president and CEO of Cessna Aircraft parent Textron. “Order activity has been probably stronger in the U.S. than anywhere,” he says, adding there is “still some reasonable strength in Latin America and some in Asia.” The weakening of the European currency against the dollar at the end of the second quarter “slowed down Europe as a region,” Donnelly says.
Rockwell Collins and Bombardier Aerospace have released an enhanced cabin electronics system (CES) for Bombardier Global 5000 and Global Express XRS business jets. The V7 CES software features a new graphical user interface with improved intuitiveness and ease of use. The interface includes an icon-based menu that is less dependent on language, reflecting advances in modern user interface design. The upgrade will be retrofitted on in-service aircraft beginning this fall.
JDA Aviation Technology Solutions (JDA) received a contract to provide its 135Pro certification support program for Nicholas Services, a Columbus, Miss. startup charter operator that will be doing business as Nick Air Service. JDA created 135Pro to provide low-cost support to simplify the process of obtaining a Part 135 certificate. The program includes manuals to help satisfy FAA requirements. The program also includes a customized Web application and document manager, enabling the owner/operator to store and access Part 135 requirements.
PIAGGIO P-180 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0737; Directorate Identifier 2010-CE-037-AD] –This proposed AD would require operators to conduct repetitive visual checks of the engine oil levels to prevent an undetected low-level condition. Also, this proposal would mandate repetitive inspections of the oil dipsticks to detect faulty units and replacement of faulty oil dipsticks or visual checks of the oil level at reduced not-to-exceed intervals until the faulty units are replaced.
