An attempt by the Washington state legislature to help close a $2.8 billion budget gap through a 0.5% tax on aircraft was defeated thanks to the efforts of the National Business Aviation Association, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and state business aviation groups.
National Business Aviation Association last week alerted operators to closely follow airspace closures after the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokul volcano sent plumes of ash into the atmosphere, causing thousands of flights to be delayed and canceled. The eruption has lasted several days – and was expected to have continued into Sunday (April 18) and possibly longer. “While volcanic eruptions are becoming more intermittent, they are increasing in intensity,” NBAA warned its members.
A decline of more than 50% in Learjet’s backlog during the past year is unsettling but not dire, says a top executive at parent company Bombardier. Bombardier reported early this month that a wave of cancellations in 2009 shrank Learjet’s order book to six months’ worth of production on Jan. 31, the end of the company’s fiscal year, down from 17 months a year earlier.
EMBRAER ERJ 170 and ERJ 190-100 STD, -100 LR, -100 IGW, -200 STD, -200 LR and -200 IGW airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2009-1231; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-212-AD; Amendment 39-16261; AD 2010-08-06] – Conduct a detailed inspection for gaps, voids, or holes in the sealant application on the vapor barrier assembly in the wing stub rear box. Apply sealant to any gaps, voids or holes that are found, per the instructions of Embraer Service Bulletin 170-57-0036 (dated March 13, 2009) or 190-57-0027 (dated March 18, 2009), as applicable.
Bulgarian charter carrier Air Via has renewed and extended its existing Airbus A320 power-by-the-hour (PBH) contract with West Sussex, U.K.-based aircraft support specialist AJ Walter Aviation. AJW has supported Air Via since the carrier took delivery of its first A320 aircraft in 2006 and will now continue to provide a full PBH service for the current Air Via fleet of five aircraft until 2014. AJW already provides PBH support to the Bulgarian carrier BH Air, also with a fleet of five A320 family aircraft.
A King Air aft jump seat manufactured by Clinton, Mo.-based Aviation Fabricators has won approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency. The seat, which folds down from the sidewall in the aft baggage compartment, can be installed in all Series 100, 200 and 300 models of the twin turboprop. The aft jump seat kit includes all installation hardware, brackets, parts, a seat, complete restraint system, life vest, overhead lights, vents, oxygen drop-downs and installation instructions.
The Namibia Directorate of Accident and Incident Investigations is looking into the April 1 crash of a Cessna 210 (V5-BAT) near Wlotzkasbaken, Namibia. The pilot, the sole occupant aboard the domestic charter flight, was killed and the aircraft destroyed. The flight originated at Twyfelfontein and was en route to Swakopmund, but the aircraft broke up in flight and crashed. There was no fire, the National Transportation Safety Board reports.
April 20-22 – AVIATION WEEK MRO Americas/MRO Military Conference & Exhibition, Phoenix, Ariz., www.aviationweek.com/events April 21 – National Air Transportation Association Day On The Hill Event, Alexandria, Va., (800) 808-6282, www.nata.aero April 21 – The joint Wings Club/Aero Club of Washington Luncheon featuring Randy Babbitt, FAA administrator, The Yale Club, New York, (212) 867-1770, e-mail: [email protected]
Bill Koch, who joined Wayfarer Aviation this fall as chief executive, has left the charter and management company. Wayfarer promoted Greg Kinsella, formerly vice president of business development, to serve as co-president with Laura Bellofatto-Bense. “In the fall we recruited a CEO to help take us to the next level. Bill Koch helped stabilize the organization and recruit key members of the senior management team,” says a memo sent last week to employees by Robert Pinkas and Adam Bentkover, senior executives of Brantley Partners, Wayfarer’s chief investor.
The name for charter brokerage services provider Skyjet has gone away and will now operate under the Flexjet banner, the company announced last week. Flexjet actually decided to fold its affiliate, Skyjet, into its operation last summer, President Fred Reid tells BA. “After we made the decision to integrate, we worked on how to flow information and services under Flexjet,” he says. “We’ve actually been running as a single unit for six months, and we’re now branding it to reflect what we’ve accomplished.”
Several general aviation associations have formed a coalition to develop recommendations for addressing lead in aviation gasoline. The recommendations are being developed as the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to release an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) covering potential restrictions on the use of lead in aviation gasoline. The ANPRM completed the Office of Management and Budget review in late March and could be released in the next few days.
Lawmakers are expected to draft yet another extension of FAA’s authorization, since the current authorization is due to expire at month’s end. The House and Senate last month agreed to extend the authorization deadline until April 30 to provide a few weeks for a conference to work out their differences on a long-term reauthorization bill. But a couple of key sticking points remain – including a FedEx labor provision – and a compromise now is not expected until the end of June.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) added three more charter operators to its Industry Audit Standard (IAS) Registry. The latest operators to successfully earn the recognition are Aviation Consultants Inc. of San Luis Obispo, Calif.; International Group, LLC of Penn Yan, N.Y.; and Pinnacle Air Charter of Scottsdale, Ariz. They join seven other operators that have completed the IAS audit and achieved registry status. The ACSF audit program is a general industry standard that various industry auditors use in their evaluation of operators.
Jet Aviation is establishing a line maintenance and aircraft-on-ground (AOG) service operation at the Le Bourget Business Aviation Airport near Paris under a new agreement with Universal Aviation France SARL. The facility, which is awaiting European Aviation Safety Agency approval, is expected to be fully operational in May. Jet Aviation will provide line maintenance, small inspection and AOG support for various aircraft types, including Airbus, Boeing Business Jets, Bombardier and Gulfstream.
Garmin plans to bring synthetic vision technology to light-sport aircraft with the addition of its SVX synthetic vision in the Garmin G300 and G3X platforms. The SVX will illustrate a three-dimensional depiction of terrain, obstacles, runway designations and airport signposts on the primary flight display of the G300/G3X. The G300 is the glass cockpit installed on the Cessna 162 Skycatcher two-place, single-engine piston. The G300 uses either a split-screen primary and multifunction display or two full-screen displays.
BOMBARDIER Regional Jet Series 100, 440 700, 701, 702, 705 and 900 airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0375; Directorate Identifier 2010-NM-014-AD] – This proposal would require operators to check the air-driven generator (ADG) and replace the balance washer screws, if necessary, per the instructions of Bombardier Service Bulletins 601R-24-127, Rev. A (dated Feb. 25, 2010) and 670BA-24-026 (dated Oct. 23, 2009).
Jeppesen and Zurich-based Jet Aviation EMEA & Asia’s aircraft management division have signed a three-year, multiple service renewal agreement for navigation and operations services. Jeppesen services included in the deal are flight planning, electronic flight bag software, tailored digital and paper charting, NavData services and OpsData services. Jet Aviation manages a fleet of small to large business jets from its Zurich, Dubai and Hong Kong operational centers.
DARBY AVIATION, the Muscle Shoals, Ala., operator that temporarily lost its certificate after a Challenger 600 runway overrun at Teterboro Airport, is facing another emergency order of suspension.
Fokker Services’ Remarketing Support Center has won a contract to remarket two Fokker 70s that have been operated as corporate shuttle aircraft. Both aircraft are configured with 48 business class seats and have a range of more than 2,150 nm. Fokker says the target markets for the aircraft include corporate shuttle to full airliner with up to 80 seats. Both aircraft have flown less than 11,000 hours, have had recent “D checks” and inspections on the Rolls-Royce Tay 620 engines, and have always been maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s maintenance program.
CESSNA Citation X airplanes [Docket No. FAA-2010-0380; Directorate Identifier 2009-NM-009-AD] – This proposed AD, which would supersede an existing directive (AD 2006-23-05), would require operators to inspect the inboard-hinge brackets of the left and right elevators for cracking and conduct related investigative and corrective actions, if necessary.
The general aviation industry must take the lead in reducing its impact on the environment before government steps in and imposes restrictive or harmful policy, Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack Pelton warns. Pelton made his remarks Wednesday as he was honored with the 2010 Lindbergh Award, presented annually to individuals who have made significant contributions toward Charles Lindbergh’s concept of balancing technology and nature.
While conditions in the business jet market have improved in recent months, new data continues to point to an uneven recovery, JP Morgan reports. After falling 200 basis points (bps) from the July 2009 peak by year’s end, used inventories remained in the mid-12% range in March, consistent with where they have been all year, writes analyst Joseph Nadol in April’s Business Jet Monthly. “Prices were down sequentially again, and flight operations were flat on a seasonally adjusted basis, 23% below the May 2007 high,” he says.
The National Business Aviation Association’s 25th annual Maintenance Management Conference this month in San Diego drew 350 participants, its highest attendance yet. Participation was up 16% from last year’s total of 292 attendees. The number of exhibitors increased 30% to 83 at this year’s event.
