AW&ST: What challenges have been presented by your fleet growth? Hockin: In a short space of time, Virgin Australia has gone from operating just Boeing 737s to also operating Embraer 190s, Airbus A330s and 777-300ERs. The challenge has been around having a far more varied fleet rather than just a larger fleet. What are your heavy maintenance arrangements in Australia?

FAA is scaling back its long-term general aviation outlook, but still forecasting brisk industry growth that will be driven by higher corporate profits and increased worldwide gross domestic product.

Scott’s – Bell 47 (SB47), a Minnesota-based upgrade and modification specialist, has launched a program to restart production of an all-new variant of the venerable Bell 47 light utility helicopter.

Cessna continues to progress on its plan to bring six new or updated aircraft to market this year, rolling out the new Citation Sovereign and completing the first flight of a production TTx single-piston aircraft. The Sovereign, which sports new avionics and winglets similar to the new Citation X, comes off the assembly line just four months after Cessna unveiled the follow-on business jet at the National Business Aviation Association’s annual meeting and convention in Orlando, Fla. last fall.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association is launching a search for a new president and CEO following the decision of Craig Fuller to step down from the office he has held since January 2009. Fuller, who had succeeded longtime president Phil Boyer, is only the fourth president at AOPA since the association’s inception 75 years ago.

New FAA guidance is providing Part 121, 135 and 91K operators an alternate means to demonstrate compliance with initial training requirements for their contract instructors and check airmen. The guidance, effective last month, was released after the agency met with industry groups, which were concerned that the training requirements were forcing some Part 142 training centers to pull authorizations of their inspectors and check airman.

Diamond Aircraft continues to struggle with the ongoing general aviation market malaise, temporarily laying off the majority of its workforce at its London, Ontario-based operation and suspending development of the D-Jet single-jet program. The company cites “continuing low piston aircraft sales, especially in the North American market, and the significant burden of its cost-intensive D-Jet development program” for the latest actions.

FAA has no plans to address Part 135 flight and duty time regulations any time soon, but when it does, the agency will draw upon recommendations of the industry/FAA Part 125/135 Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC), a senior regulator reassured charter operator executives.