RUAG Aviation recently completed the first upgrade in Europe of a Falcon 2000 with Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics replacing the aircraft’s Pro Line 4 cockpit. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and FAA-approved upgrade is also available for the Falcon 2000EX. RUAG carried out the upgrade at its Lugano, Switzerland, facility during a 3C inspection, which was itself the first performed at that location.
‘FOB Only’ I liked your Viewpoint on TFRs (“Temporary Abuse,” October 2014). We all have to pay the price for someone to have a fundraiser!!? You left out the additional costs to fly to, land and take off from a gateway airport. The extra gas, landing fees, cycles on the gear, duty day issues.
Louis Chenevert, the architect of the biggest aerospace and defense (A&D) acquisition ever and a driving force behind Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan (GTF) engine, has stepped down as chairman and CEO of United Technologies Corp. (UTC). Gregory J. Hayes, UTC’s chief financial officer, is replacing him as CEO. Edward A. Kangas, a member of UTC’s board, will become non-executive chairman. In an announcement before the stock market opened Nov.
Concerned that the air taxi sector accounted for 65% of all commercial aviation fatalities over the past 10 years, the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada is planning an in-depth “Safety Issues Investigation” on those operations. Announced last week by TSB Chairman Kathy Fox, the study is set to begin in early 2015, and will cover historical data and case studies in Canada as well as accidents and incidents in other countries.
Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) will invest more than $1 billion in research and development over the next 4 1/2 years to develop the next generation of high-performance aircraft engines, the company announced in early December. The investment includes a $300 million repayable contribution from the government of Canada under the Strategic Aerospace and Defense Initiative program.
For as little as $5 million, you can buy a IAI Galaxy/Gulfstream G200. It’s the original super-midsize business jet, able to fly eight passengers 3,200 nm and land with NBAA IFR reserves. The aircraft has nearly GII cabin dimensions, albeit with a shallow dropped aisle, but it has close to midsize jet fuel consumption and direct operating costs.
Cessna’s grand plans for China have been scaled back considerably from those outlined at signing ceremonies with AVIC two years ago. But progress has been made: the first Cessna Caravan utility aircraft has been delivered from one joint venture; the first two Citation XLS+ business jets delivered from a second JV, based at Zhuhai, to Zhongheng Air Lines. The XLS+ aircraft were built, completed and licensed in Wichita, then flown to Zhuhai.
Fokker Services, part of Fokker Technologies, has been selected by Boeing to carry out a green completion of a 737-800 for an undisclosed Asian head of state. The aircraft is scheduled to arrive at Fokker Services Netherlands in October 2015, with a scheduled redelivery in August 2016. The company is currently working on completion of a green ACJ319 for an undisclosed customer, for delivery in the first quarter of 2015. Its previous VIP conversions include Airbus A318, A319 and A320 aircraft, as well as Bombardier CRJ series and Fokker aircraft.
Airbus has started selling off its share of French combat aircraft and business jet manufacturer Dassault Aviation. The company sold 4% of its share in Dassault back to its majority holder GIMD (Groupement Industriel Marcel Dassault) after trading in Paris closed on Nov. 28. The deal raised €794 million ($987 million) with the share valued at €980 per share, roughly a 9.2% discount over the last trading price of the day, according to Dassault.
Vincent Tchengang, formerly Airbus regional sales director covering airlines in Africa and the Indian Ocean, has joined the Airbus Corporate Jet Center (ACJC) as its new head of services sales. He will manage a team of sales directors dedicated to VIP services marketing worldwide.
Cirrus added a second conforming-prototype Vision SF50 personal jet to the flight test program as the company progresses toward certification and delivery in late 2015. The second prototype, C1, first flew on Nov. 25 from Duluth, Minnesota. The flight occurred as the company was in the final stages of adding a third aircraft to the flight test program. The initial proof-of-concept single-jet Vision SF250 flew in July 2008, but the program gained momentum after Caiga, the general aviation manufacturing subsidiary of China’s AVIC, acquired Cirrus in 2011.
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the 2nd Super Puma AS332 C1e to the Bolivian Air Force (FAB). At the end of 2013, the FAB purchased six of these light-medium helicopters to fight drug trafficking and perform civil security and public service missions throughout the country. The first helicopter was delivered in August of this year and the four remaining helicopters will be delivered between now and 2016.
Piaggio’s latest version of the Avanti turboprop twin, the EVO, was awarded European certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Dec. 9. U.S. certification from the FAA is expected within the next few weeks as well as Indian certification as the first two Avanti EVO aircraft will be delivered to Indian customers. The EVO has a number of significant modifications that boost efficiency, reduce operating costs, provide greater levels of comfort for passengers, and reduce internal and external noise.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) may not restrict Stage 3 aircraft from departing to the east, or over the city, during overnight hours, FAA ruled. FAA, in a decision dated Nov. 7, denied the airport’s Part 161 application seeking permission to impose the restrictions. FAA found the restrictions would create undue hardship on airlines in the overnight hours and were not legal under the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990. According to the filing, FAA had concerns that LAX’s application was both unreasonable and arbitrary.
Chinese companies are steadily adding to their portfolio of Western general aviation manufacturers ahead of the anticipated boom that will follow the opening of low-level airspace there. Two little-known acquisitions came to light at last month’s Airshow China in Zhuhai:
FAA is proposing a $160,000 civil penalty against aviation spare parts, support services and inventory products provider Parker Aerospace of Irvine, California. The agency alleges the facility violated drug and alcohol testing regulations, hiring two people for safety-sensitive positions before conducting pre-employment drug tests and receiving results. FAA further claims the company transferred an employee into a safety-sensitive position before conducting drug tests and receiving results. Parker has until late December to respond to the allegations.
Honeywell Aerospace scored two firsts for the region at the recent Middle East Business Aviation show in Dubai when it signed up construction and management giant Saudi Oger as the launch customer in the region for its Boeing Business Jet avionics maintenance plan, and an unnamed launch customer for its BBJ 131-9B auxiliary power unit maintenance plan. It also appointed Arab-owned, U.S.-based GDC Technics to retrofit its JetWave satellite communications system in Airbus and Boeing VIP aircraft.
Rectrix Aviation opened a new flagship FBO at Hanscom Field Airport (KBED) in Bedford, Massachusetts. The opening culminates a two-year effort to develop the new facility that will also house the company’s headquarters. The new FBO includes 60,000 sq. ft. of hangar space and 20,000 sq. ft. of guest and office space, including a lobby, conference and meeting rooms, pilots’ lounge, snooze room and flight planning center.
Surf Air, the all-you-can-fly startup airline operating within California, hopes to launch similar operations in Texas and Florida within the next year, and wants to eventually begin near-hourly service between the San Francisco and Los Angeles areas, executives said in interviews. The airline, run by former Frontier Airlines CEO Jeff Potter, placed a firm order in August for 15 Pilatus PC-12 aircraft with 50 options. The first arrived last month, giving Surf Air a fleet of four aircraft, each with eight seats.
