The National Business Aviation Association has set three regional forums for 2015, beginning Feb. 19 in West Palm Beach, Fla. That event will take place at Atlantic Aviation at Palm Beach International with support from GAMA Aviation and Signature Flight Support. Other events are scheduled for June 25 at Landmark Aviation in Teterboro, N.J. and Sept. 17 at Jet Aviation at St. Louis Downtown Airport in East St. Louis, Ill.
Bell made the first Model 429 Wheeled Landing Gear (WLG) sale in Europe and the aircraft will also be outfitted with the first Bell 429 MAGnificent luxury cabin interior created by Italy-based Mecaer Aviation Groug (MAG). The Bell 429 is the first helicopter certified through the MSG-3 process, resulting in reduced maintenance costs for operators.
German investigators probing the crash of a military-chartered Learjet 35A have found that the aircraft banked into one of two German air force Eurofighter Typhoons that were escorting it over Germany. In its interim report, published Sept. 23, the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation said the 28-year-old Learjet, operated by Airbus Group-owned Gesellschaft Flugzieldarstellung GmbH (GFD), was being escorted by the Typhoons as part of an interception exercise.
The International Registry of Mobile Assets (IRMA), an online business that was founded in 2006 under the Cape Town Convention and Protocol of 2001, has surpassed 500,000 registrations covering 110,000 aircraft “objects” valued at more than $500 billion (U.S.). The registry is averaging 7,000 registrations a month, 68% of which are en
Rockwell Collins recently demonstrated its Pro Line Fusion for use as a ground control station and airborne avionics for unmanned aerial system applications. The demonstration expands the work for the avionics suite, which has been selected for 17 military, rotary wing and business jet and turboprop flight decks. Most recently Pro Line Fusion was selected for AVIC’s MA-700 regional aircraft.
Cessna’s Citation Latitude is getting another performance boost after flight trials demonstrated that the aircraft can fly farther and take off from shorter runways than promised. Cessna is changing its specifications to boost long-range maximum cruise to 2,700 nm, 200 nm more than previously promised. Takeoff distance is also now projected at 3,668 ft., compared with the previous 4,030 ft. The improved parameters mark the third performance bump that Cessna is giving the Latitude.
Surf Air will receive the first of up to 65 Pilatus PC-12NG single-turboprop aircraft in this month. The California-based operator in August placed firm orders for 15 of the Pilatus aircraft and options for another 50 in a deal valued at up to $312 million. Surf Air began operations in 2013 with three used PC-12s, offering unlimited flights to members for a $1,000 fixed fee and then $1,750 monthly charges.
Gulfstream Aerospace’s new G500, which rolled out before an audience of 3,000 under its own power Oct. 14 alongside the mockup of the G600, is already capturing significant orders and options. Fractional ownership provider Flexjet, in a major departure from its all-Bombardier fleet, is turning to rival Gulfstream to launch Gulfstream’s all-new G500 aircraft. The Flexjet deal includes 22 firm orders — 10 450s and six apiece of the 500 and 650. Delivery of the 450s will begin in 2015, followed by the 650 in 2016.
NetNearU, a ViaSat Inc. company, has joined the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA). The aim of the WBA, together with its over 100 members, is to secure an outstanding user experience through the global deployment of next generation Wi-Fi. “Joining the WBA furthers our ability to collaborate with our partners and customers in the industry.
Cessna has shipped the first two of three Grand Caravan EX Amphibian aircraft to Hai Au Aviation in Vietnam. The third aircraft is to be delivered later this year. The aircraft are the first of the Grand Caravan EX Amphibians to be operated in Vietnam. The aircraft are configured to seat up to 12 passengers for a range of missions, including scenic flights, transport and customized flights.
Garmin has received approval for its angle of attack (AOA) system for a range of general aviation aircraft. Garmin has begun shipment of the systems, which comprise a GI 260 AOA indicator, GAP 26 angle of attack probe and GSU 25 air data computer. The GI 260 AOA indicator provides audible and visual alerts as the aircraft approach stall angle of attack. The system corrects for weight, g-loading, density altitude and airspeed, providing a higher level of accuracy than lift reserve indicators. The system is priced beginning at $1,499.
RUAG Aviation has performed an avionics modification on an Airbus Helicopter AS350 B3e that provides significant advantages over the original avionics system, according to the company. Modifications include the integration of a Garmin G500H Electronic Flight Display and an L3 ESI-2000 Standby Indicator and a Garmin GTN650 Nav/Com Dual Installation. RUAG also installed an Avidyne TAS605 and a Cobham HeliSAS autopilot and a Freeflight RA4000 radar altimeter. Whelen LED strobe lights were installed on the fuselage.
Piper Aircraft recently secured Civil Aviation Administration of China approval for its M-Class line, including the Piper Meridian single turboprop and the high performance single pistons Mirage and Matrix, clearing the way for the company to build a presence in the growing Chinese general aviation market. The approval comes as Piper in recent years has focused on international expansion of its products, lining up dealers globally, including several in China.
Cirrus Aircraft has begun offering its Performance Braking System for operators of Generation 3 and newer aircraft from Cirrus Direct, the company owned parts distribution system. The high-performance, single-caliper brake system uses tubeless tires and redesigned wheel fairings to improve reliability and performance. The system is standard on new SR22T, SR22 and SR20 models. Cirrus is additionally developing the upgrade for earlier model aircraft. The system is priced at $15,300 for Generation 3 and newer models.
Safe Flight Instrument Corporation introduced its new Icing Conditions Detector (ICD) available for all aircraft types. Ice accretion is a serious hazard to all aircraft. Even miniscule amounts of frost, snow, ice or slush on the aerodynamic and/or control surfaces of the aircraft can cause significant loss in lift and flight control.
I was an unmanned aircraft expert until I turned 16. Up until then, I built squadrons of balsa and tissue control-line airplanes and competed with them. But then I soloed in a Cessna 150, discovered girls and forgot about toy airplanes.
What is the one aircraft system pilots seem to know the least about? During my book research; following presentations at gatherings sponsored by the NBAA, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the Flight Safety Foundation; and after countless conversations with fellow pilots, I’ve come to the conclusion it’s the one activated by the small switch labeled “ELT-ON.”
One common trait among maintainers is a strong curiosity about how things work. Many of us were inquisitive children who would take apart just about anything our hands could hold. Nothing mechanical could escape our exploration. With more practice, we put them back together without our parent’s knowledge. The ability to understand how things work and how to repair them creates a unique kind of satisfaction that the unknowing masses can never really appreciate. It becomes a part of our makeup, rather than just something that we do.
There are times when you may be forced into a situation where you need to repair a part, but the manufacturer might no longer be in business or support the thing that needs fixing. In such cases, you can develop your own repairs, using acceptable data and good shop practices, but you will need to get approval. To learn how to do this, see FAA Order 8110.54a — Instructions for Continued Airworthiness Responsibilities, Requirements and Contents. Go to www.faa.gov and search for 8110.54a.
Until recently, search and rescue efforts for downed aircraft were keyed to emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signals on 121.5 MHz and 243.0 MHz, the civilian and military emergency frequencies, respectively. ELTs are designed to activate automatically by the g forces experienced in a crash. The frequencies were monitored by orbiting satellites and ground-based mission control centers.
The entry-level light jet market is awash in inventory and the flood isn’t going to recede anytime soon. That creates some great bargains for used aircraft buyers. And one of the best buys out there is Embraer’s Phenom 100 because of its clean-sheet, low-drag airframe, space efficiency, operating economy and jetliner-like reliability.
This month we’re looking at the loss of a Beech 1900C that crashed while setting up for an approach at Dillingham, Alaska, Airport (DLG). Both pilots were killed when the airplane crashed into rising terrain about 10 mi. east of Aleknagik, Alaska.
What is the most-complex system on your aircraft? Which system is the most error-prone? If you are flying an airplane built in the last 40 years or so, chances are the answer to both questions is the same: the pilot.
