The General Aviation Manufacturers Association has elected Boeing Business Jets President Steve Taylor as its 2014 chairman. In addition, Hartzell Propeller President Joe Brown becomes vice chairman and will continue serving as chairman of the Policy and Legal Issues Committee. The board also elected Aviall President and CEO Ed Dolanski to chair the Environment Committee, John Uczekaj to chair the Flight Operations Committee and Piper Aircraft President and CEO Simon Caldicott to head the Safety and Accident Investigation Committee.
Innotech Aviation's engineering department has certified the installation of the Honeywell Aspire 200 satcom system on a Bombardier Challenger 604 aircraft. The ICG Iridium 120A has been interfaced with the Honeywell Aspire 200 system to provide telephony and Internet access. The ICG handsets can be used over both Iridium and Immarsat SwiftBroadband systems. The Aspire system has been interfaced through a high-gain satcom antenna to provide broadband connectivity of up to 432 Kbps. This system provides Wi-Fi connectivity in the cabin for a very low cost airborne solution.
Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer has been in Beijing, China, opening an office that will work to support trade opportunities for the U.S. city's aviation industry. “There are a lot of opportunities for us to be able to sell a lot of planes in China,” Brewer said. “We need to be in the game of international trade, and this trip reflects our dedication to helping Wichita companies expand their export opportunities.” The Beijing office is a pilot project initially budgeted at $300,000-$500,000 and funded by private sponsors.
MedAire has launched its free MedAire Trip Ready iPad app that provides business aviation crews with information enabling them to assess and mitigate travel and safety risks for flights. It displays content based on a user's destinations and upcoming itineraries. Depending on the user's MedAire membership level, pilots and flight departments can see medical and travel risk ratings, local time, current weather and NOTAMs for each destination, along with security and travel information, including a calendar of holidays and events that may affect a mission.
Beechcraft, Wichita, named John Kearns regional sales director for the Central and West Texas region. Kearns formerly spent 15 years with Tulsa Beechcraft and is a former Beechcraft sales distributor in Tulsa. Patrick O'Connell was named regional sales director for the Upper Midwest region. He served as a demonstration pilot for Beechcraft for the past 6 years.
Bombardier is increasing the maintenance intervals across all its business jet programs and, at the same time, is launching the Challenger 605 MAX upgrade program to improve reliability. The interval evolution is based on experience and “strictly on findings as we inspect the airplanes,” says Bombardier Customer Services Vice President Andy Nureddin. The changes to the maintenance programs and all associated documents will be applied to the Learjet 40, 45, Challenger 300, 604, 605 and Global programs.
Two-year-old CAEA Aviation of Beijing, exclusive distributor for mainland China, has signed a contract for up to 10 extended-range Piaggio P180 Avanti II turboprops. The first two aircraft will be delivered in 2014. The eight options are destined for SR Jet, a subsidiary of Beijing-based Sparkle Roll Investment Holdings LTD. Piaggio is fitting the aircraft with a removable 400-lb.-capacity auxiliary fuel tank that mounts on one side of the lavatory. The extra fuel extends four-passenger range by 210 nm.
According to business aviation consultant Brian Foley, the number of used jets up for sale is descending to normal levels, or about 15% of total fleet. He told delegates to SpeedNews “18th Annual Regional and Business Aviation Industry Suppliers Conference” conference held last month in Phoenix, Ariz., that the number of unsold new aircraft — i.e. “white tails” — is also down. Those facts, coupled with a steady rise in business jet operations around the world and a better global economy, should lead to greater business jet sales, he said.
Embraer Executive Jets President Ernest Edwards is planning to hand over the reins of the organization he helped build into one of the largest business jet manufacturers to longtime employee Marco Tulio Pellegrini. Edwards announced here that he was planning to retire at the end of the year and put his suitcases in a place where he wouldn't have to move them for a long time. Pellegrini currently is the senior vice president and COO for Executive Jets.
Dr. Perry Inhofe, the son of Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), was killed Nov. 10 when the Mitsubishi MU-2B-25 he was piloting crashed on approach to Tulsa, Okla., International Airport. The 52-year-old orthopedic surgeon was the only person aboard. The aircraft, which Dr. Inhofe had recently acquired, was en route from Salina, Kan., when the accident occurred. Weather was not believed to be a factor. However, initial reports indicated the aircraft lost an engine in flight, and NTSB did find the left engine propeller in the feathered position.
2002—Steven F. Santo, an attorney, pilot and former prosecutor, conceives Avantair, a fractional aircraft ownership program based solely on the Piaggio P180 Avanti turboprop. Service launches following year. 2005 – Having moved from New Jersey to Clearwater, Fla., Avantair operates 16 Avantis for 100 shareowners and announces plans to add another 20 aircraft within a year. The publicly traded firm adds charter card program. 2008 — Employs some 400 people; takes delivery of its 50th P180; announces 58 more Avanti IIs on order.
Piaggio investors Tata Group and Mubadala Development Co. have increased their shares in the Italian airframer to 44.5 % and 41%, respectively. Ferrari's stake in down to 2%, while HDI, a hedge fund, holds the balance. Piero Ferrari, part of the team that saved Piaggio from bankruptcy in 1998, remains chairman of the company. Piaggio CEO Alberto Galassi says the investment supports Piaggio's plans to diversify into new markets such as the unmanned and surveillance aircraft.
Constant Aviation, Cleveland, Ohio, announced the John Wasmund has joined the company as avionics sales manager. Lance Lajara was named regional sales manager responsible for selling maintenance, avionics, interior modifications/refurbishments, arts and composite/accessory services for customers based in the Central U.S.
You could almost hear a collective gulp within the business aviation community last August when a U.S. Bankruptcy Court ordered Chapter 7 liquidation of Avantair, the Clearwater, Fla.-based fractional aircraft ownership program.
Becker Avionics introduced its DVC6100 digital Voice Communication System for business and commuter aircraft — particularly the Beechcraft King Air 200 and 350 series. It provides flight phone service, intercom and cabin/passenger address capabilities and is offered as a retrofit or upgrade by several completion centers. The DVC6100 includes microphone/oxygen mask switching, audio output for CVR/DVR recording, flight crew satphone over headsets, and chime and warning tone generation.
APG Avionics and Sandel have announced an agreement for APG Avionics to install more than 30 units of Sandel's HeliTAWS on helicopters being flown for the United Nations. Effective Dec. 1, 2013, the U.N. mandated all helicopters flying under its flag to install helicopter terrain awareness and ground-proximity warning systems. In order for these Russian Mi-8 helicopters to comply, they must be equipped with the Sandel ST3400H. APG will provide installations for the systems by year-end.
International Bureau of Aviation, Surrey, U.K., announced that Ken Sewell has joined the group as head of Aircraft Transactions responsible for aircraft remarketing and associated transaction management across IBA's managed portfolio.
Signature Flight Support says it's the exclusive FBO launch partner for Aircell's Gogo Cloud, permitting a complete and automatic update of inflight entertainment content, “all without any intervention from the flight crew.” Orlando, Dulles and Las Vegas are already equipped, “and approximately 15 key business and resort Signature locations are expected to be live by the end of 2014,” Signature said. “We are continually introducing exclusive technology and innovation,” said Signature Flight Support President and COO Maria Sastre.
True Blue Power, Wichita, Kan., is determined to reverse all the bad press surrounding lithium-ion batteries with its new low-weight, high-power-density technology for general and business aviation. “Every pound is worth a lot,” says Todd Winter, True Blue Power's president and CEO. A division of the Mid-Continent Instrument Co., True Blue is offering two main battery options to fixed- and rotary-wing turbine operators.
BizJet International, a Tulsa, Okla.-based subsidiary of Lufthansa Technik, was to begin work this month on a Boeing Business Jet completion, its second for a Chinese customer. Earlier it delivered its a BBJ to Chinese Nanshan Group — the first private BBJ delivered to the Chinese market. Meanwhile, in Germany, the parent firm will shortly finalize its cabin installation work on two VIP completion projects from undisclosed customers in its Hamburg hangars.
Luma Technologies, Bellevue, Wash., introduced new Luma Tech LED products for King Airs and Beechjet 400s, including annunciator panels and a master caution system. The annunciator panels for the King Air family include a 45-stations variant tailored to the C90A and such newer models as the C90GT, C90GTI and C90GTx, Luma says. The new unit is designated LT-4545 and is a one-for-one drop-in replacement for the existing incandescent annunciators.
EQ-1 Wireless Communications, Spokane Wash., now has available the EQ-Reverse Link wireless system, which is comprised of two modules. The Reverse Link module is designed to accept input from conventional wired general aviation headset apparatus (either 2-plug GA style of single-plug helicopter style). The module is worn on the user's person and makes a wireless connection with the EQ-Link module that is plugged into the aircraft's intercom system. The system uses 2.4 Ghz TDMA protocol wireless technology instead of Bluetooth technology.
Even though an aircraft is just a collection of metal parts (and composites these days), pilots and maintenance technicians often form a close bond to their machine. During World War II, pilots and aircrews would name their aircraft and personalize them with nose art. Some gave their airplane names to remind them of loved ones back home, while others gave them unique monikers to represent the machines' unique personality.
Colt International's online flight planning (OFP) is a “one-stop shop for all your flight planning needs,” according to the company. OFP allows operators to file domestic flight plans for free; click, drag and drop to build graphical routes; build itineraries; secure regulatory requirements; ensure trip quality with visual display of trip tasks; and modify trip details.
China business aviation insiders are seeing a slowdown in the pace of growth there, driven by tremors in the economy but also by the recent change in government. Nextant Aerospace's China business development director, Jing Wei, notes that the new administration of Xi Jinping has promoted a policy of austerity that has left many previous aircraft charter customers less willing — and able — to hire private aircraft.
