Distractions in the cockpit can have terrible consequences. There are times when pilots can be oversaturated with tasks, alerts and confusing information. There are also times when a flight is so boring that there is a strong temptation to pull out the tablet and lose focus on job number one: flying the aircraft. To help pilots learn about such dangers, the FAA has published an advisory on recognizing and managing cockpit distractions.
TAG Farnborough Airport, Farnborough, U.K., has been awarded Airport Carbon Accreditation at the “Optimization” level, recognizing a reduction in carbon emission under the airport's direct control between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2012.
I provide supplemental pilot services on Gulfstream IV and V aircraft through May Hill Inc., a Connecticut-based C-Corp. In doing so, along with all the other necessary things involved in providing these services, I must go to recurrent training once per year for each of the two types of aircraft that I operate. As both the owner and the working man (I pay for my training), I feel that the training requirements under FAR Part 91 versus Part 135, as well as the content and the methods used, can certainly use a recasting.
Flt.plan.com reports the highest number of monthly flight plans and weather briefings created in company history: 460,193 flight plans and 452,000 weather briefings for the month of August. The company saw a 3.3% increase in flight plans created for jets over August 2012, and a 3.8% increase for piston aircraft flight plans created over the same period in 2012. Helicopter flight plans rose 53% from a year ago.
GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems has joined the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, raising the trade association's total membership to 84. The unit is a division of GKN Aerospace, one of the world's largest independent first-tier suppliers to the global aviation industry with over 100 years of aerospace experience and 12,000 employees in more than 35 facilities worldwide. GKN Aerospace Transparency Systems designs and manufactures glass, acrylic and polycarbonate transparency systems and tests and certifies cockpit and passenger windows.
I have been delinquent in writing about some previous columns. So here goes. 1. Regarding Mrs. Garvey and “Bitchin Betty” in “She Knows Her Way Around” (Viewpoint, February 2008) software engineers are notorious for getting things past marketing. Some of the working phraseology such as calculating, re-calculating, etc., can be wholly explained by watching re-runs of “Star Trek” such as when Kirk and Spock ask the computer to do things like calculating the warp effect if they do a gravity assist from the binary star system Zoerk 7.
ANA Holdings, the parent company of Japanese carrier All Nippon Airways, has purchased Pan Am International Flight Academy and plans to expand training offerings in Asia with its purchase of the Miami, Fla.-based operation. Pan Am provides training to airlines and individuals worldwide through simulation and other training services.
In September, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) gave medals to Brian Bosman and Brandt Hershman, the Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives and Senate leader, respectively, for leading the repeal of the state's aircraft gas tax — good for about 40 cents per gallon — as well as a 7% tax on aircraft parts and labor.
Retrix Aviation has begun construction on the company's new FBO at Worcester Regional Airport in Massachusetts. The new Worcester facility is one of two FBOs that the Retrix will be constructing as a result of a multi-million dollar contract awarded by Massport. The other facility will be at Hanscom Field, and combined, they will create almost 100 new jobs and will be large enough to accommodate business jets.
Kenneth E. Gazzola (President and CEO FlightLogix Inc. McLean, Va. )
Regarding “London's Light” (Viewpoint, July 2013, page 7), you may be half German, but it is your other half that enables you to spin such compelling yarns and repeatedly link them productively to aviation. But then again, aviation is the link to most everything and more and more business executives are realizing that. President and CEO FlightLogix Inc. McLean, Va.
The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is spearheading an appeal to FAA to either extend the Oct. 11 deadline for comments or withdraw altogether a proposed Airworthiness Directive (AD) calling for inspections and replacement of Engine Components Inc. (ECi) and Airmotive Engineering “Titan” cylinders found on 6,000 Continental 520 and 550 engines. Released Aug. 12, the AD would cost operators upward of $82.6 million and has generated hundreds of comments, mostly in opposition.
The aviation community lost two more exemplary members over the summer. Paul Poberezny, the founder of the Experimental Aircraft Association and the creator of the world's largest general aviation air show — AirVenture — passed away at the age of 91 from cancer in Oshkosh, Wis., on Aug. 22. And John Marino, who spent nearly four decades as a FlightSafety International executive at the organization's academy in Vero Beach, Fla., in China, and in Washington, D.C., died on Aug. 16 following a long battle with cancer. He was 65.
In August, Beechcraft and Wheels Up, a new members-only air transportation club, announced an agreement for the largest order for turboprop airplanes and services in general aviation history, a deal potentially worth $788 million for the acquisition of up to 105 King Air 350i aircraft along with another $600 million in nose-to-tail support services, including engine reserves, airframe and avionics maintenance, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, even consumables. The contract is for 35 firm aircraft orders plus options for another 70.
While the objective of the North Atlantic Data Link Mandate is safety, data link equipage is also the enabling technology for reduced lateral and longitudinal separation (RLongSM) programs that will be introduced in the immediate future in the North Atlantic Track System. As such, it is expected to facilitate increased capacity and offer operators more options for preferential flight levels and tracks. Here is a description of the separation reduction programs and phased introduction schedules:
Mike Ward (Award Aviation Consulting Deer Harbor, Wash. )
In reference to the Cave Creek helicopter crash review titled “Command Presence,” (Cause & Circumstance, June 2013, page 56), I totally support your points on command authority. In 24,000 hr. of flying, there have been many times where I have had to work to retain that authority even when it was unpleasant or politically incorrect to do so. The best contribution your article made was to provide an argument for the professional pilot the next time a similar situation occurs.
Surf Air, a fly-all-you-want membership airline, has begun operation in California serving three destinations with Pilatus PC-12s. Founded by brothers Wade and David Eyerly, the anti-airline sells memberships for $500 and then charges each cardholder $1,650 a month. For that investment members can ride Sur Air's three Pilatus singles as often as they like on the operations 16 daily flights linking Burbank, San Carlos near Palo Alto, and Santa Barbara. It plans to expand service to Monterey, Palm Springs, San Diego, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, and the Sonoma/Napa area as well.
Business aviation leaders are encouraged by an endorsement from transport ministers at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum of a set of core principles to foster business aviation in the region. The ministers, representing 21 economies, agreed to three core principles Sept. 5 during the forum.
If you want a solid indicator of where the economy is heading in the next few years, watch the private aviation industry. From the 1980s to today, economic data shows that when the private aviation and small aircraft manufacturing industries are doing well, so is the rest of the economy. If you want to get ahead of market trends, watch and see how much money banks are loaning the leaders of industry to finance corporate jets. The spending trend here is usually ahead of the rest of the market. Think of corporate jets as a high-end stimulus package.
Shadin Avionics now has TSO approval on the initial release of its flyTab Aircraft Interface Module (AIM), a data converter that integrates an iPad into the cockpit accessing real time flight data for iPad applications. The AIM was developed in collaboration with the Avionics & Systems Integration Group, as a part of the flyTab Class 2 Electronic Flight Bag announced in 2012. The current model provides an ARINC 429 interface for two iPads from a single unit. Shadin Avionics St. Louis Park, Minn.
The search is on for bad players in the Avantair bankruptcy. Beth Ann Sharrer, a court appointed trustee says she is “actively reviewing the debtor's books and records to determine whether the estate has any causes of action against the Officers or other directors and officers of the Debtor, including but not limited to claims for negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, or self-dealing.” She has also filed a notification that FAA has issued emergency orders of suspension of most of the Avantair fleet.
West Star Aviation, East Alton, Ill., announced that Cristian Byman has joined the company as technical sales manager-Avionics at the East Alton, Ill., facility. Craig Winterrowd has joined the company as as regional sales manager in California. Awards and Honors
In response to a request by Dassault Aviation, FAA is extending to Oct. 15 the comment period on a proposal to expand use of enhanced flight vision systems (EFVS) in place of natural vision during landing. The comment period was set to close Sept. 9. The proposal calls for permitting use of EFVS to continue descent from 100-ft. height above runway through touchdown on certain straight-in instrument approaches, including Category II and Category III approaches. The proposal would also permit the dispatch and approach when the destination airport is below minimums.
If you're willing to dig for it, one of the great troves of information regarding operations in Europe and the North Atlantic region is ICAO's Paris website, or more formally, “The European and North Atlantic Office [EUR/NAT] of ICAO.” It can be found at www.paris.icao.int/welcome/welcome.htm
