Blu Halkin has become the fifth AOC-based operator at Cambridge International Airport, U.K., when it celebrated its maiden flight from Cambridge to Milan with its Citation CJ3 (G-PAOL). Blu Halkin's second base is in Northern Italy, and selected Cambridge because of its maintenance expertise and ground handling capabilities.
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.
Kenn Ricci is further cementing his status as a business aviation mogul with the acquisition of the Flexjet fractional aircraft operation from Bombardier. The $185 million deal, announced Sept. 5, includes a commitment to place orders and options for up to 245 Bombardier business aircraft valued at $5.2 billion. The sale, subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions, is expected to close by year's end. Directional Aviation Capital, the entity acquiring Flexjet, is headed by Ricci, an attorney and former charter pilot who founded Flight Options in 1998.
This past summer, the general aviation community welcomed the fact that the House GA Caucus had reached 200 members, making it one of the largest caucuses in the chamber. Its Senate counterpart also had grown in numbers, encompassing 35 members. Such strength is good news because the caucuses have played instrumental roles in key issues affecting the industry including debates on user fees, contract towers, air tour restrictions and other contentious matters, one of the most notable being the protection of general aviation privacy.
StandardAero secured a three-year agreement to provide Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A engine maintenance, repair and overhaul services for RainAir Aircraft Services. Under the agreement, StandardAero will be the exclusive engine service provider for RainAir, which is based at Albertville Regional Airport in Alabama. StandardAero's facility will perform line and heavy maintenance engine work up to hot section inspection at its Maryville, Tenn., facility and engine overhauls at its Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada shop.
Gulfstream Aerospace has seen its Russia-based business-jet fleet grow more than six fold in the last six years, according to an announcement made by Gulfstream President Larry Flynn at the recent Jet Expo in Moscow. There are now 53 customer-operated aircraft in Russia and a combined 76 in Russia and the CIS. In 2007, those numbers were eight and 11, respectively. To support the fleet in Russia and the CIS, Gulfstream has more than $120 million in parts and materials inventory at Luton, Madrid and Basel.
Ac-U-Kwik has developed an airport and FBO iPad app. Data available in the “Corporate Pilot's Airport/FBO Directory for North America and International” includes complete information on FBOs and fuel services, selective maintenance, catering, ground transportation, airport diagrams, clearance procedures, weather forecasts and updates, distance calculator and geo-referenced mapping. You can bookmark airport and make notes. For more information, go to: acukwik.com/ipad
Being a high-performance, true eight- to 10-passenger business turboprop aircraft with a refined cabin environment, the King Air 350i has no direct competitors. The sleek Piaggio P180 Avanti II is higher-performance turboprop, but comfortably seats four or five, and up to eight in a pinch, but only five with full fuel. So, the 350i is really in its own niche.
Flight Display Systems Glare Shield Camera is a high-definition, 1080p camera that mounts in the cockpit and provide passengers with an opportunity to observe taxi, takeoff and landing. Specifications include: standard 28 volt power; digital signal processor; removable ¼ - 20 mounting bracket and capable of low-light and glare shield applications. (Product Part Number: FS600CAM-3) Flight Display Systems Alpharetta, Ga. www.flightdisplay.com
While the final report on the loss of Aero Commander N690SM had not been released at this writing, it is certain to make mention of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents. These are incidents in which a properly functioning aircraft is flown under the control of a qualified pilot into terrain (water or obstacles) with inadequate awareness on the part of the pilot of the impending collision.
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.
FlightSafety International has installed a Level D Citation XLS+ simulator with a Collins Pro Line 21 suite at its Orlando, Fla., training center. The facility now provides training for the full Citation XL series. Meanwhile,the company added Citation CJ2+ training with a dedicated simulator at its San Antonio, Tex., center, along with a new Level D Cessna Caravan simulator equipped with Garmin G600 suite at its Cessna Learning Center in Wichita.
The market adage, “Don't try to catch the falling knife,” was born of hard experience. But in the used aircraft world, the knife seems to have finally hit the floor, and buyers are gradually emerging from the shadows of recession. There is no doubt that buyers and sellers are wary now, but are they smarter?
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.
ProJet Aviation will host the eight annual Aviation Education and Career Expo on Oct. 25 at the ProJet corporate hangar on the Leesburg Executive Airport. The event is attended by more than 500 students, educators and parents who will interact with more than 40 aviation vendors. It's free to attendees and features speakers, videos and demonstrations that will showcase the variety of career opportunities in aviation. Speakers include Jamail Larkins (right), pilot and entrepreneur; Lt. Meagan Flannigan who has accumulated over 1,250 hr. flying F-14Ds, and F/A-18s; and Capt.
Rockwell Collins' $1.39 billion buy of Arinc from the Carlyle Group gives the avionics maker its own end-to-end ground-to-cockpit communications link, a connection that is fundamental to the FAA's NextGen air traffic management system. The deal, announced in August, was expected close quickly.
While U.S. flight operations have remained flat in recent years, European operations are continuing to slide year over year, particularly in the western countries, according to the latest figures by Eurocontrol. Operations have climbed throughout the year in Europe, but when compared with the previous year's levels, traffic is down across the board. And 2012 levels were down from 2011. In July, the number of arrivals in Europe was 3% fewer. Departures were down 2.2%, internal flights within Europe were off 2.8% and overflights through Europe were down 3.3%.
FltPlan.com has completely redesigned its website. The updated design features all of the same tools such as weather/notams, airports and FBOs, area fuel prices, nearby airport, quick-trip information, digital charts, and aircraft tracing in a more organized and easily accessible presentation. This is the first major redesign of FltPlan.com since the company started 14 years ago. FltPlan.com Southbury, Conn.
Duncan Aviation, Lincoln, Neb., appointed Joe Lacorte regional manger for the southeast region. Before joining Duncan, he served as a field representative for both GE Aircraft Engine Group and Pratt & Whitney Canada.
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.
JETS, part of Germany's 328 Group, is now an authorized Service Center for Dassault Aviation. They will undertake line maintenance on the Falcon 900 and 2000 at its expanding London Biggin Hill MRO facility and also support the company's European network. The company employs around 30 licensed engineers at Biggin and is actively recruiting for more to complement its MRO activity at Bournemouth Airport.
AOPA, Frederick, Md., announced that Mark Baker is the new president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. He replaces Craig Fuller, who has led the organization for the last five years.
