Odyssey Aeropsace. a VIP cabinetry specialist for Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Gulfstream business jets, reports that its facility in Denton, Texas, is in full production for a VVIP Boeing 747-8 interior. “It's the largest single program Odyssey's completed thus far,” says company President Trey Bryson.
Aircell announced that it has signed an agreement with P3 Voith Aerospace GmbH, Hamburg, Germany, to develop several new Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for the Aviator 200 inflight connectivity system in the European market. Under the program, Aircell will provide complete, no-cost STCs to operators installing an Aviator 200 system at an authorized Aircell dealer and activating a new SwiftBroadband service plan with Aircell. The company is seeking aircraft to be used as the certification platform for future STCs. Aircell
Gestair private Aviation, which has 10 FBOs in Spain, reports an investment of about EUR1.2 million to refurbish the old “Authorities Pavilion” at Madrid-Barajas and convert it into a modern FBO. The facility is 472 sq. meters (nearly 5,100 sq. ft.) including three VIP rooms for passengers and a fourth for crew, a passenger services office, a flight-planning area and a staff of 33. Gestair's FBOs handled 7,730 operations in 2012, up from 6,890 in 2011.
These charts list civil helicopters currently in production and certified. They are listed in ascending order of maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) to provide side-by-side comparison to aircraft of similar size. Manufacturer and Model This block includes the manufacturer's name and the aircraft's model name and technical designation.
SimCom Training Centers and Eclipse Aerospace, Inc. announced a new Avio IFMS-equipped, full-motion Eclipse twin-engine simulator that is ready for training at SimCom's Orlando, Fla., center. It is an FAA certified, Level D device. The Avio IFMS is the latest avionics configuration installed in Eclipse jets. SimCom Training Centers www.simulator.com Eclipse Aerospace www.eclipse.aero
BlackJet's app is available now in the iTunes App store. Members can book a seat on a private jet from their smartphone in seconds, according to BlackJet. The company's technology enables instant private jet seat booking and real time confirmations. The seat service is currently available in San Francisco, Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles and South Florida, with service to Chicago, Washington, D.C., Boston and Dallas, with Seattle coming soon. You must be a BlackJet member to use the service.
Beechcraft has delivered its 4,000th Model 36 Bonanza, pushing the entire fleet of Model 33, 35 and 36 Bonanzas to more than 18,000 aircraft. The 4,000th Model 36, a G36, was delivered to Segall Group, a retail brokerage firm based in Baltimore, Md. The company plans to use the six-seat piston single for site visits and client meetings for its real-estate deals in the mid-Atlantic region. The Bonanza line in Wichita, Kan., is the longest running in continuous production of any aircraft, spanning 66 years.
At the recent NBAA Regional Forum in White Plains, N.Y., the NBAA announced a new educational initiative to help the general aviation community understand the increasing importance of filing timely and accurate flight plans, and how doing so benefits those using general aviation aircraft as well as FAA aviation-system managers. Called “FileSmart,” the dedicated Internet microsite has three key areas of emphasis: file early, file accurately and check the NAS.
A year after Jet Aviation's completions woes had “blemished” an otherwise strong financial performance at parent company General Dynamics, Jet Aviation President Dan Clare says the business has put new systems and processes in place and that customers have been happy with the results. Jet shifted work from Zurich to Basel, implemented new processes and improved quality and production cycles. The also incorporated new practices based on lessons learned at their St. Louis facility.
Cessna is certainly working on injection to the inflection. Delivery of the new Citation Sovereign is expected in Q3 this year following FAA certification. Meanwhile, the upgraded Citation X should be in the market by yearend. The company reported the new M2 is sold out for 2013 with about a dozen slots open for 2014. Meanwhile, the midsize Citation Latitude and super midsize Citation Longitude, are also progressing with first flight of the former expected in early 2014 and the latter in mid-2016.
BaseOps International is celebrating its 25th anniversary by opening a new Singapore office. The company employs a global network of offices and partners offering a one-stop solution for flight planning requirements and is backed by World Fuel Services.
Speaking recently in New York, aviation consultant Rolland “Rollie” Vincent said the latest Jetnet iQ Global Business Aviation Survey forecast 9,300 business jets would be purchased over the next ten years.
Rockwell Collins Ascend Aircraft information Manager (AIM) secure data transfer system for Pro Line Fusion, Pro Line 21 and Pro Line 4 equipped aircraft is now available for the Cessna Citation XLS+. It was recently certified on an XLS+ owned by Michigan-based Avfuel after the installation by Duncan Aviation. AIM securely uploads flight-critical database updates and downloads maintenance information post-flight using Wi-Fi or cellular links.
The brooding, blarney and bluster that attend to my surname notwithstanding, the truth is that half my ancestry is German. You see, my given name derives from Wilhelm Gunther, my grandfather, who emigrated alone to the U.S. as a nearly penniless teenager and went on to achieve great success as a commercial printer and paragon of his community. He also loved sports, drove cars too fast, crashed boats with curious regularity and watched proudly but surely with an aching heart as his two sons donned uniforms of his new country and left to defend it from the old.
Satcom Direct is a value-added reseller for OnAir's GSM mobile phone service, Mobile OnAir, on VIP and business aircraft enabling passengers and crew to use their mobile phone the same way they do on the ground while flying in regions that authorize mobile phone use during flight — although not during takeoff or landing. Satcom Direct also signed an agreement with Honeywell to be a distribution partner for Inmarsat GX Aviation Ka-band service and a distributor of GX avionics equipment.
L-3 Aviation Recorders, Sarasota, Fla., announced the Ed Senen has been named the division's president responsible for managing the daily operations of the division. He reports to Kris Ganase, president. Senen succeeds Michael Smith, who is retiring after 15 yr. with the company.
Beechcraft's factory-owned Hawker Beechcraft Services facilities were authorized to install the CenTex Halo 250 gross-weigh increase modification for Beechcraft King Air 200 aircraft. The Halo 250 conversion adds 920 lb. of payload capacity through an increase in maximum takeoff weight from 12,500 lb. to 13,420 lb. Waco, Texas-based CenTex Aerospace developed the modification, which received FAA certification in October. The increase can be installed via a normal category supplemental type certificate (STC) or a commuter category STC.
Piaggio Aero has announced a reduced maintenance program for its P180 Avanti/II aircraft. The C and D check, due respectively at 1,500 and 3,000 flight hours, have been extended to 1,800 and 3,600 flight hours, respectively. These newly approved intervals allow the operator to match the airframe inspection schedule with that of the P&WC PT6-66A engines on the aircraft.
This year's European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) gave some hope for change in the generally grim economic atmosphere long settled over the continent. At the close of the May 21-23 gathering at Geneva's Palexpo exhibition center, the organizers tallied 12,353 attendees, a figure that's just 285 shy of the previous year's gathering and the third highest in the event's 13-year history. As for the sellers, there were 460 Exhibitors, or 31 fewer than in 2012, and out at the adjacent static display there were 52 aircraft.
Safe Flight Instrument Corp.'s Autopower automatic throttle system has been selected by Nextant for the 400XTi program. It will be a first in class, full-regime Automatic Throttle System and will provide IAS/Mach speed control from takeoff to landing phases of flight. The system provides increased safety by decreasing pilot workload allowing greater situational awareness. Stabilized speed target allows more consistent approaches. AutoPower increases range with studies showing a fuel savings average of 3%, according Safe Flight. Safe Flight Instrument Corp.
Christian von Strombeck ( Director of Operations, Susi Air Jakarta, Indonesia )
I am a long time reader of BCA and find it one of the most informative publications on the market. One of the highlights of the year is the May issue with the Purchase Planning Handbook, especially since it provides a very neutral benchmark to compare aircraft performance.
The FAA is formally soliciting industry to provide it with samples of unleaded fuels for testing as possible replacements to the 100LL avgas. The agency wants to assess the viability of candidate fuels in terms of impact upon the existing piston-engine fleet, production and distribution infrastructure, environment and toxicology, and economic considerations.
Sherwin-William Aerospace Coatings introduced a new Chrome Hazard Free Epoxy Primer (CM0483790) that is a high-performance, two-component, corrosion inhibitive epoxy primer. It provides outstanding sandability and provides Skydrol resistance in addition to excellent adhesion to treated substrates. This is one of the most flexible of chrome hazard free primers introduced by the company. Submittted for AMS 3095 certification, the new primer meets all VOC regulations that require a 2.9 lb./gal. (350g/L) VOC primer in aircraft maintenance painting settings.
