FAA has no studies on the possible toxicity of pilots' breathing 100% oxygen for prolonged periods, but Jeffrey Sventek, executive director of the Aerospace Medical Association, co-authored just such a study using rabbits in the mid-1980s. The goal was evaluate the possible side effects of breathing almost pure oxygen on the rabbits' cardiovascular systems. Significant changes in the rabbits' responses to certain enzymes that regulate blood pressure and heart rate were recorded after 72 hr. of almost continuous exposure to pure oxygen at normal atmospheric pressure.
Windblade Corp. has introduced the Inogen Aviator G3. An extension of the existing Inogen Aviator product line, the G3 weighs only 4.8 lb., which is almost 3 lb. lighter than the Inogen One G2-1050. The unit concentrates oxygen from ambient air and can be used by a single user up to 15,000 ft. Features include: a battery that runs up to 2.5 hr.; four flow settings; 12-32 VDC power converter; AC power supply 100-240 volts, 50-60 Hz; meets FAA guidelines for supplemental oxygen; three-year warranty.
In April a Gulfstream G650 set a city-pair speed record between Shanghai and Newark, N.J., by covering more than 6,855 nm (12,695 km) in 13 hr. and 32 minutes. The manufacturer said the aircraft departed Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport at 10:38 p.m. local time on April 18 with five passengers and four crewmembers on board. Once airborne, ATC held the aircraft below 31,000 ft. for an hour before it could climb to its normal cruising altitude of 41,000 to 51,000 ft. (12,500-15,500 meters).
CSI Aviation launched a more innovative and customer friendly website in support of its growing marketing efforts. The website enables customers to clearly view the company's value-added aviation management services from arranging charter, managing aviation programs, to using mission-specific aircraft for mapping and data collection and surveillance. The company also has a new logo. CSI Aviation Albuquerque, N.M. www.csiaviation.com
Rockwell Collins' HGS Flight app for the iPad, unveiled last year is now available with a Mandarin language option. Through a quick update via the Apple iTunes App Store or as a first-time download, users will have the option to view text in Mandarin, as well as use new flight sensitivity control. The app features synthetic vision to allow users to see a virtual view of terrain no matter what the weather conditions may be.
House lawmakers are pushing for a dramatic overhaul of certification regulations for small aircraft. Reps. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.), Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Todd Rokita (R-Ind.) and Rick Nolan (D-Minn.) have introduced the Small Airplane Revitalization Act of 2013 that essentially calls for rewriting FAR Part 23 with the intention of halving certification costs while more than doubling safety. The rewrite has strong support from the highest levels of FAA and a number of international aviation authorities.
Gulfstream enhanced its Field and Airborne Support Teams (FAST) replacing two Gulfstream G100s with two G150s. A G100 serves as a backup. Other enhancements include adding a third shift of two pilots and naming a new chief pilot, Tenille Cromwell. Gulfstream FAST has made more than 3,400 mission flights and surpassed 10,000 flight hours. The team uses more than 20 vehicles throughout the U.S. and Europe, including a pair of specially outfitted rapid response trucks.
Fokker Services VIP Completions and DynamicSource AB have developed an iOS application to run Fortran Takeoff and Landing SCAP modules on the iPad. The app allows an operator to make the performance calculation shortly before takeoff thereby allowing the incorporation of last minute changes such as aircraft loading or runway conditions. The app is being used by commercial operators with the performance calculation and is now available for large cabin and airline-class business aircraft operators. Price: Free Fokker Services
Keystone Aviation was named a dealer for Quest Aircraft's Kodiak single-turboprop aircraft for Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Northern California. The addition marks the fourth manufacturer that Keystone represents. Others include Piper, EADS Socata and HondaJet. Quest, meanwhile, continues to expand its reach as it remains on pace to deliver its 100th aircraft by early fall. Originally designed for mission and humanitarian work, the Kodiak has been delivered for a range of uses, including personal use, FAR Part 135 and government operations.
Think the unthinkable. Consider the grimmest of scenarios. Contemplate a crash. What's your contingency plan for handling an accident or a ditching with survivors on board? Could you execute it, if necessary? Have you ever thought about it?
EmptyLegMarket, an online marketplace for empty-leg flights, launched a mobile version of its website. The mobile website has the same listings that are on the full version of the company's website, however the mobile version has been optimized for viewing on various mobile devices.
While industry leaders focus on potential aviation tax changes, such as proposals for new business jet depreciation schedules or aviation user fees, one analyst believes a tax change that took effect earlier this year is eroding sales. “We believe the income tax hike at the start of the year was a material driver of the fresh weakness [in the light jet market],” says J.P.Morgan. The analyst calls the latest detractor to the market “another leg down,” but says it is not a sign that the industry is impaired. Some industry indicators are improving.
The private aviation industry hasn't improved much in Western Europe over the past year, says aviation advisor Brian Foley. Amid austerity measures and weak economic news, there has been a cautious hesitance to take on the discretionary costs associated with private air travel. “The situation will drag on a bit longer,” notes Foley. “But one shouldn't lose perspective that Europe still remains the second largest business aviation market.” According to aircraft data base provider AMSTAT, the Western European business jet fleet has shrunk 2% since this time last year.
EASA has a far different requirement for supplemental oxygen aboard high flying jets. EU-OPS 1.770 (b)(iii) and (iv) only require that O2 masks “be within immediate reach of flight crew members” and that “quick donning” masks be installed for flight crewmembers in pressurized aircraft flying above 25,000 ft. Similarly, the ICAO Annex 6 3.4.4.2.2 rule for supplemental oxygen use essentially is the same as the EASA regulation. Canada, in contrast, requires one pilot to use an oxygen mask above FL 410, according to CAR 605.32.
There's a showdown underway in the Silicon Valley involving big names, big jets, and big FBO chains. Business aircraft alighting at Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) use Atlantic Aviation, a part of Australia's Macquarie Group. Atlantic says it has invested $60 million in upgrading the facility in the past five years. Nevertheless, on April 16 the city council voted 10-1 to accept a proposal by rival Signature Flight Support, owned by BBA of Britain, to develop a second FBO at the city-owned airport.
Garmin has an updated version of the Garmin Pilot app for the iPad and iPhone that incorporates Garmin's dynamic navigation maps. With the new dynamic maps, pilots can now choose between track-up or north-up moving map orientation. They will also have the option of track-up orientation on static sectionals on en route charts. Enhancements to Garmin Pilot's cloud computing technology enable seamless connectivity and information sharing between all Garmin Pilot-enabled devices.
Avjet has added a Gulfstream IV to its fleet of charter aircraft. The plane will be based at Avjet's U.S. charter headquarters in Burbank, Calif. The GIV has seating for 13 passengers, with four berthable beds, a full-service forward galley and a non-smoking enclosed lavatory and is equipped with AirCell GoGo Biz Wi-Fi. The aircraft has a range of 4,100 nm. Visit [email protected]
London Gatwick Airport has reopened a helicopter landing site after a 12-year absence. Based at the end of taxiway Uniform on the west side of the airport, the helicopter aiming point (HAP) reopens after two years of feasibility discussions and joint planning between Gatwick officials and Signature Flight Support.
L-3 Aviation Products announced that Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. selected the GH-3001 Electronic Standby Instrument System (ESIS), Stormscope WX-500 Lightning Detection System and the PS-885 Emergency Power Supply (EPS) for its H-60 and S-70i helicopter platforms. This follow-on award is a five-year contract that spans from 2013 through 2017. Designed with military platforms in mind, the night vision goggle (NVG)-compatible GH-3001 ESIS provides accurate attitude, altitude, airspeed and heading cues in a compact unit.
Becoming a professional aircraft maintenance technician is a long and difficult process. The price is also very high. Many of us struggled for years to save enough money to afford A&P School, or gave years of our lives serving in the military. Many did both. But earning that license was just the price of admission, an opportunity to get your foot in the door. Finding that all-important first job was the next hurdle.
Just a quick one to say how much I enjoy your pieces each month and to ask that y'all not let BCA evaporate into a non-paper effort given its still-important role and the value of a paper-based magazine that does what you do.
Dassault Falcon Jet's Little Rock, Ark., completion center, which is already the largest facility operated by the French manufacturer, is about to get considerably larger. In late May, the company unveiled plans to add several large outfitting hangars, presumably to accommodate a new, not-so-secret model that is expected to be unveiled at this fall's NBAA convention. Current production model Falcons are manufactured in France, then flown in “green” condition to the completion center where optional avionics and custom interiors are installed, and the aircraft are painted.
Millennium International has expanded its service offerings to include Honeywell Primus avionics suite support. The move bolsters Millennium's support for Embraer ERJ 135/145 aircraft. Based near Kansas City, Millennium provides maintenance, repair and overhaul services for commercial, military and rotor-wing aircraft.
There now are 260+ Phenom 100 aircraft in service. The aircraft went through some teething pains as first deliveries began in December 2008, but operators say it has evolved into a highly reliable means of business transportation in the last 30 months.
Universal Avionics announced its new FlightAssure Extended Warranty Program at the recent Annual Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) Convention in Las Vegas. FlightAssure removes the uncertainty and guesswork from a customer's avionics maintenance, downtime and overall cost. The program was designed to help customers budget the cost of component repairs by extending the avionics' protection plan.
