StandardAero Business Aviation announced it now offers EASA Supplemental Type Certificate certification services and certification training. StandardAero provides applicants seeking STC approval the ability to obtain both FAA and EASA certification approval concurrently within 30-60 days, compared to the usual 90-plus day approval cycle for each individual agency certification. This expedited approval process saves operators substantial costs by reducing the aircraft's downtime.
Nextant Aerospace announced a new manufacturing facility for the Nextant 400XT, FAA-certified remanufactured business jet. The newly acquired facility at Cleveland's Cuyahoga County Airport will accommodate an annual production rate of 48 aircraft, and will quadruple Nextant's production area and office space footprint. The facility features a large production hangar which can handle six aircraft simultaneously, a second hangar for aircraft delivery and completions and a third that will house an advanced aircraft painting operation.
Northrop Grumman and Quest Aircraft of Sands Point, Idaho, are teaming to explore civil, military and government applications of the Quest Kodiak single-engine turboprop aircraft integrated with a modular, reconfigurable C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) system. Quest has delivered a Kodiak to Northrop's Aberdeen Integration Center in Baltimore, at its Martin State Airport facility, for integration of Northrop equipment for use as a demonstrator.
GAMA revised its deliveries/shipment totals downward following the release of Hawker Beechcraft's Form 10-K year-end results filing on April 13. The February year-end shipment report was released without the Hawker Beechcraft results. Hawker Beechcraft's decision to halt production of the Beechjet 400XP and supplier issues with the Hawker 4000 held down deliveries in 2011, contributing to a larger decline in industry-wide business jet shipments, according to revised data released by GAMA April 17.
Qatar-based Gulf Helicopters has received EASA Part 147 maintenance training approval for its Gulf Helicopters Training Academy and now can conduct AgustaWestland AW139 training courses for third-party commercial and private operators.
“ABACE2012 met all of our estimates and expectations, as well as those for the exhibitors and attendees,” says Ed Bolen, NBAA president and CEO. The association presented the event in partnership with the Shanghai Airport Authority, the Asian Business Aviation Association and the Shanghai Exhibition Centre. A total of 156 exhibitors filled the 4,000-sq.-meter hangar at the Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Centre and the adjacent Exhibit Pavilion that was added to accommodate additional vendors.
Piper Aircraft continues to expand its international network with the appointment of Duran Aviation as a distributor for new airplane sales in Central America. Based at Airport Marcos A. Gelabert in Panama City, Duran Aviation is part of Company Consultenos, S.A., which is a family-owned company that is involved in several areas, including automotive, golfing and real estate. Duran Aviation will market and sell Piper aircraft throughout Central America in Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Belize.
The first flight of the Hawker 400XPR is imminent as we go to press. An upgrade of the discontinued Beechjet/Hawker 400, the new model features Williams International FJ44-4A-32 engines, winglets and an optional four-display Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 cockpit. The avionics suite was recently certified, and the engines and winglets are expected to get their approvals by the end of September. The Williams engine is flat rated at 3,200 lb. thrust, or 8% more than the PWC JT15D it replaces. The new fanjet also features dual-channel FADEC systems.
Aerion, the supersonic business jet developer, has kept a steady orderbook for “just under 50” of its $80 million aircraft, says Aerion Vice Chairman Brian Barents. “We've essentially maintained that $4 billion orderbook with which we entered the recession,” he says. “We're delighted with that.”
AgustaWestland and fashion design house Karl Lagerfeld announced a partnership for the design of VIP helicopter interiors and exteriors. The cooperation will initially focus on the development of a VIP interior and exterior styling for the AW139 medium-twin helicopter. The companies may expand the partnership to include other AgustaWestland commercial helicopter models.
I just finished reading Patrick Veillette's “Upset Recovery in Sims” (April, 2012) on the limitations of upset prevention and recovery training in standard hexapod flight simulators and wanted to express how much I appreciated your commentary. It is one of the best explanations I have read regarding what simulators can and cannot do in this arena of training, and the inherent dangers of such training without regard to the valid training envelopes of flight simulation training devices.
Avionics makers, recognizing the phenomenal popularity of inexpensive, go-anywhere, tablet-based applications, have been feverishly developing ways to bring iPads and Adroid-based "post-PC" mobile OS tablet computers into business aircraft cockpits.
Piper Aircraft has landed a contract valued at $90,000 to provide complex multi-axis machined parts for Triton Submarines, which like Piper, is based in Vero Beach, Fla. Piper Aircraft's Services business unit, which was formed in part to preserve engineering expertise originally developed for the now-shelved Altaire single jet, is providing the work for Triton.
BBJs aren't just B737s any more. Boeing's Team BBJ has a clear goal for this year, encapsulated by the slogan: “12 in 12.” Specifically, the makers of Boeing VIP jets plan to deliver a dozen executive airplanes in 2012. These include eight of Boeing's Brobdingnagian 747-8s, two BBJs and a pair of BBJ 2s. In late February, Capt. Steve Taylor, president of BBJ, delivered the first 747-8 to Wichita for installation of an “Aeroloft,” an aft-mounted sleeping berth designed by Greenpoint Technologies for up to eight people.
Is 3-D display coming? A breakthrough in radar display may be in the offing, with a new 3-D radar developed by Avco Corp. Civil applications include air traffic control (where 3-D display fits nicely into the FAA's urge to get 3-D aircraft information for controllers), and severe weather forecasting — tornadoes, thunderstorms and hurricanes. The device uses a rotating electro-luminescent panel. Rotation speed is chosen to avoid flicker, with the result that radar blip appears to be floating in space.
An increase in Part 135 commuter/air taxi business jet accidents is driving a significant jump in business jet accidents through the first three months of the year. But an improving turboprop record has kept down the overall number of U.S.-registered business turbine accidents, according to the latest information released by safety expert Robert E. Breiling Associates. U.S.-registered business jets and turboprops combined for 16 accidents in the first quarter, down slightly from 19 in the first quarter of 2011.
A new EASA rule covering flight-crew licensing would potentially ground hundreds, if not thousands, of general aviation pilots in certain European countries. The rule, which took effect on April 8, enacts EASA requirements for pilot training and the issuance of European pilot licenses, ratings and certificates. One of the more controversial measures in the rule requires European pilots who currently hold third-country licenses to convert their licenses to EASA- or EU-validated licenses.
Next month, Poland and the Ukraine will co-host the 14th European Football Championship, a month-long extravaganza of matches between national teams for the coveted Euro Cup. The event is expected to attract millions of fans from all over the world, many of whom will converge on Warsaw, Poland's capital, and with 1.7 million residents, its largest city, as well as a political and financial hub.
I just read “SyberJet Introduces SJ30-Plus” (April 2012) and appreciated your candid, honest words and your sensitivity to our confidential issues. Business & Commercial Aviation magazine has a well-earned reputation for offering real-world perspective while maintaining its editorial integrity. Working with you gives me fresh confidence in aviation journalism. A big thanks as well for being tenacious and resolute in finding solutions to early objections and concerns.
“Dangerous Destinations, Part 1” was excellent! I am going to give it to our Chief of Security and also recommend it to my boss here in the flight department. I am looking forward to Part 2. Safety Officer Ball Corp. Broomfield, Colo.
For half the cost of a GIV, you can own a 1983 to 1987, Stage III noise compliant GIII that provides access to virtually the same noise-sensitive airports used by newer aircraft. Retrofitted with hush-kits, these aircraft can fly eight passengers about 3,600 nm at Mach 0.75. Their cabin cross sections are the same diameter as all other legacy Gulfstream models, but the net interior length is 3.0 ft. shorter than the GIV and overall interior length is 4.8 ft. shorter.
