Dallas Airmotive will provide overhaul service for the worldwide fleet of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW300 and PW500-powered business jets from its Dallas facility. In addition, the company will provide hot section inspection and line maintenance services from multiple regional turbine centers located near high concentrations of PW300 and PW500 operators across the United States and Europe. The PW300 is currently used on the Learjet 60, Hawker 1000, Gulfstream 200 (Galaxy), Falcon 2000EX, Citation Sovereign and the Hawker Horizon.
June 4 -- Approximately 15 miles southeast of Liberal, Kan., a flight attendant aboard a Southwest Boeing 737 was seriously injured when the aircraft encountered turbulence. The flight originated in Phoenix, and was en route to Columbus, Ohio, but diverted to Kansas City, Mo., where it landed without further incident. Convective activity was present at the time of the accident.
Stevens Aviation doubled the size of the line service center at its Dayton, Ohio (DAY) FBO to 3,000 square feet. The expansion and remodeling added a number of customer amenities, including an updated flight planning center with high-speed computer access, two wall-mounted flat-screen televisions, new furniture, an additional lavatory and a display of aviation memorabilia.
At press time, Sabreliner Corp. expected to receive in July FAA approval of its RVSM package for the Sabreliner 80. The solution -- developed in conjunction with Kohlman Systems Research of Lawrence, Kan., and Aviation Material and Technical Support (AVMATS) of St. Louis -- covers aircraft equipped with the Collins AP-105 autopilot.
Tri-Guard De-Ice Boot treatment is the newest addition to The Proper Aircraft's line of cleaning products. The two-step process is silicon free and specifically formulated to rejuvenate surfaces and provide a high-gloss shine in less time than that required for traditional three-step products. Tri-Guard Prep Cleaner is used before each application of Tri-Guard to clean and remove build-up of old treatments. The Tri-Guard treatment provides UV and ozone protection. Prices: 16-oz. Tri-Guard, $39.95 16-oz. Prep Cleaner, $17.95
TO THE WEST OF GOROKA, in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) eastern highlands, lies the great limestone massif of Mount Elimbari. A mysterious mist enshrouds the place, which is riddled with miles of limestone caves, infested by bats and infrequented by humans. There are no roads.
Rockwell Collins The Collins Avionics Service Program (CASP) provides a total cost of ownership program to maximize aircraft availability with predictable cost. All aspects of maintaining the Collins avionics onboard your aircraft are included: avionics exchanges and rentals, avionics removal and refit, component maintenance repairs and No Fault Found (NFF), comprehensive reliability upgrades, one consolidated annual invoice, and discount for early enrollment and renewal.
At Farnborough, Forecast International released a new study, ``The World Market for Business Jet Aircraft,'' projecting that 10,809 business jets, worth an estimated $135 billion, will be produced between 2004 and 2013. Although there were double-digit declines in business jet production in 2002 and 2003, Forecast said the mood at many business jet manufacturers currently appears to be one of cautious optimism. The study analyzes the reasons why various companies use business jets.
The 17 70-seat Embraer 170s in service with LOT Polish Airlines, Alitalia Express and US Airways Express have now passed the 5,000 hours in service landmark and, according to Embraer, are achieving 99.06-percent dispatch reliability. A total of 60 EMB 170s are due to be delivered by year-end. The production rate of seven aircraft per month is expected to increase to 8 to 10 per month in 2005.
Montreal Jet Center, Montreal, a new company specializing in business jet interior refurbishing, avionics upgrades, modification and maintenance at Dorval's P.E. Trudeau International Airport, has named Chris Curley sales manager of aircraft services, and Louis Deveault vice president of aircraft maintenance.
Honeywell's Primus Epic integrated avionics system on the Gulfstream G550 has received FAA certification as a primary display system for navigation charts and maps. ``Certification of the G550's electronic charts and maps system accessible on the primary flight display is a significant milestone for the integrated cockpit,'' said John Uczekaj, executive vice president and general manager, Honeywell Business, Regional and General Aviation.
A Bombardier Global 5000 set a class record by flying nonstop from San Francisco to London. The flight-test aircraft, which was outfitted with a complete interior for cabin-related function and reliability tests, departed SFO at 21:15 PDT and arrived at the Farnborough Aerodrome at 14:44 GMT. In addition to a three-person crew, the aircraft featured the equivalent of an eight-passenger, 1,600-pound payload, with a maximum takeoff weight of 87,700 pounds. It climbed directly to 41,000 feet and flew a total of 4,816 nm while cruising mostly at 0.85 Mach (562 mph).
The communication breakdown between the NCRCC and ATC and the issuance of the NOTAM drew considerable attention and criticism -- especially from the AOPA and the NBAA. ``We spend $20 million on a command center, yet we can't get the FAA and security agencies to share the same radar data,'' said AOPA President Phil Boyer.
The state of Rhode Island will repeal the 7-percent tax on the sale or use of aircraft beginning Jan. 1, 2005. The legislation passed the Rhode Island House and Senate on June 25 and was sent to Gov. Donald L. Carcieri (R) for his signature. Business and general aviation advocates had strongly pushed for the change, arguing that the sales and use tax was driving aviation activity to Connecticut and Massachusetts, which do not impose such levies.
Goodrich Corp. and JET Engineering Ltd. have improved the MD-80 engine-exhaust nozzles they introduced in 2003 so that the system now allows the aircraft to meet Stage 4/Chapter 4 airport noise standards. By improving fuel burn and reducing engine temperatures, the nozzle also will lower operating and maintenance costs for the Pratt & Whitney JT8D-200-powered aircraft.
While the AOPA, National Air Transportation Association and NBAA all oppose a permanent Washington, D.C., ADIZ, AOPA's Boyer says that his organization ``would not vigorously oppose'' an ADIZ with a 15-mile radius, congruent with the existing no-fly zone over the District of Columbia so long as the no-fly zone is in effect. The NBAA and the NATA both say the zone should remain a temporary measure to be removed as soon as possible.
Raytheon Aircraft is making Raisbeck Engineering's Nacelle Wing Lockers standard equipment on Beechcraft King Air 350s. The two 16-cubic-foot lockers, located in each aft portion of the engine nacelles, are capable of holding luggage, skis, golf clubs and other business and leisure accessories. The first King Air 350 with the standard lockers rolled off the production line in July.
Fokker Services has developed a plan to convert surplus Fokker 100 airliners for corporate use. The Future 100EJ Executive Jet (F100EJ) would include a customized interior and new auxiliary fuel tanks that would extend the range of the aircraft to approximately 3,200 nm. The F100EJ's longer legs would allow the twin-engine aircraft to fly nonstop across the United States and between the Middle East and European capitals.
In 1987, Gulfstream Aerospace started delivering the $16 million Gulfstream IV, the first business jet capable of flying eight passengers 4,200-plus nm at 0.80 Mach and landing with 200-nm NBAA IFR reserves. This qualified it as the only business jet that could fly westbound across the North Atlantic from Paris to New York against virtually the strongest winter winds even with typical ISA+15C temperatures aloft. It also was the first to offer three separate, roomy seating areas in the cabin.
Eagle Air Maintenance Ltd., an Air New Zealand company, has selected Rockwell Collins to provide avionics support for its Beech aircraft. Under the agreement, Rockwell Collins' Australian subsidiary will provide avionics repairs on a price-per-flight-hour basis for all Collins avionics equipment on Air New Zealand's fleet of 16 Beech 1900D aircraft. The agreement provides for guaranteed turnaround times, maintenance cost predictability, and reduced administrative and operational effort related to Collins avionics products.
Hamlin Jet Ltd. has joined with Northern Executive Aviation (NEA), Manchester, England, to open a satellite service center at London Luton Airport (EGGW) to offer line maintenance and warranty support. Services include hangar storage and full factory warranty support on all models of Learjet, whether JAA or FAA registered.
The Air Line Pilots Association generally concurred with the NTSB report, stating, ``ALPA welcomes the NTSB's findings regarding the role that fatigue played in this accident. The Board correctly noted that performance for at least two members of the crew was degraded by inadequate sleep or unexpected schedule changes. ALPA believes that the Board should have followed through with either new recommendations regarding pilot rest, or reiteration of its previous recommendations on fatigue.
The Learjet 40's Honeywell Primus 1000 is one of the most advanced and integrated avionics suites in the light jet class. Four DU870 large-format CRTs dominate the panel, with left- and right-side outer PFDs and a center-right MFD. The Learjet 45 was the first aircraft in its class to have EICAS, and that's carried over to the Model 40 on the center-left display. The upper right corner of the EICAS screen is reserved for CAS messages with engine instruments displayed in the upper-left section.
From chairman Lord Glenarthur's introduction to the 2003 BHAB Handbook: ``difficult commercial times . . . general business downturn . . . steep increases in insurance rates . . . [but] a steep increase in the price of Brent crude sustains a healthy offshore operation in the North Sea . . . the BHAB maintains a vigilant stance that safety considerations are safety-driven and not merely administratively convenient . . . every accident a matter of the greatest concern and regret. . . .''
