IT WAS NOV. 8, 2002. Forecasters at the aviation weather center (AWC) in Kansas City had been tracking a windy system across the western states, their area of responsibility, for a couple of days. The forecast they prepared for the New Mexico region called for ceilings broken at 12,000 feet msl layered to 20,000 feet, with widely scattered light rain showers. Surface winds were to come from the southwest gusting to 25 knots. By 1700 hours the ceiling was to drop to 9,000 feet msl with 3 to 5 miles visibility in light rain showers.
Safe Flight Instrument Corp. delivered its 600th N1 Computer to Cessna -- installed on a Citation CJ2. Programmed with the Airplane Flight Manual performance values, the N1 Computer helps maximize both performance and operating efficiency by displaying real-time target N1 thrust settings for takeoff, climb, cruise and go-around. Safe Flight says the computer lowers the risk of damaging overspeed and overtemp conditions, reduces engine repair costs, and extends operating life.
Most business aircraft at the Athens Summer Olympics will have to park as far away as the island of Crete, some 45 minutes' flight time from the host city. The only guaranteed parking space for corporate aircraft at Athens International Airport during the two-and-a-half-week span of the games will be for 49 confirmed governmental aircraft from around the world. Sponsors' aircraft will come next in the parking pecking order, but for the remainder, which will be the majority, it will be ``drop-offs'' only, with just two-hour parking available.
Aircraft sales professionals contend that it is becoming increasingly difficult to characterize the state of the used aircraft market as a whole. Age-related considerations -- particularly the need to retrofit early model airframes with RVSM, TAWS and other equipment -- are reducing the desirability, and hence the value, of older aircraft. Meanwhile, as the economic recovery has gained momentum, prices of newer models have firmed and availability has become an issue for select types of previously owned, turbine-powered business aircraft.
Avcraft recently signed a deal with Pratt & Whitney Canada guaranteeing the supply of upgraded PW306 engines. This follows some U.S. regional airlines suffering turbine blade problems, which has led to the certification of an improved high-pressure blade cooling system for the engine.
Independence Air was launched by its parent Atlantic Coast Airlines on June 16 with service from its Washington Dulles (IAD) hub to Raleigh-Durham (RDA). By later this summer Dulles will be the largest low-fare hub in America -- with 300 daily Independence Air departures.
The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) is urging its members to oppose the FAA's proposed expansion of drug and alcohol testing to cover thousands of additional workers employed by subcontractors.
Proposed Rules -- Bell 206L-1 and -3 helicopters -- Conduct a one-time inspection of the adjustable stop screws of the magnetic brake assembly. If necessary, repair certain mechanical damage to the cyclic and collective flight control magnetic brake arm assembly. Also, install the stop screw with the proper adhesive, adjusting the arm assembly travel and applying slippage marks.
For 40-plus years, entry-level Learjets were built primarily for pilots and pilot-size egos. This legacy was carried forward into the Learjet 31A, the Learjet 40's predecessor. As long as you turned left when you boarded one of those early Learjets, you could grin about your aircraft's climb performance, cruise speed, honest handling qualities and efficiency. Skilled pilots learned to master the Learjet's handling quirks, quickly gaining respect for the hard-edged low and high operating envelope limits.
CMC Electronics announced it is selling its Cincinnati Electronics business unit to L-3 Communications Corp. to focus on its core aviation electronics business. The agreement, signed on June 15, is for approximately $172 million (U.S.) in cash and is expected to be completed this month. Cincinnati Electronics makes infrared sensors used by CMC in its Enhanced Vision Systems. Among other things, CMC says the agreement provides long-term and exclusive access to Cincinnati Electronics' technology for the commercial and military EVS aviation markets.
The U.S. Senate recently passed the Jumpstart Our Business Strength (JOBS) Act (S.1637), legislation that includes a one-year extension (to Dec. 31, 2005) of bonus-depreciation tax benefits for sales of general aviation aircraft. ``With Senate passage [of S.1637], we have cleared another major hurdle to extending the benefits and positive effects of bonus depreciation for our industry,'' said Ed Bolen, GAMA president and CEO. ``We now call on the House of Representatives to take quick action on the bill.''
Honeywell is riding the crest of the trend toward fully integrated, processor-driven avionics systems with its Primus EPIC core design that can be configured with interfaces to meet the requirements of individual airframe manufacturers. Already certified with the EASy cockpit configuration on the Falcon 900EX and PlaneView on Gulfstream 500s and 550s, the Cessna Citation Sovereign is the latest and smallest aircraft to win FAA approval with the avionics system.
Avcon Industries, the Olathe, Kan.-based subsidiary of Butler National Corp., has received an STC for its RVSM package for the Learjet 24 and 25. Kohlman Systems Research, a Lawrence, Kan.-based provider of aeronautical engineering services, provided support for the program. The RVSM group approval covers aircraft equipped with the JET FC-110 autopilot and a variety of wing configurations, from the original wing to the Century III, Mark II, XR and SoftFlite airfoils.
Robert E. Breiling Associates has been compiling and analyzing business turbine aircraft accidents since the 1960s. The company's annual review contains detailed accounts of over 390 fixed- and rotary-wing turbine aircraft accidents and incidents reported worldwide in 2003. Each accident summary includes model, type of operator, phase of operation, conditions and a factual description of all reported circumstances.
Cirrus Design Corp. received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for its SR20 model on June 1. The Cirrus certification is the first of its kind awarded by the new agency (previously known as the Joint Aviation Authorities) for aircraft imported into the European Union.
Cirrus Aviation of Zweibrucken, Germany, purchased its second Learjet 40 light jet. The order comes three months after Cirrus began operating its first Learjet 40. Cirrus' Model 40s are based at Zweibrucken Airport. Both aircraft are also part of Bombardier's Flexjet Europe charter network.
FAA approval of Bombardier Aerospace's TFE731-20BR engine upgrade for the Learjet 45XR paves the way for the company to deliver production aircraft with improved engine performance in the United States. Bombardier said it will also issue a Service Bulletin to current Learjet 45 operators allowing them to upgrade their aircraft at a Bombardier Aircraft Services facility.
CAE announced that Robert E. Brown will become its president and CEO, effective Aug. 12. Brown is currently chairman of Air Canada and was previously president and CEO of Bombardier. He will succeed Derek H. Burney immediately following the company's annual general meeting. Burney will serve as vice chairman of CAE until his formal retirement on Oct. 31. CAE provides simulation technologies and integrated training services to airlines, aircraft manufacturers, defense forces and marine customers worldwide.
Senator, and presumed Democratic presidential candidate, John Kerry (D-Mass.) stated his support for business aviation access to TFR and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) at least equivalent to that of the commercial airlines. When Kerry's campaign aircraft stopped recently at DCA, Pete West, NBAA senior vice president of government and public affairs, was invited aboard the chartered Boeing 757, where he briefed Kerry and members of his campaign and policy staff about the issue and the NBAA's Secure Access initiatives.
Freight operator Atlantic Airlines of Coventry Airport, England, is leasing an Estonian-registered Antonov AN-72 jet freighter for, among other things, the transportation of horses. The twin-engine aircraft has a rear ramp, which facilitates the loading of horses. The airline says that the introduction of the AN-72 for ad-hoc charters is the culmination of 12 months' ``quiet work'' and negotiation with both the United Kingdom's CAA and Tallinn-based authorities. The aircraft is leased from Enimex.
The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and Air BP have joined forces to advance the CAP's cadet and youth development programs. The CAP has almost 27,000 young people participating in cadet programs. It provides leadership training, technical education, scholarships and career education to people ages 12 to 21. Maj. Gen.
Bombardier may kick it up a notch to strengthen its aviation business, according to President and CEO Paul M. Tellier in a speech to shareholders on June 2 in Montreal. Tellier reviewed Bombardier's plan to restructure and restore the corporation's earnings and detailed initiatives undertaken during the past year to consolidate the businesses, streamline the organization and increase focus on customer needs.
With Sporty's Air-Scan V Aviation Radio/Scanner pilots can listen to a ballgame, talk-radio or music and never miss an aviation transmission, thanks to what the company calls ``aviation interrupt.'' The radio scans up to five aeronautical channels for activity and upon detecting a signal on any of the channels, it breaks into the AM or FM program, plays the aviation transmission, and then returns to the regular program. At that point, the active aviation frequency automatically gets priority over all other transmissions. Price: $99.95
The second-generation 3,500-pound-thrust TFE731-20AR engines fitted to the Learjet 40 actually are 4,435-pound-thrust -40 engines in disguise, lacking only the -40's deep fluted mixer nozzle and DEEC software. With this much thermodynamic capacity, the -20AR turbofans can produce takeoff rated thrust up to 31C. They also have a 3,650-pound APR rating that's available anytime the thrust levers are pushed beyond the takeoff thrust detent in the quandrant.
