Aviation Tax and Aircraft Sales Tax

Wrong ID of ‘Stolen’ Cessna Causes Gunpoint Drama

AIN online — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:41:19 PDT

Wrong ID of ‘Stolen’ Cessna Causes Gunpoint Drama After landing at Santa Barbara Municipal Airport on August 28, King Schools owners John and Martha King were puzzled when ATC insisted that they taxi to a remote corner of the airport. Four waiting police cars disgorged officers who held the Kings at gunpoint, asked them to [...]

Airbus Starts A350 XWB Production in Germany

AIN online — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:41:19 PDT

Airbus Starts A350 XWB Production in Germany Airbus has started making parts for the A350 XWB in Germany, the company announced today. Tom Enders, Airbus president and CEO, Gerald Weber, Airbus Germany executive vice president of operations and chairman of the board of management, and Peter Hintze, Parliamentary state secretary and German government aerospace coordinator, [...]

Boeing Leaning Away from 737 Re-engining

AIN online — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:41:19 PDT

Boeing Leaning Away from 737 Re-engining Chances that Boeing will fit new engines on the existing 737 appear slimmer now than at any time since the company began talking publicly about the prospect, judging by the comments of Boeing CFO James Bell today at the Morgan Stanley Industrials Unplugged Conference in New York. According to [...]

Boeing’s Shanahan To Oversee Struggling 747-8

AIN online — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:40:46 PDT

Boeing’s Shanahan To Oversee Struggling 747-8 Boeing vice president Pat Shanahan has assumed oversight of the 747-8 program effective August 30, according to an internal memo to employees. The move results in the displacement of 747-8 vice president and general manager Mo Yahyavi and represents an effort to "re-energize" the flight-test and certification program. Yahyavi, [...]

DOJ Approves UAL-CAL Merger Plan

AIN online — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:40:46 PDT

DOJ Approves UAL-CAL Merger Plan The U.S. Department of Justice has approved the merger of United and Continental Airlines, the carriers announced on Friday. UAL and CAL expect to close the transaction by October 1, assuming their respective stockholders vote to clear the deal next month. "We are pleased to have achieved this critical milestone [...]

G650 Slips Surly Bonds at Mach 0.995

AIN online — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:40:46 PDT

G650 Slips Surly Bonds at Mach 0.995 Gulfstream Aerospace on Friday evening said its G650 S/N 6001 skirted the speed of sound on August 12, reaching Mach 0.995 during flutter testing as part of the 1,800-hour flight-test program for the wide-cabin, long-range business jet. For the initial series of flutter tests, the aircraft achieved clearance [...]

Gama, Hop-A-Jet Latest To Attain ACSF Charter Registry Approval

AIN online — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:39:08 PDT

Gama, Hop-A-Jet Latest To Attain ACSF Charter Registry Approval Gama Charters of Stratford, Conn., and Hop-A-Jet Worldwide Jet Charter of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Friday became the latest air charter operators to gain acceptance on the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s industry audit standard registry (IAS). They join 14 operators that have completed the IAS audit [...]

Fatal Aires Airline 737 Crash Renews Safety Focus on Latin America

AIN online — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 12:39:08 PDT

Fatal Aires Airline 737 Crash Renews Safety Focus on Latin America Aviation safety is once again under scrutiny in Latin America after the fatal crash of Aires Airlines’ Boeing 737-700 on San Andrés Island on August 17. The accident resulted in one fatality and more than 100 injuries among the 127 passengers and crew when [...]

CH-53K Marks Key APU Light-off Milestone

AIN online — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:38:23 PDT

CH-53K Marks Key APU Light-off Milestone The Sikorsky CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter program this week achieved “ready to load” condition with the successful light-off of its first auxiliary power unit (APU). The program will be ready to begin formal integration testing early next year. The Hamilton Sundstrand APU is the secondary power system on the helicopter, [...]

NTSB To Host Code-share Symposium

AIN online — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:38:22 PDT

NTSB To Host Code-share Symposium After investigating four accident flights operated under code-sharing arrangements in the past three years, the NTSB will hold a two-day symposium on October 26 to 27 on such agreements between regional airlines and major carriers.“We have investigated many accidents in which passengers bought tickets on a major carrier and flew [...]

Boeing Pushes First 787 Deliveries into Mid-First Quarter

AIN online — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:35:00 PDT

Boeing Pushes First 787 Deliveries into Mid-First Quarter Boeing today announced yet another delay to the 787 program, following “an assessment of the availability of an engine needed for the final phases of flight test this fall.” This latest hiccup will force Boeing to suspend delivery of launch customer All Nippon Airways’ first 787 until [...]

LAN-TAM Merger Reflects Growing Latin American Solidarity

AIN online — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:35:00 PDT

LAN-TAM Merger Reflects Growing Latin American Solidarity In what might prove the biggest cross-border airline merger ever between two Latin American airlines, Chile’s LAN and Brazil’s TAM plan to form the world’s 10th largest carrier (in terms of passenger numbers) under a non-binding memorandum of understanding signed August 13. The new group, to operate as [...]

IATA: Strong Demand Continues as Recovery Enters Slower Second Phase

AIN online — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:34:59 PDT

IATA: Strong Demand Continues as Recovery Enters Slower Second Phase Statistics released by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the month of July clearly reflect an ongoing recovery in the air transport market. But factors such as fragile consumer confidence and the end of the restocking cycle stand to slow the pace, both in [...]

Solena’s GreenSky Turning Garbage into Green Jet Fuel

AIN online — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:34:59 PDT

Solena’s GreenSky Turning Garbage into Green Jet Fuel U.S. energy group Solena is accelerating its efforts to establish a plant in the London area that from 2014 could be turning 500,000 metric tons of domestic waste into jet fuel each year. Its GreenSky program has already attracted its first customer in British Airways, which has [...]

Airline Bean Counters Need To Count Emissions Carefully

AIN online — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:34:59 PDT

Airline Bean Counters Need To Count Emissions Carefully Airlines that will be subject to Europe’s new emissions trading scheme (ETS) beginning in January 2012 should start verifying their recorded emissions for 2010 as early as next month, according to ETS experts. Even though emissions reports covering 2010 do not need to be submitted to European [...]

General Aviation Expo – White Plains, NY (KHPN)

kate — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:04:04 PDT

Title: General Aviation Expo – White Plains, NY (KHPN)Location: White Plains, NY – Panorama Flight Service, Inc.Description: Panorama Flight Service, Inc. is hosting a General Aviation Expo highlighting LSA, Pistons, Turbo props, Helicopters and VLJ’s. Advocate Consulting Representative – Lou MeinersStart Time: 12:00:00Date: 2010-09-25End Time: 17:00:00

Texas Aircraft Expo

kate — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:58:21 PDT

Title: Texas Aircraft ExpoLocation: Houston-Sugarland, TX – KSGRLink out: Click hereStart Time: 12:00 pmDate: 2010-10-01End Time: 2010-10-01

Texas Aircraft Expo – (KEFD)

kate — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:55:13 PDT

Title: Texas Aircraft Expo – (KEFD)Location: Houston-Ellington Field – Houston, TXLink out: Click hereStart Time: 12:00Date: 2010-09-30End Time: 17:00

General Aviation Expo

kate — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:51:44 PDT

Title: General Aviation ExpoLocation: White Plains, New York – KHPNDescription: Panorama Flight Service, Inc. will be hosting a General Aviation Expo – highlighting LSA, pistons, turbo props, helicopters and LVJ’s Advocate Consulting Representative – Lou MeinersDate: 2010-09-25

Rolls-Royce Sues UTC for Patent Infringement

AIN online — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:26:45 PDT

Rolls-Royce Sues UTC for Patent Infringement Rolls-Royce today filed a complaint alleging infringement by United Technologies Corp. (UTC) of the Rolls-Royce swept fan blade patent. The complaint specifically identifies the fan stages on both the Engine Alliance GP7200 engine and the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G engine. It also alleges that a number of other UTC [...]

Sukhoi Superjet 100 Makes First Appearance in Italy

AIN online — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:26:45 PDT

Sukhoi Superjet 100 Makes First Appearance in Italy The third Sukhoi Superjet 100 landed in Italy for the first time yesterday at Turin Caselle Airport, where it continued its flight test campaign in preparation for expected year-end certification. The aircraft (prototype S/N 950004) took off from the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft’s flight test center in Zhukovsky, [...]

Spectrum Aeronautical Slows Its Jet Programs

AIN online — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:26:45 PDT

Spectrum Aeronautical Slows Its Jet Programs Spectrum Aeronautical has slowed development of the lightweight high-performance S.40 Freedom and S.33 Independence jets due to resource constraints. The company is developing the prototype S.40 at sister firm Rocky Mountain Composites in Spanish Fork, Utah. “We have had to decelerate the programs considerably, due primarily to our desire [...]

Pre-Owned Turbine Aircraft Sales Up, Prices Down

AIN online — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:26:45 PDT

Pre-Owned Turbine Aircraft Sales Up, Prices Down Sales of pre-owned business jets, turboprops and turbine helicopters increased in the first seven months versus the same period last year, though at the same time aircraft prices deflated, according to data released yesterday by JetNet. Business jet inventory showed the largest year-over-year change, dropping 2.8 points to [...]

Civil Helicopter Outlook Good, Says Frost & Sullivan

AIN online — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:26:45 PDT

Civil Helicopter Outlook Good, Says Frost & Sullivan In its just-released world commercial helicopter market report, research firm Frost & Sullivan expects the segment to expand from 24,625 helicopters in 2009 to 36,946 in 2015. According to Frost & Sullivan aerospace analyst Nathan Smith, about 50 percent of the 12,321 helicopters will be light piston [...]

World Fuel To Acquire Western Petroleum

AIN online — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:26:45 PDT

World Fuel To Acquire Western Petroleum World Fuel Services on Monday announced an agreement to acquire Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Western Petroleum, including its branded aviation fuel distribution business, for $95 million. “The acquisition of Western is another significant step in the continued evolution of our land-based fuel business and their branded aviation fuel distribution business [...]

Desert Jet Launches Facebook-enabled Charter Quoting

AIN online — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:26:44 PDT

Desert Jet Launches Facebook-enabled Charter Quoting Desert Jet, an aircraft charter company based near Palm Springs, Calif., yesterday launched what it claims is the first air charter quoting program accessible from a social media platform. With the added feature, customers can request quotes for flights directly from the company’s Facebook page. “This quoting tool provides [...]

Airbus-led Aire2 Trials To Spearhead Green Trajectories with A380

AIN online — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:26:43 PDT

Airbus-led Aire2 Trials To Spearhead Green Trajectories with A380 An Airbus-led partnership with Air France and the air navigation service providers from the UK, Canada and the U.S.—respectively, NATS, Nav Canada and the FAA—plan soon to begin Transatlantic Green Flight (TGF) trials with an Air France A380 on revenue flights from New York (JFK) to [...]

FAA Changes Rule on Commercial Parts

AIN online — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:23:43 PDT

FAA Changes Rule on Commercial Parts Changes to the FAR Part 21 manufacturing rule published last October 16 are slated to go into effect on April 16 next year, including a modification to the standards for manufacturing. Currently, only parts specifically manufactured for installation in type-certified aircraft are regulated by the FAA, but the changes [...]

FAA To Techs: Tell Us about Bad Regs

AIN online — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:23:43 PDT

FAA To Techs: Tell Us about Bad Regs Ever wished you could tell the FAA that some regulation is outdated or doesn’t make sense? You can, and the agency has a little-known means to do it. According to an FAA spokesman, FAR Part 11, Section 11.61 provides a system whereby technicians can suggest the agency [...]

Pratt & Whitney Assembles First PurePower PW1524G Engine for Bombardier CSeries

AIN online — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:23:43 PDT

Pratt & Whitney Assembles First PurePower PW1524G Engine for Bombardier CSeries Pratt & Whitney has completed assembly of its first PurePower PW1524G engine for the Bombardier C Series. The company held a so-called "last bolt" ceremony today at its Middletown Engine Center in Connecticut to commemorate the milestone. Pratt plans to deliver the engine to [...]

PAMA To Hold Northeast Airworthiness Symposium

AIN online — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:23:43 PDT

PAMA To Hold Northeast Airworthiness Symposium September 30 and October 1 are the dates for the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association’s inaugural Northeast Regional Airworthiness Symposium (Neras). It will be held at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort in Mashantucket, Conn. The Friday evening reception is followed by a day of educational opportunities. “We’re excited to [...]

CF34-3A2 Engine Upgrade Yields Longer Time on Wing

AIN online — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:23:43 PDT

CF34-3A2 Engine Upgrade Yields Longer Time on Wing GE Aviation is offering an on-wing engine upgrade program for certain configurations of the CF34-3A2 that will allow the engines to go from a hard-time maintenance interval to an on-condition maintenance schedule. The company says the upgraded engines will have longer time on wing and greatly reduced [...]

Hawker Pacific Teams with Dart Helicopter Services on Parts Distribution

AIN online — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:23:43 PDT

Hawker Pacific Teams with Dart Helicopter Services on Parts Distribution Dart Helicopter Services (DHS), a producer and distributor of more than 3,000 certified helicopter accessories, has entered into an exclusive agreement with Hawker Pacific to establish a stronger DHS presence in the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Hawker Pacific operates facilities in several [...]

Chinese E190 Overshoots Runway, Killing at Least 43

AIN online — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:21:21 PDT

Chinese E190 Overshoots Runway, Killing at Least 43 An Embraer E190 operated by China’s Henan Airlines overshot the runway at Yichun City’s Lindu Airport in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, killing 43 of the airplane’s 96 occupants, according to Chinese state-run media. The crash happened at 9:36 p.m. Tuesday after an otherwise uneventful 45-minute flight [...]

Williams FJ44s Ground Tested on Nextant 400XT

AIN online — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:21:21 PDT

Williams FJ44s Ground Tested on Nextant 400XT Nextant Aerospace recently began full-power ground runs of its 400XT with the Williams International FJ44-3AP engines, the company announced yesterday. This marks the final phase of the certification process for the 400XT, a remanufactured Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP light jet fitted with the Williams engines and new Rockwell Collins [...]

Cessna, IAM Start Contract Negotiations

AIN online — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:21:21 PDT

Cessna, IAM Start Contract Negotiations Cessna Aircraft and the union that represents 2,300 of the company’s factory workers–the International Association of Machinists Lodge 774–began contract negotiations on Friday. The workers’ current contract expires September 19. The economic backdrop to these negotiations differs greatly from three years ago, when the general aviation aircraft manufacturing industry was [...]

Bizjet Discounting Veil Lifted in Nigeria Order

AIN online — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:21:21 PDT

Bizjet Discounting Veil Lifted in Nigeria Order The Nigerian government’s announcement last week that it is buying two Falcon 7Xs and one Gulfstream G550 for its presidential fleet has yielded a rare look at actual business aircraft discounts. Aircraft manufacturers are loath to reveal what deals they give to individual customers, but as a public [...]

Al Jaber Offers First ACJ in ME Charter Market

AIN online — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:21:21 PDT

Al Jaber Offers First ACJ in ME Charter Market Following the recent delivery of its first A318 Elite, Al Jaber Aviation (AJA) yesterday became the first Middle East customer to offer an Airbus for VIP charter flights. The company has three more A318 Elites and two ACJs on order, which will make it the largest [...]

New Study for Bizav Use at Small and Midsize Companies

AIN online — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:21:20 PDT

New Study for Bizav Use at Small and Midsize Companies Nexa Advisors and NBAA are soliciting participation in a new study examining the value of business aviation to small and midsize companies. NBAA is encouraging such companies that use business aircraft to take a 17-question online survey, which is open until next Monday (August 30). [...]

IAE Establishes Fix for V2500 Turbofan

AIN online — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:16:52 PDT

IAE Establishes Fix for V2500 Turbofan International Aero Engines (IAE) has identified a problem area with some of its V2500 engines and is inspecting engines in the fleet as a result. The issue involved the engine’s high-pressure compressor (HPC), specifically the third through eighth stages of the 10-stage HPC requiring certain fasteners’ replacement. This issue [...]

Honeywell Begins Delivery of Upgraded Engines for UK Chinooks

AIN online — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:16:52 PDT

Honeywell Begins Delivery of Upgraded Engines for UK Chinooks Honeywell has delivered the first batch of 28 T55-L-714A turboshaft engines and fielding kits to the UK’s Ministry of Defence for its CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter fleet. The -714A engine variant increases power by 17 percent to 4,867 shp while lowering fuel consumption by more than [...]

Dart Helicopter Services Partners with Hawker Pacific for Parts Distribution

AIN online — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 12:16:51 PDT

Dart Helicopter Services Partners with Hawker Pacific for Parts Distribution Dart Helicopter Services (DHS), a producer and distributor of more than 3,000 certified helicopter accessories, has entered into an agreement with Hawker Pacific to cooperate in developing a stronger DHS presence in the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Hawker Pacific operates facilities and [...]

Organizers: Labace a Success

AIN online — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:12:30 PDT

Organizers: Labace a Success The Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (Labace) has not only matured this year but has become a financial cornerstone for the organizing Associação Brasileira de Aviação Geral (Abag, General Aviation Association of Brazil), according to one of the show’s founders, OceanAir Táxi Aéreo marketing and sales director Jose Eduardo [...]

China To Study Second Beijing Airport

AIN online — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:12:30 PDT

China To Study Second Beijing Airport Chinese authorities plan to begin a feasibility study for a second airport to serve Beijing. China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and Beijing’s municipal government will begin planning for the new facility later this year. The impetus for an additional facility [...]

$65K Penalty Proposed for Flight Options Hazmat Violation

AIN online — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 08:11:48 PDT

$65K Penalty Proposed for Flight Options Hazmat Violation The FAA is seeking a $65,000 civil penalty from fractional-share operator Flight Options for shipping a package that leaked a hazardous material. According to the agency, Flight Options offered "a fiberboard box containing isopropyl alcohol, a flammable liquid, to UPS for transportation by air from Cleveland to [...]

U.S. Issues Cross-Appeal of WTO Findings on Airbus

AIN online — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:06:42 PDT

U.S. Issues Cross-Appeal of WTO Findings on Airbus The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) yesterday appealed to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body two findings in the panel report on European subsidies (EU) to Airbus in late June. In its appeal, the U.S. challenges the WTO panel’s finding that the launch [...]

U.S. Issues Cross-Appeal of WTO Findings on Airbus

AIN online — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:06:42 PDT

Huge U.S. Arms Deal with Saudi Arabia Pending

AIN online — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:04:29 PDT

Huge U.S. Arms Deal with Saudi Arabia Pending Reports from Washington suggest that a new arms package being assembled for Saudi Arabia could reach record proportions, as much as $60 billion. Another 80-plus F-15 fighters could be offered, along with about 70 UH-60 Black Hawk and up to 60 AH-64 Apache helicopters. While heavily promoting [...]

More Hawks for India, as BAE Eyes Iraq and Poland

AIN online — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:04:29 PDT

More Hawks for India, as BAE Eyes Iraq and Poland India signed a contract for 57 more BAE Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs), all to be manufactured under licence at the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) factory in Bangalore. A previous contract provided 24 Hawk AJTs from the BAE Systems production line in the UK, six [...]

Oman to Buy More F-16s, and Switch Recce Pod Provider

AIN online — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:04:29 PDT

Oman to Buy More F-16s, and Switch Recce Pod Provider Oman is set to buy a further 18 Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 50/52 aircraft in a package worth $3.5 billion. The U.S. Congress was notified of the potential sale earlier this month. The package also includes conformal fuel tanks, 18 Lockheed Martin Sniper targeting pods [...]

Israel Confirms F-35 JSFs, Despite Local Opposition

AIN online — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:04:29 PDT

Israel Confirms F-35 JSFs, Despite Local Opposition Israel has agreed to acquire 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (JSFs), despite U.S. reluctance to permit their modification with Israeli-designed equipment. Recent talks in Washington between Israel Defense Minister Erhud Barak and U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates confirmed a compromise that was first revealed at [...]

Raytheon’s Latest King Air Mod Comes Out of the Shadows

AIN online — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:04:29 PDT

Raytheon’s Latest King Air Mod Comes Out of the Shadows Raytheon Systems Ltd (RSL) has revealed details of the Shadow R1, a modification of the Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350ER that was done in the UK as an urgent operational requirement for the UK Royal Air Force. The four aircraft were delivered last year without [...]

New F-35 Fire-control System Begins Flight Testing on CATBird

AIN online — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:04:28 PDT

New F-35 Fire-control System Begins Flight Testing on CATBird Lockheed Martin has begun flight testing a new sensor for the F-35′s targeting system, developed by the company’s missiles and fire-control division. The test aircraft is a highly modified Boeing 737 operated by BAE Systems and is known as the CATBird (cooperative avionics testbed). The F-35′s [...]

Judge Refuses To Hear Brazil Midair Crash Witnesses

AIN online — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:01:52 PDT

Judge Refuses To Hear Brazil Midair Crash Witnesses The criminal trial of the American pilots of the Legacy jet that collided with a Boeing 737 over the Amazon in 2006 moved forward this month when the judge decided he has no need to hear seven defense witnesses. Mato Grosso federal court judge Fábio Henrique Rodrigues [...]

U.S. Aircraft Instruments Owner Balks at FAA Safo

AIN online — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:57:06 PDT

U.S. Aircraft Instruments Owner Balks at FAA Safo A recent FAA Safety Alert For Operators (Safo) targeting work done by U.S. Aircraft Instruments between April 1998 and July 9, 2009 "is about payback," Jeff Bell, president of U.S. Aircraft Instruments, told AIN. It identifies discrepancies that led to an emergency revocation of the repair station [...]

FAA Wants $580K Penalty from Hillsboro Aviation

AIN online — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:53:59 PDT

FAA Wants $580K Penalty from Hillsboro Aviation The FAA is seeking a civil penalty of $580,000 from Hillsboro Aviation of Hillsboro, Ore., “for allegedly performing improper repairs, deliberately falsifying maintenance records and operating a helicopter in a reckless manner.” The proposed penalty amount is lower than it could have been, according to the FAA, because [...]

Frank Robinson Retires, Son Kurt Takes Over

AIN online — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:53:59 PDT

Frank Robinson Retires, Son Kurt Takes Over Frank Robinson, 80, has retired from the iconic helicopter company he founded in 1973, just weeks before the company expects to receive certification of its R66 turbine single. The company announced on Friday that Robinson’s son Kurt, 53, currently a Robinson vice president, would take the titles of [...]

Bizav Flight Activity Recovery Hits Turbulence

AIN online — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:53:59 PDT

Bizav Flight Activity Recovery Hits Turbulence After months of posting positive trends, the recovery in business aircraft flight activity sputtered last month, falling 0.9 percent from a year ago, according to TraqPak data released yesterday by aviation information services firm Argus. What stings even more is the fact that July 2009 flight activity was down [...]

FAA Policy Would Change Circuit Breaker Practices

AIN online — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:53:59 PDT

FAA Policy Would Change Circuit Breaker Practices The FAA has issued a draft policy memorandum that seeks to change attitudes about circuit breaker use in electrical systems and how pilots deal with popped circuit breakers. The policy would affect aircraft manufacturers and modification providers. Comments are due by September 12. Principal changes would be for [...]

Details of Roush Premier Crash Released

AIN online — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:53:59 PDT

Details of Roush Premier Crash Released The NTSB has released the preliminary report on the crash of a Hawker Beechcraft Premier IA during the EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wis. According to the NTSB, the Premier, piloted by Jack Roush, was seen on amateur video “in a left base turn to final for Runway 18R. [...]

NTSB Team Assisting Investigation of Aires Boeing 737 Crash on San Andrés Island

AIN online — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:52:28 PDT

NTSB Team Assisting Investigation of Aires Boeing 737 Crash on San Andrés Island The NTSB has dispatched a team of investigators to assist the government of Colombia with its investigation of yesterday’s airplane accident on the Caribbean island of San Andrés. At about 1:50 a.m. local time, an Aires Airlines Boeing 737-700 (HK-4682), crashed during [...]

NTSB Team Assisting Investigation of Aires Boeing 737 Crash on San Andrés Island

AIN online — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:52:28 PDT

FAA ISSUES NEW RULE – N-NUMBER REGISTRATION

Jonathan S. Levy, Legal Director — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:21:41 PDT

The Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) has issued the Final Rule regarding the Re-registration and Renewal of Aircraft Registration, (“Final Rule”). The Final Rule becomes effective on October 1, 2010. The Final Rule requires all current U.S. registered aircraft to re-register and receive a new certificate of registration that will include an expiration date and only [...]

Florida Aircraft Expo

kate — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:52:39 PDT

Title: Florida Aircraft ExpoLocation: Orlando Executive Airport (Air Orlando)Link out: Click hereDescription: The Florida Aircraft Expos are your chance to see the latest models of general aviation aircraft all in one place! Advocate Representative: Scott BattleStart Date: 2010-09-10End Date: 2010-09-11

TBMOPA Annual Convention

kate — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:50:29 PDT

Title: TBMOPA Annual Convention Location: Hotsprings, VA Description: TBM Owners and Pilots Association, Inc. Annual Convention Start Date: 2010-09-08 End Date: 2010-09-11

PHI And TAM Partner On Offshore Support Initiative

AIN online — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:37:42 PDT

PHI And TAM Partner On Offshore Support Initiative Petroleum Helicopters is negotiating a joint venture with Brazil’s TAM to support the growing Brazilian offshore market. The joint-venture company reportedly plans to begin operations by year-end with Sikorsky S-76s, while the longer-term plans include the addition of the larger S-92. The impetus behind the partnership has [...]

Gippsland Set To Enter GA Turboprop Market

AIN online — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 11:35:39 PDT

Gippsland Set To Enter GA Turboprop Market Australia’s Gippsland Aeronautics is receiving a $20 million infusion from its new owner, India’s Mahindra Group, to develop a 10-seat variant of its GA8 Airvan and launch the new 18-seat GA18 turboprop (formerly the Nomad). Mahindra has already invested $2 million to expand Gippsland’s business domestically, and the [...]

African Aviation Safety Initiative Goals Met Ahead Of Schedule

AIN online — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 11:35:39 PDT

African Aviation Safety Initiative Goals Met Ahead Of Schedule A program put in place to improve the oversight of aviation safety for African countries has completed many of its work goals one year ahead of target. The African Comprehensive Implementation Program (ACIP) was launched in 2007, and its four-year first phase has seen most of [...]

Electric Aircraft Propulsion Technology Surges Ahead

AIN online — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:32:02 PDT

Electric Aircraft Propulsion Technology Surges Ahead Major airframers and component suppliers have instituted new research programs and initiatives to develop electric propulsion for light aircraft. The consensus among the participating parties is that battery and motor technology offering similar performance and endurance of small piston engines is roughly 10 years away. Spearheading these innovations at [...]

Korea Aerospace Industries Considering 90-Seat Turboprop

AIN online — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:32:02 PDT

Korea Aerospace Industries Considering 90-Seat Turboprop Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) could enter the regional turboprop segment as early as next year, if it proceeds with the launch of a 90-seat aircraft it is currently evaluating. The company had rejected the idea of a regional jet due to the crowded market already existing with segment leaders [...]

Qatar’s C Series ‘Issues’ Hit Sour Note for Pratt

AIN online — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:22:05 PDT

Qatar’s C Series ‘Issues’ Hit Sour Note for Pratt Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker’s surprise revelation at the Farnborough airshow that "issues” with the Pratt & Whitney PW1000G geared turbofan engine had blocked an order for as many as 90 Bombardier C Series jets at the show seemed the last thing P&W needed at a [...]

McNerney: Boeing 747-8 at More Risk of Schedule Slippage than 787 Dreamliner

AIN online — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:22:05 PDT

McNerney: Boeing 747-8 at More Risk of Schedule Slippage than 787 Dreamliner Citing “a couple of workmanship issues, and a design issue or two,” Boeing CEO Jim McNerney planted another seed of doubt about the company’s chances of delivering the first 747-8 before year-end. In fact, McNerney said the 787 Dreamliner-from which Boeing has already [...]

EADS Bullish on Airbus, Raises Order Projection to More Than 400

AIN online — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:22:05 PDT

EADS Bullish on Airbus, Raises Order Projection to More Than 400 EADS has raised its order projection for its Airbus unit this year to more than 400 aircraft from its previous estimate of between 250 and 300 following a better-than-expected sales showing at last month’s Farnborough airshow and indications of further strengthening in the narrowbody [...]

Case for 737 Re-engining Will Weaken if Airframe Advances Accelerate

AIN online — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:22:05 PDT

Case for 737 Re-engining Will Weaken if Airframe Advances Accelerate A decision to re-engine the Boeing 737 will hinge largely on the company’s ability-or lack thereof-to introduce an all-new narrowbody by the end of this decade, Boeing CEO Jim McNerney said last month. Although the company’s customers, “on balance,” would rather see an all new-airplane [...]

New Leasing Group Fans Airliner Sales Activity

AIN online — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:22:05 PDT

New Leasing Group Fans Airliner Sales Activity Airliner leasing pioneer Steven Udvar-Hazy is back in business with a vengeance. Barely six months after leaving the ILFC group that he founded back in 1973, following a failed bid to take control of a stake in the company from its troubled AIG parent, Udvar-Hazy’s new Air Lease [...]

Dassault Falcon Bullish on Brazil Bizav Market

AIN online — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:14:59 PDT

Dassault Falcon Bullish on Brazil Bizav Market Dassault Falcon predicts that Brazil will be one of the fastest-growing markets in the world for business aviation as the industry recovers, company president and CEO John Rosanvallon said today at the 2010 Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (Labace) in São Paulo. “Brazil has experienced a [...]

Linear Air Says VLJ Air-taxi Model Can Work

AIN online — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:14:59 PDT

Linear Air Says VLJ Air-taxi Model Can Work Despite the littered road of failed very light jet air-taxi firms, Linear Air said it has been able to make the model work and has even eked out a profit during one of the worst recessions since the Great Depression. The Concord, Mass.-based company said its revenues [...]

NTSB Examines Alaska Crash Site

AIN online — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:14:59 PDT

NTSB Examines Alaska Crash Site NTSB investigators are at the site of Monday’s Alaska crash of a de Havilland Canada DHC-3T turboprop-conversion floatplane that killed five, including former Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), and left four others seriously injured, including former NASA administrator and current EADS North America chairman Sean O’Keefe and his teenage son. The [...]

Phenom 100 Synthetic Vision, Phenom 300 Sim OK’d

AIN online — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:14:59 PDT

Phenom 100 Synthetic Vision, Phenom 300 Sim OK’d Embraer yesterday received Brazil ANAC, FAA and EASA approval for Garmin’s synthetic vision technology (SVT) system on the Phenom 100, which has a Garmin G1000-based Prodigy flight deck avionics system. The approval applies to new-production Phenom 100s, as well as retrofit installations for in-service aircraft. SVT recreates [...]

FAA Adopts ICAO’s ‘Line Up and Wait’ Terminology

AIN online — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 20:14:59 PDT

FAA Adopts ICAO’s ‘Line Up and Wait’ Terminology Current FAA terminology for an air traffic controller’s instruction for a pilot to taxi onto the runway and await takeoff clearance is “position and hold.” However, this will change on September 30 to “line up and wait,” which is the standard terminology under International Civil Aviation Organization [...]

Boeing Still Inspecting 787 Dreamliners for Workmanship ‘Issues’

AIN online — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:13:54 PDT

Boeing Still Inspecting 787 Dreamliners for Workmanship ‘Issues’ Boeing hasn’t finished inspecting parts of the tail sections of flight-test and production 787 Dreamliners, several weeks after the Chicago-based aerospace giant identified some “workmanship issues” attributed to the supplier of the 787’s horizontal stabilizer, Italy’s Alenia. “We had an issue with the horizontal stabilizer with our [...]

AEA Survey Predicts Need for Avionics Techs

AIN online — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:13:22 PDT

AEA Survey Predicts Need for Avionics Techs The Aircraft Electronics Association has released the results from its 2010 rate & labor survey to its members. Comparing this year’s results to last year’s, the AEA discovered a promising business outlook for the remainder of this year and into next. “Fifty percent of the respondents said they [...]

JSSI Enrolls First Phenom 300 into Engine Program

AIN online — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:13:22 PDT

JSSI Enrolls First Phenom 300 into Engine Program Jet Support Services (JSSI) has signed an agreement with Executive AirShare covering the P&WC PW535E engines on two Phenom 300s under its premium hourly-cost engine maintenance program. The program includes coverage of scheduled and unscheduled maintenance events, life-limited components, the consultation and support of a JSSI technical [...]

Piaggio America Adds to Its Service Network

AIN online — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:13:22 PDT

Piaggio America Adds to Its Service Network Piaggio America has added three new locations–Crownair Aviation in San Diego and Carlsbad, Calif., and Constant Aviation in Birmingham, Ala.–to its list of North American authorized service centers to support the Avanti II twin turboprop. Crownair Aviation offers fuel, maintenance and avionics services at its Montgomery Airport facility [...]

Spectrum Aeromed, Cessna Team on Medical Mustang

AIN online — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:13:22 PDT

Spectrum Aeromed, Cessna Team on Medical Mustang Cessna Aircraft and Spectrum Aeromed have teamed to pre-fit a Cessna Citation Mustang for an air medical interior during manufacturing. The aircraft will leave the Cessna factory prewired for Spectrum Aeromed’s air medical equipment. The collaboration will save operators a substantial amount of time compared with retrofitting an [...]

Former Senator, EADS boss in Alaska Floatplane Crash

AIN online — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:07:29 PDT

Former Senator, EADS boss in Alaska Floatplane Crash The NTSB this morning dispatched a go team that includes chairman Deborah Hersman to Alaska to investigate last night’s crash of a de Havilland Canada DHC-3T Otter turboprop single, which was carrying former Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and former NASA administrator and current EADS North America chairman [...]

J.P.Morgan: New Bizjet Demand Remains ‘Elusive’

AIN online — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:07:29 PDT

J.P.Morgan: New Bizjet Demand Remains ‘Elusive’ The pre-owned business jet market is improving, but demand for new jets is "elusive," according to a monthly business jet report released on Friday by J.P.Morgan. Used inventories are down nearly 3 percent this year, but might "only be approaching the end of the beginning…as inventories remain above last [...]

On More Solid Footing, NetJets Posts $114M Profit

AIN online — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:07:29 PDT

On More Solid Footing, NetJets Posts $114M Profit For the second quarter and first half of this year, fractional aircraft provider NetJets’ revenues increased 16 percent and 17 percent, respectively, from a year ago, parent company Berkshire Hathaway said in its second-quarter results, released on Friday. These gains resulted from an increase in worldwide flight [...]

GAO, DOT IG Concerned about FAA’s NextGen

AIN online — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:07:29 PDT

GAO, DOT IG Concerned about FAA’s NextGen Each key FAA NextGen project has an individual "metric" to measure how its development is progressing. But as the Government Accountability Office (GAO) warned recently, the FAA doesn’t use "lateral" metrics that would allow senior management to track the relative progress of separate projects that must eventually work [...]

Embraer Legacy 650 To Debut This Week at Labace

AIN online — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:07:29 PDT

Embraer Legacy 650 To Debut This Week at Labace The Embraer Legacy 650 will make its public debut at the seventh Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (Labace), which starts on Thursday and ends Saturday at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, Brazil. "We are satisfied with the Legacy 650 debuting at such an important [...]

TBMOPA Annual Convention

kate — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:37:19 PDT

Title: TBMOPA Annual ConventionLocation: Hotsprings, VADescription: TBM Owners and Pilots Association, Inc. Annual Convention Hotsprings, VA Advocate Consulting Representative: Lou Meiners Start Date: 2010-09-09End Date: 2010-09-11

Insitu Integrator Wins STUAS Award

AIN online — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:44:10 PDT

Insitu Integrator Wins STUAS Award Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing, has won the U.S. Navy’s small tactical unmanned air system (STUAS)/Tier II competition to provide the Navy and Marine Corps with an easily deployable ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) capability. A decision on STUAS/Tier II was originally expected in the spring, but was delayed while [...]

Brazil Commits to Embraer KC-390

AIN online — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:44:10 PDT

Brazil Commits to Embraer KC-390 During the Farnborough airshow in late July, the Brazilian air force announced its intention to acquire 28 Embraer KC-390 twinjet tanker/transports. First flight is expected in 2014, with service entry planned before the end of 2015. New details revealed at the time include increases in overall dimensions and weight. Embraer [...]

Boeing Narrows the C-17, but Widens the Search for Exports

AIN online — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:44:10 PDT

Boeing Narrows the C-17, but Widens the Search for Exports Boeing has revealed its latest thinking on how the C-17 heavy airlifter could meet the joint future theater lift (JFTL) requirement that is emerging in the U.S. The “Advanced Tactical C-17” would retain the basic wings and tail of the current C-17A, but feature a [...]

Japan Eyes Further Mitsubishi F-2 Procurement

AIN online — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:44:10 PDT

Japan Eyes Further Mitsubishi F-2 Procurement Japan is examining the possibility of continuing production of the Mitsubishi F-2 to bolster its fighter fleet in the face of growing Chinese capability, adding some 20 aircraft to the 94 (plus four prototypes) currently procured. The Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) is looking for a new fighter [...]

China and Pakistan Push Chengdu JF-17 Fighter for Export

AIN online — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 09:44:10 PDT

China and Pakistan Push Chengdu JF-17 Fighter for Export In the same week that the Chengdu JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft made its international debut at the Farnborough airshow, the product of this co-development between China and Pakistan was offered to Indonesia. The Pakistan Defence Minister signed a defense cooperation agreement with his Indonesian counterpart in [...]

Bizjet, Turboprop Deliveries Down, but Billings Up

AIN online — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:43:53 PDT

Bizjet, Turboprop Deliveries Down, but Billings Up Business jet and turboprop delivery totals declined for the seventh straight quarter, but industry billings rose a modest 0.2 percent in the first six months of this year, according to statistics released yesterday by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). In the first half of this year, deliveries [...]

California Pols Seek Night Curfew at BUR, VNY

AIN online — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:43:52 PDT

California Pols Seek Night Curfew at BUR, VNY A recent letter sent by three California congressmen to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure is asking for nighttime curfew legislation for Bob Hope Airport in Burbank and Van Nuys Airport to be added to the reauthorization bill. The request by democratic representatives Brad Sherman, Adam [...]

Latin America Could Be White Knight in Bizav Recovery

AIN online — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:43:52 PDT

Latin America Could Be White Knight in Bizav Recovery Latin American countries are poised to play an important part in business aviation’s recovery, according to aviation consultant Brian Foley. “Latin America has historically been the third-largest market for business aircraft,” he said. There are nearly 31,000 private business jets and turboprops worldwide, with 62 percent [...]

Hawker Beechcraft Logs More Losses

AIN online — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:43:52 PDT

Hawker Beechcraft Logs More Losses Hawker Beechcraft recorded an operating loss of $20.7 million in the second quarter, bringing first-half losses to $45.8 million. Second-quarter net sales at the Wichita-based aircraft manufacturer fell $177 million year-over-year, to $639.3 million. This decrease was attributed to lower general and business aircraft deliveries “as a result of depressed [...]

UK Group Seeks To Fill Entry-level Jet Support Niche

AIN online — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:43:52 PDT

UK Group Seeks To Fill Entry-level Jet Support Niche Oriens Advisors, a UK-based consultancy group looking to support entry-level jet operations and helping airports to fulfill their real estate potential, has set up a new headquarters at London Biggin Hill Airport. The company’s EA Aviation subsidiary is managing 27,000 sq ft of hangar space there, [...]

Santulli Back in Bizjet Business

AIN online — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:42:13 PDT

Santulli Back in Bizjet Business Richard Santulli announced today the launch of a new business jet and helicopter leasing company, Milestone Aviation Group, headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Santulli in the mid-1980s founded fractional share company NetJets, which was sold in 1998 to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. Santulli left that company last year. He is now [...]

Cathay Pacific To Order 30 A350 XWBs, Convert Purchase Rights for Six Boeing 777-300ERs

AIN online — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 08:42:03 PDT

Cathay Pacific To Order 30 A350 XWBs, Convert Purchase Rights for Six Boeing 777-300ERs Cathay Pacific Airways has signed a letter of intent with Airbus covering 30 A350 XWBs and plans to exercise purchase rights covering six Boeing 777-300ERs, the airline announced today. The value of the orders would total some HK$75 billion ($9.7 billion). [...]

Comair Mechanics Pull Out of FAA Safety Program

AIN online — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 21:39:52 PDT

Comair Mechanics Pull Out of FAA Safety Program The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 142 today said it has withdrawn from the maintenance Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP) at Delta Air Lines regional subsidiary Comair. “We have discussed the problems with this dysfunctional program with both Comair and the FAA for [...]

CFM56-7BE Gains FAA, EASA Approval