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Vol.50 | No.8

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AUGUST 2021 | ainonline.com

Due to “unprecedented” demand, NetJets has temporarily paused NetJets tackles boom in business sales of shares, leases, and jet cards for light jets. That includes the Embraer Phenom 300 (shown by Chad Trautvetter here) and Cessna Citation XLS. NetJets has “temporarily paused” sales of selling “NetJets” fractional shares in 1986). service employees through year-end and OEMs fractional shares, leases, and jet cards for It added that inventory constraints within investing nearly $2.5 billion for 100 new the Cessna Citation XLS and Embraer Phe- the light jet category have reached a point aircraft to be delivered between now and Major upgrades to nom 300 due to “unprecedented demand that additional NetJets fractional sales the end of 2022. n Pilatus PC-24 page 8 within the private travel industry,” a com- before more aircraft are delivered would pany spokeswoman told AIN. “The deci- put service at risk. Read Our SPECIAL REPORT sion to pause light jet sales, in addition to “While most NetJets owners have expe- Research previous announcements regarding raising rienced business as usual in their recent NIAR adds mx to maker card prices and eliminating peak period travels, a few have felt the challenges that page 17 day travel on card purchases, allows the coincide with heightened demand across Product Support labs company to continue…delivering the best the industry,” the company said. “The vast The results of the AIN 2021 Product possible experience to all owners.” In the number of flights is taxing the air travel Support Survey for business aircraft Safety meantime, the company is putting prospec- infrastructure in ways we haven’t seen in airframe manufacturers are in and Retired Sumwalt recalls tive customers for light jets on a waitlist. years—everything from fueling and ramp show that AIN readers are passionate According to NetJets, record contract space to catering and ground transportation about the aircraft they fly, maintain, NTSB stint page 28 utilization by existing fractional owners are being pushed to their limits in many loca- and operate. has resulted in flight demand currently tions. This is mainly due to demand across Avionics exceeding all other highs in the company’s the industry, as well as staffing challenges.” page 20 57-year history (the company was founded To meet continued demand, NetJets News from the AEA in 1964 as Executive Jet Airways and started said it is hiring hundreds of pilots and convention page 34 CLEANER AIRSPACE.

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JAMES HOLAHAN "1921#2015$, FOUNDING EDITOR WILSON S. LEACH, FOUNDER & CEO EDITOR!IN!CHIEF – Matt Thurber NEWS EDITOR ! AIN PUBLICATIONS " Chad Trautvetter SENIOR EDITORS " Charles Alcock, Curt Epstein, Kerry Lynch Gregory Polek – Air Transport, Jerry Siebenmark CONTRIBUTORS David Donald – Defense Mark Huber – Rotorcraft Jennifer Leach English David Jack Kenny – Safety Gordon Gilbert Richard Pedicini James Wynbrandt PRODUCTION MANAGER " Martha Jercinovich GRAPHIC DESIGNERS " John A. Manfredo, Grzegorz Rzekos 17 14 DIGITAL SOLUTIONS MANAGER " Michael Giaimo DEVELOPER " Ryan Koch PRODUCT DIRECTOR OF VIDEO " Ian Whelan SUPPORT CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER " Dave Leach SURVEY VICE PRESIDENT SALES & MARKETING " Karl H. Elken ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER " Nancy O’Brien The AIN Product ADVERTISING SALES Support Survey Melissa Murphy " Midwestern U.S., +1 (830) 608-9888 Nancy O’Brien " Western U.S./Western Canada/Asia Pacific, results show +1 (530) 241-3534 that readers are Joe Rosone – Mid-Atlantic U.S./Southeast U.S./Caribbean/Brazil, +1 (301) 693-4687 passionate about Diana Scogna " Europe/Middle East, +33 6 62 52 25 47 the aircraft they Victoria Tod " Northeastern U.S./Eastern Canada/Great Lakes U.S./ fly, maintain, and United Kingdom, +1 (203) 733-4184 operate. Yury Laskin " Russia, +7 05 912 1346 12 20 AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER " Nicole Bowman MARKETING AND CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER " Lisa Valladares SALES AND MARKETING COORDINATOR " Adam Brandwein AIRPLANES and ENGINES ENVIRONMENT SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING " Zach O’Brien SALES ADMINISTRATOR " Cindy Nesline 8 Pilatus refines PC-24 with 12 Joby teams with JetBlue, cabin, avionics upgrades Signature on carbon credits DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & HUMAN RESOURCES " Michele Hubert ACCOUNTS PAYABLE " Mary Avella 12 EASA certifies Textron’s Citation Longitude ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE " Bobbie Bing INDUSTRY and MANAGEMENT 14 Third Falcon 6X joins flight-test fleet 6 IADA warns of shortage in U.S. HEADQUARTERS 214 Franklin Ave., Midland Park, NJ 07432, +1 (201) 444-5075 AIR TRANSPORT ‘quality’ preowned aircraft Advertising Inquiries: +1 (201) 345-0085 18 GDC Technics faces liquidation [email protected] 36 IATA calls for clarity as airlines bleed cash Circulation Inquiries: +1 (201) 345-0085 27 Report says it’s ‘party time’ for bizjets [email protected] 36 European airlines lobby to keep WASHINGTON, D.C. EDITORIAL OFFICE: slot rule waivers in place Kerry Lynch (business aviation) MAINTENANCE, MODs, and COMPLETIONS [email protected] 36 Kremlin committed to CR929 17 NIAR modification lab obtains part 145 certificate Tel: +1 (703) 969-9195 despite grim market prospects EUROPEAN EDITORIAL OFFICE: 20 2021 AIN Product Support Survey Charles Alcock 37 Porter Airlines revealed as major E-Jet customer [email protected] Tel: +44 7799 907595 37 Pandemic speeds move toward digital training PEOPLE THE CONVENTION NEWS COMPANY, INC. 37 Airbus delivers 77 airliners in June 12 Global Jet Capital appoints Kaushal as new CEO AIN PUBLICATIONS EXECUTIVE TEAM 28 Sumwalt reflects on NTSB career, views on safety Wilson Leach Jennifer Leach English Karl H. Elken AIRSHOWS and EVENTS Matt Thurber Dave Leach 44 Back in the live show saddle REGULATIONS and GOVERNMENT Michele Hubert Nancy O’Brien 29 NTSB’s Landsberg: urgent Aviation International News (ISSN 0887-9877) is published thirteen times per year (monthly plus a special NBAA Convention News issue AVIONICS and TECHNOLOGY need to overhaul notams in November). Periodicals postage paid at Midland Park, N.J., and additional mailing o!ces. Postmaster: Send address changes to Aviation 34 AEA show celebrates return to live events International News, P.O. Box 8059, Lowell, MA 01853 USA. Allow at least 34 FAA approves first general ROTORCRAFT eight weeks for processing. Include old address as well as new, and an address label from a recent issue if possible. Subscription inquiries: +1 (201) aviation head-up display 30 UK S-92 near-CFIT highlights 345-0085 or email: [email protected]. 35 JetTech STCs add new features for CitationJets hazards of MVFR flight Aviation International News is a publication of The Convention News 32 F. Lee Bailey’s Enstrom tenure creative, chaotic Co., Inc., 214 Franklin Ave., Midland Park, NJ 07432; Tel.: +1 (201) 444-5075. 35 Blackhawk buys Columbia Copyright © 2021 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part 33 South Africa’s ‘Rocket’ Air without permission of The Convention News Co., Inc. is strictly prohibited. The Avionics & Aircraft Services Convention News Co., Inc. publishes Aviation International News, AINalerts, ambulance service takes o! AIN Air Transport Perspective, AINtv, Business Jet Traveler, BJTwaypoints, 35 Appareo debuts AIRS-400 4K image recorder ABACE Convention News, Dubai Airshow News, EBACE Convention News, 33 FAA approves H160’s Safran Arrano engine Farnborough Airshow News, FutureFlight.aero, HAI Convention News, 35 West Star, Collins team up on LABACE Convention News, MEBA Convention News, NBAA Convention Citation CJ1+ Fusion upgrade News, Paris Airshow News, Singapore Airshow News, Mobile Apps: SAFETY Aviation International News; AINonline. PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40649046 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: PITNEY CHARTER and FRACTIONAL 10 Steep climb for U.S. bizjet accidents in first half BOWES INTERNATIONAL MAIL, STATION A, P.O. BOX 54, WINDSOR, ON, N9A 6J5, 1 NetJets tackles boom in business 19 Less flying degrades pilot skills returns [email protected]. 6 Wheels Up now a public company on NYSE DEPARTMENTS 8 New Brazilian frax firm Amaro takes 42 Accidents | 34 Avionics Update PUBLICATIONS delivery of its first Pilatus PC-24 45 Compliance Countdown | 16 Expert Opinion 14 For feedback, letters to the editor, or other editorial needs, Elit’Avia to sell HondaJets in 40 Hot Section | 8, 10, 12, 14 News Briefs please contact AIN’s Editors at [email protected] France, parts of Africa 46 People in Aviation | 38 Touching Bases

4 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com A WORLD OF SUPPORT

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EPIC E1000 GX OBTAINS FAA NOD early last month in Canada. Canada TSB Epic Aircraft’s latest version of its all- investigators determined that the pin composite turboprop single, the E1000 on that helicopter failed, leading to the GX, received FAA approval in mid-July. The detachment of the rotor hub and main upgraded E1000 GX features improved rotors in flight. The pin had only 20 hours performance and safety thanks to the of service. An inspection of another addition of a Garmin GFC 700 automated Canadian-registered 212 found another pin flight control system and Hartzell five- was deformed with only 29 hours time blade composite propeller. Garmin’s GFC in service. Affected pins are identifiable

700 provides flight director, autopilot, yaw with the serial number prefix “FNFS.” INTOSH c damper, and automatic trim capabilities, Bell said the pin “may have not been

as well as emergency descent protection manufactured in accordance with the DAVID M and coupled go-arounds. Deliveries engineering design requirements and may of the new model, which is priced shear as a result of the non-conformance.” at $3.85 million, began last month. P&WC HYBRID-ELECTRIC SYSTEM Wheels Up now a public EBAA AND GAMA ‘ENCOURAGED’ TO FLY IN A DASH 8 IN 2024 BY EU’S SAF PROPOSALS Pratt & Whitney Canada is partnering with EBAA and GAMA are “encouraged” by new De Havilland of Canada in a program to company on NYSE rules unveiled July 14 by the European test hybrid-electric propulsion technology Commission to advance the production, in a Dash 8-100 flight demonstrator. by Chad Trautvetter availability, and use of sustainable aviation Expected to undergo ground testing next fuels (SAF) in the region. But they steered year and fly in 2024, the demonstrator Private aviation charter and aircraft own- that. We’re now in a position to look at away from formally expressing support for will include an electric motor and ership services company Wheels Up on global partners who are aligned with our the intended introduction of an EU-wide controller from Collins Aerospace, a July 13 closed its transaction with special marketplace vision.” SAF blending mandate, which calls for the P&WC sister company under the Raytheon purpose acquisition company (SPAC) In the first quarter, Wheels Up reported introduction of an obligation across the Technologies umbrella. The governments Aspirational Consumer Lifestyle, mak- record year-over-year revenue growth bloc to blend 2 percent SAF by 2025, rising of Canada and Quebec have committed to ing it a publicly traded company. The of 68 percent, to $261.7 million, and a to 5 percent in 2030, and 63 percent in contributing roughly half of the program’s capital raised will accelerate investment 56 percent increase in active members. 2050. These SAF measures form part of C$163 million investment. The new hybrid- in Wheels Up’s technology and product Wheels Up offers membership programs, the EC’s “Fit for 55” legislative package electric propulsion technology will help offerings, driving global growth strategies on- demand charter, aircraft manage- to reduce carbon emissions by at least 55 optimize performance across the different and expansion of the Wheels Up Market- ment, whole aircraft sales, and corpo- percent of 1990 levels by 2030 and aim phases of flight, allowing the demonstrator place with membership and non-member- rate solutions. to make the continent carbon-neutral by to target a 30 percent reduction in fuel ship options, the company said. Now known officially as Wheels Up 2050. The policies include proposals to burn and CO2 emissions compared “We are proud to be the first private Experience, the company will trade on introduce an EU-wide tax on aviation fuel with current regional turboprops. aviation operator on the New York Stock the New York Stock Exchange under the (exempting business aircraft), strengthen Exchange,” Wheels Up founder and CEO symbol “UP.” To commemorate the com- the EU Emissions Trading Scheme for UK’S FARNBOROUGH AIRPORT Kenny Dichter told AIN. “Since our 2013 pletion of the transaction, Dichter, Aspira- aviation, and implement the UN Carbon NOW STOCKING SAF launch, it has been our mission to create a tional Consumer Lifestyle chairman and Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for London-area Farnborough Airport is the dynamic platform to democratize private CEO Ravi Thakran, and some members of International Aviation into European law. latest UK gateway to offer continuous aviation. The IPO provided us with $650 the Wheels Up founding and leadership supplies of sustainable aviation fuel million in proceeds, and we’re evaluating teams rang the closing bell at the NYSE GARMIN G1000 NXI FOR PHENOM (SAF). The move enhances Farnborough’s all available options on where to invest on July 14. n 100/300 GETS EASA OK environmental efforts. In 2018, it was EASA has approved the Garmin G1000 the first business aviation gateway NXi upgrade for Embraer Phenom 100s to be awarded carbon-neutral status and 300s equipped with the Prodigy and has reduced its controllable GHG Flight Deck, offering modernized displays emissions by more than 70 percent over IADA warns of shortage in ‘quality’ with improved readability, reduced the past decade. “The introduction of power consumption, and more powerful SAF at Farnborough Airport is a major preowned aircraft processors. Garmin’s G1000 NXi milestone in our sustainability program includes additional capabilities such as and we are pleased to be able to offer The International Association of Aircraft IADA executive director Wayne Starling. SurfaceWatch runway monitoring, visual Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel by Dealers (IADA) is warning of a pending The aircraft broker’s group noted that approach guidance, and map overlay working with our fuel provider World Fuel shortfall in “quality” preowned business while some industry reports show the within the HSI. Available as an option for Services,” said airport CEO Simon Geere. aircraft as it continues to see activity inventory of used aircraft at 7 percent G1000 NXi-equipped Phenom 100s is a increase in aircraft under contract and of the fleet, “only about three to four display of ADS-B In weather and traffic FCC CERTIFIES SMARTSKY transaction closings, according to its [percent] are newer, late-model quality data via the GTX 345R/345DR transponder. TOWER RADIOHEAD second- quarter 2021 IADA Market Report. aircraft.” IADA added about half of those In a step that signals SmartSky’s progress In the second quarter, IADA dealers closed aircraft are located internationally and a BELL 212 CRASH PROMPTS towards the launch of service on its U.S. 320 preowned aircraft sales transactions large percentage of them reside in China. EMERGENCY AD air-to-ground inflight connectivity network, and ended the quarter with another 315 IADA also reported that, during the Following a similar directive from the Federal Communications Commission aircraft under contract. That’s up from the second quarter, its members executed 175 Transport Canada, the FAA has issued has certified the radiohead for the ground- quarter a year ago, when dealers closed acquisition agreements and were exclu- an emergency airworthiness directive based towers that will serve the company’s 174 transactions and had 219 aircraft sively retained to sell 135 aircraft. During requiring the removal and replacement airborne customers. SmartSky expects to under contract. that period, transaction prices decreased of certain main rotor hub strap pins launch commercial service later this year. “We have buyers with funds to pur- on 11 aircraft and 38 transactions were on Bell 204, 205, and 212 models, as Airborne service opened earlier this year in chase, but demand for late-model aircraft not completed. That compares with 119 well as limited-category UH-1 variants, a U.S. Southeast corridor, although formal with attractive configurations exceeds aircraft whose prices decreased and 45 before further flight. The emergency commercial launch awaits more complete supply, which could increase pressure on incompleted transactions in the second AD follows the fatal crash of a Bell 212 expansion of its terrestrial network. prices and lengthen transactions,” said quarter of 2020. J.S.

6 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com

roll limit and overspeed protection, even News Briefs with the autopilot turned off, and can be manually overridden by the pilot with a Bombardier Snags quick-disconnect button. The standard 10-aircraft, $452M Deal autothrottle system also now includes auto- Bombardier on July 1 announced its matic under- and overspeed protection as largest business jet order year-to-date well as refined Fadec software to reduce with a 10-aircraft deal valued at $451.8 power oscillations in cruise and descent. million at current list prices. Bombardier A new automatic yaw trim function did not disclose the customer nor did it further reduces flight crew workload discuss the order mix, citing “competitive during departure and climb by holding reasons.” This order provides further the aircraft to zero sideslip. If one engine evidence of a strengthening market after is inoperative or a large thrust asymme- last year’s pandemic-related malaise. try exists, the automatic yaw trim will Bombardier plans for deliveries this year attempt to maintain approximately one- to remain roughly flat from 2020 totals. half trapezoid indicated sideslip. Pilatus has added a long list of new features to the PC-24’s flight deck, including a now- The new “pilot-defined” visual approach End of the Line for G550 standard touchscreen controller, automatic pitch and roll protection, autothrottle under- and function allows the pilot to set up an auto- Nearly two decades after it first entered overspeed protection, automatic yaw trim, and a “pilot-defined” visual approach function. pilot- and autothrottle-coupled visual service, Gulfstream’s G550 saw its final approach to any runway, as well as precisely commercial delivery on June 30. The track a left-hand, right-hand, or straight-in Savannah, Georgia airframer has produced pattern down to the runway threshold. more than 600 of the ultra-long-range Pilatus refines PC-24 with According to Pilatus, this feature increases twinjets since receiving its type and safety at uncontrolled fields by allowing the production certificates in August 2003. pilot to keep attention focused outside the First announced in 1999 as a derivative of cabin, avionics upgrades aircraft to look for other traffic. the GV, the G550 (formerly GV-SP) was Among the new avionics features on the launch platform for the company’s by Chad Trautvetter the PC-24 are Honeywell’s SmartRunway PlaneView flight deck and was also certified and SmartLanding advisory functions, with an enhanced vision system. With a Pilatus Aircraft has announced a slew of the standard forward left-hand coat closet, which enhance safety and reduce pilot range of 6,750 nm at Mach 0.80, the type new cabin and avionics features for its operators may now opt for a galley with workload. Also available are VHF data- earned more than 50 speed records. PC-24 twinjet based on customer feed- a microwave oven, coffee/espresso maker, link with AFIS, ACARS graphical weather, back from more than 50,000 hours of fleet work surface, ice storage, and/or capacity SiriusXM satellite graphical weather, FMS Redesigned Eviation Alice operations. PC-24s coming off the pro- for standard catering units. takeoff and landing data (TOLD), CPDLC Set To Fly This Year duction line going forward will include But the bulk of the new features are on over the FANS 1/A+ network, KMA-29A Eviation Aircraft last month unveiled the these features, while “many” can be ret- the flight deck and were developed in part- Bluetooth 3D audio panel with record and revised design for Alice, its all-electric rofitted to in-service airplanes, the Swiss nership with Honeywell. To start, a touch- playback functions, and Honeywell RDR- 11-seat aircraft, and confirmed plans to aircraft manufacturer said. screen controller is now standard, replacing 7000 weather radar with predictive hail complete FAA type certification and service In the cabin, new lie-flat seats provide the previous multifunction controller. and lightning functions. entry in 2024. Further, the company said more comfort, more intuitive controls, Meanwhile, the PC-24’s flight control In addition, Pilatus recently certified the aircraft will make its first test flight by and lighter weight, in addition to quick- system now incorporates tactile feedback in and began offering the True Blue Power year-end. Newly published design drawings release mechanisms to facilitate rapid both roll and pitch to prevent unintended lithium-ion batteries, which provide an reveal significant changes from an earlier seating configuration changes. In lieu of unusual attitudes. This includes automatic 84-pound reduction in empty weight. n prototype, with a T-tail configuration replacing a V-tail. Meanwhile, Alice’s two MagniX Magni650 electric motors have been relocated from the wingtips to a pylon mount on the aft fuselage. In May, New Brazilian frax firm Amaro takes delivery of first Pilatus PC-24 MagniX delivered the first Magni650 motors to Eviation. Singapore-based With the arrival of its first Pilatus PC-24 in Clermont Group owns the two companies. early July at São Paulo Catarina Interna- Eviation has sublet several hangars at tional Airport, Amaro Aviation plans to be Arlington Airport in Washington state and a major force in the Brazilian fractional has spent at least $300,000 to renovate aircraft share market—a segment that is the facility for Alice development work. expanding with the arrival of the coun- try’s own Part K regulations. The company Bombardier Unveils ‘Certified includes several heavy hitters in the Brazil- Preowned’ Program ian aviation scene: partner Marcos Amaro Bombardier has rolled out a Certified is a son of TAM founder Rolim Amaro; CEO Preowned aircraft program that will offer David Barione was a founder of GOL and Brazilian fractional provider Amaro Aviation has taken delivery of its first Pilatus PC-24 customers “selected, inspected, and president of TAM; and partner Francisco at São Paulo Catarina International Airport, where it was greeted with a water salute. It updated” Learjets, Challengers, and Globals. Lyra is an ex-chairman of ABAG and the avi- will be joined by a PC-12 turboprop single in November. The program is designed to provide ation know-how behind the Catarina airport. a “like new” experience for customers, Amaro Aviation is basing its PC-24 at fractional shares but air taxi, charter, and and getting there faster than turboprops. including a one-year manufacturer’s Catarina, which has an 8,100-foot runway aircraft management services. Although Meanwhile, Catarina’s newfound inter- warranty and operational support. Under and was recently certified as an interna- founded only this year, Amaro Aviation national status will also help Synerjet, the the program, customers can sign up for tional airport by Brazil’s ANAC. The aircraft, already “manages the largest Gulfstream exclusive South American distributor for Pil- alerts when an aircraft becomes available. which was greeted by a water salute upon fleet in Brazil,” among other aircraft, having atus business aircraft, which has signed a Bombardier will refurbish and provide landing at Catarina, will be joined by a PC-12 absorbed the management department of lease to move its MRO operations to the São services to help the airplane retain its turboprop single in November. Lyra’s CFly Aviation. Barione extolled the Paulo business aviation airport. Synerjet will residual value. This includes ensuring Barione told AIN that Amaro Aviation PC-24’s ability to land on unimproved be responsible for maintenance of Amaro that it is up to date with maintenance plans to o!er “a complete solution for runways as important for getting Brazil’s Aviation’s Pilatus fleet, according to Synerjet inspections, service bulletins, system business aviation,” including not only booming agribusiness where it needs to go CEO José Eduardo Brandão. R.P. upgrades, and enrollment in Bombardier’s Smart Parts program, as required.

8 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com Photos by Nikki Wongvongsri

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Powering your flight with more than just fuel. Learn more at avfuel.com. In the first half, U.S.-registered turbo- News Briefs Steep climb for U.S. bizjet props suffered seven fatalities in three accidents, compared with 10 killed in four GJC Foresees $162.1B Bizjet accidents in the first six months of 2020. Market over 5 Years accidents in first half The crash of a Mitsubishi MU-2 on May 5 The new and preowned business jet market killed one person on the ground in addition is forecast to combine for $162.1 billion in by Gordon Gilbert to the three onboard. The other U.S.-reg- total transactions with a compound annual istered business turboprop fatal accidents growth rate of 7.4 percent through 2025, Accidents and fatalities involving U.S.- Gulfstream IV (in the Dominican Repub- in the first half of 2021 were February 7, according to Global Jet Capital’s (GJC) registered business jets more than doubled lic), one fatality; and May 29, Cessna Cessna Conquest, two fatalities; and Feb- first-ever business jet market forecast. from a year ago as mishaps surged in the Citation I/SP, seven fatalities. Nonfatal ruary 21, Swearingen SA-226, two fatalities. Providing a picture of both preowned and second quarter. Flying was down in the accidents of U.S.-registered business jets All six fatal U.S.-registered turbine busi- new aircraft transactions, the GJC forecast second quarter of 2020 due to the Covid also climbed from six last year to eight ness airplane accidents in the first half predicts transaction volume will grow from pandemic but has rebounded considerably this year. of this year occurred under Part 91. Four 3,308 transactions worth $29.3 billion this since then. Meanwhile, accidents involv- The one N-numbered fatal business jet non-fatal accidents happened under Part year to 3,743 worth $36.3 billion in 2025. ing U.S.-registered turboprops decreased accident in the first half of 2020 occurred 135, and there were zero accidents or inci- Meanwhile, transaction volume will be up year-over-year. on February 8 near Fairmount, Georgia. dents under Part 91K. The investigations by 5.5 percent from 2020 to 2021 alone and According to AIN research, prelimi- According to the NTSB preliminary report, into all of the fatal accidents of U.S.-regis- dollar volume by 15.5 percent. GJC foresees nary statistics show that nine people lost a Citation 501 broke up while climbing tered turbine airplanes through the first six a rebound in 2021 for new business jets, but their lives in three accidents of U.S.-reg- through 15,400 feet to 16,000 feet after its months of this year and last year remain in believes it will be 2023 before the deliveries istered business jets in the first half, pilots reported “problems” with the auto- the NTSB preliminary report status. return to 2019 levels and 2024 before the compared with four killed in a single pilot and the left-side attitude indicator. market sees another more significant jump. accident in the comparable period last The twinjet, whose rated pilot was flying Non-U.S. Jets Sustained One Fatality year. The accidents this year and result- from the right seat, was on a Part 91 per- In the first half of this year non-U.S. reg- Gulfstream Further Lowers ing number of fatalities were January 9, sonal flight in day IMC and had filed an IFR istered business jets were involved in one G700 Cabin Altitude Cessna Citation V, one fatality; May 4, flight plan. fatal accident that killed a crewmember Gulfstream Aerospace is lowering the cabin compared to three such accidents and 14 altitude of its G700 flagship to 2,916 feet fatalities in the first half of 2020. Char- at 41,000 feet, marking an improvement AIN tables show “incidents” as well as “accidents” to distinguish mishaps based on their ter operators experienced two non-fatal from the originally announced 3,290-foot degree of severity. Investigators often draw fine distinctions between the two events, but, accidents, one more than the first half of cabin altitude. The change, Gulfstream said, typically, incidents result in minor or no damage and their investigations are sometimes last year. There was one fatal accident to will give the 7,500-nm airplane the lowest delegated to local o!cials. a non-N numbered business jet on charter cabin altitude of any large-cabin business Accidents are events that range from minor damage to destruction and/or injuries. Also, operations. jet. Along with the low cabin altitude, some incidents ultimately get upgraded to accident status during the investigative process. The single fatal accident of a non Gulfstream has designed the cabin to have N-numbered business jet in this year’s six- 100 percent fresh air, “whisper-quiet” noise month period occurred on April 20, when levels, a high-definition circadian lighting Accidents/Incidents Worldwide a Brazilian-registered Bombardier Learjet system, 20 panoramic oval windows, and a 35A, operating on a test and training flight, seating design with advanced ergonomics. (first half 2021 vs. first half 2020) suffered a runway excursion after landing U.S.-registered Business Jets and Turboprops on Runway 13 at Belo Horizonte/Pampulha NASA: SAF Cuts Contrails Total Part 91 Part 91K Part 135 Public/Gov’t Mfr. Airport, Brazil. The crew was performing Besides lowering an aircraft’s carbon Business jets 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 a touch-and-go when the aircraft touched emissions, using a 50/50 sustainable Total accidents 11 7 10 6 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 down with the undercarriage retracted. aviation fuel (SAF) blend can also result in Nonfatal accidents 867500110000 The twinjet then slid through the perim- 50 to 70 percent fewer ice crystal contrails Fatal accidents 313100000000 eter fence and broke in two some 700 feet at cruising altitude, further reducing Fatalities 949400000000 from the end of the landing runway. One aviation’s impact on the environment, Incidents 34 32 18 18 0 0 15 14 0 0 1 0 pilot died and two other occupants were according to in-flight research by NASA injured. and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Business Total Part 91 Part 91K Part 135 Public/Gov’t Mfr. The number of accidents and fatalities Ice crystal contrail formations can linger turboprops 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 involving non-U.S. registered business in the upper atmosphere for hours and Total accidents 11 13 8 8 0 0 3 5 0 0 0 0 turboprops in the first half was dismal affect the way Earth is heated and cooled, Nonfatal accidents 895500 340000 compared to the same period last year. In NASA said. Jet engine exhaust includes Fatal accidents 343300 010000 the first six months of this year, 19 people water vapor and soot particles. As the Fatalities 7 10 7 9 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 died in four accidents versus one fatality water vapor cools, it condenses and ice Incidents 39 20 24 14 0 0 14 6 1 0 0 0 in a single accident last year. In the first crystals form when this supercooled All data preliminary. Sources: FAA, NTSB, Aviation Safety Network, Bureau of Aircraft Accident Archives ,AIN research half of this year, there were two non-fatal water interacts with exhaust soot or other mishaps of non-N numbered turboprops particles naturally in the air. By using SAF, Non-U.S.-registered Business Jets and Turboprops flying under private rules versus zero acci- jet engines release fewer soot particles, Total Private Charter Other* Unknown dents or incidents of private operations in resulting in fewer ice crystal formations. Business jets 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 the same period last year. Total accidents 4 6 1 0 2 2 1 3 0 1 Not included in our statistics were four Jet It, JetClub Launch Nonfatal accidents 3 3 1 0 2 1 0 1 0 1 fatal crashes in the first half of this year Orders for Bye eFlyer 800 Fatal accidents 1 3 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 involving non-U.S. Air Force versions of North America-based fractional ownership Fatalities 1 14 0 0 0 8 1 6 0 0 turbine business airplanes that took the provider Jet It and its European affiliate Incidents 10 9 0 4 5 2 2 1 3 2 lives of 36 people: February 21, a Nigerian JetClub are the launch customers for the air force Raytheon King Air 350i (7) and all-electric, cabin-class Bye Aerospace Total Private Charter Other* Unknown a Mexican air force Learjet 45XR (6); May eFlyer 800, which is slated for certification Business turboprops 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 2021 2020 21, another Nigerian air force King Air 350 in 2025. Bye Aerospace said Jet It and Total accidents 10 3 2 0 1 0 7 3 0 0 (11); and June 10, a Myanmar air force JetClub signed a purchase agreement Nonfatal accidents 6 2 2 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 Beech 1900 (12). for a fleet of eFlyer 800s, though it did Fatal accidents 4 1 0 0 1 0 3 1 0 0 Additionally, these statistics do not not detail the number of firm orders and Fatalities 19 1 0 0 10 0 9 1 0 0 include accidents or incidents that result options. Bye Aerospace estimates that the Incidents 14 6 2 0 9 4 3 1 0 1 from illegal flights, shoot downs, suicides, eFlyer 800 will operate at about one-fifth *For example: ambulance, survey, ferry, training, testing, manufacturer, government (non-military), and head of state. or other intentional crashes. n the costs of current twin turboprops.

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21-MCJT35647 G5000 GTC Focus Ad-10.8125x13.875-AIN.indd 1 7/12/21 9:07 AM later this year that is outfitted with News Briefs EASA certifies Textron’s flight inspection equipment for verifi- cation of navigational aids. FAA Electronic Civil Registry A Textron Aviation spokeswoman told To Roll Out in October Citation Longitude AIN that EASA certification typically fol- The FAA remains on track to roll out its lows FAA certification by six months to new Civil Aviation Registry Electronic by Jerry Siebenmark a year for clean-sheet aircraft, but in the Services (CARES) on October 5, moving case of the Longitude “there were some functions of the registry currently handled Nearly two years after Textron Avia- deliveries in Europe. Tom Perry, Tex- delays in certification efforts due to the manually to a cloud-based online system. tion received type certification for the tron Aviation v-p of sales for Europe, pandemic and significant shutdowns in CARES will provide a web-based platform Cessna Citation Longitude from the the Middle East, and Africa, said the the U.S. and Europe.” Since receiving for registering all U.S. aircraft and airmen FAA, the super-midsize twin has been company has a specially configured FAA type certification in September 2019, certifications, replacing the current civil certified by EASA, paving the way for Longitude set to be delivered in Europe the Wichita-based airframer has deliv- aviation registry processes. Jeff Towers, ered 34 of the type, according to figures past chairman of the NBAA Tax Committee from the General Aviation Manufactur- and general counsel with TVPX, said the ers Association. system is designed to make the FAA more Powered by a pair of Fadec-equipped efficient, make records more accessible Honeywell HTF7700L turbofans and with remotely, and enable government agencies a full-fuel payload of 1,600 pounds, the Lon- to better vet for criminal/fraudulent activity. gitude has a range of 3,500 nm, making it Roberto Gonzalez, deputy director for capable of flying nonstop from Geneva to the FAA’s office of foundational business, Dubai or Rome to New Delhi. said CARES will shorten the time for “In the second half of last year we saw aircraft registration to about a week. a substantial increase in super-midsize flight activity across Europe as individuals JetClub Gains Maltese AOC relied on these products as a transporta- JetClub, the Europe-based sister company tion solution,” Perry added. “The intro- to North Carolina-based fractional duction of the Longitude to the European operator Jet It, has received its air operator Textron Aviation’s Cessna Citation Longitude has received EASA approval, nearly two years market will fulfill the international travel certificate (AOC) from the Transport after obtaining FAA certification of the super-midsize twinjet. needs of many of our customers.” n Malta Civil Aviation Directorate. This enables the company to begin operating fractional and charter passenger flights with its HondaJet-centric fleet in the Old Continent. Besides Europe, JetClub Joby teams with JetBlue, Global Jet Capital plans to serve fractional owners in Asia, South Asia, and South America. Like Jet appoints Kaushal It, it offers a fractional model in which Signature on carbon credits owners purchase a share of a HondaJet as new CEO in exchange for using the aircraft for a by Charles Alcock Business jet financier Global Jet Cap- certain number of days, not hours. ital has appointed Vivek Kaushal as Startup eVTOL developer Joby Aviation is via book-and-claim at locations where it CEO, replacing Shawn Vick, who will Wintrust Adds Business joining forces with JetBlue and Signature doesn’t yet carry SAF. “We’re excited to now serve as executive chairman. Aircraft Finance Division Flight Support to establish carbon credits expand that model through this partnership Kaushal was most recently Global Jet’s Wintrust Asset Finance announced a new for flights using green electric and hydrogen to include the purchase of electric aviation COO, a position he was appointed to in division, Wintrust Commercial Finance propulsion. The companies announced last credits from clean operators like Joby,” said 2019 after joining the company in 2015 Aviation Group, that will focus on financing month that they will “work to define the Signature CEO Tony Lefebvre. following its acquisition of GE Capital’s solutions for turbine business aircraft. creation, validation, and eventual use of Joby’s intention is to help create a market business aircraft portfolio. The group will be led by Michael Cole, an these new credits on aviation carbon mar- for electric and hydrogen flight credits by In his new role, Vick will advise the ATP-rated pilot and CFI who previously kets, including identifying a third party to working with partners to define the terms company through its limited partners, served as v-p of aviation at Bridgeview oversee and validate transactions.” for these credits, taking into account factors investment committee, and senior lead- Bank Group and managing director of U.S. airline JetBlue sees the partnership such as the carbon footprint of the electric- ership team. “Over the past six years, aviation at Bank OZK. According to as part of its wider commitment to carbon ity supply. Among the issues that will need Vivek has demonstrated passionate Wintrust, its aviation group will be able neutrality, which it says it achieved in 2020 to be resolved is the basis on which con- and dedicated leadership along with a to finance new and preowned business for domestic flights through the purchase of sumers and operators will be able to pur- deep understanding of our market and airplanes operating under Parts 91 or 135. carbon offsets from solar, wind, and forestry chase credits. n all elements of our business,” Vick said. projects. The company is an investor in Joby This story is from FutureFlight.aero, Kaushal has served nearly 30 years Sully Picked for ICAO Post through its venture capital division, JetBlue a news and informaton resource as a leader in finance, including as President Joe Biden has nominated Technology Ventures. developed by AIN to provide objectve, CRO for GE Capital Business Aviation C.B. “Sully” Sullenberger III—famed for independent coverage and analysis Signature Flight Support has been THE FUTURE OF ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY of cutng-edge aviaton technology, Finance. He has a master’s of busi- his role in the successful “Miracle on the introducing sustainable aviation fuel including electric aircraf developments ness administration degree from the Hudson” emergency landing—to serve as (SAF) through its FBO chain, as well as and advanced air mobility. Indian Institute of Management and a the U.S. ambassador to ICAO. Sullenberger bachelor’s of science degree in chem- is a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot Joby Aviation wants ical engineering from the Indian Insti- and retired airline pilot with more than airline passengers and tute of Technology. 20,000 flight hours. In the Air Force, he business aircraft owners Global Jet has more than $5 billion flew the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II. In to be able to offset the in investments in business aviation and 1980, he became an airline pilot with carbon emitted from is capitalized by private equity firms Pacific Southwest Airlines, which was later flights by buying credits the Carlyle Group; FS/KKR Advisor, a acquired by US Airways. Sullenberger also for equivalent operations partnership between FS Investments performed accident investigation duties for in eVTOL aircraft like the and KKR Credit; and AE Industrial Part- the USAF, served as an ALPA representative model it aims to bring into ners, of which Vick has served as a during an NTSB accident investigation, service from 2024. partner since 2014. J.S. and helped to develop and implement a crew resource management course.

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FLIGHTSAFETY INSTRUCTORS FIXED-WING AD - AIN – Trim: 10.8125” w x 13.875” d Bleed: 11.0625” w x 14.125” d News Briefs Embraer Confirms Talks To Merge Eve with Zanite Embraer’s Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions subsidiary is negotiating a possible merger Dassault’s third with Zanite Acquisition Corp., a special flight-test Falcon 6X purpose acquisition company that started took to the skies on trading on the Nasdaq market in November. June 24. The twinjet In a statement, Embraer executive v-p has a full interior and of finance and investor relations Antonio will be used to test Carlos Garcia responded to a Bloomberg in-flight entertainment report that Eve and Zanite were preparing and communications a $2 billion merger. “Negotiations with systems, as well as Zanite are ongoing,” Garcia said. “The evaluate environmental company cannot predict if Eve will reach features and a definitive agreement or what will be the temperature control terms thereof.” U.S.-based Zanite was and validate cabin launched by business aviation entrepreneur acoustics systems. Kenn Ricci, who is principal of Directional Aviation Capital, and Steve Rosen, who is co-CEO with Ricci of Resilience Capital Partners. On June 1, Directional’s OneSky Flight announced plans to buy Third Falcon 6X joins flight-test fleet 200 four-passenger Eve eVTOLs. by Chad Trautvetter SmartSky ATG Network Goes Live in Southeast U.S. The third flight-test Falcon 6X, regis- date, these two aircraft have accumulated S/N 3 will be used to test in-flight enter- SmartSky has stood up its first fully tered as F-WAVE, took to the skies in late more than 130 flight-test hours at a rate of tainment and communications systems, as operational coverage zone—a large June, edging Dassault Aviation’s 5,500- two to three flights a week, with envelope well as evaluate environmental features contiguous portion of Florida, Georgia, nm, large-cabin twinjet one step closer expansion now nearly complete, accord- and temperature control and validate and South Carolina—for its air-to- to its planned certification next year. ing to Dassault. cabin acoustics systems, the company said. ground broadband network. This enables S/N 3, which has a full interior and will “This latest flight is yet another sign A fourth flight-test 6X, which will also have route-based flight demonstrations for be used for cabin design validation, made of the smooth progress we have been a full interior, is currently being outfitted business jets and turboprops and puts its inaugural flight on June 24, attaining making with the 6X test program,” said at Dassault’s site in Mérignac, France. This the company closer to certification an altitude of FL400 and speeds up to Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO aircraft will conduct a two-month global and commercial launch in most of the Mach 0.85, the French aircraft manufac- Eric Trappier. “We have been consistently endurance flight campaign to ensure that continental U.S. later this year. Months turer announced. impressed with the flight performance all 6X systems are fully mature upon entry of successful field testing have ensured This follows the first 6X that flew on and handling of the 6X and the reliability into service. Meanwhile, S/N 10 is now on that the entire system performs to March 10 and the second on April 30. To of aircraft systems.” the final assembly line in Mérignac. n specification, according to SmartSky.

European Firm Offers Upset Recovery Training Upset Training Solutions International Elit’Avia (UTSI) is now offering lower-cost upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT) for aircraft pilots in Europe at its facility to sell at Breda International Airport in the Netherlands. The program has also been vetted and approved by Mesa, Arizona- HondaJets based UPRT provider Aviation Performance Solutions. According to UTSI, increasing demand for EASA Advanced UPRT in France, FCL.745.A certificates is driving the need for lower-cost UPRT solutions in Europe. parts of Wheels Up Targets Corporate Clients Wheels Up has launched a customizable Africa Business aircraft sales and charter management firm Elit’Avia will serve as the HondaJet solution for corporate clients that includes sales representative for France and 16 African countries. Elit’Avia will thus sell the HondaJet aircraft charter and management and Business aircraft sales, leasing, and Elite S—the latest version of the Honda twinjet, unveiled in late May—in the region. support for whole aircraft sales. Called charter management company Elit’Avia Up for Business, the program also offers has inked a deal with Honda Aircraft to president and CEO Michimasa Fujino. Michel Coulomb, CEO of Elit’Avia, said flexible spending for corporate clients to serve as the exclusive HondaJet sales “Representing France and several African that with its 1,437-nm range, the Elite S use pre-funded amounts for booking travel representative in France and 16 Western nations, Elit’Avia completes our global is “perfect for travel throughout Europe on Wheels Up’s fleet or with its partner, and Central African countries, includ- reach. Elit’Avia’s excellent expertise in and ideally suited to reach African desti- Delta Air Lines, through a single account. ing Nigeria. Elit’Avia will thus sell the aircraft sales, charter, and management, nations that are not typically well-served Under the program, Wheels Up will provide HondaJet Elite S—the latest version as well as its operations in the European by commercial aviation carriers. As a light dedicated account managers and a key of the Honda twinjet, unveiled in late and African business aviation market, business aircraft, the HondaJet delivers account desk to evaluate and understand May—in the region. adds great value to our commitment to many of the efficiency and comfort ben- the travel needs of corporate clients and “We are pleased to be working with the business aviation market and cus- efits of a much larger aircraft but at a far to produce tailored solutions that are the Elit’Avia team,” said Honda Aircraft tomer support in the region.” more attractive price point.” C.T. efficient and optimize their spending.

14 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com TAKE YOUR COMPANY TO A NEW LEVEL – AND NEW PLACES The world’s first Super Versatile Jet takes off! Break away from the same places and faces and expand your business to its full potential. The PC-24 opens up a long list of destinations with its incredible short-field performance and versatile mid-size cabin. It’s time to move out the old and bring in the new. Discover more with a PC-24 – contact us now! www.pilatus-aircraft.com this gap through doctoral research. Expert Opinion Indirectly, the industry already has the regulatory requirement and justification for the expansion of human factors training. Now the FAA requires Part 121 operators to The new era of aviation Kimberly develop and implement an SMS program Perkins, (14 CFR Part 5), and it’s a matter of time corporate pilot before it’s required throughout the whole safety: cognitive science and safety industry (much like the history of CRM). researcher Once an SMS program is established, by Kimberly Perkins indicators of compliance and performance include training personnel on “non-techni- Rarely do complex questions have a processing as its fulcrum. When we put us from seeing the full frame of human error cal skills with the intent of reducing human simple answer. Rarely do problems have cognitive processing to work, we don’t while also impacting our decision-making error” (ICAO Annex 19 component 4). The an isolated cause. While a Boeing study just acquire knowledge; we build on that process. Similarly, our response to per- rationalization for the expansion of human found that 80 percent of accidents occur knowledge and gain insights that allow us ceived mental threats inhibits us from view- factors training resides within the very because of human error, the reasons to look at a problem by consciously merg- ing the system comprehensively and limits structure of the system itself. The safety pro- behind those errors are hard to isolate and ing input from a variety of sources to turn our potential to problem-solve. motion pillar requires training, communica- not subject to simple analysis. The rising information into suitable action. Understanding how our biases impact tion, and actionable progress on enhancing number of experts in the field of human others and how we are impacted when we a positive safety culture. The safety policy factors clearly indicates that the aviation Our ‘Three Brains’ and SMS perceive bias against us directly affects safety. pillar obligates senior management to com- industry is trying to problem-solve, but a The human brain is an impressive and Our ability to communicate, our likelihood mit to the constant improvement of safety. deeper analysis might be beneficial. complex sorting machine. It receives 11 of self-reporting, and our view of a just cul- It is, inarguably, the accountable executive Many technologies were put in place million bits of information per second ture within our safety management system and safety officer’s responsibility to find to eradicate specific human errors—for but processes only about 40 bits per sec- (SMS) are all impacted by cognitive biases. ways of enhancing safety through positive example, emergency descent mode (EDM) ond. This means that 99.99 percent of the A Harvard Business Review study found safety culture promotion initiatives. This to shield against another Payne Stewart information we receive, we cannot pro- that employees who perceived bias against compels us to ask the same question: how? accident or geosynchronous overlay on cess consciously. them at work were more likely to disen- I advocate that the industry needs approach charts to protect against a future To catalog incoming data more quickly, gage from work, leaving them feeling angry aviation- specific, academically derived Cali, Colombia disaster where the crew lost part of the brain makes mental mod- and less proud of their organization. Addi- cognitive bias research, which will provide situational awareness close to the ground. els and forms shortcuts, some of which tionally, these employees were three times the structured foundation for a formal Technological advancements continue to enact cognitive biases. These biases were more likely to quit their job within the year. expansion of human factors training to focus on safety and indeed have enhanced important for our evolution in moments There’s a deterrent to safety in a micro view include elements such as emotional intel- safety for general aviation to air carrier of time-pressured decision-making: (within the attitudes of individuals at the ligence, psychological safety, inclusive operations. Improvements range from air- house cat or saber tooth tiger, friend or organization) and in a macro view of low leadership, and cognitive biases training frame parachutes to new surveillance tools foe. We’ll think about this functionality retention rates. It also has a direct impact as an approach to enhance safety culture. like ADS-B. Predictive weather radar and as our primitive brain. on your organization’s safety culture. The neuroplasticity of our brains allows combined vision systems are pushing the Consider the three brains that col- To avoid operating in our primitive us to reframe how we think to have more envelope even further to enhance safety. lectively make up the human brain: the brain (which throws our thinking brain control over our decision-making process. To meet the demands of the evolving primitive brain keeps us alive by trigger- offline), we need to feel that we are secure We can use self-awareness to pause and technological improvements, human ing the fight, flight, or freeze response. and not under threat. Psychological safety examine whether our brains are operating factors experts have focused on human- The emotional brain is home to memories is the amount of relational trust one feels from the primitive or emotional parts or to-machine integration. This new age of and experiences. It’s a blank slate that is in his or her environment. It means feel- whether we are operating in our thinking aviation safety began with warnings about programmed based on our assumptions, ing comfortable to speak up, admit mis- brain. This process actually builds new the dangers of the “children of the magenta” beliefs, and experiences. This part of our takes, and be your authentic self. It also neural pathways, and it becomes a habit. or pilots relying too heavily on automation. brain helps us have empathy for others, means a safer employee and safer organi- We can leverage this neuroplasticity to Despite all these technological but it also might make us act irrationally or zation because it creates an environment create new pathways of mitigating oper- advancements, human error remains the emotionally when triggered. The thinking where relationships are rooted in trust. ating on negative biases. In the ways that most-cited cause of accidents. In many brain is the higher-level processing part of With a high level of psychological we’ve all been trained to recognize and regards, pilots have been trained as if our brain responsible for problem-solving. safety, the team has a sense of belonging intervene in the accident chain, the same they were machines; we are trained to This is where creativity comes from. We and inclusion. This builds trust, which is principles apply here. We recognize a react both mentally and physically with- do our best work from our thinking brain. fundamental to an organization’s SMS as pattern and we’re able to stop it. But that out conscious processing in an emergency. The brain can help us be critical think- it directly impacts an employee’s willing- requires awareness and training. But in emergencies or other high-stress ers and brilliant innovators and allows us ness to self-report, the unpinning of an If human error is the problem, the new era situations that require conscious process- to have empathy for others. It can also effective proactive safety program. of aviation safety must begin with a granular ing, we’ve adopted tools such as the crew make us perpetuate antiquated models Proactive safety is highly dependent on analysis of cognitive processing. We cannot resource management (CRM) model to and outdated stereotypes when oper- the individuals within an organization. To enhance safety without a better understand- use all available information to maximize ating on overly simplified prototypes. elicit a collaborative approach to safety, there ing of our cognitive biases and their impact safety and efficiency. Along with CRM, It depends on which part of the brain must be a strong culture of self-reporting and on flight deck safety and organizational pilots have aeronautical decision making you’re operating in, and this impacts your an intrinsically just culture throughout the safety culture. An interdisciplinary research (ADM) and threat and error management safety culture. organization. This type of proactive safety approach will target this pervasive safety (TEM) in their human factors toolbox. requires a high level of psychological safety. gap to reduce human error and enhance the Decade after decade we saw a new aviation The Primitive Brain and Safety Culture effectiveness of an organization’s SMS. safety process emerge as some extension The primitive brain is an impressive (and Overcoming the Gap in Human Factors Contemporary cognitive science research of or augmentation to the previous model. not always accurate) cataloging engine There is a gap in aviation safety. That gap is the new era of aviation safety. We can no What if there’s a better way? What if that is always on high lookout for potential is how to build trust, how to increase psy- longer afford to sit back passively in our staying in this line of linear growth and danger or threat. Over the past few centu- chological safety, and how to promote a zone, waiting for research in human factors layer after layer of new safety processes ries, and especially in Western modernity, positive safety culture. to be done in other fields (refracted through and tools blinded us to the ontological our perception of threat has shifted from Our industry uses a host of data- their institutional logics) before taking it up pivot necessary to analyze human error predominantly physical to primarily men- driven approaches to enhance safety and grafting it into aviation safety systems. organically and responsively? It is time tal. These mental threats activate the same (ASIAS, FOQA, and ASAP are examples) For cognitive science research to accurately for the industry to take an interdisciplin- fight, flight, or freeze response, triggering us but we have little academic research on inform aviation, someone within the indus- ary approach for a more comprehensive to use cognitive shortcuts or biases in our the impact of cognitive biases on organi- try needs to be in the “flight deck” navigat- proactive safety system with cognitive decision-making. These shortcuts prevent zational safety culture. I aim to resolve ing the research. n

16 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com NIAR modification lab obtains part 145 certificate by Jerry Siebenmark

Something big is happening in a cluster develop and certify STCs and bring new of buildings and hangars in Wichita, Kan- products and aircraft to market. “We’re sas, that once served as a modification small, nimble, and low-cost,” Jones told center for Boeing. The National Institute AIN. “We’re here to augment them.” And for Aviation Research (NIAR) at Wichita for smaller aviation startups, NIAR Werx State University (WSU) created an orga- offers resources that they don’t have or nization two and a half years ago, called can’t yet afford to have. “It’s almost like NIAR Werx, to provide a host of services an incubator for new companies, a maker to OEMs, suppliers, business, and mili- space for aviation,” Jones added.

tary aviation companies—especially start- Originally launched with a cadre of 55 SIEBENMARK JERRY ups—seeking to do projects as small as engineers—some of whom were previ- The Werx modification lab at Wichita State University’s National Institute for Aviation one-off parts manufacturing all the way ously employed at the Bombardier Flight Research (NIAR) has received a Part 145 repair station certificate from the FAA for limited up to retrofitting commercial airliners for Test Center in Wichita—under the des- airframe and engine maintenance. special missions and other purposes. ignation of NIAR Engineering Design At the same time, it provides real-world and Modification Team, NIAR Werx now NIAR Werx provides a menu of engi- In December, it plans to launch a cen- learning and experience for WSU engi- boasts a workforce of 200 engineers, 100 neering and environmental and electro- ter for flight-test and certification services neering students and students enrolled in mechanics and technicians, and 45 stu- magnetic test services. Test services such from its main facilities in Wichita, which the airframe and powerplant and avionics dents working from a handful of buildings as lightning, burn, ballistics, and high- have access to McConnell Air Force Base’s programs offered by the university’s tech- that include hangars measuring 111,000 intensity radiated fields are conducted in 12,000-foot runway and runs parallel to nical college, WSU Tech. and 47,500 sq ft—with the former one a 35,000-sq-ft building. the former Boeing Wichita property now David Jones, NIAR Werx director, once serving as the hangar where Boe- In June, the organization was awarded known as Air Capital Flight Line. Flight test- emphasized that the nonprofit organiza- ing modified the VC-25s currently being an FAA Part 145 certificate for limited ing will also be conducted offsite at Salina tion doesn’t intend to compete with avi- used as Air Force One. A third, 80,000- airframe and engine work for its MRO Regional Airport—about 90 miles north of ation companies but rather assist them sq-ft hangar is expected to be added services, which will primarily focus on Wichita—which has a 12,300-foot runway. with the manpower and expertise to this summer. aircraft modifications, Jones noted. continues on page 30

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ainonline.com \ August 2021 \ Aviation International News 17 Force One 747-8s for the U.S. government’s an 18-week period. The funds “will GDC Technics faces executive fleet. The work includes electri- facilitate a successful reorganiza- cal power upgrades, a communications sys- tion or going-concern sale” of the tem, medical facility, and executive interior, business, GDC said in the motion, liquidation | by James Wynbrandt according to Boeing. with the cash to come from MAZAV In May, the Fort Worth-based GDC Management, which owns GDC GDC Technics, which filed for bankruptcy in liquidating the completions and MRO com- vacated its facility at Port San Antonio and and is headed by GDC’s chairman, April, faces a showdown between manage- pany. GDC filed for bankruptcy after Boeing laid off some 250 employees, and in June it Mohammed Alzeer. ment’s reorganization plan and a court-ap- terminated contracts that month for modi- filed an emergency motion to obtain $7.4 pointed creditors’ committee, which favors fication and refurbishment work on two Air million in financing for its operations over

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CAA AIN August print Junior Tabloid page.indd 1 7/9/21 12:35 PM 18 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com “I was legally IFR current, but I was clearly with operations trying to rebound, pro- 2014 Upset Prevention and Recovery Train- Safety Standdown not proficient,” wrote one, adding, “Covid-19 fessional pilots that have remained active ing manual; and most importantly, dedi- prevented me from getting recent practice.” “are under a lot of pressure and generally cated practice. “We definitely need to be Another reported having “Too much con- face fatigue challenges,” in addition to more aware of how much our proficiency fidence in assuming that it would all come pandemic- related stress many people have decreases as we are flying less,” Rans- Less flying back to me as second nature. I was wrong.” experienced during the lockdown, accord- bury said. Relaxation of FAA currency regulations ing to Ransbury. Airlines he’s spoken with on this issue meant to compensate for the systemic Mitigation strategies include improv- report it generally requires three four-hour degrades strains caused by Covid “make the situation ing pilots’ awareness of the aircraft energy simulator sessions to restore pilots’ skills to worse,” Ransbury continued. Meanwhile, state; following the guidelines from ICAO’s an acceptable level. n pilot skills by James Wynbrandt

Reduced flight time resulting from Covid-19 has degraded pro- fessional pilots’ performance, www.amacaerospace.com according to Paul Ransbury, CEO of training provider Aviation Per- formance Solutions, and the prob- lem will be “an issue for us for a while,” he said at Bombardier’s virtual Safety Standdown in May. “It’s really unprecedented for a large body of pilots to go this amount of time without flying or having an alternative way of staying current,” Ransbury said in his online presentation, “Man- ual Flight Operations–Proficiency Fallout due to COVID-19.” He cited operations declines ranging from 60 percent initially to recent 40-48 percent deficits over pre- Covid levels. Bolstering his findings, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University research of the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) anonymous voluntary reports filed by pilots during this period found “items identified most read- ily with a proficiency- currency issue increased by a thousand percent, a tenfold increase” in the aftermath of operations reduc- tions, Ransbury said. Manual flight control skills are most affected, including transi- tion from automated to manual flight control; energy state man- agement; and crew coordination. Pilots with little experience “are the most vulnerable” to loss of this proficiency, he said, while those with “a substantial amount of experience can get back up to a very high level of proficiency in a relatively short period of time.” These skills were lagging well THE PERFECT PLACE FOR BUSINESS AIRCRAFT before the pandemic; the FAA’s Flight Deck Automation Group identified manual flight opera- tions as an “ongoing challenge” a decade ago, even as operations have become ever more auto- mated. The current decline in these skills is most pronounced among pilots of “highly automated airplanes,” said Ransbury, and the degradation appears to surprise even pilots themselves. He quoted comments from the ASRS reports:

ainonline.com \ August 2021 \ Aviation International News 19 SPECIAL report Part 1: Aircraft Survey Rules and Methodology !e objective of the annual Product Support Survey is to obtain from the users of business jets, pressurized turboprops, and tur- bine-powered helicopters statistically valid information about the product support provided by aircra" manufacturers over the last year. !e goal is to encourage continuous improvement in aircra" product support throughout the industry. NEW SURVEY TOOL !is year, the survey was conducted via a newly designed questionnaire, developed in partnership with Rolland Vincent Associates, a Texas-based consultancy focused on aviation market research, strategy, and forecasting. !e redesigned survey was created to provide improved ease of use and to encourage more participants to complete the entire survey. !e new survey tool: » Included Spanish and Portuguese versions for the first time. » Asked respondents to evaluate one full aircra" at a time including airframe, engines, and avionics. » Included clearer language and imagery around the individ- ual categories and the evaluation scale. » Added a new aircra" category: Cost Per Hour Programs METHODOLOGY AIN emailed qualified readers a link to the password- protected survey website, which was open from May 3 to June 11. Respon- dents were asked to rate individual aircra" and provide the tail number, aircra" age, primary region of service, and whether they used factory-owned or -authorized service centers, or both. Respondents were also asked to rate, on a scale from 1 to 10, the quality of service they received during the previous 12 months in the following categories: Factory-owed Service Centers; Cost Per Hour Program; Parts Availability; Cost of AIN Product Support Survey Parts; AOG Response; Warranty Fulfillment; Technical Man- uals; Technical Reps: Overall Product Reliability. THE RESULTS Dassault retains top ranking in 2021 In total, 885 unique participants from 67 countries completed the survey, representing 2,671 aircra" and 137 aircra" models. by Jerry Siebenmark Rolland Vincent Associates reviewed the data to ensure accu- rate and valid responses. !ey also compiled the final survey For the third year in a row, Dassault Aviation held the top top score for in-production turboprops with an Overall Average results in close coordination with AIN. In consultation with spot for business jets in the annual AIN Product Support of 8.8, up 0.8 from last year’s score of 8.0 and a 2019 score of 8.3. Rolland Vincent Associates, two changes were made this year: Survey. The French manufacturer of Falcon jets recorded The out-of-production Mitsubishi MU-2 turboprop recorded a » !e report only shows a single table highlighting the averages this year’s highest Overall Average ratings of newer and strong Overall Average score of 9.1, up slightly from 9.0 last year. of both older and newer aircra". !is change reflects the lower older aircraft, with a score of 8.7 among jets based on results In comments to AIN regarding improvements to prod- utilization of older aircra" and consequently lower response of AIN’s survey of aircraft operators, pilots, and maintainers. uct support over the past year, a number of OEMs cited numbers. It also simplifies the presentation of the data. Dassault’s 8.7 Combined Overall Average rating is up the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic on those efforts, » !e report separates in-production turboprop aircra" and from last year’s 8.3 and higher than Gulfstream Aerospace, although none reported interruptions in providing service out-of-production turboprop aircra". We determined it was not which came in second for a third consecutive year based on and support to their customers. apples-to-apples to compare these OEMs in the same grouping. its mid-cabin jet Overall Average score of 8.5. That leaves For this year’s survey, there were 885 respondents who Respondents were also asked to recognize individuals who Embraer in third place with a score of 8.4. rated 2,671 aircraft broken down into 137 models. The mini- have provided them with exceptional product support and In the turboprop results, AIN decided to break out the results mum number of ratings required to include a manufacturer’s service. Select individuals are highlighted in this report. of in-production and out-of-production aircraft (see Survey aircraft in the final results is 20. (For more details, see Survey RESULTS ANALYSIS Rules and Methodology for more details). Pilatus recorded the Rules and Methodology on this page.) In analyzing the results of this survey vs. prior years, this year’s scores were generally higher. Our thoughts on this are: » Higher scores reflect the OEMs continuous improved and focus on the customer experience. Dassault Aviation » Certain segments of business aviation did fly considerably less from May 2020-May 2021. Fewer cycles may have led to The results The improvements fewer scheduled and unscheduled maintenance events. Dassault Aviation held on to its first-place ranking in the While Dassault Aviation’s customer service organi- » ! e new survey tool certainly could have played a part in 2021 AIN Product Support Survey with a score of 8.7 in zation has slowed its pace of MRO acquisitions that scores tending to be higher. !e switch from a drop-down to the Overall Average ratings of newer and older aircraft, saw it purchase the maintenance businesses of TAG radio bu#ons reduced the chance of a mistaken score. up 0.4 from the score of 8.3 it recorded in 2020 and 8.4 and ExecuJet in 2019, it hasn’t throttled back on » We suspect this year’s strong results could establish a new in 2019. It also recorded gains in six out of 10 categories: improvements within the organization over the past benchmark of excellence for OEMs in the years ahead as 8.9 in Parts Availability, 7.5 in Cost of Parts, 8.8 in AOG 12 months. In January, Dassault consolidated its MRO flight activity rebounds globally. Response, 9.1 in Warranty Fulfillment, 9.0 in Technical sales operations into a single organization for custom- COMING NEXT Manuals, and 9.3 in Technical Reps. ers in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific !e 2021 AIN Product Support Survey results for aircra" are continues on facing page published in this issue, avionics, cabin and connectivity will be featured next month, and engines will follow in October. n

20 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com Rating Factory Combined Overall Overall Overall Authorized Cost per Overall Change Owned Parts Cost of AOG Warranty Technical Technical Average Ratings of Newer Average Average Service Hour Aircraft from 2020 Service Availability Parts Response Fulfillment Manuals Reps and Older Aircraft 2021 2020 Centers Programs Reliability to 2021 Centers

Business Jets Dassault (Falcon) 8.7 8.3 0.4 8.3 8.8 7.8 8.9 7.5 8.8 9.1 9.0 9.3 9.2 Gulfstream (Mid-Cabin) 8.5 8.1 0.4 8.3 8.4 7.7 8.3 7.0 8.7 9.1 8.7 9.3 8.7 Embraer (Phenom, Legacy, 8.4 8.1 0.3 8.5 8.9 8.2 7.9 7.4 8.3 8.8 8.7 8.4 9.1 Praetor, Lineage) Gulfstream (Large-Cabin) 8.3 8.2 0.1 8.2 8.3 7.6 8.6 6.7 8.6 8.5 8.3 8.8 9.3 Textron Aviation (Citation) 8.1 7.9 0.2 7.5 8.6 7.2 8.3 6.6 8.3 8.6 8.0 8.6 8.7 Bombardier (Global) 8.0 8.0 – 7.3 8.6 7.5 7.8 6.4 8.1 8.1 8.0 8.8 8.4 Bombardier (Challenger) 7.9 7.9 – 7.5 8.5 7.6 7.7 7.0 7.7 8.0 7.8 8.4 8.7 Bombardier (Learjet) 7.7 7.2 0.5 7.1 8.9 7.7 7.0 6.5 7.7 7.7 8.0 8.1 8.4 Textron Aviation (Hawker) 7.6 7.1 0.5 7.3 9.0 7.8 7.3 5.3 7.3 7.9 7.9 7.1 8.4 Turboprops Pilatus (PC-12) 8.8 8.0 0.8 9.4 9.2 8.4 8.8 6.9 8.5 9.5 8.9 9.3 9.6 Textron Aviation (King Air) 8.2 7.5 0.7 7.9 8.2 7.8 8.4 7.2 8.0 8.3 8.5 8.5 9.1 Turboprops (out-of-production) Mitsubishi (MU-2) 9.1 9.0 0.1 9.6 9.7 * 8.6 7.1 9.3 * 9.2 9.7 9.6 Rotorcraft Leonardo 8.3 7.0 1.3 8.4 8.2 7.9 8.1 7.2 8.6 8.7 8.7 8.8 8.6 Bell 7.9 7.7 0.2 7.6 8.4 8.1 7.6 6.7 7.5 8.0 8.0 8.6 8.7 Airbus Helicopters 7.6 6.4 1.2 7.1 8.5 7.4 7.5 5.8 7.2 7.3 7.7 8.0 9.0

* Not reportable due to small respondent sample

Dassault Aviation continued is building a new Middle East service facility in that brought together the MRO sales operations Dubai and plans to build a larger service center of Dassault Falcon Service (DFS), TAG Mainte- with ExecuJet in Kuala Lumpur that will replace nance Services (TMS), and the Falcon segment its existing center there. It will be at the same air- of ExecuJet MRO Services. That move serves to port, and Kayanakis said the relocation will likely “keep the customers feeling that now they are happen sometime in 2023. not only dealing with single companies, but they Lastly, Dassault continues to focus on making are dealing with the Dassault MRO network,” improvements to its FalconCare maintenance Jean Kayanakis, senior v-p of Dassault Aviation’s support program. That program offers scheduled worldwide customer service and service center and unscheduled maintenance services through network, told AIN. C-check, including airframe, avionics, landing The consolidation helps to optimize the plan- gear parts, labor, consumables, service bulletins, ning of where customers would like to have their and maintenance tracking. Falcon jets serviced and makes the service center In October, Dassault announced new options network more efficient. It also exposes custom- for FalconCare, including offering it at two dif- ers to the newer capabilities of service centers ferent levels. The basic level, known as Falcon- such as ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia in Kuala Care Essential, covers the full cost of Dassault Lumpur. “A few years ago they were not doing spare parts, while FalconCare Elite covers parts anything but now they’re doing large projects,” as well as labor, consumables, AOG GoTeam ser- Kayanakis said. vice, documentation, and exchange items such The French airframer is also moving the Falcon as batteries and wheels. FalconCare Efficiency Command Center and its frontline customer sup- Bonus—a rewards program—and a flex spending port to Mérignac, putting those operations closer account for costs outside FalconCare coverage to the production lines and the technical staff who are also available with both plans. support Falcon manufacturing. Those relocating “What is important is we are adding options, operations will be housed in a new building that and consistently improving the program to cover is expected to open this summer. more services and to be more customized,” In the U.S., Dassault is undertaking a 10,000- Kayanakis said. “It has had quite good success sq-ft expansion in Reno, Nevada, which serves with our customers. I think it’s a trend in the indus- the West Coast. That expansion is expected to try; we’re not the only one. But there is a lot of be completed this year. “We’re thinking that this competition [and] we’re trying to be different. And may be an important place for the future of the I think we’re able to do that.” He noted that there 10X,” Kayanakis said. Elsewhere, the company are 500 airplanes enrolled in FalconCare.

ainonline.com \ August 2021 \ Aviation International News 21 SPECIAL report Part 1: Aircraft

Pilatus Aircra! Gulfstream Aerospace The results its global service center network as well as offered The results Pilatus’s PC-12 was tops among in-production tur- an online option for maintenance training courses The Savannah, Georgia-based airframer placed boprops for the third consecutive year, besting Tex- because of the travel restrictions brought on by the second in the Combined Overall Average Ratings tron Aviation’s King Airs, with a Combined Overall global pandemic. of Newer and Older Aircraft with a rating of 8.5 for Average Ratings of Newer and Older Aircraft of 8.8, At its North and South American headquarters its mid-cabin jets and fourth place with an Overall improving upon its 2020 Overall Average of 8.0 in and completions site in Broomfield, Colorado (which Average rating of 8.3 (up from 8.2 last year) on the 2020 and 8.3 in 2019. The Swiss airframer also saw is marking its 25th anniversary this year), Pilatus strength of its large-cabin jets. For mid-cabin jets improvement in nine of 10 categories: 9.4 in Factory broke ground on a new paint shop. And it certified the OEM recorded improvement in Warranty Fulfill- Owned Service Centers, 9.2 in Authorized Service a full-motion PC-12 NGx simulator for pilot training. ment and Technical Reps with scores of 9.1 and 9.3 Centers, 8.4 in Cost per Hour Programs, 8.8 in Parts While Aniello and Pilatus v-p of customer service respectively. Its large-cabin jets improved in Overall Availability, 8.5 in AOG Response, 9.5 in Warranty Piotr Wolak noted that utilization and demand is Aircraft Reliability with the highest rating at 9.3. Fulfillment, 8.9 in Technical Manuals, 9.3 in Tech- “unbelievable” post-Covid, the supply chain remains nical Reps, and 9.6 in Overall Aircraft Reliability. a concern. “Just managing inventory and getting The improvements parts for production and spares…it’s still a challenge,” In the past 12 months, Gulfstream Aerospace has The improvements Aniello said. “We and a lot of other companies were opened two new service centers, a 225,000-sq-ft Officials of the Swiss airframer told AIN they were working off of existing inventory and it’s just now this MRO complex at Farnborough Airport and a nearly just happy to get through the past year and the year I think we’re all starting to see some of the real $50 million FBO and service center with sister com- effects of Covid-19 relatively unscathed. “We were weaknesses in the supply chain, whether it’s getting pany Jet Aviation at Palm Beach International Air- able to manage our workforce and our production parts or the quality of parts we’re receiving. Certainly, port in Florida. It has also started construction on to be able to build the aircraft and then more impor- it’s keeping us busy both on the production side and a $42 million, 163,000-sq-ft service center at Alli- tantly to support the aircraft that were out there fly- the support side.” ance Airport in Fort Worth, Texas that Gulfstream ing,” said Pilatus v-p of marketing Tom Aniello. Still, Wolak noted there are “a lot of things in the pipe- customer service president Derek Zimmerman told Pilatus managed to continue enhancing its support line” in terms of Pilatus product support improve- AIN should be completed sometime between end network by adding four more PC-24 authorized ser- ments but added it’s too early to disclose them. “Our of first quarter and into the second quarter of 2022. vice centers in North America. Additionally, the com- company’s motto is you always improve what you’re “Taken in its entirety, if you look back a little far- pany provided visibility of spare parts throughout doing,” he said. “It never stops. You raise the bar.” ther Alliance, once it’s online, that’ll be the eighth new service center to join the Gulfstream customer support network in the last eight years,” Zimmerman said. But in the past year, Gulfstream also closed a service center in Las Vegas and consolidated the Long Beach, California, service center with its Van Nuys operation. Beyond Gulfstream’s service center operations, it opened a new global aircraft parts distribution hub near Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport last August housing more than $20 million in spares. “It gives us almost immediate access to a terrific array of commercial flights and cargo flights. When hours and minutes matter, being that close to a host of flights can make all the difference from a customer perspective,” he said. More recently, the airframer announced plans to add G600 completions at the Love Field facility. The company is adding more than 13,000 sq ft to its Appleton, Wisconsin completions hangar. Besides opening new and expanding existing facilities, Gulfstream rolled out a new ecommerce site in the second half of last year, making it eas- ier for customers to access more than $1 billion in parts. “We’re soliciting feedback from [customers] to continue to build out the functionality,” he said. Also in the past year, Gulfstream is taking exper- tise of its designers, engineers, and installers in delivering more than 3,000 aircraft to introduce ser- vices to its in-service fleet that includes significant configuration changes, updating interiors, adding functionality, and aircraft repainting. In terms of overall customer service capabilities, “I don’t feel like we’re done yet,” Zimmerman added. “I think there’s more that we can do and will do as our fleet of aircraft continue to grow. We are com- mitted. Our parent company is committed. And we’ll continue to grow as customers need us.”

22 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com Embraer Executive Jets The results Embraer came in third place again with its Phenom, Legacy, Praetor, and Lineage jets with a Combined Overall Average Ratings of Newer and Older Aircraft of 8.4, a 0.3 increase from last year when it tied Gulf- stream’s mid-cabin offerings with an Overall Average of 8.1. The Brazilian airframer also saw improvement in its Factory Owned Service Centers rating with an 8.5 rating and a Cost per Hour Programs rating of 8.2.

The improvements Frank Stevens, Embraer Services & Support v-p of global MRO centers, told AIN that continuous improvement is “the name of the game” within his organization and the focus of that has been on parts inventory. “We have had many actions to ensure the parts inventory is reviewed and adjustments Textron Aviation are made to levels to support the demand,” he said. Stevens also noted Embraer has evolved its aircraft The results Stuttgart Airport in Germany. In the Asia-Pacific maintenance program “to ensure the highest level The Wichita-based airframer saw improvement for region, the Citation service center in Singapore of safety and quality.” its Citation and Hawker product support in the sur- has added more aircraft models to its certification On the modification front, Embraer monitors the vey’s Combined Overall Average Ratings of Newer while also building up its structural repair capabil- market and maintains close contact with custom- and Older Aircraft by increasing its year-over-year ities. Before, “we tended to bring that structural ers to determine “the most desired features to be ratings 0.2 to 8.1 for Citation and 0.5 to 7.6 for repair activity back to Wichita,” Rohloff said. “Now developed and included in our portfolio of aircraft Hawker, pushing the OEM’s Citation from its seventh we’ve built up the team and capabilities in Singa- modifications.” That includes new avionics loads that spot in 2020 to fifth—and edging out Bombardier’s pore to do much of that [work].” add safety features such as cockpit display of traffic Global and Challenger models—while Hawker’s The January 2020 acquisition of Premiair Avi- information, predictive windshear, synthetic vision position remained unchanged from last year. ation Maintenance in Australia has been a “great guidance system, and runway overrun awareness Hawker models also saw an increased top rating opportunity to bring our OEM service to all of our and alerting system, among others. “We work hard to of 9.0 for Authorized Service Centers. customers down there,” he said. “In a very short induce these improvements in our day-to-day activ- Among turboprops, Textron Aviation’s Beech- period of time Premiair is now CASA authorized ities while striving to address the long term through craft King Air recorded an Overall Average rat- to work on all of our Textron Aviation products.” customer driven action plans,” he said. ing of 8.2, an increase from last year of 0.7, but it In terms of aftermarket parts, one key area that’s Embraer operates three company-owned service wasn’t enough to unseat Pilatus’s PC-12. The King seen improvements is the company’s ecommerce centers in the U.S.—Mesa, Arizona; and Fort Lau- Air did earn a high mark of 7.2 for Cost of Parts in site, senior v-p of parts and programs Kriya Shortt derdale and Melbourne, Florida—as well as Soro- this year’s survey. told AIN. Specifically, the company has worked caba and Gavião Peixoto in Brazil and Le Bourget to make it easier for customers with a partial part in France and a worldwide network of more than 70 The improvements number to find the exact part they’re looking for as authorized service centers. One of the big initiatives in Textron Aviation’s cus- well as see what parts may be on back order. Other “Embraer has a vetting process to ensure that tomer service organization in the past 12 months improvements to the site will include estimated these partners pass a complete check to ensure the has been the rollout of a “single sales doc” that shipping rates and lead time projections. same safety, quality, and delivery are maintained,” allows customers who are getting their Citation The company continues to evaluate parts pric- Stevens said. jets or Beechcraft turboprops maintained at the ing, including on a case-by-case basis. “When a airframer’s service centers to see the progress customer brings that to our attention, we’re eval- of work. “As we close out work it updates that uating it,” she said. “If there is a chance we were document and the customer has almost a real- not priced right in the market, we’ll own that.” Even Bombardier time view of the invoice as it builds,” Textron in instances where the company has adjusted the Aviation senior v-p of customer support Brian price on a certain part, it may not be the lowest The results Rohloff told AIN. price in the market, but it will be a fair price, she Bombardier’s Challenger and Global jets moved Also seeing some tweaking is the company’s added. lower in this year’s survey, recording 7.9 and 8.0 customer portal, where the single sales doc Shortt acknowledged that because of the pan- respectively in the Combined Overall Average Rat- resides. “Just recently we updated our customer demic “there are some places [in the supply chain] ings of Newer and Older Aircraft, the numbers of portal,” Rohloff continued. “We streamlined it, giv- that are constrained. The team is working diligently which were flat from last year’s survey. But Learjet ing customers central access for any maintenance through that and our supply base is being trans- was up 0.5 to 7.7 on the Overall Average. needs, any parts needs, tech pubs, and just stream- parent with us so that we can provide information lining the business, streamlining our interactions back to our customers. I appreciate that our cus- The improvements with the customer.” Textron Aviation expanded its tomers have an understanding that we were all “Bringing our jets back home” has been the strat- 1Call customer support service in Europe as well impacted by the pandemic. It does have an impact egy and guiding principal at Bombardier over the as “go teams” there for AOG because “oftentimes when we can’t supply a part to a customer who has past five years, Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Bom- with our MSUs [mobile service units] it can be a an important business meeting or revenue-gen- bardier executive v-p of services and support and challenge to get across borders.” erating flight. But what they most want to know corporate strategy, told AIN. And as a result, “we’re Rohloff added that the company also is close to is when they can expect it and that you have a continues on next page establishing additional line service capabilities at handle on it.”

ainonline.com \ August 2021 \ Aviation International News 23 SPECIAL report Part 1: Aircraft

Mitsubishi The results Mitsubishi’s out-of-production MU-2 and its variants occupy their own category in this year’s survey, and the company continues to receive high marks from operators for its support of the turboprop twin even though production ended in 1986. On the Combined Overall Average Ratings of Newer and Older Aircraft, Mitsubishi received a rating of 9.1, which was up slightly from 9.0 in last year’s survey.

The improvements Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America (MHIA) continues to support the aircraft through its MU-2 Aircraft Product Support Division located in Addison, Texas, which provides product sup- port programs worldwide for the Mitsubishi MU-2B series turboprop airplanes. Its support comprises spare parts, sales, engineering, field support, quality assurance, and flight safety as well as offers learning opportunities based on the latest best practices in flight safety. Bombardier continued across the U.S. and Europe. “It’s an ecosystem of MHIA product support director Yoshiaki going through the biggest expansion of our service different support structures that come together, “Yoshi” Asako told AIN that in the past 12 network in the history of the company,” he said. always coordinated by the central entity in Mon- months many MU-2 operators and owners Now, the company is in the “most interesting part” treal that we call the Customer Response Center.” “faced challenging times, but with the bene- of that strategy, where a lot of its past investments But the “real revolution” in Bombardier’s prod- fit of the Special Federal Aviation Regulation are coming to fruition, Gallagher noted. uct support is coming through Smart Link Plus No. 118 providing relief from several regulatory In January, Bombardier completed the acqui- health monitoring units (HMU), he said. The com- requirements, including Part 91 Subpart N for sition of issued and outstanding shares it didn’t pany’s flagship aircraft, the Global 7500, was the MU-2 pilots, MHIA saw encouraging activities own of Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services first Bombardier aircraft to come equipped with from MU-2 owners and pilots continuing to fly from Lufthansa Technik and ExecuJet Aviation an HMU. their airplanes as well as maintenance activities Group, giving the Montreal-based airframer a “This piece of equipment is so game-changing, from its MU-2 authorized service centers. wholly owned service center in Berlin and its ninth not only for Bombardier who provides the support Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the com- such center. At the end of June, the company took but for our customers, in terms of being able to pany had to cancel its biennial, in-person Pilot’s possession of its 330,000-sq-ft service center benefit from just a heightened level of support Review of Proficiency. However, it was able to expansion at Seletar Aerospace Park in Singapore from the manufacturer,” Gallagher explained. The offer a number of webinars throughout the past where later this summer it will begin accepting HMU communicates with Bombardier in real-time 12 months, including analysis of past accident customers. “And we’ve got so much more coming and allows the OEM to remotely troubleshoot scenarios and safety enhancement systems. in the next year,” Gallagher added. That includes a problems with the airplane. Not only does it cut “MHIA is hoping to participate in more face-to- 250,000-sq-ft service center at London Biggin Hill the time it would take Bombardier technicians on face events in the future,” Asako said. that replaces its existing service center there and the ground to troubleshoot an issue, it accelerates The company also remains focused on con- expected to open by the end of this year. There the process of dispatching parts and technicians tinuing its ongoing support of the MU-2 through are also a 50,000-sq-ft service center at Essen- to fix the issue. localizing manufacturing of spare parts in the don Fields Airport in Melbourne, Australia, and a Bombardier announced at the 2019 NBAA- U.S., he said. “These efforts should continue to new $100 million, 300,000-sq-ft service center at BACE that it would retrofit the installed base of enhance the MU-2 parts supply chain and FAA Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport. Challenger and Global jets with the HMU for free coordination into the future,” he added. “All of these expansions are coming due—boom, although the monitoring service requires a Smart boom—one after the other and it’s going to basi- Link Plus subscription. That work is beginning cally grow our service network by 50 percent in this summer on some Challenger 300s, Galla- one shot,” Gallagher explained. “We’re going to gher noted. “We’re bringing that benefit of the go from about two million sq ft of space to three connected aircraft to a 15-year-old airplane or a million sq ft of space in this expansion journey.” 10-year-old airplane,” he added. But the expansion activity does not stop there. “Retrofitting a fleet of more than 2,000 air- Bombardier now has seven line maintenance sta- planes is a complete other game, which we know tions in Europe and has added one each in the will catapult us into a new era of support.” It’s a U.S. at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey and Van game-changer because Bombardier will know Nuys Airport in California. “That complements about a maintenance issue and what it is and will overall the heavy maintenance network,” he said. have dispatched the part and the technicians—in “I describe it as the tentacles of the network, an AOG situation—even before the call comes in spreading around the big bases and supporting from a customer. “That’s the kind of new level of our customers where they fly.” Additionally, Bom- customer interaction we want to reach with that bardier’s Mobile Response Team is up to 30 trucks kind of technology.”

24 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com Leonardo Helicopters unseated Bell as the perennial favor- ite in AIN’s annual Product Support Survey with a Combined Overall Average Ratings of Newer and Older Aircraft of 8.3, a noteworthy jump from the 7.0 the Italian airframer recorded in last year’s survey and 6.8 in the 2019 survey. Leonardo’s advance pushed Bell to second place with an Overall Average of 7.9, a 0.2 gain from Bell’s 7.7 in 2020. Airbus Helicopters also saw a noteworthy improvement in its Overall Average, moving from 6.4 in 2020 to 7.6 in this year’s survey. The increase, however, wasn’t enough to move the OEM from its third- place position.

Leonardo Helicopters In addition to moving up to the top spot among helicopter OEMs, Leonardo saw higher ratings in seven of 10 categories: Factory Owned Ser- vice Centers (8.4), Parts Availability (8.1), Cost of Parts (7.2), AOG Response (8.6), Warranty Bell Fulfillment (8.7), Technical Manuals (8.7), and Technical Reps (8.8). While Bell moved down a notch in its Combined Aviation’s Hawker Pacific Airservices—opened a Overall Average Ratings of Newer and Older Air- dedicated rotor blade repair facility in Brisbane. The improvements craft but up to an Overall Average of 7.9, survey “The piece that’s fairly noteworthy is that we also In spite of the challenges Leonardo faced in 2020 respondents gave the manufacturer a higher rat- have been attacking the price model of the spares along with other helicopter OEMs, the company ing for its Cost per Hour Programs of 8.1. and we’ve actually been lowering the prices on continued its investment in digital transformation, specific parts for some of our in-production mod- which was of great help during the pandemic, the The improvements els,” Reagan said. “And the 429 probably received Italian airframer told AIN. That included Leonardo’s In spite of the interruptions brought on by the some of the most…parts where we lowered prices HeliLink application for remote troubleshooting. Covid-19 pandemic, 2020 was a busy year for to support that growing fleet.” Keeping parts costs Leonardo also continued to expand its support Bell’s product support organization, including the low and competitive is key to an industry that places network with the acquisition last August of Preci- opening of Zhenjiang Bell Textron Aviation Service great import on the direct operating costs of an sion Aviation Services (PAS), which has since been in China following the acquisition of Zhenjiang Aer- aircraft. And whatever you can do to improve the renamed Leonardo South Africa. PAS had served ochine Aviation. That move was made to support a direct operating costs, then you have greater suc- as an authorized service center for Leonardo for growing Chinese customer base and a spare parts cess that an operator will select your aircraft to sup- 25 years and was its first “excellent” service center supply center in Shanghai, Bell v-p of customer port the mission that they fly,” Reagan explained. on the continent, recognizing its large scope of experience Mike Reagan told AIN. Also on the parts side of Bell’s operation is service capabilities and focus on maintaining third- In keeping with improving its global product an effort begun in the past year to work with party fleets while guaranteeing continued fulfill- support capabilities, Bell also expanded its com- competitor Leonardo on supporting the “AB,” or ment of Leonardo’s expectations. PAS supported a ponent overhaul services of products such as Agusta-Bell, legacy fleet. Under that effort, Bell is fleet of more than 120 helicopters operating mainly gearboxes at its Prague, Czech Republic service offering parts to improve price and lead times for in Sub-Saharan Africa. center, specifically for the company’s 412 and AB owners and operators. Previously, Leonardo, In April the company opened an $80 million 429 model helicopters. In the UK, Bell expanded which acquired Agusta, was the only source for Philadelphia training academy that is operated by its rotor blade capabilities at a company-owned those parts. The AB fleet comprises four mod- Rotorsim, a joint venture between Leonardo and rotor blade repair operation that serves Europe. els— AB 206, AB 212, AB 412, and AB 205—built CAE, offering mission-specific ground, in-flight, Continuing that focus on rotor blade repair, RBI by Agusta under license from Bell. and virtual training. The academy is expected to Hawker in Australia—Bell’s joint venture with Jet continues on next page serve up to 1,000 students per year and features 10 multi-media classrooms, three maintenance simulators (AW139 and AW119 with the AW609 to be added shortly), and two full-motion flight sim- ulators for the AW139 and AW169/AW609 with roll-on/roll-off capability. To ensure parts availability during the pan- demic, Leonardo leveraged its worldwide hubs to avoid interruptions in distribution. The com- pany said it “completed [this] in a matter of weeks from the start of the pandemic shutdowns. And we did the same with our service representatives, deploying them immediately to locations in closer proximity to our customers’ main operations.” Lastly, the company used its recently opened repair centers in Malaysia, Australia, and the Gulf of Mexico to ensure maximum fleet availability, which it said allowed for better and faster support for its customers.

ainonline.com \ August 2021 \ Aviation International News 25 SPECIAL report Part 1: Aircraft

Above & me in touch with someone who Bell continued Beyond-OEMs can help me. By far my most valu- New this year is the planned launch of a dedicated knowing all the intricacies of the operating sys- able contact within the Textron AOG desk within Bell’s customer business center tems within the aircraft,” Reagan said. “So this is world. Hopefully, Textron will at its Fort Worth, Texas headquarters that will “ver- why we’re embarking on launching this portfolio Jessica Good (Beechcra!) recognize his abilities and pro- ify we have the right technical support, the right of upgrades.” She was on top of all at Aircra! mote him to a position where his solution, the right parts to get the aircraft back in These are expected to begin with a glass cockpit Delivery in Wichita. work ethic can actually change the air,” he said. Bell will be enhancing its Customer upgrade program in 2022 for Bell’s medium fleet, the operators’ Textron experience Advantage Plans to offer operators and owners which will give, for example, customers flying older Justin Brown on a wider scale. more choice through a variety of selections. 412 EPs “the ability to commonize the avionics suite (Bombardier) The OEM is also working on a “multi-year port- with perhaps some of the newer aircraft like the Justin has been very supportive Remi Albanese folio of launches” of upgrades for its helicopters [412] EPI or the [412] EPX,” he said. “Again, we see of our team bringing a brand (Airbus Helicopters) aimed at increasing their performance or mission this as an advantage coming from the OEM. It is new 6000 into a new flight In-depth knowledge of customer capabilities. “Many companies partake in offer- targeted to reduce obsolescence, reduce weight, department. He has worked problems and being assertive ing or developing STCs for the Bell aircraft but and then offer additional functionality in the cock- closely with us and provided the with the solutions in each coming from the OEM you have the advantage of pit for the customer.” resources and support we have of them. needed throughout the buildup of our department. His immediate Jim Agnew (Bell) manager Julien Bouchard has Considering he is not based in also been tremendously helpful the Philippines, he visits us once a with the entry into service and month or two. support for our team. Lorry Wang (Leonardo) Bill Maslowski Very professional, experienced, (Dassault) and active to support our cus- Bill is consistently one of the most tomer and willing to make friends capable, engaged, enthusias- with the customer no ma#er what tic, and responsive customer the guy's position is. representatives I have ever dealt with. His looming retirement is well-deserved, but leaves big Above & shoes to fill. Beyond-Service Alessandro Rossi Centers (Embraer) Embraer provides an incredi- Janet Beazley ble range of product-support (Duncan Aviation) Airbus Helicopters resources. "ey are so many that She is a wonderful project o!en the aircra! operator is not manager. Always responsive to The results and also when it comes to sourcing parts, we man- knowledgeable enough about customer concerns. She always In addition to improving its Combined Overall age the obsolescence as some of those parts are no those resources to make the has strong consideration for her Average Ratings of Newer and Older Aircraft a longer in serial production,” he added. “We needed best use of them. Our Tech Rep, customer's schedule, aircra!, significant amount, to 7.6 from 6.4, Airbus Heli- to go a different way in order to make sure that our Mr. Alessandro Rossi, has been and budget. copters received high marks for Authorized customers get the support they need from us.” absolutely vital in helping us to Service Centers with a rating of 8.5 and 9.0 for Some ways Airbus Helicopters will source those make the best possible use of all Elie Zelouf (Jet Aviation) Overall Aircraft Reliability. out-of-production parts will be to manufacture those of the excellent product-support He is the man of VIP avia- parts that have a high rate of need as well as “creat- resources made available by tion maintenance. The improvements ing communities” where customers can source those Embraer. "ank you Mr. Rossi! Among the improvements Airbus Helicopters has parts through an exchange with other customers. Julija Gerasimuk (TAG been making to its product support operations is a Zammert added the legacy fleet comprises 15 per- Tony Hess (Gulfstream) Maintenance Services) €100 million investment in spares for safety struc- cent of the flying fleet, “so it’s an important source His a#ention to customer Julija is the top sales manager tures, Airbus Helicopters executive v-p of customer of revenues for us, but also an important population details is very detailed. Great I’ve ever encountered; profession- service and support Christoph Zammert told AIN. of customers, and we need to take care of them.” communicator. alism and willingness to support In June, the French airframer agreed to acquire ZF On the training front, the company also learned are outstanding. Luftfahrttechnik from ZF Friedrichshafen in a deal from the pandemic that it’s important for Airbus Heli- Beat Imboden (Pilatus) that will broaden its range of MRO capabilities and copters to develop more local solutions so training For so many years, Beat from the Kendal Krieling add competencies in dynamic systems. staff can deploy closer to the customer for training technical support team at Pilatus (West Star Aviation) As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the com- events. As well, the company has been working more is always helpful to sort out trou- Best a#itude, tenacity, experience, pany is looking to develop dual sources for the man- on digital content that customers can use for remote bles with his extensive knowledge drive, and he never gives up on ufacture of critical components, Zammert added. learning, including maintenance training, Zammert and experience. "ank you. any job. He has found parts for Airbus helicopters has seen enrollment in its explained. During the past year, the company has us when no other company could. HCare maintenance support program increase to also integrated Airbus Helicopters Training Services Ali Zaidi "eir hangar was full of Hawkers 2,400 helicopters, or 20 percent of the global fleet, he for a more streamlined, consistent and coherent cus- (Textron Aviation) and he still managed to get us in said. The company also launched HCare Classics for tomer experience, he said. Also, it has certified its Professional, capable, and on an AOG, and they performed helicopters no longer in serial production, such as the Level D H160 full-flight simulator and opened its H145 competent. If Ali doesn't have the the work flawlessly as usual and EC120 and the Dauphin. “They have different needs, Level D full-flight simulator training in Texas. answer or can't help me, he will got us out the door on time. Easy either get me the answer or put to work with and is a gentleman.

26 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com Report says it’s ‘party A report from investment bank Cowen finds that time’ for bizjets | by Jerry Siebenmark the business jet industry is In a report to investors titled “Biz- said Global 7500 profitability is expected to enjoying the jet Party Time is Now,” analysts improve “but its extended G7500 backlog strongest market at investment bank Cowen see limits order upside and the stretched balance since 2007. a number of factors improving sheet is an issue.” n fortunes for the next couple of years for the business jet industry and, in particular, for OEMs Gulf- stream Aerospace and Textron Aviation. “The combo of Covid concerns, a robust stock market, and firming economy are creating the strongest bizjet environment since 2007,” the report said. HOW DID WE MAKE THE Analysts noted the inventory of used business jets for sale reached an “all-time low” of 4.5 percent of NEW M600/SLS THE the fleet while the 275,000 busi- ness jet departures in May—led by fractional and charter operators— NEW STANDARD IN SAFETY? were near the October 2019 peak of 278,000. With demand driven by ultra-high-net-worth individ- We taught it everything you know. uals and an increase in first-time buyers, that should push them toward the purchase of new busi- ness jets. OEMs likely won’t see the fruits of that demand on deliv- eries because of production lead times until 2022 “and possibly 2023,” according to the report. “Also, Fortune 500 custom- ers are just starting to perk up, and foreign buyers have yet to return,” the report added. “Thus, the demand surge likely still has runway.” As for the OEMs, Gulfstream “looks best positioned in bizjets” because preowned jet demand is highest in the large-cabin cate- gory. In addition, increasing G500 and G600 deliveries and the fourth-quarter 2022 entry- into- service of the G700 are pluses for Gulfstream, the report added. At the lighter end of the mar- ket, Cowen analysts see a strong second-quarter 2021 book-to-bill for Textron Aviation and a “solid sales lift” in 2022, potentially extending into 2023. However, the report said, “demand durability is a bigger issue for smaller bizjets, and [Textron Aviation] has a less compelling product story than The HALOTM Safety System with Garmin® Autoland—the most groundbreaking advancement in recent [Gulfstream].” general aviation history—does everything you would do when you can’t. After alerting ATC, checking Lastly, the report added that fuel levels and weather, it safely lands the aircraft. In short, it’s as if the controls were still in your OEMs Embraer and Bombardier hands. See how your highest standards come standard at piper.com/HALO. “face issues” in the improving busi- ness jet market. Business jet and commercial operations at Embraer should improve next year but it could see potentially restrained cash flow from the possible launch of a new turboprop and subsidi-

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M600SLS_AIN_JUNE_2021_JuniorTabloid.indd 1 5/10/21 9:33 AM ainonline.com \ August 2021 \ Aviation International News 27 Sumwalt reflects on NTSB career, views on safety by Kerry Lynch

Robert Sumwalt stepped down from the When you stepped into the NTSB, was National Transportation Safety Board safety culture much different than it is (NTSB) at the end of June, following 15 now? How prevalent were terms such years with the agency. He became the as “just culture” and “safety manage- 14th chairman of the NTSB on Aug. 10, ment systems” [SMS]? 2017, and served as a member since August Certainly, we cannot go anywhere these 2006. His term on the Board was set to days without people talking about SMS. expire at the end of this year. I’ll admit I did not even fully understand One of the NTSB’s longest-serving what SMS was initially and when I came to members who was appointed and reap- the board, I went back to where I worked pointed by both Democrat and Republi- before, a Fortune 500 flight department, can administrations, Sumwalt brought to and said to my replacement, “I’ve got to his position a deep background in com- do a talk on SMS.” They said, “It’s the Robert Sumwalt retired as NTSB chairman on June 30, after 15 years with the agency during mercial and business aviation. He spent things we were doing all along. It’s just, which he focused on key aviation and transportation safety issues and opportunies. 32 years as a pilot, including for Piedmont we didn’t call it SMS.” And I’m like, “Okay, Airlines and US Airways, and also man- I got it now.” really drove us. We did put professional- implemented it. How big an issue is it aged a corporate aviation department of But I think a lot of good has [happened] ism on the most-wanted list and tried to that people might have a false sense of a Fortune 500 energy company, amassing in the decade and a half that I’ve been at really focus on that. Now, [as to] whether where they are safety-wise? some 14,000 flight hours and, while at US the board. It’s taken a lot of people to or not that had any effect on behavior, I’d Ever since I’ve run a small flight depart- Airways, served on its flight operational push that rock. certainly like to think so, but I will say that ment for a Fortune 500 company, I real- quality assurance monitoring team. things have settled down a little bit and I’m ized that a lot of times, people don’t really Sumwalt discussed with AIN his time going to knock on wood right now. know what’s behind their hangar door. on the board and his views on safety as They just assume that since the airplanes he was preparing to transition back into What about the May 2014 Gulfstream are shiny, the pilots look spiffy, and the what he called “normal life.” My goal in the IV accident at Hanscom Field in Bed- crew gets them where they want to go and time that I have ford, Massachusetts? makes good landings, they have a good Your term is not up until the end of the been here was to be When I do presentations, I talk about that flight department. And the question I’ve year. So why leave now? tragedy because from all outward appear- got is, “How do you really know?” Some- My 65th birthday is June 30th and I felt that an e!ective board ances, that was a flight department that one recently told me hope is not a plan. I would be a good day to leave. The President member and an looked like they were really doing all the think it’s important to do everything you has announced his intent to bring on board right things. They were going for their can to ensure that your flight department a new chairman. I think the last thing that advocate for IS-BAO Stage 3 audit. The captain had is running the way that it should. any new chairman needs is an old chair- improving safety. I been there like 27 years. The first offi- I’m a believer in flight-data monitoring man looking over his or her shoulders. So, I don’t think I ever cer or the other pilot had been there for programs. I think that the term SMS is a thought, go ahead and leave and be available something like 11 years. The flight atten- little overused, but the main thing is, I to assist, just a phone call away. [President intended to be here 15 dant had been there for 16 years. They want to make sure is that people are doing Joe Biden in May announced his intention years, but one thing had really good comments in their last the things that they’re supposed to do. to nominate current board member Jenni- audit, yet they weren’t even doing basic fer Homendy to become the next chair.] led to another and things [such as preflight checklists]. And Looking forward, what do you see as here I am. ” I think what was even more troubling— the biggest issues? You’ve been with the NTSB a long time. — Robert Sumwalt and [resulted in] one of our recommenda- One thing that really bothers me is a lack You just missed the record? tions—was the NBAA study. [That study] of procedural compliance. And we do find It was never my intention to be the longest- found 18 percent of flight departments that as a factor [in accidents]. Procedures serving, or one of the longest-serving, What do you think were some of the or flight crews were not conducting full are written generally for a reason. People board members. My goal in the time that I drivers behind this change? flight control checks before takeoff. say they’re written in blood. There’ve been have been here was to be an effective board I don’t know what actually changed the studies that have shown that once you member and an advocate for improving situation, but I was on the board for seven Have you seen this evolve? Where have start deviating from the SOP [standard safety. I don’t think I ever intended to be days when the Comair [Flight 5191, Aug. you seen improvements? operating procedures], you’re more likely here 15 years, but one thing led to another 27, 2006] crash happened. And 11 months The board only looks at accidents, really. to have consequential errors. So, I think and here I am. later, we had a board meeting on that. We I’m not sure that the lack of accidents that that’s one thing that I do harp on. It’s been such an honor and privilege found a lack of professionalism with the necessarily means that there are no prob- SOP compliance is one part of profes- to serve on the NTSB, to be appointed crew violating the sterile cockpit. There lems out there. We just look at the tip of sionalism. I think it’s important to ask by three U.S. presidents, and to be nom- was just a very casual attitude that the the iceberg. It’s what is going on under- ourselves, are we truly professionals? And inated and confirmed unanimously by crew had…cascading errors to the point neath that we don’t really know. I will say I think everybody would say they are, but the U.S. Senate on four occasions. I’m where they would attempt to take off on that we have seen fewer accidents related by what standard? I think professionals just blown away. I feel kind of like Forrest a runway that was too short. Before then, to a lack of professionalism, and I hope follow procedures. They have a respect Gump here—kid gets lucky in life. we had dealt with the [February 2006 that that trend continues. But another for doing things properly. They’re doing I think it’s everyone’s desire to leave Platinum Jet Challenger 600] runway troubling one was the Learjet going into the right things even when no one is somewhere a little bit better than you overrun at Teterboro [New Jersey], and Teterboro a few years ago. There were watching. I think in some cases, people found it. I do think that I can leave know- we cited the crew’s lack of professional- something like 130 expletives on a flight spend more time trying to figure out how ing that we made some improvements in ism there. that was only 28 minutes long. to skirt the regulations than actually com- safety and also within the agency. We’ve Then we dealt with the [2004] event plying with them. got an incredible workforce at the NTSB where the Pinnacle Airlines crew took Speaking of unseen safety issues, the and a very important mission. And it’s one the plane up to 41,000 feet and stalled it. board also highlighted the fact that Are you seeing the needle move at all? Is that I will miss greatly. I’ll miss the people, So, we had a series of tragedies that came in the Calabasas accident, the com- getting voice recorders and video mon- I’ll miss the NTSB, but life goes on. out of a lack of professionalism. Those pany had an SMS but hadn’t fully itors into flight decks still a huge issue?

28 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com I think there’s still room for improvement do is to meet with the family members in computer, the box, to a vacuum cleaner, wake up to watch The Today Show so I there. There again, we don’t necessarily the hours and days following an accident. and said it sucks your attention and your could get an idea of where the weather see what goes on in the national airspace We’re sharing the worst news that anyone eyeballs and your fingers right into it. was going to be. And here I’d be flying system because we’re more focused on could ever get, but I think it’s also import- And that was just with an FMS. Nowa- an airplane with 160 people in the back accident investigation, but it is something ant to let them know that here’s a little days, people have all kinds of eye candy in going from coast to coast. And that was we’ve had on our most-wanted list for a but very important agency that is going front of them to perhaps inappropriately my weather briefing—The Today Show. long time. Flight-data monitoring pro- to do its best to get to the bottom of the take their attention away from the task at So, I think being able to just have an grams are another thing we’ve wanted for event so that we can prevent others from hand. So, it’s something that really has to iPad or an iPhone or some such device to a long time. And it’s important to point going through what they’re going through. be guarded against. pull up weather is great. We can’t over-rely out that these programs are not intended If used properly, the systems can truly on that because there’s a latency factor in to spy on people. They’re to see what sys- One of your campaigns, even at avia- help us. But the devil is in the detail there. that information. But it still gives you a temic issues we may have. tion events, has been about talking on It’s easy to just get sucked in. [When I great insight for strategically avoiding the a mobile phone while driving. You’ve flew] I made it a habit whenever one pilot weather and [looking at] what’s the better Do you think there’s more of an open- said that even though you’ve walked would go heads down to make darn sure way to go. I think it’s great for that. ness to it now than maybe two decades out of the hangar, you still have to get [for the other pilot] to come heads up. ago, now that there’s been this strong home. Did you want to discuss why it’s That was just a practice that I employed, What else has been on your mind as push for just culture? been such an important part of your but that was a long time ago. you leave the Safety Board? I don’t know if there’s more openness to campaigns? Well, I certainly say that there’s tremen- it. I think cameras and image recorders I think that when we step into the cock- Are you hoping to get some flying done? dous value in business aviation, and I are still something that is not acceptable pit, we all hopefully are safety-oriented. That’d be fun to get back in a cockpit, but hope that, now that we’re hopefully com- in the pilot community. But 30 years ago, We want to follow procedures. We want things have changed so much. I’ve been ing out of the Covid situation, business if you had the notion of a flight oper- to do the checklist. But many people out of the cockpit for 15 years and, you aviation will continue to flourish. We ational quality assurance program, or don’t think twice about getting in their know, I’m not sure I can catch up. There want to make sure that it is done safely FOQA, that’s something that pilots would truck and getting on the phone. It is very are a lot of changes, especially with avion- by properly managing risk. have opposed. Certainly, there’s been an much of a problem. People say, “Well, I’m ics. Somebody said, I think he was flying I think that my view of safety has evolution over the last two decades to using Bluetooth.” But the fact is the real something like the [Bombardier] Global evolved over the years. I now look at safety where that is in all of the major airlines problem with cell phones is the cognitive 7500, that it was like flying an iPad with as the primary practice of managing risk today. And it’s just an accepted practice. distraction. We’re so engrossed in the wings and jet engines on it. to an acceptable level. I think sometimes And I think the reason for the success of conversation that we’ve run through stop maybe people just blindly accept the risk, programs like that is because they have signs and stoplights and then people die Of all the technologies that have come and I think it’s important to assess those not breached confidentiality. They’re not as a result of that sort of behavior. to date, not as just an NTSB chair, but risk areas and manage the risk. If we could looking at the individual, they’re look- as just a pilot, what has been most get people thinking of managing safety, if ing for systemic issues. So, I hope that What about devices in the flight deck? exciting for you to see or the most we could get them thinking in terms of it’s same acceptance is coming into busi- Has that been something that you’ve interesting? really a risk-management situation, that ness aviation. been concerned about? It’s hard to say without really having been would be an evolution. Yeah, I think any type of distraction, more out there using it but look at what When people think of risk management, Fatigue is an issue that often gets something that takes our attention away an iPad has done. I got my first iPad in their eyes glaze over. But a good defini- brought up and across all modes, not from the task at hand, has the potential 2010, right after it came out. And nowa- tion comes from the FAA. They say that just aviation. Do you think that there’s to affect safety. Cockpit automation is days people can plug in an iPad and get we manage risk whenever we modify the a proper awareness of it and do you see certainly not new, but the level of fancy all sorts of information to increase situa- way that we do something to increase it as a continuing issue? things that we have nowadays just blows tional awareness. the chances of success and decrease the It’s something that is always going to be my mind. I remember back in the late One thing I always wished for when chances of injury, failure, or loss. I think a factor if we don’t manage it properly. 1980s when it was a new deal to have a I was flying for an airline was real-time we do that in day-to-day life. I do think the awareness of fatigue has flight management system. A researcher weather information, such as convective It could be something as simple as the increased over the years. It used to be compared the FMS or flight management weather information. I’d literally have to exit I would take when I would leave my that you were a sissy or a wimp if you said apartment to go to the office. There were you were too tired to fly. Now, we actually two exits out of the driveway and I always want people to say, “I’m really fatigued, wanted to use the south exit because the and we can’t do this right now.” So, I do north exit had a blind corner. I want to go think there’s a greater awareness of it. Landsberg: urgent need to overhaul notams out to the one where there is not a blind And I hope that awareness translates to intersection. Those are the types of things respect for fatigue. NTSB vice-chair Bruce Landsberg kicked that we hopefully do in our everyday life. o! the Flight Safety Foundation/NBAA Let’s take that forward to aviation. Do you think that there’s a greater 66th Business Aviation Safety Summit When I ran a little flight department, understanding in the aviation com- (BASS) on June 1, stressing a need for there was an airport that we went into munity of how to handle post- accident the FAA to wrap up its two-decade-long that the pilots didn’t like. There were a situations, particularly with the fami- e!ort to overhaul the notam system, call- Bruce lot of reasons for it. And once we analyzed lies and loved ones of the victims? Do ing the necessary changes a “safety of Landsberg, all those factors, we said, “I don’t think you think people have been better at flight issue.” Landsberg also highlighted NTSB we need to go into this airport anymore.” outreach? the need for business aircraft operators vice-chair We took it to management and explained Yeah, I hope so. I know that the airlines to embrace safety management systems all the hazards and the lack of mitigation. have been better about it. A few were (SMS) and flight data monitoring (FDM). And they said, “You’re right.” Previously, responsible for the Aviation Disaster Fam- He questioned why there are so many most important.” However, the FAA should the pilots have just been going there ily Assistance Act of 1996, including TWA notams and why they are so cryptic and “keep in mind that it needs to be simple, it because they were called there. 800 where the families were not treated said, “It’s time we did something di!erent.” doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, and well. Those tragedies did lead to Congress Notams should be accessible in one place it doesn’t need to have a huge amount What’s ahead for you? passing that law that gave us the respon- and improved in coordination with stake- of paperwork.” I don’t know. What I really would like to sibility to ensure that airlines were doing holders and other groups, he said. As for FDM, he asked, “Do we want to do is take a little time off. I have com- what they should be doing with respect Landsberg also said SMS can root out be reactive or do we want to be proactive?” muted to and from South Carolina for to the family. So, I think on the airline unforeseen safety issues. Organizations Landsberg stressed the importance of basic 15 years and haven’t spent a lot of time side, that’s gotten a whole lot better. I may point to their perfect safety record, measuring—“If we’re measuring things, it with my family—except in the last 14, 15 hope that in other areas that sensitivity but he said, “Everything is perfect behind allows us to modify our behavior for optimal months—but I look forward to just taking has heightened as well. Certainly, one of you, but it is the next flight that is the outcomes. Does it work? Absolutely.” K.L. a little time off and figuring out where I the most difficult things for any of us to can make a contribution. n

ainonline.com \ August 2021 \ Aviation International News 29 UK S-92 near-CFIT highlights hazards of MVFR flight by Mark Huber

The UK’s Air Accidents Investigations repeatedly, albeit tacitly, affirm the com- Branch (AAIB) has issued a final report mander’s rapidly failing decision chain. All regarding the circumstances that lead to a the while the approach parameters of the Sikorsky S-92A operated by Starspeed Ltd. flight are becoming increasingly unstable nearly crashing next to a house with a sub- in terms of pitch, heading, and airspeed. sequent recovery that inflicted 131 percent Before the flight took off, the com- torque on the engines. The event occurred mander confided in the copilot that early on the evening of Oct. 14, 2019, on a “we are really up against it” in terms of flight from Birmingham Airport to a private encroaching cloud cover and fading day- landing site in northern Cotswolds. There light. And the actual weather conditions were two pilots and nine passengers aboard. at nearby airports, which weren’t great, While the helicopter ultimately arrived were even worse than forecast. Birming- at its destination, the circumstances of the ham reported a broken base at 800 agl flight are eerily similar to the one that killed which would lower to 400 during the day, Kobe Bryant and eight others near Calaba- Gloucestershire reported a broken base sas, California in January 2020. Namely, a at 800 to 900 feet with patches down member of a flight crew feeling pressure to 400 agl, and Oxford reported a base to satisfy the need of a client to reach his of 600 feet declining to 400 to 500 feet (Top) While attempting to land at a private destination and continuing a VFR flight during the day. While there was no formal landing site, the pilots flying a Sikorsky S-92 into marginal VFR (MVFR) and ultimately weather reporting at the landing site, the descended to 28 feet agl before initiating a IFR conditions in an area of rising terrain estate manager reported to the copilot go-around then successfully landing. with a subsequent loss of pilot orientation just before the flight’s departure that the (Right) The S-92 operated by Starspeed Ltd. to the ground, loss of location orientation, weather was “closing in” and that the tops had to undergo a series of maintenance and spatial disorientation while continu- of nearby radio towers could not be seen. inspections in Stansted due to overlimiting ing to hand fly the aircraft as opposed to During the first four minutes of the flight, the engines, with torque reaching 131 engaging the onboard automatic flight the helicopter progressively descended to percent during a go-around. control system. Encroaching local sunset avoid cloud bases, but initially maintained also played a role in this incident. 500 feet agl. But as the flight progressed, consequently airspeed, of the helicopter track. The copilot suggested a return to Throughout the report, evidence the crew was treated to a crescendo of were unstable. It then yawed 30 degrees to Birmingham, to which the commander emerges of a flight commander—who altitude warnings from the radar altime- the left and climbed, with nose-down pitch responded, “I’m just going to…err…try would be the pilot flying—unsure and ter and terrain warnings from the HTAWS. attitude, in response to collective input by one more mile.” But it wasn’t working. anxious about deteriorating weather con- The crew became confused about selection the commander.” Two and half miles from the landing site ditions both before and during the flight, of waypoints in the FMS. Altitude deteri- The commander called go-around. And and at 800 feet agl the commander said, a reluctance to engage automation, and orated to 200 feet, then 100 feet agl, and then, according to the AAIB, he “rapidly “It’s not going to happen” and called go heavy completion bias to press on into ultimately 28 feet agl. Airspeed dropped to raised the collective resulting in the ‘low around, but then pressed on to the land- deteriorating conditions. Meanwhile, the 35 knots. The crew could not visually locate rotor’ warning and audio, and engine ing site anyway. The pitch was minus copilot, while expressing multiple doubts the landing site on the first approach. The torque increasing to 131 percent. The 10 degrees and they were descending at about continuing the flight, continues to AAIB reported, “The pitch attitude, and helicopter initially achieved a positive 1,000 fpm. Finally, the copilot spoke up, rate of climb but then continued a more saying, “I’m not happy with this.” level acceleration, as the pitch attitude The commander replied with a series of the helicopter remained below the of “gotchas,” but still pressed on. Ten sec- continued from page 17 being performed in its 111,000-sq-ft hangar. horizon. As a result, it flew along a level onds later, at 500 feet agl, the commander Another modification project planned flight path at less than 300 feet agl. In called for the landing light. The approach NIAR receives Part for that same hangar is a Boeing 777 response to deviation calls by the copilot, stabilized and the helicopter landed with- passenger-to-freighter program to be the commander raised the attitude of the out further incident. But the overlimiting 145 certificate carried out in partnership with Sequoia helicopter significantly above the horizon of the engines was immediately reported Aircraft Conversions and Kansas Modifi- achieving a high rate of climb, as the air- and the helicopter was later flown to Mission control and telemetry can be pro- cation Center. The first 777 for conversion speed reduced back to under 10 knots.” Stansted on a ferry permit for a series vided on site in Wichita, as well as through a is expected within six months, Jones said. Instead of returning to Birmingham or of inspections. The flight was reported mobile telemetry trailer that was donated to Jones has high hopes for the continued diverting to an alternate—which had not to the AAIB, which deemed the incident NIAR Werx by Gulfstream Aerospace. growth of the organization not only in com- been pre-flight planned—the crew opted serious and opened an investigation. A partnership with Dynamic NC in mercial and business aircraft but also in mil- to retry the approach, this time using a The AAIB found a series of problems nearby Rose Hill, Kansas, allows Werx to itary aircraft, space vehicles, and eVTOLs. Dragon GL3 portable landing aid that had with the flight including lack of standard offer parts manufacturing including FAA Over the next five years, Jones said he envi- been placed at the landing site. But the operating procedures for altitude alert Parts Manufacturer Approval for services sions the addition of aircraft modification commander rejected the copilot’s sugges- settings and stabilized approach criteria, such as one-off parts. Dynamic NC’s capa- lines in Salina through a collaboration with tion to use automation—in the form of as well as a lack of effective crew commu- bilities also include working with hard met- local MRO 1 Vision and in Topeka. the onboard automatic flight control sys- nications, customer bias inconsistent with als and large assemblies. “This vision maintains the [rationale for] tem—for the second try, a direct violation flight safety, and crew uncertainty with In March, NIAR Werx received the first NIAR Werx,” he said, which is to grow the of the company’s operations manual given landing rules. The AAIB stressed the need two of three Boeing 737s for a special- aviation community with applied learning the conditions and a potentially fatal mis- for the creation of more point-in-space mission modification in partnership with for WSU students and produce experi- take that became apparent shortly after approaches at helicopter landing sites Dynamic Aviation of Bridgewater, Virginia. enced A&P and engineering graduates. At the helicopter headed back to the initial and the overall need for greater aware- The unspecified modification involves a the same time, the organization will con- point (IP) of the approach. Altitude devi- ness with regard to helicopter operations team of up to 90 staff and students who tinue to create value for customers and ated by up to 300 feet, airspeed and pitch in areas of degraded visual conditions. It will design, modify, test, and obtain STCs lower the costs of new development pro- again fluctuated, and heading varied up to also suggested greater use of flight data for the program. That work is currently grams for them, Jones added. n 45 degrees on either side of the approach monitoring for onshore operations. n

30 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com Aircra! EXPO Interiors

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have been ripped directly from a men’s News Update F. Lee Bailey’s Enstrom magazine: “When she’s waiting for you (and you can’t wait to be with her), an Bell Retiring V-280, Focusing Enstrom helicopter will get you together on Next FVL Phase tenure creative, chaotic faster. It carries you up and over traffic Bell is retiring its V-280 tiltrotor congestion at speeds in excess of 100 mph demonstration aircraft, which has flown by Mark Huber and you land within walking distance of 214 hours over three years, to focus on her door. And an Enstrom helicopter lets “the critical next phase” of the Army’s On a brisk 1979 winter day in Menominee, School of Law in 1957, Bailey had been a you linger a little longer.” Perhaps, not Future Vertical Lift (FVL) competition. Michigan, David Brandt stepped out of the Marine Corps carrier pilot. (Bailey grad- coincidentally, at the same time he owned The company will now concentrate on Enstrom Helicopter hangar and looked uated first in his class with the school’s Enstrom, Bailey was the co-publisher of a an “optimized design for a fleet of next- skyward. “I was horrified,” recalled Brandt, highest grade point average in history.) men’s magazine called “Gallery” that had generation tiltrotors” in anticipation of then Enstrom’s vice president of engineer- His law practice rocketed to rapid success very little to do with fine art. the Army’s release of a formal request ing. A few thousand feet directly above him, with a string of high-profile murder cases However, Bailey’s management style for proposals for the Future Long-Range F. Lee Bailey, the flamboyant trial attorney, including Albert DeSalvo (The Boston when it came to engineering was largely Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program in the aviator, and owner of Enstrom Helicop- Strangler) and Dr. Sam Sheppard. By the to hire a talented team, point them in the third quarter. During its flight campaign, the ter, was about to put the company’s sole time he was 34, Bailey’s law practice was proper direction, and get out of the way, V-280 achieved a maximum forward speed example of its new, four-place Model 280L national, he had his own weekly network according to Brandt. “He was brilliant, of 305 knots and demonstrated a combat Hawk into a Vne dive. Money from Bai- television interview show on the ABC net- amazing, he had a photographic mind. range of 500 to 800 nm, self-deployment ley’s high-profile law practice was keeping work, and he was flying his own Learjet. He could grasp things so quickly.” While range of 1,734 nm, low-speed agility, and Enstrom afloat and the 280L was seen as Bailey didn’t micromanage, he wanted rapid mission systems integration. It the key to the company’s future success. If to be kept apprised of critical Enstrom was flown by both Bell test pilots and Bailey augered in, it was game over. Brandt developments in real-time, even when he U.S. Army experimental test pilots. had hired an experienced Navy test pilot to was in the courtroom. Accordingly, senior wring out the Hawk, but Bailey insisted on Enstrom executives were outfitted with Van Horn Developing personally putting the aircraft through its pagers. When Bailey would get a five- or AStar Tail Rotor paces as well. “He was our chief kamikaze ten-minute recess in a trial, the pagers Van Horn Aviation (VHA) has completed the pilot,” Brandt said. Bailey pushed the Hawk would go off and Enstrom managers were first ground run of its new tail rotor system to its fastest speed yet and recovered the expected to call Bailey immediately. for the Airbus Helicopters AS350/H125, with dive. “He was perfect,” Brandt said. But concurrently, Bailey was “very fair” flight testing set to begin in the coming He was also cold. Brandt had neglected to Enstrom employees, said Bunting, treat- months and certification anticipated in to outfit the prototype with a heater, so ing them like family. “He listened and made 2022. The system will be able to be installed pilots had to fly it in snowsuits, and the quick decisions.” To woo Brandt to the without aircraft modification and features doors were sealed with thick green tape company, Bailey personally transported individually replaceable composite tail to keep out the cold that felt like -20 deg F. his new engineering chief’s wife, mother, rotor blades and a titanium hub with self- Initially backed by a group of inves- mother-in-law, two Dobermans, and two lubricating spherical bearings. The blades tors in December 1970, Bailey had taken cats from Philadelphia to Menominee in use the same NASA-designed laminar charge of the dormant Enstrom, which F. Lee Bailey, a licensed pilot and well-known his Aero Commander. “Imagine piloting a airfoil as VHA’s Bell 206 tail rotor blades. had been all but shuttered by then-owner criminal defense lawyer, owned Enstrom plane for three hours with two Dobermans Company engineers expect the new blades Purex Corporation for the better part of Helicopter from 1970 to 1979. sitting right behind you,” Brandt laughed to yield greater tail rotor authority and an the year. He would go on to own 95 per- as he recalled the flight. overall noise decrease versus OEM blades. cent of the company. At first, Bailey had In his 1977 book, an aviation soliloquy Enstrom had literally bet the com- to beat back rumors that he had bought titled, Cleared For The Approach, Bailey pany on development of the Hawk, even EASA Presses for Human Enstrom to make a fast buck by turning it explained how he fell in love with helicop- as the personal helicopter market had all Factors Cockpits into a parts and pieces sale. Instead, Bai- ters a few years prior to leading the team but evaporated in the face of a recession. EASA has directed airworthiness ley revitalized it and by 1977 it was pro- to acquire Enstrom, building a helicopter Brandt and his team of 30 engineers had authorities to ensure that human factors ducing 12 helicopters a month. hangar at his Marshfield, Massachusetts gone from product launch to first flight in are systematically considered during Under his tenure, the company launched home, and initially flying a Brantly. In his just nine months. They had designed the the design and certification process the popular 280 “Shark” three-seat piston book, Bailey made the case that helicopters new helicopter to be powered by either a of rotorcraft cockpits. This will help to helicopter, dramatically increased sales, were safer than fixed-wing single-engine turbine or piston engine—the prototype “reduce the risk of design-related errors built a worldwide distributor network, aircraft in the event of an engine failure had a piston—and had worked through attributable to human factors that may and brought in a talented team including because an autorotating helicopter could the Christmas holidays without a break to lead to or contribute to an accident or Brandt, an MIT graduate who had worked be landed comparatively faster and in a make sure the Hawk made its first flight by incident,” EASA said. Specifically, CS-Parts at Boeing Vertol near Philadelphia. When more confined space. To make the point, New Year’s Eve Day, 1978. 27 and 29 have been immediately updated a corporate recruiter approached Brandt Bailey said he routinely demonstrated Money had been tight at Enstrom for to introduce certification specifications about Enstrom, he was the chief technical autorotations to his passengers. years. Bailey had used the retainer he for human factors assessment of all engineer for Boeing’s YUH-61, the unsuc- Bailey parlayed his celebrity contacts received for defending media empire heir- the installed equipment intended cessful competitor with Sikorsky for what into Enstrom sales, selling helicopters to ess Patricia Hearst on bank robbery charges for use by flight crewmembers. would become the Black Hawk. “We were A-lister pilots including motorcycle stunt to meet the December 1975 payroll, recalled flight testing on Long Island” when Bai- driver Evel Knievel and Las Vegas musical Brandt. (Bailey had an Enstrom delivered Putting the “SAF” in Safran ley’s recruiter first approached Brandt. “I impresario Wayne Newton. Bailey “was a to San Francisco during the trial and would Safran’s helicopter powerplant division was ready to make a change,” he said. salesman,” recalled Ben Bunting, a courtly fly it around the city during breaks in the is reporting advances in the adoption When Brandt arrived in Menominee he Carolinian who was Bailey’s business man- trial, showing it off to a retinue of reporters of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for its set to work on fixing problems with its ager and de facto in charge of Enstrom’s who always seemed to be in tow.) engines. In June the French powerplant sole certified product, the F28, three-seat day-to-day operations beginning in 1976. When Bunting joined the company he manufacturer noted the first flight of a piston single. “There were lots of little “He was deeply involved in the market- immediately noticed the financial strains rescue helicopter on SAF. The Airbus H145, problems that needed attention the first ing,” said Brandt. This included develop- even as it churned out record production. powered by twin Arriel 2E turbines, flew couple of years I was there,” said Brandt. ing a controversial marketing brochure “We extended our credit line,” he remem- on a 40 percent SAF blend. The OEM and Once those were solved, Brandt’s team that featured an attractive woman in a bers, but even then sometimes that wasn’t rotorcraft operator ADAC have agreed developed an improved version of the F28, sheer negligee peering out a bedroom win- enough and Bunting would be sent out to to continue studying SAF usage on a the Falcon, that was never completed, in dow at an F28 about to land on the lawn collect customer deposits so that the com- daily basis with the helicopter based in favor of moving ahead with the Hawk. under the headline, “The Love Machine,” pany could make payroll. Cologne, while Safran is in discussions Prior to entering Boston University replete with suggestive ad copy that could continues on facing page with other operators on similar tests.

32 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com South Africa’s ‘Rocket’ Air ambulance service takes off by Mark Huber

Helicopter EMS (HEMS) firm Rocket chairman Dr. Andre Coetzee, who said is celebrating its first year of service in he literally scoured the globe to find the the South Africa air ambulance market. right machines. The company acronym stands for “rapid The 222s can be flown both VFR and on-call emergency transport.” IFR by Rocket, and all ships are IFR- A division of Henley Air, Rocket operates equipped. Helicopter pilots stay IFR cur- a mixed fleet of five Bell 222s and plans to rent in the company’s Bell 222UT FNTP Rocket CEO Boeta Dippenaar poses with “Rocket 1,” an aero-medical equipped Bell 222UT, one add three Bell 230s in the coming months. II simulator, but operate most flights VFR. of five of the type operated by the company. Operating with a staff of 25, Rocket trans- Night flights are always conducted with ported 300 patients during its recently two-pilot crews. Rocket was also the first device, jump bags, drug bags, in-flight infu- in our own crew and resources.” This was concluded first year of service, dispatch- commercial operator in South Africa to sion and hemorrhage pouches, and multi- particularly true, he said, given Rocket’s ing from bases in Johannesburg and Kim- add night vision goggle capability, accord- parameter patient monitor. Each base has a launch in the middle of a hard lock-down berley. The two bases can cover roughly ing to Coetzee. This allowed the company portable neonatal kit and an incubator that during the pandemic but still managed to one-third of the country. Rocket is one of to increase its night flying by 70 percent, can be loaded aboard the aircraft. navigate the regulatory and technical hur- five HEMS/air ambulance firms currently he said, and was “most useful during dark Boeta Dippenaar, the former South Afri- dles. “Ignorance is sometimes a blessing,” operating in the country—the others are moon phases in remote areas.” can cricket star, is an experienced helicop- he said. Netcare 911, HALO, Red Cross AMS, Black Each 222 is kitted with full intensive care ter pilot and Rocket’s CEO. He thinks that “The Covid pandemic has been particu- Eagle Aviation—and the entire venture is equipment, said Coetzee, including ventila- while Rocket’s service model is exportable larly difficult to navigate, and posed seri- privately funded by two shareholders. tor, multi-parameter electrocardiogram and to neighboring countries, “significant gov- ous operational and logistical challenges,” To date, Rocket has had no problems defibrillator, syringe drivers and infusion ernment buy-in will be required.” For now, said Coetzee. “It has also forced us to with sourcing parts for the vintage 222s, pumps, suction, vacuum mattress, scoop he and his team are focused on providing think differently with regard to suitable either from third-party providers or directly stretcher, head immobilization device, spi- the best-level care possible to existing cus- funding models and actually putting the from Bell, according to Henley Air Group der harness, traction splint, extrication tomers, relying on “faith” and a “firm belief patient first.” n

continued from facing page company, replacing the word Enstrom FAA approves H160’s Safran Arrano engine Enstrom’s tight fiscal condition with “Engineering.” Brandt and Bunting became ingrained in employee ritual. ran ERDA for more than 20 years. The Safran Helicopter Engines’ Arrano 1A has performance. The Arrano is certified to Every payday turned into a hangar beer company, moved to an old boat factory in received FAA type certification, clearing operate on up to a 50 percent sustainable party, Bunting said, as they awaited the nearby Peshtigo, Wisconsin, was a pioneer the way for the Arrano-powered Airbus aviation fuel blend arrival of Bailey from Boston in his Aero in the development of 16 g dynamically- H160 medium twin helicopter’s U.S. certifi- Cyrille Ressejac-Duparc, Arrano pro- Commander with the payroll on board. certified aircraft seats for business aircraft cation and entry into service later this year. gram director, said the new engine “is “We’d sit around and wait for the plane and is now part of Collins Aerospace. The engine received EASA approval in more than ready” for the Airbus H160’s to come in. It was fun,” Bunting said. Enstrom would eventually be sold to a June 2019. The 1,100- to 1,300-shp Arrano entry-into-service. This engine lies at the By all accounts, Bailey was a talented succession of owners including a group features reduced maintenance, new digi- vanguard of Safran Helicopter Engines’ pilot, but non-precision, night-time of Saudi businessmen, inventor Dean tal controls, a two-stage centrifugal com- new range. As well as the H160’s immi- approaches into Menominee’s frequently Kamen, and a Swiss investor. It is now pressor, and variable inlet guide vanes nent arrival in service, Safran Helicopter snow-covered and gusty runways could owned by the Chongqing Helicopter that combine to reduce fuel consumption Engines is strongly committed to support- tax cockpit capabilities of even the most Investment Corporation of China and is by over 15 percent and reduce emissions ing Airbus and French Armed Forces in adept aviators. On one such occasion, still based in Menominee. compared to comparable engines, accord- developing the “Guépard” military variant” Bailey plowed his Aero Commander Bailey would go on to more high- profile ing to the manufacturer. The gyratory of the H160. Various French government into a snowbank, damaging the nose. An cases including the O.J. Simpson murder combustion chamber features 3D-printed agencies could take delivery of as many Enstrom crew was dispatched to tow the trial and the protracted and successful fuel injectors that improve engine start as 190 H160s beginning in 2024. M.H. plane into the hangar and work all night fight to reinstate the medical certificate of repairing and repainting it “off the books,” legendary air show performer Bob Hoover, according to Mike Stevens, an employee a struggle that would eventually lead to the who witnessed the event. “Pilot’s Bill of Rights” legislation. He rep- But as Enstrom prepared to campaign resented the victims’ families in the Soviet the Hawk at the Helicopter Association shoot-down of Korean Airlines Flight 007 International’s Heli-Expo in February and the bombing of Pan Am 103 and helped 1979, company spirits ran high. The heli- to establish the Professional Air Traffic copter was transported to the show and Controllers Organization union. He con- flew 20 hours of customer demonstra- tinued to be involved in aviation through tion flights there, garnering 62 orders. several aircraft modification programs for But it was too late. Enstrom was out of Aero Commanders and Pipers. cash and out of credit. “We came home A few weeks before he died on June and shut the doors,” Brandt said. 3rd, Bailey called Bunting and asked him Before the closure, Brandt had formed to send any photos he might have of Bai- Enstrom Research and Development Asso- ley at Enstrom with his wife at the time, ciates (ERDA) to separate the company’s Lynda Hart. Bunting found a few and sent R&D expenses from production costs in them along. Two years after it received EASA authorization, Safran’s latest rotorcraft powerplant, an effort to make Enstrom’s bottom line “He was always an aviation enthusiast,” the Arrano 1A, which powers the Airbus H160 has been granted FAA type certification. more attractive to lenders and investors. said Brandt of Bailey. “He loved that With Enstrom shuttered, he renamed that more than the law.” n

ainonline.com \ August 2021 \ Aviation International News 33 AVIONICS & technology AEA show celebrates return to live events News Update FAA Signs Off on AEA’s Avionics by Matt Thurber Tech Apprenticeships The Aircraft Electronics Association At the 64th Annual Aircraft Electron- (AEA) has been notified by the FAA that ics Association (AEA) convention, held its avionics technician apprenticeship in June in Dallas, the mood was posi- program satisfies regulatory compliance tive, attendee numbers were relatively for the issuance of a repairman high, and exhibitors were excited about certificate. AEA’s program, which opportunities to serve avionics dealers provides member repair stations with a and their customers. After canceling last framework to train avionics technician year’s show due to the Covid pandemic, apprentices, already received approval AEA delayed this year’s in-person event to from the U.S. Department of Labor June from the normal March timeframe. Employment and Training Administration According to AEA, the show saw Office of Apprenticeship in 2019. “nearly 1,500 avionics manufacturers, repair stations, installers, and other gen- Chicago Jet ProLink eral aviation professionals” attend the STC’d in G200 four-day event. Most were from the U.S. Latitude Technologies’ DL-150 satellite because of international travel restric- data unit has been selected as a core tions. With avionics shops seeing record connectivity element in Chicago Jet growth and high demand for upgrades to Group’s (CJG) recently approved NextGen the latest products, a key topic of discus- ProLink STC upgrade for Gulfstream sion on the exhibit floor was the person- G200s equipped with Collins Pro Line nel shortage. Resurging crowds signaled a return to near-normal conditions at this year’s AEA convention. 4 avionics. ProLink enables the G200 Thirty-four companies highlighted new to meet requirements for FANS 1/A+ products on the first day of the conven- Attendees were also invited to take Air- and Transportation Technologies. controller-pilot datalink communications tion, and more than 120 companies filled craft Electronics Technician (AET) cer- Duncan Aviation components/OEM (CPDLC) and European ATN B1, including the exhibit hall. AEA members delivered tification and endorsement examinations business development manager Kevin CPDLC digital clearances and push-to- more than 100 hours of regulatory, tech- at no charge, thanks to the AEA Educa- Miesbach was named the AEA Member load messaging required for U.S. en nical, and business management training tional Foundation and ASTM Interna- of the Year and EDMO Distributors the route CPDLC operations. Also added and professional development courses. tional’s National Center for Aerospace AEA Associate Member of the Year. n are LNAV, LNAV/VNAV, LPV, and LP instrument approach capabilities, and the upgrade enables ACARS and VHF VDL Mode 2 and Iridium datalink. visibility—is overlaid along with other FAA approves first general critical flight information. MyGoFlight Designs ‘Never Another example of the HUD-EVS’s Obsolete’ USB Charger utility is firefighting, allowing the air- MyGoFlight introduced a new concept aviation head-up display borne assets to spot fires, follow the for USB chargers: the InfinityPower appropriate flight path vector, and see series with a permanent panel-mount by Rich Pickett through the smoke, further enhancing fixture and a replaceable USB module. flight safety. AeroBrigham of Decatur The InfinityPower USB chargers consist After extensive design work, flight test- Texas has flown the Max-Viz EVS with of a Power Base module that is installed ing, and certification efforts, SkyDisplay, the SkyDisplay HUD on four Air Tractor in the aircraft and a USB insert module a division of MyGoFlight, received FAA AT802F Fire Boss aircraft. Video from that simply twists into the base module certification on June 22 for its first sup- MyGoFlight shows the HUD view from by hand. The USB module can easily be plemental type certificate (STC) covering the Fire Boss, with the fire clearly visible replaced with new modules carrying the installation of the SkyDisplay HUD on the HUD’s EVS imagery and a clear different connectors, without removal (head-up display) in a Cirrus SR22. Not depiction of another aircraft dropping of the base module. The Power Base only is this the first STC for the SkyDis- water on the flames, so the pilot flying module can be installed in instrument play HUD, but it is also the first approval behind the HUD can see where to drop panels, galleys, or in-cabin seats and for any such display for light aircraft. additional loads of water. fixtures, and it displays power input and While HUDs have long been available The EVS integration is available with amps used by connected devices. in midsize and larger business jets and the purchase of an EVS interface for commercial aircraft, the SkyDisplay HUD $5,000; the Max-Viz EVS must be pur- Plane Simple Antenna To Make brings the safety benefits of HUD to four- The low-cost SkyDisplay HUD brings added chased separately. STC Debut on Falcon 2000 seat piston-powered airplanes through safety and utility to smaller aircraft. The SkyDisplay HUD was approved Satcom Direct’s tail-mounted Plane Simple piston twins, single-engine turboprops, first for the Cirrus SR piston singles and Ku-band satcom antenna will first be and light jets. at an initial price of $29,500, not includ- is available as part of an approved model STC’d for Dassault Falcon 2000-series jets. The SkyDisplay HUD, which displays ing installation. Duncan Aviation worked list STC for other Part 23 aircraft oper- Installation of the Plane Simple dual variant data from the aircraft’s certified avionics, with SkyDisplay on the HUD installation ating under Part 91 regulations. Among antenna on a Falcon 2000LX is currently is part of an integrated system comprised for the certification program. these are Beechcraft Bonanzas, Barons, ongoing at Dassault’s facility in Little Rock, of the projector and display screen in the Realizing the potential for other uses and King Air 300s; Cessna turboprops and Arkansas, with aerial validation flights pilot’s field of view and an aircraft inter- of the HUD, SkyDisplay integrated an light jets; Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet; Embraer to start soon followed by STC approval face device (AID) that connects to the Astronics Max-Viz enhanced vision Phenom 100; Mooney M20; Pilatus PC-12; and service entry in the third quarter. aircraft’s Arinc 429 and serial data buses. system (EVS) infrared sensor with Piper Twin Comanche, Cheyenne, and Plane Simple provisional hardware It is literally a visible extension of the air- the HUD, with the help of Astronics, Malibu Matrix; and Daher TBM 700 and is already installed on Satcom Direct’s craft’s air data and navigation system. further enhancing the HUD’s utility. 850. More than 20 aircraft are commit- Gulfstream G350 testbed. Further While traditional HUDs have cost hun- The EVS imagery on the HUD—the ted to installations of the SkyDisplay STCs will follow by year-end, though dreds of thousands of dollars, the SkyDis- airport and its environment clearly HUD now that it is certified, according to Satcom Direct was mum on what play HUD substantially lowers that barrier depicted while flying at night or in low MyGoFlight. n business jet models might be next.

34 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com JetTech STCs add new features for Citation jets by Matt Thurber

JetTech unveiled its most recent avion- AIS-380 fuel flow, Bose headphone jacks, ics supplemental type certificates (STC) and a pedestal mount Jupiter Avionics for the Cessna CitationJet at the Aircraft glove box. Electronics Association convention. One In addition to the aforementioned STC covers installation of touchscreen equipment, the original GTN STC also Garmin TXi displays, GTN 750/650 Xi provides for the installation of Garmin navigators, and the GFC 600 autopilot in GTX 33/3000 and 335/345 transponders, CitationJets through S/N 0359. voice-activated GMA 35 audio system, GA The company’s other new STC is for an 35/37 antennas, SiriusXM satellite weather “enhanced equipment package” added to and music, and ADS-B Out/In. JetTech’s new supplemental type certificate provides Garmin cockpit avionics upgrade its GTN STCs, and this includes Garmin’s With the GFC 600 autopilot, Cita- solutions for Cessna CitationJets through S/N 0359. GSR 56 Iridium satcom, GDR 66 data- tionJet owners can fly autopilot-coupled link (for controller-pilot datalink com- LPV approaches; the autopilot also adds protection, LVL mode, airspeed climb and GTN navigator is also installed). munications features), GWX 75 digital Garmin’s Electronic Stability & Protection descent mode, flight director command The JetTech upgrades are available weather radar, Garmin USB ports, Shadin system, along with under-and over-speed cues, and vertical navigation (when the from authorized Garmin dealers. n

Blackhawk buys Columbia Appareo debuts AIRS-400 4K image recorder Appareo introduced its 4K UHD AIRS-400 Avionics & Aircraft Services airborne image recording system at the Aircraft Electronics Association convention by Jerry Siebenmark in June. It records cockpit audio/video and o!oads data via cellular networks. King Air performance specialist Black- president and CEO Jim Allmon. Suitable for implementation of a flight data hawk Aerospace, under a new business Leading BAT will be Mark Wilken as monitoring (FDM) or flight operations quality entity called Blackhawk Aerospace Tech- president, Conrad Theisen as v-p of sales assurance (FOQA) program, the AIRS-400 nologies (BAT), is expanding into the and marketing, Lance Fox as director of captures ambient audio, intercom audio, 4K avionics space with the acquisition of all engineering, and Shad Sones as general ultra-high-definition video, and flight data assets of Columbia Avionics & Aircraft manager. The four leaders bring a com- from internal inertial measurement units “two hours of video and audio, more than Services (CAAS). bined 110 years of avionics experience. (IMUs) and a WAAS GPS receiver. The AIRS- 200 hours of IMU flight data, and 100 hours In business since 1995, CAAS has BAT will remain based at Columbia (Mis- 400 weighs 11 ounces and records altitude, of Arinc 429 data,” according to Appareo. developed STCs for avionics packages souri) Regional Airport. latitude/longitude, groundspeed, vertical A removable SD memory card is avail- for Cessna Citations and other business “Blackhawk Aerospace’s long-standing speed, attitude data (pitch, roll, yaw), rates able for o!oading data, but the AIRS-400 jets. Waco, Texas-based Blackhawk plans reputation in the King Air series aircraft of rotation, and acceleration data. Options is equipped with cellular connectivity that to use CAAS’s expertise to do the same along with the extensive Citation avion- include Arinc 429 input and ED-155 audio can transmit data when the aircraft is on for the turboprop market. “The avion- ics, STC, and maintenance capabilities at and RS-422 output. the ground. Once captured, the flight data ics STC development capabilities of the our Columbia facility is a perfect match,” Appareo is also developing the RDM- can be analyzed using Appareo’s FDM/ company will not only provide our dealers said Wilken. “Blackhawk Aerospace Tech- 500 crash-hardened storage module, which FOQA software tools, including its EnVi- with more offerings for their customers, nologies will bring King Air and Citation meets or exceeds ED-155 survivability stan- sion web-based software. Appareo said but it will also help Blackhawk to certify owners and operators the personalized dards. The AIRS-400 includes its own inter- installation and setup of AIRS-400 takes engine-to-avionics integrations more customer attention, quality, and technical nal crash-hardened memory that can store just one day. M.T. quickly and efficiently,” said Blackhawk experience they have been looking for.” n

West Star, Collins overlays that provide enhanced situational awareness in most flight conditions. team up on CJ1+ The Fusion upgrade was completed on astronaut Charlie Precourt’s CJ1+ at West Fusion upgrade Star’s Grand Junction, Colorado facil- ity. STC development and flight testing MRO provider West Star Aviation recently were performed by Collins, while West assisted Collins Aerospace in complet- Star supported Collins’s engineering and ing an STC for a Pro Line Fusion avionics completed the aircraft modifications. upgrade for the Cessna Citation CJ1+. As a “We are thrilled to be chosen by both result, Fusion is now an upgrade option for Collins and Mr. Precourt to be involved with the CJ1+, CJ2+, and CJ3. the development of the Fusion upgrade and Fusion comprises three touchscreen the opportunity to create a higher value to displays with synthetic vision, weather, our CJ customers,” said West Star avionics navigation, flight plan, and other graphical technical sales manager Walt Marcy. J.S. Garmin’s G1000 NXi suite installed in a Blackhawk Aerospace Technologies-modified King Air.

ainonline.com \ August 2021 \ Aviation International News 35 AIR transport

plans for relaxing border restrictions in IATA calls for clarity the EU will prove all the more important to the continent’s airlines. “I put the U.S. to one side because…it’s as airlines bleed cash a very big market with a single decision IATA director [on travel restrictions],” noted Walsh. by Gregory Polek general Willie “If you look at the EU…you’ve got a Walsh lot of decision-makers…If you get the European airlines will likely remain cau- removed. So it will take time for airlines timing of the increase in your network tious about adding seating capacity for the to recover their network,” said Walsh. “I wrong, your costs are going to signifi- summer travel season and beyond, given think the appetite for risk amongst a lot IATA still believes total traffic will cantly increase.” lessons learned from the experience of of airlines would be significantly lower rebound to 2019 levels in 2023 or 2024, The IATA boss also cited the fact that U.S. carriers that failed to meet surging because of the impact on balance sheets.” thanks largely to hesitancy by airlines European airlines’ 2021 cash burn of $81 demand in that country, International Air Walsh noted that the industry’s debt to return to expansion patterns evident billion didn’t include fuel expenditures Transport Association (IATA) director burden has increased by $220 billion to between 2015 and 2019, he added. and much of the usual labor costs, thanks general Willie Walsh commented during $650 billion—a figure, he added, that will In the U.S., where domestic markets to government support programs. That the group’s media day on July 7. Walsh likely increase further by the end of the account for some 66 percent of the point, along with the lack of traditional also amplified calls for governments to year. “I think it’s a combination of aircraft total, demand for travel within the coun- sales in advance of carriage that airlines offer more clarity over plans for reopening that have been retired [and] weaker bal- try returned faster than some airlines enjoyed before the pandemic, suggests a borders as airlines express a need for lead ance sheets, which will discourage airlines anticipated, which, Walsh said, supports cash-flow imbalance. time to prepare for reinstating capacity. from taking risks in terms of reintroduc- IATA’s view that pent-up demand exists “You’re going to see a disconnect between “I think we’ve got to recognize, for ing parts of networks that were unprof- elsewhere. However, given that in Europe, the cash going in and the cash going out,” example, that a lot of aircraft that were in itable or marginally profitable before the for example, international travel accounts said Walsh. “And this is where I think air- the fleets in 2019 have been permanently crisis,” explained Walsh. for 89 percent of the market, visibility on lines are going to be very cautious.” n

weighing options for the winter season. Virgin Atlantic vice president of net- Kremlin works, alliances, and commercial planning Rikke Christensen recounted her airline’s “drastic steps” starting in the spring of committed 2020 to consolidate into just two hubs— London Heathrow and Manchester—and reduce staffing to 47 percent of 2019 levels. to CR929 From April 10 to July 20 of last year, Vir- gin Atlantic operated no passenger flights, relying solely on a shift to cargo flying. despite “We had to rebuild our entire operation to serve cargo-only routes with passenger A Virgin Atlantic Airbus A330-300 takes off from Manchester Airport in the UK. aircraft,” she said. “We have been flying grim market over 4,000 cargo-only routes and from the passenger side, when we restarted it, we had to really closely monitor to see prospects Euro airlines lobby to keep where the demand is and try to actively find opportunities.” by Vladimir Karnozov Virgin needed to show considerable slot rule waivers in place agility, a trait on which it had to rely to China’s Comac and Russia’s United Aircraft address the multitude of varying border Corporation (UAC) have shortlisted several by Gregory Polek restrictions around the world. The slot suppliers for the CR929 widebody ahead usage rule would have hindered the air- of a planned first metal cutting this year, As the European Commission considers underscoring the continued need for slot line’s flexibility at a time it could least despite sagging prospects for widebodies reimposing slot usage requirements, air- rule waivers. More than 60 percent of afford to do so, and force it to fly routes in the context of the Covid pandemic. The lines have resumed efforts to lobby against international flights operate from Level 3 with no passengers aboard simply to moves come amid another confirmation of any attempt to reinstate even a portion of slot-controlled airports, forming what IATA maintain its slot rights, she explained. the strong intent by Beijing and Moscow the so-called “80-20 use it or lose it” rule senior manager of worldwide airport slots “While we are still in this world where to work together on major aerospace pro- on the continent and similar regulations Dimiter Zahariev called the backbone of there are so many restrictions, so flexibil- grams. During a June 4 online press confer- worldwide. The rule, which before the pan- international connectivity and networks. ity is actually needed, and we should not ence with heads of the world’s leading wire demic required airlines to use at least 80 “Those hub networks rely on precise slot talk about removing flexibility before we services, Russian president Vladimir Putin percent of their slots or risk losing them times at those airports,” said Zahariev. “Our see the restrictions being moved, because mentioned the “development of a wide- to competitors, remains lifted for the time forecast is that international traffic may that’s the reason that the flexibility is body passenger jet” among other ongoing being as a way to protect hub carriers’ net- only recover to 32 percent of 2019 levels needed,” added Christensen. programs between Russia and China. works amid Covid-19 travel restrictions. in the second half of 2021. And that is the “We also don’t know now what is com- The program’s research and develop- However, the EC now has begun consid- important point here: that Level 3 airports ing in the winter season, and there will ment effort has passed several milestones. ering partially restoring the rule with a 60 play a very significant [role in] the recovery.” be regional differences in the recovery. In March, Russia’s Central Aerohydrody- percent use threshold for the winter season. In the UK, regulators in February eased There could be regions where you have namic Institute (TsAGI) reported comple- International Air Transport Associa- that country’s 80-20 rule for the summer had cargo-only demand that suddenly is tion of yet another set of tests in the T-128 tion figures show that cross-border traffic season to the great relief of airlines such no longer viable and passenger demand wind tunnel in Zhukovsky near Moscow, measured as a percentage of 2019 levels as Virgin Atlantic, a strictly international might not come back because of restric- devoted to refining the jet’s wing featuring has shown no improvement since October hub carrier with no domestic traffic on tions. So we are absolutely not in a world “sickle-like” tips. 2020. In fact, forward bookings in Europe which it can rely to help offset its severe right now where we can say that, that we Meanwhile, the U.S. is maintaining reflect even lower demand for travel this service cuts during the pandemic. As in know exactly what to plan…and so full pressure on Russia through economic winter than in the same period last year, the EU, authorities in the UK have begun flexibility is absolutely needed.” n continues on facing page

36 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com Pandemic speeds move toward digital training by Cathy Buyck

The pandemic has prompted most orga- absence to allow them to perform addi- nizations across the aviation industry tional or new tasks and multitask. to shift their staff learning and develop- The survey shows that digital meth- ment courses away from the conventional ods such as e-learning, virtual classroom Porter Airlines plans to take its first Embraer E195-E2 in mid-2022. classroom to digital methods, a trend that learning, webinars, and virtual reality looks likely to continue and expand post- training will become the preferred for- Covid, International Air Transport Asso- mat. Although considered important ciation (IATA) research found. across industries, e-learning will play the Porter Airlines revealed as The survey of some 800 human biggest role in recovery plans for airports, resources executives also uncovered that 88 percent of which ranked e-learning as the Covid-19 crisis resulted in “severe” the first or second most important train- major E-Jet customer budget cuts for training in almost every ing method for recovery. Ground han- business in the sector, IATA interim vice dlers predict that they will increase the by Gregory Polek president of commercial products and ser- proportion of training delivered using vices Frédéric Leger said during a July 8 virtual reality technology. Face-to-face Toronto-based Porter Airlines has signed on September 8. Porter’s initial schedule media briefing. No fewer than 70 percent of will remain a critical learning method for a deal with Embraer covering a firm order calls for September 8 service to Ottawa, the respondents reported that their organi- specific training related to practical skills for 30 E195-E2s and purchase rights on Montreal, and Thunder Bay (three flights) zations had removed or cut in half training where knowledge and attitude matter, another 50 as part of a plan to establish a from Toronto. budgets, and 75 percent said their compa- such as shipping lithium batteries by air. second base at Toronto Pearson Interna- With the order, Porter becomes the nies had canceled or postponed all class- Training during the pandemic and the tional Airport, the airline said on July 12. North American launch customer for the room training until further notice. Learning shift to a virtual format came with reg- It also plans to fly Embraer’s biggest jets E2. Under the terms of the deal, it retains and development budgets saw cuts glob- ulatory challenges, Leger asserted. IATA, from Ottawa, Montreal, and Halifax to conversion rights for the smaller E190-E2. ally; however, organizations in the Middle which trained 73,000 professionals in destinations including the Canadian west Although the E195-E2 seats between 120 East and the Americas were least likely to 2020, converted most of its training to a coast and so-called sun destinations in and 146 passengers, Embraer said Por- report complete removal of budgets. The virtual environment in a short timeframe the southern U.S., Mexico, and Caribbean. ter will reveal configuration plans “in cuts have proved particularly deep in orga- to ensure that people’s training records The airline said in a statement it would due course.” nizations with fewer than 50 employees. met the regulatory requirements. “It is announce its initial set of new routes ahead Embraer said it would include the Eleven percent of respondents con- true that we have done a lot of advocacy of first aircraft deliveries in mid-2022. firm order, valued at $5.82 million, in its firmed they do not provide skills-develop- work with regulators to explain to them Porter will maintain its base at Billy second-quarter backlog. Embraer first ment programs to employees. “Training that good virtual training, with real-time Bishop Airport off downtown Toronto to revealed the order, which it attributed to is in limbo,” noted Leger, as he stressed interaction with the trainer, could be as fly its existing de Havilland Dash 8-400s, it an unidentified customer, in May. the need for “right-skilling” new hires and efficient as face-to-face training,” Leger added. The island airport closed to sched- Porter’s present schedule already shows employees returning to work after a long said. “They have accepted that.” n uled service last spring with the onset of four northern U.S. destinations and Myrtle Covid-19, forcing Porter to suspend oper- Beach, South Carolina, from Billy Bishop. ations. After several attempts at a restart, A route map showing planned E195 routes PortsToronto said last week it would covers another 15 southern cities in the U.S., reopen Billy Bishop to scheduled traffic as well as Minneapolis and Seattle. n

continued from facing page The Kremlin allocated funding of 50 sanctions and on China via trade restric- billion rubles ($687 million) for the devel- tions, which make it increasingly difficult opment of the Il-96-400M as an intended for those countries to obtain high-tech replacement for the smaller Il-96-300 Western components for locally devel- quad, which has been in low-rate produc- oped aircraft. Although the developers tion at VASO plant in Voronezh since 1993. haven’t yet chosen a powerplant for the While the latter remains in operation with Singapore Airlines low-fare subsidiary Scoot took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo CR929, geopolitical considerations leave Cubana de Aviacion, the type no longer late last month. no plausible alternative to the ODK-Aviad- flies with Russian airlines, although it con- vigatel PD-35, now in development since tinues to fly with government agencies. 2014. According to Russia’s United Engine Efforts to find commercial customers Airbus delivers 77 airliners in June Corp. (ODK), it continues construction of for the Il-96-400M have so far failed. Faced In another sign of the ongoing recovery pace to ship far more than the 566 it deliv- new production and testing facilities for with a decline in traffic due to Covid-19, of the airliner market, Airbus delivered 77 ered last year, when Covid-19 pressures the 35-tonne-thrust-class turbofan with the the airlines have shown no interest in the airplanes during June, marking its stron- saw its total fall from 863 in 2019. intent of installation on a variety of military type despite promises of financial aid and gest month since the start of the year. Meanwhile, the order Airbus collected and civil platforms. other sales-promoting measures from the The figure represents an increase of 41 late last month from United Airlines for But the first airplane meant to use the Kremlin. Although an official confirma- airplanes over its June 2020 total and 70 A321neos and three more from private PD-35 remains a would-be twin-engine tion on the closure of the respective pro- accounts for more than a quarter of all and undisclosed customers raised its net version of the Ilyushin Il-96-400M quad, gram hasn’t yet come, Russian media have deliveries this year. order total into positive territory for the sometimes referred to as the Il-496. Plans reported that the Il-96-400M will go no From the start of the year through the first time this year. With gross orders for called for it to fly a year before the CR929 further than the construction of two air- end of June, Airbus delivered 297 airplanes 165 airplanes and cancellations for 127, the to serve as a testbed for newly developed frames for which the Kremlin already has compared with 196 during the first half of company’s net order count now stands at items and to provide contingency in case paid. The early plan called for assembly of 2020. The 297 figure puts the company on 38 for the year. G.P. the Sino-Russian effort fails. eight operable aircraft by 2027. n

ainonline.com \ August 2021 \ Aviation International News 37 TOUCHING bases FBO and Airport news by Curt Epstein

the Grayson County Regional Mobility Zurich enables us to offer a more com- Authority to expand its leasehold by 1.4 prehensive range of services, including acres. The new 10,800-sq-ft, two-story hangar space for short- and long-term terminal will include a spacious passen- private parking,” said Stefan Benz, ger lobby, pilot lounge with snooze room, Jet Aviation’s senior v-p of regional shower facilities, and flight-planning operations in EMEA. The purchase of and vending areas. It will also offer a Luxaviation’s Swiss air operator certif- 12-seat conference room, observation icate (AOC) will also transfer 17 Swit- deck overlooking the runway, tenant zerland-based aircraft to Jet Aviation office space, and the airport’s adminis- control, a more than 25 percent increase trative offices. The terminal is slated for in the company’s EMEA fleet size. completion in the first quarter of 2022. The former 4,500-sq-ft 1950s-era Corporate Air is building a U.S. Customs facility next to the FBO’s terminal, allowing Florida’s terminal, which has been modified many Van Nuys Airport Completes Vero Beach Regional Airport to welcome direct international flights. times over the years, will be retained Second Taxiway Rehab for tenant use. The FBO complex also Van Nuys Airport (KVNY), one of the FBO To Bring Customs to their pets. It adjoins a new 30,000-sq-ft includes approximately 68,000 sq ft of busiest private aviation hubs in the U.S., Florida’s Vero Beach heated hangar that can accommodate hangar space that can accommodate has completed a 15-month rehabilitation Corporate Air, an FBO at Florida’s Vero the latest large-cabin business jets. aircraft up to the size of a Gulfstream project on Taxiway A. The $35.5 million Beach Regional Airport, will break ground StanCraft president Cory Mendenhall V, as well as seven acres of ramp space. program at the Southern California this month on a 4,000-sq-ft U.S. Cus- told AIN the company will break ground “As the North Texas area continues airport encompassed 12 phases, result- toms inspection facility. The $2.2-million in the fourth quarter of this year on to grow, many businesses and investors ing in the full-depth reconstruction structure, built to U.S. Customs and another 30,000-sq-ft hangar that will who come to Grayson County with of the 8,000-foot taxiway, installation Border Protection specifications, will be incorporate a user fee-funded U.S. Cus- thoughts about relocating, building, of LED centerline and edge lighting, adjacent to the FBO’s terminal and is toms facility, built to Customs and Border or investing here will arrive in a busi- airfield signage and pavement marking expected to be completed in early 2023. Protection department specifications. A ness aircraft,” said FBO owner George upgrades, taxiway geometry enhance- “Our customers were frequently third 30,000-sq-ft hangar, which will Shuler. “We are pleased that Rise ments, infield grading, and drainage flying internationally and wanted house the company’s aircraft mainte- Aviation’s new facility will be Grayson improvements. A similar project was to come directly to their Florida nance business, is planned for next year. County’s front door to the world.” completed last year on Taxiway B, and as homes, so we have answered their with that previous effort, 90 percent of request and are building a U.S. Cus- the funding came from FAA AIP grants. toms facility that will turn Vero into Carver Aero FBO Group Jet Aviation Buys ExecuJet According to KVNY owner and an international airport,” said com- Expands into Wisconsin Zurich FBO, Lux’s Swiss Ops operator Los Angeles World Airports pany president Rodger Pridgeon. Iowa-based FBO chain Carver Aero has Jet Aviation has expanded its footprint in (LAWA), the work brings the taxiways The FBO is in expansion mode with increased to four locations with the Switzerland with the purchase of Execu- into alignment with new FAA design the opening of a 12,000-sq-ft hangar acquisition of the Janesville Jet Center, Jet’s FBO at Zurich Airport along with standards and extends their lives by in March, bringing its total aircraft the lone service provider at Southern parent company Luxaviation’s Swiss air- at least 20 years. “Van Nuys Airport storage space to 65,000 sq ft. It is also Wisconsin Regional Airport, which craft charter and management operation. continues to demonstrate it is the adding more than four acres of ramp features a 7,300-foot main runway. ExecuJet’s Zurich facility, which premier general aviation airport in the space in a $7 million project—funded The FBO, which is open every day it occupied for nearly two decades, country with modern and safe facili- by the state Department of Transpor- from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. with after-hours consists of a two-story, 10,800-sq-ft ties,” said LAWA CEO Justin Erbacci. tation and the airport—ahead of the callout available, offers an 8,600-sq-ft stand-alone terminal with a private “The Taxiway A project presented start of construction of a trio of 12,000- terminal with an eight-seat conference passenger lounge, in-house customs another opportunity for airport busi- sq-ft hangars, which are expected to room, pilot lounge, flight planning and immigration, a landside and smaller nesses to work in partnership with be completed by mid-2023. Further room, and crew car. It is attached to airside pilot lounge, shower facilities, [LAWA] and the FAA on solutions plans call for the construction of a 10,800-sq-ft hangar that can shel- kitchen, storage room, lockers, and a to limit the number of days in which another pair of 12,000-sq-ft hangars ter aircraft as large as a King Air or a 10-seat conference room, along with runways, taxiways, and leasehold access and a 30,000-sq-ft MRO facility. Citation. The facility is within walking indoor and outdoor vehicle parking. points were impacted during construc- distance of a golf course and restaurant. In addition, Jet Aviation, which already tion,” noted Curt Castagna, president Carver, which was sold last year to operates an FBO on the field, will gain of the Van Nuys Airport Association. Speedboat Maker Opens investment firm CL Enterprises but aircraft shelter for the first time with ‘This project ultimately enhances safety Upgraded Idaho FBO retained its name, added its third FBO ear- 53,000-sq-ft and 27,000-sq-ft han- for pilots by providing better visual StanCraft Jet Center, one of two FBOs lier this year. This latest purchase marks gars, and two additional private ramps acuity, standardized taxiway nomen- at Idaho’s Coeur d’Alene Airport-Pappy its first foray out of the Hawkeye State. totaling approximately 112,000 sq ft. clature, and improved communication Boyington Field, has opened its per- “The Janesville FBO fits into our “Acquisition of the ExecuJet FBO in with the air traffic control tower.” n manent facility. Idaho-based StanCraft, business strategy to expand into smaller the same company that has produced a communities throughout the Midwest,” line of high-end wooden speedboats for said Peter Limberger, Carver’s chairman nearly a century, purchased the former as well as co-founder and chairman Southfield FBO in 2018 and began plans of CL Enterprises. “This airfield can to transform the business, which was accommodate higher volumes and larger based out of a 2,000-sq-ft hangar. planes. That means greater opportunity.” The new $15 million Avfuel-branded complex on the north side of the field consists of a 15,000-sq-ft, two-story Rise Aviation Breaks terminal, with an atrium lobby displaying Ground on Texas FBO one of the company’s mahogany boats; a Rise Aviation, formerly known as Lake 14-seat conference room; a golf simulator; Texoma Jet Center, has broken ground a “crew club” with private communica- on its new terminal at North Texas tion pods, bathroom with showers, and Regional Airport, just 60 miles north of a pair of snooze rooms; business center; Dallas. It is the sole FBO at the airport. concierge; coffee shop; tenant offices; and To accommodate the $3.7 million After buying the ExecuJet FBO at Zurich Airport, Jet Aviation gained two large hangars, even a dog park for those traveling with project, the company negotiated with allowing it to offer transient and long-term customer aircraft storage there for the first time.

38 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com IT’S GO TIME. Engines are roaring, the skies are clearing and we are firing up for the most epic event in NBAA history. The 2021 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), taking place from October 12 to 14 in Las Vegas, is guaranteed to be a transformational event that provides you an unmatched opportunity to get connected and power your business forward. Save the date and visit the NBAA-BACE website to learn more.

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facebook.com/NBAAfans twitter.com/nbaa instagram.com/nbaaphotos MRO/ hot section Maintenance news by Jerry Siebenmark

JSSI Adds Mx Tracking with Sky Aviation Holdings Donates SierraTrax Acquisition Two Jets to N.C. College Jet Support Services (JSSI) is making a Florida-based Sky Aviation Hold- “strategic” move into maintenance track- ings and its MRO subsidiary, Sky ing with the acquisition of SierraTrax, the Aircraft Maintenance, donated to Chicago-based provider of maintenance the Guilford Technical Community support and financial services to the College (GTCC) Foundation a 1984 business aviation industry announced. As Mitsubishi Diamond IA twinjet with a result of the acquisition, Wichita-based fully functioning engines and avi- SierraTrax will expand its service to onics and the fuselage of another include super-midsize and large-cabin Diamond with a fully working avion- aircraft. Founded in 2017, SierraTrax ics package. The donation is valued supports independent operators of at $350,000 and will be used in turboprop and light and midsize jets, as GTCC’s Aviation Systems Technol- well as fleets of 15 or fewer aircraft. ogy Program. Since establishing Sky Maintenance at Davidson County (North Carolina) Airport last fall, the Gulfstream is expanding completions capabilities at its Dallas Love Field facility, bringing the Jet East, TES Partner on MRO has developed a relationship large-cabin G600 into the operation, which previously served the super-midsize G280. APU, Engine AOG Services with GTCC in nearby Jamestown. MRO provider Jet East is partnering Gulfstream Adds G600 services in central and eastern Europe with Turbine Engine Specialists (TES) Completions at Dallas Facility as a result of increasing demand for to offer expanded AOG support on ExecuJet MRO Africa Gains Gulfstream Aerospace is adding sales of preowned business jets, the engines and APUs, including main- FAA Part 145 Approval G600 completions operations at its Vilnius, Lithuania-based company tenance for the Honeywell TFE731, ExecuJet MRO Services at Lanseria Dallas Love Field (KDAL) facility to announced. Those inspections will HTF7000, CFE738, and GE CF34 engines International Airport near Johannes- accommodate growing demand for cover documents and aircraft records, and access to TES’s Honeywell 36-100 burg, South Africa, has received an its newest large-cabin twinjet, boost- airframe reviews, functional airframe and 36-150 APU rental pool. Those FAA Part 145 repair station certifi- ing its outfitting capability at KDAL systems checks, avionics and electronics APUs are found on most midsize and cate, enabling it to inspect, maintain, beyond super-midsize G280s. As checks, and exterior paint and inte- super-midsize business jet models. and modify U.S.-registered aircraft part of this expansion, Gulfstream rior technical and aesthetic reviews. With Jet East’s network of 25 mobile and their engines, avionics, flight director of Savannah completions maintenance teams and six MRO facili- instruments, and other accessories. Melissa Grant has been promoted to ties across the country, TES will expand The company provides 24-hour line, v-p and general manager of the Dallas Hawthorne Global Expands its AOG reach beyond its Fort Worth, base, and mobile maintenance for facility and will be relocating there. Embraer Mx Authorizations Texas base and AOG technicians located numerous business aircraft makes The addition of G600 completions Hawthorne Global Aviation Services in Arizona, Connecticut, and Florida. Jet and models. It also holds airworthi- to the Dallas facility is being facilitated has expanded its capabilities as an East’s mobile team consists of more than ness approvals from civil aviation by the company’s expansion to nearby Embraer-authorized service center 100 technicians who average more than authorities across sub-Saharan Africa. Fort Worth Alliance Airport, where it (ASC) to include full base maintenance 400 maintenance events each month. is building a new 160,000-sq-ft MRO product service and support for the complex that is expected to open in Phenom 100 and 300, Legacy 450 and Australia Approves RBI the fourth quarter. This facility will 500, and Praetor 500 and 600 airframes. Clay Lacy Aviation Earns Hawker for Rotarcraft include an 80,000-sq-ft hangar, 32,000 The Charleston, South Carolina-based EASA Part 145 Certificate Blade Repair sq ft of office space, and 44,000 sq MRO provider and FBO operator has EASA has granted Clay Lacy Aviation RBI Hawker has received Part 145 ft of back shops and support areas. been an Embraer ASC since 2006 MRO Services EASA Part 145 Main- maintenance organization approval with authorization to perform base tenance Organization certification, from the Australian Civil Avia- maintenance service and support for enabling the California-based business tion Safety Authority for its new Airbus Helicopters To Acquire Legacy 600 and 650 twinjets. From aviation services company to work on rotary blade repair facility. Based German MRO, Supplier its Long Island MacArthur Airport European Union-registered business jets. in Eagle Farm, Brisbane, the 1,000- Airbus Helicopters has agreed to acquire location in Islip, New York, Haw- Clay Lacy Aviation operates full-service sq-m (10,763-sq-ft) facility pro- ZF Luftfahrttechnik from ZF Fried- thorne Global will provide Embraer FBOs/MROs at Van Nuys Airport in Los vides advanced repair and static richshafen in a deal that will broaden its maintenance services in the New York Angeles and John Wayne Airport in San balance of rotor blades for all Bell range of MRO capabilities and add com- metropolitan area and the north- Diego. The company plans to open a helicopter models, as well as the petencies in dynamic systems for the eastern U.S. That includes recently third FBO/MRO in 2022 at Waterbury- Leonardo AW139 and AW109. rotorcraft OEM. The deal is expected added AOG service in the region. Oxford Airport in Connecticut. to close sometime this year following regulatory approvals. With 2020 revenue West Star Offers Corridor of €85.3 million ($101.7 million) and Communications Portal 370 employees, ZF Luftfahrttechnik for Mx Customers is an MRO provider for the majority West Star Aviation is now offering of the German Bundeswehr (armed ServiceEdge, a web-based communica- forces) helicopter fleet. As a manufac- tions portal for its maintenance cus- turer of dynamic components for light tomers that was developed with Camp and medium helicopters, the German Systems’ Corridor aviation service company has also delivered more than software. The portal enables custom- 10,000 gearboxes globally and is a ers to communicate directly with West supplier of the H135 main gearbox and Star service teams that are working on the tail gearbox of the Tiger helicopter. their aircraft. Through ServiceEdge, customers will have access to work order quotes, job status updates, and Jet MS Adds Pre-buy additional job approvals. While notifi- Inspection Services cations are sent by email, chat options Jet MS has added pre-purchase inspec- for both desktop and mobile applica- tions to its base and line maintenance Clay Lacy Aviation's maintenance facility at Van Nuys Airport. tions are available as well. n

40 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com THE FUTURE OF THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

Join us as we launch a range of new 14-18 November 2021 features including new content streams, DWC, Dubai Airshow Site emerging technologies showcase, intelligent matchmaking platform, enhanced networking and much more in a live format. www.dubaiairshow.aero Book your space today: [email protected] Follow us on: | | | | #DubaiAirshow

CommerCIal Aviation | Aircraft Interiors | MRO | Business Aviation | Air Traffic Management Space | Defence & Military | Air Cargo | Emerging Technologies NEW

Supported by: ACCIDENTS by David Jack Kenny

PRELIMINARY REPORTS A witness who saw the airplane spiral with a gas turbine endorsement but had no emergency descent. down told investigators that “it may have night or instrument experience, which were After reaching 12,000 feet, the pilot Four Killed in Firefighting been missing a wing.” It crashed into a for- not required at the time he trained. monitoring contacted the company’s senior Training Accident est in a near-vertical nose-down attitude, Following a stop at Coffs Harbour, NSW, base pilot, who advised them to continue starting a fire. An outboard nine-foot sec- to refuel the helicopter from an onboard depressurized to Browns Range. During BHI H60 HELICOPTERS UH-60A tion of the right wing was found about half a 400-liter (105-gallon) storage tank and 205- their postflight walkaround, both pilots BLACKHAWK, MAY 25, 2021, mile from the main wreckage. The airplane liter drum, the helicopter lifted off at 4:48 noticed that the outer skin had separated LEESBURG, FLORIDA was equipped with a ballistic parachute p.m. At 5:55, the pilot contacted the control from the lower aft section of the emergency that was not deployed during the descent; tower at Williamtown, requesting clearance exit door. With no telephone service, the All four crew members died and the heli- its propulsive charge ignited in the post- to transit its airspace on the published VFR pilots concluded that the airplane’s Min- copter was destroyed when an unsecured crash fire. Airmets for icing up to 22,000 coastal route and a climb to a higher alti- imum Equipment List permitted them to snorkel assembly contacted the main rotor feet and moderate turbulence from 25,000 tude for more favorable winds. The tower fly to Halls Creek to meet the senior base during water-drop training. The snorkel and to 42,000 feet were in effect over an area controller referred him to approach control, pilot, who noticed a 10-mm gap at the bot- water tank had been installed eight days that included both Bellefontaine and the which identified the helicopter on radar tom of the door. After viewing photographs, earlier under a supplemental type certifi- accident site. and provided the requested clearance at a company maintenance staff concluded that cate. The accident occurred on the first block altitude of 3,000 to 3,500 feet. This returning to Broome unpressurized was post-installation test flight after several Gear-up Landing at Odds exchange took place at 5:57, four minutes unlikely to cause further damage. That days of ground testing and calibration. with Pilot’s Account before the published time of last light at flight was completed without incident. Witnesses at the airport reported that Anna Bay. Following a structural-failure investiga- the crew made six uneventful runs, pick- BEECH 1900, JUNE 2, 2021, DENVER At 6:02, the pilot was cleared to “track tion by the operator’s aeronautical engineer, ing up water from a lake adjacent to the as required” to the Bankstown Airport. At CASA issued Airworthiness Bulletin 52-004, Leesburg airport. One described the water The Part 135 freighter touched down with 6:05, he attributed a descent to 2,700 issue 1, on Aug. 6, 2020, to define a more being dropped as “very dirty.” At the begin- its landing gear fully retracted, resulting in feet to turbulence and was given a block detailed interim inspection procedure for ning of the seventh pass, two employees of damage to both propellers and the bottom altitude between 2,400 and 3,500 feet. the Conquest II’s emergency exit door. On the helicopter’s operator saw the snorkel fuselage lateral bulkhead and stringers. The helicopter then turned left out to sea. Jan. 21, 2021, Textron Aviation issued Con- swinging “violently,” its end coming close Airport surveillance footage showed that all ADS-B data showed that it flew southwest quest Service Letter CQL-99-02 mandating to the main rotor blades. One telephoned three legs of the gear were up when the Part for about 90 seconds at GPS-derived alti- ultrasonic inspection at intervals of 2,000 the airport’s control tower and asked the 135 freight flight crossed the threshold of tudes between 2,568 and 3,168 feet, then hours or four years, whichever comes first. controller to have the pilot slow down and Denver International Airport’s Runway 17R entered a rapidly descending left turn. The Evidence of debonding was subsequently land immediately. The other ran alongside and stayed up as the airplane descended last ADS-B data point was recorded at an found in two other Australian Conquests the helicopter waving her arms but failed to to the runway. Radar data showed that it altitude of 93 feet at 6:13:18, eight seconds operated beyond 22,500 hours total time get the pilots’ attention. As the helicopter crossed the threshold and passed taxiway before radar coverage was lost. under Supplemental Type Certificate SVA accelerated into forward flight and began to EC at 196 knots. Post-accident photographs Despite an extensive sea and aerial 528, which defines a life-extension pro- climb, she heard a loud bang “and saw mul- showed its flaps fully retracted. search by the NSW police and, later, the gram for the Cessna 441. tiple main rotor blades separate and hit the The pilot told investigators that on final Australian Navy, the wreckage was not tail section.” The tail cone separated and approach he lowered the landing gear, con- located until September 25. The bodies Electrical Fire Traced the helicopter spun into the trees. A “loud firmed three green indicator lights, and felt of the pilot and two passengers were not to Storm Window explosion” and plume of smoke followed. the increase in drag from the gear exten- recovered. The investigation discovered The main wreckage was found one-quar- sion, though the airplane didn’t seem to that the pilot was being treated for “sig- BEECH B200, OCT. 23, 2020, ter mile east of Runway 3. The tail cone was slow as expected. After hearing another nificant health conditions” with four pre- BOURNEMOUTH, UNITED KINGDOM 78 feet farther north. Half of one main rotor pilot and the tower controller advise him scription medications, three of which were blade was found 600 feet to the south; to check the gear position, he “confirmed “absolutely incompatible” with Australia’s Water entering the flight deck through half of another was 1,500 feet west. The three green lights while the airplane was Civil Aviation Safety Authority medical the pilot’s storm window was found to snorkel’s stainless-steel suction cage was touching down,” which was “smooth and guidelines, “as were the underlying con- be the likeliest cause of corrosion in the next to the runway with another section normal” until “the propellers impacted ditions.” The fourth would have required left circuit breaker panel, causing a fire of main rotor blade, and the water-pump the ground.” an ongoing medical audit after a one-to- in the back-lighting circuit board. On final housing from the snorkel inlet was “heav- three-month grounding before issuance of approach to Bournemouth in clear weather, ily fragmented.” FINAL REPORTS a restricted medical certificate. a yellow glow and smoke began emanat- ing from the breaker panel after the crew Turbine Lancair Night Crash Attributed to Inspection Procedure selected approach flaps. Disengaging the Destroyed in Ohio Spatial Disorientation Revised Following Sudden electrical master had no effect, so they Depressurization declared a Mayday, evacuating the airplane LANCAIR EVOLUTION, MAY 28, 2021, BELL UH-1H, SEPT. 6, 2019, on the runway after landing. The airport MCDERMOTT, OHIO ANNA BAY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA CESSNA 441, JULY 22, 2020, firefighting crew responded, but the smoke BROOME, WESTERN AUSTRALIA stopped after the engines were shut down. The pilot and passenger were killed when The pilot’s decision to continue flying Inspection showed that moisture had the amateur-built airplane crashed in past last light, then attempt an overwater The pilots made a successful emergency entered the breaker panel. The back-light- circumstances suggestive of an in-flight route devoid of visual references despite descent in response to a rapid loss of ing circuit board had sustained heat and breakup. The airplane climbed to FL 250 not being trained for night or instrument cabin pressure, continuing to an unevent- fire damage. The panel was underneath the and accelerated to a groundspeed of 215 flight, led directly to spatial disorienta- ful landing. There were no injuries to either left-side storm window, which had not been knots on an IFR flight from Bellefontaine, tion and loss of control. All five on board crewmember or any of their six passengers. retrofitted with the available improved seal. Ohio, to Charleston International Airport, were killed when the helicopter crashed Shortly after the aircraft reached cruising Water tends to collect on the outside of the South Carolina. Over the course of one into the ocean about five km (three miles) altitude of FL270 on a charter flight from window and can enter the flight deck when minute and 43 seconds, it gradually slowed southwest of Anna Bay 12 minutes after Broome to Browns, a loud noise came from the window is opened—which it frequently to 146 knots groundspeed, then turned left the published end of evening twilight. The the passenger compartment, the cabin alti- is to clear a fogging agent used to sterilize and descended rapidly. A stuck microphone accident occurred on the last leg of a flight tude warning light and alarm activated, and the flight deck during the coronavirus pan- transmitted “a distressed conversation from Archerfield Airport in Queensland with the cabin altitude gauge passed 25,000 demic. While the current operator generally between the pilot and passenger.” Air traf- a planned destination of Bankstown Airport, feet. The pilots immediately donned their hangared its fleet, this aircraft had been fic control was unable to contact the pilot New South Wales. The 1,440-hour pilot held oxygen masks, instructed their passen- acquired recently and had previously been before radar contact was lost. private and commercial helicopter licenses gers to do the same, and began their parked outside. n

The material on this page is based on reports by the o!cial agencies of the countries having the reponsibility for aircraft accident and incident investigations. It is not intended to judge or evaluate the ability of any person, living or dead, and is presented here for informational purposes.

42 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com EVENTS !"#$%#&'()(*"*+)#&)!$,( -$#'.+(%,/)0+1,&+( !"#!"#!$%#&"'(!)%*+!%',-./0!+,("%'/1!2%'),+,'2,#!%'!#*#&/"'/3"1"&0!/'.!&$,!! 4%.,+'!)1"($&!.,5/+&4,'&6!7,/+'!)+%4!/'.!,'(/(,!8"&$!!"#!,."&%+#!/'.!1,/."'(!4/+9,&! ,:5,+&#!/#!&$,0!."#2*##!&%5"2#!#*2$!/#!;<=>!2/+3%'!2+,."&#>!"45/2&!%)!1,("#1/&"%'>!/'.!4%+,6

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Back in the live show saddle

TWA Hotel at JFK | Sept. 15-16th, 2021 by Matt Thurber

“Back in the Saddle” was the theme for the ended up walking the entire length of Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) the facility without encountering one Trade Show & Convention held in June employee who was available. There were in Dallas. And indeed that was what it felt lines at the front desk, no one at the con- like, probably not just for me but the 1,500 cierge desk, and whenever I tried to wait or so people who attended. The event was in line to talk to someone, it seemed like held at the Hilton Anatole, which is ideally the people in front of me were having suited for a relatively small show. enormously complicated problems that This was the first in-person event I’ve would take forever to solve. Finally, I just Network Experience Inspire Convenient attended since the coronavirus pandemic gave up on tweeting out the new product Hob-nob over cocktails Dazzling speakers from Brainstorm with the A single flight from with all the right people. across the industry. biggest brains in BizAv. almost anywhere. began. My last big event was the Singa- introductions and went with the flow. pore Airshow in February 2020, and if I And it was a pleasant flow indeed. I knew then what I know now, I would have enjoyed saying hello to old friends and mak- been wearing masks much sooner and on ing new ones. People I never thought would that trip. I’m embarrassed to admit that at be the hugging type were embracing me the time I pooh-poohed those who were with bear-like passion. Everywhere I went, smart enough to wear masks, including people were eager to talk, and some visits a doctor (major clue!) sitting next to me turned into an hour’s worth of catching up. THE FUTURE OF ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY on one of my flights. The Singapore show Perhaps mirroring what’s going on in was, understandably, sparsely attended. the hotel industry, everyone I spoke with GET THE LATEST NEWS, DATA, AND ANALYSIS Now that vaccination rates have climbed, at the AEA show raised concerns about ON THE FUTURE OF AVIATION especially among the demographic typical shortages of personnel, not just tech- of the general aviation industry (i.e. older nicians but engineers, managers, sales- people like me), holding an in-person people, etc. All agreed that the aviation COMPREHENSIVE OBJECTIVE, EXPERT MARKET HIGHLY RESEARCHED, DATABASE TRACKING INTELLIGENCE, DATA AND IN-DEPTH REPORTS ON MAJOR event without masking and social dis- industry, understandably battered by NEW AIRCRAFT PROGRAMS COMMENTARY TRENDS DRIVING CHANGE tancing does not seem to be a problem. the pandemic, shrank itself too much The only people wearing masks that I saw and didn’t do a good job of planning for during the event were the hotel workers. I regrowth, although some companies did will admit to hearing a little voice inside better than others in that regard. But to my head—while standing fairly close to grow and take advantage of new opportu- friends at the show, hugging people for nities, a lot of work needs to be done to the first time in almost a year and a half, attract new entrants and make working and shaking multitudes of hands—saying for these companies well worthwhile. “I sure hope this vaccine works!” Just before the new product intro- But I must say it was a pleasure to see ductions, keynote speaker Gene Marks people and not having to try to figure out reminded the small business people in who they are and understand what they the audience of the importance of keep- are saying through a mask and at a dis- ing employees happy, even suggesting tance. A long-awaited big sigh of relief was radical ideas like unlimited paid time off, palpable on the exhibit floor, and it was which is growing in popularity. clear that either vaccination rates are high On an encouraging note, I encoun- among this crowd or perhaps some have tered a lot of young people at the show just decided to throw caution, along with who bring a dazzling array of talents to their masks, to the wind. the aviation industry. The level of interest The biggest change we all noticed was is high, and we seem to be able to attract the lack of staff at the hotel. At one point diverse and diligent people who want to Register today for a FREE 30 day trial! I needed to find someone to ask about build a fruitful career in aviation. Wi-Fi access in the ballroom during the Meanwhile, I’m already getting ready new product introduction session, one for my next in-person show and hope to FutureFlight.aero of my favorite parts of the AEA show. I see you there. n

44 Aviation International News \ August 2021 \ ainonline.com COMPLIANCE countdown by Gordon Gilbert

Within 6 Months Aug. 25, 2021 Aug. 9, 2021 EASA: Aging Aircraft Structure U.S.: Pilot Records Database Incremental deadlines are set for implementing new and revised EASA This final FAA rule requires air carriers, regulations to address large turbine charter operators, specific operators airplane structural aging risk fac- holding out to the public, entities tors. Design approval holders are conducting public aircraft operations, required to develop data to support air tour opera tors, fractional owner- continuing structural integrity pro- COMPARE ships, and corporate flight departments grams. At the same time, operators to enter relevant data on individuals of covered airplanes need to revise employed as pilots into the electronic their maintenance programs to pilot records database (PRD). August 9 incorporate those data and to address is the first of several PRD compliance the adverse effects of modifications deadlines that extend to Sept. 10, 2029. and repairs on each airframe. AIRCRAFT In addition, this rule identifies the air carriers and operators, including Nov. 25, 2021 corporate flight departments, required Canada: ELTs to access the PRD to evaluate avail- able data for each pilot candi date Starting on Nov. 25, 2021, Canadian- prior to making a hiring decision. registered commercial and private VALUES & aircraft are required to have an emer- Aug. 12, 2021 gency locator transmitter that broad- EASA: Landing Performance casts simultaneously on the 406 MHz and 121.5 MHz frequencies. Foreign- Due to continuing disruptions in the registered aircraft operating in Canada aviation industry from the Covid-19 must have at least one 406 MHz ELT FEATURES pandemic, EASA has delayed the by November 25. Currently, Canadian effective date of regulations imple- aviation regulations only require that When acquiring or upgrading a business menting new standards for aircraft aircraft operate with one 121.5 MHz ELT. aircraft, selecting the right make/ landing performance calculations. The new compliance date of the Dec. 2, 2021 model is one of your most important rules, originally set to go into effect Australia: Flight Operations on Nov. 5, 2020 is now Aug. 12, 2021. decisions. Duncan Aviation’s Aircraft Ten new flight operations regulations Sales and Acquisitions team can help you Aug. 12, 2021 NEW will consolidate the operating and flight EASA: Runway Surface rules, as well as certification and man- narrow your selection with the use of agement requirements, for a variety of a comprehensive and up-to-date Model/ Reporting aircraft and operations which will apply ICAO has recommended implement- to all pilots and operators in Australia. Market Summary. download now! ing the new global reporting format (GRF) for assessing runway conditions on November 4. However, the Euro- Within 12 Months pean Union has decided to start using April 30, 2022 the GRF format as of August 12 to Columbia: ADS-B Out Mandate ensure a smooth preparation for the next winter season. The new format is Starting on April 30, 2022, unless intended to better associate airplane specifically authorized by ATC, no performance calculations with the person may operate an aircraft within actual runway surface conditions in Colombian territory in any controlled order to mitigate the risk of runway airspace or other airspace in which excursions during landings and takeoffs a transponder is required without on contaminated runway surfaces. ADS-B Out operational capability.

Aug. 12, 2021 NEW Beyond 12 Months Canada: Runway Sept. 16, 2022 and Sept. 16, 2023 Surface Reporting U.S.: UAS Remote ID ICAO has recommended implement- ing the new global reporting format New FAR Part 89 requires that after (GRF) for assessing runway conditions Sept. 16, 2022, no unmanned aircraft on November 4. However, Canada system (UAS) can be produced without has decided to start using the GRF FAA-approved remote identification format as of August 12 to ensure capability. After Sept. 16, 2023, no smooth preparation for the next winter unmanned aircraft can be operated season. The new format is intended unless it is equipped with remote ID to better associate airplane perfor- capability as described in new Part 89 or Download Duncan Aviation’s Quick mance calculations with the actual is transmitting ADS-B Out under Part 91. Reference Model/Market Summary runway surface conditions in order www.DA.aero/market-sum to mitigate the risk of runway excur- For the most current compliance status, see: sions during landings and takeoffs https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ on contaminated runway surfaces. compliance-countdown

AIN_DuncanAviation_July2021.indd 1 7/6/2021 12:44:35 PM ainonline.com \ August 2021 \ Aviation International News 45 PEOPLE in aviation by Kerry Lynch

FINAL FLIGHT François Chavatte, who co-founded the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) in 1977 and later served as presi- dent and chairman of the organization’s board, died on June 24. “With the passing of François, we lost one of the two founding fathers of the united European business aviation indus- HANSUELI LOOSLI MIKE CAFLISCH TOMMY SOWERS DONNIE HOLDER try,” said EBAA chairman Juergen Wiese. Chavatte began his aviation career in 1952 with the French air force as a C.B. “Sully” Sullenberger III—noted for Avionics in 2020. He has served as an StandardAero named Peter Wheatley reconnaissance and fighter pilot, accord- his role in the successful “Miracle on the executive board member for AFV Aviation v-p and general manager of its helicop- ing to information from EBAA and NBAA. Hudson” emergency landing—was nom- Vertical for the past seven months, help- ters business unit in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Following his service, he joined IBM and inated to serve as the ambassador rep- ing with strategic initiatives and assisting Wheatley has served with StandardAero ultimately led the company’s flight oper- resenting the U.S. on the Council of the through a leadership transition to Avia- for 17 years, most recently as director ation from 1969 until 1993. International Civil Aviation Organization tion Vertical president Shawn Mechelke. of engineering of the helicopters busi- In March 1960, shortly after he had (ICAO). A safety advocate, author, and Tommy Sowers has taken the role of ness unit. joined IBM, Chavatte copiloted an Aero keynote speaker, Sullenberger is a former president and David Ivy v-p of engineer- Mente Group promoted Ken Hart to Commander 680 from the U.S. to France, U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and retired ing for flyExclusive. Sowers most recently v-p and group lead for transactions. Hart, marking the first transatlantic business airline pilot who has amassed more than was the Southeast region lead for innova- who joined the company in 2020, previ- aviation flight to land at Paris Le Bourget 20,000 flight hours over a 30-year career. tion for the U.S. Department of Defense ously spent six years with Hagerty Jet as Airport. The Aero Commander became He became known for his skills as a pilot and also has taught innovation and entre- executive v-p and three years with Welsch the first business aircraft to be based in 2009, while as captain of US Airways preneurship at Duke University, as well as Aviation as an associate broker. there, helping to spark the growth of Flight 1549 he and his crew successfully co-founded and served as CEO of Golden- Ametek MRO promoted Andy Wheeler what has become one of Europe’s most ditched their Airbus A320 into the Hudson Key. Ivy has a background in leading tech- to divisional v-p and managing direc- prominent business aviation airports. River after the aircraft struck a large flock nology teams and developing consumer tor. He succeeds Alan Harding, who has In 1977, he saw a need for advocacy of Canadian geese upon takeoff from New and enterprise software applications become divisional v-p for Europe and on behalf of the emerging business avia- York LaGuardia Airport and lost thrust across a variety of industries, including Asia. Wheeler joined the company in 1980 tion community in Europe and teamed up from both engines. All 155 people on board healthcare and data science. and has held a number of roles over 40 with Frits Philips to found EBAA. Chavette survived and there were only a few injuries. Blackhawk Aerospace promoted Donnie years, including as operations director was recognized as the first honorary Pilatus Aircraft has formally elected Holder to CIO. Holder has served with and most recently as commercial director. member of EBAA. He also is credited for Hansueli Loosli to replace Oscar Blackhawk since its inception 22 years ago, Texas Aerospace Technologies named playing an integral role in the creation of Schwenk as chairman, the company said. beginning as a receptionist, later moving Brad Sutphin v-p. Sutphin joins the com- the European Business Aviation Conven- Schwenk announced Loosli as his suc- into IT and marketing. pany with more than 16 years of aviation tion & Exhibition (EBACE). n cessor in April when he revealed plans to Universal Avionics named Christopher experience, most recently as director of relinquish the position, which he’d held (Chris) Whelchel as CFO. Whelchel joins sales for DAC International. for 15 years. Schwenk, who has been with the company with 16 years of aerospace Scott Sweet joined Heads Up Technol- Pilatus since 1978, previously held a vari- industry experience, most recently as v-p ogies as v-p of sales and marketing. Sweet ety of other roles with Pilatus, including of finance at SolAero Technologies and formerly served as v-p of sales and mar- AWARDS CEO. Schwenk will continue to play a role also as controller for Bendix King. In addi- keting for Aerosonic Corporation and in the company, supporting its strategic tion, Jean-Marie Bégis was appointed before that, was market development and HONORS direction as honorary president. Loosli, a director of product management and part- director for Inmarsat. The National Aeronautic Association businessman who joined Pilatus’s board nerships for Universal Avionics. Bégis has FlightAware added Bruno Moreno (NAA) selected Erin Miller, author of in mid-2020, has chaired numerous other more than 20 years of experience in busi- and Toby Tucker to its team in Europe Final Flight Final Fight: My Grandmother, boards, including those of Coop, Swiss- ness development and implementation of and the Middle East. An aviation sales the WASP, and Arlington National Cem- com, Bell Food Group, and Transgourmet. mobile communications, aircraft data link executive for the EMEA region, Moreno etery, for the 2021 Bruce Whitman Tro- John Foster has stepped into the role services, and aerospace systems, including formerly was a key account manager for phy. The honor was established in 2019 of chairman and CEO of Skytech. Foster with SITA, CMC Electronics, and Avionica. Cirium and has 16 years of aviation expe- to recognize “…outstanding individuals has led Skytech for the past 22 years as Sage-popovich (SPI) named John Brat- rience. A senior sales executive based in who have made significant contributions president and has worked for the com- tain v-p of maintenance. Brattain, who London, Tucker formerly led mobile crew to aviation or aerospace in the U.S., and pany since 1980. Justin Lazzeri, a nearly spent 28 years in the U.S. Army, has more applications for SITA. who by working with museums and other 20-year Skytech veteran, has taken the than 20 years of quality assurance man- Duncan Aviation named Matt McGinn institutions have promoted an apprecia- role of president. Lazzeri began as a part- agement and engineering experience, a Bombardier service sales representative. tion by students and the broader public time company pilot before moving into most recently serving as director of main- A former aviation structural mechanic of the sacrifices and legacy of members the role of director of marketing and ulti- tenance for SPI and previously working as with the U.S. Navy, McGinn has served of the military service.” Miller, the grand- mately v-p of aircraft operations. Rick contract liaison with the Department of with Duncan since February 2014. Greg daughter of Women Airforce Service Shepard, meanwhile, was named execu- Defense. SPI also appointed Joel Brumm Gancarz was named manager of Duncan Pilots member Elaine Danforth Harmon, tive v-p of operations, overseeing both the as quality assurance analyst manager. Aviation’s satellite facilities in Sacramento successfully led a grassroots campaign FBO and flight departments. Brumm previously served with SPI as a and Hayward, California. He succeeds to fight a U.S. Army decision to deny a Mike Caflisch, who served as CEO of student mechanic while earning his FAA Bob Hazy, who is retiring in June after a request for her grandmother to be laid Aircraft Performance Group (APG) from airframe & powerplant (A&P) license. 21-year career with Duncan. Gancarz has to rest at Arlington National Cemetery 2014 to 2020, retired on July 1. Caflisch, Gustavo Perez-Hernandez joined SPI spent 13 years with Duncan Aviation. (ANC), leading to a bill that was signed whose career spanned 40 years in a range as an aviation analyst. Perez-Hernandez West Star Aviation promoted Dan Sies into law in January 2016 making WASP of roles from engineering to business most recently was a consultant to Jets to Falcon maintenance supervisor at its members eligible for ANC. Now more executive, helped lead APG through a Time and also has served as a consultant East Alton, Illinois, facility. Sies has more than 100 living WASP members are eligi- transition from its original foundation to Blackwolf and Associates. In addition, than 20 years of aviation experience, ble. Miller further has used her books to to new ownership under AFV Partners, Alex Boatright was named aviation parts beginning in West Star’s Citation depart- educate others about the contributions as well as through expansion with the sales associate. Boatright has a background ment and transferring to Falcons in 2006, of the WASP during World War II. n integrations for RocketRoute and Seattle in performing aviation inventory audits. most recently as AMT lead. n

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