Dassault Reveals Falcon 6X

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Vol.49 | No.3

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MARCH 2018 | ainonline.com Air transport A350-1000 at Singapore before delivery page 59

Pilot report Bell 505 page 36 Airshows Bizav shines at Singapore page 14 Fractionals PlaneSense takes first PC-24 page 8 Unmanned aircraft Industry seeks tighter Dassault reveals Falcon 6X regs for drones page 34 by Mark Phelps Rotorcraft On February 28, Dassault held a day-long range increase over the 5X (to 5,500 nm) and additional range caused Dassault to switch Sikorsky sells S-300 line briefing, releasing details on its newest busi- first deliveries are scheduled for 2022. As for to a nitrogen-based fuel pressurization sys- ness jet, the Falcon 6X. The latest model is commonality with the 5X, Villa said, “Much of tem. “We were first to have a pressurized page 54 a replacement for the 5X, a project canceled the systems architecture will be retained—the fuel system, which is safer for crossfeeding. due to multiple delays in the development fly-by-wire system is one step beyond that of And our experience with military aircraft led of its proposed Snecma Silvercrest engines. the 8X—and there will be some commonal- us to add a nitrogen system for the 6X. It’s Olivier Villa, Dassault’s senior v-p of civil ity in the cockpit and the empennage. But a first for a business jet, and the ultimate in aircraft, told AIN the 6X’s Pratt & Whitney otherwise, it is a thorough redesign.” fuel system safety,” he said. Canada PW812D engines are not the only For example, he said, though the aero- “It wasn’t something we wished,” said Villa change. The new twinjet will have a 20-inch- dynamics of the wing remain, heavier of the 6X program, “but we’re excited by the larger cabin, enabling either a larger aft lounge loads required significant changes. “There capability, and customers have responded area or a choice of larger forward galley or a are no common parts,” Villa said. He also enthusiastically.” Check AINonline for fur- crew rest area. The 6X will also have a 300-nm added that the extra fuel required for the ther details from the briefing. n

Read Our SAFETY FEATURE Bizav deliveries up last year, LTE Avoidance A series of recent accidents shines a trend likely to continue in ’18 light on loss of tail rotor effectiveness. While part of the danger is inherent by Kerry Lynch in helicopter design, lack of effective training to prevent it or recover from it Business and general aviation manufactur- same time, the rotorcraft market underwent presents another challenge. ers finished 2017 on an upswing, pushing up a turnaround, with total shipments jumping global shipments on the year 2.5 percent, to by almost 7.5 percent in 2017. page 48 2,324 units, and providing momentum into “The news is good this year,” said GAMA 2018, according to the General Aviation president and CEO Pete Bunce, adding, Manufacturers Association (GAMA). At the continues on page 44 INTRODUCING FLEETLOGIC BY EMBRAER

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CHALLENGE. CREATE. OUTPERFORM. INSIDE this issue 19 59 JAMES HOLAHAN (1921-2015), FOUNDING EDITOR WILSON S. LEACH, MANAGING DIRECTOR

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF – Matt Thurber EXECUTIVE EDITOR - AIN PUBLICATIONS – Mark Phelps NEWS EDITOR - AIN PUBLICATIONS – Chad Trautvetter MANAGING EDITOR - AIN PUBLICATIONS – Annmarie Yannaco SENIOR EDITORS – Curt Epstein, Kerry Lynch Gregory Polek – Air Transport Ian Sheppard – International EDITOR-AT-LARGE – Sean Broderick ASSOCIATE EDITOR – Samantha Cartaino CONTRIBUTORS SPECIAL REPORT Pete Combs David Jack Kenny – Safety 36 20 Gordon Gilbert Jennifer Leach English John Goglia – Columnist Richard Pedicini Mark Huber – Rotorcraft James Wynbrandt Future of Ab Initio Training GROUP PRODUCTION MANAGER – Tom Hurley A pinch is coming, as the PRODUCTION EDITOR – Martha Jercinovich ASSOCIATE PRODUCTION EDITOR – Lysbeth McAleer airlines, military and corporate GRAPHIC DESIGNERS – Mona L. Brown, John A. Manfredo, operators staff their cockpits to Grzegorz Rzekos meet increasing demand. AIN LEAD DEVELOPER – Michael Giaimo looks at how those pilots will DEVELOPERS – Nathan Douglas, Ryan Koch VIDEO PRODUCER – Ian Whelan be trained from the beginning. GROUP PUBLISHER – David M. Leach ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER – Nancy O’Brien ADVERTISING SALES AIRPLANES, ENGINES and UAVs 52 Rolls-Royce intros IntelligentEngine PILOT REPORT Georges France – Western Europe, +33 6 80 21 17 93 Data collection lets engines “learn.” Melissa Murphy – Midwestern U.S., +1 (830) 608-9888 1 New Falcon 36 Bell 505 Jet Ranger X Nancy O’Brien – W estern U.S./Western Canada/Asia Pacific, Dassault announces Falcon 6X. 53 ArincDirect part of Stellar Cloud The single improves on the 206’s legacy. +1 (530) 241-3534 Anthony T. Romano – Northeastern U.S./Eastern Canada/Mexico/Brazil 6 Wijet signs for HondaJets 53 Controps protects airports Joe Rosone – Mid-Atlantic U.S./Southeast U.S./Caribbean, MoU is Honda's biggest order yet. The system provides early detection +1 (301) 693-4687 ROTORCRAFT and Diana Scogna – Italy/Northern Europe/Middle East, 10 Fifth Global 7000 enters test of wildlife and drone incursions. UNMANNED SYSTEMS +33 6 62 52 25 47 Victoria Tod – Great Lakes U.S./United Kingdom, 12 Epic prototype flies 53 Hands on in Alsim 250 54 Army cleared for more Lakotas +1 (203) 733-4184 14 Bizjets make Singapore debuts The device is reconfigurable, with either 54 Sikorsky sells S-300 line Yury Laskin – Russia, +7 05 912 1346 46 FAA signs off Nextant G90XT a glass cockpit or traditional gauges. Rotorcraft Services Group has AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER – Jeff Hartford MANAGER OF ONSITE LOGISTICS – Philip Scarano III Aircraft receives “final piece of certification.” purchased the TC for the series. ONSITE PRODUCTION – Zach O’Brien 46 SSBJ from Russia? CHARTER and FRACTIONAL 55 Airbus rethinks X6 SALES COORDINATOR – Nadine Timpanaro United Aircraft is working on one. 8 PlaneSense takes first PC-24 Research wil continue, but the company SALES ADMINISTRATOR – Cindy Nesline More deliveries planned. will not launch a full program. DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & HUMAN RESOURCES – Michele Hubert AIRPORTS and FBOs 10 Australian service orders King Airs 56 $100M settlement in EMS crash ACCOUNTING MANAGER – Marylou Moravec The Royal Flying Doctor Service signed for Air Methods and Airbus settle with ACCOUNTS PAYABLE – Mary Avella 19 FBOs score with Super Bowl ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE – Bobbie Bing Preparation paid off for MN facilities. two King Air 350s at Singapore. flight nurse injured in 2013 crash. 26 PWM goes green with deicing 56 V-280 test campaign progresses U.S. HEADQUARTERS 214 Franklin Ave., Midland Park, NJ 07432 Airport relies solely on recycled deicing fluid. FLIGHT OPS, SAFETY, +1 (201) 444-5075 SECURITY, TRAINING Advertising Inquiries: +1 (201) 345-0085 MAINTENANCE and MODs [email protected] AIRSHOWS and CONVENTIONS 30 Progress continues on TALPA 18 Innova shuts its doors Circulation Inquiries: +1 (201) 345-0085 Better data and standardized condition Government and military work will continue. [email protected] 38 Schedulers and Dispatchers WASHINGTON, D.C. EDITORIAL OFFICE: 42 IAWA forum assessment have made a difference. 18 Tamarack CJ3 winglets OK’d Kerry Lynch (business aviation) 32 Boeing studies cybersecurity sim [email protected] Female leaders nurture the next generation. Approval expands company’s STC list. Tel: +1 (703) 969-9195 32 Questions on ADS-B security EUROPEAN EDITORIAL OFFICE: As the 2020 U.S. deadline looms, Ian Sheppard; [email protected] AIR TRANSPORT REGULATIONS and GOVERNMENT Hangar 9, Redhill Aerodrome, Surrey RH1 5JY, UK 28 Alliance capitalizes on fly-in, fly-out cybersecurity is an unanswered question. 6 Infrastructure plan affects airports Tel: +44 1737 821409, Mobile: +44 7759 455770 57 C Series dispute ends 34 Drone encounter raises concerns Federal funding for projects would decline. THE CONVENTION NEWS COMPANY, INC. Trade commission finds in favor of Industry seeks tighter regs. 10 ASBAA sets 2018 priorities AIN PUBLICATIONS EXECUTIVE TEAM Bombardier in C Series ‘dumping’ case. 34 FAA opens docket on TEB crash 12 ATC privatization fight Wilson Leach Jennifer Leach English 46 AMT training goes online The plan has some support, Matt Thurber Dave Leach 57 Seventh MRJ joins flight tests Michele Hubert Nancy O’Brien 58 Boeing 787-10 gets FAA nod A Spartan College program combines but its future is uncertain. online training with hands-on learning. Aviation International News (ISSN 0887-9877) is published monthly. Periodicals postage The R-R-powered model is approved, and 44 Possible funding cuts for FAA paid at Midland Park, N.J., and additional mailing offices.Postmaster: Send address changes to Aviation International News, P.O. Box 47628, Plymouth, MN 55447 USA. Allow signoff on GEnx variant is expected in 2H. 48 LTE avoidance Budget reduction possible in FY2019. at least eight weeks for processing. 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INDUSTRY and MANAGEMENT 57 Air Transport Update News, AINalerts, AIN Air Transport Perspective, AIN Defense Perspective, AINtv, Business Jet Traveler, BJTwaypoints, ABACE Convention News, Dubai Airshow 59 Boeing Asia-Pacific forecast 1 GAMA optimistic on 2017 results 52 Avionics Update News, EBACE Convention News, Farnborough Airshow News, HAI Convention News, LABACE Convention News, MEBA Convention News, NBAA Convention News, Paris 59 737 Max 10 configuration frozen Pistons and jets led the fixed-wing 70 Calendar Airshow News, Singapore Airshow News, Mobile Apps: Aviation International News; gains, but challenges remain. AINonline. PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40649046 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE 67 Compliance Countdown CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: PITNEY BOWES INTERNATIONAL MAIL, STATION A, P.O. 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BIZJETS, HELOS LAG IN add 50 percent more capacity, create 200 ADS-B INSTALLATIONS new jobs, and push total employment More than 50,000 of the anticipated at the location to more than 1,000. 100,000 aircraft in the U.S. that will Construction is expected to start in May, need to comply with the Jan. 1, 2020 with operations beginning in the second ADS-B equipage mandate have now quarter of 2019. The new facility will be installed systems, but shop availability located northeast of the airport and has already begun to tighten for the include a hangar, offices, back shops, and remaining aircraft. Of those equipping support space. Gulfstream has operated in the business and general aviation at Appleton since 1998 as part of its then- segment, pistons and turboprops $250 million acquisition of K-C Aviation. are leading the way with nearly half already equipped, while business jets BELL REBRANDS AS are still only in the 20 percent range, ‘FLIGHT’ COMPANY according to data from GAMA. The Bell Helicopter is rebranding itself rotorcraft segment is lagging even simply as “Bell” and incorporating the French air-taxi firm Wijet has signed an MoU for 16 HondaJets, in a deal worth approximately further behind, with only 10 to 15 dragonfly into its red shield logo to $80 million. The aircraft will replace its 15 Cessna Citation Mustangs. percent equipped. Wipaire president accompany a new slogan, “above and Chuck Wiplinger noted that ADS-B beyond flight,” the company announced installs in his shop tripled in 2016 and on February 22. Bell CEO and president picked up by another two-thirds last Mitch Snyder said the company is 16-aircraft MoU from Wijet year, but have flattened going into making the changes to reflect its more 2018. Constraints on the availability of diversified approach to flight. The brand skilled workers, not demand, are the change coupled with Bell’s foray into marks largest yet for Honda reason work has plateaued, he said. new vehicle types such as urban air taxis does not preclude development of by Chen Chuanren NEXTANT, COLLINS AWARDED T-1A new helicopter models, Snyder added. AVIONICS UPGRADE CONTRACT Honda Aircraft signed a memorandum “There is no comparison to the Honda- Field Aviation and subcontracors AEROCOR DEVELOPS of understanding with French air taxi Jet in its category,” said Wijet CEO Pat- Nextant Aerospace, Rockwell Collins, ‘CERTIFIED’ ECLIPSE PROGRAM firm Wijet for 16 HA-420 HondaJets last rick Hersent. “For our customers, we offer and FlightSafety International have won Very light jet sales specialist Aerocor month at the Singapore Airshow. The deal the best-of-the-best in terms of products a U.S. Air Force contract to modernize has rolled out a new certified preowned is worth approximately $80 million at list and experience, while providing our part- the Collins Pro Line 2/4 avionics on the program for Eclipse 500s and 550s prices, making it the biggest aircraft con- ners with a safe and superior product at USAF’s entire T-1A (Beechjet 400A) that covers inspections and first-year tract yet for the aircraft manufacturer. an affordable rate. The HondaJet does all fleet. As part of the award, Nextant scheduled maintenance, as well as Wijet currently flies 15 Cessna Citation of these things.” Aerospace will share the responsibility for operational support. To qualify under its Mustangs and is Air France’s exclusive According to Honda Aircraft CEO modernizing the USAF’s fleet of 178 program, an aircraft must have complete partner for business aviation. Honda Air- Michimasa Fujino, his company delivered T-1A training aircraft, 16 flight simulators, logs, be on an engine service plan, and craft will begin deliveries this quarter and 23 aircraft in 2016 and 43 last year, and the and 14 part-task ground trainers with be equipped with PPG windshields the aircraft will eventually replace the HondaJet was the best-selling aircraft in Collins Pro Line 21 avionics systems. and Tamagawa landing gear actuators, Cessna Citations over the next 18 months. its category in the first half of 2017. “We The contract also calls for building Aerocor said. A 24-month inspection is Wijet said it hopes to expand operations are producing four aircraft monthly in a several new simulators, as well as due within the first 12 months and 300 from 1,200 to 1,500 airports across Europe steady state now, and are studying how to developing training aids and courseware. flight hours of ownership. The program and North Africa with the HondaJet. increase that to five,” he toldAIN . n Under phase one, Field has been includes a credit for the first six-month awarded $18.5 million for prototyping battery capacity checks and aileron gap and low-rate initial production. checks. It further provides post-sale support, including type-rating training. ORIENS OPENS BIGGIN HILL White House infrastructure proposal PC-12 SERVICE CENTER U.S., CANADA BIZAV FLYING OFF Two months after acquiring the former TO ROARING START IN 2018 aims to spur shift in airport investments Avalon Aero business aviation MRO at Utilization metrics for business aircraft London Biggin Hill Airport, Oriens Aviation flying in the U.S. and Canada continued The White House on February 12 unveiled plan seeks to widen availability of federal on February 15 formally relaunched the to improve, with activity up 4 percent an infrastructure plan that shifts an credit facilities and bond options, including facility—Oriens Maintenance Services— year-over-year in January, according to emphasis from federal investment to for airports. Also on the funding front, the as an authorized Pilatus Aircraft service TraqPak data from Argus International. state, local, and private funding for plan calls for streamlining and reducing the center. The move follows what the Part 135 activity soared by 8 percent major infrastructure projects, including paperwork required for passenger facility UK and Ireland Pilatus sales distributor year-over-year, while fractional and for airports. The plan does not focus on charges at small hub airports. calls an “excellent” 2017, in which fresh Part 91 reported upticks of 2.2 percent air traffic control functions, but seeks to The plan would enable the divestiture customers took delivery of five new and 1.5 percent, respectively. By aircraft incre ase non-federal investment in and/ of certain federal infrastructure—including aircraft, the PC-12 company demonstrator category, turboprops led the pack, rising or privatization of more U.S. airports. It Ronald Reagan Washington National and was sold, and a first new-build PC-12 5.5 percent from a year ago, followed by also seeks to curb the FAA’s activities in Dulles International Airports—to state, delivery position was secured for this year. large-cabin jets, up 4 percent; midsize approval and management of certain air- local and/or private entities. Also, the plan jets, up 3.1 percent; and light jets, up port projects. would remove certain constraints on pri- GULFSTREAM ANNOUNCES 2.8 percent. Weekday flying was up 2.8 A key to the plan is an infrastructure vatization of airports, including a limit on APPLETON MRO EXPANSION percent from a year ago, while weekend incentive program, backed by government the number and size of airports that can Gulfstream Aerospace is undertaking a activity jumped 8.5 percent. By U.S. grants, that would encourage state, local, participate in the current pilot program. $40 million, 180,000-sq-ft expansion of region, the Southeast dominates with and private investment. Such a program As for the FAA’s involvement, the plan its Appleton (Wisconsin) International 58,234 departures, eclipsing the next would apply to a range of infrastructure, states that the current review process Airport (KATW) maintenance and busiest—the central West Coast—by from surface transportation and rail to for projects burdens the FAA and slows completion center that is expected to more than 23,000 movements. waterways and airports. In addition, the project delivery. K.L.

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ad_amac_AIN_march_2018_199x264.indd 1 2/20/18 9:42 PM its first PC-12 in 1995: N112AF. Today, News Briefs N112AF is on a 2013 PC-12. As older airplanes are replaced with newer versions Victor Raises $18M for PlaneSense N numbers are transferred Charter Industry Venture accordingly. To date, PlaneSense has Online private jet charter marketplace taken delivery of more than 60 new Victor early last month received an PC-12s. George Antoniadis, founder, $18 million co-investment from BBA owner and CEO of PlaneSense, declined Aviation, BP Ventures and existing to reveal exactly how many shareown- shareholders to form the newly created ers the company has, saying instead that Alyssum Group. To be led by Victor “it’s many hundreds.” founder and CEO Clive Jackson, the new entity is a long-term initiative to PlaneSense’s Tribute to Alpha Flying create an ecosystem enabling business As new aircraft receive an N number with aviation industry stakeholders to PlaneSense took delivery of one PC-24 and awaits the handover of five more. the AF suffix, aircraft sold are re-regis- boost efficiency and profitability by tered to remove the AF, and are also refur- sharing data and business intelligence. bished to replace all other PlaneSense A week after forming the new venture, interior and exterior distinctions. In a it acquired aviation flight-planning, With first PC-24 delivery, sentimental gesture, the AF designation fuel, and concierge services company on all PlaneSense aircraft is Antoniadis’ RocketRoute, saying the move is “part tribute to Alpha Flying—the aircraft of its long-term strategy to transform PlaneSense fleet tops 40 management company he owned before the entire private aviation industry.” it morphed into PlaneSense. Antoniadis is by Gordon Gilbert clearly proud of his former company and NetJets’ QS Partners the use of AF on every airplane is a way Acquires Cerretani Group The arrival last month of the first cus- unpaved surfaces, “giving pilots access to to ensure its constant link to PlaneSense. QS Partners, the whole-aircraft brokerage tomer production Pilatus PC-24 light jet to more than 20,000 airports worldwide.” Each PlaneSense PC-12 logs some arm of NetJets, has acquired Boulder, PlaneSense bumped up the fractional pro- The company supports these claims with 1,000 hours annually, said Anoniadis, Colorado-based Cerretani Aviation Group, vider’s fleet to 41 aircraft and introduced the following specifications: an ISA BFL which equates to nearly 350,000 hours more than doubling its business aircraft its first offerings for shares in the new jet. at max weight, sea level and on dry paved annually for the fleet as a whole. Anto- sales and acquisition services. Cerretani In addition to the PC-24, the Portsmouth, runway of 2,810 feet; landing distance over niadis noted that last year, the fleet has served as a primary broker partner for New Hampshire company operates 36 a 50-foot obstacle, max landing weight, flew 9 million miles, used 840 different NetJets since 2013, before QS Partners Pilatus PC-12 single-turboprops and four sea level and paved runway of 2,355 feet; airports in 47 states; and carried 3,000- was launched in 2016 to cover aircraft Nextant 400XTIs. PlaneSense, which said max rate of climb 4,151 fpm; four-passen- plus passengers, as well as a few wolves sales and purchases in house. Cerratani it already has sold shares in the PC-24, ger range at LRC setting and NBAA IFR and turtles on occasion. More than 95 founder Nick Cerretani is now a partner at expressed the desire to receive the other reserves of 2,035 nm; and a stall speed at percent of PlaneSense flights are flown QS Partners, which has retained all seven five it’s ordered “as quickly as possible.” MLW in landing configuration of 81 kias. under Part 91K with less than 5 percent of his employees. QS Partners, which has The company expects to receive at least When the order book for the PC-24 was operated under Part 135 by sister com- offices in Columbus, Ohio; Boulder; and two more within the next 12 months and pany Cobalt Air. London, is also the exclusive reseller of two more next year. After completing FAA requirements NetJets certified pre-owned aircraft. “We’ve been eagerly working toward for the PC-24 to be added to the frac- this moment since the conception of this tional fleet, PlaneSense will fly the air- Bombardier Chief Bullish innovative new jet a decade ago,” said craft on a four-week tour of U.S. and on Business Jet Market Pilatus CEO Markus Bucher at the Plane- international locations to highlight its While Bombardier’s business jet Sense delivery ceremony “on behalf of capabilities for current and potential delivery guidance for 2018 is flat at 135 the 2,000 Pilatus employees in Switzer- fractional aircraft share owners. The units, company president and CEO land who successfully designed, built, and aircraft will also be on an “operational” Alain Bellemare is optimistic about the certified the best business aircraft in our exercise during the tour. segment and is prepared to increase 80-year company history.” According to Antoniadis, the jet’s take- production volumes “if the market Pilatus initially conceived designing its off and landing performance permits it supports it.” He described the business first business jet in 2007 after asking its to use runways less than 3,000 feet, such jet market sentiment as “positive,” with PC-12 customers what they would like in as those at Chatham on Massachusetts’s the company seeing increased sales in a next-generation aircraft. The responses PlaneSense CEO George Antoniadis, left, and Cape Cod and Stowe in Vermont, for the fourth quarter—a trend he said has were concise and consistent: they wanted Pilatus CEO Markus Bucher at the handover example. However, there are many small continued thus far this year. This year an aircraft that was “roomier, faster, and airports whose runway length and width “will be a pivotal year for Bombardier,” longer range, with short-field perfor- opened in 2013, two years before the first are adequate, but they might not have Bellemare said. “We are moving out of mance.” The Swiss company originally flight, Pilatus said it sold the first 84 units the ramp or turnaround space required our investment cycle and into a strong considered a single-engine jet but soon in less than an hour, after which the order for a PC-24-size aircraft. Hence, the growth cycle,” citing the expected service concluded that only a twin could meet book was closed. operational side of the tour will provide entry of the Global 7000 later this year. those performance goals. Because those orders would repre- PlaneSense pilots with necessary data for sent more than two years of production, future flight planning. Tac Air To Open Dallas Location Performance and Timing: as Promised Pilatus chose to temporarily stop sales “The PC-24 will also demonstrate its Tac Air will be expanding its services to its In 2013, Pilatus announced that the PC-24 because it did not want customers to have versatile short field capability at high hometown Dallas metroplex, establishing would be ready in 2017, and in December to wait more than two years to take pos- altitude airports, such as Telluride in a new location at Dallas Love Field. It it received both FAA and EASA certifica- session of their aircraft. As it is, with 23 Colorado,” Antoniadis said. He main- will transform the former Braniff Airlines tions. In addition, the company declared deliveries to customers around the world tains “There will be times when the operations and maintenance base that all performance data promised to planned throughout this year, the order PC-24 is the only jet that can operate out (known now as the DalFort Aerospace customers had been achieved or even book may need to stay closed a little while of some runways.” Building) into the Braniff Centre, which exceeded. For example, Pilatus said the longer. Meanwhile, the company’s Nextant will encompass more than 200,000 sq PC-24 delivers a maximum speed of 440 The twinjet airplane arrived at the 400XTi light jets remain primarily core ft of FBO and hangar space on the knots true airspeed compared to the con- PlaneSense headquarters with its new aircraft for supplemental lift, eventually east side of the airport. When the tractually promised 425 knots. FAA registration: N124AF, representing to be replaced as more of the single-tur- FBO opens in the summer of 2019 Pilatus asserts the PC-24 is designed the first PC-24 and following the pat- boprops and PC-24s are acquired and join along with the associated complex, it to operate from short, paved, and even tern set when the company received the PlaneSense fleet. n will be the company’s 15th location.

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09/01/2017 18:32 Final aircraft News Briefs Gulfstream G500 on Final Approach for Certification rounds out The Gulfstream G500 has entered the final stage of its flight-test and certification program, while the larger G600 recently Global 7000 completed field performance testing. As of early last month, five flight-test G500s had accumulated more than 4,250 flight test fleet hours over some 1,200 flights. The fourth flight-test G500, dubbed T4, also began by Kerry Lynch function and reliability (F&R) testing. Over the FAA-mandated 300 flight hours Bombardier’s fifth Global 7000 (FTV5) Since the first Global 7000 flew on Nov. to the aircraft’s maturity, reliability, and of F&R testing, T4 will be used to completed its first flight on January 30, 4, 2016, the test fleet has accrued more than strong performance,” said François Caza, evaluate how the aircraft behaves in rounding out the full complement of 1,300 flight hours. “It’s an exciting time for v-p of product development and chief conditions representative of normal flight-test vehicles for the program. The the program and the team as we enter the engineer. “In addition to flight testing, in-flight operations, including hot, initial flight, from Bombardier’s Toronto certification phase and get closer to the we continue to progress our ground-test cold, and humid environments. G500 facility, lasted 4.6 hours. Dubbed “The aircraft’s entry into service in the second program and have now met the full air- certification is expected in the Masterpiece,” FTV5 incorporates a slightly half,” said Michel Ouellette, senior v-p for frame fatigue test milestone as required coming months, with G600 service lighter wing and will be used to validate the Global 7000 and 8000 programs. by authorities for entry into service.” entry to follow later this year. tests completed to date. The aircraft will The program continues to check off Once certified, the four-zone, $75 mil- complete the type-certification campaign, key milestones, including testing in cross- lion Global 7000 will become Bombardier’s U.S. Bizav Flights Top 3M paving the way for entry-into-service later winds at high-elevation airfields and in all- flagship business jet, flying 7,400 nm and Business aviation flights in the U.S. and this year, Bombardier said. weather conditions. “The results speak achieving speeds of up to Mach 0.925. n Canada topped three million last year, reaching that mark for the first time since 2008, according to a 2017 Business Aircraft Activity Review from Argus International. Overall, business aviation flights increased AsBAA sets 3.9 percent overall and flight hours jumped 5.5 percent over 2016, according to the 2018 priorities review. Year-over-year gains were posted in every month of 2017, Argus said. Part Clear and transparent industry regu- 135 operations enjoyed the greatest gains, lations and reasonable infrastructure rising 9.2 percent last year. Fractional service charges in China remain top flights ended the year up 4.7 percent, priorities for the Asian Business Avi- while Part 91 flights inched up 0.1 percent ation Association’s (AsBAA) China in 2017. Flights across the board have chapter. Led by AsBAA mainland China consistently increased since 2014, rising Committee and Textron v-p of govern- from 2.80 million that year to 3.06 million ment affairs Rocky Zhang, the chapter last year—a 9.4 percent improvement. recently met to review 2017 events and discuss priorities for this year. Swisshelicopter Chapter members agreed that large Rebrands as Kopter business aircraft remain a preference in Marenco Swisshelicopter is now known the Chinese markets. Obstacles such as as Kopter under a rebranding effort scheduling and fee charges need to be announced last month at its newly resolved to encourage the introduction completed corporate/engineering Pictured celebrating the deal for RFDS to purchase two additional King Airs are, l to r: Jessica of more short- and medium-range air- facility just outside of Zurich. This Pruss, president, Asia Pacific sales and marketing, Textron Aviation; David Carlton, general craft, the chapter further agreed. Indus- is a “decisive step that places the manager aviation and strategic development, RFDS (SE Section); Scott Ernest, president and try leaders in the region are pushing business as a potential leader in the CEO, Textron Aviation; Kate Hamilton, regional sales director, Textron Aviation. for a regulatory approach that would marketplace,” said the company, which enable China to have an “open for busi- is developing the all-composite SH09. A ness” reputation, the association said. second production-conforming SH09 “The vision for AsBAA in 2018 is to (P3) slated to soon enter the flight-test Royal Flying Doctor Service improve the regulatory environment program and pre-series aircraft PS04 and create opportunities for sustain- will jointly serve to obtain EASA and able development,” said AsBAA chair- FAA approvals. Deliveries of the SH09 signs on for two King Airs man Jenny Lau, who is also president are expected to begin next year. of Sino Jet Management. “We will also by Ian Sheppard continue to host meetings in which our Airbus Helo Rolling Out members can access expert legal and Air-taxi Booking Service Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service 11-passenger high-density seating config- professional advice.” Airbus Helicopters is incorporating (South Eastern Section) placed an order uration, but they can be reconfigured for The chapter discussed collaborating helicopter booking platform Voom at the Singapore Airshow for two modi- use as air ambulances. with the other industry groups to present as part of its urban mobility strategy. fied cargo Beechcraft King Air 350 aircraft. An added cargo door allows for easier a united front and strategized ways to Developed by Airbus A3 in Silicon Valley Both are set for delivery in the third quar- patient loading and offloading, while the work with the various government agen- and initially deployed commercially in ter of 2018. landing gear is also being modified to cies as they press for a fair environment. April 2017 in São Paulo, Brazil, Voom has The RFDS currently operates more support higher maximum takeoff weights. AsBAA is also working to bring new been used to fly thousands of passengers than 35 Textron Aviation aircraft, includ- They will be able to operate with full fuel people into the industry, hosting semi- by helicopter over the past 10 months. ing 18 King Air turboprops in the South and a maximum payload of more than nars at Chinese universities to promote “We are expanding into additional cities, Eastern Section. 1,100 kg (2,425 lb) over ranges of 2,500 business aviation careers. K.L. beginning with Mexico City early this The aircraft will be delivered with an km (1,350 nautical miles). n year,” said Voom CEO Uma Subramanian.

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Beyond Fuel_AIN jr_7.8125x10.375.indd 1 1/16/2018 12:21:26 PM quietly questioned whether he is simply News Briefs ATC debate rages on, going to push for another extension and, instead, turn his attention to infrastruc- Analyst: Bizjet Delivery Totals ture. Others, though, believe he may try Might Be New Normal opponents ready for fight to make one last major push to bring his With airframers awaiting signs of a comprehensive bill—which includes the major rebound in new business jet sales, by Kerry Lynch controversial ATC measure—to the floor industry analyst Brian Foley believes in the first couple of weeks of March. the pattern seen since 2011, an average The White House signaled last month that General Aviation Manufacturers Associa- Regardless, there is no indication that of 692 deliveries a year with a standard it is going to continue its push to carve tion president and CEO Pete Bunce. “The such a proposal would win any support deviation of just 25, might not be easy the U.S. air traffic control organization proposals remain a bad idea that lack in the Senate. The Senate still must act to break. “Statistically, there’s a pretty out of the FAA, including a renewed call industry and political consensus, partic- on its FAA bill, which stalled over a mea- good chance that 2017 results will also fall for privatization in its Fiscal Year 2019 ularly at a time when new industries like sure designed to ease the 1,500-hour ATP within that narrow band, as will 2018’s,” he budget proposal. Released in February, commercial space, unmanned aerial vehi- requirement for commercial pilots. Sen- noted. “This trend has not been random, the budget proposal reiterated the admin- cles, and urban mobility air vehicles will ate Commerce Committee chairman John but rather a symphony of equal and istration’s desire to create a “non-govern- share the nation’s airspace.” Thune (R-South Dakota), however, has opposite market forces holding deliveries mental, independent air traffic services “The idea of handing over the nation’s indicated a willingness to compromise on in tight equilibrium.” He asserts that cooperative” and maintained, “[Our] goal ATC system to what amounts to an airline the ATP measure to get his bill to the floor. rather than a benchmark, the peak of 1,317 is to create a system that can respond to cartel…[is] bad policy, which would have If the House and Senate remain at odds deliveries in 2008 should be considered an changing air travel demand by deploy- a devastating impact on small communi- over the ATC measure, lawmakers likely anomaly, and one not likely to be reached ing cutting-edge technology and giving ties and rural areas, which could see their will come to an agreement on an exten- again under the current normalized airlines, general aviation users, and pas- access to airports and airspace threatened,” sion; a two-year extension is being floated and sustainable market conditions. sengers a system that is a good steward agreed NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. as a possibility to carry the reauthoriza- of their financial resources.” The White And, National Air Transportation Asso- tion cycle well beyond the elections. Bryan Moss Joins Aerion House added that this system would be ciation president Martin Hiller vowed to While the ATC measure may hit a wall, Aerion is continuing to expand its “similar to successful efforts in many other continue “to fight this existential threat to at least for this year, proponents of the lineup of seasoned business aviation developed countries.” general aviation and the businesses that independent ATC proposal show no sign executives, adding former Gulfstream Not surprisingly, the renewed call support this vital community—supporting of backing down. The House T&I Com- president Bryan Moss to its board of immediately drew jeers from opponents more than one million jobs nationwide.” mittee continued to push ATC reform, directors in late January. Moss brings a to the proposal, including general avia- including promoting a Wall Street Journal long background in the development tion, business aviation, helicopter and Uncertain Fate editorial that calls the concept of a sepa- and production of high-end business rural groups, among others. And the fate of that proposal this year rate ATC organization a good idea. jets, spending 13 years with Gulfstream “The Administration and a few mem- remains uncertain, at best, as the FAA’s The committee sent an email distrib- in senior roles and before that serving bers of Congress continue to offer pro- authorization is set to expire at the end of uting the February 14 WSJ editorial that as president of Bombardier Business posals that would take the management March. House Transportation and Infra- takes aim at the “lobbyists for the paupers Aircraft. He also has held roles with of air traffic control operations from the structure (T&I) Committee chairman Bill known as the corporate jet lobby.” The Lockheed-Georgia Company, selling various FAA, which places the public interest as Shuster (R-Pennsylvania) is ramping up a editorial called NBAA’s Bolen a ringleader aircraft, including the Lockheed JetStar. its top priority, and give that management major push for an infrastructure proposal. running a “misinformation campaign,” to a private entity that would be respon- While he told reporters that he first has and also cited the Aircraft Owners and Collins Deal Closure On Track sible only to a small, insular board,” said to get an FAA bill completed, some have Pilots Association in the effort. The United Technologies acquisition The paper disputes arguments of ATC of Rockwell Collins remains on track to privatization opponents that the airlines close around midyear, according to UTC would ultimately run the system, saying president and CEO Greg Hayes. He added, the proposal would only permit limited “We’re working through the second request airline seats on the board that would run with the [Department of Justice] right an independent ATC system, and other now.” Hayes said that discussions with groups would have seats. The editorial aircraft manufacturers continue as UTC also rehashes arguments of proponents seeks to allay concerns that the deal will that GA is exempt from user fees and dis- not benefit the supply chain’s top tier. missed as a “canard” concerns about small community access. “If business jets try to AOPA Cancels Chicagoland tank the bill no matter the details, then Airport Complaint Republicans ought to subject them to fees, The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association same as commercial flights,” the WSJ sug- (AOPA) has withdrawn its official FAA gests, arguments long made by the airline complaint against Waukegan National community that has tried to shift its cost Airport following what it describes burdens to other users of the system. as efforts taken to make it “more Epic Aircraft flies second prototype Bolen responded that the editorial accessible and friendlier to pilots.” AOPA is inaccurate and fails to recognize the alleged that Signature Flight Support, Epic Aircraft flew the second conforming since its maiden flight in December 2015. much broader opposition to the proposal, the lone FBO on the field, was forcing prototype of the E1000 all-composite tur- Certification, which previously had which includes 200 general aviation operators to buy “unreasonably priced boprop single on January 22 from its head- been expected by the end of last year, is groups, along with mayors of every state fuel and pay for services that were not quarters at Bend Municipal Airport in Oregon. now planned for this summer. Schrader and business leaders. required.” In December, the airport Dubbed FT2 and registered as N332FT, the said the FAA approval process is taking “In attacking NBAA, the editorial recy- announced it would offer free tie-downs airplane will be used to evaluate the inte- longer than planned due to paperwork cles inaccurate airline talking points that for transient aircraft and a pedestrian rior and environmental system, in addition and minor supplier issues. have proven to be false, and obscures the gate to access the ramp, so passengers to the avionics, fuel, and hydraulic systems, The company currently holds orders fact that airlines themselves are respon- were not forced to transit the FBO. In Epic director of sales and marketing Mike for more than 80 of the $3.25 million tur- sible for most flight delays,” Bolen said. dropping its FAA complaint, AOPA cited Schrader told AIN. boprop singles. According to Schrader, The appearance of the editorial as the airport management’s “concerted FT2 is equipped with Garmin G1000NXi Epic plans to deliver the last two Epic the FAA authorization deadline loomed, and transparent actions to improve the avionics and a full interior, both of which LTs, the kit-built version of the E1000, along with the return of the ATC proposal accessibility of the airport to transient are production standard. The first conform- this year and will then switch to certified in the White House proposal gives a clear users.” Signature also reduced the price ing E1000 has logged more than 500 hours aircraft production only. C.T. sign that whatever happens this year, the of its self-service avgas facility by more proposal is not going away. n than a dollar per gallon at the airport.

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C39062.024_CFM_UTILUPTIME_AIN_Jun17_352x275_v2.indd 1 26/05/2017 09:56 News Briefs Singapore Falcon 8X Even To Lead Airbus Helicopters Airbus Helicopters has tapped Safran Airshow Helicopter Engines chief Bruno Even as its new CEO. Even will replace Guillaume Faury, effective this month. Faury is debutants leaving Airbus Helicopters to run Airbus’s commercial aircraft division. Even, 49, by AIN Staff ran Safran’s helicopter engine division since 2015. Before that, he was CEO This year’s Singapore Airshow, held last of Safran’s electronics and defense month, featured the regional debuts of business, formerly known as Sagem. three business jets: the Gulfstream G500/ G600 and the Citation Longitude. Both Bill Would Alter the G500 and G600 are on track for FAA Foreign Ownership Caps type certification and service entry this Rep. Dave Brat (R-Virginia) introduced the year—the former in the first quarter and Free to Fly Act (H.R.5000), which would the latter in the second half. In October, reduce the mandatory U.S. ownership Gulfstream announced performance requirement for U.S. air carriers, which enhancements for both aircraft, includ- includes Part 135 charter operators, ing a range increase in the G500 to 5,200 from 75 percent to 51 percent. The bill nm/9,630 km, while the G600’s range has Gulfstream G500 further would alter the requirements of been upped to 6,500 nm/12,038 km. Each the makeup of an air carrier board from has a maximum operating Mach number two-thirds U.S. citizens to 51 percent. The of 0.925. National Air Transportation Association In addition, Textron Aviation’s Cita- is reviewing the bill, noting it “would tion Longitude made its Asia-Pacific be a significant change in current law debut with a fully outfitted interior at the and presents some concerns over risks Singapore Airshow. As the aircraft was to aviation safety and security.” The prepping to head to Singapore, Textron foreign ownership limitations became Aviation was in the final throes of cer- an issue for the air charter industry in tification for the model with approval 2007, when the FAA revoked the Part expected “early this year,” the company 135 certificate of AMI Jet Charter dba said. The twinjet will be the company’s TAG Aviation USA because Switzerland- largest to reach market—at least until its based TAG owned 49 percent of AMI. large-cabin Hemisphere follows. In addition, other manufacturers FlightSafety Begins brought their aircraft to the Singapore PC-24 Pilot, Mx Training show for the first time. Dassault’s flag- FlightSafety International has started ship Falcon 8X made its Singapore Air- HondaJet Pilatus PC-24 pilot and maintenance show debut. Dassault has high hopes training at its Dallas learning center. for the region. It has already placed one The Pilatus PC-24 flight simulator at Falcon 8X into service in China and is in the facility was recently approved negotiations to sell one into Australia. for training by EASA, following similar Dassault is seeing a slow recovery in the qualification by the FAA in December. business jet slump of the last few years, with both its 7X and 8X selling steadily. Huerta Becomes The Asia-Pacific region is helping with the Macquarie Advisor recovery, especially as China’s economy Former FAA administrator Michael Huerta improves. Not only does China represent has joined infrastructure financial advisor 50 percent of the regional market, but it Macquarie Capital as a senior advisor. The also significantly affects other nations in announcement of the appointment came Asia-Pacific. just a few weeks after Huerta’s five-year Finally, Honda Aircraft was in Sin- term at the helm of the FAA ended in gapore trying to change the attitude of January. In his new role, he will provide business jet buyers in the Asia-Pacific insight on existing transportation initiatives, region, but especially in China, hoping to as well as guidance on new opportunities. convince potential owners that the light HondaJet is an ideal fit. Citation Longitude HNA General Aviation Interest in business jets in Asia tends To Invest in GA to favor large-cabin jets. “We’re looking HNA General Aviation Investment Group to penetrate this market by introducing in China is outlining plans to broaden its a very efficient jet,” said Honda Aircraft investment in general aviation, including president and CEO Michimasa Fujino. building industrial hubs and general aviation To that end, Honda Aircraft brought two airports in rural provinces in China and HondaJets to Singapore, one for display expanding training and tourism. HNA at the Singapore Airshow and another for estimates general aviation will contribute customer demonstrations. more than RMB$1 trillion ($150 billion) Honsan General Aviation, a new to the Chinese economy by 2020. It has HondaJet dealer in the region, will take its signed partnerships with local governments first HondaJet in the first quarter of 2019. in Xinjiang, Anhui, and Gansu, among others, Honda Aircraft expects Chinese CAAC for the development of infrastructure

certification in early 2019. n MARK WAGNER PHOTOS: and general aviation resources.

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go-around when the approach became • At 1229:22, when the aircraft was 2.7 nm Full-throttle opinion from former unstable is applicable to pilots of any from the runway, the airspeed had decreased aircraft. And it is for this reason that I’m to 175 knots—35 knots above the recom- NTSB member John Goglia writing about this. mended approach speed of 140 kias—and the This is a summary of the sequence of descent rate had been reduced to 1,200 fpm. events minutes before the crash accord- At this time, the landing gear was lowered MU-2 crash shows challenges of ing to the accident report: and the flaps were set to 5 degrees. The air- • At 1227:14, the aircraft crossed davak craft continued to descend, and the airspeed eliminating loss-of-control accidents on a heading of 114 degrees M [magnetic] at continued to slow. 4,500 feet asl [above sea level]—1,500 feet • At 1229:34, the aircraft was at 1,250 feet The FAA and NTSB have done commend- the crash of an N-registered Mitsubishi higher than the published procedure cross- asl; six seconds later, it was at 1,000 feet asl. able jobs focusing on the prevention of MU-2B-60 en route to a remote island in ing altitude. The aircraft was descending at The pilot indicated that the rate of descent had loss of control in general aviation flights. the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Quebec, Can- 1,600 fpm and at an airspeed of 238 knots— to be further reduced and noted that the air- Both agencies have engaged general avi- ada. (See AIN, February, page 19.) The about 100 knots above the recommended craft radio altimeter was set at 600 feet agl. ation alphabet groups and pilots them- crash garnered a lot of media attention approach speed of 140 kias. This resulted • At 1229:58, when the aircraft was 1.6 selves in a sustained effort to decrease in Canada because a former Canadian in the aircraft deviating significantly from nm from the runway at approximately GA crashes, in particular fatal crashes cabinet minister was killed in the crash the inbound course of 072 degrees and sub- 600 feet agl, the passenger-pilot indicated caused by loss of control in flight (LOC). along with four members of his family. sequently proceeding on a meandering flight he could see the ground on the right side of According to the NTSB, nearly half of all The pilot and a “pilot passenger” were path. the aircraft. GA accidents are caused by loss of control also killed. • At this point, the pilot’s workload had Although the pilot acknowledged this, he in flight. LOC remains the biggest killer The pilot held both a U.S. private pilot increased significantly. There was no time did not indicate that he had visual contact in GA accidents, according to the NTSB’s certificate and a Canadian airline trans- available during the approach to carry out with the runway environment. Four seconds data of accidents from 2008 to 2014. port pilot certificate. He had fulfilled all the approach checklist or the before-landing later, the pilot stated that he would continue The FAA’s data shows similar results special FAA requirements for flying an checklist. the approach and fly the aircraft manually. regarding the impact of LOC on GA fatal- MU-2 as pilot-in-command. Although the ities. In-flight loss of control—mainly aircraft is certified for single-pilot opera- Individuals tend It was at this point that the pilot dis- stalls—accounts for the largest number tions, it was this pilot’s practice to fly with connected the autopilot, 500 feet above of fatal GA accidents. While fatal GA acci- an additional pilot referred to as a “pilot to continue their the ground and at an airspeed close to dents are trending down, there were still passenger.” The “pilot passenger” held original plan the stall speed of the aircraft. He applied 209 fatal accidents in Fiscal Year 2017 that both U.S. and Canadian commercial pilot power and the aircraft experienced an resulted in the deaths of 347 people. certificates with multi-engine IFR ratings. of action even upset which the pilot was not able to when changing recover from. FDR Yields Useful Data circumstances According to the report, during the LOC remains This accident investigation is notable for approach the pilot never discussed the a tool available to investigators that is require a new plan. possibility of executing a go-around. the biggest not usually available in general aviation What I would like to leave you with, killer in GA accidents, accidents. While there was no flight data • At 1227:36, the airspeed was 226 knots— especially the pilots, are a few questions recorder (FDR) or cockpit voice recorder— about 85 knots above the recommended to consider. Have you ever found your- according to the and none were required by law—the approach speed of 140 kias. The power levers selves too high, too fast or in an other- NTSB’s data of aircraft was equipped with a General were then reduced to idle, causing the gear wise unstable approach and continued accidents from Aviation Safety Network Wi-Flight FDR warning horn to activate. The pilot then can- the landing anyway? Do you see any point system. According to the accident report, celled the gear warning horn. during these two minutes and 44 seconds 2008 to 2014.” “The Wi-Flight GTA02 FDR is based on a • At about 7 nm from the runway, as the when you would have made a different smartphone, with extensive software cus- aircraft descended from 3,600 feet asl to decision than this particular pilot did? Part of the FAA’s focus on preventing tomization options. Although this system 2,800 feet asl, the wind shifted from a south- Most of all, I would like to hear your loss of control in flight has been a focus was not designed or marketed to meet the erly wind component to a headwind compo- recommendations for how to get pilots on emphasizing to GA pilots the impor- requirements of [Canadian aviation reg- nent of approximately 20 to 25 knots. to stop this sequence of events. The acci- tance of establishing and maintaining ulations], it does record cockpit ambient • At 1228:23, at 5.8 nm from the runway, dent report discusses different cognitive a stabilized approach and landing. In sound, complete cockpit voice audio from the aircraft reached about 3,000 feet asl, biases that affect pilot decision-making. addition, the FAA has emphasized the the radio microphones, GPS information, and the pilot advised the passenger-pilot that, Plan continuation bias—“the deep-rooted importance of a go-around if factors for and acceleration data. The system can because the aircraft was very high, the rate of tendency of individuals to continue their a stabilized approach are not met. These automatically generate alerts after the descent would have to be increased. original plan of action even when chang- factors are worth repeating: flight, when certain parameters of the • At 1228:45, the pilot indicated he was ing circumstances require a new plan”—is • maintain a specified descent rate recorded flight are exceeded by either going to slow down to reach the flap and gear one that I have seen as a factor in many • maintain a specified airspeed pilot inputs or unsafe flight conditions.” extension speed; otherwise, the aircraft would accident investigations and I believe is • complete all briefings and checklists Investigators successfully extracted data not be able to land. The pilot also commented frequently a factor in the decision not • configure aircraft for landing (gear, flaps, from the Wi-Flight system. that the aircraft was too high. to go around even when the approach is etc) be stabilized by 1,000 feet for IMC; 500 Because of this equipment, investigators • Almost immediately afterwards, the air- clearly unstable. n feet for VMC, and had a unique insight into what exactly hap- craft crossed imopa—the final approach way- • ensure only small changes in heading/pitch pened in the aircraft in the minutes leading point, 4.2 nm from the runway—at 2,200 The opinions expressed in this column are are necessary to maintain the correct flight up to the accident. (Under Canada’s pri- feet asl, which is 790 feet above the published those of the author and not necessarily path. vacy laws, the cockpit voice recorder data crossing altitude of 1,410 feet asl. The aircraft endorsed by AIN. The FAA warns that if these factors are can be used for accident investigations but was descending at 1,900 fpm, the speed was not met, a go-around should be initiated not released to the public.) 188 knots—about 50 knots above the recom- John Goglia is a safety consultant. or “you risk landing too high, too fast, out The TSB did find that the pilot’s lack mended approach speed of 140 kias—and the He welcomes your e-mails at: of alignment with the runway centerline, of experience in the MU-2B likely had an power levers remained at idle. [email protected] or otherwise being unprepared for land- effect on his inappropriate reaction to the ing.” In short, you risk losing control of aircraft speed falling within a few knots of the aircraft. the stall speed. But I believe the series of AIN HUMAN FACTOR PODCAST I’m thinking of all this as I’m reading events that led to the crash can be viewed an accident report prepared by the Trans- separately from the type of aircraft flown. portation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada, In other words, I believe that the pilot’s AIN’s The Human Factor is a twice-monthly podcast dedicated to furthering aviation safety. the equivalent of the U.S.’s NTSB, on decision-making and the failure to do a Visit: www.ainonline.com/humanfactor

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FLIGHTSAFETY INSTRUCTOR TRUST AD - AIN - JANUARY 2018 ISSUE - Trim: 10.8125” w x 13.875” d Bleed: 11.0625” w x 14.125” fly farther, and burn less fuel.” Priced at Sandpoint, Idaho facility. The expansion FAA and EASA sign off on $289,000 for the CJ3 and $319,000 for the enables the company to offer a one-week CJ3+, the winglets boost range to 2,100 installation (plus paint time) at the factory. nm at maximum continuous thrust with The Atlas winglets use a built-in Tamarack CJ3/3+ winglets IFR reserve, provide a maximum zero fuel load-alleviation device called Tacs weight increase of 400 pounds, enable (Tamarack Active Camber Surface), by Kerry Lynch direct climb to FL450 in 30 minutes or less, along with a wing extension and wing- increase climb gradients, improve stability, let to improve aerodynamics without Tamarack Aerospace Group obtained Noting that the company flew a CJ3 with and provide for higher maximum takeoff the need for structural reinforcement. U.S. FAA and European Aviation Safety active winglets installed from Paris, Texas, weight, Tamarack said. In addition to the winglets, the installa- Agency approvals for installation of its to Paris, France, with one stop, Guida As the company extends its portfo- tion includes upgraded LED navigation Atlas Active Winglets on the Cessna added, “With Atlas you can climb faster, lio, it is also expanding its capacity at its and anti-collision lighting. n C525B CitationJet series. The approvals for the CJ3 and CJ3+ follow supplemental type certifications for installation of the winglets on the C525, which includes the CitationJet, CJ1, CJ1+, and M2. Tamarack Innova Aerospace shut its doors in 2017 secured the first nod from EASA in late 2015 and from the FAA a year later, but has Innova Aerospace, which created a multi-fac- The privately held firm has not yet filed for with the acquisition of Sabreliner in Janu- since been expanding applications and eted group of aviation businesses over the bankruptcy. Competing maintenance, repair, ary 2014 by Innovative Capital Holdings of added certifications. Along with the CJ3, past four years through the acquisitions of and overhaul shops, however, have been Naples, Florida. Sabreliner provided sup- certification for the CJ2 is anticipated to companies such as Sabreliner Aviation and hiring affected Innova maintenance techni- port and airframe life-extension programs follow next month and work has begun on Sierra Industries, quietly shut its doors late cians and craftsmen, and have even taken for aging Sabreliner business jets along a program for installation on the Citation last year, apparently halting all work except on stalled aircraft projects removed from with a range of other civil and military fixed- Excel, among others. for government and military contracts, sev- the company’s properties, industry sources and rotary-wing aircraft. “Regulatory approval of our latest STC eral industry sources have confirmed. told AIN. Those sources also noted that the In 2015, Innova added Uvalde, Texas- amendment for the Citation CJ3 and CJ3+ Multiple calls to Innova at its San Anto- company has left numerous vendors unpaid, based Sierra Industries, which has worked proves what our existing CJ owners have nio, Texas headquarters were not returned, as it has begun auctioning off its assets. on a number of aircraft upgrade programs known since their installs,” said Tamarack with a voicemail referring callers to Skyway Innova’s operations had spanned from and was involved in test-flying Safran’s Sil- Aerospace founder and CEO Nick Guida. Aviation Group. But an employee reached at MRO, upgrade, engineering, and a range vercrest engine. Also joining the growing “Active winglets on the C525, and now on Sabreliner said the military and government of other aircraft support and manufactur- group that year were Skyway Aviation Group the C525B, dramatically enhance the per- work is ongoing. ing services. The group began to assemble and Composite Helicopters. K.L. formance of the aircraft.”

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Piper_Half_Page_AIN_March_2018.indd 1 2/20/18 2:39 PM 18 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com right after the Eagles upset the Patriots MN FBOs Sunday evening, had partaken in the hospi- Premier Jet Center, tality offered by the various FBOs around one of three FBOs at Minneapolis. Minneapolis’s Flying score with “We had to put our faith in past experi- Cloud Airport, saw ence in other cities and what the NFL was just over 400 aircraft telling us,” Hall told AIN. “It’s a very expen- movements during the Super Bowl sive gamble, but fortunately, it paid off for big-game rush, from us this year. We had everything in place to January 31 through traffic give our visitors a great experience.” n February 6. by Dale Smith

Super Bowl Sunday dawned cold—3 degrees F (-16 degreesC)— at the airports surrounding Min- neapolis, Minnesota. And the area FBOs were ready, not just for the cold, but also for the thousands of business and general aviation aircraft that were scheduled to arrive and depart within a 24-hour win- dow surrounding Super Bowl LII. As a group, all of the FBOs serving the surrounding airports had everything—including additonal staff and extra deicing equipment—on hand to handle both the super-cold temperatures and the thousands of Super Bowl-ready VIP passengers. “We had monthly calls with the FAA and weekly meetings with our staff and other FBOs here at Flying Cloud Airport [FCM],” stated Dar- ren Hall, vice president of marketing with Premier Jet Center, one of three service providers at the dedicated GA airport. “We were prepared for everything we could prepare for. We had extra de-icing trucks, snow removal equipment, fuel trucks, tugs, APUs, and a lot of extra staff.” “With highs projected to be in the teens most of the week, the extra staff was critical so we could rotate personnel and no one had to stay too long in the cold,” he said. “We had extra service carts to drain the lavatories on the aircraft so they didn’t freeze. We also had boxes for the crews to offload any beverages so they didn’t freeze inside the airplanes.”

Big Game ‘Gamble’ Pays Off Bringing on all that extra equipment and personnel for Super Bowl week is really a gamble for area FBOs. It’s a huge expense and nobody knows where or how many airplanes are going to arrive for the game or how long they will stay. At the end of the weekend, nearly 1,700 business and general aviation aircraft, most arriving on YOUR SOURCE FOR AVIATION NEWS Saturdaywww. or Sundayainonline .comand leaving

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FOR NEWS VIDEO FROM DUBAI SPECIAL report

The future of ab initio professional flight training

by Amy Laboda

but that cost can also vary. So, how does credited with creating taller hurdles for Can we meet the demand, and how? one fathom value in flight training? pilots to jump over, slowing the process Someone who wants to be a pilot significantly. There are 365 days in a year. If CAE group president for civil aviation training today has to ask not just, “Where do I Only one aspect of professional flight solutions Nick Leontidis’s math is correct, he estimates that moving forward train?” but also, “How do I most efficiently training remains the same: it is still expen- the industry must hire 70 new pilots a day to meet staffing needs. That’s learn and perfect the skills I need?” Air- sive to learn to fly and gather enough line pilot-style training by a flight training flight experience to qualify for a first offi- just to accommodate airlines. The world of corporate aviation and even the academy has often been considered the cer position on a corporate jet or for an military will feel the pinch, too, as airlines compete for every qualified pilot gold standard because of its inherent airline anywhere in the world. And more willing and available to fly. standardization and the rigorousness now than ever, that cost burden is borne of most programs worldwide, but even by the student and his or her family. That pilots, the landscape is changing, and the structure and syllabi by which future too, however, may be changing. How To Grow a Pilot fast. What was once a simple choice for pilots train and are certified at academies It takes roughly two to three years of a fledgling of “shall I learn my skills in an has changed with the times. The Way It Was intensive classroom, simulation, and flight ‘academy’ or ‘mom and pop’ (small inde- In some venues, such as the U.S., the training to grow a fully qualified jet pilot pendent flight school) environment?” now minimum experience requirements for Before 2012, how you started a career as a from scratch. The industry has a lot of feels more like selecting from a menu of transitioning to the right seat of a com- professional pilot was a matter of choosing recruiting, training, and harvesting to do training possibilities. Those options come mercial airliner or left seat of a corporate how you wanted to spend your money, if to come up with a couple hundred thou- with a host of fine print that, if not care- jet have changed. Elsewhere, new ICAO you had any money to spend. You could sand of those in the next two decades. fully perused, could trip up a promising and EASA ratings make it a quicker ride just go out to your local airport flight train- When it comes to ab initio (from the career from the start. Even more critical, to the right seat, while new airline trans- ing facility, most likely operating under Part beginning) flight training for professional this education comes at significant cost, port pilot (ATP) regulations in the U.S. are 61 of the FAA regulations, and start your

20 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com training, accumulating the private, instru- program that could get you to a commer- A less speedy—but smart—pathway the quickest ways to earn a living flying and ment, and commercial ratings as rapidly cial certificate in only 190 hours of flight choice was to enroll in a college or uni- amass more flight experience at the same as you could afford. There was always experience (the Part 61 program takes versity flight program. A college degree time. It is not, however, one of the easiest the chance you could earn employment 250 hours). Veterans with benefits gravi- could come in handy at some point, ways to rack up flight hours. on the airport grounds to help you finance tated to Part 141 programs, but financing perhaps even spawning an alternative Many, though, were hired into the right the endeavor, and many flight schools hire was often a stumbling block for the aver- career. Many wannabe pilots focused seat of commuter airlines and freight those they train as dispatchers, ground age candidate, who needed to come up on degrees in airport management or haulers, because back then they could school instructors, and flight instructors. with a lump sum to begin training, and meteorology or even aviation mainte- hire freshly licensed commercial pilots as If speed-to-first-job was your goal, you several more lumps of cash to keep going nance management or manufacturing, first officers. Some pilots were also hired might enroll in a Part 141 academy-type to graduation. engineering, and design. The thought onto the right seat of private corporate was that if they couldn’t find a flying job aircraft, and a few lucky, well-connected after college, at least they could stay in individuals actually made it onto an air- If Not Now, When? aviation. Often enrolling in a university line flight deck with just a commercial program opened up alternative methods certificate, multiengine rating, and a few Aviation Industry Forecast for Pilots of funding, including government loans hundred hours of flight experience. Boeing says we need nearly 250,000 is CFI retention. We can’t keep them long and scholarships. A few airlines handpicked “cadets” more professional pilots just to fill airline enough and can’t fill the slots they leave And if you had no money at all to spend right out of year 12 of secondary school, cockpits by 2036. Flight training giant behind. Embry-Riddle, where I work, is on learning to fly? There was always the mostly in Europe, India, and Asia, and CAE’s first-ever forecast at last summer’s immersed in aviation, and I don’t think it military. The Air Force, Marines, Army, Navy, hired them, trained them, and put them on Paris Air Show concurs. pulled back much during the downturn, and Coast Guard—yes, even the National the flight deck. And every now and again Yet the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics but even it is having trouble keeping up Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration a corporate flight department or govern- (BLS) currently shows the need for pilots with today’s demand for flight training.” trains its own pilots. Ranging further afield, ment/public service entity would choose in the U.S. growing by only 4 percent by Jon Hay, CEO of Hillsboro Aero Academy, the U.S. Forest Service, Drug Enforcement a worthy employee with the desire to fly 2026. David Ison, president of the Univer- pointed out that the regional airlines’ desire Administration and local police have also and train them. (Boeing takes engineers sity Aviation Association (UAA), chuckled to abolish or lower the 1,500-hour rule been known to “grow” their own pilots, and makes them into test pilots, for exam- upon hearing that. “I think there is an would exacerbate the CFI problem. “Low- and potential for flying turbine-powered ple; many police and the forestry service important distinction between replacing ering that number lowers the experience aircraft exists in every one of these public- also train their own). pilots and growth. North America is not the of those who are doing the training—and service and defense divisions. Contrary to what many believe, airline large growth area for pilots or for airlines. a few years down the line, safety will be No matter which path you took, with ab initio programs dwindled to a few by That major growth is outside the U.S.,” he compromised. CFIs become very valuable a commercial certificate and some per- the 2000s, when the unit seat-mile profit explained. “We are, however, seeing a in the 800- to 1,200-hour range because sistence, you could get a job flying, usually margins narrowed precipitously, and one replacement pilot shortage now in the U.S.” they have great experience by then, and flying skydivers, pipeline patrol, towing ban- after another, airlines used bankruptcy as Nick Leontidis, CAE group president we need them at that point training our ners along the beachfront, or once having a means to restructure and satisfy stock- for civil aviation training solutions, told next group up,” Hay told AIN. Everyone logged enough flight time, flying charter air- holders’ demands for profit. AIN, “Boeing and Airbus project delivering interviewed for this story praised those U.S. craft for your FBO or a private owner or haul- 1,600 aircraft a year, and most of those are airlines that sponsor some sort of training, ing documents for banks or cargo at night. The Law of supporting growth in the industry. Large including SkyWest, Horizon, PSA Airlines, At that point, you probably had amassed a portions of these aircraft are going to eco- and JetBlue, among others. few hundred hours, perhaps just over 1,000, Unintended Consequences nomically emerging countries. The U.S. has John Bingham, CEO and president of Phoe- of flight experience, and maybe, if you were The series of events that set our current constraints: JetBlue’s Gateway program, nix East Aviation, a 45-year-old flight school flush with cash, a multiengine rating. Many pilot shortage into motion goes back to for instance, has a minimum three-year that has seen double-digit growth in its stu- commercial pilots earned a flight instructor nearly the turn of the century. In 2001, training cycle to get someone in the right dent population over the course of just one rating next, because teaching can be one of continues on next page seat from the day they decide to hire them.” year, said, “I think we are in the Rip Van Win- UAA’s Ison said that one major issue kle awaking from his sleep phase in what is a with university flight training (programs cyclical industry. We are beginning to pull new Professional Aviators Are a Diverse Lot that are aligned with some early-hire and students in because of the demand for pilots Here’s a contrarian view: I maintain that on Data from FAA and EASA indicate gen- tuition reimbursement plans in place at alone. Our job is helping them accomplish their a worldwide basis we do not have a diver- der issues are beginning to resolve. The various airlines) is staffing flight instruc- dream, because being a professional pilot is a sity problem in aviation. In the roughly 100 number of women earning their ATP and tors. “The big topic of discussion at UAA great career.” A.L. years that we’ve been flying for hire, there MCC/MPL certificates has doubled in have been male, female, and transgender recent years, and FAA statistics for female pilots; pilots of European descent; pilots of student and commercial pilots shows rip- African descent; Indian pilots; Asian pilots; ples of change coming. It helps that airlines and pretty much everyone in between. The such as Ryanair in Europe and corporate problem has been that in North America jet charter companies such as Desert Jet, and Europe, the pilots you mostly see on PlaneSense, and XOJet, among others, an airline flight deck are male and generally are being proactive about using mass of European ancestry. media to encourage women and minori- Robin Glover Faure, acting president of L3 ties within North America and Europe to CTS, said, “To meet growth goals we have become professional pilots. Organizations to look at a way to appeal to a more diverse such as NBAA, AOPA, WCA, EAA, WAI, and and broader group of people to convince IAWA all actively promote pilot careers to them to become pilots.” According to Faure, young girls, their parents, and to women women pilots make up just 6 to 7 percent of all over the world through outreach events pilots in the UK. “Our goal would be to see and organizational chapters. That’s what it that at 20 to 30 percent and on to ideally 50 will take to recruit the next round of profes- percent one day,” he continued. sional pilots to the industry. A.L.

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 21 SPECIAL report

continued from previous page after the World Trade Center disaster, it became suddenly difficult for anyone who was not a U.S. citizen to learn to fly in the U.S. That caused a major contraction of the flight training industry in the country, which had until then trained some 80 percent of the world’s pilots. Subsequent economic woes stifled any recovery. “Many programs shrank, paring down aircraft and infrastructure after 2001 and the recessions that followed,” said David Ison, president of the University Aviation Association (UAA) as well as research chair and associate professor of aeronautics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide. The Colgan Air crash eight years later changed the entire system by which pilots had progressed to the right seat of a Part 121 operation. A substandard captain (who had failed numerous airline check rides over time) and an exhausted copilot made a fatal mistake on approach into Buffalo, New York, and crashed. Angry families unhappy after the NTSB investigation pushed the U.S. Congress to act. The legislative body drafted and passed Public Law 216-111 in 2010, mandating that all Part 121 airline pilots possess an ATP. The rule increased the training requirements for an It was a valid and compelling argument. conglomerate that entered the primary have enticed expatriate pilots worldwide ATP as well (these requirements increased At that point corporate pilots holding flight training business by purchasing by offering high salaries and generous the cost of that training, too). There were ATPs were not abandoning their cock- several large flight schools in Europe, New benefits. Still, the Chinese airlines strug- exceptions honed into the rule for pilots pits to become airline pilots. Why? Most Zealand, and the U.S. in recent years. “I gle to keep cockpits staffed. trained by a narrow list of university proof them made more money than what the believe the airlines will fund this training The airlines of India and Malaysia grams, and for pilots trained by the military, regional airlines were offering (some cor- only when there is no other route. Until that would also prefer to staff their cockpits allowing them to earn an ATP with signifi- porate captains made as much as major happens, self-funding of flight training is with native pilots, and have embraced cantly less total flight time, but the age of airline captains, with similar work rules). reality.” academy-style flight training within the 250-hour pilots in the right seat of airlines The largest regional-airline holding com- countries to fulfill those needs, but for the in the U.S. was over. pany, Republic Airlines, went bankrupt—or Sleeping Giants Awaken time being, they too are hiring expatriate Some airlines moved first officers if you prefer—restructured itself (it was senior pilots on contract while home- out of the cockpit, and even rescinded profitable at the time). In the third quar- While regulation and low pay issues sti- grown pilots come online. employment offers. Other small airlines ter of 2015 the company lost 60 pilots per fled pilot population growth in the U.S., took seats out of their airplanes to be able month while hiring 20. The word was out. the more than one billion people in China Addressing the Issue: to continue with the employees they had. “Airline pilot” acquired the kind of stigma and another billion in India woke up to Today’s Training for Within a year of full implementation of that plagues “family physician” as a career: the concept of air travel and began to the rule (2013-14), most regional airline costs a lot to train and the amortization embrace it. Airlines popped up seemingly International Jet Pilots executives in the U.S. were screaming tables for recouping that expense are long. overnight, business jet charter companies Students who are training in airline acad- that they had to cancel routes because That’s a lot of sacrifice asked, even if the leased aircraft for thousands of nouveau emy programs following EASA or ICAO there were no qualified crews to fly the “office” has stupendous views. riche, and they all needed staffing. A prescriptions for about a decade now can airplanes. The education payback cost was partic- senior official at the Civil Aviation Admin- opt for a multi-crew or multipilot certifi- ularly painful for those pilots who went into istration of China (CAAC) told AIN last cation (MCC or MPL, depending on the Cost vs. Benefits and debt to finance their training. Cost esti- year that China needs more pilots every jurisdiction). This training follows a sig- mates for ab initio to first officer position month. Studies show that in the next five nificantly different path from those plying the Anatomy of a Shortage vary from a low of $50,000 (€40,500) to years the carriers there alone need 2,800 the route to a traditional ATP. Meanwhile, regional airline pilots were upwards of $150,000 (€122,000) depend- to 3,000 pilots per year. There are only These students are tracked from pointing out to anyone who would listen ing on the type and intensity of training. 12 flying schools across China pumping day one into sophisticated flight train- that the real reason that regional airlines The Part 61 flight school is not always out 1,500 to 1,650 new pilots a year, so, ing devices and high-level simulators had no one to hire had little to do with find- the least expensive program, given that at best guess, more than two-thirds of modeled on the Airbus 320 or Boeing ing qualified pilots and everything to do with students tracing this training path must Chinese airlines send their cadet pilots 737. They learn how to fly those aircraft finding pilots holding ATP certificates who acquire 1,500 flight hours of experience to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, or the as part of a crew, and never get a sin- were willing to work for peanuts. Regional separated into various buckets before U.S. for training. gle-engine airplane rating or even an airline pay scales were notoriously low, with applying for an ATP program, which itself This shortage has been acute for a instrument rating. At the end of their some new first officers pulling down less can cost more than $20,000 (€16,300). decade now. To address it in early 2007 training, after just 250 hours or so, each than $20,000 a year. The pilots wanted pay “Cost is a very hard obstacle,” said the airlines petitioned the Chinese gov- is required to fly an actual airplane to a scales revolutionized. “If you pay them, they Robin Glover Faure, acting president of L3 ernment and received permission to hire landing (similar to requirements for an will come,” became their mantra. CTS, a large multinational flight-training foreign pilots. Since then, some carriers continues on page 24

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continued from page 22 you extend funding opportunities to any- New Pilots by Region 2016-2036 ATP jet type rating), but once that has one you open up being a pilot to a wider been demonstrated successfully to an population, meaning you get much higher examiner, they are considered ready to quality pilot candidates,” he said. fly as first officer by a growing number of international airlines that accept the Back in the USA 22,000 MCC/MPL certificate. the Game Is Changing CIS Like who? Flybe, Ryanair, and a pleth- 117,000 106,000 ora of Asian airlines are hiring pilots that For the foreseeable future in the U.S., it North America Europe possess the MCC/MPL certificate. will take at least proof of qualifications 63,000 Middle East “Our best estimates are that today, for an ATP certificate to get you flying 253,000 there are 1,000 MPL certified pilots,” said in the left seat of a corporate jet or the 24,000 Asia-Paciﬁc Africa Leontidis. “Air Asia now has captains who right seat of a Part 121 airline. Any pilot 52,000 have risen through this program,” he told training program that has aligned itself Latin America AIN, explaining, “We think there is a lot with one of several regional airline pre- of merit to these programs. Airlines are hire/tuition reimbursement programs telling us that they find less need for line is currently busting at the seams with conversion training and remedial training trainees. Equipment is being acquired World Demand: 637,000 with MPL pilots.” and upgraded (most with modern digi- Source: Boeing The MCC/MPL is efficient at teaching tal instrumentation). ATP Flight School, exactly the skills the airline wants taught, for example, responded to the uptick without cluttering a trainee’s brain with in demand for pilots by updating and the pilot’s monthly loan payments. Once with instructors. Every one of them told information about airplanes he won’t fly; increasing its fleet of aircraft to 170 Piper pilots meet the Airline Transport Pilot AIN they are aggressively hiring CFIs and and it is the quicker route to the right seat. singles and twins and some Cessnas at 40 hiring minimums, they begin working for complained that those they do hire often Leontidis said that most of CAE’s more locations around the U.S. the airline. Pilots at ATP train from zero don’t stick around for long. than 1,000 ab intio academy pilot gradu- “We graduate 60 pilots a month from our flight time to airline new-hire in as little “We are absorbing large groups of ates around the world are both recruited Airline Career Pilot program,” said Dan- as 27 months, Calnin told AIN. The school incoming students each month who are and funded by airlines. ielle Calnin, ATP director of airline busi- offers full financing for students through finding us without advertising,” said Jon On the other hand, L3 CTS, which ness development. ATP focuses primarily Sallie Mae and Wells Fargo. “The lenders Hay, president and CEO of 38-year-old branched into ab intio training when it on the domestic pilot market, with only 2 recognize that these applicants are able Hillsboro Aero Academy in Oregon. “Our purchased CTS in the UK and Aerosim in percent of its 1,000-plus students hail- to consistently gain successful airline challenges are finding enough CFIs, hous- the U.S. in 2016, told AIN that most of its ing from outside the U.S. After graduating employment through ATP and fulfill their ing students, and upgrading our facilities students are self-funded. from the school’s Airline Career Pilot pro- loan obligations,” she said. and fleet. About a year ago we started “EasyJet might identify 75 of our acad- gram, pilots receive a guaranteed CFI job Some companies, such as Hillsboro offering salaried positions with benefits emy trainees in the UK who it feels are at an ATP school, where they can earn as Aero Academy in Hillsboro, Oregon, and such as health insurance for instructors.” suitable for its flight deck,” explained much as $42,000 annually (this includes Embry-Riddle are updating their piston John Bingham, president of Phoenix Faure. “The company will give those pilots airline tuition reimbursement). “When trainers with diesel-driven (and less East Aviation (PEA) addressed the prob- a letter of intent, but the candidates have pilots have between 300 and 500 hours’ expensive jet-A consuming) versions. lem by becoming a specialist at obtaining to self-fund and get through the course total time, they interview with an airline Other longstanding ab intio programs are F-visas for his foreign students so that successfully. Then they have a high like- participating in tuition reimbursement. If expanding their flight simulation offerings they can stay on and work as CFIs for lihood that EasyJet will hire them.” the airline makes an offer of employment, with Redbird, Frasca, and other ground PEA as part of their time-building regime. Faure believes that the cost of training and the pilot accepts, the airline will begin trainers and upgrading their fleets, but And as for the attractiveness of that first is holding the industry back today. “Once making a financial contribution toward they too are under pressure to staff up airline job, it was a good thing the regional airline pilots kept squawking. Eventually the market heard. “Starting wages are up more than double in the last three years at the regional airlines,” Bingham told AIN. “Our guys now join commuter airlines with salary and bonus packages totaling as much as $59,000 per year.” Tuition assistance during training in the U.S. may become the norm, as well. While very few major airlines are onboard (JetBlue being one of them), several large regional carriers with flow-through agreements to major U.S. airlines, including Horizon, Skywest, and PSA Airlines, have developed programs for reimbursing trainee pilots who commit to a work contract with them. Incoming pilot classes at the airlines are beginning to fill with pre-qualified candidates as a result. What does that mean for business aviation? For the moment supply and demand are balanced, but now that the airlines are upping the ante? Only time and the rising tide will tell. n

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18-MCJT11230 ADS-B More Solutions Ad-10.8125x13.875-AIN.indd 1 2/5/18 1:18 PM Maine airport goes green on recycled deicing fluid by Curt Epstein

Maine’s Portland International Jetport (PWM) this winter became the first airport in the U.S. to use 100 percent recycled Type I deicing fluid to meet its cold-weather operational needs. With its location in the far Northeast, the airport is no stranger to harsh conditions, and the genesis of this environ- mentally friendly approach was in 2008 as the authorities were planning a $75 million development project, which included expansion of the terminal, a new parking garage and runway work. As part of the solution and eliminate ramp contami- understanding and meeting the environ- fluid, made from last year’s waste. The funding requirements, the airport was nants such as dirt and oil. Initial plans mental and operating needs of the airport facility can now produce approximately required to analyze how it would dispose called for the company and the airport and the region.” 10,000 gallons of pure glycol a week and of used deicing fluid going forward. to simply sell that to other industries, In addition to collecting the waste fluid can blend up to 50,000 gallons a day of At some airports, the propylene but Inland later applied its distillation from PWM, Inland retrieves it in varying Type I ADF in case of extended storms. glycol-based solution has been released unit, originally used for recycling eth- concentrations from 20 airports, as far The site, the first of its kind in the country, directly into nearby large bodies of water ylene glycol, which is used for deicing in away as Newark Liberty and Washington- is certified to produce SafeTemp Type I or the local sanitary sewer system for Canada, to handle the propylene glycol. Dulles, where it also operates a consolida- ADF, as well as aircraft lavatory antifreeze. treatment, if the system can handle it. The Demonstrated at the Portland facility, it tion facility. The glycol mixtures are then The newly remanufactured ADF is stored non-toxic fluid is the same used in winter- allowed the company to refine the con- either sold locally to industry or trucked to in tanks near the deicing pad, to fill the izing RVs and watercraft, but it does have centrated glycol even further, yielding Portland for further processing. Inland is fleet of deicers operated by Northeast Air, its drawbacks. Because it depletes oxy- end-stream Type I deicing fluid, as well agnostic when it comes to sourcing propyl- one of two FBOs on the field. gen “if you put a large amount in a small as lavatory antifreeze. ene glycol, collecting it from a local brewery, “What we use does vary by event waterway, it would use up all the oxygen which uses it in part of the brewing process, because temperature determines the that would otherwise be used by fish and Waste Fluid In, Deicing Fluid Out and even from the heating plant of an office concentrate that we’re spraying,” Brad- other organisms,” said airport director In 2016, Inland unveiled a $2 million complex across from the airport. bury told AIN. “Your normal deicing fluid Paul Bradbury. expansion to its facility, enabling it to In all, Inland has processed more than is roughly an 80 percent pure propylene Another option is diverting the waste operate year-round and maintain a steady six million gallons of fluid since it began product and then it might be cut 50/50 effluent into large holding ponds, where output of the products. Roger Langille, operations at PWM. Bradbury explained again with water depending on the tem- it is aerated until it breaks down enough president and chief executive officer of that the effluent is drawn from the mas- perature of the snow event.” to be safe to release either into the sewer the Inland Group of Companies, has been sive holding tanks at a measured pace to system or directly into waterways. Such involved with the project since inception. ensure a continual flow throughout the Future at Other Airports ponds can take up valuable real estate, an “The partnership we have with Portland year. The goal is for the tanks to be drawn Other customers for the recycled fluid are option that wasn’t available to land-con- Jetport is one we are extremely proud down by November and the start of the New York’s Westchester County Airport strained PWM, according to Bradbury. of,” he said. “The model is based on deicing season. This winter is the first the and Boston Logan. Instead, the airport looked for industry open communications with the goal of airport has relied solely on the recycled Bradbury noted his airport has a solutions and found a Canadian firm 10-year agreement in place with Inland named Inland Technologies International, to provide environmental services, and which had concentrator technology that gets a portion of the revenues generated. employs mechanical vapor recompression He predicts the company will eventually to take the used effluent, which was typi- open another processing plant at a more cally between 2 and 10 percent glycol, and southerly airport, allowing the two loca- “boil” it down to a 50 percent solution that tions to divide the Northeast and Mid- could then have some value to industry. Atlantic regions. The airport built a central deicing pad For PWM, which sees approximately with trench drains that would carry the 70,000 operations a year, and last year waste fluids to 500,000-gallon under- handled nearly two million passengers, ground cisterns. “We issued a competitive the partnership with Inland is just part RFP for a deicing fluid processing vendor of its environmental consciousness. Its as part of this development program. new terminal, which opened in 2012, was Inland was selected through this compet- one of the first in the country to achieve itive process and ultimately commenced Leadership in Energy and Environmental operations in 2010,” Bradbury noted. Design (LEED) Gold Status. “Certainly Inland then installed near the pad it’s pushed our green or sustainable side

a facility consisting of several glycol AIR NORTHEAST of the Portland International Jetport,” concentrators and a two-stage reverse Inland’s facility at PWM can distill approximately 10,000 gallons of pure glycol a week and said Bradbury. “I know our passengers osmosis membrane system that would can blend up to 50,000 gallons a day of Type I ADF in case of extended storms. Portland appreciate that, and so do the people in consolidate the effluent to a 50 percent International Jetport is the first airport in the U.S. to rely solely on recycled deicing fluid. the region.” n

26 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com engine of the publication. On the surface Mary Mahoney 1943-2018 was the larger-than-life Jim Holahan, the World War II-era fighter pilot from Jersey City with a burning passion for business aviation—and how to tell its story in a dedicated news magazine. But smoldering under the surface was Mary Mahoney. A full five-foot-four bun- dle of New York energy, she powered the production side of the magazine. It’s not the visible part that readers see in the monthly, airshow, and electronic publications of today, but without that structure and strength, no publishing entity can last for very long before running out of steam. Mary never sought the limelight, never won journalism awards or gave speeches. Nor would she have wanted to. Her ded- ication was to the staff she directed— sometimes with an iron fist; sometimes with a smirk and a laugh—and to the simple passion for “getting it done” no matter what the obstacle. Sometimes, the most challenging hur- dle was Jim, himself. When he pushed to off to the organizers’ office to discretely squeeze in that last story for the Paris Production director determine the extent of the diplomatic Air Show, Mary was the one who had to havoc that might have been wreaked by explain to the printer that the final page her most recent interaction with our would be there “soon.” And when she left lasting mark on AIN hosts. It soon became apparent that any finally had to put her foot down at the rancor had been entirely theatrical and second, third, or fourth passing of the Former production director Mary in the AIN traveling circus, at home at that, on the contrary, the locals had been deadline, sparks could fly. Mahoney, who died on February 13 after a airshow sites on four continents. The amused and charmed by Mary’s bulldog But there was a deep and abiding love short illness, made a monumental contri- rigors of producing daily newspapers in spirit. “Oh no, monsieur, tout va bien, we and respect between the two of them, bution to the success of AIN Publications makeshift airfield offices were an ideal love Mary,” they assured me. And it extended to the AIN persona— in a career with the company spanning 35 challenge for Mary’s organizational skills, They were not alone in that sentiment. what we today call its “brand”—and all years. Four years after her retirement in resourcefulness and dogged determi- Mary was much loved by many colleagues the hard-working dedicated people who 2014, many of the production processes nation. Industry visitors to AIN’s press and industry associates who had the priv- made up the staff, with all our quirks, foi- she shaped are still the foundation of the rooms at shows would often ask, “How ilege of working with her. She made an bles, weaknesses, and insecurities. She company’s operations. on earth do you guys get these issues indelible mark on AIN and will live long loved us all, and we loved her right back, She trained and inspired many mem- out?” Mary Mahoney was a big part of the in our memories. even when we were battling through bers of the team that produces Aviation answer to that question. anger, frustration, or just plain fatigue International News, Business Jet Traveler, In more than three decades on the road Charles Alcock, in the wee hours of the morning. and AIN’s stable of airshow and conven- with the AIN team, she dealt with all man- former editor-in-chief, AIN Publications We all miss you already, Mary Mahoney. tion publications, plus its many digital ner of setbacks that could have stopped You were one of a kind. editions. Her grasp of AIN’s increasingly the next day’s edition from appearing. When I first came to work at the editorial The best. complex portfolio was unrivaled and Adopting a “failure is not an option” men- offices of AIN in the early 1990s, there Mark Phelps she worked long hours to ensure that tality that would have fit right in at NASA, were two fighting Irish spirits that fed the executive editor, AIN Publications n demanding deadlines and exacting edito- Mary would move heaven and earth to cir- rial standards were met in equal measure. cumvent any obstacle to getting the news On a more personal level, Mary was out. Woe betide any rule-bound function- an immensely popular figure with col- ary who got in her way. From the Managing Director leagues—a big personality whose some- Many of my happiest memories of time times forceful manner belied a deeply spent with Mary were on the road. Once Only a few people contributed from the That made her a challenge to work with caring and supportive relationship we got locked in Geneva’s Palexpo con- very beginning to the success of what from time to time. But it didn’t take us long with colleagues. While she took her respon- vention center after midnight and spent is today AIN Publications. One of them is to see that Mary’s heart and head were sibilities very seriously, she rarely took several hours finding an escape. Mary Mahoney, who died always in the right place. herself all that seriously and would readily At times, Mary’s dogged determina- last month, only a few years Yes, she sometimes butted laugh heartily at herself and with colleagues. tion threatened to get the better of her. into her retirement from heads with writers, editors, Born in Brooklyn in 1943, Mary spent In France for the airshow at Le Bourget her the company. Mary spent and designers—and me— most of her childhood in the Long Island impatience to keep things moving could put 35 years here—nearly her but only because she cared suburbs but lived most of her adult life in her her in conflict with the locals, with the con- entire career—which made deeply about the quality of spiritual home, Manhattan. After college vergence of a willful Irish New Yorker and her the second-longest- what we do. in Philadelphia, she briefly tried teaching, prideful Parisians proving to be the embod- tenured person in our orga- We are all so sorry that before taking her first steps in publishing. iment of a rock meeting a hard place. nization. She worked at AIN this fine lady has departed AIN co-founder Jim Holahan hired her in One time after a forceful meeting of even longer than the late our world so soon. We take the late 1970s and there she stayed for the the minds between Mary and the show Jim Holahan, our founding HARRISON J. KIRBY some comfort in knowing rest of her career, apart from a two-year sab- organizers, she slunk sheepishly back to editor and my partner for 28 years. that she loved journalism and had many batical from 1981 to 1983. It proved to be her our press room. “What’s wrong, Mary?” Mary was one of a kind, both profes- happy years at AIN. And we will always true calling. I asked. “I might have got a bit too Irish, sionally and personally. She had the high- be grateful for the immeasurably large With the expansion of AIN’s show daily Charlie,” she confessed. “Do I need to est standards of anyone I’ve ever met, and role she played in shaping the publica- publications came Mary’s opportunity to go and make nice?” I asked. “I think you she would not budge from those standards. tions we produce. W.S.L. see the world. She was soon a key figure better had do,” she replied. So, I slunk

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 27 Fly-in, fly-out model proves a boon for Alliance Airlines by Peter Shaw-Smith

Australia’s “Fly-In-Fly-Out” (FIFO) market Operating 32 Fokker aircraft, Alliance has come into its own in the past decade. has five F50 twin turboprops and eight The business plan allows workers in its huge F70 and 19 F100 jets. Following an ear- mining industry to make their permanent lier transaction for three of its Fokkers, homes in existing population centers, rather in November 2015, Alliance announced than incurring the cost of creating new an A$15 million (US$10.9 million at the communities adjacent to where the mineral time) transaction with Austrian Airlines, assets are found. Brisbane-based Alliance taking its entire Fokker fleet of 21 aircraft. Airlines has capitalized on the opportunity. The last Fokker was built in 1999, and Each month, thousands of Australians Schofield pointed out an obvious ques- fly from Perth up to the Pilbara region, in tion he apparently hears regularly. “‘Your Western Australia’s remote north, to work fleet’s not getting any younger. What are shift-weeks in mining and energy. The you doing about that?’ country is the number-one global exporter “Aircraft age is only partly determined of iron ore, bauxite, lithium, rutile, and zir- by calendar age. We are only a third of con, according to Geoscience Australia. In the way through our usable life, on aver- 2016, the nation exported approximately age. On our younger fleet, we get 8,000 800 million tonnes of iron ore, around cycles… [or] between 1,000 and 1,200 80 percent of it to China, while Australia hours per year per airframe. At that rate could soon become the biggest exporter of of utilization, we are not going to be liquefied natural gas. Coal is a big part of operating them for another 45 years. We the mining story in the east of Australia. hope to continue with low capital costs To serve the resources industry, Alliance and relatively low maintenance costs.” Airlines operates extensive flights around Schofield does not rule out eventually Australia, as well as New Zealand, but espe- moving the single-OEM model to another cially in Western Australia, using a “single manufacturer. OEM” model. Today, it claims to be the Two aircraft are to be converted for VIP world’s largest operator of Fokker aircraft. operations, an F100 and an F70. “With a Although Alliance does not specify who 24-seat configuration, it will be a great its clients are, it charters several flights to product we can offer and also fill in the Australian mining companies, represented niche in the VIP charter segment,” he said. by the likes of BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, In addition to flying the resources as well as many smaller players. The com- industry workers, Alliance provides pany claims to be “Australia’s major [FIFO] capacity to other airlines; and related air charter operator and the largest supplier services, such as selling spare parts, leas- of ad hoc air charters for the Australian ing, and aircraft trading. It also manages resources industry,” and it credits the Fok- three airports—Moomba, Balera and ker fleet for “being able to access smaller Cape Preston—on behalf of the mining airstrips that are typical of many mine sites.” companies. n

JetNet: seller’s market for used bizjets

The preowned business jet market tran- may not present itself as we break into sitioned to a seller’s market in December, the seller’s market environment.” with inventory now at 9.9 percent, just According to JetNet, there were 2,668 below the 10 percent threshold of inven- more business jet transactions last tory for sale and down from 11 percent year, an increase of 177, or 7.1 percent, in December 2016, according to data over 2016. Preowned transactions were released last month by JetNet. Inventory boosted last year by large-cabin jet deals, of preowned business jets has decreased which accounted for 37 percent, or 992, of steadily from a high point of 2,938 air- the total transactions; this was up 17.3 per- craft in July 2009, or 17.7 percent of the cent from 2016. Sales of preowned light in-service fleet, to 2,143 jets in December. jets also surged 8.2 percent last year, to “A period of transition is now in play, 952 transactions. Meanwhile, preowned wherein the pendulum swings [from] in midsize jet sales slumped 4.9 percent, favor of the buyer to the seller,” the busi- falling from 630 in 2016 to 599 last year. ness aviation data firm said. “The pristine “The recovery in business aviation used jets that were on the market a few during the post-recession period has years ago have become more challeng- been underwhelming,” JetNet said. ing to locate. The sage advice for buyers “Now that 2018 is here, we hope the U.S. is to act now. The counsel of ‘just wait a preowned market…will continue to push few months—the price will come down’ more new aircraft purchases.” C.T.

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C39769.015_Embraer_ProfitHunterROAR_AvIntNews_Mar17_352x275_v1.indd 1 12/02/2018 09:52 But FAA officials frequently pointed out the lack of direct correlation between Mu values and airplane runway performance. “That was the FAA’s biggest argument,” Collett recalled. The agency insisted there is “no direct correlation between Mu that is measured by a Mu meter and the airplane’s performance on a runway.” Another issue was the difference between the various Mu meters themselves. “If they’re not traceable to a single standard,” said Rich Boll, a member of the NBAA Access Committee, which has developed an extensive presentation on TALPA, “then they can yield different results. For example, one machine might read a certain Mu value whereas another machine running right next to it on the same runway provides a different value.” In the end, the FAA and industry experts agreed that Mu values do still have a place in the runway assessment process: determining, upgrading, or downgrading reported conditions. But they also agreed that Mu values would never be reported to flight crews. Instead, they would be used by airport operators to assess runway-braking action. There was another problem. Data created by airplane manufacturers to calculate braking performance was remarkably

GABRIEL WIDYNA GABRIEL varied and often not representative of real-world practices and conditions. “I would say it was kind of like the Wild West,” said Mike Byham, Collett’s coun- Aviation industry making progress on terpart at American Airlines. Like Collett, Byham worked on TALPA from the beginning. “The manufacturers could pretty takeoff and landing performance analysis much produce whatever it was they felt appropriate or, in some cases, what was by Pete Combs competitively necessary.” Byham, Collett, and other industry It was frigid and snowing heavily at Chi- actually existing at the time of arrival, as ever since the first runways were built. experts summoned to Washington, D.C., cago’s Midway Airport on Dec. 8, 2005. distinct from conditions presumed at the Braking action reports from pilots were for that two-day summit in July 2006 took Runway 13C was out of action with a time of dispatch. considered subjective, depending on the their deliberations to a hotel bar after the runway visual range (RVR) of just 4,500 “They wrote that SAFO and expected pilot’s skill, as well as the aircraft type, first day’s meeting. And, as has often been feet—below minimums. So, like other everybody to follow it,” said Chet Collett, weight, landing speed, and a host of other the case when major advances in aviation flights before it, Southwest Flight 1248 director of flight operations engineering factors. Airport operators initially had few are concerned, that’s where they made a made its approach to Runway 31C, despite at Alaska Airlines. “And all the airlines choices when it came to figuring out how significant breakthrough. an 11-knot tailwind. The aircraft touched said, ‘There’s no way we can comply with to tell arriving pilots what to expect when “We literally wrote out the first draft of down normally, but the crew did not ini- that SAFO. The data is just not there.’” they touched down on the runway surface. the RCAM [Runway Condition Assessment tiate reverse thrust until 18 seconds later, So the FAA called a summit of aircraft One was unique in its innovation—if Matrix] on a cocktail napkin,” said Collett. with just 1,000 feet of runway left, accord- operators in July 2006. Collett was there, not questionable in its treatment of ani- The next day, Collett, Byham, and the ing to the cockpit data recorder as were his counterparts from several other mals. “The ARC’s Airport Working Group SWA 1248 didn’t stop. Instead, it ran off airlines. Collett said an FAA safety inspec- called it the cocker spaniel test,” said Col- the departure end of the runway, through a tor told the assembly that any time braking lett. The idea: the airport operator would fence and onto Central Avenue just south action on a particular runway was reported jump into the cab of a truck, put a dog in of 55th Street, striking two cars. Inside one as “less than good,” arriving pilots were to the passenger seat, drive down the run- of them, six-year-old Joshua Woods was perform a pre-landing assessment. way, then hit the brakes. killed. A dozen people were hurt. “And I raised my hand,” said Collett. “I “If the dog remained on the seat, brak- That accident, in which a slippery run- asked, ‘How is a pilot going to know that ing action was poor to nil,” Collett said. way figured prominently, was the genesis the braking action is less than good when “If the dog stumbled, but remained on the of the TALPA initiative—for takeoff and the current ATC regulations say that seat, braking action was deemed fair. If landing performance assessment—as an braking action advisories don’t go into the cocker spaniel fell onto the floor, then effort to stem the growing problem of effect until braking action is reported as braking action was pretty good.” runway excursions. less than fair?’” Perhaps not the most scientific method. The room became silent, Collett said. Eventually, braking action was reported FAA Demands Action The first day of the summit adjourned in terms of “Mu” value—the co-efficient MU Values As a result of the 2005 overrun at Midway, without resolution. of friction between the runway and an air- Good: a Mu value of 0.4 and above the FAA issued Safety Alert for Operators craft’s tire. The aviation industry devel- Med/Good: a Mu value of 0.36 to 0.39 (SAFO) 06012, urgently recommending The Cocker Spaniel Test oped Mu meters, small trailers that could Med: a Mu value of 0.30 to 0.35 operators of turbojet airplanes develop Assessing the condition of a runway cov- be attached to airport vehicles and driven Med/Poor: a Mu value of 0.26 to 0.29 procedures for flight crews to assess ered with water, snow, slush, or ice has down the runway to objectively measure Poor: a Mu value of 0.25 and below landing performance based on conditions been a difficult issue for airport operators braking ability.

30 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com others presented their cocktail napkin to the time-of-landing assessment at the runways that were deemed by the RwyCC FAA officials. They were immediately des- top of descent. as 0 or 1.” Runway Condition Codes ignated members of the TALPA Advisory “I believe condition of the runway should Between 2009 and 2010, Collett and and Rulemaking Committee (ARC). be assessed as late as practicable before members of an FAA-appointed team mon- landing,” Byham said. That, however, pre- itored more than 6,000 total landings, Finding A Common Language sented the ARC with concerns about how correlating their findings with informa- The TALPA Initiative seeks to standardize data obtained by the flight crew at the top tion gathered by airport operators. the way field conditions are assessed by air- of descent might conflict with dispatch data. “Where ice was present and runways port operators and conveyed to flight crews. Byham said the resolution came in the would have been assigned a RwyCC of 0 For reporting purposes, the runway The RCAM defines these contaminants. amount of fuel aircraft are required to or 1, but showed high Mu values, more is divided into thirds. Each third is The runway condition codes (RwyCC) clas- carry in situations where destination run- than 75-percent of the time, they reported assigned a code of between 0 and 6. sify the effects those contaminants have ways are contaminated and conditions are good braking action. The FAA couldn’t on braking action. (See box at right.) The bound to change. argue with that data.” : Dry runway observed contaminants are reported to the Based on their findings, the FAA now 6 FAA through the Notam system. The FAA, allows airport operators to raise the : Runway is wet or covered to in turn, uses that data to generate a field The average RwyCC on some ice-covered runways 5 some degree by frost, as well as condition (FICON) report to flight crews. pilot would take from 1 to no higher than 3, based on runway portions contaminated observations that include Mu readings. by one-eighth inch (3 mm) or less Top-of-descent Decision-making about seven seconds of slush, dry snow, or wet snow During the nine-year-long process of cre- from the threshold to What about Takeoff? ating the TALPA initiative, the FAA also touchdown. So there Much of the TALPA Initiative concerns : The outside air temperature engaged in an effort to standardize run- landing assessment. But, as Collett pointed 4 is 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 way performance data created by aircraft was a seven-second out, the “T” in TALPA stands for “takeoff.” degrees Celsius) or less and manufacturers. In December 2015, the requirement put in the “Many people both at the airports and there is compacted snow on agency issued two Advisory Circulars— among the pilots look at the RCAM and say, a portion of the runway. AC 25-31 and AC 25-32—to that effect, development of the ‘Why are we concerned about contaminant choosing to make the process of devel- depths greater than an eighth of an inch? data. That was crucial 3 : Wet runways described as slippery, oping data related to takeoff and land- in terms of making The answer, of course, is because of takeoff.” as well as runways contami- ing on contaminated runways voluntary, In assessing takeoff performance, brak- nated with dry or wet snow of despite the TALPA ARC’s recommenda- this work in the real ing is a crucial issue. Flight crews need to any depth on top of compacted tion that the standards be made manda- world.” know how the aircraft will perform if they snow. Also runways with more tory. Those two ACs are relatively new — Mike Byham have to abort. But the depth of contami- than one-eighth inch of dry or and manufacturers are still reacting to nants beyond one-eighth-inch is import- wet snow or runway portions them. In addition, flight crews operating “We decided that, if you find yourself ant because of the effect they can have covered with compacted snow older airplanes that no longer have man- in that kind of situation, make sure you by slowing down the aircraft’s ability to when temperatures exceed 5 ufacturer support might have no source carry enough fuel to take you to an alter- accelerate—impingement drag. degrees F (-15 degrees C). for such data. native airport where the landing distance “You have to be concerned not only about “Better data that makes more sense requirements can be met,” he said. “I stopping performance, but also about the : Runway portions covered with was something we deemed a ‘must-have,’” thought that was a pretty good, common- ability of the aircraft to continue and accel- 2 water or slush at any depth said Byham. “So there were changes made sense way of approaching it.” erate through that crap on the runway and greater than one-eighth inch. to how the landing data were actually cal- be able to rotate and get airborne within culated to make them more realistic.” Mu Values Redeemed, the confines of the runway,” he explained. : Runway portions covered with ice. For one thing, Byham explained, the Upgrades Possible “If there’s a half-inch of wet snow or slush 1 way manufacturers calculate air distance Even after the TALPA system was fairly on the runway, you have to take a pretty : Runway portions covered by wet over the landing threshold has been evolved, Collett still wasn’t satisfied. severe takeoff weight penalty to ensure you 0 ice, slush over ice, water over changed to make it more applicable to the While airport operators could down- have the ability to accelerate and get out of compacted snow, as well as way line pilots actually fly. grade the RwyCC, the FAA left no mech- that stuff in the event of an engine failure.” those covered with dry or wet “What we found…was that the average anism in place to upgrade the reported snow over ice. Under the TALPA pilot would take about seven seconds runway condition. His airline operates Work in Progress Initiative these runways are from the threshold to touchdown. So all over Alaska. Runways covered with Although the TALPA initiative went live in unsafe and must be closed until there was a seven-second requirement ice are often the norm during winter. But 2016, it is very much a work in progress, their conditions are improved. put in the development of the data. That because of the subzero temperatures, that say both Collett and Byham. For one thing, was crucial in terms of making this work ice, sometimes mixed with sand, often Byham said, runway condition reporting in the real world,” he said. provides braking action comparable to needs to be improved across the board. Collett wants to see changes in the Along with more accurate data from man- runways deemed to be in much better “It would seem that, indeed, the airports RCAM format, making it easier to read. ufacturers, members of the TALPA ARC condition. Without some modification to do have the tougher end of the whole “The way it’s presented, in a vertical for- developed a landing-distance factors table the rules surrounding contaminated run- thing,” he said. “You can’t just say that mat, the airport, the pilot and the dispatcher to accompany RwyCC reports to pilots. ways, many airports in Alaska—lifelines braking advisories are in effect. You’ve have to have it all memorized to know where FAA Order 8900.1 advises flight crews to the communities they serve—would really got to give some solid information, to look,” he said. Right now, the FAA displays to multiply the dry, unfactored landing dis- be forced to close for much of the winter. and a lot of flight crews in my experience the RCAM in a vertical format. Under Col- tance data published in the aircraft flight On the last day of the ARC meeting seem to feel that’s a difficult task—to lett’s direction, the Alaska Airlines version of manual (AFM) by the values presented in Collett volunteered Alaska Airlines to draw that out of the airport.” the RCAM is presented in a horizontal for- the landing distance factors table. provide the FAA with test data on seven Another issue Byham hopes to improve mat he believes is simply easier to decipher. For example, suppose the dry, unfac- airports in Alaska. A representative of is the subjective nature of pilot-braking Still, Byham said, the RCAM is certainly a tored landing distance of a Cessna Cita- Pinnacle Airlines volunteered to do the reports. “I’m hoping we can reduce the worthy feat. “I’m proud of the way the per- tion X is 3,330 feet. Under the landing same at Minneapolis-St. Paul and Tra- subjectivity on those braking-action formance engineering community has come distance factors table, a RwyCC of 3 and verse City, Michigan, both airports also reports or eliminate it through some type to together on this,” he said. “It really is a using reverse thrust, the flight crew would participants in the ARC. of automation,” he added. noble endeavor.” n multiply that 3,330 feet by 2.5. The result- “All of a sudden, the FAA had willing vol- ing runway length requirement comes unteers from the industry and the airports. AIN HUMAN FACTOR PODCAST out to 8,325 feet, a number that includes They couldn’t pass it up,” he remembered. a 15-percent safety margin. “Our motivation was to prove to the FAA Under the TALPA initiative, the flight through hard data that, in fact, it was safe AIN’s The Human Factor is a twice-monthly podcast dedicated to furthering aviation safety. crew performs this calculation as part of and appropriate to be able to upgrade Visit: www.ainonline.com/humanfactor

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 31 operations or impending deals. Com- Aviation experts and other stakehold- As ADS-B mandate nears, panies can use this information to gain ers have proposed several encryption a competitive advantage or potentially schemes to address both the encryption impact stock prices. and authentication issues with ADS-B. few answers on security The leading idea for addressing block- An Institute of Electrical and Electronics ing concerns is to change the aircraft ID Engineers 2014 paper, “Can Cryptogra- by Kellyn Wagner Ramsdell transmitted by ADS-B so that it does not phy Secure Next Generation Air Traffic correspond to the airplane’s registration Surveillance?” discovered that traditional Aircraft owners and operators flying in aircraft ID, altitude, latitude, longitude, information. This solution preserves encryption methods are impractical the U.S. and Europe are less than two bearing, and speed. This has long been the benefits of ADS-B while resolving at because they are burdensome to imple- years away from being required to equip the case with mode-S transponders, least part of the aircraft identification ment and vulnerable to interference. their aircraft with ADS-B Out technology. although the information transmitted concerns. There is no word on whether U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant Rich- Some countries in the Asia-Pacific region by mode-S transponders is limited to the FAA will approve this change. There ard Agbeyibor proposed the use of format- already require ADS-B Out, such as Aus- the 24-bit address code tied to the air- is therefore no current method to block preserving encryption as a solution in tralia, with others mandating the equip- craft’s registration number. sensitive ADS-B data that is automatically his 2014 master’s thesis. This is the pri- ment to fly at altitudes above 29,000 feet. Organizations can request an Aircraft transmitted from aircraft. mary encryption method being explored Since the introduction of the 2020 Situation Display to Industry (ASDI) because it can handle the larger ADS-B mandate in 2010, the FAA has addressed block to prevent both ADS-B and mode-S Unencrypted Data data packets without facing the interfer- pricing, availability of technology, the data from appearing on radar data feeds The configuration of ADS-B raises addi- ence issues seen with traditional encryp- amount of paperwork required, and a provided by the FAA. Some flight tracking tional data security questions. ADS-B tion methods. variety of other concerns with the 2020 websites—including Flightradar24 and receivers in each aircraft receive location There is no indication that the FAA will ADS-B mandate. It has yet to compre- FlightAware—also honor these blocks. information from onboard GPS sensors implement encryption for ADS-B before hensively address, however, cyberse- Other crowd-sourced websites do not that receive signals from GPS satellites. the 2020 mandate. In the absence of curity issues with ADS-B technology. honor the FAA’s block list and continue This information is then transmitted encryption, many possible cyber attacks ADS-B (automatic dependent surveil- to share aircraft tracking information. with data from other avionics to ADS-B can be mitigated by cross-referencing lance-broadcast) uses onboard GPS sen- For example, ADS-B Exchange—a flight receivers on the ground or on other air- ADS-B data with traditional radar infor- sors combined with ADS-B transceivers tracking website that gains its data from craft in the vicinity. The data received by mation. This protection will last only to broadcast aircraft position, velocity, hobbyist-owned ADS-B, mode-S, and the ground stations is then transmitted until the older systems are phased out and identification information to other MLAT feeds. (MLAT is a technique that to air traffic control. Aircraft equipped although that is not planned anytime aircraft and ground receivers, including uses transponder signals to pinpoint air- with ADS-B In receivers can also receive soon. Equip 2020 is working with the air traffic control facilities. craft position.) ADS-B Exchange states the information for use in traffic detec- NBAA and other industry stakeholders to NBAA began raising questions about on its website that blocking is “security tion and take advantage of new capabil- address these concerns. n blocking aircraft identifying information theater” and it does not believe the data ities that ADS-B In enables such as free in ADS-B messages and ADS-B’s encryp- should be blocked because it is accessible weather information. tion and authentication standards in 2013. to anyone with a receiver. It claims to be No data is encrypted at any point in this The FAA’s ADS-B working group, Equip providing a public service by displaying the process. This means anyone with a receiver 2020, has done little to address these con- information in an easily accessible manner. can view the transmitted data. And no NEWS note cerns in the last five years. Organizations such as ADS-B Exchange authentication is required. These issues The central concern for most busi- and others that oppose the blocking of expose aircraft to a variety of cyber attacks. While deliveries of Embraer business ness aviation operators is the lack of ADS-B data and other flight information The most well-known cyber attack jets were within its “outlook ranges,” provisions for blocking aircraft from believe it is unlikely that a terrorist will against ADS-B systems is spoofing of either the 109 units the company shipped being identified via online tracking web- exploit the information. However, the main ADS-B or GPS data. Spoofing is a tactic last year amounted to eight aircraft sites. ADS-B does not have any mech- threat from the exposure of the flight data wherein a hacker can insert false data into fewer than in 2016, according to data anism in place to prevent people with comes from competitors, not terrorists. the standard communication pathways. released in January by the Brazilian ADS-B receivers from identifying air- Flight data such as location, heading, This can be used to make it seem like there aircraft manufacturer. Last year’s total craft. This means anyone can purchase and aircraft ID that links an airplane to a are airplanes where there are none or to includes 72 light jets (18 Phenom 100s, 54 a receiver (often for less than $100) and specific owner or company can provide an make airplanes look like they are in a dif- Phenom 300s) and 37 large jets (14 Leg- then begin seeing information including abundance of information about ongoing ferent location than they actually are. acy 450s, 15 Legacy 500s, seven Legacy Security researcher Brad Haines pub- 650s, one Lineage 1000) versus 2016’s licly demonstrated this type of attack in 73 Phenoms (ten 100s, sixty-three 300s) 2012 at the DEF CON20 security con- and 44 Legacy/Lineages (twelve 450s, ference. He successfully inserted a fake twenty-one 500s, nine 650s, two 1000s). Boeing proposes cyberattack simulator aircraft into a simulation of San Francis- According to Embraer, these numbers are co’s airspace. In a 2012 technical report, aligned with its business jet shipment es- Boeing received a U.S. patent in Decem- the inventors, “pilot reaction to cyber- “Ghost in the Air (Traffic): On Insecurity timates reported early last year: 70 to 80 ber for a system that simulates a cyberattacks is important.” They believe this of ADS-B Protocol and Practical Attacks light jets and 35 to 45 large jets. attack within an airplane to detect pilot data is missing in existing models of the on ADS-B Devices,” researchers Andrei Keeping with historical trends, the response and realistically determine how impact of cyberattacks on airplanes and Costin and Aurelien Francillon confirmed fourth quarter remained the strongest that response affects the airplane’s oper- that by gathering such data researchers that this type of attack is not only possi- for Embraer Executive Jets, which de- ations, with the ultimate aim of strength- can create better defenses for airplane ble, but also “easy and practically feasible, livered 50 aircraft in the quarter, seven ening an aircraft’s defenses against cyberattacks. for a moderately sophisticated attacker.” more than in the same 90-day span in cyberattacks. These simulators might also be used In her 2016 research study, “Analy- 2016. The company handed over seven According to the patent, the system pro- to understand how a cyberattack actu- sis of the Cyber Attacks against ADS-B Phenom 100s, 25 Phenom 300s, sev- posed is highly adaptable, and the com- ally affects airplane operations and Perspective of Aviation Experts,” mas- en Legacy 450s, 10 Legacy 500s, and ponents it simulates can be substituted determine whether a pilot is even able ter’s candidate Camilo Pantoja Viveros one Legacy 650 in the fourth quarter, to reflect the many component config- to detect a cyberattack. addressed spoofing and other types of compared with 25 Phenom 300s, six urations on airplanes. The cyberattack- Boeing plans to allow pilots to begin cyber attacks that exploit ADS-B’s lack of Legacy 450s, nine Legacy 500s, one specific aspect of the overall invention can testing on cyberattack simulator proto- encryption and authentication. According Legacy 650 and two Lineage 1000Es in also be added to an existing simulator or types, and then use information gathered to aviation experts she interviewed, cyber the same period of 2016. built into a distinct simulator. to improve pilot training. The gathered attacks that make an aircraft disappear As of December 31, Embraer’s back- The primary purpose of the invention data will also likely be integrated into from the ADS-B system and attacks that log for both executive and commercial is to gather information about how a pilot existing and future Boeing efforts to prevent an ADS-B ground station from aircraft stood at $18.3 billion, down from responds to a cyberattack. According to secure avionics. K.W.R. receiving information are the most likely $19.6 billion a year earlier. T to adversely affect operations.

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800.660.9982 • [email protected] • smartskynetworks.com briefly mistook nearby Newark Interna- at the final approach fix 3.8 nautical miles TEB crash investigation tional for Teterboro. from the airport is necessary to align with Fifteen seconds before the end of the the extended centerline of Runway 01 recording, the captain accepted the con- using standard-rate turns at a distance looks at crew, procedures trols from the SIC. Ten seconds later the allowing a normal descent while avoid- SIC said, “Add airspeed, airspeed, air- ing overflight of the New Jersey Mead- by David Jack Kenny speed, airspeed.” owlands stadium. Turning a mile and a The docket also raises questions about half later required heading changes of 90 The captain of the Trans-Pacific Jets not flying (PNF).” He was not autho- the crew’s approach to TEB. There are no and 140 at bank angles of 45 degrees and Learjet 35A that crashed during a circling rized to take the flight controls, even on charted instrument approaches to Run- still left the airplane above its intended approach to Runway 1 at Teterboro Air- empty legs. way 01, due to conflicts with the arrival descent path. Data from the Learjet’s port on May 15, 2017, violated company The CVR transcript covers the full 30 flow at Newark International. Aircraft in enhanced ground proximity warning sys- policy by allowing the copilot to be the minutes of the flight, beginning with the the Learjet’s speed category have a min- tem suggested that it began its right turn pilot flying (PF) on the accident leg, crew waiting for its takeoff clearance from imum descent altitude of 760 feet for less than two miles from the threshold according to a NTSB docket file opened to Philadelphia International. Until the last circling approaches from the Runway 06 of Runway 06. the public on February 7. Both pilots were 15 seconds of the recording, the captain localizer. Circling to Runway 01 from that The docket (available at https://go.usa. killed when the twinjet broke apart and conducted all radio communications with point on the glideslope requires sharp gov/xnsUu) does not state the cause of burst into flames on impact in a crowded air traffic control, made checklist callouts, right and then left turns in quick succes- the accident, but contains 48 individ- warehouse area in Carlstadt, New Jersey. and offered encouragement while the first sion close to the airport. The accident site ual records documenting factual details No passengers were on board and no one officer flew the airplane. was approximately half a mile from the established during the investigation. on the ground was injured. In addition, according to the records, threshold of Runway 01. Witness statements, detailed training The personnel records in the 800-page the crew never conducted the approach Simulator runs conducted by the same and employment records for both crew- document reveal irregularities in crew- briefing required by company proce- provider who trained the accident crew members, aircraft checklists, weight- member training and experience. The dures. During the approach they ini- were used to model a series of nine ILS and-balance calculations, and a detailed captain’s application to the airplane’s tially forgot to switch the autopilot from approaches to Runway 06. They deter- meteorological analysis are also among operator listed 6,600 hours of total flight heading to navigation mode, and the SIC mined that a 65-degree right turn begun the materials collected. n experience that included 970 hours in multi-engine turbine aircraft, all as second-in-command, with 805 of them in Learjet models. His pilot certification record included failures on the initial Drone/ practical tests for both his commercial and airline transport pilot ratings in multi-engine airplanes. Both failures aircraft were due to deficient performance of approaches and landings. At the time of the accident he had logged 353 hours as encounters pilot-in-command of the Learjet 35A. According to the docket, pilots with whom the captain had flown as first offi- prompt call cer characterized him as “absolutely not ready” to upgrade to captain. His upgrade training required four simulator sessions for tighter rather than the expected one to prepare him for the checkride, in part due to difficulty performing circle-to-land regs approaches. A former colleague described A recent instance of a drone flying over an airliner, screen grab shown here, has prompted him as “not proactive in the cockpit.” by Sean Broderick pilot groups to call for stronger regulation of unmanned hobby aircraft. When hired, the first officer claimed 2,675 hours of flight experience that Airlines, pilots, and air traffic control- “Small drones are very difficult to visu- over Las Vegas. Soon, the A320—appar- included 265 as second-in-command in lers are calling on Congress to give the ally acquire by pilots in flight or by air ently on final approach to LAS—flies into Learjets. He had failed “takeoffs, landings, FAA full authority to regulate so-called traffic controllers in the tower, and small the frame. The drone, clearly above the and go-arounds” on his first two private hobby unmanned aircraft systems drones do not currently have electronic 400-foot maximum altitude ceiling for pilot checkrides. (UAS), or drones, following a highly anti-collision technologies that are com- so-called hobby UASs, films the A320 The first officer joined Trans-Pacific publicized incident last month in which patible with airline collision avoidance passing underneath, clear enough to Jets after resigning from his previous a drone flew above a Frontier Airlines systems,” the groups’ letter said. “How- show the aircraft’s registration number. position pending a company review of his Airbus A320 on approach to Las Vegas ever, equipped with anti-collision tech- The LAS video came weeks after a similar “weak performance” as second-in-com- McCarran International Airport (LAS) nology, flight crews would likely be aware encounter, the groups said. mand of the Learjet 35A. His most recent and recorded the encounter. of the drone’s proximate location soon “We strongly urge you to remove legisla- recurrent training had required six sim- In a letter to lawmakers, the Air Line enough to take evasive action that would tive restrictions that have been placed on ulator sessions instead of the scheduled Pilots Association, Airlines For America, ensure that there was no threat of colli- the FAA that limit its safety oversight of two to attain acceptable proficiency; and the National Air Traffic Controllers sion with the drone.” Even if such tech- UAS,” the groups wrote. “The likelihood his instructors catalogued deficiencies Association called for the FAA to modify nology is developed, the rule’s language that a drone will collide with an airline including engine start, normal procedures, Section 336 of the 2012 FAA Moderniza- prohibits the FAA from requiring it, the aircraft is increasing. By providing the incorrect flight director settings causing tion and Reform Act, which prohibits the groups pointed out in the letter. FAA with the full authority to regulate all a takeoff crash, missed approaches, and agency from regulating model aircraft, UAS operations, the safety of passenger circle-to-land procedures. including drones that weigh less than 55 Publicized Violation and cargoYOUR flights SOURCE FORwill AVIATIONbe protected.” NEWS n Trans-Pacific had a policy of designat- pounds and are flown for non-commercial The February 12 letter came shortly after www.ainonline.com ing new or low-time pilots with an SIC purposes. While operating restrictions, a video emerged of a drone flying illegally status—ranked from zero to four—that such as a 400-foot maximum altitude, above an active approach path near Las restricted the type of flying they were are in place, they are not always being Vegas McCarran International Airport authorized to conduct for the company. followed, and the rule leaves no room to (LAS). The video, shot from the drone ENEWSLETTER FOR BUSINESS AVIATION The copilot was rated as SIC-0, meaning add layers of safety to further mitigate and posted to a Facebook group and www.ainonline.com/alerts “may only perform SIC duties as pilot risk, the groups argued. then to YouTube, shows the UAS flying

Aviation International News March 2018 ainonline.com 34 \ \ AERO DEFENSE INDUSTRY ENEWSLETTER www.ainonline.com/subscribe

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With the briefing completed, we walked 505 single improves on the 206’s legacy over to the ramp where N505FW, dressed in a red, black, and white paint scheme, by Alexa Paprosky was ready for preflight. Unaffected by the brisk temperature, Otteson walked In mid-January, 20-degree temperatures the 505 and the tail rotor has a lot more engine,” Otteson said. “It’s a lot more pow- me around the aircraft while detailing its in Texas coupled with substantial wind authority. The transmission is mounted erful than what you’re used to in a 206.” components and notable characteristics. gusts and the threat of snow almost placed to the fuselage in a different manner I was curious about the lack of circuit me directly in the right seat of a Bell 505 than [on] the 206 with liquid inertia Avionics breakers in the cockpit. Otteson directed simulator instead of the real helicopter. vibration-eliminating mounts. You’ll I asked Otteson about the learning curve me to the pilot (right) side of the aircraft But with conditions improving upon my find the 505 to have a much smoother associated with stepping from a 206 into to open an avionics hatch where the cir- arrival at Bell’s Fort Worth, Texas factory, ride than a typical 206.” the 505, and he explained that the most cuit breaker panel is located above the it was announced, with great relief to me, With a higher gross weight, full-fuel pay- immediate challenge pilots face is adjust- power unit. The decision to eliminate that the flight in Bell’s 505 Jet Ranger X load, and useful load compared to the 206, ing to the G1000H avionics. “Once you breakers in the cockpit stemmed from would take place as planned. the 505 also features 504 takeoff shp com- get used to the Garmin screens and where Bell’s intention to eliminate the tendency Championed by Bell as the most pared to the 420 shp of the 206. Priced at your eyes need to go to find the informa- of pilots incorrectly resetting breakers and advanced light single in the market, the approximately $1 million, the 505 has a max tion, it becomes very easy and intuitive,” not using them for their intended purpose. 505 Jet Ranger X offers first-in-class fea- range of 360 nm. The 505 is powered by the he said. “Additionally, the initial flight “If pilots can’t troubleshoot and miti- tures including a dual-channel Fadec Safran Helicopter Engines Arrius 2R, con- training course at the [Bell] academy here gate the problem through the Garmin sys- and fully integrated Garmin G1000H trolled by a dual-channel Fadec. “It is a much is more than enough to get someone com- tem, they probably don’t need to be doing flight deck. Designed to echo the storied more powerful, responsive, and modern fortable with the helicopter.” it in flight,” explained Otteson. career of the B206-series JetRanger while Below the circuit breaker panel, I saw advancing its class’s legacy into the future, the True Blue Lithium-ion smart battery, the 505 is suitable for utility, corporate, much lighter and more powerful than parapublic, and training mission profiles. traditional lead-acid or nickel-cadmium Bell is working on utility options for the batteries. “This is Bell’s first foray into 505 and expects to certify a cargo hook smart battery technology,” he said. “It can later this year. With commercial deliver- sense if it’s cold and will run its own bat- ies continuing to climb along with letters tery heating cycle and generate a message of intent, the helicopter is retaining its through the Garmin avionics indicating welcomed entrance into the market. the battery is heating. It lets us know if it During the pre-flight briefing session, has any problems and will generate a fault I engaged with Tim Otteson, who would or failure code in the cockpit.” be the demo pilot for the day, and Chase The baggage compartment, also acces- Hawkins, who serves as Bell’s mainte- sible from the pilot side, can hold mul- nance coordinator for the demo fleet. The tiple golf bags, passenger seats from the exceptional knowledge base of Otteson main cabin, or up to four standard suit- and Hawkins became immediately evi- cases, and it boasts a usable volume of 18 dent as we began discussing the 505. I was cu ft. The flat floor of the 505’s cabin is particularly interested in how it fared in adaptable for changing mission demands, comparison to the 206 series. with an overall cabin volume of 99 cu ft. “The flight characteristics of the In the past, at a not-so-staggering 505 are very similar to [those of] the 5 feet, 2 inches, I have found myself hav- 206,” said Otteson. “It has the same ing to employ creative gymnastics to teetering-style underslung rotor sys- successfully climb into cockpits. Getting tem that you’ll find on a 206L4. The tail into the 505, however, came without the rotor drive shaft is a little bit longer on need for any contortionist skills. The crew

36 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com seats are mounted on in-line tracks and to relax, the sideward hovering and pedal are equipped with a double strap shoulder Bell 505 Jet Ranger X Specifications and Performance turns felt much more manageable. harness and inertia reel. Clamshell cabin Price (typically completed and equipped) $1.00 million Moving into quick stops across the doors on the copilot side open up to 55 field, Otteson allowed me to execute the inches, allowing passengers to more eas- Engine Safran Helicopter Engines Arrius 2R, maneuver as I began to feel more com- ily enter and exit. The passenger seats are 505 shp TO (475 max cont.) fortable with the 505’s handling. I then forward-facing, bulkhead-mounted seats, Avionics Garmin G1000H requested to follow along on a power and these can easily be disconnected and recovery autorotation. With the throttle Passengers (typical) 1 crew + 4 pax stowed in the baggage compartment. switch set to idle on both collectives, we Much to my usual vertical deficiency- Range (4,000 ft, ISA, no reserve) 355 nm entered the maneuver. It felt very similar related chagrin, and even after adjust- Long-range cruise speed 113 ktas to the high-inertia autos typical in the 206, ing the pedals, I was given a cushion to and after recovering, we transitioned back Fuel capacity 84.85 gal place behind my back for good measure into a climb to normal flight. to ensure full extension. Once I was fully Ceiling (service) 20,000 ft Back at straight-and-level flight, situated, the impressive windscreen and IGE hovering ceiling (gross weight, ISA) 14,450 ft Otteson showed me Garmin’s highway- substantial cabin size made the 505 feel in-the-sky function. Otteson explained, OGE hovering ceiling (gross weight, ISA) 10,460 ft noticeably roomier than the 206. Even “You can set the helicopter up if, heaven more apparent than the increase in head- Gross weight (internal) 3,680 lbs forbid, you end up in inadvertent IMC, room, and certainly different from the Gross weight (external load) 4,475 lbs [by loading] an instrument approach with typical 206 instrument panel, was the the highway-in-the-sky [function] from Maximum external load (cargo hook limit) 1,500 lbs clean presence of the G1000H avionics. where you are to a runway threshold.” The After switching the battery on, Otteson Cabin volume (total) 99 cu ft G1000H can also be upgraded with heli- entered our combined weights through Cabin volume (rear) 61 cu ft copter terrain avoidance warning system simple inputs into the flight deck’s MFD (H-TAWS) and traffic advisory system. Baggage capacity 18 cu ft weight-and-balance display. The G1000H I soon made the disappointing reali- can be upgraded to include Garmin’s zation that we were headed back to the Helicopter Synthetic Vision Technol- ramp and my demo flight was coming ogy and has two SD card slots, for data to a close. I wanted to stay buckled into updates and downloads. The aircraft sys- that seat all day and knew it was going to tems are completely integrated with the be difficult to pry myself out of the 505 G1000H system, and Otteson defined the upon landing. My set-down on the ramp safety importance of that relationship by was definitely not as smooth as my set explaining, “With the integrated Garmin, down in the grass, as I began to “stir the you are going to literally have hundreds pot” and question the height of the skids. of different advisories, cautions, and Otteson, with the comfortingly calm warnings that will populate on the screen, voice of an experienced instructor, guided letting you know exactly what’s going on me through the set-down, and I silently with the transmission [and helicopter].” hoped that not a single soul at Bell had seen my performance. Putting my shame Engine Start and Flight aside momentarily, we flipped the throt- I examined the collective to find the tle switch to idle and shut the 505 down. throttle switches to transition between entered the market in smaller piston heli- enforcement pilots. He maintained a tight Just like the start-up procedure, the idle and fly modes. “The dual-channel copters and were ready to make the pro- orbit over a fixed location on the ground shutdown was simple and uneventful. Fadec is all about safety, safety, safety,” gression to turbine, were really looking for and then gave the controls back to me to Finally realizing that I would have to even- said Otteson. “You can maneuver and a safer, proven rotor system with Fadec try an out-of-ground-effect hover. Hold- tually actually exit the 505, I unbuckled the transition between idle and fly and and upgraded avionics,” said Otteson. ing the OGE hover felt extremely stable harness and stepped out onto the ramp. I demand a lot out of the engine without The pickup into a hover felt extremely and steady, and I could absolutely under- felt a rush of jealousy when I saw the next having to worry about drooping the rotor, light and gave me the first indication of stand the appeal to those involved in para- group waiting for their demo flight. because that Fadec is going to take care the 505’s power. With a takeoff rating of public operations. In the debriefing room, I was given of it for you.” 504 shp and maximum continuous rating With the hydraulics turned off, I felt the opportunity to discuss the flight with The Fadec also incorporates an auxil- of 457 shp, we pulled straight up into a that the 505 was much easier to fly than Otteson before heading over for a tour of iary control unit, which acts as a back-up max performance takeoff with plenty of the 206 under the same conditions. With Bell’s Training Academy. In search of Bell for the hydro-mechanical unit if it fails. power to spare. A dedicated, albeit pre- the hydraulics back on, we proceeded to fan gear to take home with me, I discov- Surge and flame-out protection and other sumably chilly Bell employee, captured a designated training field. The sight pic- ered both gift shops were closed for the safety features make operating the engine our takeoff on video from the ramp. The ture offered by the 505 presents a differ- day. But knew I was taking home the best much simpler. Bell’s goal of reducing pilot resulting footage, while impressive, did ent, but more expansive view than the 206 souvenir; an extremely memorable log- workload through upgraded avionics and not do justice to how powerful the takeoff because of the enlarged windscreen. After book entry. n simplified engine management became felt from inside the cockpit. shooting a normal approach to the train- readily apparent to me as we began the As we flew away from the ramp, Otteson ing field, I set the 505 down in the grass. start-up process. encouraged me to experiment with banks Initially nervous about the set-down and With the throttle switch set to idle, and turns. I worked on maintaining coor- my non-refined understanding of the skid the start/run button was pushed and dinated flight and scanning the G1000H, height, I was surprised when the maneu- the Fadec took over while we monitored when Otteson reminded me to keep the ver actually went very smoothly and with- start limitations. For run-up, we switched aircraft in trim. The primary flight dis- out hesitation. to fly mode, and with both NR and NP play indicated our attitude, airspeed, alti- Picking back up into the hover, I asked needles indicating 104 percent, we were tude, and vertical speed, plus showed an Otteson if I could try sideward hovering ready to pick up into a hover. This was an HSI display, while Bell’s Power Situation and pedal turns. In an attempt to quell my exceptionally simple start-up process, and Indicator depicted our power limits and excitement and fear of having my flying I understood how it could be immensely indications. As we continued in flight, the skills judged by the extremely proficient attractive to pilots who may be intimated intuitive layout of the G1000H became Otteson, I carefully began engaging in my Alexa Paprosky is a freelance writer, by transitioning to a turbine. increasingly easier to scan and understand. requested maneuvers. I could tell that I marketing consultant, and commercial “The people I have shown the 505 to, Otteson took the controls and demon- was starting to have a death-grip on the helicopter pilot with experience in the including quite a few private owners that strated maneuvers he often shows to law controls and as soon as I reminded myself Robinson R44 and Bell 206.

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 37 News from Schedulers and Dispatchers

down this year as the organization’s liai- son to the S&D committee, a role she had held since 2004, has been a first- hand observer of the show’s growth. She recalled how during that span, the show has gone from being self-contained in a single hotel, to occupying an entire convention center and becoming a major event in the host cities. “The biggest thing I think we’ve done in the past 14 years is elevated the role of the scheduler and dispatcher,” she told AIN, to one that is essential, that is not seen as a purely administrative role, but a critical member of the flight department. The non-flying professional can be an asset on the team, of equal importance to any other member of the team,” she noted. As a result of that growth, this was the last year of a single S&D committee chair overseeing the year-long planning process between shows. In the past, there would be a single chairperson and a vice chair who would succeed them the following Annual event reaches record territory year. At the end of this year’s show, Kin- dra Mahler of Fargo Jet Center and Derek by Curt Epstein and AIN Staff Fitzgerald of Boston Scientific took the reins as co-S&D committee chairs for With this year’s theme of “Pursue Your in the current global environment, and some new clients into the mix, so it’s a next year’s show, its 30th anniversary Passion,” NBAA’s Schedulers and Dis- vetting supplemental lift. Other sessions great opportunity for us to promote our edition, which will return to San Antonio, patchers Conference (S&D) returned to dealt with operational issues such as businesses to one another.” Texas, from January 29 to February 1. n Long Beach, California, for the first time planning for operations at high-traffic A hallmark of the show has been its since 2009. Now in its 29th year, the events and the myriad details that must giving component, which aims to leave a annual conference continues to grow, be attended to as a new aircraft joins the lasting effect on the host city. Now in its Conference notes with more than 550 exhibitors, a record, department fleet. eighth year, S&D’s “Pay It Forward” cloth- on the sold-out exhibition floor this year. “We do find that with a lot of scheduling drive collected gently worn business It attracted more than 2,900 attendees, ers and dispatchers, our conference and attire from attendees. The thousands of Lisa Swartzwelder including more than 150 making their first the education that they receive is often garments were distributed to charities visit to the conference. the only education they are going to have such as Dress for Success, Pacific Gateway, honored for Several factors have led to more diversity throughout the year,” said Carpenter, who and Clothes the Deal, which will provide achievement, of attendees at SDC over the years, said con- serves as manager of support and training them to disadvantaged job seekers in the ference committee chair Robyn Carpenter. for Professional Flight Management. “We local community. Some companies have leadership One is the entry of more men into schedul- make sure that attendees are going away taken to conducting company-wide cloth- Lisa Swartzwelder, director of shuttle oper- ers and dispatchers career fields—positions with knowledge that they can use directly ing drives ahead of the show, delivering ations and flight administration at L Brands, that were previously occupied primarily in their flight departments. That is our hundreds of pounds of garments, while was named the recipient of the 10th annual by women. And changing communication main goal for the conference. Everything others donated large amounts of new NBAA Schedulers and Dispatchers Out- needs between flight departments and cor- else is icing on the cake.” clothing purchased just for the occasion. standing Achievement and Leadership porations have led to a “trend where it’s not “I liked the quality of the educational “Fit for Duty,” a show-sponsored walk/ Award at NBAA’s Schedulers and Dispatch- only schedulers and dispatchers at the con- sessions,” said Christy Hutchinson, oper- run also earned donations for the chari- ers Conference last month. She is also a ference, but also other department person- ations business manager with XOJet, who ties. For the first time this year, the S&D board member of the Ohio Regional Busi- nel, whether maintenance, crewmembers has attended 10 of the shows over the past advisory committee worked with the ness Aviation Association (ORBAA). and department leaders,” she said. 25 years. “I thought they were very infor- local school district on a presentation A former SDC committee chair, Swartz- Among those making their first visit to mative and are touching on topics that are describing what business aviation is and welder continually strives to bring train- S&D was Brian Abrahamson, a corporate relevant now in the industry, that people the employment opportunities that might ing and development resources to the aircraft supervisor with Merck’s flight are really interested in.” be found in it. The following day, a group business aviation community in her department, who participated in the While in past years, the exhibit hall of high school students was escorted to a first-time attendee passport program and would close during lunch, while all attend- mini-career day at the nearby Signature earned credits toward his Certified Avi- ees trooped into a nearby ballroom to eat, Flight Support FBO. “Business aviation ation Manager (CAM) certification. “My for the first time, the show floor remained has so many careers…that are available to company asked me to come and spend open during lunch to allow visitors more kids who might not know that business some time, do some networking, and see time to interact with exhibitors without aviation even exists,” said Amber Fin- some of the new products,” he said. “It’s conflicting with the educational sessions. chum, a former S&D chair and current more direct information and networking “Schedulers and Dispatchers is by far the head of the S&D advisory council’s Pay for the things that schedulers and dis- best event for this group,” noted Chris it Forward education initiative. “Some patchers actually need.” Little, chief marketing officer for Cali- of these kids have never seen an airplane The show provided a slate of more than fornia-based aviation services provider or been to an airport.” The next time the 30 education sessions ranging from plan- Desert Jet, who was attending her 11th show is in town, she hopes to see results

ning international operations in specific conference. “It gives us the opportunity from the seeds that were planted, this NBAA regions to safety issues such as dealing to really talk to the people that we work year. “If we can touch one student, it’s a S&D committee chair Robyn Carpenter (left) with inflight medical emergencies, under- with, get to share news about what’s going huge success,” she said. and NBAA head Ed Bolen present the award standing and combatting fatigue, security on, and we’re able to go forward and bring NBAA’s Joanne Damato, who stepped to Lisa Swartzwelder.

38 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com MEET THE MEET THE BUYER BUYER

MEET THE BUYER MEET THE BUYER

MEET THE BUYER MEET THE BUYER News from Schedulers and Dispatchers region. Engaging within academic aviation programs has also been a crucial part of her work with ORBAA, as has leading programs and conferences at the national level. With L Brands for more than a quarter century, she is involved with company programs such as the L Brands’ flight operations internship program, which she co-leads, and its crisis response team. Each year through her efforts with the

Corporate Angel Network, nearly 300 can- NBAA NBAA cer patients are transported to treatment The exhibit floor provided the venue for attendees and exhibitors to interact. Each of the The slate of more than 30 education aboard her company’s business aircraft. major fuel providers hosted a line-up of their dealer network FBOs. sessions attracted hundreds of attendees. “There’s no one person I know who has worked harder and done more for our industry than Lisa,” said Dan Wolfe, associate vice president, general manager and aircraft captain for Nationwide Aviation Business Center, who has known Swartz- welder for many years. “The more you give Lisa, the more she can do, and will do.” The award was created in 2008 to honor aviation visionaries with outstanding expertise and significant contributions to the scheduling and dispatching function.

NATA demonstrates NBAA system for managing MedAire’s Debbi Laux (c.) is a co-founder of As part of the S&D advisory committee’s educational outreach, organizers set up a trip for fuel quality control the show’s Pay It Forward initiative. students to a local FBO to learn about the industry and see business aviation in action. The National Air Transportation Associa- dating back to 2005, broken down by serial Flight Support, SkyVector, and Universal shows that flight activity in 2017 eclipsed 3 tion demonstrated its Safety 1st Fuel QC number, owner/operators, OEM (includ- Weather & Aviation contributed to the million flight hours for the first time since Management System (FQMS) at the 2018 ing specific models), airports and fleets scholarships. NBAA and its Schedulers 2008,” he said. “With Part 135 operators NBAA Schedulers and Dispatchers Confer- across North America and Europe. and Dispatchers Committee offer schol- leading the way, 2017 flight activity rose 3.9 ence. A cloud-based digital tool for general The company has also launched a fuel/ arships through two interconnected pro- percent from 2016, while flight hours rose and business aviation fuel quality manage- tech stop finder, which will enable users to grams. Each promotes professional and 5.5 percent for the same period.” ment inspections, it replaces the traditional determine serial-number-specific refueling career development for business aviation Nearly half of those businesses respond- pen-and-paper record keeping process with opportunities. “The new Fuel/Tech Stop schedulers and dispatchers. ing to the survey said they added to their an intelligent system that increases man- tool is a game changer for our customers,” The S&D Scholarship Program offers workforce last year and plan to boost agement visibility, employee accountability, said Jason Lorraine JetNet’s senior tech/ cash grants that can be used toward dif- staffing with newly created positions this and operational safety. A date/time stamp- sales specialist. “This feature allows them ferent professional development pro- year. When asked about their confidence ing feature enables managers to verify where to identify where aircraft make fuel/tech grams. The committee has awarded more in the economy, nearly three-quarters of and when inspections were performed, stops across North America and Europe, than $700,000 in scholarships since 1997. the respondents said it is headed in the increasing team accountability, while the and is a huge time saver in generating pros- Meanwhile, the S&D Training Scholar- right direction. “We were encouraged to digital storage allows access to all quality- pecting lists for fuel providers.” ship Program provides opportunities for see that 73 percent gave the economy a control records. The company is also releasing a com- hands-on teaching initiatives. strong thumbs-up,” Enticknap said. “By The product is offered to NATA mem- prehensive set of market reports. The new comparison, in last year’s survey, 53 per- bers at an “affordable” monthly rate, format provides users with approximately cent approved the direction of the econ- according to the association, “making it 20 pages of model intelligence, including FBO survey sees omy, and the year before, only 27 percent available to even the smallest FBO.” specifications and range maps, among growth in 2017, gave approval.” other features. When asked about the coming year, half optimism for 2018 of the respondents said they expect their JetNet unveils On the eve of the NBAA Schedulers and fuel sales to rise between 1 and 8 percent, prospecting tools Committee awards Dispatchers Conference, the Aviation Busi- while nearly 10 percent predicted even scholarships for ness Strategies Group (ABSG) released greater improvement. Only 7 percent for FBOs the results of its annual FBO Survey and forecast lower fuel sales in 2018. Industry data provider JetNet introduced continuing education Industry Forecast. According to the com- As part of its analysis, ABSG predicts several major updates to its products at NBAA and its Schedulers and Dispatch- pany, more than half (53 percent) of the that the FBO industry will continue its NBAA’s annual Schedulers and Dispatch- ers Committee announced the recipients FBOs surveyed for the report indicated moderate recovery from the 2008-09 ers Conference. A new Aircraft Flight of its scholarships during the Schedul- they saw a year-over-year increase in fuel downturn. The company further suggests Activity/Utilization program will help ers and Dispatchers Conference in Long sales in 2017. While nearly a third of sur- that consolidation will be moderate among subscribers prospect for new customers. Beach, California. Abbie Fox, Lindsey veyed FBOs reported lagging fuel sales last the larger chains while new FBO networks The program was designed with FBO and Kaychok, Megan Knox, Zachary Krammer, year compared with 2016, the top-fifth-per- will emerge with target acquisitions that airport operations service providers in Kasia Segieda, and Jessica Wicks collec- forming facilities saw fuel sales climb by include second-tier FBO locations. Based mind, so users “can easily generate lists tively will receive $41,000 in S&D scholar- more than 8 percent last year, noted ABSG on continued expansion of the U.S. econ- to target decision-makers for…fuel and/ ships to aid their aviation careers through co-principal John Enticknap. omy, the company expects business avi- or ground services,” said Paul Cardarelli, continuing education. Those sales were boosted by an indus- ation flight hours will continue to grow the Utica, N.Y.-based company’s vice pres- This year Carolina Aviation Profession- try-wide surge in business aviation flight at a pace of between 2 and 4 percent ident of sales. Using the new system, cus- als Association, Jet Aviation, Million Air, hours, said ABSG co-principal Ron Jackson. monthly throughout the year, translating tomers will have access to aviation activity Phillips 66, Rockwell Collins, Signature “Flight data provided by Argus TraqPak to increased FBO fuel sales. n

40 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com corporate aviation seminars. NBAA in 2012 Bizav safety data expert recognized Breiling’s contributions to the business aviation community with its Jack Doswell Award. Bob Breiling dies | by Kerry Lynch Breiling continued to compile safety data throughout the years, turning his business Robert E. Breiling, a business aviation Breiling was actively involved in the indus- over to the International Business Aviation safety expert who pioneered industry try, serving on the NBAA board of directors Council and NBAA in 2015. He continued accident data collection and analysis, from 1973 to 1980, and as a regular speaker to gather data for a few years, retiring com- died on January 26, shortly before at NBAA’s and Flight Safety Foundation’s pletely within the past year. n his eighty-ninth birthday. “As the preeminent business aviation safety data expert, Breiling helped promote standards that have led to improvements in safety and training,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. Born Feb. 12, 1929, Breiling had an aviation career that spanned seven decades, beginning in 1951, when he joined the U.S. Navy. He became a pilot and flew a McDonnell Banshee F2H-3 and F9F Panther, one of the first aircraft carrier-based fighter jets and Grumman’s first fighter jet. Stationed in the Pacific, Breiling flew from the U.S.S. Hornet. He continued his service in the Navy Reserves until 1974, retiring as a commander of a Lockheed P-2V squadron. Following his active Navy service, Breiling became a pilot for Pan American World Airways. While serving with the airline, he became involved in the business aviation industry. He had met an aviation insurance executive who was con- Ready for a training cerned that his clients were purchasing business jets but knew little about them. Breiling was retained as a consultant to visit these operators. He ultimately joined the insurance partner more focused industry and began to evaluate new jets and products, and began com- piling business jet and turboprop accident statistics. on your needs? “It was then that I began to real- ize that there were a number of different operator types and began classifying each,” Breiling had said. Welcome to CAE, training partners with a diff erence. Our flexibility means “By categorizing the accident data we’re more able to accommodate your personal schedule or meet your this way we were able to identify specifi c training needs. Add-in our highly-skilled and dedicated instructors, the areas of weakness and also show that the professionally flown plus a network of centers situated in cities with so much more to offer, and we jets had a safety record compara- think you’ll fi nd us a better fi t all round. Ready for a friendlier, more custom- ble to that of the air carriers.” tailored training experience? Get it with CAE. This data not only helped advance safety, but was also instrumental in Elevate your training experience and work with a team paving the way for an FAA alternate that permitted use of advanced that works with you. simulators for pilot recurrency For more information: 1-800-527-2463 or www.trainwithcae.com requirements. In fact, Breiling left the insurance industry to help found SimuFlite Training International, now part of CAE. He later returned to the insurance industry, but found so many companies looking for informa- Your worldwide tion from him that he founded his own aviation safety data business training partner in the 1980s. In addition to helping of choice expand the use of simulation for training, his data further helped support the establishment of Part 91K regulations.

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 41 and general aviation. Its participants— Amanda Joyner, director of government affairs for GAMA; Katie DeLuca, attorney at Harper, Meyer, Perez, Hagen, O’Con- nor, Albert & Dribin; Laura Everington, senior manager, Universal Weather; Rebecca Mulholland, chief of staff and director of legislative affairs for NATA; and Jacquelyn Gluck, attorney at Roller & Bauer—discussed everything from ADS-B equipage to ATC privatization, non-citizen trusts, and changes coming to Customs and Border Protection overflight permitting procedures and APIS program. The keynote speakers included Shaesta Waiz, the founder of Dreamssoar.org, an advocate for STEM who last year set the record as the youngest woman to fly around the world solo. Waiz reached more than 3,000 students in 20 countries,

PHOTOS: AMY LABODA PHOTOS: many of them young girls for whom she IAWA board president Alina Nassar, second from left, and several board members attended the Florida event. was a role model. Balancing Waiz’s youth was Retired Lt. Col. Christine Mau, who owns the title of first woman to fly the F-35 Lightning II for At IAWA forum today’s female leaders the U.S. Air Force. Mau charted her path to leadership for the crowd and left them with these key pieces of advice: “Honesty look to nurture the next generation is an expensive gift. Both ask for and give feedback. Ignore the haters. Persevere, by Amy Laboda because everyone fails—get over it!”

Once upon a time the way women rose Bried was part of a dynamic group counsel at their firms, senior managers in to positions of leadership within aviation led by Rene Banglesdorf, CEO of Char- government and industry, executive direc- was by fitting in, keeping a relatively low lie Bravo Aviation in Austin, Texas, who tors, vice presidents, founders, and CEOs profile, and toeing the company line. The came together January 25 for the orga- of their companies. Behavioral and emo- ones who made it to the top often dealt nization’s inaugural women’s leadership tional intelligence and communication with their share of hardship on the way forum in Atlantic Aviation’s hangar at the traits were fulcrum topics around which up, and made a lot of sacrifices. They also Boca Raton, Florida, airport. representatives from Embraer Executive learned to find a good mentor: someone, The one-day forum, sponsored by a Jets, Flexjet, Aero & Marine Tax Profes- or several people, who could provide host of international and domestic avia- sionals, Barbera & Watkins law firm, and excellent advice and keep counsel. tion-based companies, concentrated on Greteman Group Marketing Communica- The International Aviation Women’s coaching attendees on the traits of strong tions talked about everything from honing Association (IAWA) was born nearly 30 leaders as well as on work-life balance; a personal brand to social media market- years ago, when a group of women leaders breaking out of one’s comfort zone and ing and the deft handling of demanding, or in aviation and aerospace came together taking big risks to reap big rewards; how even demeaning, clients (or bosses). to network and mentor each other. That general aviation can connect one’s altruism The GA Humanitarian panel included core of women—many of whom were law- with opportunities for humanitarian aid, compelling presentations by Jodie Krisiak, yers, government administrators, bank- organ donation, and disaster relief flights; pilot for the New England Donor Services Shaesta Waiz, founder of Dreamssoar.org, ers, and aircraft sales and manufacturing the future of general aviation regulation; (NEDS), managed by Solarius Aviation; talks about her outreach to more than 3,000 leaders—has grown over time to become and addressing the problem of recruiting Robin Eissler, Founder of Sky Hope Net- children on a record-setting around-the-world a powerhouse network of 500 members more women into general aviation. work; and Eileen Minogue, who directs solo flight. worldwide, according to Abby Bried, past Panel presentations introduced the Patient Airlift Services (PALS). Krisiak president and board member. attendees to women who were head described her mixed emotions upon get- The final hour of the forum was ting a call to go fly during a 24-hour shift, focused on small-group discussions and explaining, “When I get the call to come problem solving, led by Sierra Grimes, fly I tear up, because I know that some- NBAA’s Manager of Young Profession- one is saying goodbye to a loved one; and als in Business program. When the large yet others are getting new hope all at the white papers full of suggestions lined the same time.” NEDS saved more than 200 massive hangar door, the groups broke up lives last year with organs transported by for less formal networking and conversa- its flight department’s Cessna Citations. tions that buzzed with ideas and solutions. Eissler and Minogue, who have recently “We’re excited by the turnout and the teamed up, showed off their Best Practices vibrancy of this group,” said IAWA presi- for Disaster Relief Flying manual. “We had dent Alina Nassar, a partner with Nassar a huge outpouring of assistance from the Abogados law firm in San Jose, Costa GA community after Hurricane Harvey,” Rica. IAWA is planning more meet-ups said Eissler. “All of a sudden in Texas we around the world at various NBAA and had all these Sunday fliers volunteering, other aviation events, including the third which created interesting problems.” The Latin America and Caribbean Forum on manual, which they are making available to Women Aviation Leaders held in Mexico all GA pilots, should mitigate those issues. City last month. IAWA will celebrate its Yet one more panel focused on cur- 30th birthday with its own conference in The group broke out into small work group discussions on how to recruit more women into aviation. rent issues between government, law, Memphis, Tennessee, October 24-26. n

42 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com Keith Plumb to leave The founder of fractional Executive AirShare | by Kerry Lynch provider Executive AirShare, Keith Plumb, is stepping down Keith Plumb—who co-founded passion for customer satisfaction. The out- as president and CEO of the regional fractional ownership pro- standing team he has built here is certainly company. Plumb retains an vider Executive AirShare in 2000 testament to this desire. We wish him the best interest in Executive AirShare with a partner, six employees, and of luck in his future endeavors.” n as an investor. two King Airs—has decided to leave his position as president and CEO. Plumb will step down in the 30 to 60 days following the Febru- ary 1 announcement as a search for a successor is launched. He will assist in a transition under which current CFO John Owen will serve as interim president. “It has been a privilege and an honor to work with such a great group of energetic employees, Visit us at exceptional customers, and committed investors,” Plumb said. “The IOC2018! majority of my career has been building Executive AirShare with Bob Taylor, and it is amazing where Nonstop excellence. the business is today since starting as a Wichita-based company in 2000 with only two aircraft.” The company has since grown to Nonstop elegance. an operation that has more than 50 aircraft, nearly 200 employees, and bases in Fort Worth, Dallas, Wichita, Kansas City, and Buffalo. He credited the passion of his employees for the successes of the company and said the company has a strong foundation for future success. But after more than 17 years de voted to building the company, he felt the time was right to step away and “recharge the batteries.” While he has not yet begun to look at other potential opportunities, Plumb said he does not plan to retire. He also stressed that he will still have an interest in Executive AirShare as an investor in the company. “We cannot thank Keith enough for the immense contributions he has made to Executive AirShare, directly impacting the significant growth we have experienced during his tenure,” said Wiley Curran, president and chairman of Curran Companies and management board member of Executive AirShare. “He has always displayed a relentless

NEWS note Honda Aircraft’s Chinese dealer Honsan General Aviation in KVNY - Van Nuys, CA PHNL - Honolulu, HI KPAE - Everett, WA January opened its new operation, which is housed in a new multimillion-dollar FBO complex at Guangzhou Baiyun Internation- Fuel . Ground Handling . Catering . Hangar Storage . Customs al Airport. Honsan is the sales, service, and support provider for HondaJet in mainland China, CastleCookeAviation.com | (818) 988-8385 Hong Kong, and Macau. n

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 43 continued from page 1 Piper aircraft reported 50 percent year- the continued push to carve the U.S. air However, Congress still needs to push over-year jump in single-engine primary traffic control organization out the FAA through with certification reforms to help 2017 delivery stats trainer aircraft deliveries and a 70 percent and create an independent, user-funded on the Part 25 side, he said. This includes leap in multi-engine trainers. organization controlled by an appointed increased access to organization desig- hint at postive 2018 Bunce sees a different dynamic playing board. “We absolutely have got to beat that nation authorization (ODA). Companies into this improving training market for both back. [This] would be very debilitating not invested heavily to transition to the ODA “I am very bullish on where the industry is fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft. “We know only for our industry, but overall would be system, but the benefits have yet to be going right now.” that pilot wages are coming up because terrible for all of aviation,” he said. fully realized, he said. The fixed-wing gains were led by there is a very strong demand for pilots, and Bunce questioned why backers are insis- ADS-B equipage remains a concern increases in the piston (up 66 units in no one sees that abating any time soon,” he tent on tinkering with a system he called for GAMA, and Bunce said he believes 2017 to 1,085) and business jet segments said. With a rapid improvement in wages, the envy of the world. He noted that the aircraft will be left grounded when the (up 15 units to 676). The only dip in fixed- the training market now has a need to build U.S. system is an example to other loca- 2020 deadline rolls around because own- wing shipments came from turboprops, up fleets. “On the rotorcraft side and piston tions with capabilities not found elsewhere. ers don’t book their slots early enough. with a total of 19 fewer deliveries, to 563 side that’s very good news,” he said. He added that other countries come to the The capacity is still there, but it is slow- units, in 2017. As for rotorcraft results, the piston mar- U.S. to learn technologies. ing down, he said. n However, even with the 1.3 percent ket increased by 40 units, to 264, and the Another concern is the “bandwidth increase in business jet shipments and a turbine market by 25 units, to 662 (turbine within the FAA” to keep up with an increas- 6.47 percent gain in piston-aircraft deliver- market totals do not include Leonardo ing list of responsibilities, including the ies, billings were down by more than $900 fourth quarter tallies since the company regulation of unmanned and urban mobil- NEWS note million in 2017 to $20.2 billion. Bunce does not report results until this month). ity vehicles. The FAA will need to address attributed the slide in billings to a shift in Along with an improved training market, how to fold them into the airspace and Transport Canada is scheduled to start the mix of aircraft delivered. Bunce sees the rotorcraft market, particu- develop operational rules. “It’s going to so-called “targeted inspections” of On the business jet side, gains were larly on the turbine side, benefitting from happen,” he said of these markets, but various aviation segments in a move made from a continued ramp up in the a strengthening oil-and-gas industry along added the FAA will need the resources to the agency describes as a “new process HondaJet, from 23 units in 2016 to 43 last with emerging markets. China in particular facilitate these initiatives. Bunce suggested to evaluate specific safety priorities.” year, as well as the Cirrus Vision SF50, has been strong for rotorcraft, he said. that the aviation community, working Between April 2018 and March 2019, from the first three units in 2016 to 22 last While Bunce admits he is not an eco- with government, should develop means Transport Canada will conduct targeted year. Textron also saw its Citation Lati- nomic prognosticator, he remains upbeat for new users to contribute to the system inspections of turbine-powered business tude deliveries increase by 12 units. about the prospects throughout the indus- to provide the necessary resources. This aircraft operators, as well as heliports, At the same time though, Bombardier’s try. “There’s nothing out there…that leads would pave the way for such additions to aerial work, and general aviation. Global and Challenger shipments fell by to pessimism about where we are going,” the airspace, he said, expressing concern The purpose of these targeted inspec- 13 units, to 139, and Dassault’s deliveries he said. “We’ve got some very healthy mar- that otherwise, the technologies will be tions as they pertain to business aviation were flat at 49.Gulfstream ’s large-aircraft kets out there. If we can get some geopo- ready long before the operational rules. is to “evaluate the effectiveness of the shipments, meanwhile, were down by four. litical stability in other parts of the world, On the certification side, Bunce is more newly introduced Part 6, Subpart 4 of Also affecting billings was the contin- then we can really get going.” optimistic, saying the new Part 23 is pro- Canadian Aviation Regulations (CAR) ued pricing pressure the OEMs faced. viding a means for certification of such Part 604.” The Canadian Business Avi- The turboprop drop came primarily Market Challenges new technologies. And he added that he ation Association contends some 65 from the multi-engine models. King Air However, the GAMA chief also cautioned is “absolutely convinced we are already private operators will be subject to the deliveries slid by 20 units and Piaggio that pitfalls still may lie ahead for the seeing benefits” of the rewrite with new targeted inspections. n Avanti Evos were down by one. The sin- industry. Chief among them, he said, is safety technologies coming on the market. gle-engine turboprop models, meanwhile, were up by six units, to 473. Bunce called the overall dip a “minor blip” and noted that there is activity on the turboprop front with new models and technologies White House seeks cuts in FAA funding for FY2019 in the works. The White House Fiscal Year 2019 budget resources from the recent budget agreement, FAA air traffic control functions to an inde- Encouraging Outlook proposal is drawing criticism not only for its Congress should reject these reductions.” pendent entity. That measure emphasized Overall though, Bunce was encouraged by plan to privatize the U.S. air traffic control As the White House looks to 2019 fund- the clear opposition of Senate appropriators the outlook in the turbine market, pointing system long-term, but also for near-term ing, Congress still must finalize the Fiscal to the ATC proposal. to positive signs in the used market. “You cuts. Under budget documents released Year 2018 budget. Lawmakers last month The latest temporary funding measure have an interesting dynamic coming into last month, the FAA would sustain a nearly once again approved a temporary funding was approved on February 8 as govern- play with the used market. We’re getting $300 million cut overall from 2017 levels. measure for most government agencies, ment funding was set to expire once more. some really nice action happening on the (Congress has not yet finalized Fiscal Year including the FAA, to provide time to hash In January, the government shut down for used side,” he said, noting this has a rip- 2018 levels.) The budget seeks stable air- out the final 2018 appropriations levels three days when lawmakers were unable ple effect to new models. He suggested ports funding at $3.35 billion, but proposes based on newly set federal budget caps. to reach agreement before the government that many factors could be playing into this a $95 million cut in the agency’s operations Congress now has until March 23 to pass funding lapsed on January 20. The shutdown strengthening, including the recently passed account to $9.93 billion, an $88 million cut in the full year 2018 funding bills. affected nearly 18,000 FAA employees and 100 percent expensing option for used air- facilities and equipment, to $2.77 billion, and The new budget caps should provide for temporarily disrupted key activities, such craft, as well as the right aircraft with the a $103 million drop in research and develop- increased agency funding in 2018, and the aircraft registration and aviation rulemaking. right equipment. “There’s some great deals ment (R&D) funding, to $74 million. FAA had already been in line for a budget The shutdown placed a spotlight on the to be had that won’t exist forever in the David Silver, vice president for civil avia- increase under full year Fiscal Year 2018 fact that the U.S. aircraft registry remains used market,” he said. Conversely he sees tion for the Aerospace Industries Association, appropriations bills introduced last year in vulnerable a government shutdown, despite new aircraft also being helped by upcom- expressed concern that the cuts would slash both the House and Senate. bills introduced in the House and Senate ing equipage mandates, such as ADS-B that important NextGen and R&D efforts. “The Those appropriations bills also included intended to shield it from such an event. may be forcing purchase decisions. NextGen modernization program represents a number of other provisions of interest to Those protections are included in the FAA Bunce sees this dynamic carrying for- the future of the nation’s aviation infrastruc- the business aviation community such as a reauthorization package that has yet to ward, noting that with a more solid gross ture. Yet the Fiscal Year 2019 budget requests directive to improve use of organizational make its way through Congress. domestic product, tax reform, and stabil- $952 million, an amount far below what is delegation authority, improved studies on General Aviation Manufacturers Associ- ity in many global markets. “All indica- required for success and even below the Fis- Part 135 activity and continued privacy pro- ation president and CEO Pete Bunce said tions are that it’s been very healthy for cal Year 2017 enacted level of $1.1 billion,” he tections for real-time flight tracking activity. the need for those provisions further under- the jet manufacturers. said. “The request also cuts important FAA The Senate version of the full-year bill also scores the need to get a full reauthorization In the piston market, trainers have research activities. Especially with increased includes an outright ban on a transition of package passed. K.L. provided a significant boost to deliveries.

44 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com business aviation’s destiny under any deal. focused on guarantees of what produc- Boeing buy would control Embraer’s most recent results show that tion would remain in Brazil, but Valor through the third quarter, commercial and concentrated on the money. According by Richard Pedicini business aviation were responsible for to the publication, the new firm would Embraer Exec Jets and Kerry Lynch 62.6 percent and 20.3 percent, respectively, be independently valued, paid for in cash of the $4.1 billion in net revenue, while that would be distributed as a dividend to After the Brazilian government Embraer issued two denials of market defense accounted for 16.6 percent and shareholders, and would report directly to used its “golden share” to block rumors earlier last month, while admitting “other” for 0.5 percent. Boeing in Chicago, with Embraer retaining two proposals from Boeing, which that a joint subsidiary is under consider- Previous speculation about the Boeing- the rights inherent to any minority share- initially wanted to buy all of ation, though Valor is the first to address Embraer deal in the Brazilian press had holder. n Embraer, negotiations now focus on a joint venture with Boeing having 80 percent to 90 percent of the capital and control, according to several reports. Embraer’s executive and commercial jet divisions would be included in the new venture, with a “shrunken” Embraer retaining defense. The Boeing Company and Embraer in December confirmed that they are engaged in talks about a “potential combination.” At that time, the companies issued a short statement saying the basis of a combination remains under discussion and that “there is no guarantee a transaction will result from these discussions.” Such a move, though, would be subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals. Boeing/Embraer talks do not come as a surprise given the loom- ing alliance of rivals Airbus and Bombardier. The two have formed “clean teams” as they finalize plans for the European manufacturer to take a 50.01-percent stake in the C Series Aircraft Limited Partner- “DOES THE PLANE ship (CSALP). Under the agreement, Bombardier Aerospace and Québec provincial economic HAVE DOGGIE development agency Investisse- ment Québec will reduce their stakes in CSALP to 31 percent and SEATBELTS? ” 19 percent, respectively. The prospective alliance would come as Embraer prepares to bring the first of its new E-Jet E2 We make time for every question. family, the E190-E2, to market this year. Embraer Commercial Aviation CEO John Slattery had indicated that any stimulation of the narrowbody market resulting from Airbus’s involvement in the Bombardier C Series program could also serve to stimulate Aviation sales and acquisitions. Embraer’s E190-E2 and E195-E2, World-class service from the start. the primary challengers of the C Series in the under-150-seat market segment. At press time, Brazlian business newspaper Valor Econômico predicted complex negotiations on 303-444-6766 such subjects as where engineers [email protected] would be assigned, and whether JETSALES.COM Boeing would handle sales and marketing of Embraer’s defense line. Agreements on parts supply, technology, and training would have to be hammered out, with the proposal returning to the Brazilian government sometime last month.

CLIENT DATE JOB # VERSION CONCEPT/ART MESINGER JET SALES 02.09.18 JET-0001 R4 SEATBELT PUBLICATIONainonline.comSIZE \ MarchDIMENSIONS 2018 \COLOR Aviation International News 45 AIN JR TAB PAGE 7.8125“ X 10.375” C M Y K Peterson, Spartan Education Group president and CEO, told AIN he sees a flexible Russia program like Spartan’s as essential to meet this demand. The school worked with Computerized Training Systems to create flirts with the online platform for the distance education section of the program. Spartan Col- lege’s program advisory board—made up SSBJ Tu-160 of representatives from American Airlines, Bell Helicopter, and Northrop Grumman— by Vladimir Karnozov oversee the course along with the FAA. As technology advances, the course will shift Russian president Vladimir Putin sug- to meet expectations. gested manufacturing a civilian, supersonic Universities in other countries are also business jet (SSBJ) version of the Tupolev interested in the program. Peterson told Tu-160M2 swing-wing strategic bomber AIN that two universities in China as during a January visit to the Kazan Aviation well as universities and organizations in Production Association (KAPO) to watch South Korea, the UAE, and Vietnam have the maiden flight of the Mach 2 airplane. been in contact with Spartan College. The On January 29 Russia’s ministry for indus- As part of Spartan’s hybrid distance-learning program, the school’s students can complete a schools have shown interest in having try and trade released a statement saying nearly year-long online section before arriving on campus to complete hands-on training. their students complete the online sec- the demand for supersonic business jets tion and then attend Spartan College to (SSBJs) in Russia alone is estimated at 20 to complete the traditional courses. Spartan 30 units, with each selling at $100 million to itself is interested in expanding its hybrid $120 million, and saying the global market Spartan College creates program to its other facilities in the U.S. would also be “substantial.” “We want to expand our [traditional] At first blush, Putin’s idea was taken as programs in Tulsa; Denver; Los Angeles; a part of the rhetoric associated with the partially online AMT program and Riverside, California,” Peterson told March 18 presidential elections. However, AIN. “We also want to expand our hybrid United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) president Yuri by Samantha Cartaino program, which is currently in Tulsa, but Slyusar has since announced that his com- will grow to Colorado and California as pany has started working on “a supersonic Is it possible to earn a maintenance degree maintenance and a 7- to 9-month on-ground well. [The expansion] is subject to the civilian airplane” and said “technologies online? Spartan College of Aeronautics section for advanced learning. The school department of education, our creditor and design solutions from the Tu-160 can and Technology has begun to explore this provides each student with a Microsoft ACCSC, and the FAA. We are conducting be applied.” question. According to the FAA, the school Surface tablet for online learning such as exploratory research to figure out where Seemingly, UAC’s announcement was is “the first authorized to conduct a dis- simulation programs. While students learn and how fast we can expand.” about an SSBJ scale model on display at tance learning program.” The school has at their own pace, it can take approximately Spartan College of Aeronautics and MAKS’2017 at the stand of the Central created a hybrid program that combines a year and a half to earn an FAA-approved Technology is also exploring more airline Aero-hydra-dynamics Institute. Industry online courses with traditional courses in AMT degree. The hybrid course potentially partnerships for its students. The school sources believe an SSBJ can be designed and person at its Tulsa, Oklahoma facility. The reduces loans for students, who can con- recently started a partnership with Delta built in seven years, provided it uses an exist- first class to complete this new program tinue to live at home and keep their jobs Air Lines through which students could ing engine such as the Nukolai Kuznetsov graduated in December 2017. during the online portion. be eligible to be hired by Delta once they NK-32-02 afterburner-equipped turbofans Spartan College’s partially online avi- Boeing’s 2017-2036 Pilot and Techni- receive their degree. Spartan College has being tested on the Tu-160M2 prototype. ation maintenance program is separated cian Outlook Forecast predicts a need a similar partnership with Envoy’s Cadet A number of Russian government offi- into two parts: a 10- to 13-month online sec- for 648,000 new mechanics in the indus- Program for pilot training once they cials and industry leaders who spoke to the tion to learn the fundamentals of aviation try over the next 20 years, and Dr. Dan receive their degree. n media in recent days insisted that a number of local and foreign wealthy individuals want a supersonic jet. In fact, they said some have even asked Russia to make one available. Even though they admit the production Nextant gets FAA sign-off on G90XT run would be limited, the expected flyaway price of $150 million (including interior and Cleveland-based Nextant Aerospace has power control technology with a complete the previous cooling capacity, and an inte- options) would make it worth an effort, the received full approval for the G90XT tur- electronic engine control system, Nextant rior that features a new composite shell, officials said. “The main thing to consider boprop, with U.S. certification for a new said. The G90XT integrates both engine seats and an improved cabin layout. is that the plant in Kazan has mastered pro- single-lever power control system, the and fuel monitoring on a digital basis into Nextant expected EASA validation to duction of long members in the force-bear- company announced last month. Nextant the multifunction display. It is also equipped follow shortly. With FAA certification now in ing structure [made of titanium], [and] called the latest FAA sign-off the “final with a new digital pressurization system, an hand, the company is launching a U.S. tour that we have a capable engineering team piece of certification” that followed previ- environmental cooling system that triples of the aircraft. K.L. and technologies mastered on the Tu-160 ous approvals for the GE H75 engines and which are applicable to both military and Garmin G1000 avionics on the remanufac- civilian airplanes,” said Dmitry Rogozin, tured Beechcraft King Air C90A. Russia’s deputy prime minister responsible “Our goal was to bring a level of technol- for the military industrial complex. ogy to the King Air platform that has been He stressed that adding commercial missing for decades,” said Nextant execu- orders to the one placed by the Russian tive v-p Jay Heublein. “While the King Air defense ministry for 10 Tu-160M2s (with is recognized as the most successful plat- an option for 40 more) would “increase the form in the history of business aviation, the production run and decrease unit cost.” n fleet has not benefited from the significant advances in technology that its counter- part in the jet market has.” This certification makes it the first tur- YOUR SOURCE FOR AVIATION NEWS

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FOR NEWS VIDEO FROM DUBAI

FEATURE LTE avoidance: awareness and training are key to prevention by David Jack Kenny

The sequence may seem inexplicable: a helicopter in apparently slow, stable flight begins spinning faster and faster until it falls to the ground. Its occupants may or may not escape, but the aircraft is usually destroyed. The likely cause or contributing factor: loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE), raising the possibility that training for LTE is inadequate and needs to be reconsidered in light of these accidents.

LTE Defined a helicopter with a counterclockwise The specific phrasing “loss of tail rotor main rotor, bearing in mind that all the effectiveness” is significant. While certain details are exactly opposite in a clockwise types of mechanical failures produce sim- design.) The “equal and opposite reac- ilar effects, LTE is a purely aerodynamic tion” described by Newton’s Third Law phenomenon in which a fully functional of Motion spins the rest of the ship in the tail rotor system fails to provide effective opposite direction, clearly not acceptable directional control. The result is sudden behavior in a functional aircraft. The tra- uncommanded yaw that can’t be arrested ditional solution is to use a small rotor by normal control inputs. The problem is facing sideways—that is, perpendicular to rooted in one of the basic challenges of the plane of the main rotor—at the end rotorcraft design. of a tailboom to counter that spin with Conventional helicopters have a sin- lateral thrust. gle main rotor. In most U.S.-made mod- The amount of thrust required depends els it turns counterclockwise; on some on multiple factors: changes in the torque European and Russian models it turns produced by the engine in response to the clockwise. (For simplicity, we’ll describe power requirements of different flight

A few recent examples:

Fallon, Nevada, July 3, 2014: A Eurocop- inverted and catching fire. The pilot escaped 1,000-foot drop. No one on board was seri- the trees in a 45-degree nose-down attitude. ter AS350B3 conducting long-line external with injuries, but the flight nurse, paramedic, ously injured; the patient was moved to These details were corroborated by Univer- load operations approached a landing zone and patient were all killed. another landing zone and eventually hoisted sity of Virginia security camera footage. The on the lee side of a ridge with a 972-pound out by another helicopter. aircraft was being repositioned to provide load on a 100-foot line. Surface winds Tchentlo Lake, British Columbia, May Investigation into the Austrian accident security for the governor’s motorcade after gusted from five to 25 knots. With the cargo 4, 2016: A Bell 206B performing infrared has only begun, but the other three have assisting ground units responding to conten- about 10 feet above the drop zone, the heli- scanning over a recently logged forest flew been definitively attributed to one of the tious public demonstrations in the city. Both copter began swaying back and forth and at about 30 knots airspeed and an altitude aerodynamic misfortunes pecul iar to rotor- pilots were killed. then descended, rotating counterclockwise. of 150 feet. The grid legs were oriented east- craft: the loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE). The pilot tried to release the load but was west. To provide a clear view for the camera In recent years, LTE has accounted for 3 to 4 Gran Sasso, Abruzzo, Italy, Aug. 13, 2017: unable, most likely because of the rotation, operator, the pilot flew them in a left crab; percent of all helicopter accidents in the U.S. Footage posted to the Internet captured and could not stop the helicopter from hit- winds were about 10 knots from the west. As Because they typically occur at low altitude a red-and-white firefighting helicopter ting the ground and rolling onto its side. He the aircraft entered the last scan area flying close to obstructions in locations either urban approaching a landing zone in a mountain suffered only minor injuries. downwind at a groundspeed of 14 knots, it or remote, that figure understates the public meadow. As it slowed to walking speed, the began spinning to the right, rotating five safety consequences of this hazard. tail swung left and it began to rotate coun- Wichita Falls, Texas, Oct. 4, 2014: A Bell times as it “descended steeply, though not terclockwise as the nose dipped. After two 206L1+ EMS helicopter approached United rapidly, to the ground.” All three on board sur- Charlottesville, Virginia, Aug. 12, 2017: and a half revolutions, it hit hard on the rear Regional Hospital’s helipad in very light vived but suffered significant injuries. While the investigation is still in the informa- of the skids and rolled over. Gusty winds winds. The pilot decided the approach was tion-gathering stage, the NTSB’s preliminary were reported at the scene. All three on high and fast and tried to go around, pitch- Großglockner, Austria, Aug. 1, 2017: A report on the fatal crash of the Virginia State board survived. ing forward to build airspeed. A witness on McDonnell-Douglas 902 evacuating a Police helicopter bears many of the hallmarks the ground saw the helicopter begin spin- patient from above the 11,000-foot mark of of LTE. Preliminary radar track data showed Clint Johnson, now chief of the NTSB’s ning, slowly at first, and descend behind the Austria’s highest mountain was balanced on the helicopter beginning a right turn before Anchorage, Alaska office, once narrowly building. The pilot reported that when he one skid while loading. Just after the patient rapidly descending out of sight; the final escaped an LTE encounter on a windswept increased power to climb, the ship entered boarded, its tail lifted and swung to the left. return showed a groundspeed of 30 knots. ridgeline. His recollections and a recre- a “violent” right spin. He was unable to The helicopter made two rotations nose-low The preponderance of witness testimony indi- ation of the flight form the core of theNTSB regain control. The helicopter completed at at accelerating speed before crashing onto cated that from a hover, it spun to the right Safety Alert Video—LTE. See the videos at least five rotations before hitting the ground the rocks and coming to rest just above a and continued spinning as it descended into www.ainonline.com/LTEAccidents.

48 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com regimes, the aircraft’s loaded weight, about the pilot’s four- to seven-o’clock aren’t widely available. Not all of those suitable landing surface (to remain well environmental conditions including positions) tend to swing the helicopter’s that exist convincingly recreate the sud- above the height/velocity curve with density altitude, and whether the pilot tail downwind. The initial yaw may be denness and severity of real LTE events, plenty of room to lower collective and wants to hold the nose straight or turn. either left or right and begins gradually, and as the National Transportation Safety fly out of LTE) and coming to a hover. Because the tail rotor spins at a near- but can accelerate quickly if not coun- Board noted in a March 2017 Safety Alert, Slowly relax the pedal, allowing yaw to constant speed—a fixed multiple of that tered right away. “Due to safety concerns, training for LTE develop, then reapply to stop the yaw of the main rotor, to which it’s mechan- Tail rotor vortex ring state—More-or- is rarely done in an actual helicopter.” and return to the previous heading. ically connected by a system of drive less direct crosswinds opposing the tail That challenge is compounded by the fact Repeating this maneuver and allowing shafts and gear boxes and whose own rotor’s thrust—left crosswinds from about that many instructors are themselves rel- more and faster yaw to develop, you may speed is maintained within a very narrow seven to eleven o-clock—cause rapid and atively inexperienced, having earned that find that full opposite pedal will not stop range in all normal flight operations—tail unpredictable fluctuations in tail rotor credential to build the flight time needed the yaw. You now have LTE. The only rotor thrust is modulated by changing its thrust, requiring quick and accurate pedal to qualify for a “real” flying job, and shy practical way of stopping the spinning is blades’ angle of attack. The pilot accom- inputs to compensate. LTE can result away from the more precarious corners of to reduce power by lowering collective plishes this with pressure on anti-torque when pedal inputs that fall further behind the flight envelope. (Fixed-wing instruc- and gain some airspeed, still holding full pedals, one for each foot. They vary the the aircraft trigger overcorrections. tion suffers from a similar problem.) opposite pedal. pitch of the tail rotor blades via mechani- Pete Gillies, who retired as chief pilot “The whole idea is to be able to quickly cal linkages in small helicopters, hydraulic Recovery and Training after 44 years with Western Helicopters recognize the oncoming loss of yaw con- circuits in large ones. As with most aviation emergencies, pre- and spent most of his 50-plus years in trol and learn how to fix it before you’ve Like everything else in aircraft design, vention is the best cure. Understanding helicopters flying powerline construc- lost it entirely.” tail rotor effectiveness is a matter of com- the situations conducive to LTE and being tion, sling loads, “mountain missions of promise. The engine produces a limited ready to meet any uncommanded yaw with all types,” fire suppression, and training Alternative Designs amount of power, so the more that’s pro- timely and forceful pedal pressure reduce other experienced pilots in the fine points One way to eliminate the torque reac- vided to the tail rotor, the less is available the chances of being caught by surprise or of those disciplines, offers these insights tion is to use two main rotors turning in to the main rotor to lift the ship. And, as failing to manage an adequate response. on surviving LTE encounters and training opposite directions, each countering the the FAA’s Helicopter Flying Handbook Stopping the turn immediately is essen- for them in the aircraft: effects of the other. However, the addi- points out, “Environmental factors can tial. Once it reaches 180 degrees, success- “The only time helicopter pilots rou- tional weight and power requirements overwhelm any aircraft.” The result is that ful recovery requires altitude and elbow tinely apply full pedal in either direction make this option most practical in the no single-rotor helicopter has enough tail room, neither of which is usually available. is when checking freedom of controls heavy-lift category. rotor authority for every conceivable sit- Altitude offers the option of lowering before engine start. During normal flight, Another approach is use something uation. While the element common to collective, reducing both the main rotor a small amount corrects any yaw. It is other than a tail rotor to control yaw. every LTE accident is yaw accelerating blades’ angle of attack and engine output. seldom necessary to apply full pedal, so Beginning in the 1970s, McDonnell-Doug- beyond the tail rotor’s ability to counter This decreases torque while making more this is not an automatic response to las began developing the Notar (“NO TAil its momentum, specific situations sub- power available to the tail rotor, but at the unplanned yaw. Rotor”) system, in which a ducted fan stantially increase the risk.

When It Happens Low airspeed is a factor in most LTE encounters. Torque reaction is greatest at high power settings, and because the LTE is a purely main rotor operates more efficiently in aerodynamic undisturbed air, more power is needed to phenomenon in which stay aloft when the aircraft isn’t moving fast enough to escape its own downwash. a fully functional tail The vertical stabilizer gains meaningful rotor system fails authority to reduce yaw only near cruising speed, and of course wind components to provide effective make up the highest proportion of the directional control. relative wind at near-zero airspeed. The result is sudden The surge in torque accompanying abrupt power increases can kick the air- uncommanded yaw craft into a spin if not precisely matched that can’t be arrested by appropriate pedal inputs. Also, yaw most quickly accelerates beyond control by normal control when it’s in the same direction as the inputs. ship’s intrinsic spinning tendencies, i.e., to the right with a counterclockwise main The MD Helicopters MD902 employs the Notar system as a way to avoid LTE. rotor. So right turns at low airspeed are particularly problematic, more so with a cost of the lift needed to maintain alti- “Coming to a hover, more pedal is inside the tailboom harnesses an aerody- tailwind, as a helicopter’s orientation to tude. The helicopter can lose hundreds normally required to counteract torque namic oddity called the Coandă effect to the prevailing wind can amplify the risk of feet before the pilot regains directional and maintain heading, but this seldom create about two-thirds of the needed lat- via three distinct mechanisms: control. Forward cyclic to regain airspeed requires full deflection. eral thrust. Air blown through a rotating Main rotor disk interference—Winds is necessary in any case. If there’s no alti- “In the case of LTE when slowing down nozzle by the same fan supplies the rest of 10-30 knots from about the pilot’s tude to sacrifice, recovery requires an or coming to a hover, FULL opposite and provides variable yaw control. Pilot 10 o’clock position can blow the main outwardly spiralling flight path that can pedal is required. Bell Helicopter deserves reports suggest that it’s much less sus- rotor’s tip vortices directly into the tail cover half a mile or more. Landing zones credit for researching and publishing the ceptible to the conditions that cause LTE rotor, creating turbulence severe enough rarely provide that much clearance from corrective action years ago. Immediate than conventional designs, but the Heli- to significantly reduce tail rotor thrust. In obstructions, and it’s often impossible to application of full opposite pedal will stop copter Flying Handbook’s caution about a right turn, if the pilot reacts by increas- keep the aircraft from descending into the LTE if it’s done before the yaw becomes environmental pressures is well placed. ing right pedal pressure, the increase in ground during the attempt. so developed that it cannot be stopped The MD 902 wrecked in the Großglock- thrust after the aircraft turns through the Many—perhaps most—helicopter without reducing power by lowering col- ner rescue accident was a Notar aircraft. area of interference can quickly push the pilots enter their careers without ever lective, still holding full opposite pedal. It’s believed that gusts at the landing site turn past controllability. receiving realistic training in LTE onset “Realistic training can be accomplished may have exceeded the capability of its Weathervaning—Tailwinds (from and recovery. Full-motion simulators by climbing to at least 750 feet over a anti-torque system. n

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 49 AVIONICS & technology

control system automatically moves the modes are indicated airspeed, altitude, anti-torque pedals when the pilot moves altitude select, and vertical speed. A beep the collective. switch on the cyclic is used to adjust some For pilots, the parallel servo system of the settings for vertical modes, such as is designed to make flying easier while vertical speed. allowing full control of the helicopter. Components of the GFC 600H include In fact, the flight control system can be a GFS 83 force-trim servo, GMC 605H switched on during takeoff and landing. mode controller and flight director com- The system’s basic mode maintain’s the puter, GSU 75H ADAHRS (for standalone helicopter’s attitude, and provides force installations without a Garmin display), feedback when the pilot deviates from the and a collective position sensor. Total attitude. “It’s a fly-through system,” he system weight is 13 pounds. explained. “You push it out of the detent to move to a different attitude, then Touchscreen Displays release it and it returns to that attitude.” The TXi displays for rotorcraft replace A four-way or force trim switch on the Garmin’s G500H system, with three dif- cyclic is used to adjust to the new attitude. ferent options: the GDU 1060 10-inch A unique feature of the GFC 600H is landscape, the GDU 700P portrait, or the that it incorporates Garmin’s Electronic GDU 700L landscape displays ( the latter Stability and Protection, which includes two are seven-inch sizes). The key dif- a lvl button that returns the helicopter ference with TXi is that they are touch- Garmin is certifying its new rotorcraft flight control system, the GFC 600H, for VFR and IFR to straight-and-level flight from unusual screen displays, although they include helicopter operations. It’s also introducing TXi touchscreen displays for rotorcraft. attitudes, as well as overspeed protec- concentric knob controls for an alterna- tion, limit cueing, and low-speed protec- tive to touchscreen input. Both the 10- tion. “We hope no one has to use these and seven-inch displays offer Garmin’s features,” said Garmin flight test manager HSI map, which was introduced on the Garmin GFC 600H offers Sean Doyle, “but we hope they will.” G1000 NXi. The HSI map can display The GFC 600H adds other features Garmin’s Wire-Aware wire-strike-avoid- that “might be found in larger helicop- ance information. A PFD controller is new flight control for helos ters,” he noted. For example, hover assist optional, adding more non-touch con- or ground-position stabilization, which trols for pilots who prefer button and by Matt Thurber helps the pilot stay in a hover, “even in knob interfaces. strong and gusty winds.” In the basic atti- A new feature for the TXi that wasn’t Garmin has unveiled its next foray into consists of a servo installed in parallel to tude-retention mode, the helicopter will available in the G500H is data logging, flight control systems, the new GFC the controls, which is simpler than the maintain the same heading, even if not in and this data can be downloaded wire- 600H. It’s designed to build on what the linear-actuator-based system that will be heading mode and even if disturbed by a lessly or via SD card. Another new TXi company has learned with fixed-wing featured in the IFR-stability augmenta- gust. When coupled with a Garmin PFD, feature is crew profiles. Installation autopilots and deliver new safety bene- tion system. The yaw axis “is novel for the GFC 600H can capture a selected alti- is easier with new configuration tools fits to VFR and IFR helicopter operations. light helicopters,” Alpiser said. “When in tude. A flight director is optional, another that allow export of configurations to Garmin also announced a full suite of its hover, if you engage the yaw axis it will feature available with the Garmin display. entire fleets. new TXi touchscreen displays for rotor- hold the current heading. In cruise it However, the GFC 600H can be installed Garmin plans to obtain an AML STC craft, as well as upgraded G1000H NXi holds the aircraft in trim so the ball stays by itself, without a display. for the TXi displays on the Bell 206, Air- helicopter integrated flight decks. in the middle.” A collective position sen- GFC 600H lateral modes include bus AS350B2 and B3 and EC130B4 and T2, “We’re working hard to bring this type of sor is tied to the system so that the flight heading select, nav, and approach. Vertical Robinson R44, and MD 369. n technology to the helicopter world,” said Jim Alpiser, director of aviation aftermarket sales. “For so many years, the rotorcraft world has been underserved from a technology perspective. That’s why we have AEA: retrofits hit all-time high, lift 2017 avionics sales made the investment we did with flight displays, the G500H. Now we’re updating Avionics sales climbed 2.9 percent last year, increase was solely due to a 20.1 percent marking the lowest dollar amount in this to the new TXi and new flight control tech- to $2.33 billion, reversing two straight years uptick in retrofit avionics sales, offset by category over the last five years. In total, nology. This takes what we’re doing in the of declines, according to the latest data lower forward-fit sales. forward-fit sales fell nearly $160 million helicopter world to a whole new level.” from the Aircraft Electronics Association, Of last year’s sales, 42.3 percent, or year-over-year in 2017. By contrast, the ret- The first certification program for released last month. This year-over-year $984 million, came from forward-fit sales, rofit market showed an increase in its per- the GFC 600H and TXi displays is centage of total sales for the fifth-straight in Garmin’s Airbus AS350B2, and the year—to 57.7 percent—recording an all-time design work and installation was done high of more than $1.3 billion in sales last at Garmin’s Salem, Oregon facility. year. Nearly three-quarters of the 2017 sales While the GFC 600H will be offered in volume was in North America (U.S. and Can- two architectures—one for VFR and one ada), while 26.5 percent took place in other for IFR helicopters—the VFR system international markets, AEA said. will be first to market, with certifica- AEA’s data covers all business and gen- tion estimated in the fourth quarter this eral aviation aircraft electronic sales, includ- year, followed by the IFR system. The ing component and accessories in cockpit/ TXi displays should be certified at the cabin/software upgrades/portables/certi- same time, but these will be done via fied and noncertified aircraft electronics; an approved model list (AML) STC in a tip-to-tail hardware; batteries; and charge- variety of helicopters. Autopilots aren’t able product upgrades from the participat- certified via the AML process and must ing manufacturers. The amounts do not be approved for each helicopter model. include repairs and overhauls, extended The GFC 600H three-axis flight con- warranty, or subscription services. C.T. trol system now installed in the AS350B2

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is connected, contextually aware, and News Update Rolls-Royce launches comprehending. In the longer term, our ambition is unbounded; we could be look- Next-Gen training from CAE ing at engines that understand their own CAE launched a new pilot training system ‘IntelligentEngine’ concept condition and can heal themselves, or at the Singapore show, which will begin even engines with interchangeable cores.” operation later this year with AirAsia. by Ian Sheppard In December 2017 Rolls-Royce Known as CAE Rise, the system employs launched R2 Data Labs, which it described the company’s Next Generation Training British engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce Goodhead also said it can be represented as “an acceleration hub” for data innova- System methods, which permit greater launched an “IntelligentEngine” concept by the “Three Cs: connected, contextually tion. Horwood said this is playing a key levels of standardardized training in last month at the Singapore Airshow, con- aware, and comprehending,” meaning the role in achieving the aims of the Intelli- accordance with the airline’s SOPs. tinuing its push toward using “Big Data.” engine can learn from its own experiences gentEngine: “Using advanced data ana- Rise allows instructors to objectively The IntelligentEngine vision is based on a and those of other engines. lytics, artificial intelligence, and machine assess pilot competencies using live belief that the worlds of product and service “In addition to designing, testing, and learning…to unlock design, manufactur- data during training sessions. It enables have become so closely connected that they maintaining engines in the digital realm, ing, and operational efficiencies within instructors to identify proficiency gaps are now inseparable, said the company. the IntelligentEngine vision sets out a Rolls-Royce.” The launch of R2 Data Labs using evidence-based methodology. According to Richard Goodhead, senior future where an engine will be increas- came after it formed a partnership with Another advantage of Rise is that it v-p marketing for Rolls-Royce Civil Aero- ingly connected, contextually aware, and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), also provides the operator with data that space, the Intelligent Engine is “the comprehending, helping to deliver greater complementing a preferred partner agree- can be analyzed to evolve the training confluence of three concepts—product, reliability and efficiency,” said Goodhead. ment with Microsoft for cloud solutions. syllabus in areas that may be deficient. services, and digital—coming together.” Dominic Horwood, Rolls-Royce direc- He said that when Total Care started for tor, customer and services–civil aerospace, Aircraft Availability Center STC Connects FreeFlight Trent engines, “the [three] circles started said: “In the nearer term, it will focus us Another recent development supporting Sensor and L3 Transponders to overlap” and now Rolls is “taking far on developing the skills, tools, and tech- the IntelligentEngine vision was the open- Stevens Aviation has received an approved more data and doing far more with it.” nology we need to deliver an engine that ing of the Airlines Aircraft Availability Cen- model list (AML) STC for installation tre in June 2017. The center is situated at of the FreeFlight Systems 1203C SBAS/ Rolls’s headquarters in Derby, UK, and is GNSS sensor along with L3’s NXT mode-S “ready for the transformation in volume and transponders, to provide a reasonably richness of data—from kilobytes of data per priced ADS-B Out solution for several Part flight to terabytes,” said the company. “This, 25 business aircraft. The first installation when combined with our engineering teams’ was done in a Cessna Citation 650 with expertise, creates new insights which allow non-integrated avionics by Stevens better and faster services decisions to be Aviation’s Dayton, Ohio avionics team. made. That work is complemented by Rolls- L3’s NXT-600 is a form-factor Royce’s global network of customer service replacement for the ACSS RCZ-852 centers, created to work locally with cus- transponder, according to Stevens Aviation, tomers, by providing in-depth expertise.” and it can also replace the Rockwell Collins Combining Rolls-Royce data with TDR-94D. The ADS-B Out upgrade covers customer data will lead to “dramatic other GPS sensors and includes two NXT- improvements to airline economics in 600 transponders and for accurate position terms of aircraft availability and fuel effi- information, the FreeFlight 1203C GPS ciency,” the company claimed. sensor, an L3 NXG-900 GPS, or upgrade At its data lab, Rolls-Royce is combining its own data with that of airlines to achieve R-R said the new approach would take of existing Universal Avionics FMS. additional savings, by studying the activities that account for a majority of an airline’s costs. the focus beyond maintenance services, and from activities representing only 4 per- FAA: U.S. ADS-B Mandate cent of an airline’s direct operating costs Applies to Foreign Operators to nearly 70 percent. “Those availability The Jan. 1, 2020 effective date requiring services involve a growing understand- ADS-B Out for operating in certain U.S. Orolia, AFI KLM team on A320 ELT retrofit ing of what ‘the perfect fuel-saving flight’ airspace applies to foreign-registered involves—one which accounts for weather, aircraft as well as N-numbered aircraft, Orolia, further establishing itself as a flight profile or other flight parameters. air traffic control restrictions and advises the FAA stressed in its latest edition leader in advanced emergency locator AFI KLM E&M is responsible for system airlines on the most efficient way to fly in of FAA SatNav News. In addition, the transmitters and distress-tracking bea- integration of ELT-DT technology. Orolia different conditions. This offers airlines agency said, ADS-B Out equipment cons (ELT-DTs), is teaming with AFI KLM is the Helios project lead. the opportunity to save millions of dollars on non-U.S.-registered aircraft must E&M to certify its Kannad ELT-DT for ret- Meanwhile, the company will continue when a one percent fuel saving equates to a comply with the same performance rofit on the Airbus A320 family. to supply its ELT beacons to Airbus Heli- $250,000 saving per aircraft per year.” requirements laid out for N-numbered The effort, part of the European Commis- copters under a wide-ranging 20-year aircraft in FAR 91.225 and 91.227. sion’s Horizon 2020 Helios research pro- agreement announced on February 7. Product Manufacturing The publication also contained other gram aimed at developing next-generation Under the deal, Orolia will continue Digital capability also completes a loop ADS-B reminders and clarifications. For distress beacons, requires a supplemental to supply its Integra ELT, which—unlike within Rolls-Royce—not only informing example, operators are required to type certificate (STC). The STC, expected most other ELTs—can use an internal GPS product design and services, but also have ADS-B transmitting at all times, to be available in 2019, would pave the and backup antennas to ensure commu- manufacturing. One example, it said, is including while on the surface of the way for airlines to retrofit A320-family air- nications with the Cospas-Sarsat global the Joint Lab to develop Smart Manufac- airport. Also, GPS receivers used as craft with the system. satellite-based search-and-rescue sys- turing technologies set up by the Agency an ADS-B position source must be Announced at the 2017 Paris Airshow, tem. Most Airbus helicopters in service for Science, Technology and Research compatible—have “approved pairing”— the Kannad ELT-DT meets ICAO’s Global have an Integra installed. (A*STAR), Rolls-Royce, and Singapore with the installed ADS-B transmitter. Aeronautical Distress & Safety System The extension covers all civil and mil- Aero Engine Services Limited (SAESL). Portable ADS-B Out units are standards, which call for position report- itary helicopters made by the European The parties announced last year a plan to not authorized for several reasons, ing at 15-minute intervals and auton- manufacturer. It also includes “complete invest up to S$60 million (US$45.5 million) but mainly because they would not omous distresstracking. The Kannad product support to the global network to set up a lab to develop next-generation meet the applicable TSO C166b beacon will automatically activate should of Airbus Helicopters service centers,” aerospace manufacturing, as well as MRO or C154c for installed equipment the aircraft depart from its programmed Orolia said. S.B. capabilities enabled by advanced processes, that is required on aircraft with a automation and digital technologies. n standard airworthiness certificate.

52 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com ArincDirect now part of Stellar Cloud by Matt Thurber

The transformation of Rockwell Collins’s ArincDirect Flight Operations Software (FOS) into an online platform running on the Stellar Cloud is complete. Upgrades to The Alsim AL250 is a the Stellar Cloud are available at no addi- generic sim that can be tional cost for FOS customers with systems modified to replicate hosted by Stellar or Rockwell Collins. Cus- the cockpits of typical tomers running FOS on their own comput- single- and twin-engine ers can take advantage of Stellar’s On-Ramp airplane models. promotional pricing. The Stellar Cloud is “a next-generation software delivery infrastructure platform for business aviation solutions,” done via laptop computer or mobile device. according to the companies, and it runs During a test flight of the simulator, on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Hands On we took off in the Seminole for a quick infrastructure. Switching to the Stel- flight around Bali. While testing the lar Cloud eliminates any need for FOS feathering capability of the right propel- customers to host the software on their Alsim AL250 prepares ler during a simulated engine failure, we own computers, thus reducing the risks watched as the propeller blades pitched of downtime and data loss due to hard- vertically to eliminate drag on the right ware problems, and also saving time and pilots for real-life flying engine, while having to step on the left resources on management of hardware, rudder pedal to maintain directional software, patches, and upgrades. by Matt Thurber control. Performance of the simulator AWS provides “auto-scaling, elas- seemed to accurately replicate the real tic load balancing, replication, and Alsim Flight Training Solutions brought configuration, the AL250 flies like the Piper Seminole. auto-provisioning of computing its AL250 flight simulator to the Singa- popular Piper PA44 Seminole. We flew an ILS approach back into Bali, resources,” according to Stellar, and pore Airshow to demonstrate the sys- Housed in a compact enclosure with and the Garmin GTN 650 worked per- scales to “seamlessly match both oper- tem’s capabilities for pilot training and plenty of space for a student and instruc- fectly. Handling of the AL250 is closely ator growth and peak-day demands.” the new engineering pack, which allows tor, the AL250 includes Alsim’s HDVS matched to the real airplane, thanks to Stellar Cloud also provides “data center users to modify aerodynamic deriva- visual system with 250-degree horizontal electric control loading, and landing the and data storage localization, continu- tives of a particular aircraft to demon- and 49-degree vertical field of view. Avi- replicated Seminole was highly realistic. ous security monitoring, and advanced strate the effect on flight dynamics. onics can be quickly changed between a Nantes, France-based Alsim has been two-factor authentication,” including Users can also use the pack to “redesign” typical large-display modern glass cockpit in business for more than 25 years and 99.9 percent guaranteed availability and autopilot features and test the resulting to traditional “six-pack” gauges. Engine, has delivered more than 300 FAA- and back-up, failover, and recovery services. changes, or create and evaluate a new flight controls, and electrical switches are EASA-approved simulators in 48 countries. The overall result of hosting on the Stel- aerodynamic model. robust and accurately modeled. Avionics The company recently opened a sales office lar Cloud is much faster system respon- The AL250 is designed as a recon- include a real Garmin GTN 650 GPS com/ in Austin, Texas, to serve the U.S. market. siveness, according to the companies, figurable generic aircraft type, capable navigator. An instructor station allows for Cost of the AL250 ranges from “with nearly instantaneous response to of replicating typical single-engine and modifying weather and flight parameters $150,000 to $180,000, depending on the common user tasks such as building twin-engine airplanes. In the twin-engine and introducing failures, which can also be configuration. n trips and quotes.”

Additional Opportunities Stellar Labs and Rockwell Collins are working on a new flight-planning, oper- Controp helps keep birds and drones at bay ations, and business platform with features to help business aircraft operators Israel’s Controp Precision Technologies Moreover, many airports suffer from incur- integrated as a key element of the Pharo- expand their operations and take advan- has drawn on its experience in the field sions of terrestrial animals into operational vision Sentinel system. Speed-bird has tage of new market opportunities. New of wildlife detection to launch Speed- areas, and there is always the danger of a continuous zoom infrared sensor and capabilities will include “owner access, bird, a new product that provides early occasional human trespassing. full-color day camera, which combine to advanced business intelligence, and detection of birds, animals, and drones Based on Controp’s Spider system, provide continuous wide-area surveillance operator-to-operator trip collaboration, that approach sensitive operational areas. Speed-bird employs sensitive panoramic and tracking capabilities. all integrated with their existing FOS Early warning significantly improves air- scanning technology with algorithms devel- Controp is supplying two Speed-bird implementation.” port safety as it provides greater reaction oped specifically to automatically detect systems to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, “We started Stellar with the vision of time to respond to the potential danger. birds and other small flying objects. It can one of which will focus on airspace surveil- transforming the business of business avi- Wildlife incursions are an everyday also be used to automatically detect small lance while the other will be set up to mon- ation for operators and consumers, and hazard for airports around the world. The moving ground objects such as animals. itor ground movements near taxiways and our partnership with Rockwell Collins potential dangers of birdstrike are obvious, Speed-bird has been developed to runways. Dallas City Council has ordered is instrumental in executing this vision,” but they are being compounded by the overcome the technological limitations of a single unit for installation at Love Field said Stellar co-founder Paul Touw. “This recent dramatic rise in private drone use. radar-based bird detection systems, and is in late 2018. D.D. announcement marks the completion of the first step of this journey.” n

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 53 ROTORCRAFT & unmanned systems

be something the market will accept. Avic News Update Sikorsky sells S-300 line is an important part of that in terms of building parts.” Bell 525 Program Progressing by Mark Huber Since 2011, Avic’s Avicopter has been Since the Bell 525 returned to the air last manufacturing a virtual copy of the S-300 July, Bell Helicopter has flown both of Sikorsky has sold the Hughes/Schweizer keeping direct operating costs low in it calls the AC310 with a base price of its remaining 525 super-medium twins S-269/300 series type certificate and all the piston-single space. “If we don’t pay approximately $470,000. and accumulated an additional 181 flight related items, including its parts stores, attention to our customers’ direct oper- test hours. Tasks performed since then to a new entity formed by Fort Worth, ating costs [DOCs], we’re not going to Schweizer History at Sikorsky include completing a four-day, 12-flight- Texas-based Rotorcraft Services Group be relevant. We will make adjustments to Sikorsky’s stewardship of Schweizer proved hour cross country ferry flight to deploy (RSG). The new entity, Schweizer RSG, make sure our DOCs are competitive with troubling on a variety of fronts. Sikorsky the aircraft for cold weather testing; will also be based in Fort Worth and will anything else in the market space.” purchased Schweizer in 2004 and over cold weather testing in Canada and cold be headed by David Horton, a former Sch- Sikorsky’s prior agreement that dates the subsequent years Sikorsky’s commit- soak test to -35 degrees C; super drive weizer president and general manager back to 2008 with China’s Avic to man- ment to the S-300 became increasingly system loss-of-lubrication test; return to from 2008 to 2010. ufacture airframe parts for the S-300 ambiguous, with operators growing more flight with software addressing more than “I still have a lot of friends who operate remains in place with Schweizer RSG as frustrated with ongoing parts supply and 300 problem reports; and initial coupled these helicopters,” Horton said. “We need part of an overall strategy to keep prices pricing issues. While members of the Sch- flight guidance testing. In addition the to get those parts here…and support our reasonable. He said Schweizer RSG would weizer family were initially enthusiastic company installed and tested production customers as soon as possible.” Horton sponsor a gathering of S-300 distributors about Sikorsky’s ability to improve their version of GE engine software, executed told AIN that he hopes to have a website and operators at Heli-Expo next month. business with additional resources, by 2010 and passed the boosted controls and for the new company up and running soon, “We want to make sure we focus on what they had been dismissed from the company cockpit controls proof-load test for FAA have parts available for customers before they tell us they need,” said Horton. and were suing Sikorsky—ultimately unsuc- credit. Other reported progress includes the end of February, and strongly sug- Horton did not rule out eventual new cessfully—for breach of the 2004 purchase initial avionics system development gested that the operators of an estimated helicopter production, but said for now agreement. Sikorsky’s efforts to develop a testing (nav and comm), finalizing upper 2,900 S-300-series aircraft worldwide the company will focus on supporting the high/hot variant of the S-333 turbine called cowling configuration, and gathering would soon see better product support fleet in place. “We have a license agree- the S-434 were largely unsuccessful. preliminary noise survey data and passing and competitive prices. ment with Avic, and we have a shared While the S-434 featured a four-blade those certification requirements. The “We are going to work to remain com- responsibility for building the entire air- rotor, a new tail-rotor blade design and 525 program had been stood down for petitive and make sure we have a very frame. We’re going to share that responsi- an improved Kaflex driveshaft, the main a year following the fatal crash of its strong supply chain so we can deliver bility on what makes the most sense. We’re rotor and transmission came from the first flight test vehicle in July 2016. FAA a good-quality product at a market- going to have to build new helicopters to unmanned MQ-8 Fire Scout. And it certification is anticipated in 2019. accepted price,” noting the pressure on keep the market energized, and it has to used the same 320-shp (derated max takeoff power) Rolls-Royce 250-C20W Vahana Makes First Flight turboshaft as the S-333, even though The A(3) Airbus Vahana self-piloted the S-434’s mtow was 2,850 pounds, 300 electric vertical takeoff and landing pounds more than that of the S-333. Nine (eVTOL) made a 53-second first hover S-434s were delivered to the Saudi Min- flight on January 31 at the Pendleton, istry of Defense beginning in 2009, but Oregon UAS range and a follow-up flight shortly thereafter it was determined achieving an altitude of 16 feet. The single that the drive train components weren’t seat Vahana is aimed at the emerging robust enough to provide for economical urban VTOL market. It features skid gear operation, and plans to pursue FAA certi- and eight proprotors mounted to fore fication were dropped. and after tiltwings. The company says Further doubt about Schweizer’s future the aircraft is designed to have a range surfaced in early 2015, when, on the cusp of 50 miles and will be equipped with of being acquired by Lockheed Martin, sense-and-avoid systems and can be Sikorsky announced it would no longer configurable as an air taxi, air ambulance, accept new orders for the S-300 and single- or cargo delivery platform. The prototype The Sikorsky S-300 series has faced a number of challenges since Sikorsky acquired the line turbine S-333 and that it was “evaluating all “Alpha One” aircraft weighs 1,642 pounds from Schweizer in 2004. The helicopter will now be supported by Rotorcraft Services Group. options,” including the sale of Schweizer. n and has a wingspan of 20 feet, is almost 19 feet long and 9 feet tall. A(3) is aiming to have the aircraft in production by 2020.

and sustaining an alternate aircraft.” Agus- Russian Helicopters Appeals court clears path taWestland had proposed its single-engine Advances Mi-171E2 AW119Kx for the role. Russian Helicopters announced that AgustaWestland responded to the Army’s the Mi-171E2 twin has completed a for 16 more Army Lakotas decision by filing a supplemental complaint, 45-flight/50-hour test campaign. The a motion for preliminary injunction, and a new generation of Mi-17/171 series The United States Court of Appeals on The Army has exercised its option to motion for judgment on the administra- helicopter offers improved operating January 25 overturned a 2016 federal acquire 412 UH-72As under a 2006 con- tive record with the federal claims court efficiency at high altitudes, carrying claims court decision that challenged tract, but this number provided insufficient designed to block the acquisition, arguing capacity, maximum and cruising speed, the U.S. Army’s authority to expand its units to fully meet its training requirement. that the Army’s decision to acquire the addi- climbing ability, directional control Airbus Helicopters UH-72A fleet with- Following a 2014 executive order that laid tional Lakotas violated federal competitive reserve, reduction of noise level caused out competitive bidding. The original the ground for rationalizing the Army’s bidding law. The U.S. government chal- by main and tail rotors, increased main complaint was brought by Leonardo unit rotorcraft fleet to four principal types—the lenged these, and the claims court found rotor thrust, better controllability and AgustaWestland North America, which UH-72A, UH-60, AH-64, and CH-47—on for AgustaWestland and enjoined the Army maneuverability, and significant power has repeatedly challenged the Army’s Dec. 10, 2015, the Army issued a Justifica- from proceeding with the acquisition. reserve in various flight modes. The decision to acquire Lakotas, dating back tion and Approval (J&A) to acquire an addi- In a rebuke of the claims court, the Mi-171E2 features VK-2500PS-03 engines to 2006. The Army operates more than tional 16 UH-72As from Airbus “on an other appeals court ruled that the Army’s with Fadec, a new composite main 400 UH-72As for a variety of missions, than full and open competition basis.” The decision to acquire the additional Lako- rotor system and X-shaped tail rotor, including primary pilot training at Fort Army said the decision was justified due to tas spawned from 2012 Department of an upgraded body, modified tail and Rucker, Alabama. cost and delay concerns with “procuring continues on facing page keel beams and a larger stabilizer. M.H.

54 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com Deliveries down at Airbus; company rethinks heavy X6 by Mark Huber

Airbus Helicopters delivered 409 helicop- of helicopters efficiently. However, he ters last year, a slight decrease from 418 cautioned, “I don’t anticipate a structural in 2016, the company announced in late recovery in oil-and-gas. There’s still a very January. Gross orders for the year were large overcapacity of heavy helicopters in 350, also down from 388 in 2016, while net this segment. We don’t anticipate that the orders stood at 335 last year, 18 fewer than rise of oil prices in the short-term or even in 2016 but up slightly from 333 in 2015. the midterm will absorb this overcapacity.” Worldwide, the company maintained its He said the overcapacity problem could Airbus sees a growing market for super-medium twins such as the H175 as offshore oil-and- 50 percent market share. linger for “the next couple of years.” gas operators seek more cost-effective replacements for larger models. Outgoing company CEO Guillaume Faury, Faury hinted that the X6 might ulti- who was recently tapped to lead Airbus’s mately emerge as a significantly differ- companywide lean transformation and named, Faury said that he hopes whoever commercial aircraft division, said the num- ent, perhaps military-driven, product. For digitization initiatives. Part of the trans- replaces him will continue the company’s bers “reached our target” in a “challenging now, he said, Airbus Helicopters “will not formation involved “rationalization” of the transformation program, explore new mar- market.” Faury also revealed that, despite launch a full-fledged program,” but will product line by discontinuing production kets and opportunities, and continue to receiving no new orders from the oil-and- rather continue research, and that the of the H120 and AS350B2 singles and the embrace new technologies such as electric gas segment for its heavy helicopters for $429 million in European Union-approved AS365 twin; yet-to-be-announced specifics propulsion and autonomous flight. three straight years, the company received subsidies for the program from France and involving “digitization” of the H125/H130 He predicted the unmanned market orders for 54 Super Puma family (H225/215) Germany remain “in place.” singles; and continued work on vertical would grow to a “one billion dollar busi- helicopters from military and parapublic “A successor [to the H225] has to be takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft and ness in the next 10 years.” More imme- customers last year; and that it is rethinking able to answer to the expectations of the electric propulsion. diately, he said the company’s VS700, its its future X6 large-helicopter project. military market,” Faury said. “We believe According to Faury, the City Airbus unmanned/autonomous version of the He said the unspecified technologies this military market may be more active eVTOL will make its first flight by year- Helicopteres Guimbal Cabri G2 two-place Airbus was considering for the X6 are “not [in the future] than it is today.” However, end, and the compound Racer prototype training helicopter, would gain military ready” from suppliers and “the market is right now, he said, “Airbus could not make will fly in 2020. Further, he said the com- certification in 2019. not sustainable” for a new heavy twin in a robust business case” for the X6. pany is continuing its digital initiatives “We think VTOLs will grow,” he said, add- the depressed oil-and gas-space, which is The future of the in-development H160 that involved providing customers with a ing that “over time, the number of missions increasingly turning to smaller super-me- medium twin is bright, Faury said, given seamless “end to end” solution to capture, and the nature of missions they will per- dium twins such as the H175. Airbus booked the French military’s selection of the type analyze, and store data and assist in oper- form will grow,” but that he didn’t see any orders for 19 more H175s last year, and the for its HIL (hélicoptère interarmées léger) ations. “First we had to learn to crawl, then short-term cannibalization of the traditional in-service fleet has amassed 20,000 flight replacement program, with the promise of to walk. Now is the time to run,” Faury said. light-single helicopter market by VTOLs. hours, Faury said. orders for up to 190 H160s. The new initiatives have allowed Air- However, “Long-term, there will be a sort He called the H175 the “joker” in the oil- Faury said the continued depressed bus Helicopters to cut costs, grow market of fusion between what the drones and heli- and-gas space, alluding to its ability to per- civil helicopter market was a “crisis” that share, and increase customer satisfaction, copters are. Helicopters will become more form missions of several different classes enabled the company to accelerate its he noted. While his successor has not been and more automated.” n

continued from facing page expensive step backward from the Army’s cost-saving aviation restructure Army Lakota buy Initiative. No one could ever argue that it was in the best interests of Army avia- Defense strategic guidance and the 2014 tors or the taxpaying public to force the executive order and was therefore not Army to train its pilots with a fleet made a procurement. As a result, the claims up of 90 percent Lakotas and 10 percent court lacked jurisdiction in the matter. of something else. The appeals court further ruled that the “Today’s ruling is a victory for every one claims court “abused its discretion” by of our peers and competitors that holds relying on “supplemental evidence” and that view, and that prefers to win busi- by supplementing the administrative ness on the strength of its products rather record. The claims court was required than the strength of its lawyers,” Airbus to consider only evidence presented by The Army operates more than 400 twin-engine UH-72As for a variety of missions, and a recent said in a statement. the Army to justify its acquisition deci- court decision allows it to acquire more without a competitive bidding process. After initially indicating that it would sion or to explain why omitted evidence appeal the Appellate Court decision and frustrated judicial review. According to years—and cause “significant gaps” in percent of whom are U.S. military veter- contest future Army Lakota purchases, Leon- the appeals court ruling, it failed to do the ability of the Army National Guard to ans—as it has tied up Army procurement ardo issued this statement on February 12: the latter. meet its missions. long enough to nearly shut down our “In light of the Appellate Court rul- Finally, the appeals court noted that the In a statement issued after the decision, American production line. ing, Leonardo Helicopters has decided Army had legal authority to eschew com- Airbus Helicopters praised the Court of “This wasteful lawsuit not only dam- to discontinue any further legal action petitive bidding for the acquisition and Appeals’ decision, noting that it ends “a aged the Army’s readiness by limiting regarding the sole-source award of trainer had more than legally made the case to do two-year saga of one contractor attempt- its ability to train new pilots, but [also] helicopters to the U.S. Army. We none- so, specifically by noting that new Lakotas ing to wrestle business from a customer threatened to cost the taxpayers count- theless continue to believe that strong were available only from Airbus and that by holding Army readiness hostage. This less millions by attempting to force the competition for government programs procuring 16 additional helicopters of a ruling also removes the threat that Leon- Army to introduce a brand-new aircraft is in the best interests of our warfighters, different type would impose undue and ardo has held over the heads of our Ameri- into its inventory. Had Leonardo suc- American taxpayers and the U.S. defense significant costs and delays—up to three can workers in Mississippi—more than 40 ceeded, it would have been a massively industrial base.” M.H.

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 55 ROTORCRAFT & unmanned systems

offered a retrofit CRFS service bulletin customers technical assistance, Emerson for only the H125/AS350B 3e since 2016. stresses this is not as of yet taking the Air Methods and Airbus “It should be noted that many or most form of any structured financial offering installations are in some ways unique and or discounting. require a service bulletin for the specific The Colorado accident was similar to settle with crash survivor aircraft configuration,” he said. one the year before with an AS350 B3e EMS Standard Aero (formerly Vector Aero- flight in New Mexico and another one with by Mark Huber space) is the only FAA-certified provider a Customs and Border Patrol AS350 B3 in for all other AS350-series models, includ- 2009 the NTSB noted. In the New Mexico Air Methods and Airbus Helicopters will 39 percent of Part 27 aircraft without fuel ing the EC130 B4. The tank is designed as accident the crew escaped with minor inju- share the costs of a $100 million settle- systems meeting crash-resistance require- a replacement for AS350 models, including ries after the helicopter crashed on depar- ment with a surviving crewmember of a ments and contributed to 20 percent of the AS350C, AS350D/D1, AS350B/B1/B2/BA/ ture from a hospital heliport. The pilot crashed 2013 Airbus Helicopters AS350 the fatalities in those accidents, according B3, AS350B3e (H125) and EC130B4. Offer- reported he was unable to arrest a left clear- B3e. It went down after attaining an alti- to data from the Civil Aerospace Medical ing the same capacity as the legacy fuel cell, ing turn with right pedal that subsequently tude of 100 feet agl approximately 30 Institute (CAMI). It further discovered safety features include a self-sealing break- developed into an uncontrollable spin. seconds after takeoff from the Summit that only 16 percent of all U.S.-registered away valve, vent system roll-over protec- The NTSB found the probable cause of Medical Center Heliport in Frisco, Col- rotorcraft were in compliance with the tion, a vent system flame arrestor, and a that accident was “the pilot’s loss of yaw orado, on July 3, 2015. The helicopter fuel system crash-resistance require- crash-resistant recessed sump drain valve, control during takeoff due to the absence crashed into a parking lot 360 feet south- ments, even though those requirements all aimed at increasing survivability for of hydraulic boost to the tail rotor pedals west of the ground-based helipad and was had been in force for 20 years at the time passengers and crew. In addition, the new for reasons that could not be determined destroyed by impact and post-crash fire. of the study. tank complies with FAR 27.952 fuel system based on the available information” and The pilot died as the result of his CAMI data identified blunt force crash-resistance requirements. also noted “the lack of a caution indicator injuries and the two flight nurses were trauma as the cause of death in 92 per- In an exclusively interview with AIN, to alert the pilot of the lower hydraulic sys- severely injured. Paramedic/flight nurse cent of all fatal U.S. helicopter accidents Airbus Helicopters CEO Chris Emerson tem configuration.” David Repsher, the plaintiff, sustained between 2008 and 2013; and the cause of said, “We are helping operators” retro- Given the Colorado accident and pre- burns over 90 percent of his body while death in 80 percent of the Part 27 acci- fit aircraft with crash-resistant fuel sys- vious related ones, the NTSB recom- paramedic/flight nurse Mathew Bowe dents where a post-crash fire occurred. tems. “We are not leaving our customers mended that Airbus Helicopter change sustained impact injuries. Both men are As of late last year, there were two alone to solve this problem. We will help the dual hydraulic system on the AS350 permanently disabled and Repsher has sources of retrofittable crash-resistant them find solutions.” Crash-resistant fuel “that would both ensure pedal control ongoing and significant medical issues. Air fuel systems, according to an Airbus systems have been standard on all new hydraulic assistance and mitigate the pos- Methods will contribute $45 million of the Helicopters spokesman. Airbus Helicop- AS350 B3e models delivered since late sibility of pilot error during any check of settlement with Airbus Helicopters con- ters has received FAA approval and has 2015. While Airbus Helicopters is offering the hydraulic system.” n tributing the remainder. Repsher’s lawsuit had been scheduled to start March 5. The NTSB found that the probable cause of the accident was the helicopter’s “(1) preflight hydraulic check, which Bell V-280 flight campaign advances depleted the hydraulic pressure in the tail rotor hydraulic circuit, and (2) lack of Since making its first flight last December 18, capability requirements for the next gen- Simulation & Training, Astronics, Eaton, salient alerting to the pilot that hydraulic Bell’s V-280 next-generation tiltrotor has eration of future vertical lift,” he said. The GKN Aerospace, Lord, Meggitt, and pressure was not restored before takeoff. continued its flight-test campaign, con- V-280 reached another milestone on Spirit AeroSystems. According to the U.S. Such alerting might have cued the pilot to ducting more than nine flight hours includ- February 7 when it was flown for the first Department of Defense, the FVL program his failure to reset the yaw servo hydraulic ing pattern flights at speeds up to 80 knots, time by an Army pilot. Chief Warrant Officer is designed to find a replacement for the switch to its correct position during the according to Ryan Ehinger, Bell Helicopter Tom Wiggins, U.S. Army Special Operations Army’s Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks and preflight hydraulic check, which resulted V-280 program manager. Ehinger said the Aviation Command, made the flight at Bell’s the Bell UH-1 operated by the U.S. Marine in a lack of hydraulic boost to the pedal prototype aircraft has accumulated more test facility in Amarillo, Texas. Corps. The program ultimately could result controls, high pedal forces, and subse- than 56 rotor turn hours to date and that the The V-280 program is part of the Joint in deliveries of as many as 4,000 aircraft quent loss of control after takeoff. development team is continuing to expand Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator by 2030 under a contract potentially worth “Contributing to the accident was the the conversion mode flight envelope at (JMR-TD) initiative, a science and tech- $100 billion and include significant foreign pilot’s failure to perform a hover check higher speeds toward full cruise mode. nology precursor to the Department of military sales. after liftoff, which would have alerted him “The Bell Helicopter V-280 team con- Defense’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) pro- Bell said the V-280 can carry 14 pas- to the pedal control anomaly at an altitude tinues to work swiftly and decisively gram. It combines the resources of Bell, sengers and four crew and eliminates that could have allowed him to safely land to meet the Department of Defense’s Lockheed Martin, GE, Moog, IAI, TRU the V-22’s rear loading ramp in favor of the helicopter. Contributing to the severity six-foot-wide fuselage doors under the of the injuries was the helicopter’s fuel sys- wings. It also differs from the V-22 in that tem, which was not crash resistant and facil- on the V-280 only the gearboxes and prop- itated a fuel-fed post-crash fire.” Repsher’s rotors rotate, while on the V-22 the engines, seat also was not properly fastened. gearboxes and prop-rotors all have to rotate The settlement came just days before as thrust direction is changed. The V-280 survivors of another Airbus Helicopters also eschews the forward wing sweep of the crash, this one an EC130 B4 that went V-22. Going to a straight wing on the V-280 down during a Grand Canyon air tour eliminates the need for a mid-wing gearbox flight, suffered extensive post-crash burns. and makes the wing easier to manufacture. The tiltrotor provides twice the speed and Crash Resistance range of conventional helicopters. All helicopters certified by the FAA after Specifications include a maximum speed 1994 are required to have crash-resistant of 280 knots; combat range of 500 to 800 fuel systems; however, legacy helicopters nm; maximum self-deployable range of whose original type certification predate more than 2,100 nm; and more than 13,000 the rule change—such as the AS350 and its pounds of useful load. It features fly-by- variants including the EC130—are exempt. wire flight controls and a pair of GE Aviation In 97 fatal helicopter accidents between T64-GE-419 turboshaft engines. M.H. 2008 and 2013, post-crash fire occurred in

56 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com AIR transport News Update Eastern Cancels MRJ Order The new owners of Eastern Airlines have canceled an order for 20 Mitsubishi MRJ90s and waived purchase rights on Bombardier another 20, the manufacturer confirmed can now sell in late January. The cancellation follows its C Series Eastern’s sale to Phoenix-based charter jets in the U.S. operator Swift Air over the summer. unencumbered Mitsubishi attributed the decision by tariffs. to a change in Eastern’s “business configuration” and not to delays in the MRJ program’s development. With last summer’s merger Swift Air’s fleet program, giving it a 49.5-percent stake in a numbered 16 Boeing 737s, including three Bombardier victorious in limited partnership with Bombardier. Less Eastern Airlines-branded 737-800s. than a year later the Canadian federal gov- The MRJ’s firm order count now ernment agreed to grant Bombardier C$372.5 stands at 213. The program has also legal dispute over C Series million in interest-free loans for both the C collected options for 170 airplanes Series and the Global 7000 business jet. and purchase rights for four. by Gregory Polek The decision comes as a huge boost for Bombardier, whose C Series project effec- ATR Seals The U.S. International Trade Commission For its part, Boeing said it would review tively faced a loss of access to the U.S. Breakthrough U.S. Deal has found in favor of Bombardier in the the commission’s opinions in more detail market if the USITC ruled to uphold Com- ATR converted to a firm order last case filed by Boeing over the sale of 75 C and suggested a possible appeal. “Boeing merce Department decisions in late Sep- year’s letter of intent covering 15 Series CS100 jets to Delta Air Lines at a remains confident in the facts of our case tember and early October that specified aircraft from lessor NAC for operation price the U.S. company characterized as and will continue to document any harm antidumping tariffs of 79.82 percent and with Florida-based Silver Airways, the far below the airplanes’ cost of produc- to Boeing and our extensive U.S. supply countervailing measures amounting to Franco-Italian manufacturer announced tion. The January 26 USITC ruling means chain that results from illegal subsidies and 219.63 percent of the price of each airplane. in late January. The company plans that Boeing suffered no harm from the dumped pricing,” it pledged. “We will not The Delta order called for deliveries to to deliver the first aircraft from what sale, thereby superseding U.S. Commerce stand by as Bombardier’s illegal business start this spring, but when Airbus agreed amounted to its first 2018 order—an Department rulings that called for the practices continue to harm American work- in mid-October to take a majority stake in ATR 42-600—to Silver this month. imposition of tariffs equal to nearly 300 ers and the aerospace industry they sup- the C Series program and assemble some of In total Silver Airways will take 20 ATR percent of the price of the airplanes. port. Global trade only works if everyone them at the site of its A320 plant in Mobile, -600s, 16 of them 46-seat ATR 42-600s and “Today’s decision is a victory for inno- adheres to the rules we have all agreed to. Alabama, it looked as though Delta would four 70-seat ATR 72-600s. Five aircraft will vation, competition, and the rule of law,” That’s a belief we will continue to defend.” have to accept a delay in deliveries while come from NAC’s existing backlog with said Bombardier in a written statement. In its complaint filed in April, Boeing Airbus built the new U.S. assembly line. the manufacturer. Twelve ATR 42-600s “With this matter behind us, we are mov- claimed that Bombardier sold the airplanes Now, the unexpected USITC ruling in favor and three ATR 72-600s comprise the 15 ing full speed ahead with finalizing our for $19.6 million each, or some $13.8 million of Bombardier means that Delta can take aircraft added by the new order, but ATR partnership with Airbus. Integration plan- less than they cost to manufacture, thanks airplanes built in Mirabel, Quebec, the site CEO Christian Scherer said the airline ning is going well and we look forward to to illegal subsidies provided by the govern- of the primary C Series line. However, nei- could alter the mix later depending delivering the C Series to the U.S. market ments of Canada and Quebec. Delta’s April ther Airbus nor Bombardier have indicated on demand. ATR expects to complete so that U.S. airlines and the U.S. flying 2016 order came six months after the prov- whether or not a victory in the antidumping deliveries by early 2020, as Silver replaces public can enjoy the many benefits of this ince of Quebec agreed to infuse $1 billion dispute would mean a change in plans for its existing fleet of 21 Saab 340Bs. remarkable aircraft.” in the then-financially strapped C Series the source of Delta’s airplanes. n Scherer said the order represents “ATR’s comeback to the United States.”

India To Allow Following no fewer than five major pro- In-flight Connectivity Seventh flight-test article gram delays, the MRJ has reached a point After years of deliberation, the where the company can integrate several Telecom Regulatory Authority of design upgrades through the course of India (TRAI) has decided to allow joins Mitsubishi MRJ fleet next year and test the effects of tempera- internet and mobile communication ture extremes on the reconfigured avionics on aircraft for in-flight connectivity Mitsubishi Aircraft plans to introduce a FMS, hot and cold climatic chamber, ini- bay. Meanwhile, another six airplanes have (IFC) in Indian airspace through both second new aircraft to its MRJ flight test tial natural icing, smoke penetration and entered various stages of assembly, laying satellite and terrestrial networks. Once program, bringing the total number of detection, initial anti-skid testing, and the foundation for a plan to first build a implemented in about six months, the flight test articles to seven. The decision contaminated runway testing. single airplane per month and accelerate new rules will allow domestic carriers comes following a review of the program’s Fukuhara reported “no show stoppers” production “in a phased manner” until to introduce voice, data, and video in requirements for additional capacity to in major areas such as insulation require- eventually reaching a rate of 10 per month. flight. Meanwhile, airlines overflying address design changes to the MRJ90’s ments and confirmation of compliance First, however, engineers must endure the country—now required to shut avionics bay. for natural stalls. Tests have also shown what the head of the MRJ’s product man- down their systems on entry into Indian At last month’s Singapore Airshow that performance stalls have exceeded agement office in Nagoya, Alex Bellamy, airspace—will no longer have to do so. Mitsubishi Aircraft vice president of mar- expectations, and no flutter up to design described as an extremely busy year of IFC represents another source of keting and sales Yugo Fukuhara issued speeds. The program has also confirmed test flying in 2018, culminating in instal- ancillary revenue for domestic carriers, an update on the flight-test schedule, all corners of the weight/CG envelope, lation of the final avionics bay configu- though the structure and costs for expected to culminate in time for a mid- handling qualities, buffet boundaries and ration in the fourth flight test example. charging passengers remain under 2020 first delivery to launch customer All takeoffs and landing performance. Targeting certification by the end of 2019, discussion. Airlines can, as a result, facilitate Nippon Airways. Fukuhara also noted that the pro- program leadership now expects the MRJ better customer relationship management Recent flight test accomplishments gram has passed the midpoint of flight flight test airplanes to clock as much as and more business value. Meanwhile, include completion of first and second testing, accumulating more than 1,700 3,000 hours, some 500 more than origi- real-time passenger connectivity enables avionics load testing, initial autopilot and flight hours. nally allocated. G.P. carriers to provide targeted marketing. G.P.

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 57 AIR transport

While maximum landing weight increases by 20,000 pounds to 445,000 pounds and maximum zero fuel weight jumps 25,000 pounds to 425,000 pounds, maximum takeoff weight remains Singapore Airlines unchanged at 560,000 pounds. Range expects its first decreases to 6,430 nautical miles from Boeing 787-10 7,635 nautical miles. to enter service Completing function and reliability during the second trials and ECS testing ahead of sched- quarter. ule, the third airplane, designated ZC002, revealed no surprises since its first flight during the summer. “It actually performed better than expected,” said Whittington. By the time Whittington spoke with Boeing 787-10 cleared for service by FAA AIN on January 5, the first airplane—Trent 1000-TEN-powered ZC001—had com- by Gregory Polek pleted all but a final stage of stability and control software validation and performing The Federal Aviation Administra- to United Airlines by early in the second the only visually obvious difference crosswind landings and tailwind takeoffs in tion has issued the Rolls-Royce Trent half of the year. between the -9 and -10 lies in the -10’s Newfoundland. Incorporating technologies 1000-TEN-powered version of the Boe- Speaking with AIN in early January, Boe- semi-levered main landing gear, leaving from the Trent XWB and Advance engine ing 787-10 Dreamliner an amended type ing 787 chief project engineer Bob Whit- only some minor structural reinforce- including a “rising-line” compressor and certificate (ATC), clearing the airplane for tington explained that the company had ments in the fuselage and some systems three-stage bladed disc (blisk) at the front commercial service in the U.S., the man- originally planned to use four test airplanes modifications to account for the bigger of the high-pressure compressor, the Trent ufacturer announced on January 22. The in the program, but as the 787-10’s com- cabin. Boeing arrived at the 18-foot stretch 1000-TEN promised a 3-percent fuel burn award caps a flight-test program involv- monality with its smaller sibling, the 787-9, by inserting five frames in front of the wing advantage over the Trent 1000, the original ing three airplanes that clocked some 900 became more and more apparent during the and four frames aft of the wing, allowing Rolls option for the 787-8 and 787-9. Enter- hours in the air. The amended certifica- early stages of design, so did the lack of a for the addition of 40 passengers seats and ing service with an Air New Zealand 787-9 tion lays the basis for approval by other need for much of the testing to demonstrate total capacity of 330 in a two-class layout. and a Scoot 787-8 last November, the Trent regulatory agencies around the world, the differences between the two models. Using exactly the same wing found in the 1000-TEN has not delivered quite the fuel including the Civil Aviation Authority of The 787-10 and -9 use 95 percent com- -9, the -10’s only other significant differ- burn performance Rolls promised, however, Singapore (CAAS), whose final endorse- mon part numbers, not only reducing the ences involve localized strengthening of and Whittington awaited a new software ment will allow launch customer Singa- number of test hours needed for the -10 the fuselage, an increase in the capability package to recoup the less than 1-percent pore Airlines to start service during the but undoubtedly aiding work flow once of the environmental control system and deficiency by mid-year. second quarter. Boeing expects to gain full-scale production of the latest Dream- enough extra cargo space for one more However, in the 787-10, Boeing’s certification of the GEnx-1B-powered liner begins in North Charleston, South pallet or two extra LD-3 containers in both aerodynamic measurements showed a version of the 787-10 in time for delivery Carolina. Apart from its 18-foot stretch, the forward and aft holds. roughly 1 percent better-than-expected drag coefficient, thereby countering the slight deficiency experienced in the Trent 1000-TEN-powered -8 and -9. Overall, Whittington expressed com- CFM tackles lag in Leap deliveries “We’re still showing 96 percent or bet- plete satisfaction with the pace and ter utilization rates with this new product, performance of the aircraft program. As Production glitches and durability deficien- Allen Paxson reported that the Leap-1A which is outstanding,” he stressed. “There’s much as the smooth introduction of the cies have resulted in CFM International hav- and Leap 1-B together have registered a a lot of work going on behind the scenes to 787-9 contrasted with the tortured path ing to address a delivery delay for its Leap 96-percent utilization rate despite the need make sure that happens. of the 787-8’s launch to its entry into ser- turbofan family of four to five weeks, a defi- to retrofit starter air valves and pull and “We have capability for increased EGT vice, the 787-10 has done as well as if not cit CFM executive vice president and gen- inspect some 70 turbine disks in Airbus margin in both the Leap-1A and -B engines, better than the -9. “It’s a tough compari- eral manager François Bastin characterized A320neos’ Leap-1As. Paxson said that CFM so we’re in the process of taking advantage son to make because of that commonality as certainly surmountable by the end of the has completed the valve retrofits and more of that and releasing more capability in the difference,” explained Whittington. “The year as the company triples its weekly Leap than half of the turbine disk inspections, engines to mitigate any EGT loss,” added -8, of course, was so unique and so new output from 2017’s rate. Speaking during which he said the company would finish in Paxson. “At the same time obviously we’re and so innovative, that flight test program a January briefing to lay groundwork for about three months. Finally, Paxson reported improving the shrouds themselves, to pro- was very long and very complicated…The CFM’s activities at the Singapore Airshow, no fleet disruptions caused by an exhaust- vide coatings that have less EGT deteriora- big difference for us is the customers Bastin noted that CFM’s production rate has gas temperature (EGT) margin degradation tion impact going forward.” told us they really wanted the -10 to be reached more than 20 per week and that associated with peeling of ceramic matrix Paxson praised the company’s support as common as we could with the -9, and the company plans to build between 1,100 composite coatings on the shrouds of Leap- team for its response to all the operators’ that really did structure our test program… and 1,200 Leaps by the end of the year. It 1As and the Boeing 737 Max jets’ Leap-1Bs. early problems, including those in North It’s more common than any airplane that delivered 459 last year. America that encountered frozen sensor I know of and I’ve been here 32 years, and “It’s not a walk in the park, of course; it lines resulting from lengthy cold soakings. this has been the most straightforward was never meant to be,” he said. “So we “Again, our team got after that and within test program that I’ve ever seen.” have some disruptions and we are working days had that managed, not only for those Built exclusively in Charleston largely to address them. We are a handful of weeks customers in North America but for the because the mid-body fuselage section behind demand, which is always too much. entire world, and put that issue, in terms of cannot fit in a Dreamlifter for trans- Anything but zero is too much. At the same a disruption, behind us,” he said. port to Boeing’s plant in Everett, Wash- time it is that much and only that much. If you CFM’s support organization now employs ington, the first -10 moved through look at the grand scheme of things…it’s a tre- more than 250 field service engineers and the South Carolina factory “signifi- mendous ramp-up that had been set years operates 10 overhaul shops, eight compo- cantly” more easily than the first -9 ago. So we are keeping pace I would say.” nent repair shops, 15 on-site support loca- moved thorough Everett, added Whit- CFM executive vice president and GE CFM plans to build between 1,100 and tions, five customer training facilities, and tington. “The 787-10 flowed seamlessly Aviation’s CFM program general manager 1,200 Leap engines by year-end. four material distribution centers. G.P. through the production system,” he said. continues on facing page

58 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com Boeing freezes configuration of The A350-1000 737 Max 10 flew in from Hanoi as part The upcoming Boeing 737 Max 10 has of a 12-city tour reached firm design configuration, the of Asia and the company announced at the Singapore Middle East. Airshow. The milestone ushers in the

MARK WAGNER start of the program’s detailed design phase, as the company looks toward first delivery in 2020 to one of 18 customers that have committed to 416 of A350-1000 shines at Singapore the airplanes since its launch at last year’s Paris Air Show. by Gregory Polek Boeing vice president of marketing Randy Tinseth noted that although a The newly certified A350-1000 took top Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Asiana—hail Carrying 366 passengers in a typical small proportion of the new orders billing last month at the Singapore Air- from the region and account for 43 of the three-class configuration, or 40 more than and commitments represent transfers show, where it flew in from Hanoi as part 169 total units on order. the A350-900 holds, the -1000 features from another Max derivative, most of a 12-city tour of Asia and the Middle East. The A350-1000 received type certifica- an extended wing trailing edge for lower notably the Max 9, most were com- During a pre-show visit to the Doha base of tion from the European Aviation Safety approach speeds, new six-wheel main land- pletely new, suggesting that the Max launch customer Qatar Airways, CEO Akbar Agency (EASA) and the U.S. Federal Avia- ing gear to accommodate its higher weight 10 has not significantly cannibalized Al Baker told reporters that he expects to tion Administration (FAA) last November, and, of course, more powerful Rolls-Royce demand for the smaller variant. take delivery of the first of 37 airplanes on after three flight test examples spent more Trent XWB-97 engines. It can fly to a range “We see a place for both the 9 and the order by February 15. After the show the air- than 1,600 hours in the air, including 150 of 7,950 nautical miles, allowing it to sup- 10, depending on the customer,” said plane was headed to Bangkok, followed by hours dedicated to tests performed in an port routes for emerging markets such as Tinseth. “The 10 plugged a hole that we Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo, and Manila. irline-like environment to demonstrate Shanghai-Boston or Paris-Santiago (Chile), had, and that hole was we didn’t have Billed as a modern and more efficient readiness for service entry. as well as more traditional flight segments as many seats as the [Airbus] A321.” replacement for the Boeing 777-300ER, the Unfortunately for Airbus, the specially as Manchester (UK)-Los Angeles or Addressing the demand mix for the Airbus A350-1000 fills what the European configured business class interiors for Dubai-Melbourne. n Max family, Tinseth estimated that airframer believes became a gap in the leg- launch customer Qatar Airways proved between 60 and 65 percent of orders acy 777’s capacity range left when its U.S. not ready for service in time for planned will go to the baseline Max 8; 20 to competitor decided to start with a base- first delivery by the end of last year. The 25 percent to the Max 9 and 10; and line of more than 400 seats for its 777X. unique seating configuration Qatar calls continued from facing page roughly 10 percent “on the lower end Although Boeing’s 777-8X—scheduled for its Qsuite features seats that face each of that market,” namely the Max 7. certification in 2022—seats roughly the other and lie-flat double beds. Boeing 787-10 The Max 10 incorporates a pair of same number of passengers as the A350- Nevertheless, the fact that the A350- fuselage plugs to extend the Max 9’s 1000, Airbus thinks that the heavier weight 1000 shares some 95-percent common part “We had half the number of manufacturing length by 66 inches. Other changes of the smaller of the two 777X offerings numbers with its smaller sibling, the A350- problems on the -10 than we did on the include a levered main landing gear, will leave its biggest A350 XWB in position 900, contributed to the smooth certifica- -9 in terms of non-conformances written, minor wing changes to accommodate to grab a sizeable portion of the world mar- tion effort and relatively short flight test and the total flow through the factory is the 777-style landing gear and a four- ket once dominated by the 300ER. program, said Obe. Meanwhile, the -1000 almost identical…The manufacturing sys- inch-wider mid-exit door to allow for Speaking at Airbus’s opening show also demonstrated better airfield perfor- tem doesn’t really know the difference the extra 12 passengers, bringing max- briefing, A350 XWB marketing director mance than expected, exceeding takeoff between a -9 and a -10.” imum capacity to 230. Boeing claims it FranÇois Obe highlighted Asia as one of weight predictions by 5.3 metric tons out In an effort to ensure that its custom- delivers 5 percent better trip cost and the A350-1000’s most important markets. of Riyadh, 7.2 metric tons out of Newark ers, too, will see little difference between 5 percent lower seat-mile cost than In fact, three of its 11 customers—Japan and 3.8 metric tons out of Johannesburg. the two models while flying them in rev- the A321LR. enue service, Boeing spent a lot of time In terms of the family’s production, and energy validating maintenance manu- Tinseth noted that the Max 10 forced als and preparing to operate the airplanes “a little bit” of a change in plans to in flight test much like an airline would. accommodate the airplane’s introduc- Meanwhile, the group of airlines that tion into the existing line in 2020, right Bombardier 20-year forecast predicts YOUR SOURCE FOR AVIATION NEWS comprised the program’s advisory panel— about the same time rates increase to www.ainonline.com strong need for 60- to 150-seaters including Singapore—emphasized their 57 a month. He also reported that Boe- strong desire for commonality over range. ing might need to raise rates beyond Driven by rising GDP and a rapid expansion Bombardier expects improving regional As of mid-January holding orders for 171 that to address the company’s grow- of the middle class, the Asia-Pacific region, economics to triple passenger traffic over of the 787-10, Boeing most recently inked ing oversold position. exclusive of China, is expected take deliv- the forecast period. a letter of intent with Emirates Airline ENEWSLETTER“We’re going FOR to watch BUSINESS it very AVIATION closely ery of 2,050 aircraft in the 60- to 150-seat Asia-Pacific will see “compound annual during November’s Dubai Airshow calling and figurewww.ainonline.com/ out what happensalerts in terms category over the next 20 years, according growth of 6 percent GDP, and will boost for an eventual firm order for 40. On the of what we call meltaway. But if those to a 2017-2036 market forecast released the region’s economy from $3 trillion in decision to choose the Dreamliner over numbers don’t go away, we’ll have by Bombardier Commercial Aircraft at 2016 to more than $8 trillion in 20 years’ the Airbus A350, an order for 70 of which to think very seriously about [raising the Singapore Airshow 2018. The figure time,” said Ross McKeand, Bombardier’s Emirates canceled some three years ago, ratesAERO DEFENSEbeyond 57],”INDUSTRY said ENEWSLETTERTinseth. G.P. includes 1,050 large regional aircraft (50 head of marketing, Asia-Pacific and China. Emirates chairman and CEO Sheikh www.ainonline.com/subscribe to 100 seats) and 1,000 small single-aisle Small and medium-size cities with chal- Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum explained aircraft, and represents 16 percent of lenging airports will likely see the largest that fleet planners looked closely at both Bombardier’s foreseen worldwide market traffic growth, Bombardier says, and by options and reached the conclusion that

for such aircraft (a total of 12,550), with a 2036, most of the demand will be for short the Boeing product made the most sense AIR TRANSPORT INDUSTRY ENEWSLETTER projected value of $820 billion. haul flights of less than 500 nm. J.W. for several reasons, including mainte- www.ainonline.com/subscribe nance cost considerations. n

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 59 FOR NEWS VIDEO FROM DUBAI HOT section MAINTENANCE NEWS by AIN Staff

Online MRO Locator Available Subscribers to Aviation Heaven’s ExecuJet Haite Becomes from Aviation Heaven new MRO locating tool will be Dassault Service Center Aviation Heaven, an online platform for able to access a map with all the Dassault appointed ExecuJet Haite Avia- business aviation operators and main- aircraft in their fleet. They can tion Services China an authorized service tenance facilities, recently introduced a change locations of the individual center for Falcon aircraft. Based at Tian- web-based, worldwide directory of MRO aircraft and search within a jin Binhai International Airport (TSN), providers to support EASA-, Isle of Man-, set radius to identify which ExecuJet’s Chinese facility can now per- and San Marino-registered business jets. maintenance providers have form maintenance and AOG support for The online tool, developed over the past approval for that aircraft type. the Falcon 7X and 8X. two years, will assist operators in finding The TSN facility features a 5,800-sq-m locations that can support their particu- West Star and Embraer requirements could be less restrictive, while (62,000-sq-ft) hangar and office complex. lar aircraft type, before they even fly to Sign Service Agreement still maintaining full compliance with ICAO. ExecuJet holds Part 145 certifications that destination. The platform will allow West Star Aviation has finalized a service Specific objectives of the consulta- from the Civil Aviation Administration customers to book maintenance slots in center agreement with Embraer Execu- tion and eventual proposed rulemaking of China and the FAA, as well as approv- advance and provide multiple mainte- tive Jets. Through the agreement, West include ensuring that the requirements als from the Cayman Islands, Hong Kong, nance sources in AOG situations, accord- Star’s facility at Tennessee’s Chattanooga effectively address safety risks; reducing and Macau. The company expects to ing to the Germany-based company. Metropolitan Airport will offer inte- complexity; fixing any anomalies and receive EASA approval by the end of this Subscribers will be able to access a rior refurbishment, inspection, avionics addressing unintended consequences; year’s first quarter. map with all the aircraft in their fleet, installation and repair, engine inspections, removing ambiguities and streamlining and they can change locations of the and parts for the Phenom 100 and 300, as the legislation; and resolving policy and individual aircraft and search within well as the Legacy 450, 500, 600, and 650. functionality requirements for specialist Leonardo Helicopters Opens a set radius to identify which mainte- Currently, the Chattanooga service maintenance. Mx Facility at Milano Linate nance providers have approval for that center is expanding to incorporate a paint No timetable was given for when Through an agreement with FBO manager aircraft type. Each location will have its facility and other additions to accommo- interim measures might go into effect or Sea Prime, Leonardo Helicopters opened data available to allow operators to easily date aircraft as large as the Embraer Lin- when permanent rulemaking and legisla- a maintenance facility at Italian business contact them directly. eage 1000 and 1000E. The shop, which is tive changes would be proposed. aviation airport Milano Linate Prime. All MROs with EASA approval are expected to open in September, will offer Equipped to provide line maintenance invited to register and submit their infor- full paint capabilities. for private and commercial AW109s and mation to the network for free, says the Duncan Aviation Increases AW139s, the 10,764-sq-ft/1,000-sq-m facil- company. Plans for the site include a flight- Rental Turbine Engine Pool ity in Milan is a part of Leonardo’s plan to plan function, which can identify mainte- Ruag Teams Complete Duncan Aviation increased its available expand its support services. nance support options while en route, as Complex Mx Projects in Siberia pool of rental turbine engines by 33 per- “The agreement with Leonardo happens well as the ability to submit maintenance Ruag Aviation continues to extend its cent to meet customer demand. The pool at a time of growth and development at requests to more than one MRO provider on-site support, completing three com- includes rental engines for the Honeywell Milano Linate Prime, both in terms of traf- at the same time through the web portal. plex maintenance and repair events on HTF7000, HTF7350, and TFE731 (-2C, -3, fic and of infrastructure,” said Sea Prime business aircraft in Siberia for Russian -5B, -20, -40, and -60). president and CEO Giulio De Metrio. operator AeroGeo Airlines. The events According to Duncan Aviation’s man- “Milano Linate Prime has been a natural Gulfstream Schedules involved two Pilatus PC-12s and a Cessna ager of turbine engine services James choice for Leonardo, due to the size and 2018 Support Events Caravan 208 that were grounded in Sibe- Prater, the company’s growth in engine importance of the airport for business and Gulfstream Aerospace will host sev- ria in need of significant repair before capabilities and authorizations has general aviation traffic, including helicop- eral product support events this year, they could return to service, Ruag said. increased customer demand for engine ters. This agreement allows [Sea Prime] including its biennial weeklong Oper- The projects each lasted several weeks. services. Prater said that the engine pool to further expand the offer of [more] ser- ators & Suppliers Conference, two cus- AeroGeo added a PC-12 that had been and additional selection of rental engines vices at Milano Linate Prime, delivering tomer advisory board meetings, two inactive for a period of time to its fleet to provide customers with the rental engines additional value to our clients.” flight operations forums, and 11 oper- support flights in Central Siberia last year. they need to continue flying when their ators forums. According to Ruag, it had been stored in a permanent engines are undergoing core Its flight operations events are created hangar without maintenance checks and zone inspections or overhauls. Chicagoland Mx Shop specifically for Gulfstream flight crews subjected to subzero temperatures. AeroGeo Duncan Aviation’s turbine engine ser- Adds Avionics Service and include presentations on advanced had a similar situation with a second PC-12. vices have been evolving over the past Gary Jet Center, an aviation services pro- aircraft technology, connectivity, and The events required spare parts and three years. Working with Honeywell, vider at Indiana’s Gary/Chicago Interna- an interactive collaboration session work on the airframe, cables, components, the company was able to designate its tional Airport, has added avionics services between pilots and Gulfstream person- and engines. Additionally, the Caravan, Lincoln, Nebraska facility a Honeywell to the capabilities of its FAA Part 145 nel. The next one will be held on March 14 which had been grounded due to a “fron- AS907/HTF7000 series minor mainte- repair station, and is now an authorized in São Paulo, Brazil. tal impact,” required significant structural nance facility in 2015. In 2016, the same Garmin dealer. Gulfstream’s Operators & Suppliers repairs that involved sheet metal work. location was named a TFE731 heavy ser- The new division, which according to Conference, to be held from June 3 to 7 at vice facility, allowing Duncan Aviation the family-owned company was intro- the Savannah International Trade & Con- to complete core zone inspections and duced to meet growing customer demand, vention Center, is the “highlight” of its Aussie Board Reviews Part 145 repairs there. is headed by Victor Gonzales, who brings customer support events this year. This Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Author- event, which attracted more than 2,000 ity (CASA) is nearing conclusion of the customers and suppliers in 2016, focuses consultation phase of a planned com- on safety, operational issues, and techni- prehensive review of its Part 145 aircraft cal updates. maintenance certification regulations and The company’s operator forums will associated legislation. include question-and-answer sessions Part 145 was introduced in June 2011 as with subject matter experts on location part of the regulatory program to transi- and in Savannah via a live feed. Fleet tion the requirements of aircraft or aero- status, mandate and technology updates, nautical product maintenance certificates maintenance management, technical of approval from the Civil Aviation Reg- training, and pending technical bulletins ulations 1988 (CARs). Since then there are among the topics of discussion. In has been little substantive upgrading, and addition, Gulfstream will review its fleet CASA believes that some elements of the Gary Jet Center has added avionics to the service offerings at its Part 145 repair facility, and support services for operators. legislation could be simplified and some is now a dealer for Garmin products.

60 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com more than three decades of avionics expe- these lights feature heat-reducing tech- rience on a variety of platforms, including nology that allows the lights to run cooler business jets and rotorcraft. than incandescent lights and some other As a Garmin dealer, the location will competitor LED lights. Compared to be equipped to handle avionics upgrades, incandescent lights, these LED lights have modifications and completions—from a greater lifespan, as well as a brighter and simple installations to full glass cockpits, more directed light. as well as ADS-B solutions. PWI’s LED cabin light retrofits are for the King Air 90, 100, 200, and 300. The lights offer a lifespan of up to 100,000 Elliott Aviation’s new low-cost ADS-B solution for the Citation Excel and XLS will be applicable London Biggin Hill Repair hours while running cooler than fluo- to a wide range of aircraft that are equipped with the Honeywell Primus radio package, Center Adds to Capabilities rescents. They are also designed to be according to the FAA’s follow-on installation policy. Interflight, a business aviation mainte- installed easily in existing light fixtures nance provider at London Biggin Hill Air- and power supplies. the ready to support our customers,” said transponders and can be installed in any port, has expanded its service offerings. Louis Leong, v-p, HP Asia Pacific. aircraft with Honeywell Primus II avi- Operating from a newly refurbished han- HP Asia Pacific has been offering onics, such as the Hawker 800A/800XP gar, EASA Part 145–approved Interflight Avio Design Group Attains DAO customers mobile MRO support since and 1000; Citation 550s, 560s, 650s, and has added type ratings for the Hawker Alberta-based Avio Design Group recently 2000. The facility staffs its field service Xs; Learjet 40/45s; and Embraer Legacy 400XP series, including the Beechcraft received design approval organization recovery/aircraft on ground (AOG) desk 600/650s, as part of the FAA’s follow-on 400A and Nextant 400XT. The company (DAO) certification authority from Trans- around the clock. Once a call comes in, installation policy. provides services ranging from scheduled port Canada. This certification will allow the company’s technicians and engi- The solution does not require current and unscheduled maintenance to AOG the company to expand its design, engineers help diagnose the issue, using both Honeywell equipment to be sent out for support to inspections, in addition to air- neering, and certification services for descriptions and, where possible, photo- upgrades, which lowers the chance of craft charter and management. fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. graphs supplied by the customer. additional repair costs. In addition, the “We’re delighted to add the new mainte- DAO certification allows Avio Design Once the problem is diagnosed, a ADS-B upgrade costs at least 40 percent nance approvals, which cover about 600 Group to complete its aircraft services at recovery plan is put into place. In some less than the current one being offered by aircraft worldwide,” noted director of one time in less downtime. Some of the cases, the problem can be solved remotely, Honeywell, according to Elliott Aviation. engineering Lee Sugden. “On top of our company’s customers include Yellow- such as by resetting onboard software. In “This solution can save Honeywell oper- additional maintenance approvals, our head Helicopters, Skye Avionics, Regent cases where parts and hands-on work ators tens of thousands of dollars,” said new hangar is the latest chapter of the Aircraft Services, Black Tusk Helicopter, are required, HP will source the needed Conrad Theisen, director of avionics sales Interflight transformation, following new Chippewa Aerospace, and Saskatoon materials and, if necessary, have a team for Elliott Aviation. “There are so many offices for the charter and management Avionics. en route in a matter of hours. [operators of] Honeywell airplanes that division, as well as new aircraft added to HP Asia Pacific averages about five have been looking for a cost-effective our fleet.” mobile aircraft-recovery calls monthly, the solution, and we can provide one to them.” Hawker Pacific Asia Adds company says. Teams have been sent to It requires no modifications or upgrades Mobile MRO Service both major aviation hubs, including Lon- to the existing Honeywell hardware. Stevens Aviation STCs Soon after Typhoon Hato wreaked havoc don and Tokyo, and more remote locations, NXT-600 Transponder in the South China Sea last August, such as Guam, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. South Carolina-based Stevens Aviation Hawker Pacific (HP) Asia Pacific’s cus- German MRO Offers has secured an approved model list tomer support team received a call CJ series ADS-B Solution (AML) STC for L3 Aviation’s NXT-600 from a customer in Macau—two of its Tempus Jets Relocates Germany’s FTI Engineering Network has mode-S transponder. This allows the Embraer business jets were damaged. Pilatus Service Center received an STC from EASA for an ADS-B company to provide ADS-B Out compli- The company dispatched an emergen- Tempus Jets moved its authorized Pilatus Out solution for the Cessna Citation CJ ance for several aircraft models. The first cy-response team to assess the damage service center from Scottsdale Airport (525) series. The retrofit—available for aircraft to be upgraded with the instal- and do on-site repairs. Once the aircraft (SDL) to Falcon Field Airport (FFZ). Now the CJ1+, CJ2+, and CJ3 equipped with lation was a Citation 650 with a non-in- were airworthy, they were ferried to HP in Mesa, Arizona, the facility will offer Pila- the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avion- tegrated avionics suite, and the upgrade Asia Pacific’s facility at Seletar Aerospace tus aircraft services such as scheduled and ics suite—was developed in cooperation was done at Stevens Aviation’s Dayton, Park, Singapore—an authorized service unscheduled maintenance, repairs, modi- with Ganderkesee-based MRO Atlas Air Ohio shop. center for Embraer’s entire civil product fications, inspections, and engine changes. Service, which will be the exclusive dis- The NXT-600 mode-S transponder by line—for permanent repairs. The FFZ facility, located on the north tributor for the upgrade. ACSS (a joint venture between L3 and “Hawker Pacific Asia offers mobile recov- side of the airfield, will also offer a mobile Atlas Air Service also expects to obtain Thales) acts as a form-factor replacement ery support, and our teams are always at repair unit. The unit can be dispatched to FAA approval for the CitationJet ADS-B for the RCZ-852 mode-S transponder and customers’ hangars to conduct trouble- Out upgrade. Atlas also offers ADS-B Out an alternative replacement for the Rockwell shooting and maintenance. It can also modifications for all other aircraft on its Collins TDR-94D. According to Stevens retrieve AOG aircraft located in remote approved maintenance list. Aviation, the complete ADS-B Out upgrade areas. Tempus Jets’s mobile repair unit package includes the STC and installation, will be available 24/7. two NXT-600 mode-S transponders, and West Star Offering one standalone NXG-900 GPS receiver, or TFS Paint Protection customers can elect to retain the existing Elliott Receives STC for ADS-B West Star Aviation now offers the Top Universal WAAS FMS GPS or upgrade their on Citation Excel/XLS Flight Supplies (TFS) titanium paint pro- Universal FMS to WAAS. Illinois-based Elliott Aviation's ADS-B tection system at its facilities in Grand Out/In solution for the Cessna Citation Junction, Colorado, and East Alton, Illi- Excel and XLS recently received FAA STC nois. Depending on the size of the aircraft, API To Distribute approval. The STC and equipment instal- downtime can vary from two to four days. PWI's King Air Cabin Lights lation kit are now available through the Applied in two parts, the TFS titanium Wichita-based PWI has named Aerospace Garmin dealer network, and Elliott is also paint protection system works as a paint Products International (API) a distributor. currently performing installations. sealant by bonding with the painted sur- Also based in Wichita, API will add PWI’s Elliott's solution features integration face to fuse the paint pores. According to King Air retrofits and LED drop-in replace- to cockpit equipment such as TCAS West Star, this prolongs the appearance ment reading lights to its product line. Technicians wrestle an engine cowling onto II, and ADS-B In via a Garmin Flight of an aircraft’s paint and might improve API will carry PWI’s 1495, 303, and 1308 a pallet at the HP Asia Pacific MRO facility in Stream wireless gateway. The STC fea- fuel efficiency as the aircraft’s slick sur- LED reading lights. According to PWI, Singapore. tures remote-mount Garmin GTX-3000 face reduces overall drag. n

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 61 TOUCHING bases FBO and Airport news by Curt Epstein

are also available to Canadians and trav- Air Elite Network Welcomes elers from visa waiver program countries. Two New Members The kiosk will then issue a receipt, World Fuel Services has added two loca- which passengers will give to a CBP tions to its Air Elite Network thus far in officer as they submit their luggage for 2018. XLR Executive Jet Centre in Bir- inspection upon check out. There is no mingham, UK, and Silverhawk Aviation charge to use the kiosks, but visa waiver in Lincoln, Nebraska, bring the fuel pro- program travelers must have electronic vider’s sponsored network of FBOs to 78 system for travel authorizations (ESTA) locations since it was formed six years ago approval and must have previously visited from the remnants of the former Exxon the U.S. after 2008 to use them. Avitat network. Million Air’s new hangar at New York’s Westchester County Airport is the first step in a FXE, which handles nearly 170,000 Located at Birmingham Airport near massive redevelopment of the company’s 23-acre leasehold. operations a year, was also the first GA England’s second-largest city, XLR fea- airport to introduce the Global Entry tures a modern, glass-sheathed 44,000- New Hangar Up and Running For the company, it was an instance kiosk, which allows pre-approved, low- sq-ft terminal with direct tarmac access at Million Air HPN of history repeating itself. In 1989, when risk travelers to expedite U.S. entry. that offers comprehensive amenities, Million Air has completed construction of Bill Bohlke, Billy’s father, took the reins of including VIP and passenger lounges its new hangar at New York’s Westchester the family business from his father, who County Airport (HPN). The 50,400-sq-ft founded the company, the facility was Sheltair Debuts New structure, which features a heated floor, is promptly leveled by Hurricane Hugo. As Hangar Complex at FLL CHARTER NEWS notes in operation and can handle the latest class Billy officially took over as president from Sheltair held the official grand opening of big business jets. It brings the location his father last year, Hurricane Maria gave of its new hangar complex on the west Tradewind Aviation has joined the up to 69,000 sq ft of hangar space. him a hauntingly similar test of leadership. side of Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Holly- Air Charter Safety Foundation and The development is part of a $70 Both proved resilient, able to avoid layoffs wood International Airport at the end of will participate in the Foundation’s avi- million project that will replace the and quickly resume business as usual. Fol- January. The $30 million expansion adds ation safety action program (ASAP). “We company’s old passenger terminal on lowing Maria, the BIA team played a cru- 145,000 sq ft of hangar and office space continually look for additional ways its 23-acre leasehold and represents the cial role in getting the airport back online to the FBO—one of four service provid- to improve our safety culture,” said first new FBO to be built at the metro to facilitate hurricane relief flights. ers on the field—and brings it to more Tradewind director of safety Alan Amato. New York business aviation hub in nearly than 457,000 sq ft of hangar, office, and “Participating in the Aviation Safety two decades. The 22,000-sq-ft Adiron- FBO terminal space on the west side and Action Program in conjunction with the dack-styled terminal is expected to open FXE Is First GA Airport with 91,000 sq ft of hangars and offices on the ACSF will add to Tradewind Aviation’s by the end of this summer. Million Air, Automated CBP Kiosks north side of the airport. safety management system.” one of three providers on the airfield, U.S. Customs and Border Protection “We have paid particular attention was issued a 30-year lease on the prop- (CBP) has installed automated passport- to projecting the future needs of our Silver Air has added a Boeing Business erty in 2016, after an eight-year effort to control kiosks at its facility at Florida’s clients,” noted Todd Anderson, the Jet to its charter fleet. The Southern remove lease restrictions intended to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Florida-based FBO chain’s senior vice California-based BBJ is equipped with a protect small general aviation aircraft making it the first dedicated general avi- president for real estate and develop- 16-passenger interior. Up to 10 passengers from being squeezed out of the airport ation (GA) airport in the country to be ment. “As a result, the new hangars can can be accommodated for sleeping, and by limiting the weight of aircraft that so equipped. accommodate the newer, larger-cabin amenities include a master bedroom suite could be serviced on its ramp to less than Like those found at larger commercially aircraft operators because of a delib- with bathroom and shower, satcom, VIP 50,000 pounds. served international arrivals airports, the erate design that includes 28-foot-tall office, full-service galley, Dean & Deluca kiosks expedite entry into the U.S. through hangar doors and an infrastructure that snacks, and wine selection. an automated process that eliminates the can meet their maintenance, repair, and St. Croix FBO Looks To Rebuild need for U.S. citizens to handwrite a cus- overhaul needs.” Sun Air Jets of Camarillo, California, has With its FBO heavily damaged in the wake toms declaration form and allows them The FBO, a member of the DASSP pro- added a 10-passenger Falcon 2000 to its of Hurricane Maria in the fall, Bohlke to declare their citizenship, present doc- gram offering direct access to Washington charter fleet. The Sun Air fleet includes International Airways (BIA), the lone uments, among other parts of the admin- Reagan National Airport, is open 24/7 and large-cabin jets such as the Global 6000 service provider at St. Croix’s Henry E. istrative process. Users will scan their has an on-site U.S. Customs and Border and GV as well as the super-midsize Cita- Rohlsen Airport, has engaged Colora- passports and fingerprints, answer a few Protection facility to process internation X and Hawker 800XP. do-based aviation real estate company questions, and take a photo. The kiosks tional arrivals. Western LLC to design its new multimil- Deer Jet is offering charter customers lion-dollar facility, which will include a custom itineraries, starting with a cherry 20,000-sq-ft hangar. Groundbreaking is blossom trip to Japan in March and April. expected over the coming months with Passengers will travel on Deer Jet’s G450 an aim of completion in late 2019. and G550 to see the blossoms in Osaka, “Hurricane Maria has given us an Kyoto, Amanohashidate, Hokade, and Ine, opportunity to rebuild in a way that with accommodations at the Ritz-Carlton furthers our position as the all-around in Osaka and Kyoto and hot spring resorts service provider in the Caribbean,” said in Kinosaki and Nishimuraya. company president and chief pilot Wil- liam R. “Billy” Bohlke. The U.S. military’s Commercial Airlift “Our new facility will be able to hangar Review Board has certifiedCSI Avia- any large-cabin jet, which surrounding tion to transport military personnel islands do not offer. This, combined with for on-demand passenger, cargo, and competitive fuel pricing and our Part 145 air-medical flights. “Nearly half of the repair station, will set Bohlke apart. We CSI team has served in the U.S. armed are optimistic about our future, and that forces,” said William “Rock” Collins, of the Caribbean as a whole.” During president/COO of CSI Aviation. “To construction, the company, which also now be able to utilize our organic fleet provides aircraft charter services, will directly with the Department of Defense continue to operate from the undamaged to transport military men and women is leased hangar it has occupied since after Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport is the first GA airport in the U.S. to receive automated customs especially significant for us.” T the storm. and border patrol kiosks, streamlining the processing of passengers through the CBP facility.

62 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com accommodating up to 60 passengers, approach end of Runway 13, eliminating dedicated crew facilities, flight-planning the need to cross the active runway, or FBO PROFILE: Northeast Air rooms, in-facility security screening, vis- back-taxi for full-length departures. itor or residential crew offices, prayer room, conference and training room, and a 27,000-sq-ft heated hangar. Jet Aviation All In on IS-BAH Silverhawk specializes in quick turns at Mainland U.S. FBOs and offers Part 145 maintenance and Part Jet Aviation’s eight wholly owned U.S. 135 aircraft charter. A major renovation to FBOs have achieved Stage I registration its lobby is under way, which will allow it to the International Business Aviation to offer new amenities. Council’s International Standard for Busi- Construction has also begun on a new ness Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH). The goal, $2.5 million, 28,300-sq-ft hangar, capable according to the General Dynamics sub- of sheltering aircraft up to a Challenger sidiary, is to ensure the highest levels of 604. When completed this summer, it will safety, secure ground-handling services, bring the location to more than 50,000 sq and customer service across the U.S. “Ever ft of hangar space. since the IS-BAH program was launched, our FBO teams across the U.S. have been working to ensure that all of our processes Florida Airport Completes meet IS-BAH standards,” said David Pad- Hospitality with a New England flair Major Runway Rehab dock, senior v-p and general manager of Page Field Airport in Fort Myers, Florida, the service provider’s U.S. operations. It’s been a good winter for deicing services dedicated to GA use) and 20,000 gallons of has completed the year-long rehabilita- Those eight U.S. locations join the up in Maine. Northeast Air, one of two ser- avgas. It is served by eight jet-A tankers and tion of its 6,406-foot primary Runway 5/23 company’s 13 FBOs in EMEA and Asia as vice providers at Portland International Jet- a lone 750-gallon avgas truck, operated by and associated taxiways. IS-BAH Stage I compliant. Jet Aviation port (PWM), and the first FBO in the country the company’s NATA Safety 1st trained line Phase one of the projected involved San Juan which is not owned entirely by to switch to 100 percent recycled Type I deic- service team. The facility also offers self- resurfacing the runway with a four-inch the company, is currently in the certifica- ing fluid see( article on page 26), reported serve for its avgas customers. mill and overlay. In addition, Taxiways A tion process. that December was especially busy. The Customs is available with advance company, which has held the airport deic- notice, through a facility on the other side ing contract since 2000, noted that for the of the field, and the FBO can meet arrivals month it saw double the expected requests. there for quick turns. Northeast Air was founded at PWM in The facility, which occupies 23 acres 1969, by Wordl War II aviator Henry Laughlin on the field, currently has nearly 35,000 Jr., and the second generation is now lead- sq ft of space in its heated hangars. They ing it; the third is readying. The Air Elite FBO are home to six turbine-powered aircraft Network member recently completed a two- ranging from an MU-2 to a Falcon 900, year, $3.5 million renovation and expansion and can accommodate anything up to a of its 20-year-old terminal, which doubled regional jet. The company broke ground on its space to 8,000 sq ft. The project also a new 9,600-sq-ft hangar last fall, which added 50 spaces in the parking lot. it expects to be completed in May. It also The glass-sheathed, two-story atrium operates a Part 145 repair station and per- provides panoramic ramp views, and the forms major inspections and maintenance location offers a full slate of amenities activities such as wing and engine remov- including a fitness center, pilot lounge, als and replacement. flight-planning area, a pair of snooze rooms, According to Goodwin, the FBO serves shower facilities, 16-seat conference room, local industries such as the General Dynamics- full kitchen, crew car, linen and dishwashing owned Bath Iron Works shipyard, and the Page Field Airport has completed a major year-long renovation project on its 6,400-foot main service, freshly baked cookies, and a porte city’s based insurance and law firms year- runway and associated taxiways. The next phase of the project, under way on the 4,912-foot cochere on the land side for the loading round. Its peak activity, however, comes in crosswind Runway 13-31, is expected to be completed this summer. and unloading of passengers in inclem- the summer, as swarms of tourists descend ent weather. Onsite car rental is available on Maine’s rugged, unspoiled scenery. and C now form a full-length parallel to Skyservice To Expand through Hertz, Avis, and Enterprise. The area is home to numerous youth the runway, allowing for more efficient at Toronto Pearson camps, and the airport sees three peaks movement across the airfield. A new Canadian aviation services provider Several Peak Periods during the summer, according to Goodwin; electrical vault was also installed with Skyservice has broken ground on a new “We’re the biggest airport in the state of one when the campers are dropped off in an airfield lighting control and monitor- development project at Toronto Pear- Maine,” noted Mark Goodwin, company June, midsummer when families return for ing system for the all-new LED lighting. son International Airport. The company, vice president and general manager of the visiting weekends, and then at the end of All direct-buried airfield lighting con- which operates FBOs at Pearson, Calgary, FBO, adding PWM is also the busiest. “We the summer when it’s time for the campers ductors were replaced during the course Montreal, and Ottawa, expects to begin consider ourselves the gateway of Maine to return home. of the work, running now in conduits, construction this spring on a $60 million when it comes to aviation.” During those periods, the FBO can han- which will better maintain the integrity (CDN) expansion on the south side of Of that business, Northeast claims dle 100 aircraft a day. That activity allows of the circuits and allow for easier and the airport. the lion’s share, handling approximately the business to bookend the flow of its safer repairs. The new facility will include a 100,000- 14,900 airline fuelings and 3,500 general year, with the busy winter deicing period. Phase two, which is expected to be sq-ft hangar capable of sheltering aircraft aviation operations a year. That translates Indeed, the FBO’s staff swells by 20 work- completed this summer, involves similar up to the new Bombardier Global 7000, to approximately a million gallons of fuel ers in the winter to handle the deicing load. work on the airport’s crosswind Runway as well as a 20,000-sq-ft full-service ter- pumped by the Phillips-66 branded loca- Goodwin, who has been with the com- 13/31. Along with new LED lighting, it will minal and business center. Skyservice tion for GA annually, while the airlines draw pany since 1979, noted return clients make receive a two-inch mill and overlay of the leases 260,000 sq ft of hangar space at another approximately 10 million gallons. up a large portion of its business. “We do the center 100 feet, and a complete recon- Pearson, and the company says it needs The location, which is open daily from same thing everybody else does, but we do struction of the outer 25-foot shoulders. even more space to support its rapidly 4:30 a.m. until midnight with after-hours call- it with a New England flair,” he toldAIN . “We Grooving will be added to provide better expanding managed aircraft business. out available, maintains a fuel tank farm that strive to provide a delightful customer service, performance in wet weather conditions, The facility is anticipated to be com- holds 62,000 gallons of jet-A (with 12,000 that’s really in our core values.” C.E. and Taxiway E will be extended to the pleted in February 2019. n

ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 63 ACCIDENTS by David Jack Kenny

PRELIMINARY REPORTS were widely circulated afterwards. “Icy instructor with no prior MU-2B experi- were no injuries to the three crewmem- mud” on the slope was credited with bring- ence. He delayed descent from FL 210 to bers or five passengers. Gulfstream Captain ing the sliding aircraft to a stop. save fuel, then began descending at just During initial descent on a flight from Killed By Cabin Door Flight 8622 flew a straight-in approach 800 fpm instead of his planned 1,500 fpm. the Tyumen-Roschino International at the end of its scheduled 90-minute trip The descent rate subsequently reached Airport, the crew was advised that QFE GULFSTREAM G150, from Ankara. Reported weather condi- 2,500 fpm, but the airplane crossed the (field elevation) pressure at the desti- JAN. 4, 2018, KITTILÄ, FINLAND tions included calm winds and light rain. initial approach fix (9.7 nm from the nation airport, elevation 857 meters, Radar track data suggests that the airplane runway threshold) 1,500 feet high and was 685 mm Hg, and that QNH (sea- The German captain of an Austrian-regis- failed to decelerate after landing and was 100 knots faster than its recommended level pressure) was 1012 hPa. The crew tered Gulfstream G150 was killed opening still travelling at 110 knots in the last third approach speed, overshooting the final read back, “I understand 685… is 1012 the cabin door after completing his pre- of the 8,661-foot runway. Investigators approach course before correcting. hectoPascals, is that correct?” ATC’s flight inspection. The Kittilä airport, Fin- have not confirmed the pilot’s account of It crossed the final approach fix nearly response was, “QNH 1012, for informa- land’s fourth busiest, is located north of an uncommanded increase in thrust in the 800 feet high and 50 knots fast as the pilot tion the height of the threshold 08 is the Arctic Circle, and the airplane’s aux- right engine. made increasingly aggressive attempts to 857 meters.” iliary power unit was reportedly operating lose altitude and slow the airplane. At Rather than converting 685 mm Hg to to provide heat for the flight attendant. Midair in Germany Kills Four 600 feet above the ground it was less 913 hectoPascals, the crew interpreted Cabin pressurization had apparently also than five knots above stall speed but still this as a local altimeter setting of 1012 been activated, causing the door to blow EUROCOPTER EC135P2 descending at 1,500 fpm. “The pilot rap- hPa, and the jet hit trees 17 seconds after open violently when unlatched. There AND PIPER PA-28RT-201T, idly advanced the power levers to their the ground proximity warning system were no other injuries. Aircraft damage JAN. 23, 2018, PHILIPPSBURG, GERMANY full forward position,” causing the air- began calling, “Pull up!” Investigators was limited to the door and its frame and plane to roll 70 degrees to the right. He later determined that the flight crew did described as “minor.” Two pilots on each aircraft were killed was able to level the wings at 150 feet, too not have the correct frequency for the when an EMS helicopter collided with a low to recover the aircraft. Neryungri Airport ATIS and was unaware Pilots Seized After single-engine airplane in the vicinity of A safety evaluation of the MU-2B led of the correct procedures for requesting Caravan Crash in South Sudan the Philippsburg nuclear power plant. the U.S. FAA to issue Special Federal Avi- local barometric pressure in hectoPas- Both aircraft were on training flights ation Regulation No. 108, which imposes cals. The report also notes ATC’s failure CESSNA 208B, JAN. 7, 2018, in early afternoon weather described specific experience and currency require- to detect the confusion or monitor the AKOBO, SOUTH SUDAN as clear. ments to operate or teach in the airplane. jet’s approach path. The helicopter was operated by DRF Unlike most other U.S.- and Europe- Aircraft damage was limited to the Two Kenyan pilots were taken captive by Luftrettung, Germany’s civil air rescue an-made airplanes, its engines turn coun- wings’ leading edge and winglets, the South Sudanese rebels after their Cessna service. The Swiss-registered airplane, a terclockwise, giving it a tendency to roll number-two engine cowling, and the flaps Caravan crashed on takeoff. The flight Turbo Arrow IV, was operated by a flight right when most pilots would expect it to and right-hand horizontal stabilizer. was attempting to return members of a school in Basel and was en route from turn left. South Sudanese non-governmental orga- Basel to Speyer. The Speyer control tower The 2,500-hour pilot had completed Main Rotor Damage nization (NGO) to Juba, the national cap- reportedly advised the Piper’s pilot that the requisite training but flown just 125 Linked to Missing Cable ital, but failed to clear the airport fence. the helicopter was operating in the area. hours in the MU-2B, 100 of them under The pilots and passengers suffered only No injuries to anyone on the ground the supervision of SFAR 108-qualified MCDONNELL-DOUGLAS 369E, minor injuries. One woman on the ground or damage to the nuclear facility were instructors. The TSB concluded that he OCT. 4, 2016, WAIMEA, HAWAII was killed, according to the Kenyan press. reported. lacked the proficiency necessary to make Members of the rebel Sudan People’s the flight under that day’s conditions, Damage to the main rotor system that Liberation Army-In Opposition released FINAL REPORTS and that his inadequate make-and-model forced an emergency landing was caused the NGO staff but held the pilots, demand- experience led to “task saturation” in by an unsecured lift cable stowed inside ing “compensation” of nearly $200,000 Unstable Approach Cited which immediate demands absorbed his the helicopter, according to the NTSB’s for the death and property damage. A gov- in Fatal MU-2B Crash attention at the expense of longer-term final report on the accident. Following ernment spokesman decried this demand planning. the completion of external load opera- as “ransom…beyond any normal compen- MITSUBISHI MU-2B-60, MARCH 29, 2016, Despite the rushed descent and a tions, the pilot had jettisoned the 20-foot sation.” At press time several weeks of ILES-DE-LA-MADELEINE, QUEBEC weather report including 24-knot gusts cable, which ground workers then recov- negotiations involving the Kenyan ambas- and ceilings more than 400 feet below ered and placed in the rear of the cabin sador, the UN mission, and the aircraft’s The accident was the result of poor energy approach minimums, the pilot never dis- but did not tie down. The helicopter was operator had yet to resolve the crisis. management during an unstable instru- cussed performing a missed approach. being operated without its cabin doors. Initial accounts suggested that 18 pas- ment approach caused by the pilot’s lack In addition to the two pilots, the casu- As the helicopter was climbing through sengers were on board the 11-seat airplane, of make-and-model experience, accord- alties included former Canadian Trans- 75 feet at an airspeed of between 20 and but more recent reports revised that ing to the final report issued by Canada’s port Minister Jean Lapierre, his sister and 25 knots, the pilot felt “a significant verti- number to nine. Transportation Safety Board. All seven two brothers, and his wife. cal vibration” and noticed “a substantial on board died when the twin-engine tur- blade spread” in the main rotor track. Boeing 737 Written Off boprop crashed 1.4 nm short of its desti- Altimeter Miscommunication He made a successful emergency land- After Landing Excursion nation airport in the sparsely populated Led to Russian Accident ing, after which about nine inches was archipelago in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. found to be missing from the tip of one BOEING 737-82R, High winds, low ceilings, and the high- BRITISH AEROSPACE BAE-125-800B, main rotor blade. That damage and scuff JAN. 13, 2018, TRABZON, TURKEY performance qualities that have made the JUNE 5, 2016, NERYUNGRI AIRPORT, RUSSIA marks on two of the four other blades MU-2B subject to stringent model-specific were consistent with their having struck A Pegasus Airlines 737 was damaged training and currency requirements con- The flight crew’s misunderstanding a metallic object that was not recovered beyond repair after sliding off the left side tributed to the accident sequence. of ATC’s altimeter setting led the Rus- at the scene. The lift cable was not in the of Runway 11 of the Trabzon Airport during The flight departed from the Montreal/ sian-registered corporate jet to drop wreckage and could not be located. its landing roll. No injuries were reported St. Hubert Airport at 10:31 a.m. with a below its intended approach path, even- There were no injuries to the pilot or to any of the six crewmembers or 162 pas- filed alternate of Charlottetown, Prince tually hitting trees 18 km (10 nm) from two ground crewmen on board. Impact sengers, all of whom evacuated through Edward Island. The CVR captured the air- the runway threshold. The crew was able damage to the helicopter included the the rear exits. Photographs of the airplane line transport-rated pilot briefing the GPS to maintain control, climb away from the fuselage and instrument panel, tail rotor, perched nose-down on a steep embank- approach to Runway 07 with his front-seat ground, and make a safe landing on Run- tailboom, and horizontal and vertical sta- ment just above the shore of the Black Sea passenger, a commercial pilot and flight way 08 of the Neryungri Airport. There bilizers. n

The material on this page is based on reports by the official 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.

64 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com Drivania links you with the

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AIN_printed_Full Tabloid_FEB.18.indd 1 17/1/18 19:34 COMPLETION & refurbishment by James Wynbrandt

Aeria Wins BBJ and continuity of the Edelman palette Completion Contract as a whole,” according to the company. Aeria Luxury Interiors has been awarded a BBJ completion contract— Jet Aviation’s New Hangar at the company’s third since its 2014 Seletar Open for Business founding—with the green 737-700 MRO and completion specialist Jet slated to arrive at the company’s San Aviation has officially opened a hangar, Antonio, Texas completion facility in at Singapore’s Seletar Aerospace Park. the first quarter. The Aeria-designed The company’s third hangar at Sele- interior, executed in a light color tar, opened during the biennial Singa- palette, will feature a VIP stateroom pore Airshow in February, includes an complemented by an en suite lavatory upgraded interior shop, drying rooms, with shower; an office/meeting room; a new soft goods area and woodshop. staff seating; and separate passenger Recently approved as an upholsterer of and crew galleys. Luxury touches Rockwell Collins (formerly B/E Aero- include generous use of gold plating, space) 16g seating, the facility claims wood, fine fabrics and ornate detailing, to be the only approved 16g seating said Ron Soret, Aeria’s vice president center in Asia, authorized to re-foam IGNITING IDEAS. PROVOKING CHANGE. and general manager for completions. and re-style 16g seats, including those of A division of Singapore’s ST Aero- China-registered aircraft. The 41,000-sq- 8TH ANNUAL JETNET iQ GLOBAL BUSINESS AVIATION SUMMIT space, Aeria made the announcement ft hangar can accommodate up to two NEW SEASON. NEW VENUE. NEW DATE. at the Singapore Airshow in February. BBJs or ACJs, or five Gulfstream G550s. June 19-20 | The Ritz-Carlton New York, Westchester Three Renaissance Square, White Plains, NY Infinity Aircraft Services Registration: jetnet.com/summit Launches Completions Group Join us this June in White Plains. 2018 Summit speakers and panelists will represent a Part 145 repair station Infinity Aircraft virtual “Who’s Who” of business aviation—experts with unique perspectives on the industry’s Services has launched Prestige Interi- present and future. Share the room and ask questions of global leaders, and sharpen your firm’s competitive edge with accurate and timely predictions. Register now online. ors, an aircraft completions division offering interior soft and hard good refurbishments and replacement retrofits. Housed in a new 16,000-sq- ft facility that includes a 100 percent The World Leader in Aviation Market Intelligence climate-controlled holding area for C&L Spotlights 800.553.8638 +1.315.797.4420 +41 (0) 43.243.7056 jetnet.com materials at its West Palm Beach, Valuable Interior Upgrades Florida location, Prestige offers custom Aftermarket services provider C&L handcrafted cabinets and solid surface Aviation Group has identified what it countertops, and in-house made seat believes are the three cabin upgrades coverings and cabin soft goods. With that deliver the biggest boost in air- a full dye room, Prestige can create craft value. Though “interiors do not new or match custom colors. Refur- fully translate into a higher resale bishment specialties include wood value,” said Larry Dean, president of refinishing; full upholstery and seat the Group’s C&L Jet division, “it does foam replacements; leather repairs and make the aircraft stand out from the replacement; headliners and baggage crowd” and “puts them at the top of panels; and carpet extraction and the market for the specific model.” replacement, according to Infinity. The cabin carpet is the interior item most in need of replacement, Master Palette Reflects according to C&L. The “turn spot,” Transitions at Edelman where passengers pivot to the right Edelman Leather has re-organized all its and flight crews pivot left is usu- collections by color, creating a Master ally the most worn area, and also Palette of 36 color families and laying one of the first things potential “the foundation for our color theory buyers see. A carpet upgrade pro- and thoughtful transitions moving vides a big improvement in “buyer forward,” the Connecticut company appeal” for a relatively low cost. said. Highlighting the change, Edelman Cabin seats and upholstery, starting is showcasing three popular embossed with the “chairman’s seat,” typically leather collections: Shagreen, Sulky, and wrinkle in the seat pan. If one seat Wagon Lit, all having wide application is particularly worn, recover all of by designers in business jet interiors. the chairs in that group, if not in the The 15 shades of the new palette of entire cabin, C&L advises. If the cabin Shagreen, the irregular, pebbled surfaced includes both chairs and divans, an leather, include shimmering colors and artful mix of newly covered seats in saturated hues that create dramatic coordinated materials with divans interior effects. The burnished texture of that were in good shape to begin the Sulky palette has been given five new with can produce a nicely maintained colors, creating an even gradient from cabin without a complete overhaul. light to dark, and bringing an added With North American buyers level of sophistication to the overall demanding onboard Wi-Fi, cabin palette, the company said. Wagon Lit’s connectivity and electronics round palette of “highly usable colors” rep- out the top value boosting interior resents “a hidden gem” for designers, upgrades, whether via air-to-ground or and “demonstrates the chromatic logic satellite system, according to C&L. n

66 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com COMPLIANCE countdown by Gordon Gilbert

Within 6 Months with a very long detection range.” March 14, 2018 Also by Jan. 1, 2019, all CVRs with a EASA Proposes Parts 30-minute recording duration must be replaced by units with two-hour Approval Revisions recording capability. Additionally, Aircraft parts approvals would be CVRs recording on magnetic tape revised under this notice of proposed must be replaced by solid-state units. amendment (NPA) from EASA. The notice mandates that parts and appli- ances need to be accompanied by Within 12 Months an EASA approval form, particularly Nov. 8, 2018 the so-called commercial parts that ICAO Adopts 15-minute are often not designed exclusively for aviation use. This NPA also pro- Position Reporting poses to assign a criticality level The International Civil Aviation Orga- for each part based on the safety nization Council adopted a tracking consequences should the part fail standard for certain international to meet its design standards. Com- flights that requires crews to report ments are due by March 14, 2018. their aircraft’s position at least every 15 minutes. It will become applicable Unmatched March 20, 2018 NEW on November 8. The new requirement EXPERIENCE Revisions Proposed will be made formal as Amendment 39 to Annex 6—Operation of Aircraft, Part to SFO Class B I. The new standard is the outcome A notice of proposed rulemaking seeks of recommendations stemming from to modify the San Francisco, Califor- the disappearance of Malaysia Air- nia Class B airspace to contain aircraft lines Flight MH370 on March 8, 2014. conducting instrument approaches to San Francisco International Airport Jan. 31, 2019 (SFO). The FAA is taking this action to Canada Revises improve the flow of air traffic, enhance safety, and reduce the potential for CRM Requirements midair collision while accommodating Transport Canada has introduced the concerns of airspace users. Fur- so-called “contemporary” crew ther, this effort supports the agency’s resource management (CRM) training national airspace redesign goal of standards applicable to commercial optimizing terminal and en route aircraft operations, including air taxis. airspace to reduce aircraft delays The new requirements go into effect and improve system capacity. Com- Jan. 31, 2019. This latest iteration of ments are due by March 20, 2018. CRM now includes the concept of threat and error management (TEM). March 29, 2018 TEM “advocates the careful analysis of Comm and Surveillance potential hazards and taking the appropriate steps to avoid, trap, or mitigate Implementation Changes threats and manage errors before they Iceland, Portugal, and the United States lead to an undesired aircraft state.” Duncan Aviation is the only continue with their performance-based communication and surveillance Rockwell Collins-authorized facility (PBCS) implementations, as planned, Beyond 12 Months that can perform repairs and upgrades on March 29, 2018. Due to different Jan. 1, 2020 and June 7, 2020 to the TDR-94 and TDR-94D transponders operating environments in the Gan- ADS-B Out Mandates required to comply with the ADS-B mandate. der and Shanwick operational control Duncan Aviation will provide same-day areas, Canada, and the United Kingdom, ADS-B Out equipment must be evaluations. Repairs have an average turntime different implementation paths might operational starting Jan. 1, 2020, in be needed to ensure accommodating aircraft that fly in the U.S. under of just three days. And when needed, same- non-PBCS authorized users without IFR and where transponders are day turns can be accommodated for a penalizing them unintentionally. currently required, and in Taiwan nominal fee when scheduled in advance. IFR airspace above FL290. The Duncan Aviation has a breadth of ADS-B experience June 16, 2018 and Jan. 1, 2019 ADS-B Out retrofit requirement in that is unmatched in the industry. Contact a Europe takes effect June 7, 2020. CVRs and Underwater Duncan Aviation facility now to schedule. Locators Need Upgrades Jan. 30, 2020 EASA will require upgraded CVRs Expansion of Datalink Com and underwater locating devices (ULDs). Starting June 16, 2018, ULDs in North Atlantic must be capable of transmitting for Phase 2 of the North Atlantic datalink at least 90 days instead of 30 days. By mandate will expand to all flights in Jan. 1, 2019, airplanes with an mtow North Atlantic Tracks region above of at least 59,500 pounds with more FL290 on Jan. 30, 2020. At this time air- than 19 passenger seats and per- craft will be required to be equipped with forming transoceanic flights must be FANS-1/A controller-pilot datalink com- www.DuncanAviation.aero/adsb retrofitted with an “additional ULD munications (CPDLC) and ADS-C. n

AIN_DuncanAviation_Dec2017.indd 2 12/6/2017 1:01:30 PM ainonline.com \ March 2018 \ Aviation International News 67 PEOPLE in aviation Compiled by Kerry Lynch

RON ALDRICH RON JENNINGS DOUG KREULEN DAVID KAY FINAL FLIGHTS D.L. “Whitey” Varney, who built a legacy of safe flying over a 40-year Sonnie Bates has stepped in as CEO at vice president-sales, Midwest U.S., and Jer- of Alaska Airlines, founded Air Olympia, served career as a corporate pilot and director Wyvern, succeeding Art Dawley. Bates has a emy Dials as vice president-sales, South Cen- with Piper Aircraft, and also held board posi- of aviation, passed away on January 17 more-than-30-year aviation background that tral U.S. Christie, who most recently led a team tions with NBAA and Honeywell. from Alzheimer’s disease. He was 86. includes service in the U.S. Air Force, as well of middle market relationship managers for FlightSafety International promoted Alex Born on April 20, 1931 in Logan, as senior roles with Baldwin Aviation, the Huntington Bank, has more than 20 years of Thurmond to manager of St. Louis learning West Virginia, Varney became inter- International Business Aviation Council, CAE, experience working with clients in the middle, center. He succeeds David Glass, who is ested in flying while serving as flight and his own firm, Corporate Aviation Solutions. large corporate, and high-net-worth individ- retiring from full-time employment. Thurmond deck director on the USS Kula Gulf in Avant Aerospace appointed Donald Snod- ual markets. Dials has more than 15 years of joined FlightSafety in 1998 as an instructor the U.S. Navy in the 1950s. Following grass president, overseeing Avant teams in experience in the equipment finance industry, and held a number of positions of increasing his service, he earned a commercial Texas, Illinois, and Colorado in addition to his most recently as vice president at GE Capital responsibility, from program manager, director pilot certificate at Embry-Riddle Aero- current responsibilities as president of Dallas Healthcare Financial Services of standards and training, and most recently nautical University and embarked on a Aeronautical Services (DAS). Snodgrass, who Quest Aircraft appointed Hitoshi Morigu- assistant manager of the St. Louis center. career in business aviation in 1957. has served as DAS president for 13 years, has chi vice president of production. Moriguchi, Succeeding Thurmond as assistant manager Over the next four decades, Varney also held roles with Chromalloy Gas Turbine, who will continue to serve as executive vice is Johnny Cruz. Cruz joined FlightSafety’s flew as copilot, captain, and chief pilot Aero Fabricators, ILFC and Lufthansa Technik president and as a board member, joined Atlanta center in 2001 and has served as direc- and served as director of aviation for a Composites, among others. Quest in 2016. tor of the center’s quality management system. number of top corporations, amassing Peter Maurer, who has led Diamond Air- Gulfstream Aerospace named Ron Aldrich Ron Jennings joined C&L Aviation Group more than 18,000 accident-free flying craft’s Canadian operations for nearly two vice president and general manager at its as regional sales manager. hours in a range of business aircraft. decades, is retiring. Scott McFadzean, who service and completions facilities in Appleton, The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Author- During his time, he flew CEOs, celebri- has been chief operations officer, is succeed- Wisconsin. Aldrich joined Gulfstream in 1996 as ity (MNAA) named Doug Kreulen president ties, foreign dignitaries, and former U.S. ing Maurer as CEO, and Kevin Sheng is taking an industrial engineer and since has held lead- and CEO. Kreulen has served as acting and presidents, and was rated on 14 busi- the role of COO. ership positions in Savannah and Brunswick, later interim president and CEO since July ness aircraft. He supported aviation at Dassault promoted Rémy St-Martin to Georgia, including as general manager of the 2017 and previously has served as director of Allied Chemical, American Can, General senior v-p/COO of Dassault Aircraft Services Brunswick service and completions center. operations for Huntsville International Airport. Foods, Combustion Engineering, Dun (DAS). St-Martin, most recently vice presi- The company also appointed Becky Elliott Ashley Bowen Cook was named vice chair & Bradstreet, National Intergroup, and dent and general manager of DAS Little Rock, general manager of its service center in Bruns- of the Wichita Aero Club (WAC) Executive Coastal Oil. joined Dassault Falcon Jet in 2013 as senior wick, Georgia. Elliott has 20 years of experience Committee. Cook, who is vice president/brand Over his career, Varney had received director after serving as president at Discovery with Gulfstream, having previously spent three director at Greteman Group, has held roles numerous pilot safety awards from Air Technical Services in Canada. years as director of operations at the Savan- with the WAC since it reestablished in 2008. FlightSafety International, as well Metrojet appointed Lanny Schindelmeiser nah, Georgia location and also holding a role Exclusive Aircraft Sales appointed David as from NBAA. In 1974, then Finland general manager of its maintenance, repair, as director, final phase operations in Savannah. Kay director of aircraft sales. Kay has nearly President Urho Kekkonen recognized and overhaul operation in Hong Kong. Schin- The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association 25 years of industry aviation experience, hav- Varney with the Order of the White Rose delmeiser previously has held senior positions (AOPA) added William Ayer to its Board of ing previously served with companies includ- of Finland and the Order of the Lion. with Ameriflight, as well as with Bombardier in Trustees. Ayer, an AOPA member since 1980 ing Emery Air, J.A. Air Center and Chicago Adam Ashley Klein, who the U.S., Canada, and Tianjin. and previously chairman of the AOPA Founda- Piper/Des Moines Flying Service. co-founded West Palm Beach, Flori- Global Jet Capital appointed Mike Christie tion Board of Advisors, was a former chairman West Star Aviation appointed Josh Peter- da-based Exclusive Charter Service son avionics technical sales manager. Peter- (ECS) in 2004, died on January after son joined West Star in 2002 after serving as a battle with cancer. He was 42. Klein a cargo aircraft mechanic with the U.S. Navy originally was involved in the technol- AWARDS and HONORS and then as a maintenance technician working ogy sector and had run a technology on firefighting aircraft. department for an international bank. GE Aviation CEO and president David Other Living Legends honorees include On Air Dining has appointed Alex Berry head But an interest in aviation led him to Joyce, Bigelow Aerospace founder Robert Sen. James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), selected of strategy and development. Berry has held team with Jason Johnson to help found Bigelow, and ForeFlight co-founders Tyson for the Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy senior positions with companies including Net- ECS. Through his stewardship, the Weihs and Jason Miller were among the list Award; Jack Dailey, who is retiring from Jets, VistaJet, Bombardier and Chapman Free- company has grown into a full-service of honorees for the 15th annual Living Leg- the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum born before starting his own consultancy. charter and management firm. ends of Aviation Awards. The awards are and received the Steven F. Udvar Hazy Premier Jet Center appointed Michael After his April 2017 cancer diagnosis, presented annually to honor those who have Award; and Mike Silva, a retired news heli- Lawrence operations manager. Klein channeled his experience into made significant contributions to aviation. copter pilot and Bronze Star recipient who Trans-Exec hired Aaron Cummings as fundraising for children’s cancer and Joyce, who also serves on the boards was recognized with the Vertical Flight Hall director of business development. Cummings was active in charities including the of the Smithsonian National Air and Space of Fame Award. has a background in charter operations, hav- Make-a-Wish Foundation and Angel Museum and the Aerospace Industries Asso- Frank Franke further was selected for ing previously served at Scottsdale Corporate Flight, among others. ciation, among others, is the recipient of the a special Legends Wings of Help Award Jets, Aero Jet Services and Advanced Air Those activities came in addition Lifetime Aviation Industry Award. Bigelow for his assistance in founding Aviation Management. to ECS’s work in hurricane relief, was selected for the newly renamed Kenn Without Borders. Meanwhile, the slate of Executive AirShare promoted Caleb Gillaspie most recently delivering thousands of Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award, a half-dozen new Living Legends inductees to assistant chief pilot. Gillaspie joined Executive pounds of goods to the Caribbean in and Weihs and Miller share the Aviation included Aircraft Owners and Pilots Associ- AirShare in 2013 as a Phenom 100 copilot and the wake of the hurricanes that ripped Entrepreneur of the Year Award. ation president Mark Baker.  since has been qualified as captain in the King through the region late last summer.  Air 350, Phenom 100 and Phenom 300. n

68 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com Fill an empty seat with hope.

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2017 AVA BJT 9 x 10.75 ad.indd 1 1/17/17 5:08 PM calendar

EBACE 2017 MARCH NATA FBO SUCCESS SEMINAR…March 6-7, Atlantic Aviation, Miami, FL. Info: [email protected]; http://nata.aero/Events/2018-FBO-Success-Seminar.aspx.

EUROPEAN CORPORATE AVIATION SUMMIT…March 8, The Palace Hotel, Sliema, Malta. Info: [email protected]; www.aeropodium.com/ecas.html.

ASBAA CEO SERIES LUNCHEON…March 9, The Hong Kong Club, Hong Kong, China. Info: [email protected]; www.eventbank.com/event/7075/.

2018 AIR CHARTER SAFETY SYMPOSIUM…March 13-14, Ashburn, VA. Info: [email protected]; www.acsf.aero/symposium/.

BUSINESS AIRCRAFT FINANCE,

REGISTRATION & LEGAL CONFERENCE… MCINTOSH DAVID March 18-20, Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa, Fort Myers, FL. Info: [email protected]; www.nbaa. org/events/finance-registration-legal-conference/2018/. EURASIA AIRSHOW…April 25-29, PILATUS OWNERS AND PILOTS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL Antalya International Airport, Antalya, Turkey. CONVENTION…June 7-9, The Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans, LA. OPERATING LEASE SEMINAR 2018… Info: http://eurasiaairshow.com. Info: http://pilatusowners.org/popa-annual-convention-off-season/. March 20-22, Hilton Garden Inn Hotel Dallas, TX. Info: [email protected]; GARMIN G1000/G1000 NXI PILOT TRAINING…April 26-27, GREATER WASHINGTON AVIATION OPEN… June 11, https://everestevents.co.uk/event/operating-lease-seminar-2018/. Garmin Headquarters, Olathe, Kansas. Info: aviation.training@ Washington, D.C. Info: www.gwao.org. garmin.com; http://newsroom.garmin.com/press-release/ WOMEN IN AVIATION CONFERENCE…March 22-24, garmin-announces-new-2018-classroom-pilot-training-classes. NATA ANNUAL MEETING AND AVIATION BUSINESS Peppermill Reno, Reno, NV. Info: www.wai.org/conference. CONFERENCE…June 12-14, Grand Hyatt, Washington, DC. AVUSI XPONENTIAL… April 30-May 3, Info: [email protected]; http://nata.aero/Events/2018-Annual- SINGAPORE AVIATION SEMINAR…March 26-28, Colorado Convention Center, Denver, CO. Info: www.xponential.org. Meeting-and-Aviation-Business-Conference.aspx. Singapore Aviation Academy, Singapore. Info: https://flightsafety.org/event/ NBAA REGIONAL FORUM…June 21, 4th-annual-singapore-aviation-seminar-sass/. MAY Westchester County Airport (HPN), White Plains, NY. Info: [email protected]; www.nbaa.org/events/forums/2018hpn/. AEA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW… NBAA MAINTENANCE CONFERENCE…May 1-3, March 26-29, MGM Grand Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV. Albuquerque Convention Center, Albuquerque, NM. Info: www.aea.net/convention/2018/. Info: [email protected]; JULY www.nbaa.org/events/maintenance-conference/2018/. NBAA INTERNATIONAL OPERATORS FARNBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOW… CONFERENCE…March 26-29, Las Vegas, NV. NATA CERTIFIED FBO SAFETY MANAGER WORKSHOP… July 16-22, Show Centre, ETPS Rd, Farnborough, England. Info: [email protected]; www.nbaa.org/events/ioc/2018/. May 8-10, Thunderbird Aviation, Minneapolis, MN. Info: +44 (0) 1252 532800, [email protected]; Info: [email protected]; www.farnboroughairshow.com/trade/. NBAA PDP COURSE: WHEN LEADERS TALK: MASTERING http://nata.aero/Events/2018-NATA-Certified-FBO-Safety- COMMUNICATIONS…March 30, JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Manager-Workshop.aspx. EAA AIRVENTURE…July 23-29, Spa, Las Vegas, NV. Info: [email protected]; Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, WI. Info: www.eaa.org. www.nbaa.org/events/pdp/mastering-communications/20180330/. NBAA BUSINESS AVIATION TAXES SEMINAR…May 10-11, Dallas, TX. Info: [email protected]; www.nbaa.org/events/taxes-seminar/2018/. AUGUST APRIL 63RD ANNUAL BUSINESS AVIATION SAFETY SUMMIT… LABACE…August 14- 16, São Paulo, Brazil. GARMIN G500/G600 & GTN PILOT TRAINING…April 2-3, May 10-11, Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, Chicago, IL. Info: www.abag.org.br/labace2017. Garmin Headquarters, Olathe, Kansas. Info: aviation.training@ Info: [email protected]; garmin.com; http://newsroom.garmin.com/press-release/ https://flightsafety.org/event/bass-2018/. garmin-announces-new-2018-classroom-pilot-training-classes. SEPTEMBER 4TH ANNUAL BUSINESS AVIATION GOLF OUTING… COMMERCIAL UAV EXPO EUROPE…April 10-12, May 15, Safari Gold Club, Powell, OH. NBAA REGIONAL FORUM…September 6, RAI Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Info: [email protected]; https://www.golfevent.org/. San Jose International Airport (SJC), San Jose, CA. Info: https://www.expouav.com/europe/conference-information/. Info: [email protected]; www.nbaa.org/events/forums/2018sjc/. EUROPEAN BUSINESS AVIATION SUN ’N‘ FUN…April 10-15, CONVENTION & EXHIBITION… NATA GROUND HANDLING SAFETY SYMPOSIUM… Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, FL. Info: www.flysnf.org. May 29-31, Palexpo Convention Center, Geneva, Switzerland. September 18-19, NTSB Training Center, Asburn, VA. Info: [email protected]; https://ebace.aero/2018/. Info: [email protected]; http://nata.aero/Events/2018-NATA- ASIAN BUSINESS AVIATION Ground-Handling-Safety-Symposium.aspx CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION…April 17-19, Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Centre, JUNE REGIONAL AIRLINE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION… Shanghai, China. Info: [email protected]; https://abace.aero/2018/. September 26-28, Long Beach, CA. GARMIN PILOT TRAINING CLASSES…June 4-5, Info: www.raa.org. AIRCRAFT RECORDS & TOTAL ASSET MANAGEMENT SEMINAR… Garmin Facility, Salem, Oregon. Info: aviation.training@ April 18, Gibson Hotel Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. garmin.com; http://newsroom.garmin.com/press-release/ Info: www.everestevents.co.uk/event/ garmin-announces-new-2018-classroom-pilot-training-classes. OCTOBER aircraft-records-total-asset-management-seminar-2018/. MAINTENANCE RESERVES SEMINAR 2018…June 5-6, NBAA BUSINESS AVIATION RACCA SPRING CONFERENCE…April 24- 26, Jury’s Inn, Prague, Czech Republic. CONVENTION & EXHIBITION…October 16-18, Hilton Scottsdale Resort & Villas, Scottsdale, AZ. Info: [email protected]; https://everestevents.co.uk/ Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, FL. Info: [email protected]; https://www.raccaonline.org/. event/maintenance-reserves-seminar-2018/. Info: (202) 783-9000; www.nbaa.org.

Indicates events at which AIN will publish Indicates events for which AIN will provide Indicates events at which AIN on-site issues or distribute special reports. special online coverage or e-newsletter. will produce AINtv.com videos.

See ainonline.com for a comprehensive long-range aviation events calendar.

70 Aviation International News \ March 2018 \ ainonline.com REGISTER FOR THE PREMIER BUSINESS AVIATION EVENT IN EUROPE Join European business leaders, government officials, manufacturers, flight department personnel and all those involved in business aviation for the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2018). Visit the EBACE website to learn more and register today.

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