2017年11月30日星期四

Textron launches Beech 1900-sized SkyCourier with FedEx order

Textron Aviation has unveiled and launched the twin-engined Cessna 408 SkyCourier with a surprise order by FedEx for up to 100 aircraft worth $550 million at list price, in a move that reinserts the company into a market segment once occupied by the Beech 1900.
FedEx opened secret discussions with the manufacturer seven months ago to co-design the SkyCourier as a clean-sheet replacement for the Memphis-based carrier's turboprop fleet of Cessna 208 Caravans and ATR 42s, says Textron Aviation's chief executive Scott Ernest.
With an emphasis in the design on simplicity and a clear bias for the freighter mission, Textron Aviation expects to move rapidly through development, achieving first flight in 2019 and entry into service with FedExa year later.
"Nobody is looking for 'fancy' here. This is a workhorse," says Scott Donnelly, chief executive of Textron, the parent of the division that owns the Cessna and Beechcraft brands.
Featuring a 16.7m (54.9ft)-long fuselage and a 21.9m wingspan, the result is an aircraft with roughly the same length and payload as the Beech 1900 but few of the comfort and performance qualities that made the type ubiquitous as a regional feeder aircraft for passenger airlines in the 1980s. Production of the Wichita-built 19-seater ceased in 2002.
The SkyCourier's fixed landing gear and wing struts will limit the top speed to about 200kt, or about two-thirds the maximum speed of the 1900. Textron Aviation plans to develop a 19-seat passenger version, but the aircraft's slow speed and unpressurised cabin could limit its appeal to the airline market. Instead, the passenger version of the SkyCourier will be targeted at markets in developing countries, as well as utility-transport and special-mission operators, Ernest says.
The aircraft appears optimised to the perform the cargo feeder mission that FedEx desires. The roughly 178cm (70in)-tall by 178cm-wide fuselage cross section is big enough to hold three LD-3 containers or palletised cargoes, says Brad Thress, senior vice-president of engineering for Textron Aviation. The SkyCourier also will feature a 221cm-wide cargo door hinged at the top to open outward, he adds.
The cargo door and handling system are among the most advanced features of the clean-sheet design, Thress says.
In other respects, the SkyCourier uses conventional technology. Textron Aviation has selected a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6-65 turboprop engine with an aluminium, four-bladed McCauley propeller. The choice seems a step back for Textron Aviation after the 2015 launch of the single-engined Cessna Denali, which features the GE Aviation Advanced Turboprop (ATP) and a composite, five-bladed McCauley propeller.
But the choice reflects Textron Aviation's emphasis on simplifying and optimising the SkyCourier for the role of its namesake. The aircraft also will use a Garmin G1000 avionics system and a conventional aluminium structure, Thress says.
"This was all about utility and what it will cost to operate it," Donnelly says.
After the aircraft's scheduled debut in 2020, FedEx plans to take delivery of a new aircraft on a roughly monthly basis over the next four years, says Bill West, FedEx vice-president of supplemental air operations. If FedEx picks up the option to order a second batch of 50 SkyCouriers, the carrier would expect to take delivery at a similar pace, he adds.
The deliveries will help FedEx replace a fleet of nearly 290 contracted turboprops. Less than three weeks ago, ATR launched the ATR 72-600 Freighter with a launch order of up to 50 aircraft from FedEx, which will replace the freight airline's fleet of older ATR 72s. FedEx also operates a fleet of more than 200 Cessna Caravans and ATR 42 turboprops, which will be replaced by the new SkyCourier.

"We're very excited about the new platform," West says.
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Textron Aviation ships first Grand Caravan EX to Botswana's Mack Air

Textron Aviation has shipped the first of 10 Cessna Grand Caravan EXs to Botswanan charter and utility operator Mack Air. The single-engined turboprop is being ferry flown from the Caravan production plant in Independence, Kansas and should arrive at Mack Air's base in the northern town of Maunby the middle of December.
The aircraft is part of an order, placed in the third quarter of 2017, from Mauritian aircraft leasing company Tuareg Aviation. The remaining EXs are set to arrive in Maun by mid-2018 and will replace Mack Air’s ageing piston-powered fleet.
Mack Air will use the high-wing all-metal type to provide charter, cargo and logistics services between a network of independently owned bush safari lodges in the Okavango Delta and Kalahari Plains regions of Botswana. 
Textron Aviation has shipped the first of 10 Cessna GrandCaravan EXs to Botswanan charter and utility operator Mack Air. The single-engined turboprop is being ferry flown from the Caravan production plant in Independence, Kansas and should arrive at Mack Air's base in the northern town of Maunby the middle of December.
The aircraft is part of an order, placed in the third quarter of 2017, from Mauritian aircraft leasing company Tuareg Aviation. The remaining EXs are set to arrive in Maun by mid-2018 and will replace Mack Air’s ageing piston-powered fleet.
Mack Air will use the high-wing all-metal type to provide charter, cargo and logistics services between a network of independently owned bush safari lodges in the Okavango Delta and Kalahari Plains regions of Botswana.
Mack Air currently operates a fleet of 22 propeller-driven aircraft including 10 single-engined turboprops – nine earlier iterations of the Grand Caravan and a single Quest Kodiak 100 – along with 12 piston-singles: eight GippsAero GA8 Airvans and a pair each of Cessna 206 Stationairs and 210 Centurions.
The Caravans will be supported by Textron Aviation’s South African partner Absolute Aviation from a new maintenance base in Maun. This facility will complement Absolute’s aircraft parts business, established in the town earlier in 2017.

Flight Fleets Analyzer records a global fleet of more than 2,200 Caravans. In the first nine months of 2017 Textron delivered 55 units – eight 208s and 47 EXs.
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Luxaviation expands US presence with Paragon Aviation tie-up

Luxaviation, the world’s largest business aircraft charter and management company, has formed a strategic collaboration with the Paragon Aviation Group and Chinese business jet charter and management company BAA, in a move designed to bolster its international presence and help expand its footprint in the lucrative US market.
The tie-up combines Paragon’s 27 mainly US-based independent fixed base operations (FBO) – including Van Nuys, California-based Clay Lacy and XJet of Englewood, Colorado – with Luxaviation’s ExecuJet chain of 25 FBOs, located in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, India and the Middle East.
“ExecuJet’s FBOs will join the Paragon network in the coming months, doubling its size and providing a substantial international presence,” says Luxaviation.
The Paragon FBOs will also become the preferred facilities for Luxaviation and BBA’s combined fleet of 300 business aircraft, helping to increase the traffic to these sites, adds the Luxembourg-headquartered company.
This collaboration enables Luxaviation to expand its footprint in the world’s largest business aviation market where its presence is currently limited to a charter sales office in Miami.
The firm has grown considerably since in its launch in 2009, when it had only a single business jet in its fleet, but the USA has not previously been a major focus.

Since 2011, Luxaviation has acquired six business aircraft companies – all based in Europe – and is now the world's largest charter and management company with a fleet of about 250 fixed-wing aircraft. It also manages more than 40 rotorcraft through its Luxaviation Helicopters division.
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Jet Aviation begins Basel widebody expansion work

JetAviation on 21 November broke ground on a new 8,700m² (93,600ft²) hangar at its Basel, Switzerland base, to meet the rising demand for its VIP maintenance, repair and overhaul and completions services.
The building, known as Hangar 3, will replace two existing structures at the facility, but will be nearly twice their size when it opens at the end of 2018.
It will have the capacity to accommodate a number of single- and twin-aisle airliners simultaneously, up to the size of a Boeing 747-8, says Jet Aviation. The project also includes expanding the apron by 5,000m², and adding another 2,000m² of office and workshop space.
The General Dynamics-owned business aviation services provider says the new project "reinforces its commitment to Basel", which has been home to Jet Aviation's main engineering facility since the company began operations 50 years ago.
Since entering the completions market in 1977, the company has outfitted over 200 green aircraft at Basel and refurbished countless more, it says.

The 49,000m² site houses seven hangars for business aircraft MRO and completions, including a 10,000m² structure designed to accommodate an Airbus A380.
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Bombardier to move Global 5000 completions to Wichita

Bombardier is to transfer completions activity for Global 5000 business jets from Montreal to its US facility in Wichita, Kansas, by mid-2018, to free up capacity for its in-development Global 7000.
About eight Global 7000 customer aircraft are in production at Bombardier's manufacturing plant in Downsview, Toronto, and the Canadian airframer is now starting to ramp up outfitting of the ultra-long-range type at its Dorval site in Montreal, in preparation for service entry in the second half of next year.
Wichita already houses manufacturing, final assembly and completion facilities for the Learjet 70/75 light business jet family. The site is also home to Bombardier’s flight-test centre, where the Global 7000 certification campaign is now in full swing. So far, four flight-test vehicles have amassed more than 900h, and they will soon be joined by the fifth and final example, which will serve as the entry-into-service validation aircraft.
Bombardier says it is actively recruiting to fill about 1,000 new positions in Montreal over the next 18 months, including craftspeople, artisans and engineers. It recently designated the site as a “centre of excellence” for interior completions of the Global 7000 and has invested $65 million in the facility for “forward-looking production”.
Bombardier describes its flagship aircraft as “the largest purpose-built business jet in the industry” with a “well-appointed kitchen and four distinct living spaces”.
Speaking on a 2 November earnings call, Bombardier chief executive Alain Bellemare said the Global 7000 was sold out up to 2021, and customer interest in the model continued to grow.

Meanwhile, interior completions for the Global 6000 will continue in Montreal. The facility has outfitted 750 examples of the long-range business jet, and the smaller, shorter-range Global 5000, since the pair entered service in 1996 and 2005, respectively, says Bombardier.
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2017年11月27日星期一

Surf Air readies for move and first PC-12NGs

European members-only airline Surf Air is relocating its UK hub to London City airport in December, as it prepares to introduce the Pilatus PC-12NG single-engined turboprop to its expanding route network from early next year.
Simon Talling-Smith, chief executive of the all-you-can-fly, subscription-based service, says it is "essential" that the operator moves to the downtown airport from its current base at London Luton, around 50 miles (80km) away.
It follows feedback from a large number of Surf Air's 200-plus members that are based in, or that regularly travel to, the UK capital. "It's what our members asked for," he says, "and it reflects the demand for a more efficient approach to business travel."
Surf Air currently operates a once-daily return service from London to Zurich using an Embraer Phenom 300 light business jet, linking the private aircraft terminals at each airport.
Routes from Zurich to Luxembourg and Munich will be added in February and March, respectively, flown by the company's first two PC-12NGs. "This is an ideal aircraft for short journeys of less than two hours," says Talling-Smith; longer routes will be served by the Phenom 300.
Surf Air plans to add routes from London to Barcelona, Berlin and Geneva to its network by the end of 2018, and will expand the fleet to support the growing demand.

The PC-12NGs are supplied from a 2014 order for 65 aircraft, placed by its US sister company. The twin operations are also in talks with Embraer and Textron Aviation with a view to buying a number of new business jets. "We are looking to secure a volume deal for the wider Surf Air fleet," adds Talling-Smith, but remains tight-lipped on a timeframe for any order.
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LiveAirShowTV breaks record at Nellis AFB air show

LAS VEGAS – LiveAirShowTV shattered its records with its coverage of the Aviation Nation Air & Space Expo at Nellis AFB over the weekend of Nov. 11-12, 2017.
To commemorate both the 70th anniversary of the US Air Force and Veterans Day, Nellis AFB and LiveAirShowTV partnered to enhance the show for the audience on the base and to let viewers all over the world enjoy the expo. A highlight video of the expo is below:
The expo featured year­-end performances by the USAF Thunderbirds, as well as from many of the aircraft based at Nellis AFB, including a spectacular air and ground warfare demonstration featuring the F­35, the F­16, HH­60 Helicopter and the A­10, according to officials.
The show opened daily with the USAFA Academy Wings of Blue parachute team bringing in the flag followed by a flight of the “Vegas Strong” F­16 that Nellis AFB painted to show support for the local community after the tragedy that struck in October.
The expo also featured civilian aerobatic performers, a jet car, a Corvette driven entirely by quadriplegic Sam Schmidt’s head movements, and a tribute to veterans by a collection of World War II-­era aircraft from the Texas Flying Legends Museum.
LiveAirShowTV integrated many production elements including mounted, handheld, onboard and announcer stand cameras, partner videos and messages, social media promotions, act introduction videos, and green screen introductions of the Thunderbirds team.
The partnership with Mark Magin and Angela Harris of On Board Images took the viewers into the air with performers with live, HD onboard cameras. Video matching announcer commentary was added, along with graphics identifying and providing facts about the aircraft and pilots performing.
The timing of all these elements was coordinated with air boss George Cline, creating a five-­hour live television program synced with both Saturday and Sunday air shows.
In addition to being viewed on video walls by more than 170,000 people in attendance, the broadcast was viewed more than 400,000 times by people in over 80 countries on mobile devices, desktop computers and internet-­connected TVs.
Aviation Nation Air & Space Expo 2017 marked the return to Nellis after a 10-year absence for LiveAirShowTV President Jeff Lee.

“Nellis AFB, when Aviation Nation was originally founded, was one of the air shows we did before we were known as ‘LiveAirShowTV’,” noted Lee. “We were at Nellis from 2002 through the 60th anniversary of the Air Force in 2007. While our production that year surpassed anything we had done before, it was not even in the same league as what we just did for the 70th production. Technology has improved and Internet video has finally caught up to our vision of bringing air shows to fans around the world. With this show we’ve proved our audience is passionate, engaged and much larger than even we expected. In so many ways, Nellis is home for us. It was great to bring all of the new advances back to this great show.”
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Flying car company acquired by Chinese company

Terrafugia, which has been working on developing a flying car since 2006, has been acquired by the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group of China.
Under the terms of the agreement, Terrafugia will remain headquartered in the United States and will continue to focus on its mission of developing the Transition, a flying car.
Terrafugia aims to deliver its first flying car to the market in 2019, with the world’s first VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) flying car being made available by 2023, according to company officials.
Terrafugia will also benefit from the Group’s significant expertise and track record of innovation within the global auto industry.
The deal received approval from all relevant regulators, including the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CIFIUS).
Company officials report that, in anticipation of this acquisition, Terrafugia’s team of engineers in the US has been tripled over the past quarter with Geely Holding’s support.
“Geely Holding is fully committed to further investing in the business, and creating additional jobs, following the completion of the acquisition,” company officials said.
“The team at Terrafugia have been at the forefront of believing in and realizing the vision for a flying car and creating the ultimate mobility solution,” Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Founder and Chairman Li Shufu said. “This is a tremendously exciting sector and we believe that Terrafugia is ideally positioned to change mobility as we currently understand it and herald the development of a new industry in doing so. Our investment in the company reflects our shared belief in their vision and we are committed to extending our full support to Terrafugia, leveraging the synergies provided by our international operations and track record of innovation, to make the flying car a reality.”

“After working in the helicopter industry for over 30 years, and the aviation industry in China for 17 years, Terrafugia presents a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of a fledgling but enormously exciting industry,” added Terrafugia’s newly appointed CEO Chris Jaran. “The support that Geely has pledged to make Terrafugia’s vision of a flying car a commercial reality is unprecedented, and I assume this role with full of confidence for the future, with our first priority being the expansion of the company’s R&D capabilities.”
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2017年11月26日星期日

U.S. Pilots Dominate Air Race 1 World Cup

After a weekend of heart-pumping air racing at the U-Tapao Naval Air Base in Pattaya, Thailand, the American pilots dominated the Air Race 1 World Cup. Cassutt racer Tim Cone from Fresno, California stood at the top of the podium as the winner, flying Race #99 named “What Airplane Honey” after his wife found out about the Cassutt when he was shown flying it on TV.

The final Gold race was a full on battle. Cone, who started in first place after winning the semi-finals, dropped down to third place at the start of the race, behind #79, “No Strings Attached,” flown by fellow Californian Justin Phillipson, and #69, “Knotty Girl,” flown by Texan pilot Philip Goforth. But Cone fought to come back and passed the finish line in first place, just ahead of Goforth.

Swedish pilot Thom Richard, who won the last official race in Lleida, Spain, finished in fourth place after an exciting battle with third place contester Phillipson. During an accident in Reno in 2016, Richard’s winning airplane “Hot Stuff” was damaged as it was hit during the simultaneous takeoff. Richard, who was not planning on competing, was flying a Cassutt named “Outrageous.” The airplane belongs to British pilot Yves Clarke, who owns the airplane and handed the controls to Richard after he was unable to qualify.


Eight Formula One airplanes compete simultaneously around a closed course in the Air Race 1 World Cup. A total of 18 teams competed this year. The Silver Final was also won by an American – Swaid Rahn of Springfield, Georgia.

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Navy Apologizes for Pilot’s Obscene Sky Art

Officials at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington issued an apology after a pilot drew male genitalia in the sky above Okanogan County on Thursday. Residents captured photos and video and sent them to local news outlets to complain about the inappropriate prank.

"The Navy holds its aircrew to the highest standards and we find this absolutely unacceptable, of zero training value and we are holding the crew accountable,” a representative told KREM 2 news. The FAA also told KREM 2 that there was nothing the agency could do about it because it doesn’t pose a safety risk.

Needless to say, because of the juvenile nature, the images and video quickly went viral, and the incident has received significant attention from mainstream news websites and blogs. As a result, two crew members have been grounded.
“We have grounded the aircrew and are conducting a thorough investigation — and we will hold those responsible accountable for their actions,” officials wrote in a statement, according to KREM 2. “The Navy apologizes for this irresponsible and immature act.”

Not everyone was offended by the art, however. One resident told Military.com that he got a kick out of it when he spotted it while running errands.

"After seeing circles at the bottom, I knew what it was and started laughing," Ramone Duran said. "It was pretty funny to see that. You don't expect to see something like that."

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Mooney Celebrates First Ovation Ultra Delivery

It has been a year-and-a-half since Mooney Aircraft’s first Ovation Ultra took flight from the company’s headquarters in Kerrville, Texas, and it hasn’t allbeen good news for the manufacturer since then. But Mooney is closing out 2017 on a strong note, as it recently celebrated the delivery of the first Ovation Ultra, before bringing the single-engine piston aircraft to the Arizona Aircraft Expo in Scottsdale.

In addition to the first delivery, Mooney also announced the selection of CAV Ice Protection to provide Flight Into Known Icing (FIKI) certified TKS Ice Protection and support services for the M20 Ultra series aircraft.

“Throughout the history of Mooney, we have installed and used CAV Ice Protection equipment. The TKS Ice Protection System has proven to be a reliable and effective system that allows equipped aircraft to safely fly within the flight into known icing conditions envelope,” said Mooney’s Chief Engineer Kevin Hawley.

As we’ve previously reported, the Ovation Ultra’s most notable enhancement is the pilot’s side door, while the fuselage is constructed with a composite material instead of metal. The Ultra’s interior will make pilots feel like they’re riding in a sports car, and the airplane is powered by a Continental 310-hp IO-550-G engine, with a top speed of 197 KTAS and a 1,450 nm range with long-range tanks.


Both the Ovation and Acclaim Ultra models received FAA certification in March.

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IATA, African Development Bank Sign MoU to Advance Africa's Aviation

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish a framework for collaboration to boost the aviation sector in Africa.
The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the International Civil Aviation Organization World Aviation Forum - Financing the Development of Aviation Infrastructure - in Abuja, Nigeria by IATA's Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Alexandre de Juniac, and African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina.

Under the MoU, IATA and the AfDB will work in partnership to further Africa's economic and social development by helping build a safe, secure and efficient aviation industry. The two organizations commit to create and implement programs and projects, including technical cooperation for capacity building. Priority areas will include improving connectivity, safety and aviation infrastructure.

"Aviation in Africa currently supports US$72.5 billion in economic activity and 6.8 million jobs. Over the next 20-years, aviation is forecast to grow at nearly 6% per year. This creates significant opportunities. But achieving this potential will not happen by chance; strong partnerships are key. The MoU with ADB will help facilitate the growth and development of Africa's aviation industry. In so doing, it will expand prosperity and change peoples' lives for the better in the continent's 54 nations," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA's Director General and CEO.

"The aviation sector is especially important as it opens up doors to investors," said Adesina. "Very few invest where it's difficult to travel to. That's why ease of access via air travel is strongly correlated to economic growth. We must make regional aviation markets competitive and drive down costs, raise efficiencies and improve connectivity and convenience."


"From Abuja, a new voice has arisen through this partnership: Africa's aviation time has come! Together, let's open up the skies of Africa, and together let's integrate Africa. By so doing, we will build stronger and more resilient economies," he said.

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FAA Updates Commercial EFB Guidelines

Aircraft operating under part 91K, 121, 125, or 135, that use an electronic flight bag as a replacement for carrying required paperwork such as instrument approach plates or aircraft manuals, will want to spend some time with the guidelines in FAA’s recently updated AC 120-76D.

The new version clarifies the definition of an EFB as a device that hosts or displays applications that are natural extensions of traditional flight bag contents and generally replace conventional paper products and tools. The agency wants operators to understand that EFBs cannot replace any piece of installed aircraft equipment required by operational or airworthiness regulations.

The updated AC 120-76D also provides fresh guidance for the in-flight depiction of own-ship position with EFB applications like electronic charts. Until now, the agency did not allow own-ship EFB positioning on moving map displays. Now, the FAA says an EFB may overlay own-ship position on an “only when the installed primary flight display, weather display, or map display also depict own-ship position.”


As with others ACs, the guidance in 120-76D shows just one way an operator may earn EFB authorization, but the document is not intended to dictate the only method. While AC 120-76D is not regulatory, it does require operators who use this document for guidance to follow all guidelines outlined in the AC in order to qualify for authorization.

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Drone restores Puerto Rico cell service

The FAA has approved the first unmanned aircraft operation of its kind to help restore cellular service in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
The Flying COW (Cell on Wings) drone, developed by AT&T, functions like a cell tower in the sky, restoring voice, data and internet service. It flies up to 200 feet above the ground, covering an area of 40 square miles, and is particularly useful in remote areas, FAA officials noted.
The Pulse Vapor 55 drone, which resembles a miniature helicopter, is fitted with LTE radios and antennas and is tethered to ground-based electronics and power systems.
Because the aircraft exceeded the 55-pound weight limit required to operate under the FAA’s small drone rule, the FAA had to issue a special exemption and an emergency certificate of authorization for AT&T to conduct its mission.

The company is using the drone as a temporary cell service solution while it rebuilds the permanent infrastructure on the island.
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Airbus and China Aviation Supplies Co., Ltd. Sign a MoU on Cooperation for Support and Services in China

Airbus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Aviation Supplies Co., Ltd.to enhance the cooperation between the two parties and jointly provide support and services solutions for Chinese airlines. The signature took place at Airbus Headquarters in Toulouse and was witnessed by China Southern Airlines, Air China and China Eastern Airlines on top of China Aviation Supplies Co., Ltd. and Airbus officials.

Under the agreement, Airbus and China Aviation Supplies Co., Ltd. will explore the setting up of a platform to address support and services opportunities in a coordinated manner, with the aim to strengthen multi-partite innovation and cooperation and provide even more cost-effective and comprehensive solutions to Chinese airlines.

The MoU covers the areas of material and services supply chain, such as spare parts distribution centres, major asset pool, materials bulk purchasing, stock forward and inventory optimisation, repair management and capability, AOG support for Chinese airlines and other material management and material training initiatives. The agreement also foresees increased exchanges via multi-partite training and workshops to strengthen innovation and cooperation.

The Airbus in-service fleet in China today amounts to 1550 aircraft. This cooperation will further reinforce Airbus'presence in the region in the area of support and services, in line with Services by Airbus ambition to become a game-changing player in the country. Today Airbus already has a strong network for support and services in the country with for instance one of Airbus'legacy training centres, but also maintenance & engineering centres, spare parts warehouse, etc.


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2017年11月22日星期三

Limo-Driving Daredevil to Launch Self-Made Rocket Over California Ghost Town

For the first time since 2014, “Mad” Mike Hughes, a “Guinness World Record Daredevil” and “The world’s most famous limousine driver,” according to his website, will blast off in a rocket that he designed and built on his own for $20,000. His latest attempt at infamy will take place on Saturday, November 25, as he hopes to fly over the California ghost town of Amboy at approximately 500 mph. This event will not be televised, and can only be viewed on Internet pay-per-view.

Ever the showman, and having previously declared himself “The most innovative man in NASCAR history” and “The only man in history to design, build and launch himself in a rocket,” Hughes is also still somewhat realistic, as he told the Associated Press that such a feat comes with great consequences.

“If you’re not scared to death, you’re an idiot,” Hughes said. “It’s scary as hell, but none of us are getting out of this world alive. I like to do extraordinary things that no one else can do, and no one in the history of mankind has designed, built and launched himself in his own rocket. I’m a walking reality show.”

As an avid flat Earth truther, Hughes' new rocket is sponsored by Research Flat Earth, an organization created by people who seriously believe the media “controls our minds,” that maps cannot be trusted and Antarctica isn’t a continent, but the edge of the world and the gateway to other planets, or whatever. Incredibly crazy or not, Hughes is with them and believes there is simply “no difference between science and science fiction.”


He received permission to fly over Amboy from the town’s owner, Albert Okura, who told the AP he couldn’t pass up this opportunity.

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FAA Warns of Unauthorized Use of Special Instrument Procedures

Possession of an instrument rating opens the door to airports when the weather is below basic VFR, provided the aircraft is properly equipped and that someone has a copy of the appropriate instrument approach plate — either electronic or paper — for guidance. Anywhere and in any weather… almost.

There are roughly 40 U.S. airports that demand more than simply an instrument rating and a chart to use them, and the FAA wants pilots to be sure they understand what makes these places special, offering details in the recently published InFo for Operators, 17015. Essentially, these Special Instrument Procedures demand specific crew training and often special equipment on board the airplane.

While these special procedures might look similar to a standard approach plate and may be included in an electronic database aboard many aircraft, “Flightcrews must not request nor accept an Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearance for a Special Instrument Procedure without specific FAA-Flight Standards authorization.” The agency implied instances in which ATC may have offered one of these procedures in error. “These actions introduce a potential adverse safety impact as operators may not have special training and required equipage to safely operate utilizing Special Instrument Procedures.”


Familiar approaches that require special certification are in use at Aspen or Rifle Colorado, Saranac Lake New York, Lebanon Regional New Hampshire and others that can be found on the FAA website.

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Business Aviation Not Immune to Pilot Shortage

Much has been written recently trying to answer the question of why too few young people seem interested in a flying career. At a recent meeting of the Chicago Area Business Aviation Association at PWK, the topic popped up again, except this time around it all focused on Biz Av.

Aviation department managers I spoke to said they’re worried about the future, of course, but are also struggling with finding good people today. I heard stories of companies operating business jets borrowing crews for a day here and there in order to make their schedules work and, later, swapping out some of their own crews to pay back that generosity. But these are short-term solutions.


In days gone by, contract pilots added the flexibility most business aviation flight departments needed. But contract flying can be an expensive way to make a living for pilots because they’re responsible for their own initial or recurrent training costs, often costing tens of thousands of dollars a year. Some flight departments are so hungry these days for the reliable talent needed to get them through the month that they’ll often take the unusual step of covering recurrent training expenses for a pilot in order to gain and maintain their scheduling loyalty.

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Accident Numbers Show Positive Results for Amateur-Built Aircraft

The recent end of the FAA’s fiscal year at the close of September brought good news to the amateur-built aircraft world when agency data showed a marked decline in the number of accidents in that category of aircraft.

“For the 12-month period from October 1, 2016, to September 30, 2017, fatal accident totals in amateur-built aircraft were down 18 percent to just 27, compared with 33 during the 2016 fiscal year,” according to the EAA. Best of all, this most recent decline continues a four-year trend in fatal accidents that demonstrates a 47 percent drop during that period, despite an increasing number of flight hours year over year.

Amateur-built was not the only category to experience good news. Fatal accident totals in the experimental category — including racing aircraft, those used for exhibit only, research-and-development and some types of light-sport aircraft — declined as well. The total number of fatal accidents among experimental aircraft declined from 49 to 45 in the 12-month period ending September 30, numbers that now hover nearly 25 percent below the FAA’s “not-to-exceed” goal of 59 for the same period.


EAA has worked closely with the FAA and the NTSB, as well as the FAA’s General Aviation Joint Steering Committee, to reduce accident numbers. A highlight of the past few years has also been EAA’s Founder’s Innovation Prize competition that seeks out innovative new methods of reducing loss-of-control accidents in amateur-built aircraft. The competition focuses on transition and recurrent training, as well as the use of an additional safety pilot during initial flight testing in amateur-built aircraft.

(Evangle Luo of TTFLY shared with you)

2017年11月21日星期二

Leonardo nears firm order from UAE for AW609

Leonardo Helicopters is closing in on a final contract with the United Arab Emirates for three search and rescue-roled AW609 tiltrotors.
The UAE in 2015 placed a tentative commitment for three examples, with a further three AW609s covered by options, to be operated by its Joint Aviation Command.
Gian Piero Cutillo, managing director of the helicopter manufacturer, says it is now “finalising the deal with the UAE customer”.
Speaking at the Dubai air show, he confirmed: "We are very close, we only have some minor things still to fix with the customer.”
Delivery of the first example to the UAE had been tentatively scheduled for 2019.
However, certification for the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6C-67A-powered tiltrotor appears to have been pushed back slightly into the initial months of 2019.

Cutillo indicates that the airframer is targeting US Federal Aviation Administration approval in “early 2019”, a minor slippage on its previous target of late 2018.
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Island Aviation to launch seaplane operation with Kodiak 100s

Island Aviation Services, the parent company of Indian Ocean carrier Maldivian, is establishing a seaplane operation in the Maldives with a fleet of Quest Kodiak 100 single-engined turboprops.
The venture, branded Sky Atoll Private, is designed to tap into increased demand for transport from the archipelago's tourist industry.
The Malé-headquartered company has placed an initial order for four Kodiaks, which will be the first examples to be equipped with Aerocet 6750 straight, fixed floats. The composite structures secured certification on the all-metal, high-wing type earlier this year and are targeted at users who operate solely from water.
The aircraft delivery schedule and service launch date are now being firmed up, says Quest, which is owned by Japan’s Setouchi Holdings. "Exact timings have yet to be established, but we expect [Sky Atoll] services to commence in the near future," it adds.
The Maldives are made up of roughly 1,200 coral islands in the Indian Ocean and seaplanes are “the primary means” by which tourists travel to each resort from the international airport in Malé, says Quest. The scale of seaplane operations within the region “is among the largest in the world”, it adds.

Quest is seeing increased business from the amphibian sector: around 20% of the 230-strong global fleet of Kodiaks is equipped with Aerocet 6650 composite floats, it says. In 2017, around 25% of sales have been of float-equipped examples.
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Era says its H225 helicopters are worth just $4 million each

US offshore helicopter operator Era Group has booked a $117 million write-down in its latest financial quarter, primarily based on a reappraisal of its Airbus Helicopters H225s, which values the 11t-class rotorcraft at just $4 million each.
Era has nine offshore-configured Super Pumas in its fleet. These have been idle since the April 2016 loss of an H225 off the coast of Norway, operated by CHC Helikopter Services, which claimed the lives of all 13 passengers and crew.
Speaking on a 10 November third-quarter earnings call, chief executive Chris Bradshaw said following the new valuation, Era calculates that its H225s are worth "an average of approximately $4 million per helicopter".
Prior to the accident and subsequent grounding, offshore-configured H225s would have been valued at around five times that figure.
Although Bradshaw says the company is "actively marketing" the Super Puma fleet for sale or lease, it believes that the aircraft will only find a use as heavy-lift utility helicopters, or for certain search and rescue applications.
However, Bradshaw rules out their likely return to service in the offshore sector, noting that Norwegian accident investigators are yet to determine a root cause for the gearbox failure that doomed the H225.
Regulators in Norway and the UK in July moved to lift their final grounding restrictions on the Super Puma family – including the H225 and AS332 L2 – based on a detailed safety case assembled by Airbus Helicopters.
However, Bradshaw is not convinced by this, arguing that Airbus Helicopters has only come up with a means of detecting the problem once it has occurred, rather than fixing the underlying defect.
"It remains the case that there is an absence of robust and empirical data sets that could be used to inform a reliable safety case that would define, with any specificity, things like the propagation rate once the underlying issue occurs, or the successful identification rate once the underlying issue has developed," he says.
"We also note that certain customer tenders have excluded the 225 helicopters as eligible aircraft."
Era is still pursuing Airbus Helicopters through the courts, arguing that it was sold helicopters with a known safety defect, a position the manufacturer vehemently disputes.
Bradshaw says it would be open to a commercial settlement to the dispute, but adds that "fundamentally, we believe we’ve been harmed by the 225 situation, and we seek compensation for those damages in whatever form possible".

Era says it spent around $1.9 million on legal fees during the third quarter ended 30 September, the majority related to its lawsuit.
(Evangle Luo of TTFLY shared with you)