Bell Plans To Soon Resume 525 Flight Testing - Nearly a year after the fatal crash of a Bell 525 during a test flight, the program remains grounded. Last week, Bell Helicopter CEO Mi
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June 12, 2017
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Bell Plans To Soon Resume 525 Flight Testing

Nearly a year after the fatal crash of a Bell 525 during a test flight, the program remains grounded. Last week, Bell Helicopter CEO Mitch Snyder said the 525 would be “back up to flight” in the near future.

“We continue to work on non-flight activities and the program is continuing to progress there,” Snyder said. “We continue to work closely with the NTSB and the FAA. We're preparing for flight. We expect to be in the air in the near term. That's pretty much what we can say right now. The aircraft are being built up in preparation. We have one aircraft that we are bringing back up on line, and then the second one will follow shortly after that.” 

Neither of the remaining two test aircraft had engaged in ground runs during the stand down, he said. Two more test aircraft are being built at Bell's plant in Amarillo, Texas. One of those new aircraft would fly this year and the other early next year. “The current plan, assuming that we will be flying here pretty quick, is that we will get type certification by the end of next year and begin deliveries in early 2019,” he said. 

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Saturday’s Beechjet Dual Flameout Marks Fourth in Type

A Beechjet 400A operated by Travel Management Company diverted and glided to a safe landing at Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York after experiencing a dual engine flameout over northwestern Pennsylvania while cruising at FL390 on Saturday afternoon, according to information from the FAA and FlightAware. Notably, this marks the fifth in-flight engine flameout involving a Beechjet, including the fourth dual flameout of this type, and also the third dead-stick landing in a Beechjet following a dual flameout (one included a restart).

TMC Flight 460 departed from Louisville, Kentucky, and was originally en route to New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport, reportedly with actress Jennifer Lawrence on board. In a statement, the FAA said the Beechjet landed in Buffalo at about 1:40 p.m., though FlightAware data pegs the landing at 1:15 p.m. “The crew diverted to Buffalo when they declared an emergency due to engine-related issues,” the FAA said, adding that it is investigating the incident.

Following three Beechjet flameout incidents, the NTSB issued an urgent recommendation in August 2006 due to the possibility of compressor surge after ingesting ice crystals at high altitude. “Beechjet 400 pilots [should] activate ignition and anti-ice systems at high altitude whenever they are in or near visible moisture, or near convective storm activity, or before any power reduction while in those conditions,” the NTSB said at the time.

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Residual Values To Drop for Non-ADS-B-equipped Aircraft

Owners of business aircraft that are not ADS-B-compliant or in the queue to have equipment installed risk seeing already depressed residual values fall even further in advance of FAA’s Jan. 1, 2020 deadline, according to GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce. “The value of your asset is going to start dropping even before 2020—this is for rotorcraft and fixed-wing—if you don’t have a slot to upgrade,” he said last week during a panel at the National Air Transportation Association’s Business Aviation Conference. “If you’re in the business aviation category and you hit 2020 [without an upgrade], the price [of your aircraft] is going to just plummet.”

While the FAA is adamant that the ADS-B deadline will not be pushed back, Bunce said that too many operators are holding out hope that the date will slip. “Because of that belief, right now, we are not on pace to get the fleet equipped by the 2020 mandate,” he warned.

GAMA is working with the aircraft-valuation community to collect data that will help quantify the problem, Bunce said. The association plans to make the data available to encourage equipage while there is still time to shift momentum. “We have the industrial capacity to get the fleet modified,” Bunce said. But, he cautioned, “If everybody waits until 2019, then it’s not going to happen."

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Jet Aviation To Relocate to VIP Terminal at DWC

Jet Aviation is relocating its Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) FBO, which it operates in partnership with the Al Mulla Business Group. Established in 2013 in the airport’s main terminal building, Jet Aviation will now be one of the service providers sharing the world’s largest purpose-built VIP terminal at Dubai South next to the Dubai Airshow Hall.

At 6,460 sq ft (600 sq m), Jet Aviation’s new FBO is six times larger than its previous location. Slated to hold its grand opening at the Dubai Airshow in November, it will feature a trio of 430-sq-ft (40-sq-m) customer lounges, a conference room, crew lounge, two prayer rooms, shower facilities and a separate waiting room for chauffeurs. The terminal also houses a large duty-free shop.

Given the current lack of available hangars at Dubai South, the General Dynamics subsidiary will provide base maintenance through its MRO location at Dubai International Airport, while developing line maintenance capabilities at the Al Maktoum FBO.

“Given the policy emphasis on migrating business aviation traffic through Dubai to DWC, we are very pleased to soon reopen our FBO operation at Dubai South,” said Stefan Benz, the company’s senior vice president and general manager of MRO and FBO for EMEA and Asia.

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Jack Hammond, Long-Time Leader in Aviation Fuels, Dies

Jack Hammond, an industry stalwart who drove numerous market and safety innovations in the aviation fuels business, died on June 4 at his home in Upper Michigan. Hammond had a 34-year career with Phillips 66 and led aviation sales for more than a decade.

During his time with Phillips he brought a number of firsts to the general aviation industry, including an aviation fuel safety program that focused on proper ways to store fuel and daily checks and balances at the fuel farm. Other safety initiatives included training for all facets of handling aircraft and procedures for fueling aircraft. He also led the creation, marketing and handling of pre-blended jet fuel and launched the Phillips 66 Flying Salesman Program. From a broader industry standpoint, Hammond helped the Experimental Aircraft Association establish the Young Eagles Program, providing financial backing.

Hammond, who earned his pilot certificate in 1954, joined Phillips 66 in 1960 and moved into aviation product sales in 1962. Hammond was promoted to assistant manager of aviation sales and product manager before taking over as manager of aviation sales in 1983. He retired from Phillips in 1994.

Hammond is survived by his wife, Patricia, and sons Scott and Kent. A memorial service is planned for July 6 in Phelps, Wisconsin.

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DaVinci To Present at NBAA Flight Attendant Confab

Florida-based DaVinci Inflight Training Institute will participate in NBAA’s Flight Attendant Conference in Long Beach, California, from June 13 to 15 as both a sponsor and presenter. DaVinci founder Paula Kraft and business aviation cabin safety training and DaVinci partner Scott Arnold will represent the flight attendant training school at this event. Arnold will conduct courses in cabin safety training, in-flight service, etiquette and career development at the training institute.

DaVinci Inflight Training Institute will soon complete its 6,500-sq-ft facility for tours and classes this summer at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE). The facility features a mock flight department area to test graduates on the entire cabin service experience. Currently, the school is working with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to offer online classes that cover “SMARTtraveler,” professionalism, pilot essentials, food allergens, special meal planning and menu writing, as well as updates on the Food Safety Modernization Act and safety management system training. These courses, which are available as individual programs or blended programs, are designed to be completed before attending a specific course at the new facility.

Designed by Arnold himself, courses from the DaVinci Inflight Training Institute include service etiquette, soft skills and cabin safety programs at the preliminary and elite level. Culinary classes cover a variety of topics for a one-day program to a weeklong series of classes.

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Retired Senior Coast Guard Officer Picked To Lead TSA

President Donald Trump has selected another former senior U.S. Coast Guard official to become the next head of the Transportation Security Administration. The White House last week announced its intention to nominate retired Coast Guard vice commandant David Pekoske as assistant secretary of Homeland Security, TSA. In that role Pekoske would succeed Peter Neffenger, also a former Coast Guard vice commandant, who led TSA for 18 months under the previous administration.

Pekoske had a 33-year career with the Coast Guard, retiring in 2010 as the second-in-command and COO of the service. He held numerous leadership roles while with the Coast Guard, including commander of the Coast Guard Pacific Area and Coast Defense Forces West.

More recently he held leadership roles with government mission support specialist PAE and is currently a member of the adjunct faculty at American University. “Throughout his career, he worked closely with the men and women in federal, state, and local law enforcement and public safety organizations to protect the American people,” the White House said.

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Jet Aviation Boston/Bedford Opens Renovated Facility

Jet Aviation’s Boston/Bedford FBO at Hanscom Field held grand-opening festivities on June 8 for its new hangar and ramp facilities, a major part of the company’s first comprehensive expansion since it began operations at the airport in 1984. Upgrades include a 40,000-sq-ft hangar capable of handling aircraft up to the size of a Gulfstream G650 and Bombardier Global 7000; 16,000 sq ft of office and shop space; a refurbished ramp and apron upgrade; and new entrance roadway, parking and landscaping. In addition, a new 13,000-sq-ft, two-story terminal with 13,000 sq ft is expected to be completed by early next month.

“We worked hard to design and build a facility to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design [LEED] Silver specifications that protects our environment, and anticipate this LEED certification next year,” said Jet Aviation president Rob Smith.

Groundbreaking occurred on July 16, 2015, and the intended opening date was summer 2016. “Since the groundbreaking, it seemed like every time we turned a shovel, we dug up a new problem,” Smith said. “Some of you may have heard about the many—let’s say, challenges—we unearthed since we started construction. So I’m happy to put that behind us.”

Expansion projects are also in the works for the company's facilities in Palm Beach, Florida; Teterboro, New Jersey; and Van Nuys, California.

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Recent Accident Reports
Link to Report
Report Type: Preliminary (incident)
Registration #: N68TJ
Make/Model: Embraer Phenom 300
City: West Chester
State: Pennsylvania
Country: United States
Event Date: June 1, 2017
Link to Report
Report Type: Preliminary (incident)
Registration #: N212PA
Make/Model: Bell 212
City: Little Diomede Island
State: Alaska
Country: United States
Event Date: June 6, 2017
Link to Report
Report Type: Preliminary (incident)
Registration #: N2NL
Make/Model: Rockwell Sabreliner 60D
City: Lexington
State: Kentucky
Country: United States
Event Date: June 6, 2017
Link to Report
Report Type: Preliminary (fatal)
Registration #: B-31118
Make/Model: Bell 206B JetRanger
City: Fengbin Township
State:
Country: Taiwan
Event Date: June 10, 2017
Link to Report
Report Type: Preliminary (incident)
Registration #: VH-ONE
Make/Model: Bell 206B JetRanger
City: Des Creagh Reserve
State:
Country: Australia
Event Date: June 10, 2017
Link to Report
Report Type: Preliminary (incident)
Registration #: 9N-ALD
Make/Model: Airbus Heliciopters AS350
City: Gosaikunda Helipad
State:
Country: Nepal
Event Date: June 10, 2017
Link to Report
Report Type: Preliminary (fatal)
Registration #: VT-NRK
Make/Model: Leonardo AW119
City: Badrinath
State:
Country: India
Event Date: June 10, 2017
Link to Report
Report Type: Preliminary (incident)
Registration #: Unknown
Make/Model: Beechjet 400A
City: Buffalo
State: New York
Country: United States
Event Date: June 10, 2017
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