http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/index.html en-us Copyright 2008 AVweb. All rights Reserved. editor@avweb.com webmaster@iproduction.com 1000Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:39:49 CST 1000Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:39:49 CST IPS - www.iproduction.com The Transportation Security Administration has prepared new regulations governing security procedures at repair stations. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) (PDF) will require repair stations to establish security protocols to guard against unauthorized access to the facility, aircraft and parts. The new rules would affect 4,227 FAA-certificated shops in the U.S. and 694 in other countries that work on U.S. aircraft. There will be a 60-day comment period on the rule. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/TSA_Rule_Targets_Repair_Stations_201548-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Cessna rolled out the first production CJ4 Monday, keeping a schedule that will see certification and first deliveries of the aircraft by early 2010. The CJ4 is Cessna's first new design in several years and incorporates FADEC-equipped Williams FJ44-4A engines, a Collins Pro Line 21 four-screen panel, ADS-B out and all sorts of electronic conveniences. The aircraft seats eight and has a Collins Venue cabin management system with BluRay DVD, HD monitors and XM Radio. Cessna also got some good news from the other end of the product line, Monday. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/CessnaRollsOutProductionCJ4_201547-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS The Dubai Air Show is under way and while it's a much different experience than the outpouring of cash that marked the 2007 show, organizers and exhibitors are reporting an upbeat atmosphere. In 2007, manufacturers wrote a staggering $100 billion in orders. At this year's show, exhibitors appear happy to be hanging on to what was left of the fat order books they amassed two years ago. "Everybody is talking about new orders, nobody is talking about delays and cancellations," John Leahy, chief operating officer of Airbus, told reporters. "Nine months ago, there was talk of delaying deliveries, we have not heard any of that this air show." Airbus is taking its share of what orders there are, including one from Air Austral, which is based on the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion, for two A380s in all-economy configuration and seating 840 passengers. Boeing got some welcome news from Ethihad Airlines at the show. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/DubaiAirShowUpbeat_201545-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS An investment analyst claims China has drastically cut taxes and fees for business aircraft but others say they'd like to hear that from the Chinese before they start ramping up production for the long-anticipated market. The New York Times is reporting that Morgan Stanley aerospace industry analyst Heidi Wood is claiming that Chinese authorities have made a series of moves to open up business aviation in the country. In her report, Wood says a $4,400 fee for each flight plan has been eliminated and a combined total of 23 percent in taxes and import duties has been reduced to a single tax of six percent on business aircraft effective in January. "This change was just announced in September, but made so quietly that true results have yet to be seen," Wood said in the report. "And yet the Chinese market has already begun to respond. Shortly after this announcement five new Gulfstream G650/G550s were ordered by Chinese customers." Business jet manufacturers say Wood's report is premature, but she's standing behind it. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/Report_Says_China_Cutting_Bizjet_Fees_201507-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS As the FAA gets ready to implement mandatory safety management systems (SMSs), Canadian authorities are warning SMSs need proper oversight if they're to do their job of improving flight safety. The Canadian Transportation Safety Board cited insufficient oversight of a private operator's SMS in its final report on a landing accident that injured 10 people aboard a Bombardier Global 5000 at Fox Harbour, N.S., two years ago. Transport Canada has required SMS plans for commercial carriers for years but delegated oversight of SMS implementation for some operators to the Canadian Business Aviation Association in 2003. The TSB said in its report that CBAA's implementation of SMS criteria is flawed and Transport Canada failed to recognize that before the Nova Scotia accident. "This is a serious problem," said Kathy Fox, board member for the TSB. "Safety can be compromised when SMS plans are vague, deadlines are flexible, and critical oversight is lacking. Without proper milestones or auditing, SMS cannot function properly and the risks increase." The flawed SMS process is a thread throughout the TSB's findings, which determined the pilots ducked under the standard approach and, because they were used to flying smaller aircraft into the field, misjudged the touchdown and hit the ground seven feet before the pavement. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/SMS_Oversight_Cited_In_Canadian_Crash_201506-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS United Air Lines says it has suspended a 51-year-old pilot after he was arrested in London for allegedly reporting for work drunk Monday. A spokesman for the London Metropolitan Police told Reuters the pilot was released on bail pending completion of alcohol tests. The pilot was arrested at Heathrow Airport but it's not clear whether he was on board or was stopped before getting on the aircraft or whether he was the aircraft commander. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/PoliceArrestSuspectedDrunkPilot_201505-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS China intends to design and build its own engines to power the so-called Big Plane, the C919. The AVIC Commercial Aircraft Engine Company was formed last January and it has a model of its SF-A engine on display at the China International Industry Fair in Shanghai. The company said it will have a detailed design team in place by the end of this year with a goal of completing the design by the end of 2010. Although the goal of the program is to eventually produce powerplants for the C919, it's not clear if the plan is to have the new engine ready for the aircraft's proposed launch date of 2016. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/ChinaDebutsAirlinerEngineModel_201447-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS North Dakota Sen. Byron Dorgan will propose a measure to ban the use of laptop computers and other "personal electronic devices" in airliner cockpits in response to the distraction of two Northwest Airlines pilots last month that they say led to their missing their destination of Minneapolis. Dorgan, chairman of the aviation subcommittee, told the Associated Press he was surprised that the use of such devices isn't specifically outlawed and that clearly there's a need for that kind of guidance."We now understand from this flight at least that this can happen and there ought to be a more clear understanding by everyone in the cockpit that there is a national standard that would prohibit this and that they need to take it seriously," said Dorgan, D-N.D. His staff is currently working on the wording of the measure, which he confirmed will exempt electronic flight bags. There are a lot of other definitions that need to be nailed down, however. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/CockpitLaptopBanEyed_201446-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS There has been another change at the top of Piper Aircraft. President John Becker, who'd been in the position less than six months, resigned Monday, according to TCPalm.com He will stay on until Dec. 1. Becker was the former vice president of engineering and took over the president's post when former CEO Jim Bass announced he was leaving in May, shortly after the company's acquisition by Brunei-based Imprimis. Becker was a long-time Piper employee. "We would like to express our deep appreciation to John for his many years of faithful service to the people of Piper, and wish him all the best in the future," Human Resources VP Steve Johnson said in a letter to Piper staff. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/PiperPresidentResigns_201444-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Cessna has had no business jet order cancellations for the coming year. According to MarketWatch, however, the good news does not extend beyond 2010 and there are cancellations in 2011 and later. It quoted Scott Donnelly, incoming CEO of Cessna's parent company Textron, as saying the future cancellations are "reflecting customer uncertainty ... three years out in the future." Combining that with a few new orders, Donnelly is predicting Cessna will build 275 business jets and possibly "a few more" in 2010. Textron also stayed in the black in the third quarter, if just barely. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/No_Citation_Cancellations_Next_Year_201408-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS The Montreal Gazette is reporting that Bombardier has confirmed it will build a corporate version of the CSeries airliner it currently has under development. The Gazette says Steve Ridolfi, president of Bombardier Business Aircraft, made the commitment during a meeting of aviation analysts at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Orlando last week. "Absolutely, there will be a corporate variant of the CSeries," he said. Ridolfi is also reported to have said that an updated version or a replacement for the top-of-the-line Global Express is also a possibility to maintain Bombardier's lead position in the intercontinental category. Gulfstream recently rolled out the G650, a long-legged luxury aircraft it says will be the fastest civilian aircraft in the air. Meanwhile, the airline version of the CSeries is getting some attention from the current market leaders in that segment, no doubt because forecasts indicate a need for 29,000 single-aisle airliners over the next 20 years. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/Corporate_CSeries_Confirmed_201407-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS The Aircraft Electronics Association says the FAA's approach to safety management systems (SMS) is "an excessive, unwarranted and unjustified administrative burden" that is poorly thought out and has no identifiable justification or goals. The association submitted detailed comments on the FAA's Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (PDF) Monday and is clearly worried about the implications of the measures if they become regulations. "In addition, the agency has not clearly defined the hazard SMS is intended to address, but rather defines SMS to address 'unknown' hazards," the association said. "This mandate is not within the scope of current rulemaking practices." The AEA says SMS may have a place in multi-lateral organizations like airlines but they're not much more than paper chases for smaller companies. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt championed the SMS proposal last week at the National Business Aviation Association convention but his message was out of step with the other speakers, who were all pumping the value and contribution of business aircraft, and perhaps didn't get the attention Babbitt hoped. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/news/AEA_Safety_Management_Systems_Unwieldy_201404-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Rob CordsRob Cords has been appointed StandardAero's senior vice president of strategy, business development and customer support. He was formerly at the Oliver Wyman Group, where he was an associate partner in the aviation, aerospace and defense practice. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/whoswhere/WhosWhere_RobCords_StandardAero_201550-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Blair SullivanAndy BillerGroom Aviation has created Groom Aviation Sales to enhance its Beechcraft-oriented business. King Air sales experts Blair Sullivan and Andy Biller have joined the new company, which will specialize in Beech products but handle all types of aircraft. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/whoswhere/WhosWhere_GroomAviationSales_BlairSullivan_AndyBiller_201549-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Glenn JuberGlenn Juber is the new Director of Maintenance at Platinum Aviation Service at Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport. He was previously Director of Maintenance for Flight Level in Norwood, Conn. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/whoswhere/WhosWhere_GlennJuber_PlatinumAviationService_201509-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS Henry Schachar has been promoted from President to Executive Vice Chairman of Marquis Jets. Ken Austin will take over as President. (Austin was formerly Executive Vice President.) Both have been with the company since 2001, and Schachar is co-founder. http://www.avweb.com/avwebbiz/whoswhere/WhosWhere_MarquisJet_HenrySchachar_KenAustin_201410-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS