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| Top News: PiperJet Taxis Out Into the World | back to top |  |
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PiperJet Starts Taxi Tests
In those tests, pilots will accelerate to just below liftoff speed, to check runway handling characteristics and elevator control authority. Next after that -- first flight. Click here for a Piper video of the first taxi tests. Click here for a recent podcast of a Russ Niles interview about the jet project, with Piper's Bob Kromer.
Related Content:
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The proof-of-concept PiperJet has started low-speed taxi tests and the jet is performing as expected, the company said
this week. "Piper test pilots reported light rudder pedal forces and excellent response as the PiperJet POC was maneuvered with confidence in the tight confines of the Vero Beach factory test ramp for
the first time," according to a company update released on Tuesday. The Williams FJ-443A jet engine with FADEC is a breeze to operate, the company says. The pilot simply presses a starter button, then
brings the thrust lever forward when the engine monitors show that the proper speed has been reached. The FADEC system automatically corrects for heat, humidity, and altitude. The next major milestone
for the POC jet will be high-speed taxi tests, the company said.
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| VistaJet Closes Deal with Bombardier Skyjet | back to top | |
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VistaJet Completes Skyjet Takeover
VistaJet CEO Bing Chen said customers of both companies will barely notice the change. "VistaJet remains committed to a seamless integration of operations and services for the benefit of our customers. Skyjet International's jet membership program perfectly complements our innovative Flight Solutions Program," he said. VistaJet is expecting a 50-percent increase in revenues this year and will fly about 80,000 hours a year by 2012. |
VistaJet became the second-largest business jet company outside of North America on Tuesday with the completion of the blockbuster deal that was among the highlights of the European Business Aviation
Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in May in Geneva. For an undisclosed amount, VistaJet acquired Bombardier Skyjet International. The EBACE announcement included a deal for 35 new Bombardier business
jets, worth $1.2 billion and, in addition to the merger, will push VistaJet's fleet to 94 aircraft by 2012. The Skyjet brand name will be retained.
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| Epics to Migrate North for Certification | back to top | |
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Epic Still Intends Canadian Certification
Epic also confirmed that the Elite very light jet will likely be build by TAM in Georgia, something the company says has been in the works for several years. "The Elite was announced in 2004 as a joint venture with TAM, and we are now executing the established business plan," Epic spokeswoman Alice Meyers told AVweb. TAM will more than likely move forward with the Russian certification process in order to sell and deliver aircraft in their region. |
Epic Aircraft will certify its factory-model turboprops and jets in Canada, even though a deal to build a "certification center" specializing in composite aircraft in Calgary has fallen through.
Calgary is the center of Canada's oil boom and that's increased construction prices dramatically so the center, proposed for Springbank Airport, was shelved. But that doesn't mean the company is
giving up on Canada. "The Canadian deal is not dead, in fact, it's not even wounded," said Epic CEO Rick Schrameck. He would not say where in Canada the certification work will be done.
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| jetAviva at the Fore of the VLJ Boom | back to top | |
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VLJ Acceptance Firm Marks 75th Delivery
Sigari said most clients are not technical experts on the airplanes they're buying and they rely on jetAviva to discover any shortcomings that they might not notice on delivery. In addition to the physical inspection and systems checks, the aircraft is test-flown by pilots with plenty of experience in the type. jetAviva also tries to ensure that the pilots are as ready to fly as the airplanes and offers familiarization training in the Eclipse 500 and will soon offer it in the Citation Mustang. The company says the pre-type-rating program helps owner-pilots get comfortable in the left seat before going for their rating. |
Van Nuys-based jetAviva recently united Marty Sprinzen and his new Citation Mustang in a bonding of pilot and airplane that may be unique in the industry. jetAviva is capitalizing on the new
accessibility of the airways by private pilots through relatively inexpensive entry-level or very light jets. Sprinzen's was the 75th "acceptance" for jetAviva, which acts on behalf of its clients to
ensure the aircraft is everything they paid their $1.5 million to $3 million for. In
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| News Briefs | back to top | |
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NTSB Probes Medevac Crash
"We are going to try very hard to make sure we understand exactly what happened here, determine the probable cause and make recommendations to prevent it from happening again," Rosenker told The New York Times. Rosenker said the NTSB is worried about the safety record of medevac services and will take action. "We are very concerned about that," Mr. Rosenker said at a news conference here on Monday. "We are going to try very hard to make sure we understand exactly what happened here, determine the probable cause and make recommendations to prevent it from happening again."
U.S. And EU Aviation Industries Agree To Collaborate
"The relationship between the U.S. and Europe has proven its resilience and continued trans-Atlantic cooperation will increase efficiency and help bring new products to the global market more expeditiously. It's good for aviation safety and business, it's good for Europe, and it's good for the United States." Bunce added that he hopes the next step will be to update validation processes and EASA certification fees and charges. Those concerns had held up the agreement for several months. |
The Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS) is calling for a "rolling safety stand down" of medevac aircraft operations after the
tragic collision of two medical airlift helicopters near a hospital in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Sunday. Initial reports indicated seven people had died but six people died and one woman, a nurse, survived
the crash of two Bell 207 helicopters operated by Air Methods and Classic Helicopters as they tried to land on the same helipad at the Flagstaff hospital. "AAMS is recommending an industry 'rolling'
safety stand down to focus the attention of the air medical crew on safety while continuing the ability to provide life saving services to their local communities," said an AAMS news release. The
accident has also caught the attention of the NTSB, whose chairman, Mark Rosenker, says he's "very concerned" that this was the tenth accident involving medical airlift aircraft this year.
Officials from U.S. and European aviation agencies and industry wrapped up a two-day
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| AVweb Media: Look, Listen, Laugh and Learn | back to top | |
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JetAviva's Cyrus Sigari on the Rise of Very Light JetsFile Size 8.0 MB / Running Time 8:43
Although it's been slower to take off than some had predicted, the very light jet movement is here, and it's putting more owner-pilots in the left seat of some pretty sophisticated hardware. JetAviva is a California company that specializes in helping new owners of VLJs ensure the transition is a smooth one. AVweb's Russ Niles spoke with JetAViva CEO Cyrus Sigari about who's buying VLJs and how the little jets are performing.
Exclusive Video: Inside Diamond's D-Jet Personal Jet AircraftOriginal, Exclusive Videos from AVweb | Reader-Submitted & Viral Videos With new personal jets popping up all the time, AVweb takes a look at what may very well be the next certified single-engine very light or personal jet to enter the market. Diamond's D-Jet is expected next year to earn its type certificate, and that's when the company hopes to make first deliveries. Diamond recently announced plans to upgrade the aircraft with Garmin's G1000 Synthetic Vision package and the Williams FJ33-19 powerplant — offering 20 percent more thrust and a 4,000-hour TBO. AVweb's Glenn Pew offers this look inside.
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| Accolades | back to top | |
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Ken Dono Socata's Sales MVP
EADS Socata named Ken Dono, a sales rep at Columbia Air Services in Groton, Conn., as its "Most Valuable Player" for his sales success in the last year.
Bombardier Flexjet "Best of the Best"
Bombardier Flexjet has been named the Best of the Best private aviation providers in the 20th anniversary edition of Robb Report.
Who's Where? You Tell UsGet a promotion or a new job? Your colleagues want to know about it, and AVwebBiz can get the word out. Drop us a line about the staff appointment, with a nice recent photo, and we'll do our best to include it in our new section, "Who's Where." The items will be permanently archived on AVweb for future reference, too. |
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| The Top Reporter on Our Crack Staff ... Is You! | back to top | |
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AVweb's Newstips Address ...
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Our best stories start with you. If you've heard something 200,000 pilots might want to know about, tell us. Submit news tips
via email to | Names Behind the News | back to top | |
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Meet the AVwebBiz TeamAVwebBiz is a weekly summary of the latest business aviation news, articles, products, features, and events featured on AVweb, the internet's aviation magazine and news service.
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