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This issue of AVweb's Business AVflash is brought to you by
…
Piedmont Hawthorne Aircraft
Sales
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The Top Headlines From AVweb's Expanded
Business News Coverage At AVweb's
Business NewsWire.
NEW
STUDY TWEAKS NASA RESEARCH PLANS
Stating the U.S. industry is "under attack from a variety of
directions, both internal and external," a lengthy study on aerospace
research released earlier this month highlights what its authors think
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) should be
doing in basic aviation research. The $5 million study -- dubbed
“Responding to the Call: Aviation Plan for American
Leadership” and conducted by the National Institute of
Aerospace (NIA), along with the Commerce, Justice, and Science
Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee -- is the
result of a 2003 mandate from Congress to develop an "integrated
approach to regain world leadership in the aviation industry."
According to the NIA, the study's authors focused on six key national
needs: U.S. economic competitiveness, freedom of air travel, flight
safety, securing and defending the nation, protecting the environment,
and educating the future workforce. The full 1000-plus page report
provides detailed investment plans, budgets and needs assessments for
seven aeronautics-industry sectors, including airspace systems,
aviation safety and security, subsonic aircraft, supersonic aircraft,
hypersonic technologies, rotorcraft, and workforce and education.
More...
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JA
AIR CENTER, YOUR GARMIN SOURCE, IS LOOKING
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of $1,495), iQue 3600A PDA/GPS, GPSMap 196, GPSMap 96C, and GPSMap 96.
We also stock Garmin accessories; software; and outdoor, mobile, and
marine GPS units. JA Air Center [Dupage Airport (KDPA) in West
Chicago, IL] provides the finest avionics installations,
turbine/piston maintenance, avionics/instrument service, mail order,
and aircraft sales. Also, we offer FBO services and fuel at Dekalb
Taylor Municipal Airport (KDKB) in Dekalb, IL. Please call (800)
323-5966 and mention this AVflash, or order online at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/ja/biz. |
ECLIPSE,
DAYJET COMBINE ON LATEST PER-SEAT CHARTER SCHEME
When is a scheduled airline not a scheduled airline? When it's
operating as an on-demand carrier along pre-determined routes and
selling its transportation services on a per-seat basis, that's when.
That basic idea, known as a "public charter" at the Department of
Transportation, is what's behind DayJet, a per-seat charter operation
announced last month in conjunction with airframe supplier Eclipse.
DayJet president and CEO Edward Iacobucci, a prominent high-tech
entrepreneur, teamed up with Vern Raburn, president and CEO of Eclipse
Aviation, to make the April 25 announcement. Under a long-term
agreement with Eclipse Aviation, DayJet will acquire a fleet of 239
Eclipse 500 very light jets (VLJs), with options for 70 additional
aircraft. Deliveries will begin shortly after the Eclipse 500 receives
FAA certification, which is on track to occur in March 2006.
Profitable per-seat charter operations are the dream of many, but the
reality has yet to prove itself. One carrier, Chicago-based Indigo,
suspended operations along its route between O'Hare International
Airport and Teterboro, N.J., in May 2003. More...
ECLIPSE
MARKS SUCCESSFUL MAIDEN FLIGHT OF THIRD ECLIPSE 500 JET
Meanwhile, Eclipse is not letting any grass grow under its feet. The
company last month announced the first flight of its third Eclipse 500
VLJ. The aircraft, N504EA, is the second to join the company's
flight-test fleet in the same month. With three VLJs now in active
flight testing, Eclipse says it "continues to demonstrate rapid
progress toward FAA certification," presently scheduled for the first
calendar quarter of 2006. During its first flight, N504EA reached an
altitude of 16,800 feet and 170 knots. The airframe is being used for
testing of the Eclipse 5000's electrical system, displays,
communication and navigation system, autopilot system, the radar and
the datalink systems. More...
DASSAULT'S
FALCON 7X TAKES FLIGHT
Another first flight in recent weeks took place in France. No, not the
Airbus A380. Instead, Dassault Aviation's facility in Bordeaux
Mérignac, France, was the site when Falcon 7X s/n 01 took off for
the first time. Test pilots Yves "Bill" Kerherve and Philippe Deleume
were aboard for the 01:36 flight. "The first flight of the Falcon 7X
was a success," said Kerherve, who is the senior test pilot for
Dassault Aviation. "The aircraft performed beautifully and we're on
track to start the rigorous 15 months of flight testing that lay
ahead." After takeoff, the first Falcon 7X climbed to 10,000 feet,
where its crew performed various systems checks. More...
NEW
GULFSTREAM G150 TAKES FLIGHT
It's that time of year: Gulfstream Aerospace earlier this month
announced the first flight of its G150, a mid-sized, wide-cabin
offering designed and built in collaboration with Israel Aircraft
Industries (IAI) in Tel Aviv, Israel. Flown by IAI chief test pilot
Ronen Shapira and G150 project test pilot Yoram Geva, the G150 took
off from Ben Gurion International Airport for a 04:13 flight. Initial
checks included all aircraft systems and handling characteristics as
well as the landing gear and flap/slat system. The airplane was flown
to FL200 and achieved a maximum speed of 250 knots. Chief Test Pilot
Shapira commented that the flight went “very smoothly with no
issues noted.” More...
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LANCAIR COLUMBIA 400 — NOW CERTIFIED TO
FL250
The Columbia 400's twin turbochargers can now be put
to full effect with the aircraft's recent certification to 25,000
feet. With the added altitude to play with, the Columbia 400
gives pilots even more flexibility than before. Set the throttle to
80% power and cruise at 235 knots — that's faster than any other
piston-powered aircraft in production today. Or ease the power back
and increase range to standard-setting levels. A company official
recently flew an unmodified Columbia 400 non-stop from Bend, Oregon to
Fort Worth, Texas (a distance of more than 1,300 nm) while averaging
200 kts. Find out what a Columbia 400 can do for you at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/lancair/biz. |
GULFSTREAM
G450 ENTERS SERVICE
Gulfstream Aerospace this month also announced delivery of the first
G450. The G450 is an updated version of the GIV-SP, sharing many of
the features of the company's top-of-the-line G550. Both aircraft
feature the exclusive PlaneView cockpit, which includes four large
flight displays and Honeywell’s Primus Epic avionics and Visual
Guidance System (VGS). The G450 and G550 also feature as standard
equipment the award-winning Gulfstream Enhanced Vision System (EVS),
which was developed to improve safety of flight by enhancing pilot
situational awareness while reducing pilot workload. The Gulfstream
EVS is the first system of its type certified by the FAA.
More...
EMBRAER
COMMITS TO SMALLER, LIGHTER BIZJET MARKET
Embraer earlier this month announced it plans to enter the market for
jets both lighter and smaller than its large-cabin Legacy offering
with models designed for the "very light" and "light" categories.
“Embraer is committed to making long-term investments in this
business to offer revolutionary products and completely integrated
solutions to a sophisticated customer base. Our goal is to build a
robust business aviation unit and a global infrastructure to support
it,” said Luís Carlos Affonso, senior vice-president for the
corporate aviation market. Few details were made available in the
company's announcement but Embraer, which also markets the highly
successful EMB-135/145/170 regional jets and small airliner, said both
aircraft will be designed for "single-pilot operation and an easy
transition for less experienced pilots." More...
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ONLY AT AUCTION! LAKE AIRCRAFT WILL BE SOLD AT
AIRVENTURE!
The owners of the Lake Aircraft line of
amphibious airplanes have chosen the auction method of marketing to
select a new owner for their Lake Amphibian production line.
This comprehensive sale will include the FAA Type Certificate and
associated STCs, engineering data, all documentation, historical
information, fleet support inventory, and manufacturing capacity. The
inventory (in its entirety) will be sold as a comprehensive package to
one able buyer for the purpose of resuming full production capacity.
The auction will be held at 4:30pm July 27 at the EAA Aviation
Center's Vette Theater in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. For additional
information and a complete list of assets to be conveyed, call
Higgenbotham Auctioneers at (800) 257-4161, or visit their web
site (Higgenbotham.com) at http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/hig/biz. |
CITATION
MUSTANG’S FIRST FLIGHT IS A SUCCESS
Not too be left out of the foregoing list of initial test flights and
customer deliveries, Cessna last month celebrated its own first: the
first flight of the Citation Mustang, the company's entry in the
upcoming very light jet (VLJ) sweepstakes. Piloted by Scotty Jergenson
and Dave Bonifield, the Citation Mustang prototype made a 141-minute
flight during which various stability and control tests were
performed, including cycling of the landing gear, flaps and speed
brakes. The flight departed from McConnell AFB and concluded at
Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport. The Citation Mustang was
announced in 2002 and will be certified as an FAR Part 23 aircraft,
with an anticipated cruise speed of 340 knots and a maximum altitude
of FL410. It is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F
dual-channel FADEC engines, each providing 1350 pounds of thrust, and
features a fully integrated, all-glass Garmin International G1000
avionics suite. More...
SENTIENT
EXPANDS INTERNATIONAL REACH
Sentient Jet, a leading membership-based charter broker, last month
announced forming a strategic alliance with UK-based Air Partner, one
of the largest private-jet services companies in the world. According
to U.S.-based Sentient, Air Partner and Sentient will now cooperate to
provide all of their customers a range of private-jet membership and
charter options, depending on their global and regional travel needs.
The companies will also provide private-jet solutions for resorts and
destination clubs requiring an increasingly global solution to meet
the needs of their customers. The alliance gives customers of both
companies "enhanced access to the flexibility, convenience and value
of a globally integrated private jet network," Sentient said.
More...
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ATTENTION, BARON AND CESSNA 310 OWNERS — NEWS FROM
McCAULEY!
A new STC has been approved to McCauley
Propeller Systems for installation of a new three-bladed
propeller. Replace your old threaded propellers with the new
Blackmac propeller. The Blackmac provides operators with
an average weight savings of 10 pounds, longer TBOs, and fewer ADs
than other propellers available today. The Blackmac also comes
with a standard three-year warranty. For more information and an
authorized service center near you, go to http://www.avweb.com/sponsors/mccauley/biz. |
FIRST
BOMBARDIER GLOBAL 5000 ENTERS SERVICE
Bombardier Aerospace last month announced the entry into service of
the first completed Bombardier Global 5000 business jet. The aircraft
departed Montreal on Monday, April 18, 2005, and is now in service
with a corporate operator based in the Middle East. Launched in
February 2002, the Bombardier Global 5000 can, under certain
conditions, feature a top cruise speed of Mach 0.89 and a
4,800-nautical-mile (8,889-km) range at Mach 0.85. More...
CHINA'S
FIRST PISTON SINGLE COMPLETES FLIGHT TESTING
Chinese media last month reported that the country's first homegrown
private aircraft has completed its final test flights and will soon go
into mass production. According to published reports, the Xiaoying, or
"Eaglet," 500 made some 339 flights over the past nine months as part
of its flight-test program, which was conducted in Xi’an. Some 24
examples of the new type are expected too be manufactured by the end
of 2005. The general-purpose piston single is comparable in
performance to similar western aircraft. More...
WATCH
YOUR INBOX...
...the next issue of AVweb's BizAVflash will be e-mailed to you
on May 25. More...
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_____________________________________
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