CESSNA SETS LIFE LIMIT ON CONQUEST; AIRPLANES GROUNDED IN AUSTRALIA
Operators of Cessna 441 Conquest II twin turboprops must comply with a life limit of 22,500 flying hours, Cessna has said, and several of the aircraft have been grounded. "As part of the continuing product safety process, Cessna looks at data from test articles and from field reports regarding the structural integrity of its aircraft," Cessna spokeswoman Pia Bergqvist told AVweb. Based on test and field data, Cessna has issued a Supplemental Inspection Document recommending the life limit for the aircraft. While most of the Conquests operating around the world are well below this limit, according to Bergqvist, several aircraft in Australia are beyond it, and those aircraft have been grounded. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority has allowed one year for alternatives to be explored that could extend the safe operation of the Conquest beyond the current life limit. It's not known if any Conquests in the U.S. will be immediately affected, industry groups are looking into it. More...

FIRST FLIGHT OF HAWKER 750
Hawker Beechcraft's new 750 light-to-midsize jet flew for the first time Aug. 23. The 750 is a version of the 800 series midsized products and will be priced in the $11.2 million to $11.9 million range. "First flight of a new model to the market is always an exciting time," said Brad Hatt, president of Commercial Sales. "The Hawker 750 opens a whole new market for us and with a strong backlog already in place, we're anxious to start deliveries." The 750 is similar to the 800 except the ventral fuel tank has been replaced by a 32-cubic-foot heated luggage compartment. The aircraft will have a 2,100-nm NBAA IFR range with four passengers in what Hawker Beechcraft says is the largest cabin in its class. More...

HAWKER 900XP CERTIFIED
The Hawker 900 XP received type certification on Aug. 24 and company officials say this upgrade of the 800 series will provide greater flexibility and lower operating costs. At the heart of the performance promise are new Honeywell TFE731-50R engines that the company says will boost the numbers across the board. Hawker Beechcraft CEO Jim Schuster said the engines provide "significant improvements in fuel efficiency, range, hot and high altitude takeoff performance and reduced cost of operations." More...

NEW AIRCRAFT COSTING SOFTWARE AVAILABLE
If the accounting department really wants to know what the company aircraft are costing, Conklin and de Decker says it has the software tools to help them. The aviation information firm publishes a variety of aircraft operating and acquisition data products and the Life Cycle Cost software is designed to create a comprehensive budget analysis tool. "The Life Cycle Cost budgeting software accounts for the various aspects of owning and operating an aircraft including; acquisition cost, operating costs, taxes, the final aircraft residual value and revenues if it is in commercial operations," a company news release says. More...

COMP AIR 12 NUMBERS COMING UP
Comp Air says its Comp Air 12, a large single-engine turboprop that it hopes to certify, is performing as expected in the proof-of-concept stage. The company introduced the aircraft at Sun 'n Fun in April and also flew it to EAA AirVenture. CEO Ron Lueck said in a news release that predicted performance is being proven in the test flights. "Specification performance testing has confirmed that all major points, including takeoff distances, climb performance and maximum cruise speed (310 kts) are attainable," the news release said. Comp Air is known for its range of kit-built composite aircraft but the 12 is intended to take a piece of the market for certified turboprop singles. More...

GE BUYS CZECH ENGINE MAKER WALTER
GE has purchased a stake in the growing small turboprop market with the acquisition of Prague-based Walter Engines. The 750-hp M601 engine produced by the company is in the same class as the dominant Pratt & Whitney PT-6. The M601 is less expensive than the Pratts and devotees of the Walter say it's rugged and reliable. It hasn't found much of a following in the U.S. but it's popular in emerging markets like India and Eastern Europe. It powers about 30 types of aircraft, including the 19-seat Let L-410 commuter aircraft. More...

HONEYWELL, SENSIS DEVELOP COCKPIT INCURSION ALARM
Honeywell and Sensis Corp. say they've demonstrated a runway-incursion system that sounds an audible alert in the cockpit. Until now, anti-incursion systems have set off alarms for ground controllers, who then had to relay the alarm to the affected aircraft. “The cockpit advisory will ensure that pilots are aware of possible conflicts with the safe operation of their aircraft in the airport vicinity much quicker than current procedures and technology allows,” said Rick Berckefeldt, Honeywell's product marketing manager for Safety and Surveillance Systems, in a news release. More...

SPORTY'S, THIELERT ANNOUNCE SCHOLARSHIPS
Both Sporty's Pilot Shops and Thielert Aircraft Engines have announced sizeable contributions to scholarships. Sporty's is supporting an educational effort near and dear to our hearts with a $5,000 contribution to the Ewald Scholarship Fund for budding aviation journalists. "Dave Ewald was admired by all who knew him, and it's fitting that his legacy lives on through these scholarships. Sporty's is pleased to participate in a program to train new, young journalists in Dave's memory," said Sporty's Founder/Chairman Hal Shevers. "Just as the general aviation community needs new pilots, mechanics and technicians, we need impassioned, qualified journalists to chronicle the events, products and services we offer." Thielert is helping to educate the next generation of engineers who will specialize in engine development. More...

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