July 2009

Bizav’s carbon conundrum

By Paul Lowe

With Europe set to begin cap-and-trade of aviation emissions in 2012, and Congress working on legislation that would cap the greenhouse gases that have been linked to global warming, Conklin & de Decker cofounder and president Bill de Decker is sounding the alarm for just how seriously the plans could affect business aviation.

Under H.R.2454, the “American Clean Energy and Security Act more

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DHS IG raps TSA for its anti-GA campaign

By Matt Thurber

General aviation operations present such a limited and hypothetical threat to security that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) does not need to increase its regulatory oversight of general aviation, according to a report issued by the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (OIG). The TSA is part of the DHS.

The report, titled “TSA’s Role in General A more

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AIN is World’s Top Airshow Daily Again

Aviation International News has once again been named the world’s top airshow daily publication in the annual Aerospace Journalist of the Year awards.

This year, the group was honored by the World Leadership Forum for its daily editions at the new Middle East Business Aviation show held in Dubai in November 2008. Edited by Charles Alcock, AIN’s international show dailies more

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Turbofan Pioneer Dr. Sam Williams Dies

By Chad Trautvetter

Dr. Sam Williams, founder and chairman of Williams International, died June 22 at
the age of 88, according to a statement issued by his company. Williams patented the small turbofan engine and built on his company’s successful development of tiny cruise missile engines to break into the rarefied world of civil turbine engine manufacturers with the introduction of the FJ44 line of turbofans. more

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Bombardier Upbeat in Bizjet Forecast

By Chad Trautvetter

In its latest forecast, Bombardier expects total deliveries of 11,500 business jets worth $256 billion between this year and 2018. The fleet will grow from 13,500 to 23,800 aircraft, predicts vice president of marketing for business aircraft Philippe Crevier, who points out that the industry is buffered in the current economic downturn by a $70 billion  backlog. By aircraft segment, Bombardie more

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FSI Trains Laid-off Pilots at no cost

By Chad Trautvetter

FlightSafety International launched the Proficiency Protection Program, which is intended to help maintain the currency of business aircraft pilots and maintenance technicians who have been laid off since January 1. Under the program, FlightSafety will offer a no-cost recurrent training course to pilots of business aircraft who were training under a full-service contract at the time of their job l more

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Rolls-Royce BR725 Engine Gets EASA OK

By Chad Trautvetter

Rolls-Royce on June 24 received EASA certification for its 16,000-pound-thrust BR725 engine. The launch platform for the new powerplant is the Gulfstream G650, which is expected to fly by year-end. Since first engine run in April last year, the BR725 has completed all major development testing during almost 1,100 running hours and 3,500 engine cycles, according to Rolls-Royce. BR725 serial product more

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Platinum Jet Cofounder Pleads

By Chad Trautvetter

Andre Budhan, cofounder of defunct charter operator Platinum Jet, pleaded guilty to defrauding charter customers and brokers, as well as impeding and obstructing the FAA, in a case relating to the 2005 crash of a Challenger 600 at Teterboro (N.J.) Airport. In doing so, he admitted he and his conspirators booked and flew some 100 illegal charter flights. Budhan faces a maximum statutory penalty of more

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Cirrus Jet vision Resumes Flying

By Chad Trautvetter

As Cirrus Aircraft’s prototype Vision jet single resumes flight testing with a new Garmin G1000 avionics suite, some buyers seeking refunds of deposits for the jet have experienced delays in obtaining their refunds. “We are returning deposits,” Cirrus CEO Brent Wouters told AIN, although some deposits have taken longer than the 45 days specified in the Vision purchase agreement. A more

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Latin American Event Opens Next month

By Chad Trautvetter

The annual Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (Labace) is scheduled to open August 13 and run for three days at Congonhas Airport in downtown São Paulo, Brazil. According to organizers, approximately 80 percent of the more than 100 exhibitors already signed up are U.S. and European companies eyeing a Latin American market that appears to be surviving the global economic c more

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