May 2008

With MSJ and MLJ launch, Embraer expands bizjet line

By Matt Thurber

Embraer is fulfilling its April 2005 promise “to invest heavily in business aviation,” with the formal launch of two new midsize jets that fit between the Phenom 300 and Legacy 600. The still-un-named jets, introduced as concepts at last year’s NBAA Convention, are for now called the midsize jet (MSJ) and mid-light jet (MLJ). Embraer’s board of directors approved formal launch of the two-jet progr more

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FAA serious about targeting emissions

By Paul Lowe

When Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, suggested that the FAA’s efforts to reduce so-called greenhouse-gas emissions were “tangential” to other agency objectives, Daniel Elwell, assistant administrator for the FAA office of aviation policy, planning and development, begged to differ.

The FAA representative inf more

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Adam buyer focuses on A700 jet

By Matt Thurber

Now that AAI Acquisition has purchased the assets of bankrupt Adam Aircraft, the number-two priority is to finish the FAA certification process for the A700 very light jet, according to Jan D’Angelo, the former director of international and fleet sales for the aircraft manufacturer. D’Angelo is part of a group of former Adam Aircraft employees that joined with Russia’s Industrial Investors to form more

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Embraer Rolls out First Phenom 300

By Curt Epstein

Ten months after Embraer rolled out its Phenom 100 VLJ, its larger stablemate made its debut at the company’s Gavião Peixoto plant in Brazil. With an anticipated entry-into-service date of the second half of next year, the Phenom 300 will undergo a series of ground tests before making its first flight–currently scheduled for the middle of this year. Final assembly on the second of the $6.65 millio more

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EADS reportedly selling Socata

European aerospace consortium EADS is believed to be close to selling its Tarbes, France-based Socata subsidiary–the manufacturer of the TBM 850 turboprop single–to Daher, an aerospace, defense, nuclear and automotive group headquartered in Wissous, France. An industry source close to the deal told AIN that Daher has completed the due diligence process, with the sale apparently hinging on A more

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Santa Monica nixes large jet ban

On April 10, Santa Monica (Calif.) Airport director Robert Trimborn sent a letter to airport users advising them that beginning April 24, “only aircraft in the FAA-designated A and B categories will be allowed to operate at SMO.” The rule would effectively ban jets with approach speeds greater than 121 knots. The FAA responded by issuing a cease-and-desist order on April 23, ordering the city to h more

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Deliveries of Hawker 4000 still stalled

Deliveries of the Hawker 4000 were still stalled at press time, despite Hawker Beechcraft’s saying for more than a month that it would “soon” begin shipments of the super-midsize business jet. The FAA lists 30 Hawker 4000s in the U.S. aircraft registry database, all of which are registered to the manufacturer. An FAA spokesman told AIN that the agency “is working with Hawker Beech more

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Ricci returns to Flight Options

Two new companies have invested in HIG Transport Holdings, the holding company that owns Cleveland-based fractional-share provider Flight Options. Resilience Capital Partners, based in Cleveland, and Directional Aviation Capital of nearby Richmond Heights now own a minority stake in HIG Transport Holdings. Both Kenn Ricci, principal for Directional Aviation, and Steve Rosen, cofounder of Resilienc more

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Gulfstream sales continue to soar

Sales of Gulfstream business jets in the first quarter increased 17 percent year-over-year, Nicholas Chabraja, chairman and CEO of parent company General Dynamics, said during an April 23 investor conference call. Backlog at the Savannah, Ga. aircraft manufacturer climbed $200 million in the quarter, and that includes only sales of in-production aircraft. Gulfstream didn’t start taking orders for more

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Wiring eyed in Aeromed crash

Recently released documents from the NTSB’s investigation into the crash of a Cessna Citation II (N550BP) that plunged into Lake Michigan on June 4 last year, killing all six people aboard, reveal that a control-wheel electrical cable had not been replaced, as per a 1992 Service Bulletin from the OEM. The NTSB documents also list seven instances of reported failure in other aircraft due to the fau more

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