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Shanghai Hawker Pacific Logs 10,000th Aircraft Movement
May 9, 2013, 3:10 PM
May 9, 2013

Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Centre, which opened in April 2010 at Hongqiao International Airport, celebrated its 10,000th flight movement on Saturday. The milestone flight was a Cayman Islands-registered Challenger 604. According to facility general manager Carey Matthews, Shanghai is capturing 33 percent of all Chinese business aviation traffic. Business jet flight activity for both Pudong and Hongqiao during the first four months of this year is up 17 percent, compared with the same period last year.

FAA Backs Away from Eliminating Overnight Shifts at 72 ATC Facilities
May 9, 2013, 3:05 PM
May 9, 2013

“The FAA has decided not to pursue the elimination of midnight shifts at FAA towers at this time,” a spokesman for the agency told AIN today. As part of sequester-mandated cuts announced in late February, the FAA had planned to eliminate overnight shifts at 72 air traffic control facilities, including those at Chicago Midway Airport.

Beechcraft Bounces Back in 1Q13
May 9, 2013, 3:00 PM
May 9, 2013

Newly restructured Beechcraft logged 65 deliveries–including six Hawker 4000s–in the first quarter, compared with 41 deliveries a year ago. According to Beechcraft CEO Bill Boisture, the upgrade programs for the Hawker 400XPR and 800XPR are also “attracting a strong positive response,” with slots in 2013 sold out for the 400XPR program as it completes its final certification phase. “Our plan throughout last year’s restructuring was to emerge as a stronger, more agile organization,” said Boisture.

Navy Readies X-47B for Carrier Trials
May 9, 2013, 11:50 AM
AINonline

Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy conducted the first shore-based arrested landing of the X-47B unmanned combat air system (UCAS) demonstrator on May 4 in advance of sea-based trials planned this month.

New Cape Air President Charts Future
May 8, 2013, 3:27 PM
2013

New England regional Cape Air has resigned itself to shedding all 70 of its Cessna 402s once it finally reaches terms on an agreement for a new fleet type, the company’s new president Linda Markham told AIN at the RAA Conventio

Embraer Banks on Surging U.S. Market
May 8, 2013, 2:03 PM
2013

Embraer Commercial Aviation CEO Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva said he sees requests for proposals coming from U.S. airlines for between 200 and 400 regional jets in the 70- to 76-seat market segment as relaxed scope clauses continue to drive dem

DOT Audit Faults FAA Repair Station Risk Assessment
May 8, 2013, 1:45 PM
May 8, 2013

Although the FAA has developed a risk-based assessment process for inspectors to identify areas of greatest concern at repair stations, the agency is emphasizing mandatory inspections and not high-risk areas, according to an audit conducted by the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and issued on May 1.

The audit examined 27 randomly selected repair stations in the U.S., Brazil, China, New Zealand, Peru and Singapore that maintain aircraft operated by U.S. Part 121 air carriers.

Automated Manual System Eases RVSM, MEL Process
May 8, 2013, 1:35 PM
May 8, 2013

Maximum Manuals of Carlsbad, Calif., has unveiled an automated online system that allows operators to create, purchase and receive minimum equipment list (MEL) and RVSM manuals in as few as two hours. Maximum Manuals has been developing the Smart Manual Process for the past two years and the system has been undergoing testing with operators that have submitted newly created manuals to FAA FSDOs for review. These manuals received positive feedback from FAA inspectors, according to the company.

GIIB/GIII STC Adds Two More Years of Ops at VNY
May 8, 2013, 1:33 PM
May 8, 2013

An FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) issued to Trolltune promises to help operators of Gulfstream IIBs and GIIIs fly within strict noise limits at Van Nuys Airport (VNY) in Southern California. The STC isn’t a Stage 3 hush kit, explained Trolltune president Tom Storli, but limits maximum takeoff weight to 64,000 pounds, thus cutting takeoff noise by three decibels–to 79.8 from 82.8–enough to meet the new Van Nuys limit of 80 dBA. This limit is a City of Los Angeles ordinance that takes effect on January 1 next year.

First Fast Air Halo 250 Upgrade Accomplished
May 8, 2013, 1:30 PM
May 8, 2013

Charter operator Fast Air, based in Winnipeg, Canada, did its first Halo 250 gross weight increase modification on a Beechcraft King Air 200 equipped for aeromedical transport. Fast Air also offers aircraft management, maintenance and consulting services. The Halo 250 mod adds 920 pounds of payload capacity by increasing the maximum takeoff weight to 13,420 pounds, up from 12,500.

The Halo 250 mod was developed by CenTex Aerospace of Waco, Texas, and FAA certification was granted last October after three years of effort.

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