Proposed changes to FAR Parts 25 and 33 address dangerous icing conditions caused by supercooled large drops, including a requirement that manufacturers not only show that airplanes can operate safely in those conditions but also with specific performance and handling qualities. Changes would add new icing certification standards for engines and engine installations and components such
Airspeed
February 22, 2010 - 3:14pm
L-3 Avionics’s Trilogy electronic standby instrument received TSO approval from the FAA for use on Part 27 and Part 29 rotary-wing aircraft, according to the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company.
December 29, 2009 - 9:41am
The wide-cabin Gulfstream G650 resumed flight testing on December 4, following the November 25 maiden flight of the first test aircraft (T1). That flight was cut short at 12 minutes due to “slight vibrations” in one of the gear doors. Although the initial flight from Savannah (Ga.) International Airport was expected to last about an hour, Gulfstream called the abbreviated test run a complete success.
October 28, 2009 - 12:41pm
Static electricity may cause pitot static probes to fail, according to a Cessna Citation X owner-pilot who survived a simultaneous failure of all three pitots during a flight earlier this year. Kirill Minovalov, a Russian entrepreneur and private pilot, was flying in stormy weather conditions when the incident happened; he managed to land safely at Moscow’s Domodedovo Airport.
October 20, 2009 - 4:28pm
Harco general manager Michael Milardo said his company would support the Eclipse EA500–for now. Harco makes the airspeed probes for the compact very light jet. Milardo said his company is planning to participate in the Eclipse Aerospace suppliers conference scheduled for October 27 in Albuquerque, N.M., and will work with Eclipse’s new owners and current aircraft operators.
September 3, 2009 - 6:19am
The FAA today issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) on Airbus A330s and A340s that requires replacing certain Thales Avionics pitot probes with certain Goodrich or newer-design Thales probes. The AD requires compliance within 120 days. It intends to prevent airspeed discrepancies, which could lead to disconnect of the autopilot and/or auto-thrust functions and consequent increased pilot workload.
June 5, 2009 - 6:23am
France’s Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) has issued a statement confirming that sensors aboard the Air France A330-200 that went missing over the Atlantic Ocean on the evening of May 31 registered conflicting airspeed information.
June 3, 2009 - 5:24am
West Star Aviation recently installed dual Waas-capable Universal UNS-1Ew flight management systems in a Learjet 60. The upgrade also included an L-3 Avionics GH-3100 solid-state standby altitude/airspeed and vertical speed indicator, dual Rockwell Collins RTU-4220 radio tuning units, Universal MFD-890 display with ASU (application file server) and a WSI weather datalink system.
April 29, 2009 - 5:11am
The FAA issued Information for Operators (InFO) 09005 last week, urging proper pilot training for boot operation and maintaining airspeed in de-icer-boot-equipped airplanes.
March 30, 2009 - 6:24am
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is continuing its search for a lightweight and affordable low-speed indication and warning device for use in the civil helicopter market. The agency launched the tender in October, citing the need for accurate speed measurement and the poor performance of current pitot tubes.
