The Britten-Norman Group (B-N) (Stand No. K72) has sold to Aero-Tropics Air Services, the flight-operations division of Australia’s Lip-Air, the first of six BN2B-20 Islanders it bought back from Adelaide-based Surveillance Australia to meet demand for good used aircraft. The remaining five units will be available from next month.
Autopilot
February 17, 2008 - 10:21pm
Rockwell Collins (Stand No. P65) announced that a supplemental type certificate for its Pro Line 21 Integrated display system on King Air 200 aircraft with an SPZ 200 autopilot is now available to dealers. Superior Aircraft Maintenance of Medford, Oregon, completed the installation. The Pro Line 21 King Air installation integrates with the aircraft’s existing autopilot and sensors.
February 11, 2008 - 8:43am
The Thales engineering team in Toulouse is developing a new flight deck for the -600 series ATR family, featuring five six- by eight-inch LCD displays and a configuration that is generally lighter in terms of hardware. At the same time, to keep the price down, the French electronics group has made some high-technology functions optional.
January 10, 2008 - 11:34am
Autopilot maker Meggitt/S-Tec has obtained an STC for installations of its new Magic 2100 digital flight-control system in the Cessna 441. The company’s first all-new autopilot since Meggitt acquired S-Tec two and a half years ago, the Magic 2100 DFCS is a three-axis system.
December 28, 2007 - 5:36am
UK aerospace and defense firm Cobham’s decision to buy autopilot maker S-Tec from Meggitt for $38 million could signal the emergence of a revitalized competitor in the market for integrated GA avionics systems.
November 30, 2007 - 6:26am
French avionics maker Thales is in Toulouse developing an all-new flight deck for the ATR -600 series–the newly launched pair of upgrades to the now Honeywell-equipped ATR 42-500 and 72-500 regional turboprops. The new avionics suite features five 6- by 8-inch LCD displays and overall lighter hardware.
November 28, 2007 - 11:59am
Garmin last month said it has gained its first STC covering installation of a retrofit version of the G1000 avionics system. Approved in the King Air C90A/GT, the G1000 suite integrates primary flight information, navigation data, communications, terrain awareness, traffic, weather and engine instruments on a 15-inch-diagonal multifunction display and two 10.4-inch primary flight displays.
November 27, 2007 - 11:33am
UK aerospace and defense firm Cobham yesterday announced an agreement to purchase autopilot maker S-Tec from Meggitt for $38 million. S-Tec’s Mineral Wells, Texas operation and its workforce of 180 employees will be added to Cobham’s portfolio of avionics businesses in North America, which also includes Chelton Flight Systems, Wulfsburg, NAT and Artex.
November 2, 2007 - 7:11am
Operators of U.S.-registered CitationJets must disengage the pitch-trim/ autopilot circuit breakers to prevent runaway pitch trim, a condition that has led to at least one accident, according to an October 21 AD (2203-21-17). A CitationJet was ditched on July 22 in Penn Cove in Coupeville, Wash., following a loss of elevator trim control, resulting in an uncommanded nose-down pitch attitude.
October 11, 2007 - 11:04am
During its 50-year history the Twin Commander line of business aircraft has occupied a special niche. Today, just as when the original purpose-built corporate and executive transport, the $45,000 Aero Commander Model 520, entered the market in January 1952, a high percentage of these aircraft–even the turbine-powered models–are flown not by full-time professional pilots but by their owners.
