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Accidents
Police A109E hits mountain
The AgustaWestland A109E, owned by the New Mexico State Department of Public Safety and operated by the New Mexico State Police, had just rescued a lost hi
Rotorcraft
Sikorsky X2 propulsor engaged
Sikorsky’s X2 compound helicopter reached another milestone last month by completing two test flights that included full engagement of the high-speed tail
Aircraft
Pilot Report: Falcon 2000LX
The recently certified Falcon 2000LX claims a 5-percent performance advantage over its predecessor, the Falcon 2000EX.
Rotorcraft
London Police fly 5,000 hours with Skyquest
London’s Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit in June flew its 5,000th hour (in almost two years) with its fleet of three Eurocopter EC 145s equipped with
Accidents
EC 225 rescue hampered by wristwatch locators
The 27-minute search for the life-rafts occupied by the survivors of a Bond-operated Eurocopter EC 225 helicopter that ditched into the North Sea on
Rotorcraft
Bell 429 certified
Bell Helicopter received Transport Canada certification for its long-awaited new light twin, the 429, last month.
Regulations and Government
Air Methods appeals NTSB findings in 2008 midair
Air Methods has petitioned the NTSB to revise its probable cause findings related to the
Rotorcraft
Erickson Aircranes find niche battling wildfires across the U.S.
Northern Wisconsin forests are experiencing their worst drought in 70 years.
Rotorcraft
Russia plans to challenge the West in high-speed helicopter market
Russian manufacturers Kamov and Mil are developing advanced high-speed helicopter (AHSH) designs with the goal of creating a helicopter that flies as fast
Rotorcraft
Emissions-reducing diesel under study at Eurocopter
Eurocopter’s new high-compression, diesel engine is expected to bring better environmental performance to turbine-powered helicopters as large as the EC 13
Rotorcraft
Airlines brace for fallout of Colgan crash
Something positive might come from the February 12 crash of a Colgan Air Bombardier Q400 after all, if a broad FAA effort to revamp rules governing airline
Aircraft
PC-12s to serve Arkansas EAS
The DOT has awarded Portland, Ore.-based SeaPort Airlines Essential Air Service subsidies for routes from Memphis to four Arkansas communities starting Oct
Charter & Fractional
Avantair shrugs off effects of recession
Even as other well-established and larger fractional ownership operations are quietly laying off employees and reducing aircraft delivery rates in response
Sustainability and Environment
Synthetic fuels stride toward approval
The prospect of synthetic fuel qualification took an important step closer to reality last month when ASTM International’s aviation fuels subcommittee pass
Textron ‘Formally Cancels’ Citation Columbus
The large-cabin Cessna Citation Columbus program has been “formally cancelled,” according to an Form 8-K report parent company Textron filed last month wit
Regulations and Government
EASA delays decision on duty time and rest rules
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has agreed to extend discussion of the most contentious points arising from its proposed new rules for aircraft
Regulations and Government
Rule changes worrisome to Part 135 operators
With the FAA getting ready to take another run at flight, duty and rest regulations, Part 135 operators want to assure that their segment of the aviation i
Regulations and Government
ACI-NA questions new firefighting standards
Proposed new aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) standards from the National Fire Protection Association would not have changed the outcome of previous
Avionics
EVS II OK’d for Gulfstream G150
Gulfstream Aerospace received FAA certification to use the second-generation Gulfstream enhanced-vision system (EVS II) on the midsize G150.
Regulations and Government
EPA extends compliance date for fuel rules
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extended the compliance date for certain rules relating to fuel spill prevention, control and countermeasures (SP
Charter & Fractional
Arabasco, Royal Jet team on Saudi charter
Royal Jet and Arabasco launched a joint venture to expand private charter services in Saudi Arabia.
Used bizjet inventory stabilizing, JP Morgan
According to JP Morgan Global Equity Research, pre-owned business jet inventories in June remained stable at 14.4 percent of the active fleet, “a further s
Aircraft
Glimmers of Hope Exist, Despite Gloomy Skies
While the industry cheers small gains, on any given day the bits and pieces of good news (+) have typically been overwhelmed by the bad (-) as the economic
Delta cuts sting regionals
Delta Air Lines’ plans to cut another 10 percent of its system capacity this fall will result in the loss of 100 pilot jobs at Comair, 110 at Mesaba Airlin
Safety
Bizav logs an exceptionally safe first half
While business aircraft flight hours are down from this time last year, the level of industry safety has improved disproportionately, according to statisti
Charter & Fractional
More FAA oversight possible for Part 135
FAA scrutiny of on-demand Part 135 charter operators may increase following a report issued July 13 by the Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspect
Aircraft
EASA suspends Eclipse 500 type certificate
The European Aviation Safety Agency suspended the European type certificate (TC) held by bankrupt Eclipse Aviation.
Charter & Fractional
XOJet Expands Fixed-price Charter Service
XOJet launched a national network of “fare on-demand” rates for aircraft charter service starting at $12,000 on more than 15,000 dedicated routes.
ATC
DOT IG: FAA data clouds ATC training failures
A report from the Department of Transportation inspector general found that the FAA’s reported rate of training failures among newly hired air traffic cont
