Piper Aircraft's M700 Fury turboprop single has received FAA approval for unpaved field operations, the Vero Beach, Florida-based aircraft manufacturer announced yesterday. Unpaved surfaces include gravel, coral, sand, clay, hard-packed soil mixtures, grass, turf, or sod. This approval broadens the aircraft’s overall operational capabilities, Piper said.

“The Fury’s performance was exceptional considering the FAA’s rigorous testing requirements for unpaved field certification,” said Piper Aircraft v-p of sales, marketing, and customer support Ron Gunnarson. “The aircraft’s robust design and construction quality ensured seamless operations in all test conditions. The certification process was also smooth with the type inspection authorization flight test being completed in just one day.”

Meanwhile, the company is making headway on M700 international validations—notably from Transport Canada, EASA, UK CAA, and Brazil ANAC—at both the aircraft level and for unimproved field operations. International deliveries will begin by October, according to Piper.

The M700 received FAA certification in March, with deliveries commencing to U.S. customers shortly thereafter. Piper expects to hand over nearly 50 of its flagship turboprops by year-end.

With the Democratic National Convention slated to begin next week in Chicago, the FAA has instituted a 10-nm TFR that will affect general aviation traffic at Midway International Airport (KMDW) starting on Monday. From August 19 to 22, a general aviation restriction will be in effect daily from 2 p.m. local time until 11:30 p.m.

Similar to the DASSP program for Washington Reagan National Airport, it will require all general aviation aircraft intending to fly to KMDW to first land at gateway airports Chicago Rockford International or South Bend International between the aforementioned times for special TSA security screening.

Aircraft operators intending to take off from KMDW during that period must register with the TSA for security screening no less than 24 hours before their scheduled departure time, with the reservation window beginning August 13.

In addition, a 30-nm TFR ring will also be in effect in the Chicago area next week, with all general aviation aircraft intending to transit it required to have a functioning transponder and be in voice contact with air traffic control.

Due to the proximity of the TFR to Chicago O’Hare International (KORD) Airport, NBAA’s air traffic services desk warns that some approach and departure routes may be unavailable during that period.

Two Viasat satellites were successfully launched last night during the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission led by Space Norway’s Heosat subsidiary. The ASBM-1 and ASBM-2 satellites were carried on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched from Vandenburg Air Force Base in Southern California.

Following placement into their highly elliptical orbital paths, Viasat will conduct testing and integration before the satellites enter service in mid-2025. The orbits will enable Viasat to expand its Ka-band high-speed satcom in Arctic regions with dedicated service in an area that doesn’t have full coverage from existing geostationary orbit satellites. The ASBM-1 and ASBM-2 satellites host Viasat’s GX10A and GX10B Ka-band payloads.

“With the successful launch of the ASBM satellites, we are a major step closer to providing broadband to civilian, government, and military users in the Arctic, which is the primary reason for this mission,” said Space Norway program director Kjell-Ove Skare. “This common goal has been the driving factor for Viasat, as well as for all parties involved in the ASBM program. It has truly been an excellent collaborative effort.”

Avflight, the FBO operating sister company to Avfuel, has achieved Tier 1 certification under NATA’s Sustainability Standard for Aviation Businesses for 22 of its U.S.-based FBO service facilities.

As part of the Tier 1 certification process, all of the locations were required to establish their baseline carbon footprint, submit an environmental policy, and phase out single-use products in kitchen and dining areas. Additionally, they had to confirm the use of local recycling programs and paperless processes, along with the installation of LED lighting, a filtered water fill station, motion sensor lighting, Energy Star-rated kitchen appliances, and low-flow plumbing fixtures.

The certification covers all of Avflight’s U.S. locations (it also has FBOs in Winnipeg, Canada, and Belfast, Northern Ireland) except for its recently-acquired facility in Hattiesburg, Mississippi (KPIB), which is expected to join its siblings once it amasses the mandatory 12 months' worth of data.

“Sustainability is at the forefront of Avflight’s values and we are immensely proud of this achievement,” said Garrett Hain, the company’s treasurer and v-p of finance. “To have one of our locations certified is exciting, but for all 22 eligible U.S. locations to hold the title is a major achievement and amplifies our commitment to sustainability.”

Hain added that the acknowledgement supports the chain’s network-wide sustainable aviation initiative that will include the installation of electric charging stations in key markets.

I had to know if the speed claims were true, so I hopped aboard a King Air 350 equipped with Blackhawk's Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67A engines on a scorching day in Florida. We cranked up the power and aimed for the skies. In just 12 minutes...

The NTSB is calling for the FAA to require that Part 135 operations use certified flight dispatchers, expand the load manifest requirements to single-pilot operations, improve data collection, and mandate flight data monitoring programs. These were among a handful of new and reiterated recommendations that the NTSB made as a result of a special investigation it conducted into 116 fatal and 460 nonfatal accidents from 2010 to 2022 involving commuter air carriers, air-tour operators, air ambulance services, and on-demand charters, among others flying under FAR Part 135.

Launching the investigation in 2022 “after a cluster of safety issues emerged” from recent Part 135 accidents, the NTSB said it identified vulnerabilities in several areas. These included unsafe loading conditions, a lack of certificated dispatchers for some operations, and a need for flight data monitoring.

Part 135 operations historically have higher accident rates than Part 121, the NTSB noted in its recently released “Special Investigation Report AIR-24-03, Safety and Industry Data Improvements for Part 135 Operations.” However, the Board said, “The diverse mission demands of some segments of the Part 135 industry may inherently involve unique risks that typically do not exist for Part 121 operations. Closing the safety gap for these segments of part 135 must involve targeted solutions that effectively mitigate unique risks without hindering operators’ ability to provide their services.”

LCI has placed two Airbus H145D3 helicopters for operations in Papua New Guinea with Santos Limited and Pacific Helicopters. The Santos placement is LCI’s first-ever lease to an end-user, although both helicopters will be operated by Pacific Helicopters on behalf of Santos subsidiary Oil Search PNG. 

Both helicopters were delivered recently and Pacific Helicopters is using them to support liquid natural gas and other energy facilities in Papua New Guinea that provide exports to Japan. “The helicopters will also support Santos Foundation activities in Papua New Guinea and its work to build resilient communities,” according to LCI.

Pacific Helicopters employs more than 160 people who provide helicopter services in Australia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and the U.S. In Papua New Guinea, the company serves energy, mining, construction, and telecommunications companies.

LCI’s joint venture with Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing is providing the two H145D3s to Santos and Pacific Helicopters. “We welcome this new partnership with Santos and Pacific Helicopters and are excited to support their operations in Papua New Guinea,” said LCI chief commercial officer Nigel Leishman. “This transaction demonstrates that end users of helicopters can step into leases, thus benefitting from our availability and efficiencies directly.”

Prime Appearance has acquired the assets of Elite Aero Services, an aircraft detailing firm based at Laurence G. Hanscom Field (KBED) in Bedford, Massachusetts.

“We look forward to being able to better serve our customers in the New England area,” said Prime Appearance COO Charlotte Cheatham. “With the ability to offer aircraft appearance and
flight department support services to owners and operators, small fleet operators, and private
flight departments at KBED, we will now be able to support one of the fastest-growing airports in
the general aviation industry.”

Matt Schneider, the now-former co-owner of Elite Aero Services, is remaining on board to assist with the integration of the Elite Aero team into the Prime Appearance network.

“As has Elite Aero, Prime Appearance is focused on providing consistent, quality services
across its network,” explained Schneider. “That focus is what made me feel confident that this
acquisition will allow my customers to benefit from the scale, support, systems, processes, and
procedures that come with being part of the leading general aviation aircraft appearance
network. My team is excited to be able to better serve the New England region with that same
mission under a new brand.”