The large-cabin Dassault Falcon 6X received FAA and EASA certification today, in line with the French aircraft manufacturer’s target earlier this year of mid-2023 service entry. These certifications conclude a more than two-year-long test campaign during which 1,500 flight hours were logged by three flight-test airplanes. The first Falcon 6Xs that will be handed over to customers are undergoing final completion, according to Dassault.

“Certification of the Falcon 6X is a remarkable milestone for Dassault Aviation,” said Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier. “We would like to recognize the EASA and FAA certification teams for their commitment in this demanding process and our customers for their confidence. The Falcon 6X is the first brand-new business jet to comply with the latest regulations, which will enhance the safety and security of all new aircraft.”

The 5,500-nm twinjet was launched in February 2018, followed by rollout in December 2020 (done virtually during the pandemic) and first flight in March 2021. Its engine, the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW812D, received approval last year from the FAA, EASA, and Transport Canada.

Trappier said the $52.75 million, fly-by-wire business jet “combines the best qualities of Dassault Aviation’s world-leading business and fighter aircraft expertise to create the longest-range jet in its class with unparalleled passenger comfort and maximum mission flexibility.”

Wheels Up is pulling harder on a financial lifeline from Delta Air Lines. In a Form 8-K filed Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Wheels Up said it was adding up to $30 million to the $15 million short-term financing it received from Delta in the form of a secured promissory note signed August 8.

Following the initial $15 million payment, the companies agreed to amend that note to include an additional $10 million, which Wheels Up received on August 16. Now they have amended it a second time to add another $20 million, bringing the aggregate value of the promissory note up to $45 million.

Wheels Up also said it had received lender forbearance on principal and interest due on the $260 million equipment loan it received last October, guaranteed by portions of its aircraft fleet. The company said lenders had agreed to further extend the grace period to August 23.

On August 15, Wheels Up announced that Delta and investment firms Certares and Knighthood would receive 95 percent of the company’s stock in exchange for a loan of $400 million plus a $100 million “liquidity facility” from Delta. In its latest quarterly financial statement, Wheels Up reported $161 million in losses and $335 million in revenue during the second quarter while seeing its available cash erode from $363 million to $152 million.

International business aircraft operators face another four to six months of exclusion from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (ZSSS) while customs, immigration, and quarantine facilities are upgraded. Until the work is complete, flights from outside China will have to use the city’s main gateway, Pudong International Airport (ZSPD). Jet Aviation, which runs the FBO/MRO at ZSSS and the FBO at ZSPD, did not respond to AIN's inquiries about this situation.

Despite the short-term disruption, China’s economic planning arm, the National Development and Reform Commission, has given the go-ahead to improve business aviation access at Hongqiao as part of a broader government policy to bolster trade, lure investments, and integrate transportation modes. Under the recently upgraded Hongqiao International "open hub" initiative, authorities are preparing to improve the quality of business aviation services at Hongqiao while also working with authorities at Pudong to cater to the demands related to long-distance international routes in and out of the Yangtze River Delta region.

Since August 1, FBO services for international business traffic at Hongqiao have been suspended temporarily. During the remodeling, all international business and private flights have been rerouted to use the VIP room at ZSPD. Meanwhile, Hongqiao has continued to accept domestic business and private flights, using its Number 17 VIP lounge.

The FAA on Friday issued emergency airworthiness directive 2023-17-51 that requires a one-time tail rotor blade tap inspection on all Bell 407 helicopters. The FAA took the action the day after Transport Canada issued a similar, but more limited, action that required the inspection of certain serial-numbered Bell 407s to detect debonding from skin core voids created by missing adhesive between the upper and lower skin core. The anomaly was discovered after an operator detected a strange sound while manually rotating a tail rotor blade.

Skin core voids that exceed allowable limits can cause severe vibration, failure of the tail rotor blade, and loss of tail rotor control. The actions taken by both agencies follow Bell Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) 407-23-132 issued on August 14, which identifies specific part numbers and procedures for inspecting the blades. Depending on inspection results, the Bell ASB requires the return of the defective blade to Bell for investigation and replacing the blade. The FAA is requiring the inspection to be completed within 10 hours time-in-service or 14 days, whichever comes first.

The FAA noted that “debonding of a [tail rotor (T/R)] blade could lead to instantaneous failure before detection. Additionally, affected T/R blades are installed on high-usage helicopters, which could increase the likeliness of occurrence of a failure.”

The owner of Spares Inc., an Oregon company that supplied 23 different unapproved parts to Hansen Helicopters, was sentenced to five years of probation, $8,500 in fines, and a $400 special assessment. Separately, Spares was ordered to pay a forfeiture of $945,165.89, less the value of tools and equipment used to manufacture aircraft parts that the company forfeited.

On April 20, Spares pleaded guilty to one count of aircraft parts fraud. Some of the parts in question—including tail rotor pitch change links for Hughes 369-series helicopters—were implicated in several Hansen accidents. Spares was operated by Frank Litkei, who died in 2021. Control of the company then passed to his widow, Christine Litkei. Spares ceased operations in 2022.

Federal prosecutors charged that Spares “misrepresented the legitimacy of these parts on internal documents and purchase orders. Upon receipt of the unapproved [tail rotor pitch change links (TRPCLs )], Hansen employees painted the parts black to mimic the coating of an approved part, improperly installed the bearings, then installed the parts on helicopters leased to Pacific Ocean boating companies. Post-installation images of the TRPCLs showed improper installation with zip ties and improper repairs with pieces of cloth fabric, as well as visible damage and degradation.”

In September 2022, Hansen and its owner, John Walker, were found guilty on nearly 100 related counts.

Textron today named long-time company executive Kriya Shortt to head its eAviation division as president and CEO, effective August 31. Shortt is succeeding company veteran Rob Scholl, who is moving over to lead Textron Specialized Vehicles—which includes brands such as E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Jacobsen, and Cushman—as president and CEO.

Currently senior v-p of global parts and distribution at Textron Aviation, Shortt has spent 27 years with the Wichita airframer, also holding the roles of president at Able Aerospace and McCauley Propeller and as senior v-p of customer service, as well as international sales.

Scholl has led Textron’s eAviation group since it was established as an individual business segment in 2022, drawing on advanced air mobility and future technology activities from around the company. He has held several senior leadership positions at Textron Aviation, including as senior v-p of global sales and flight operations and v-p of parts and programs, as well as marketing.

Under Scholl’s stewardship, eAviation has folded electric-aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel into the group and has refocused efforts on an advanced air mobility aircraft dubbed Nexus.

Both Shortt and Scholl report directly to Textron chairman and CEO Scott Donnelly. “Rob and Kriya have served as outstanding leaders at our respective businesses and I am confident they will continue to drive success in their new roles,” Donnelly said.

Citing several recent reported cases of near incursions and mishaps involving tug operations during aircraft movement, the FAA has issued an advisory circular on towbar and towbarless movement of aircraft for the first time since 2009. The document reviews the best practices for the safe operation of this equipment.

According to the agency, “air traffic control (ATC) specialists have reported that it is very difficult to identify a super tug towing an unpowered aircraft at night because the aircraft being towed is not properly illuminated with any lights.” As a result, it noted no person should park or move an aircraft in, or in dangerous proximity to, a night flight operations area of an airport unless the aircraft or the area is clearly illuminated.

The circular states that those that are certified to perform towing operations at an airport should submit documentation outlining their towing operations to the responsible FAA Flight Standards District Office or Certificate Management Office and to respective airport management for acceptance/approval. That document should describe at a minimum the organization’s safety instructions, operating procedures (including the differences between day and night operations), initial and recurrent training, radio communication, and towing procedures checklist.

In addition, the circular provides several sample checklists that certificate holders can adapt to their operations.