Gulfstream Aerospace yesterday celebrated the 10th anniversary of the service entry of its ultra-long-range G650. Since that time, the Rolls-Royce BR725-powered jet has set more than 120 speed records and more than 500 of these aircraft—including the longer-range G650ER variant introduced in 2014—have been delivered.
The G650 first flew in 2009 and received FAA certification on Sept. 7, 2012, and EASA validation on Dec. 21, 2012. Gulfstream won the National Aeronautic Association’s 2014 Robert J. Collier Trophy for the G650 for "significant technological advancements in aircraft performance, cabin comfort, and safety."
With a top cruising speed of Mach 0.925, the G650 has a maximum range of 6,500 nm and the G650ER 7,000 nm. It features a cabin floor that is 80 inches wide and a cabin ceiling that is 77 inches tall and can be configured for up to 18 passengers in any of 12 floorplans, with either forward or aft galleys and with or without a dedicated crew rest area. Passengers can access the 195-cu-ft baggage hold in flight through the aft lavatory. On the flight deck, the aircraft features digital controls, including fly-by-wire technology, and enhanced- and synthetic-vision systems.
Guernsey-based aviation services company ASG has added line and base maintenance of the Cirrus SF50 Vision Jet turbine single following EASA approval to add the type to its Part 145 certificate.
The addition of the Williams FJ33-5A-powered SF50 to its repair station certificate follows the Pula Aviation Services company’s large investment in training, tools, and parts, and “further cements ASG’s position in Europe as the go-to Cirrus service center” for EASA-, 2-REG-, and FAA-registered SF50s, according to the company. ASG also holds approval for MRO services on the Cirrus SR-series piston singles.
“The addition of this aircraft to our EASA Part 145 capability along with our existing Williams International line-maintenance service center status is an exciting achievement and a natural step following on from our vast experience with the SR series,” said ASG head of technical services Gary Phillips. “We look forward to providing European SF50 operators OEM-trained and approved maintenance and service to their SF50 aircraft alongside our established SR series offering.”
A comprehensive government-wide $1.7 trillion fiscal 2023 spending package unveiled yesterday drew praise from aviation advocates for including key priorities ranging from protecting aircraft operator privacy to reinforcing the FAA’s authority over the National Airspace System. The omnibus bill is anticipated to pass the House and the Senate this week and head to the White House for President Joe Biden’s signature, averting a potential government shutdown.
For the FAA, lawmakers included a $94 million increase in aviation safety and funding for 223 new certification and inspection employees. The Air Traffic Organization would receive a $340 million boost, with funding for up to 1,500 additional controllers. A key measure in the bill would raise the mandatory retirement age of pilots for large, unscheduled charter operators from 65 to 70.
NBAA cited several measures in the bill that it said would bolster the industry, including support for operators to continue to opt-out of real-time aircraft tracking programs. The omnibus package further addresses advanced air mobility (AAM), including an industry-backed provision to provide grants for infrastructure planning. It also encourages the FAA’s work to enable AAM commercial operations and pilot licensing by year-end 2024.
In addition, the bill provides for the Department of Transportation to promote aviation career opportunities and includes funding for efforts to reduce aircraft carbon emissions.
KULR Technology Group signed an annual subscription agreement with an unnamed U.S.-based international commercial offshore and air medical helicopter operator. Under the agreement, KULR will provide track and balance support for the operator's fleet of more than 250 aircraft through its Vibe vibration reduction technology, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) and on-aircraft sensors.
According to KULR, integrating Vibe into existing hardware and software processes allows clients to pinpoint areas where excess vibrations may cause system malfunctions, weakened performance, maintenance issues, and loss of aircraft availability. Clients can keep their fleet of helicopters, which would otherwise be grounded or pose a substantial risk to crewmembers, airborne. KULR’s mechanical fault diagnostic software works with the learning algorithms and AI functions of Vibe. The technology was recently used to identify and remedy vibration problems on several U.S. Marine Corps rotorcraft, including a grounded Bell AH-1Z Viper that was then returned to service.
KULR is working with a helicopter retrofit company to embed its systems in older aircraft and offer its technology to more military customers, as well as original equipment manufacturers that could install it as factory equipment. The company also believes Vibe is applicable to the eVTOL, wind turbine, high-performance automobile, and industrial motor markets.
The two-person crew of the Metroliner that crashed onto a Wisconsin golf course last month with more than 50 rescue dogs aboard was experiencing autopilot and aircraft control issues while shooting an instrument approach, according to an NTSB preliminary report. The 1985 Fairchild Metro SA227, operated by Ameriflight, crashed 3.2 nm short of the approach to Runway 10 at Wisconsin's Waukesha County Airport on November 15. Weather conditions at the time were reported as one-half mile with snow and fog and a ceiling of 300 feet.
Cleared for the approach, the crew intercepted the localizer and glideslope when they noticed that the “command bars on the airplane’s flight director were indicating a climbing right turn. At that time, the autopilot was in approach mode and was tracking the localizer and glideslope,” according to the NTSB. “The flight crew disconnected the autopilot and continued the approach, manually flying the airplane. Once the autopilot disconnected, the airplane immediately rolled to the right. The flying pilot and the non-flying pilot both got on the controls and increased engine power to attempt to regain control of the airplane. They were able to level the airplane; however, it impacted the ground in a near wings level attitude."
None of the crew, sole human passenger, or the 53 dogs aboard were seriously injured.
Business aviation maintenance provider Pulse Aviation has signed on to Embraer-X’s Beacon digital maintenance coordination platform. Through its web and mobile application platform, Beacon connects operators, maintenance providers, aftermarket suppliers, and OEMs with the goal of accelerating aircraft return-to-service time during unscheduled maintenance events.
Headquartered at AeroCenter at Lakeland Linder International Airport in Central Florida, Pulse will use Beacon to enhance its maintenance coordination, simplify communication around maintenance events, boost team collaboration, improve knowledge exchange, and streamline workflows around maintenance events.
“We are strongly positioned in a very demanding market segment and partnering with Beacon supports more collaborative and efficient maintenance dynamics,” said Pulse founder and CEO Daniel Rios. “Beacon is a game-changer solution designed to improve team awareness of critical events, consolidate fragmented communication, and ensure a swifter return-to-service for our customers.”
In addition to maintenance, Pulse specializes in avionics troubleshooting and repair. The company was launched in January.
Clemens Aviation, which operates a Part 145 repair station and aircraft charter, management, and sales business at Wichita Col. James Jabara Airport (KAAO), has received permission to begin selling fuel, making it the second FBO on the field.
In a meeting this week, the Wichita City Council approved the reclassification, which owner Dwayne Clemens told AIN was the goal when the family-owned business opened its facility at KAAO two years ago. According to Clemens, his company has been pumping 100,000 gallons a month from its own fuel farm for the 30 aircraft it manages. Its fuel farm can store 40,000 gallons of jet-A and 15,000 gallons of avgas.
To serve transient customers, Clemens has acquired three refuelers—two 5,000-gallon jet-A trucks and a 1,000-gallon avgas tanker. The Phillips 66-branded facility fueled its first transient jet this morning.
The facility is open 24/7 and has 75,000 sq ft of hangar space—enough to be able to accommodate ultra-long-range business jets. Clemens Aviaton plans to break ground in February on another 36,000-sq-ft hangar. Its 4,500-sq-ft terminal includes a pilot lounge with shower facilities and snooze room, 10-seat conference room, kitchen, business center, and refreshment bar. The FBO also offers on-site car rental, crew cars, and shuttle service.
West Star Aviation has begun offering the supplemental type certificate for Latitude Technologies’ DL150 Satellite Data Unit (SDU) and Iridium antenna on Bombardier Global 5000/5500, Express, XRS, and 6000/6500 ultra-long-range business jets.
A technical standard order (TSO) 159b-approved unit, the DL150 is an ARINC 741 SDU for the Iridium network that meets FAA advisory circular AC20-140B guidance for aircraft required to be future air navigation system (FANS) 1/A+ compliant. West Star said the compact Iridium installation allows the connection of FANS/controller-pilot data link communications out of VHF coverage after the original Inmarsat system has been removed. It is a solution for operators that want to remove the Inmarsat system and replace it with a new, non-safety services Ka-band connectivity solution.
Installation takes four weeks and can be performed at West Star’s four primary MROs in East Alton, Illinois; Grand Junction, Colorado; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and Perryville, Missouri.
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Requires a one-time torque check of the tail boom attachment hardware and inspection of the tail boom attachment fittings and longerons for damage, corrosion, or cracks, and security of attachment. AD also requires replacement of bolts and the associated nuts if they fail the torque check. Low torque values on tailboom attachment hardware may result in fretting or fatigue damage of the attachment bolts or tail boom fittings, which could lead to their failure and consequent separation of the tail boom from the fuselage and loss of control of the helicopter.
Requires inspecting each screw on the cockpit door internal handle and, depending on the results, modifying the handle and reporting information to the FAA. Prompted by a report of a protruding pushbutton screw on a cockpit door internal handle that resulted in interference with the collective stick travel.
Requires replacement, and prohibits reinstallation, of the engine fire detectors. Prompted by reported occurrences of spurious engine fire warnings. Subsequent investigation results identified a manufacturing noncompliance issue on the fire detectors, which caused a shift of the detection threshold towards temperature values that are lower than specified, potentially leading to a spurious engine fire warning. When two engines on a helicopter are fitted with an affected part, an engine fire warning could occur on both engines during the same flight.
Remove and replace the upper front and lower relay boxes with new units upgraded to MOD A in accordance with Gulfstream Service Bulletin 150-24-193. Prompted by the possibility of corrosion in the relay box connector’s solder joint to the printed circuit board. Upgraded relay circuit boards have an acrylic conformal coating to prevent this condition.
Requires repetitive visual inspections and fluorescent penetrant inspection of the main transmission support case and, depending on findings, replacement. Prompted by reported occurrences of finding cracks on the lateral mounts of the main transmission support case. According to EASA, such cracking is usually caused by excessive corrosion of the surface under the washer and originates from a washer attachment screw threaded hole, and cracking can occur at the upper or lower surfaces of the lateral mount.
Requires a one-time consistency check of the engine torque and measured gas temperature conformation values recorded in the avionics and on the engine log cards and any necessary corrective action(s). Prompted by reported occurrences of torque and measured gas temperature conformation values recorded in the avionics compared to the values recorded on the engine log cards following replacement of the engine module M01 or module M02.
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