Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) provider Neste has signed an agreement to provide its SAF product at Jet Aviation’s FBO at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The deal will allow Jet Aviation to establish a continuous supply of the fully-certified, drop-in replacement fuel for the first time at one of its European locations.
The Neste MY SAF, which in its unblended form can result in an up to 80 percent lifecycle greenhouse gas emission reduction over conventional jet fuel, is produced entirely from renewable and sustainable waste and residue materials such as used cooking oil and animal fats. Jet Aviation is receiving a blend of 38 percent SAF, which will be placed in the airport's general fuel supply.
“As a clean, fully approved alternative to standard fossil-based jet fuel, we are delighted to secure a permanent supply of SAF at our first European FBO to help business aviation owners and operators contribute to sustainable aviation,” said João Martins, Jet Aviation’s v-p of regional FBO operations in Europe and general manager of the company’s Zurich facility.
Last year, Jet Aviation, in collaboration with Neste and Zurich Airport, imported a limited supply of SAF to fuel aircraft departing from the annual World Economic Forum, held in nearby Davos. This marked the first time SAF had been available for purchase in Switzerland.
The FAA today announced two new airworthiness directives (ADs)—one covering transport and commuter-category airplanes and the other directed at helicopters—that address the threat of potential radar altimeter interference from 5G cellular in the 3.7 to 3.98-GHz frequency (C-band). The ADs require insertions into the limitations sections of aircraft and rotorcraft flight manuals (A/RFMs) that will limit flight operations when such interference is encountered.
Telecommunications companies in the U.S. are expected to activate the new 5G frequencies as early as January 5. Last month, these companies announced that they would voluntarily restrict power output at cell towers near 46 airports and other strategic locations in the U.S. for six months.
In a prepared statement issued with the ADs, the FAA said it “believes the expansion of 5G and aviation will safely coexist. Today, we took an important step toward that goal by issuing two airworthiness directives to provide a framework and to gather more information to avoid potential effects on aviation safety equipment. The FAA is working closely with the Federal Communications Commission and wireless companies and has made progress toward safely implementing the 5G expansion.”
But the FAA also acknowledged the exigency and risk posed by 5G by waiving the comment period for implementation and warning of the potential for air travel and emergency air services disruption triggered by the compliance of the ADs.
Dubai International Airport-based business aircraft charter, sales, leasing, and management company RightJet has set up an office in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, in partnership with Future Travel. The latter company is a unit of conglomerate Future Group that cooperates with the Kurdistan Regional Government to market the autonomous region in northern Iraq as a global tourist destination and investment hub.
“We are proud to form this partnership with Future Travel and to be the first international aircraft charter and sales company to have a physical presence in Iraq,” said RightJet CEO Mark Hardman. “We see great market potential and under the strategic partnership arrangement.”
Hardman sees Kurdistan’s allure as a safe destination as important. “It’s primarily for business,” he said. “There’s also the green shoots of tourism. Coming out of Covid, people are going to want something with a bit more depth, something a bit different. Great food, great people. A lot of investment going on in housing, malls, and brands moving in. It’s good for business. The whole experience is amazing—and very safe.”
Meanwhile, RightJet is planning to open several new offices next year in both developed and emerging markets as the company focuses on international expansion. Hardman told AIN that its aircraft brokerage activities usually encompass Bombardier Challengers and Globals, as well as Gulfstreams.
The FAA has retained the notam acronym but changed its wording from Notices to Airmen to a gender-neutral Notices to Air Missions. This name change is embedded without any fanfare in an extensive update to notam procedures that includes multiple amendments and corrections.
Significant revisions include updated requirements for runway condition codes (RwyCCs) allowing for only one set of RwyCCs per runway; the removal of braking action reports of “good” as a notam criteria; and changing the reference to the 28−day publication cycle for international and domestic notices to an on−demand basis with an allotted 10 days for processing.
Changes also set the same notam criteria for both the Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) and the Federal Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS), regardless of who maintains them. Notam procedures also now include more detail for describing reduced performance of runway approach light systems—“unserviceable” previously was the only option.
Meanwhile, more gender-neutral name changes are expected at the agency. In February, the FAA tasked its drone advisory committee to develop recommendations for gender-neutral language as an alternative to gender-specific terms. Some examples were unmanned aircraft to uncrewed aircraft; repairman to technician; airman to aviator; and manmade to manufactured.
Technology, Relationships Set Flightsafety Maintenance Training Apart
For decades FlightSafety International has been the go-to name in aviation training, preparing pilots for anything in the cockpit, and mastering their aircraft. But its name doesn’t stop with just the people who fly the aircraft. It resonates as the best maintenance training available – just as important to the safety and smooth operation of aviation as a whole.
The Independent Falcon Aircraft Operators Association (IFAOA), formerly the Falcon Jet Association, has gained 55 more members since its soft launch in September, with total membership now above 70. IFAOA said it changed its name as a courtesy to Dassault Falcon to emphasize that it is an independent association.
“We knew that Falcon owners and operators were particularly proud of their aircraft and were seeking opportunities to exchange information, and based on how quickly the IFAOA is growing, we were right,” said association founder Sean Lynch. “We have signed up 55 members since mid-September, and they operate Falcon 10s, 50s, 900s, and 2000s.”
The new association added that it plans to develop as interest grows. IFAOA is currently building a robust online presence, including web-based forums, but plans to hold gatherings at larger events such as NBAA regional forums and conventions. According to Lynch, the group ultimately hopes to evolve into its own fly-in event with a static display, breakout sessions, and sponsor exhibits.
Thales completed the acquisition of Moog’s ground-based navigation aids business in Salt Lake City in a move that the electronics specialist said would enable it to provide a more comprehensive offering to its global customer base. Announced yesterday, the deal's completion comes not quite six months after the companies revealed they had signed a definitive agreement for the sale and follows regulatory clearances in October.
Thales said the acquisition provides it with expanded “man-portable” technology, as well as U.S.-based engineering, industrial, and other technology capabilities for both civil and military customers. Thales provides air traffic management and navigation aids to the FAA and U.S. Department of Defense, as well as to air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and airports globally. Moog has furnished ground and ship-based radio frequency navigation beacons for both civilian and military applications.
“Radio air navigation offers unmatched reliability and convenience for all aviation stakeholders from pilots to ANSPs,” said Kais Mnif, managing director for Thales's Navaids and Surveillance Business. “Additionally, the ways we design our navigation aids and bring them to the market have dramatically evolved with technological advances and creative delivery models. Through the acquisition of Moog, we can offer them an even more advanced technology with varying solutions for their specific needs.”
The navaids business represented less than 1 percent of Moog’s annual sales, the company said.
Lockheed Martin unit Sikorsky is now offering new-production S-70M Black Hawks to the civil and parapublic markets following receipt of an FAA restricted category special airworthiness certificate for the helicopter model, the company announced this morning. Sikorsky has also delivered the first S-70M to San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), which plans to have it modified to United Rotorcraft’s Firehawk firefighting configuration.
“With type certification, new-production S-70M Black Hawk helicopters in the latest configuration are available to the U.S. commercial/civil market for the first time,” said Jason Lambert, the v-p of Sikorsky Global Commercial & Military Systems. “Internationally, where the FAA restricted category is not widely accepted, we can now discuss with other civil aviation authorities the potential of validating the aircraft for challenging civil operations in their countries’ airspace.”
FAA certification, and the establishment of a pilot type rating, are expected to broaden the market for the military-designed helicopter, Sikorsky said. Training will be provided by FlightSafety International at its West Palm Beach, Florida learning center.
Sikorsky received an FAA type certificate for the S-70M in February 2019. During 2020 and 2021, Sikorsky proved the aircraft conformed to the type design and assisted the FAA in establishing the new type rating. The company initially requested approval for agricultural operations, external cargo, and forest and wildlife conservation.
MedAire has added five new assessment scenarios to its Aviation App to assist crewmembers with communicating and addressing in-flight medical incidents to the company’s MedLink doctors. The additional assessment scenarios include in-flight syncope (fainting), severe vomiting, abdominal pain, and anaphylaxis, or allergic reactions.
Crewmembers using the artificial-intelligence supported app—which aims, in part, to reduce the panic crewmembers may feel in a medical emergency—are prompted to ask a series of questions for each scenario that allows the company’s MedLink doctors to assess, diagnose, and recommend treatment for an in-flight medical incident. The app, launched in 2019, also covers conditions such as chest pain, altered mental status, seizure, shortness of breath, and suspected infectious diseases.
An International SOS company, MedAire was founded in 1985 and provides in-flight and ground medical assistance and training, as well as travel security services.
Garmin Smart Glide, Rudder Bias Win Top Flight Award
Garmin's Smart Glide and Smart Rudder Bias is the winner of AIN's 2021 Top Flight Awards in the technology category. In case of engine failure or in-flight emergency, the pilot simply pushes a button to engage Smart Glide, which then either recommends the closest suitable airport or, in cooperation with the autopilot, flies to that airport at the appropriate speed, while selecting the airport’s local radio frequency and setting the transponder to the emergency code. Smart Rudder Bias adjusts rudder force to help control sideslip after an engine failure.
People in Aviation
Mente Group named Jay Bushouse managing director for the Midwest region. Bushouse, a flight instructor and airline transport rated pilot with more than 4,500 flight hours, previously served as a sales director for Textron Aviation, selling new Beechcraft and Cessna Citations.
Jet Linx named R. David Johnson director of safety. Johnson formerly was director of safety management systems for Global Flight Test and Delivery Group and has experience in flight operations, technical ops, employee development, process improvement, and safety management across the military, commercial, and general aviation sectors. That includes spending 31 years as a command pilot with the United States Air Force.
Randy Miller has moved into the new role of manager of the paint shop at Duncan Aviation’s facility in Battle Creek, Michigan. Miller spent eight years as a maintenance technician for Duncan Aviation and previously served in the automotive field.
MyGoFlight added Mitch Biggs to its senior management team leading sales and business development. Biggs formerly was v-p of sales and marketing at Avidyne and has held senior sales positions with several national retailers.
Jan Toschka was appointed president of Shell Aviation. She takes the role from Anna Mascolo, who is taking a position of senior v-p of acquisitions, divestments, and new business development at Shell’s Downstream business. Toschka joined Shell in 1998 and has leadership experience in energy transition, global marine, and mobility, as well as wholesale energy businesses.
Women in Aviation and Aerospace Charter (WIAAC) appointed Victoria Foy as co-chair. Foy succeeds Jacqueline Sutton, who had served as co-chair since July 2020. Foy is executive v-p of Safran Seats and brings 15 years of senior leadership experience to her role of WIAAC.
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