Daher recently delivered its 300th TBM 900 series single-engine turboprop to a longtime customer, with an extra touch. The TBM 940 delivered last week to Dr. Ian Bair Fries and his wife, Susan, came with a personalized livery in gold and white that was created by Scheme Designers.
Before delivery at the Daher Aircraft subsidiary in Pompano Beach, Florida, the company added a painted image of a carnation on the airplane. For 50 years, Dr. Fries wore a carnation in honor of his patients.
The airplane also is the fourth TBM-family airplane to be owned by the Fries. “We are grateful to Dr. and Mrs. Fries for their more than 20-year loyalty to the TBM,” said Daher Aircraft CEO and Daher aircraft division senior v-p Nicolas Chabbert. “So it was very appropriate they received the symbolic 300th TBM 900-series aircraft as their latest acquisition.”
Over the past two decades, the Fries have owned a TBM 700B, TBM 850, and TBM 900. “The TBM fits our transportation profile—I can plan for a 1,000-nautical-mile flight under almost any conditions,” Dr. Fries said. “And it is a pleasure to work with many of the same people for years, which is a credit to Daher.”
Clay Lacy Taps World Kinect for Sustainability Program
Van Nuys, California-based Clay Lacy Aviation has tapped World Kinect Energy Services, a subsidiary of World Fuel Services, to help develop a sustainability program that would significantly reduce the FBO, MRO, and air charter/management firm’s carbon footprint. The program will aim to reduce the carbon footprint of Clay Lacy facilities, as well as offer the company’s clients an easier way to purchase carbon credits to offset flying activity.
“Reducing our carbon footprint and offering clients an easy, verifiable way to operate their airplanes sustainably is simply the right thing to do,” said Clay Lacy Aviation president and CEO Brian Kirkdoffer.
Initial projects at its facilities could include installing a solar array, eliminating single-use plastics, transitioning ground equipment from diesel to electric and upgrading to LED lighting. Floated future initiatives include provisioning for electric and alternative-fuel aircraft, installing additional electric vehicle charging stations, and providing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as supply becomes available.
Meanwhile, Clay Lacy Aviation expects to be one of the first FBOs in the U.S. to offer “gold-standard” carbon offsets bundled with fuel purchases at its Van Nuys Airport facility. Clay Lacy Aviation intends to make carbon offsets—provided through World Kinect—available to jet charter and management customers.
Jet Aviation Singapore completed the Asia-Pacific region’s first 96-month inspection on an Embraer Lineage 1000, the business aviation services unit of General Dynamics announced on Tuesday. The work also included major pylon modification and installation of a controller pilot data link communications (CPDLC) system, which both were regional firsts.
“We continuously strive to improve our capabilities by investing in new technologies and the ongoing training of our employees,” said Louis Leong, Jet Aviation's v-p of regional operations Asia and general manager of the Singapore MRO and FBO. “Our team of engineers in Singapore worked closely with Embraer to support this heavy maintenance project on behalf of our mutual customer’s operational requirements. We have a long and trusted working relationship with Embraer, which this inaugural accomplishment highlights.”
An Embraer-authorized service center since 2007, Jet Aviation’s Singapore MRO also supports a range of the Brazilian airframer’s business jets, including the Phenom 100 and 300 and Legacy 450 and 500.
Honeywell Offers Synthetic Vision for AW139s
Leonardo is upgrading the avionics on new AW139 medium twin helicopters to the Honeywell Primus Epic 2.0 Phase 8 that includes the SmartView synthetic vision system. SmartView is usable down to hover and can facilitate nine-degree descents to landing, including oil rig approaches.
Phase 8 also features a more user-friendly iNav map, an improved cursor control device that speeds map manipulation and menu navigation, and wireless high-speed data loading. The navigation system is track-based and follows the actual path of the helicopter while accounting for wind and other environmental factors.
"With the Epic 2.0 Phase 8 upgrade, AW139 pilots will not only reduce the time and cost of some operations, especially those in weather and around challenging terrain, but they will also experience some of the best safety features available anywhere in the helicopter market,” said Honeywell vice president of cockpit systems Mike Ingram.
MEBAA To Launch MENA-region Ops Committee
The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) is creating a planning and operations committee (POC) to serve the region. A preliminary meeting of the UAE POC chapter took place Monday in Dubai, and more meetings are planned throughout the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
MEBAA members want to see a number of thorny issues tackled, such as access to statistics, regulations, operation of foreign-registered aircraft in the UAE, and security access. Six committees have been formed to address key business aviation industry sectors.
MEBAA founding and executive chairman Ali Alnaqbi stressed the need to work together as a single unit to be heard by the local authorities. “We need to come together, unite our voice, and act as one community to make positive change in which we can shape the future of our industry,” he said.
Several companies with interests in the Middle East region are involved. They include Airbus Corporate jets, Arab Wings, Boeing Business Jets, Bombardier Business Aircraft, ExecuJet Middle East, Falcon Aviation Services, Gama Aviation Middle East, Honeywell Aerospace, Jet Support Services, Jet Aviation, Jeppesen, Jetex Flight Support, Lufthansa Technik AG, Royal Jet, Tarsus F&E LLC Middle East (responsible for Dubai Airshow), and UAS International Trip Support.
Hawker Pacific Cairns Expands Capabilities
Jet Aviation’s Hawker Pacific facility in Cairns, Australia is adding to its service capabilities with FAA approval covering the installation of engine aural alerting equipment aboard Pratt & Whitney Canada-equipped aircraft. Hawker Pacific Cairns developed the equipment, including the looms and installation hardware, under an agreement with P&WC covering engine prognostics equipment service and support.
The auxiliary aural alert system complements P&WC’s engine diagnostics systems by sounding a warning when an aircraft engine is about to exceed its operating limitations. This enables pilots to avert the exceedance, avoiding costly engine damage. It integrates with the P&WC Diagnostics, Prognostics, and Health Management (DPHM).
“Being awarded FAA STC approval is an important step for Hawker Pacific as it opens up further international opportunities for products and labor to be sold out of a regional Queensland location,” added Hawker Pacific avionics manager Rick Webber. He said Hawker Pacific will manufacture the system’s electrical structural components in Cairns; these components traditionally have been manufactured outside Australia.
P&WC worked with the Cairns facility to gain international approvals. On-aircraft engineering development and trial installation were completed in Cairns, while systems were installed on aircraft in countries such as India, Indonesia, Nepal, Japan, and China during the development process.
AviationManuals, a provider of aviation development manual services and safety management system software for business aviation, has expanded its staff and relocated to larger offices, the company announced on Monday. “This past year was another strong one for AviationManuals, with a large number of product launches and upgrades,” said CEO Mark Baier. “So, to ensure we are able to continue to provide the quick, quality, and individualized support our clients deserve, we have expanded our team and moved into bigger offices to meet those expectations.”
It has added eight new employees in software development, IT customer support, business development, marketing, international operations, and accounting. The company also relocated to a 5,000-sq-ft office in Rockville, Maryland, that AviationManuals said accommodates the additional and future employees.
Founded in 1996, AviationManuals has produced thousands of operations manuals for fixed- and rotary-wing operators, drone operators, technicians, and FBOs worldwide. Its sister company, ARC, offers a web- and iPad-based modular solution to submit, store, and analyze SMS data.
Fatal Helicopter Accident Rate Flat in 2019
The number of helicopter accidents in 2019 increased slightly compared to 2018 while the number of fatal accidents was unchanged, according to data released last week by the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (USHST). Fatalities from those accidents decreased slightly. In 2019, there were 122 accidents, 24 fatals, and 51 fatalities, compared to 121 accidents, 24 fatals, and 55 fatalities in 2018.
The number of overall helicopter accidents has held remarkably steady since 2015, when 121 were recorded, dipping only slightly in 2016, when 108 were tallied. However, fatalities increased from 28 in 2015 to 55 in 2018. Using 2013 statistics as a baseline, a year in which there were 146 accidents, 30 fatal accidents, and 62 fatalities, 2019 accidents represented a 16 percent decrease.
USHST noted progress in both accident and fatal accident rate reduction. “Even though year-to-year data is static, long-term progress in accident reduction remains positive. Over the past two decades, the U.S. helicopter fatal accident rate has been cut in half, from 1.27 fatal accidents per 100,000 flight hours to 0.63. (based on a five-year rolling average),” the organization said.
Count on AIN for Full Coverage of NBAA’s Schedulers and Dispatchers Conference
NBAA’s Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference (SDC2020) will be held from Tuesday, March 10 through Friday, March 13 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Exhibitors with news to share ahead of the show should contact AIN senior editor Curt Epstein.
How Runway Analysis is Combined With Weight and Balance Calculation in New App
Fully understanding a runway’s physical characteristics and the corresponding weight and balance limits for aircraft preparing operate on it is a critical flight planning task. We take a look at a newly improved application that allows pilots to quickly make sense of all these factors to be sure that each takeoff and landing can be safely executed.
People in Aviation
Trenchard Aviation Group appointed Mark Radford as v-p of business development. Radford brings 30 years of aviation interiors experience with both OEMs and Part 145 organizations, most recently as sales director of Western Europe for Iacobucci HF Aerospace.
Peter Schmitz joined The Loomis Company as a broker. Schmitz previously was the aviation practice leader at Lockton and global CEO for Aon’s Aviation Specialty.
Donaldson Aerospace & Defense appointed Tom Newman as director of its Rotorcraft Business Unit and Robert Barr aftermarket sales manager. Newman, who joined Donaldson in 2007 and most recently was engineering director, previously was engineering manager and project engineer at Aerospace Filtration Systems, among other roles over his 40-plus-year career. Barr is rejoining Donaldson, bringing nearly 20 years of aerospace sales experience.
Brent Hanson joined Pentastar Aviation as account manager and client relations representative. Hanson, who will be based at Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) as part of Pentastar’s new partnership with Avflight, formerly was a regional sales director for Textron Aviation and also served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve.
Franc Mendes was named airline business development manager for Universal Avionics, tasked with introducing the ClearVision enhanced flight vision system and other products to the airline market, as well as supporting the company’s flight department as a demonstration pilot aboard its Gulfstream III. He brings 24 years of aerospace industry experience to his new role, including as a technical and safety pilot for Boeing in Shanghai, long-haul pilot for Cathay Pacific Airways, and a pilot aboard corporate, United Nations, and humanitarian missions.
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