Leonardo’s first production AW609 civil tiltoror, AC5, has joined the test fleet and will fly soon, after which it will join the ongoing flight-test certification program in Philadelphia, according to William Sunick, Leonardo’s head of tiltrotor marketing. Rotors turned on AC5 in January and the aircraft has already been used for a variety of ground-based certification testing, including indirect effects of lightning strikes and high-intensity radiated fields trials.
The new aircraft will boost the test fleet to four—AC2 was lost in a fatal flight-test crash in Italy in 2015. AC1, which first flew in 2003, is being used for ground testing in Italy along with flying prototype AC4, which recently returned from a demonstration tour in Dubai. AC6, the first customer aircraft (for Bristow Group), is one of three aircraft currently on the line at the AW609 production facility in Philadelphia.
While the program is making steady progress, company officials declined to offer estimates on when the AW609 will achieve FAA certification. Sunick noted the AW609’s unique “powered lift, tiltrotor subset” certification criteria that borrow from FAR Part 29—which governs helicopters that weigh more than 7,000 pounds—and the Part 23 and 25 rules that apply to fixed-wing aircraft. “The flight envelope has been defined and right now we’re just checking the [certification] boxes,” he said.
Two terms often used interchangeably in aviation regarding pilots are currency and proficiency. While each has similar definitions and complements each other, they are not the same. Simply, currency is the minimal legal requirement to go fly, whereas proficiency relates to a pilot’s ability to competently manage any normal or abnormal situation to a safe and successful outcome.
The challenge with maintaining a high level of proficiency is that flying skills are perishable. Extended periods of time outside of the cockpit diminish flying skills. An absence of flying decreases proficiency, and this grows with time.
To maintain or regain proficiency, a pilot must develop a personal proficiency plan. Obviously, the most effective way to become proficient and sharpen flying skills is practice—either in an aircraft or full-flight simulator. In the absence of flying, a pilot’s personal proficiency plan may include routinely hitting the books and “chair flying.”
For the professional pilot, most companies have an approved training program for those pilots that become “non-current.” However, a “non-proficient” program does not exist—that is on the individual. Before strapping into the jet or turboprop, ask yourself these two questions: am I current and can I competently perform a given skill with expert correctness? If the answer is “yes” to both, then go fly—you are both current and proficient.
While operations have continued to flourish globally, business aviation data research specialist WingX warns of dampened demand, particularly in Europe, in the face of the Ukraine crisis. “The Ukraine crisis has rapidly displaced the pandemic as the most significant destabilizing factor in the European region,” WingX said in its latest Global Market Tracker report.
Over the past seven days, the only European country to see an obvious slowdown was Germany, where flights were down some 16 percent over pre-pandemic 2019. During February, departures from Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands have been up 20 percent over February 2019, while those from France, Switzerland, Turkey, and Russia have been up 10 percent.
While the fallout of the Ukraine crisis is unclear, WingX said it is bound to cause significant short-term turbulence. In Europe last year, 11 percent of all country connections involved Russia or Ukraine. The exposure is higher for Estonia and Cyprus with respective 22 percent and 16 percent of flights headed toward Russia.
Meanwhile, to date, global business jet flights are up by 12 percent over January and February 2019 and 31 percent from last year. There is little sign of a slowdown in North America, WingX reported, noting business jet flights in February have been 16 percent ahead of 2019 and 54 percent above last year.
Airbus this week signed an agreement with CFM International to collaborate on a hydrogen-power demonstration program that calls for first flight of an A380 testbed with a modified GE Passport turbofan by the end of 2026. The initiative, which already has seen Airbus launch discussions with suppliers worldwide in September 2020, fits with Airbus’s previously stated goal of introducing to service a hydrogen-powered production aircraft in the narrowbody capacity class by 2035 under its ZEROe program.
The demonstration will use the first A380 prototype as the flying testbed, equipped with four tanks holding 400 kilograms of liquid hydrogen stored near the back of the airplane’s interior. Airbus will define the hydrogen propulsion system requirements, oversee flight testing, and provide the A380 platform to test the hydrogen combustion engine in cruise.
CFM has agreed to modify the combustor, fuel system, and control system of a GE Passport turbofan to run on hydrogen. The partners chose the engine for its physical size and light weight, as well as its turbomachinery and fuel flow capability. Plans call for Airbus to mount the engine on the upper fuselage of the A380, just ahead of the tail, to allow for monitoring of engine emissions separately from those of the engines powering the aircraft. CFM will execute an extensive ground test program ahead of the A380 flight test starting this year.
Gogo Business Aviation has received FAA STC and parts manufacturer approval (PMA) for its 5G antenna, keeping its on-budget plan to launch Gogo 5G air-to-ground service in the second half of this year, according to company president Sergio Aguirre. “Receiving the STC and PMA marks the next important milestone in the development of Gogo 5G,” he added.
Duncan Aviation completed the STC for the multi-band 5G antenna mounted on the belly of the MRO provider’s Cessna Citation XLS. Lincoln, Nebraska-based Duncan also is working on the first-article STC for the onboard 5G system.
In addition, the Colorado-based broadband connectivity provider’s authorized dealers and OEM partners are working to develop STCs for Gogo 5G on more than 30 business aircraft models. Gogo 5G is expected to deliver about 25 Mbps on average, with peak speeds in the range of 75 to 80 Mbps, and is designed for data-heavy interactive uses such as videoconferencing.
The system uses frequencies between 2.423 and 2.475 GHz, not the C-Band spectrum (3.7- to 3.98-GHz range) being employed for 5G service by terrestrial wireless carriers that potentially could interfere with aircraft radio altimeters.
The Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) is encouraged that its exhibition show is set for a strong return this year with several international companies already signed on to participate. The MEBAA Show will take place from December 6 to 8 at Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport in the United Arab Emirates.
Exhibitors already on board include Gulfstream—which is renewing its participation in major business aviation shows this year—along with Bombardier, Embraer, Empire Aviation Group, Honeywell, CAE, and VistaJet. According to event organizers, the show is expected to bring together leaders from FBOs, MROs, manufacturers, completion centers, and other businesses. Industry experts in attendance will highlight the latest trends, insights, innovation, and commercial opportunities involving business aviation during sessions and roundtable discussions.
“Business aviation has shown tremendous resilience and growth in recent years and it is an exciting time for the sector,” remarked MEBAA founding and executive chairman Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi. “The MEBAA Show will demonstrate the latest advancement in business aircraft, technologies, and predictions for the industry, which looks set for further growth in coming years.”
MEBAA officials pointed out that business aviation had a notable presence at the recent Dubai Airshow and noted strong growth of business jet activity in the Middle East in 2021. In the UAE alone, business aviation activity last year increased 73 percent over 2019 levels.
Jet Edge has selected Cue Health to provide the private charter company’s flight crews and global teams with access to real-time Covid-19 molecular self-testing with quick results. The company claims it is the first private aircraft operator to adopt the Cue testing solution.
Using nucleic acid amplification technology, a Cue reader, and a cartridge, the test provides Covid-19 results via a user’s mobile device within 20 minutes. Based on current clinical studies submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, it is the most accurate Covid-19 self-test and can detect all variants, including Omicron, according to Jet Edge.
“Cue’s breakthrough testing technology allows Jet Edge to further our commitment to the health and safety of our passengers and crews,” said Jet Edge chief commercial officer Jonah Adler. “Rather than relying on ever-changing messages from guideline groups, we are now giving each of our employees their own Cue reader and cartridge for daily testing. Their results are fast and actionable. Knowing who is positive and negative each morning greatly lessens our logistical challenges and keeps our passengers and employees even safer.”
Legacy parts specialist Ontic has signed an asset purchase agreement to acquire certain product lines from Ultra Precision Control Systems (Ultra PCS) in the UK. The financial terms of the transaction weren’t disclosed.
Those product lines include legacy electronics, aircraft lighting, commodity harnessing, engine terminal blocks, and rail barrier systems. They will be moved from two Ultra PCS locations to Ontic’s UK footprint in Cheltenham, Staverton, and Bolton. “The acquisition by Ontic, the fourth deal with Ultra, will ensure that the products, the highly skilled jobs, and the supply chain remain in the UK, protecting the end customers and ensuring an efficient transition,” said Ontic CEO Gareth Hall.
Ultra PCS CEO Simon Pryce said the sale of the product lines is in line with the company’s strategy to focus on its core capabilities and markets where it has specific expertise and knowledge. “As such, these technologies will be better developed under Ontic’s new ownership,” Pryce added.
Ontic has a portfolio of products licensed or acquired from major OEMs such as Honeywell, Safran, Thales, and GE Aviation. It also offers new and serviceable spares and repairs for more than 6,500 maturing and legacy aircraft parts.
Photo of the Week
Chasing the sun. Cessna Citation Longitude pilot Richard Depinay snapped this sunset photo on a short flight from Palm Springs to Van Nuys, California. Thanks for sharing this beauty, Richard!
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