Tamarack Progresses On Bankruptcy Emergence

Tamarack Aerospace Group’s plan to pay back all debtors as it emerges from reorganization bankruptcy has been approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of the Eastern District of Washington, the Sandpoint, Idaho developer of Atlas active winglets announced today. With the Chapter 11 disclosure statement approved, Tamarack said it expects to come out of bankruptcy early in the second quarter.

“This court approval and our continued sales of Active Winglets is a testament to the financial health of Tamarack, the robustness of our product, and our commitment to our customers, vendors, and investors,” said Tamarack president Jacob Klinginsmith. 

EASA and FAA Airworthiness Directives last June grounded the fleet of 91 Atlas-equipped Citation CJ1s, CJ2s, and CJ3s, leading to Tamarack’s bankruptcy protection filing. Those ADs were resolved a month later following a factual review by the FAA, EASA, NTSB, and the UK’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB). Tamarack said a false incident report last year led to the grounding of Atlas-equipped Citations.

Klinginsmith told AIN that the company has installed active winglets for 10 customers since the grounding and is now working on its 100th installation. “There is also strong interest from MROs,” he added. “We’ve recently added three installation partners because their customer base was asking for active winglets and we are in discussions to add at least three more."

Euro Bizav Flying Up in December, but Down in 2019

Business aircraft flight activity in Europe climbed 2.9 percent year-over-year last month, but full-year activity was down 1.6 percent versus 2018, according to the latest data from WingX Advance. Most of last month’s growth came in the business jet sector, which increased 4.5 percent from December 2018.

“December activity was surprisingly positive. Partly this is due to December 2018 being particularly weak; this December´s activity was still well below the peak December activity back in 2007,” said WingX managing director Richard Koe. “The overall trend for the year was negative, however. For the full year, the UK and Germany were the weakest regional markets.”

In line with that assessment, flight activity out of the UK slipped 3 percent last month, and Germany saw the greatest decline, WingX said. Meanwhile, most of the other larger markets logged increases last month—notably Italy, Austria, and Spain, it added.

Intra-European flights rose 3 percent last month, culling the year-to-date deficit to 1.7 percent, according to WingX. Flights from Europe to North America increased by 2 percent for the year, while those to Asia-Pacific fell 9 percent during 2019.

Constant Aviation Bolsters SMS Credentials

Cleveland, Ohio-based MRO provider Constant Aviation said it will be at the forefront of business aviation maintenance safety and risk mitigation following its certification as an active participant in the FAA Part 5 Voluntary Safety Management System (SMS) Program. The FAA program, launched in 2015, aims to offer aviation companies with systematic procedures, practices, and policies to manage safety risk.

Those FAA guidelines have been used by Constant to enhance its existing SMS program that addresses four elements: safety policy, risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion. “We have operated with an internal safety management system for quite some time now, and obtaining FAA certification reinforces our program,” said Constant environmental health and safety manager Timothy Wade. “Maintaining an FAA-validated SMS strengthens our organization and the safety of our employees, which ultimately gives our customers a better-quality product.”

MROs are not currently required by the FAA to implement SMS, but Constant said customers and foreign certificate holders are increasingly demanding it. “For too long, aviation maintenance organizations have been viewed as simply the support system for aviation operations,” explained Constant v-p of quality, safety, and training Kent Stauffer. “Subsequently, maintenance rules and programs have lagged behind their operational counterparts in their requirements. SMS implementation is an aggressive approach to prevention that brings maintenance safety to the leading edge of the aviation community.”

AAIB: Learjet 45 Nose Gear Collapse Due To Crew Braking

Inadvertent crew braking during taxi pushback likely led to the nose landing gear (NLG) collapsing on a 2000 Bombardier Learjet 45 (registration C-GMCP) on May 4, 2019, at Scotland's Edinburgh Airport, according to a UK AAIB final report released today. There were no reported injuries to the two passengers or two crewmembers.

The pilots started both engines at the gate before the aircraft was pushed back using a TLD 150 Max tug. As the aircraft was being turned to line up on the taxiway, the NLG suddenly collapsed aft and the aircraft came to rest.

During the pushback, the copilot had been carrying out checks and had started adjusting the position of his rudder pedals. He was bringing the pedals aft and he said there was a possibility he might have tapped the brakes, but was not aware of having done so.

Examination of the aircraft showed that the nose leg bracket that is connected to the gear actuator had failed, allowing the NLG to collapse aft. (The Learjet 45's nose gear retracts in the forward direction.)

The bracket was examined at a metallurgical lab, revealing that it had failed due to overload, not fatigue, according to the AAIB. Bombardier said it is aware of three other Learjet 40/45/70/75 events in which brake application during pushback resulted in a rearward NLG collapse.

ABS Jets Gets OK for FBO Services in Slovakia

European business aviation services company ABS Jets has received approval from the Bratislava Airport Authority to provide full-scale FBO services at Bratislava Airport in Slovakia. ABS Jets has overseen business aviation ground-handling services at the airport since 2009.

“We have worked very closely with the Bratislava Airport Authority to bring our existing ground-handling services and long-term expertise to commercial operations,” said Michal Pazourek, director of ground operations for ABS Jets. “Our goal now is to obtain the highest level of internationally recognized IS-BAH certification, which we achieved at our Prague base.”

ABS Jets established its presence in Bratislava in 2009 to support its own fleet, as well as oversee VIP handling services for private jet operations. It offers a 2,300-sq-m hangar at the airport, along with a crew lounge area, and luxury vehicles for transport. In addition, it provides line maintenance support for the Embraer Legacy 600/650 and Phenom 100/300, as well as the Gulfstream G550 and G650.

Headquartered in Prague, ABS Jets also arranges ground-handling services at other Czech and Slovak airports, including Brno, Karlovy Vary, Ostrava, Vodochody, Kunovice, Košice, Sliač, Žilina, and Piešťany.

FlightSafety International Promotes Moore, High

FlightSafety International has promoted Brian Moore to senior v-p of operations and Rich High to CEO of FlightSafety Textron Aviation Training, the New York-based training company announced yesterday. The promotions come following the departure of former senior v-p of operations Dann Runik, who FlightSafety said left the company to pursue other opportunities.

“FlightSafety’s customers and teammates will benefit from Brian’s leadership, experience, expertise, and commitment to provide the highest-quality training and services,” said FlightSafety president and CEO David Davenport. “We thank Dann for his contributions and wish him well in his future endeavors.”

In assuming Runik’s role, Moore will have oversight of the operational aspects of FlightSafety’s global learning center network, including development, management, and delivery of training programs; interaction with aviation regulatory agencies worldwide; customer service and satisfaction initiatives; business development; and the entry into service of flight simulators and other advanced training devices. 

High assumes Moore’s previous role at FlightSafety Textron Aviation Training and will lead the operation that encompasses 17 learning centers around the world that serve Beechcraft, Cessna, and Hawker aircraft operators using a fleet of 89 full-flight simulators. He has been with FlightSafety since 2005.

Swift Awarded $17 Million Bahamas UAS Contract

Swift Tactical Systems has won a $17 million contract to provide Bahamas government agencies and ministries with an unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) program. The deal includes the purchase of 55 short- and medium-range drones, immediate surveillance capabilities, training and support, and the establishment of a regional drone academy.

Bahamas Minister of National Security Marvin Dames called the drone program a game-changer. “We are confident the drones will change the landscape of law enforcement in the country. From following suspects of a robbery to finding the location of illegal immigrants and having an aerial view of the prison or pinpointing a drug boat, we have made it our mission and commitment to ensure this technology will be multi-agency and shared among all agencies." 

Swift Tactical Systems already has experience operating in the Bahamas, flying UAVs in support of post-hurricane Dorian relief efforts there earlier this year. It conducted UAV day and night missions to assess the overall situation on the ground and provide real-time data to enhance decision making for areas that were difficult to access.

Alex Echeverria, Swift Tactical Systems’ vice president, said the company will support the Bahamian government’s decision to “become the region's center of excellence domestically and abroad. Our deep bench of talented pilots and specialists understands how important it is to help government officials make faster and more informed decisions.”

Imetame Upgrades ATR72 To Shuttle Construction Crews

Brazilian factory construction specialist Imetame recently upgraded to an ATR72-600 to shuttle workers from its base in Aracruz for five-week shifts at the work site, rotating for time off at home. A typical construction cycle will last 20 months, with a small crew during the first six months and then around 1,500 workers, requiring two shuttle flights a day, six days a week, between Aracruz and the factory site.

Imetame bought a 1995 ATR72-202 in 2012 but with more factory projects scheduled, it acquired the larger ATR72-600 through AELIS Group and put the older ATR up for sale. The company’s next challenge is finding 10 pilots to handle the peak load, it said.

The next factory being built is in upstate São Paulo and has no direct flights to Imetame’s headquarters, not to mention that the company would effectively fill all scheduled commercial seats from the local airport to the nearest hub. Other factory sites are even more poorly served, as the locations are chosen not for their airline service, but rather for their proximity to trees, oil, or minerals.

Imetame, founded in 1980, builds and maintains pulp and paper mills, steel mills, and construction in mining, oil-and-gas, power generation, and cement. It is also one of Brazil’s largest exporters of ornamental stone.

Dealing with Challenges in the Aircraft Maintenance Business

Maintenance is one of the biggest cost factors for operating business aircraft. To ensure safety and availability, owners and operators should not cut corners to try to save money. Maintenance experts discuss these issues and their ideas to help manage maintenance costs, especially given the shortage of skilled technicians.