Owners and operators of Cessna Caravans can now have SpaceX Starlink satcom systems installed on their aircraft, under a supplemental type certificate (STC) recently issued to AeroMech. The Starlink system can be installed by Textron Aviation service centers in North America and select international service centers. Installation takes seven to 10 working days, according to Textron Aviation.

Retailing for $150,000, the Starlink kit includes the aero terminal electronically-steered antenna, which is mounted on top of the fuselage; power supply; two wireless access points; and harnessing.

“The Cessna Caravan is so versatile, it can go almost anywhere, and Textron Aviation understands the importance of providing a connectivity solution in more of the places our customers want to go,” said Textron Aviation senior v-p of customer support Brian Rohloff. “The Caravan recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, and offering Starlink high-speed connectivity upgrade continues to provide customers with the latest technology, no matter where the aircraft is in its life cycle.” 

Worldwide coverage is available from the Starlink satellite network with high-speed broadband connectivity from the nearly 8,000 satellites in low-earth orbit. According to SpaceX, download speeds range from 40 to 220 Mbps, and upload speeds range from eight to 25 Mbps.

Dutch aerial services company Zeusch Aviation is exploring plans to retrofit its Beechcraft King Air fleet with hybrid-electric propulsion systems being developed by Dovetail Electric Aviation. The companies announced their collaboration today, having previously reached an agreement during the Paris Air Show last month.

Their plans envision the King Air’s two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprops being replaced by Dovetail’s DovePack batteries and DovePower electric propulsion system. These would be combined with a range-extending turbogenerator in a series hybrid configuration that Dovetail said could reduce carbon emissions for the aircraft by up to 40%, as well as cutting noise by up to 30%.

“Zeusch Aviation mainly operates missions that are for the common good, like [organ] transplant, medical repatriation, survey, and television broadcasting flights,” said the company’s technical director, Danny van Ieperen. “It is our ambition to do this as environmentally friendly as possible.”

Based at Lelystad Airport (EHLE), the operator has a fleet of King Air B200s and C90As. It is now working with Dovetail to “assess the technical and commercial viability” of the planned conversion project.

The partners are weighing options for partners that could provide the turbogenerator for the conversion. Dovetail estimates that projected range for the converted aircraft could be up to around 270 nm.

Former Republic Airways president and CEO Bryan Bedford is shifting over to his new role as FAA administrator after the U.S. Senate voted 53 to 43 yesterday to confirm his appointment as the agency chief for a five-year term. Meanwhile, Chris Rocheleau, who had served as acting FAA administrator, returns to his previously appointed position of deputy administrator. Bedford’s approval came after the upper chamber, a day earlier, narrowly agreed to invoke cloture, cutting off debate on the nomination.

Most Senate Democrats voted against confirmation, primarily out of concern for Bedford’s past efforts to seek changes in the 1,500-hour flight time requirement for Part 121 pilots. When asked about this during his confirmation hearing, Bedford maintained that, as FAA administrator, his focus would be on upgrading the air traffic control system.

Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York), objecting to his stance on the 1,500-hour rule, called Bedford “the wrong choice for anyone worried about aviation safety, particularly at a time like this.”

However, Bedford—who led Republic since July 1999 as president and CEO after serving in the same roles at Mesaba Holdings and Business Express Airlines—had received strong support from the other side of the aisle, along with most sectors of the aviation industry.

Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) stated that “Bedford has demonstrated a laudable commitment to aviation safety.”

An in-flight upset following an autopilot disconnect aboard a Bombardier Challenger 300 seriously injured a cabin attendant near San Francisco on July 27, 2022, according to an NTSB final report released this week. The cause of the disconnect could not be determined, and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) data had been overwritten on a continuous loop.

Registered N557XJ, the Challenger 300 was on a Part 91 positioning flight from San Francisco International Airport (KSFO) to Page, Arizona (KPGA). The aircraft departed at 12:30 p.m. with two pilots and one cabin attendant on board.

After taking off from KSFO, the autopilot had been engaged in the climb. When the aircraft was passing through 20,000 feet, two caution messages appeared on the crew alerting system: “AP STAB TRIM FAIL” and “AP HOLDING NOSE DOWN.” The pilot-in-command then assumed control from the second-in-command, and shortly thereafter the autopilot “disconnected on its own just as I was going to push the disconnect button.” The aircraft then pitched up rapidly.

According to the flight data recorder, vertical acceleration spiked from 0.985 g to 2.221 gs in less than one second, followed by -0.426 g and then 2.096 gs to 0.176 g in subsequent seconds. The cabin attendant sustained serious injuries during this event. The pilots regained control and returned to KSFO. No mechanical anomalies were found in the autopilot system.

Duncan Aviation proudly showcases a custom GLEX featuring a striking blue and black paint scheme with a one-of-a-kind topographic map design on its tail. This standout project was completed at Duncan Aviation’s full-service facility in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Williston, North Dakota, is celebrating the resumption of locally-operated aeromedical services for the community since July 2023, when the region’s previous provider discontinued operations.

Williston Care Flight—part of GFK Flight Support, which provides air ambulance services in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Sidney, Montana—operates a fleet of five Pilatus PC-12s. Three of the turboprop singles are equipped for full-time medevac operations, including a Spectrum AeroMed stretcher and other specialized equipment. “The other two are primarily configured for corporate flight operations with the executive interior, but are able to be converted into air medical operations within an hour, as needed, to provide backup coverage for our three primary air medical aircraft,” Williston Care Flight v-p Kyle Black told AIN, adding that this typically happens during scheduled or unscheduled maintenance events.

The medevac provider will be based at Overland Aviation, the lone FBO at Williston Basin International Airport (KXWA). Williston Care Flight will provide the aircraft, flight crews, and maintenance, while the medical staff will consist of three paramedics and three nurses, supplied by the Williston Fire Department.

“We’re thrilled to support this vital partnership in bringing locally-operated essential services back to the region,” said Tanner Overland, the FBO’s president and founder. “It’s a powerful example of what’s possible when organizations unite around a shared commitment.”

Weather Modification International (WMI) has acquired SPEC, a Boulder, Colorado-based firm known for its airborne cloud physics instruments and atmospheric research expertise. SPEC’s proprietary cloud particle probes have been widely used in NASA missions and global scientific studies for more than 50 years.

“This is a natural and exciting alignment,” said WMI chairman Pat Sweeney. “SPEC has built a remarkable reputation in atmospheric instrumentation and research. Their specialized knowledge supports WMI’s mission to deepen our understanding of the atmosphere and deliver solutions that have real-world environmental impact, and we’re thrilled to welcome their team into our growing ecosystem of innovation.”

“We’ve enjoyed a long-standing relationship with WMI, and this alignment offers a natural path for growth for both companies,” said SPEC founder Paul Lawson. “It opens new opportunities to expand our impact in the international atmospheric research arena.”

As part of the transition, Don DeBlasio has been appointed general manager to lead operations at SPEC’s Boulder facility. WMI plans to invest in infrastructure, engineering, and production capacity while supporting the existing team.

This acquisition further strengthens WMI’s vertically integrated group of companies, including Fargo Jet Center, Premier Jet Center, Ice Crystal Engineering, and Exclusive Aircraft Sales. Together, they enhance WMI’s capabilities in cloud seeding, airborne atmospheric measurement, and specialized aircraft services.

Researchers at the University of California Irvine have created a tool that could help the aviation industry reduce its climate impact by mitigating contrails. According to a study published by university researchers, mitigating emissions such as contrails and nitrogen oxides may have greater long-term benefits, even if carbon dioxide output rises slightly as a result.

“We have always tried to build uncertainty quantification into our climate assessments,” said Michael Prather, professor of earth system science at UC Irvine. “But this new decision tool uses the information to provide accurate risk quantification for climate tradeoff decisions.”

Called Global Warming per Activity, the tool evaluates how different aircraft emissions affect the climate, including short-lived effects such as contrails and longer-term ones such as carbon dioxide. It allows users to create decision risk curves that weigh the probability of positive climate outcomes when making tradeoffs between emissions.

For example, rerouting a flight to avoid contrail-forming conditions may require more fuel, but the overall effect could reduce climate effects. The study found that a 3% to 5% reduction in contrails or nitrogen oxides could offset a 1% rise in carbon dioxide over 100 years.

Job opportunities and aircraft maintenance demonstrations will be highlights at Duncan Aviation’s open house on August 16 at its full-service MRO facility in Provo, Utah. Scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the event will be open to the local community and highlight career opportunities at the company, along with providing facility tours and aircraft displays.

Duncan Aviation is encouraging interested visitors from the Provo and Salt Lake City area to learn about open positions and submit job applications onsite. The company currently employs more than 400 people in Provo, where it opened a location in 2010 and expanded it into a multi-hangar campus in 2020.

Company leaders emphasized Duncan Aviation’s long-standing culture of employee development. “If you’re looking for a career where your efforts will make a difference and opportunity abounds, come and see us on August 16,” said Phil Suglia, Duncan’s v-p of modifications and completions.

Tours of the 280,000-sq-ft facility will include hands-on demonstrations such as riveting and wiring. Specialists will also be available to discuss aircraft cabin work. Additional activities include an inflatable bounce house, photo opportunities with custom-painted aircraft, and door prizes. Additionally, the Utah-based Gail S. Halvorsen Foundation will bring its Mobile STEM Learning Center to the event.

AIN’s senior-level Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit (CALS) Europe, set for September 15 to 17 in Switzerland, will address the latest topics, strategies, and solutions in business aviation. The summit is attendee-centric and serves as an educational and professional networking platform, connecting corporate aviation leaders with peers, industry experts, and solution providers in a relaxed, informal environment. We invite flight department leaders to apply to attend this all-expenses-paid event as our guests.