Argus: Bizav Ops See Headwinds in North America in June

Business aircraft activity dipped 0.5 percent overall year-over-year in June in North America and the Caribbean as both Part 135 and 91 operations dropped, according to the latest Argus TrakPaq report.

Fractional activity marked the only increase in June, up 5 percent year-over-year. This was driven by a 7.9 percent gain in light-jet flights and 10.8 percent increase in midsize-jet operations, offsetting the 17.3 percent plunge in fractional operations involving large jets.

Meanwhile, Part 135 large-jet operations saw a 2.8 percent increase and midsize-jet operations a 1 percent increase. But this was not enough to overcome the 8.8 percent decline in Part 135 light-jet operations and the 0.4 percent slide in turboprop activity. Overall, Part 135 activity was down 1.6 percent in June, compared with June 2018. Part 91 activity was down 1.2 percent, with large-jet flights down 2.4 percent and midsize-jet activity sliding 3.9 percent. Part 91 light-jet operations, however, saw a 0.5 percent increase in June.

Taking into account all operational categories, midsize-jet activity was up 1.3 percent. All other aircraft categories were down year-over-year in June: large jets by 2 percent, light jets 1.9 percent, and turboprops 0.6 percent.

Despite the softer June, business aircraft operations are up 0.3 through the first six months of the year, and Argus forecasts a 1 percent increase in year-over-year activity this month.

Gulfstream Calls for Immediate Checks of G650ER Engines

Gulfstream is calling for operators of G650ERs that are at least 24 months old to immediately comply with a Rolls-Royce service bulletin involving inspections and lubrication of the high-pressure (HP) compressor variable stator vane (VSV) mechanism. A maintenance and operations (M&O) letter sent to operators late last week said affected aircraft—those with serial numbers 6001 through 6254—“will be permitted one flight cycle to allow for the relocation of the aircraft” until they comply with the Rolls-Royce Non-Modification Service Bulletin SB-BR700-72-900178 or Gulfstream’s Customer Bulletin 246 providing instructions on compliance with the SB.

Last week’s M&O letter followed two incidents involving inflight engine shutdowns that occurred in less than a year. The first occurred in September 2018 and the second in more recent weeks. Follow-up investigations revealed the shutdowns were caused by a high-friction condition within the HP compressor VSV mechanism. “When the high-friction condition is present, excessive torque is required to move the VSV system, resulting in an electronic engine-control commanded shutdown,” Gulfstream said.

After the September event, Rolls-Royce released the service bulletin for inspection and lubrication of the VSV mechanism within 12 months. But after the second event, Gulfstream said, “We have decided it would be prudent to accelerate inspection and lubrication requirements for aircraft that have been in service for 24 months or more, starting from July 2019.”

Las Vegas Gateway To Receive New Hangar Complex

Las Vegas-area Henderson Executive Airport will receive a new hangar complex next year. According to aviation services provider All In Aviation, which is building it in cooperation with Part 145 maintenance provider Lone Mountain Aviation, the 25-hangar facility, which will open in spring 2020, is already 90 percent pre-leased.

The first purpose-built, multi-use aviation facility of its kind at the airport, it will include 9,000 sq ft of office space, five training rooms, a classroom, library, conference room, avionics workshop, pilot shop, parts department, and a 22,000-sq-ft maintenance hangar.

According to the developers, all 16 of the small T-hangars are reserved, while three of the nine box hangars, capable of sheltering aircraft up to a midsize business jet, are still available.

All In Aviation, a Cirrus Aircraft training partner, offers flight training, pilot certification and aircraft sales, rentals, management, and storage, while Lone Mountain Aviation claims to be the largest general aviation repair station in the state, servicing Cessna, Piper, Beechcraft, Daher, and Pilatus aircraft, among others.

Yingling Begins Excel/XLS G5000 Installs

Yingling Aviation has launched a Garmin G5000 retrofit program for Cessna Citation Excel and XLS jets, the Wichita-based FBO and MRO announced last week. “This new STC from Garmin is what the market has been asking for,” Yingling avionics department manager Stuart Ashenden said. “It obviously meets the needs and desires of NextGen operators. We are already taking firm reservations and scheduling installations three months in advance.” The new program follows FAA approval of the G5000 Excel/XLS STC by Garmin, for which Yingling is an authorized facility.

A recent expansion of Yingling’s facilities at Wichita Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) added four service hangars that include an upgraded paint hangar and additional space for interior and avionics work. “These additions have not only allowed us to provide MRO services to the growing base of Citation and King Air customers we have acquired since adding this segment a few years ago," Yingling v-p of business development Jerry Pickett added, "but they also give us plenty of capacity to provide rapid and efficient response to Excel and XLS operators who desire to upgrade to Garmin G5000 avionics.” 

New Organization Champions E-aviation

With a mission to promote awareness and early adoption of hybrid and electric aircraft, along with the development of infrastructure at airports to support them, the Eco-Aviation Foundation International, a 501 C3 non-profit organization, officially launched on Friday with a reception at the Museum of Flying at California’s Santa Monica Airport (SMO). 

As dozens of companies are currently working on such aircraft, many see their eventual acceptance as the biggest revolution in the industry since the introduction of the jet engine. “Twenty years from now, there will be very few, if any petroleum-engined aircraft,” predicted foundation president Scott Burgess. “In our lifetime, we will see the end of them,” Burgess noted he was approached at the event by representatives from several airports seeking information on how to prepare for their arrival.

Toward that end, the organization is working on a manual for airport sponsors looking to embrace electric- and hybrid-powered aircraft, which will describe their function and infrastructure needs. The foundation expects to release the manual by the end of the year. It is also lobbying manufacturers to identify and adopt one standard for recharging technology so airports wishing to attract these aircraft can quickly and confidently move ahead with installing the required charging stations. The foundation will also advocate for more widespread adoption of solar energy collection at airports, which will help power those charging stations.

Unable To Divert, Citation Suffers Severe Turbulence

A Cessna Citation 560 on a Part 91 business flight experienced severe clear air turbulence at 3 p.m. June 27 in the vicinity of Janesville, Wisconsin, after the pilot was unable to obtain air traffic control clearance to deviate. Although the twinjet was not damaged, a passenger sustained serious injuries. Anticipating turbulence along the route, the pilot briefed his three passengers and had the seat belt sign turned on.

At FL240, due to turbulence, the pilot requested a deviation from ATC on the south side of a squall line and “made several urgent requests for a clearance to deviate,” according to an NTSB preliminary report. Controllers were not able to approve the deviation and instructed the pilot to descend to FL200. During the descent, the airplane encountered four 15- to 20-second severe turbulence events, with a five- to 10-second interval between events. Again, the pilot made “several urgent requests” for deviation, but the report said ATC was not able to approve the request.

An elderly man and his caregiver were aboard the aircraft. The caregiver reported that she got out of her seat to help the man tighten his restraints. During that time, she was thrown about the cabin during the turbulence. The pilot landed the airplane as soon as possible, and the caregiver was treated at a local hospital for multiple bone fractures to her right leg.

Honeywell To Supply FBW for Vertical Aerospace’s eVTOL

Honeywell Aerospace is to supply Vertical Aerospace with fly-by-wire control systems for the planned electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft that the UK manufacturer says will enter service by 2023. Under a strategic partnership agreement, Honeywell will provide systems including triplex fly-by-wire computers for a third prototype that is due to fly in 2020.

Bristol-based Vertical Aerospace was formed in 2016 and last year achieved a first flight with a proof-of-concept model. Later this year, the company intends to introduce a second prototype and this, as well as the planned third prototype, will incorporate higher degrees of system redundancy based on lessons learned from flight testing of the proof-of-concept model. 

The as-yet unnamed new aircraft is expected to have room for around four passengers and could have sufficient range to fly between cities. The proof-of-concept model features four three-bladed rotors.

Honeywell is expanding its involvement in the emerging electric aircraft sector and is already partnered in at least three other programs. These include Eviation Aircraft’s Alice (flight control systems, avionics), the Pipistrel 801 (fly-by-wire control system, navigation systems, avionics, and displays) and Joint Air Mobility’s ROSA (avionics, navigation systems, electric propulsion and connectivity solutions).

Lockheed Reverses Course On Sikorsky Coatesville Closure

Facing criticism from President Trump and from Pennsylvania’s congressional delegation, Lockheed Martin has temporarily reversed its decision announced last month to close its Sikorsky assembly plant in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, where 465 are employed building S-76 and S-92 civil helicopters.

In a statement released via Twitter, Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson said she decided to keep Coatesville open “while we pursue additional work” and that the company looks “forward to working with the government and the PA congressional delegation to find more work for this facility.”

Both the Sikorsky S-76D and the S-92A have sold poorly in recent years in the wake of a contracting offshore energy industry, and used models of both are for sale in plentiful supply following the bankruptcy filings of two leading offshore helicopter operators this year, PHI and Bristow Group, and helicopter lessor Waypoint late last year.   

Sikorsky did not deliver any of either model in the first quarter of this year and only five during all of 2018 (one S-76D and four S-92As), and had combined civil helicopter deliveries from Coatesville of seven for all of 2017, and 12 in 2016, according to figures released by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.  

Count on AIN for Full Coverage of LABACE

As ever, you can count on AIN for full coverage of LABACE 2019. Our team will publish three of our award-winning daily LABACE Convention News editions at the show on August 13, 14, and 15. We will also have comprehensive real-time reporting of all the top news at AINonline.com and in our daily e-newsletters. If you are an exhibiting company that wants to share news or propose pre-show interviews and briefings please contact show editor Ian Sheppard.