EASA Approves Tamarack Fixes to Lift Atlas Emergency AD

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has approved fixes incorporated in two previously issued Tamarack Aerospace service bulletins to resolve an emergency airworthiness directive that required deactivating Tamarack's active load-alleviation system (Atlas) on Cessna CitationJets, the company announced today.

Unlike conventional winglets, Atlas uses active load-alleviation tabs—called Tamarack Active Camber Surfaces (TACS)—to counter increased aerodynamic loading on those surfaces. In restricting the use of the winglet system, the EASA emergency directive issued April 19 had cited “occurrences…in which Atlas appears to have malfunctioned, causing upset events where, in some cases, the pilots had difficulty to recover the airplane to safe flight."

The fixes require that Atlas-equipped Model 525, 525A, and 525B aircraft operating in Europe comply with a new EASA service bulletin (SB1480) that encompasses two prior Tamarack SBs. Released in April 2018, SB1467 requires installation of a revised TACS control unit (TCU) to resolve instances of uncommanded TACS movement, while SB1475, issued earlier this year, calls for installation of aerodynamic centering strips to force those surfaces back in trail in the event of a TCU fault.

An FAA airworthiness directive issued in late May remains in effect keeping Atlas-equipped jets grounded in the U.S., but company president Jacob Klinginsmith expressed confidence that agency would follow suit in approving the new SB. 

Sparfell Acquires LaudaMotion Executive

LaudaMotion Executive, whose namesake Niki Lauda passed away in May, has been acquired by Switzerland-based Sparfell Aviation Group, giving the latter a private charter operation with 13 primarily Bombardier business jets including the first Global 7500 delivered in Europe, the company announced last week. “Through the acquisition of LaudaMotion Executive, Sparfell Aviation Group is now able to offer our clients private jet charter, consolidating our offering to provide the turn-key solution they expect,” Sparfell Airways CEO Edward Queffelec said. “We could not dream of a better partner to achieve this than LaudaMotion Executive.”

According to Sparfell, Niki Lauda had initially sought to partner with Sparfell for capital. But after his death, a decision was made for Sparfell to acquire Lauda Executive, which has 60 employees and holds an Austrian air operator’s certificate. “Niki Lauda’s expertise, reputation, and precision were legendary, both in Formula One and in aviation,” Sparfell Aviation Group chairman Philip Queffelec said. “Having founded three airlines, we are honored to uphold his legacy and consider it our duty to pay respect to the company that carries his name.”

The acquisition builds on Sparfell’s business jet operations, aircraft sales, corporate leasing, aircraft interior design, and aerospace and defense consulting.

ATC Reps Warn of Safety Fallout from Swiss Court Ruling

A Swiss federal court has confirmed the sentencing for an air traffic controller convicted of “negligent disruption of public transport,” marking the first time a controller in Switzerland has been convicted with legal effect, Swiss ATC provider Skyguide reported on July 4. The federal criminal court in Bellinzona earlier had sentenced the controller on duty during an April 12, 2013 event involving an Irish Ryanair and Portuguese TAP aircraft that “unintentionally converged” over the Napf region (Lucerne). The incident did not result in personal injury or property damage, Skyguide added.

While Skyguide said the conviction does not affect the long-term employment of the controller (who instead faces a fine), the ATC provider is concerned about the long-term safety ramifications such convictions can have. “Skyguide is disappointed with this decision and will now analyze what this means for air navigation services operations in the future,” it said. “Legal proceedings and convictions do not make aviation safer but endanger the continuous development of high safety standards in Swiss air traffic." 

“The Swiss justice system is setting new unheard-of standards for the aviation industry,” added the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations. “With this sentence, the Swiss Justice system chose to go against all advice from the aviation industry.”

Bahamas AW139 Crash Kills Seven

A Leonardo AW139 crash early on the morning of July 4 has killed American coal billionaire Chris Cline and six others, including the operator of a popular West Palm Beach, Florida helicopter school, Geoff Painter. The 2008 model year AW139, N32CC, went down in what is being described as black hole conditions shortly after taking off from Cline’s private island of Big Grand Cay shortly at 12:45 a.m. local time for a 117-nm flight to Fort Lauderdale. However, the helicopter was not reported missing for 14 hours. 

The wreckage was recovered in 16 feet of water approximately two miles from shore. The helicopter’s retractable landing gear remained extended. Photos of the wreckage show tail boom separation, the cabin section laying inverted on the seabed, and significant impact damage to the remaining fuselage.

Painter, 52, was a former RAF pilot with approximately 13,000 hours of flight time and the operator of Cloud 9 Helicopters based at the North County airport in West Palm Beach. He held an airline transport pilot rating for helicopters. A second pilot aboard, David Jude, 57, was employed by Cline. Both pilots were type-rated in the AW139 and held instrument ratings. The Bahamas Air Accident Investigation Division, Department of Civil Aviation, the Royal Bahamas Police, and the Defense Force are investigating, along with technical assistance from the FAA, Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB), and Leonardo.  

Aspen Evolution Max Displays STC’d

The FAA has issued a supplemental type certificate (STC) to Aspen Avionics for its Evolution Max primary and multifunction flight displays and shipping of the new units has already begun. The Max displays retain the original Aspen configuration, fitting into the space occupied by the existing attitude and heading indicators. 

The Max displays now provide GPS-aided AHRS to provide useful information in case of a pitot-static failure, so an air data failure will no longer “red X” the attitude indicator. Other features on the MFD500 and MFD1000 Max include an audio panel interface so that audio callouts are available, such as terrain and altitude; chart and countdown timers; 350-nm zoom levels; height above ground level on nav and terrain maps; and Metar flags on nav map. The Max displays also show an altitude intercept “banana” indicator based on climb or descent rate. The Aspen displays are approved under an approved model list STC on more than 600 aircraft types.

Prices range from $5,495 for the MFD500 Max to $19,995 for a three-display Evolution 2500 with EFD1000 Pro Max, MFD1000 Max, and MFD500 Max.

Runway Removal To Commence at SMO

California’s embattled Santa Monica Airport will be closed today through Thursday as crews continue the removal of pavement from the shortened Runway 3/21. The project, a step toward the airport’s planned permanent closure in 2028, involves the removal of approximately 750 feet of pavement and accompanying taxiways at each end of the runway, which were closed to aviation operations at the end of 2017, as the city reduced its length to 3,500 feet.

The airport has seen nighttime closures starting on June 16 from 9 p.m. through 7 a.m., as part of the multi-phase project, according to NBAA, with completion targeted for early September. It will be closed completely again next month from August 5 to 8. Notams will be issued on the airport’s website with updated closure information.

While this takes place, the airport will also play host on July 12 to the launch of the Eco-Aviation Foundation International, which seeks to promote the development and market acceptance of electric and hybrid aircraft. The reception at the Museum of Flying will feature keynote addresses from Bye Aerospace founder and CEO George Bye and Kevin Noertker co-founder and CEO of Ampaire, both of whom are working to bring the first wave of electrically powered aircraft to market within the next few years.

Indian Operator Achieves IS-BAH 3 Registration

Delhi-based SRC Aviation, which became the first in the world to be awarded the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handlers (IS-BAH) 1 and among the first for IS-BAH 2, has now been awarded IS-BAH 3, becoming the only organization outside North America to earn the stringent registration.

American Aero Fort Worth, an FBO at Meacham International Airport in Fort Worth, Texas, became the first FBO worldwide last year to earn the new Stage 3 safety and ground handling certificate of registration.

IS-BAH, developed by the International Business Aviation Council in concert with the National Air Transportation Association, is a set of global industry best practices for business aviation ground handlers that features at its core a safety management system.

Bobby Beri, founder SRC, explained to AIN that the company underwent a rigorous audit of its best practices in safety management systems, emergency procedures, security and operating procedures, and training processes to achieve IS-BAH 3. "This also works like a self-check and keeps us from being complacent about delivering quality,” Beri added.

IADA Issues Call For Dealer Applications

The International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) is accepting applications through the end of July for dealer accreditation, the brokers group announced today. Eligibility for accreditation requires that a dealer has at least three brokers on staff, been in business for a minimum of five years, and averages at least 10 transactions annually. Three IADA-member firms must also recommend the applicant firm.

Additionally, candidate firms must sign annually the IADA Code of Ethics, list their inventory on the Aircraft Exchange website, maintain sufficient liability and errors and omissions insurance, and complete ethics and compliance training on a yearly basis. 

Membership approval is based on a process that includes feedback from the three sponsors and the organization’s broader membership as well as review by the IADA membership committee and board of directors. Because of the lengthy review process, applications are accepted two times during the year: before its fall meeting at NBAA-BACE and before its spring meeting. Member firms are reaccredited every three years.

"No doubt, IADA's minimum requirements are extremely rigorous and by design are the reason that the organization is now driving the aircraft transaction industry to the highest standards, which are in the very best interests of aircraft buyers and sellers,” IADA executive director Wayne Starling said.