DOT Opens App Process for Manufacturing Jobs Relief

The U.S. Department of Transportation has begun accepting applications for participation in the Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection (AMJP) program, which provides funding to pay up to half of the compensation for certain manufacturer and MRO employees.

Established in the recent Covid-19 relief bill the American Rescue Plan Act, the AMJP was designed to preserve aviation jobs that would be at risk of furlough or to enable the recall of workers who had been furloughed because of the pandemic. Congress set aside $3 billion for the cost-sharing program, which will cover up to 25 percent of an aviation manufacturer’s or MRO’s U.S.-based workforce. Participating businesses must make a commitment that they will not involuntarily furlough or lay off covered employees during the six-month duration of the program.

The DOT established a website with details on the qualifications and instructions on the application process. The application system went live on June 15 and the DOT is accepting questions regarding the process through June 22. Applications must be submitted by July 13.

Improving Pilot Training Key Focus for FlightSafety CEO

Brad Thress, who 14 months ago took over as FlightSafety International’s fourth president and CEO, told members of the Wichita Aero Club yesterday that he’s committed to improving pilot training and making the company more efficient as it marks 70 years in business.

Thress said a key focus for FlightSafety is enhancing the training experience for its customers that will “make people feel better prepared, not just compliant, in their training.” FlightSafety plans to do that partly by focusing on “where people hurt each other,” which Thress said is on approaches and departures.

It is also working with some of its larger flight departments to customize training based on pilot performance, using flight operations quality assurance information. “We can trend that data on a specific pilot and customize his training program so if he’s always coming over the fence 20 feet too high and 10 knots too hot, we can craft some scenarios to help get that back under control,” Thress said.

One of the ways FlightSafety is improving its costs is on the manufacturing side. Thress noted that, to remain competitive, the company has standardized the manufacture of the shell and motion system on every simulator it produces at its Broken Arrow, Oklahoma production facility while having a “roll-on, roll-off cockpit” specific to an airplane model.

Sully Sullenberger Selected for U.S. Ambassador to ICAO

President Joe Biden is nominating C.B. “Sully” Sullenberger III—famed for his role in the successful “Miracle on the Hudson” emergency landing—to serve as the U.S. ambassador to ICAO, the White House announced yesterday. A safety advocate, author, and keynote speaker, Sullenberger is a former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot and retired airline pilot who has amassed more than 20,000 flight hours.

He became known for his skills as a pilot in 2009, while as captain of US Airways Flight 1549, he and his crew successfully ditched their Airbus A320 into the Hudson River after the aircraft struck a large flock of geese upon takeoff from New York LaGuardia Airport and lost thrust from both engines. All 155 people on board survived.

A 1973 U.S. Air Force graduate, Sullenberger flew the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II for the service. In 1980, he became an airline pilot with Pacific Southwest Airlines, which was later acquired by US Airways, beginning what became a 30-year career.

Throughout that career, Sullenberger has been a safety advocate, performing accident investigation duties for the Air Force, serving as an Air Line Pilots Association representative during an NTSB accident investigation, and helping to develop and implement a crew resource management course that was used by US Airways and taught to other airline crewmembers.

Trimec Offers FMS/Navcom Upgrade for Gulfstream G200

MRO provider Trimec Aviation is now offering a Universal Avionics-based FANS/CPDLC/LPV solution called NextGen ProLink for the Gulfstream G200. Trimec worked with Chicago Jet Group (CJG) to develop the new STC.

CJG’s NextGen ProLink is a complete Collins Aerospace Proline 4 dual integrated FMS upgrade for legacy integrated navigation systems. With Universal Avionics as the base avionics, NextGen ProLink offers CPDLC-DCL, CPDLC-Enroute, FANS 1/A+, and European ATN B1 (formerly Link 2000+). With the ProLink upgrade, operators also gain LPV approach capability and CPDLC push-to-load capability, which is required by the FAA for use in the U.S.

Trimec completed an installation at its facility at Fort Worth Meacham International Airport in Texas last week. Installation of the system takes 15 business days.

“We are always looking for ways to help our customers, and this package with the Universal Avionics components will provide an economical alternative for G200 operators that are now looking to upgrade to FANS,” said Trimec general manager John Holland.

Caribavia Opens with Focus on Aviation’s Tourism Role

In her opening keynote address yesterday at the fifth-annual Caribavia conference, Ludmila De Weever, St. Maarten's minister of tourism, economic affairs, transportation, and telecommunication, addressed the pandemic's impact on aviation operations in the island nation. After being canceled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event, which focuses on air transportation issues and solutions in the region, is being held this week in St. Maarten.

“If this pandemic confirmed anything about St. Maarten’s economy it’s that nothing could be more important for a small, tourism-based island than having sustained airlift and reliable aviation partners,” she told the audience of aviation professionals. “The fact that we are gathered here today, in person is a testament to how far we’ve come since the airplanes stopped landing over a year ago.”

She stressed that any strategy to expand the island’s economy must include aviation as an essential component. “It’s the catalyst to keeping us attractive and competitive in the global tourism market.” De Weever noted that May arrivals from the key U.S. market exceeded the totals from May 2019 before the start of the pandemic, while overall traffic to the airport has reached 85 percent of its pre-Covid levels.

Garmin Gets FAA Nod for GFC 600 Autopilot on Cessna 441

Garmin’s GFC 600 digital autopilot has received FAA STC approval for Cessna 441 turboprop twins, the company announced today. The upgraded equipment provides capabilities such as altitude hold, vertical speed and heading modes, altitude preselect, Vnav, level mode, and underspeed and overspeed protection.

When the autopilot is paired with a compatible GPS navigator, pilots can also select, couple, and fly GPS, ILS, VOR, LOC, and back course approaches, according to Garmin. Other features include GPS roll-steering, yaw dampening, flight director command bars on flight displays such as the G600 and G600 TXi, control wheel steering, and coupled go-arounds.

The installation, which can be performed at select Garmin-authorized dealers, also includes brushless-motor autopilot servos designed for harsh operating conditions.

In addition to introducing the newly certified Cessna 441 autopilot, Garmin has expanded autopilot coverage for the broader Cessna 400-series family. Its Cessna 400 series “de-mod” kit allows owners of certain 414A, 421C, 425, and 441 piston and turboprop twins that do not currently have Cessna 400/800/1000 autopilot components to facilitate GFC 600 installation, Garmin said.

Notam, Airport Improvement Bills Clear U.S. House

The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday approved two bills to improve the notice to airmen system and expedite airport improvement projects. Voice vote approvals of the Notice to Airman Improvement Act of 2021 (H.R.1262) and the Expedited Delivery of Airport Infrastructure Act of 2021 (H.R.468) followed passage by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in March. They now head to the Senate.

Introduced by Rep. Pete Stauber (R-Minnesota) and co-sponsor Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-California), H.R.1262 calls on the FAA to establish a task force to review the notam system and recommend improvements within 18 months. “Modern aviation is incredibly safe, but to keep it that way, we must constantly work to update and improve upon safety protocols," Stauber said. The bill has received strong backing from business and general aviation groups, including AOPA and NBAA.

Meanwhile, H.R.468, introduced earlier this year by T&I committee ranking member Sam Graves (R-Missouri) and aviation subcommittee ranking member Garret Graves (R-Louisiana), would clear the way for the use of Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funds to incentive early completion of airport projects. The incentives must be directed toward projects that would increase capacity and efficiency and result in cost savings.

“This is a smart reform that can help deliver airport projects ahead of schedule, relieve operational disruptions at airports caused by unfinished projects, and save money,” Sam Graves said.

Australia Approves RBI Hawker for Rotary Blade Repair

RBI Hawker has received Part 145 maintenance organization approval from the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) for its new rotary blade repair facility. Based in Eagle Farm, Brisbane, the 1,000-sq-m (10,763-sq-ft) facility provides advanced repair and static balance of rotor blades for all Bell helicopter models, as well as the Leonardo AW139 and AW109.

Since 2005, RBI has offered maintenance services to commercial and military helicopter operators in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. It is an authorized Bell customer service facility and Leonardo service center with what it says is an extensive OEM-approved standard and expanded repair portfolio. The company is working to expand those services and capabilities to Australian and Pacific operators.

“Customers are increasingly looking for more local, accessible services in the Asia-Pacific region,” said RBI Hawker Australia operations manager Brendan McDonald. “Our new facility will help us remain the customer’s partner of choice, and we look forward to welcoming helicopter owners and operators to our new Australian location.”

RBI Hawker is a joint venture between Jet Aviation’s Hawker Pacific Airservices and Bell.