Bombardier is seeking to make crosswind instruction a training area of special emphasis (TASE) for the Global fleet, according to a UK Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) report released today. The agency’s report relates to a serious wingtip-strike incident involving a Global 6000 during a landing attempt in gusty conditions at Farnborough Airport (EGLF) on April 7, 2022.
The Global 6000, registered as LX-NST, was being flown by the then-new-to-type copilot when the right wing made contact with Runway 25 at EGLF, causing damage to the wingtip, flap fairing, aileron, and slat. The incident occurred during a balked landing in which the pitch and roll combination was sufficient for the wing to touch the runway for approximately 18 meters (60 feet), the AAIB said.
“The risk of wingtip contact is well known in this aircraft type and has been the subject of numerous previous reports, including by the AAIB,” the agency noted. “As a result of this known risk, the manufacturer has taken a number of actions, including improving training and publishing new guidance for pilots on techniques for wingtip strike avoidance. Before this serious incident, the manufacturer applied to Transport Canada for approval to make crosswind training a [TASE] for the Global fleet. This would ensure that all training providers have a standardized approach to crosswind techniques and training, for both initial and recurrent training programs.”
The FBI is investigating after a thief crashed a Bell 429 light twin helicopter while attempting to steal it from the Sacramento (California) Executive Airport (KSAC) early Wednesday morning. The Bureau has identified a person of interest in the case based on surveillance video. The 429, owned by Capitol Helicopters, came to rest on its side and was substantially damaged, creating a large debris field, and the alleged thief fled the scene. Several other helicopters owned by the company were also damaged when the perpetrator appeared to attempt to break into them.
According to Capitol, “Several helicopters operated by our company were vandalized by an individual unknown to us, and one aircraft was severely damaged. All of our employees are safe, and we do not believe that anyone was injured in today’s events. This incident is currently under investigation by several state and federal authorities.”
As of this morning, no one is in custody in connection with the case and the motive for the attempted theft remains unknown.
The Senate Commerce Committee is set to vote next week on the nomination of Phil Washington to be the new FAA Administrator. Scheduled for 10 a.m. on March 22, the executive session will also include consideration of the Notam Improvement Act of 2022, S.66, among other legislation.
The vote comes as the nomination has faced staunch Republican opposition, including from Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Ted Cruz (Texas) and former ranking member Roger Wicker (Mississippi). Both have cited his limited aviation experience and also a corruption probe that the California attorney general’s office confirmed to Cruz is ongoing and involves Washington.
During his confirmation hearing in February, Washington called allegations against him false and said he was unaware of the state’s activities regarding the investigation.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have ratcheted up a lobbying campaign in support of Washington, releasing numerous letters in favor of the nomination. These include one from former FAA Administrators Michael Huerta and Jane Garvey, and former acting Administrator Linda Daschle, who wrote: “While aviation experience is important, this is not limited to flying airplanes." In addition, Washington has garnered support from unions representing flight attendants, machinists, and other airline workers, as well as from Frontier Airlines and Airports Council International—North America.
Canadian startup VPorts, which plans to build vertiports and other associated ground infrastructure for eVTOLs, is stepping up its involvement in the United Arab Emirates’ burgeoning advanced air mobility (AAM) industry.
Yesterday, during the Arab Aviation Summit in Ras Al Khaimah, VPorts signed deals with three companies—eVTOL developer SkyDrive, electric airplane developer Electra Aero, and Abu Dhabi-based business jet operator Falcon Aviation—that will help it stand up and operate an AAM business park in Dubai.
VPorts also simultaneously announced plans to build and operate a vertiport at the Ras Al Khaimah International Airport, an Air Arabia hub about 50 miles northeast of Dubai on the coast of the Persian Gulf. The vertiport will be built on a 2.5-acre site at the Ras Al Khaimah airport and will initially be dedicated to transportation of time-sensitive cargo and medical patients. The company eventually plans to offer eVTOL flights at the vertiport.
‘‘With the support of the Department of Civil Aviation of Ras Al-Khaimah, we are excited to build and operate the first vertiport at Ras Al Khaimah Airport,” said VPorts founder and president Fethi Chebil. "This project will enable all AAM partners to accelerate the adoption and deployment of advanced air mobility in RAK and throughout the UAE.”
Want more? You can find a longer version of this article at FutureFlight.aero, a news and information resource developed by AIN to provide objective coverage and analysis of cutting-edge aviation technology.
Access to parts, rental engines and competitive pricing: more reasons why EAP says you should have your engines on an hourly maintenance program
Maintaining your engines helps you maintain the value of your aircraft, but Engine Assurance Program (EAP) knows hourly engine programs offer even more power to operators. With aircraft utilization at close to record levels, there’s increased competition for the already limited resources needed to keep engines in peak condition. That’s where enrolling on a program can save the day.
Leonardo distributor Mitsui Bussan Aerospace (MBA) of Japan has ordered six more AW139 intermediate-twin helicopters. The deal will bring the number of AW139s in Japan to nearly 70.
The agreement follows AW139 deliveries and orders in the country for end users such as the Japan Coast Guard (21 AW139s) and the Japan National Police Agency (two). In addition, three AW139s will be delivered in 2024 to Ishikawa Prefecture Fire Fighting & Disaster Relief; Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of Hokuriku; and Saitama Prefecture Fire Fighting and Disaster Relief.
AW139s in service in Japan have logged more than 110,000 flight hours. Some 150 Leonardo helicopters of various types are in service in the country for a wide range of missions, including law enforcement, emergency medical service, search and rescue, firefighting, disaster relief, VIP/corporate transport, electronic newsgathering, and maritime utility.
MBA specializes in aerospace, defense, and security systems; importing and selling helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, space, defense, and security-related equipment; and related services. Its products include Leonardo’s helicopters, defense machines, and aircraft engines. The company was founded in 1982 and is based in Tokyo.
The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is seeking input from its members in response to a legislative proposal put forward by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) and other aviation stakeholders to the ranking members of the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and the Aviation Subcommittee, calling for the establishment and implementation of transient parking ramps at public-use airports.
While AOPA and its co-signatories believe individual owner-operators of aircraft should not be required to pay fees to a private business on a public-use airport when “their products and services are not used, needed, or requested,” NATA responded that it “does not believe the issue is universal to all publicly funded airports, nor does it merit an unfunded federal mandate.”
NATA argued that a requirement to establish publicly funded ramps could alter the priorities of AIP funding and thereby delay critical infrastructure improvements at a particular airport. In addition, the question of who would manage and maintain such areas remains unanswered. Traditionally, the burden of collecting revenues, providing public access and facilities, along with security and insurance has fallen under the responsibility of FBOs, which factor those costs into their business models and lease negotiations with the airports.
Instead, NATA supports a collaborative approach at individual airports where the needs of all stakeholders including users, businesses, and the airports themselves are taken into account.
Against a backdrop of global macroeconomic uncertainty, the North American market is a bedrock of optimism for Airbus Helicopters. Along with Europe, it is the only market to have returned to pre-Covid levels over the past 12 months, company CEO Bruno Even said last week at Heli-Expo 2023.
In 2022, North American operators achieved a 10 percent increase in flying hours, much of it driven by higher levels of emergency medical service activity, according to Romain Trapp, who is CEO of the Europe-based manufacturer’s U.S. subsidiary. Last year, Airbus took orders for 87 aircraft from 56 North American customers and bookings amounted to an almost even split between single- and twin-engine models, reflecting increased demand for larger models such as the H145.
Texas-based Airbus Helicopters made 74 North American deliveries in 2022, representing a 20 percent increase over 2021, and Trapp said he expects the uptick to continue this year at around the same rate. The company now claims a 61 percent market share in tthis region.
Strong market conditions have motivated Airbus to make further investments in its North American footprint, as staffing levels for its customer support team grew by 34 percent. It has also expanded its blade repair shop and added a full-flight simulator for the H145 aircraft in partnership with Thales.
Norwegian Air Ambulance has ordered two more five-blade Airbus Helicopters H145s. The twin-turbine helicopters will join the operator’s existing fleet of Airbus H135s and H145s. The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation was the first operator in the world to take delivery of a five-blade H145 in 2020. It flies from 13 HEMS bases across the country.
“The five-blade H145 has proven to be the perfect helicopter for our HEMS operations,” said Norwegian Air Ambulance CEO Leif Olstad. “With the new helicopters we will continue to serve the people of Norway with state-of-the-art equipment to ensure the best service possible.”
Airbus’s latest model of the H145 adds a five-blade rotor, increasing the useful load of the helicopter by 330 pounds, and features a bearingless main rotor. It is powered by two Safran Arriel 2E engines, the Airbus Helionix digital avionics suite, and a four-axis autopilot. The more than 1,600 H145-family helicopters in service have collectively logged in excess of seven million flight hours. Airbus has provided 54 percent of the world’s 2,700 EMS helicopters currently in service.
Sustainability Question of the Week
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