Duncan Gives Global XRS an ‘Arctic Camo’ Makeover

Duncan Aviation recently delivered a uniquely refurbished Global Express XRS with an “arctic camo” livery from its Battle Creek, Michigan facility. For the digital camouflage pattern of layered black and gray shades, Duncan’s paint team put in more than 211 hours with the layout, used seven rolls of transfer material, and 13 rolls of paint mask.

“Despite regulations that stipulate how thick we can paint the layers on the exterior, we were able to achieve the layered fade and the aesthetic goals the customer wanted while staying within the requirements,” said Duncan Aviation lead designer Emily Krawczak. “The careful planning of our paint experts made it all possible. The aircraft certainly commands attention, and this has been one of my favorite paint projects.”

Inside, the aircraft also has a “one-of-a-kind” interior, featuring custom carpet in a tone-on-tone pattern with a geometric design, bulkheads painted in a high-gloss piano black, and a hydrographic carbon-fiber look on the credenza top, lower galley front, drink rails, and card tables.

“We provided several renderings and modification options before finally settling on a work scope that pushed our teams and, in the end, showcases all of our skills as a completion shop,” said Duncan completions and modifications sales rep Adam Bruce.

Aviation Groups Unite To Oppose NYC Helo Restrictions

AOPA, GAMA, HAI, NATA, NBAA, and the Eastern Region Helicopter Council (ERHC) have joined forces to oppose two New York City bills they said would severely restrict helicopter operations there. ERHC chairman Tom McCormick estimated that passing these two bills could affect as many as 80 percent of NYC helicopter operations.

Bill No. 2026 would prohibit operations at city-managed heliports by most charter helicopters if they are not certified to meet FAR Part 36 Stage 3 noise standards. Military, police, newsgathering, and medevac flights would be exempt. McCormick explained that “very few helicopters are actually certified under Stage 3,” but added that many Stage 2 helicopters are quiet enough to meet Stage 3 requirements.

Bill No. 2067 would require operators of the city’s heliports to collect documentation from every helicopter that uses the facility, including its airworthiness certificate, registration, inspection reports, and the route to and from the NYC landing site. NBAA pointed out that the FAA prohibits municipalities from burdening aircraft operators with documentation or other requirements that are additional to, or duplicative of, federal standards.

The associations’ letter to the chair of the city's economic development committee further emphasized that the proposals are preempted by federal law. It states that only the FAA has the ability to regulate aviation over the city and the terms of access to public-use heliports.

XOJet Aviation Enrolls CL300s in JSSI Engine Program

XOJet Aviation is enrolling its 15 Bombardier Challenger 300s in a 10-year, hourly engine maintenance program with Jet Support Services (JSSI). As a result, JSSI will assign a technical and client services support team to support the 30 Honeywell AS907-1-1A engines that power these super-midsize jets that XOJet operates in the U.S., Bahamas, and Mexico.

Rising charter demand from the Covid-19 pandemic prompted XOJet Aviation, the operating air carrier for on-demand charter company XOJet, to seek an engine maintenance program. JSSI said the program will give the Part 135 operator predictability in its maintenance budget and assurance of limited aircraft downtime.

“In 2020, inquiries for charter flights more than doubled and Challenger aircraft have been in high demand,” said XOJet aviation president and COO Kevin Thomas. “To be able to provide consistent operational service, reliability is critical in choosing a maintenance partner, and this is why we decided to work with JSSI.”

Virtual WAI Brings 2,300 Attendees, 101 Scholarships

Women in Aviation International (WAI) wrapped up its first virtual conference late last week, hosting more than 2,300 attendees from around the world, handing out 101 scholarships totaling $475,805, and staging an online exhibit hall featuring 105 separate organizations and companies. While set for March 11 and 12, the virtual sessions will remain online through March 31 and an extended scholarship program is accepting applications through May 18 for another 48 valued at $256,000.

The 32nd edition of its International Women in Aviation conference contained the same content as the planned in-person event, including keynote speakers and exhibitors, seven education session tracks, professional development seminars and workshops, scholarship awards, and the Pioneer Hall of Fame induction ceremony, noted WAI CEO Allison McKay.

Events covered a range of topics from transitioning from the military to the future of electric flight. A point of emphasis in several of the sessions centered on how to bring more diversity to the workforce. General session keynote Hélène Gagnon—CAE's senior v-p of public affairs, global communications, and corporate social responsibility—discussed how surveys conducted by her company found that many are turned away because they don’t see other female pilots. As a result, CAE now invests about $1 million a year to provide full scholarships for women. She also highlighted the importance of networking to help women build careers.

KCAC Reinforces Piper Services with Arapahoe

KCAC Aviation, a long-time sales and service provider for Piper Aircraft, has appointed Arapahoe Aero in Englewood, Colorado, as a Piper factory-authorized satellite service center for Colorado and western Kansas. The appointment reinforces KCAC’s Piper sales and service territory expansion into Colorado, the company said. Based in Olathe, Kansas, KCAC’s territory also includes Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

“As a Piper Aircraft dealer since 1966, we understand the importance of service beyond the sale,” said Dave DeWalt, who manages new and preowned Piper Aircraft sales for KCAC. “With the growth of our territory, we want to make sure that we do not lose sight of providing our Piper customers with an exceptional ownership experience.”

Arapahoe Aero has provided aircraft maintenance on single, multi-engine piston and light turbine aircraft since 1984, said Arapahoe president Scott Utz. “We value the relationships that we have built over the years with our customers, our employees, and with partners like KCAC Aviation.”

Piper v-p of sales, marketing, and customer support Ron Gunnarson added that “given Arapahoe Aero’s considerable experience working on Piper aircraft, this will certainly benefit our customers in Colorado and western Kansas.”

CHC AW139s To Fly with HTAWS In Brazil

CHC Group is partnering with Shell and Leonardo to launch the first global implementation of Leonardo Helicopter’s Enhanced Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning System (HTAWS) on CHC’s AW139 fleet serving Shell in Brazil. HTAWS software and equipment computes in real-time the precise three-dimensional position and velocity of the aircraft in relation to databases of the terrain height and hazardous-obstacle locations. The system allows the pilot to execute immediate changes to the flight trajectory to prevent controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) events in inherently hazardous flight situations.

“Leonardo is the first OEM offering this new safety enhancement on our AW139 and AW189. This is an essential advancement and enabler for safer flight operations, which will greatly benefit the global rotorcraft community,” said Gian Piero Cutillo, managing director for Leonardo Helicopters.

“I must congratulate Leonardo for being the first to field it and I applaud the safety leadership shown by CHC and Shell Brazil, for what I hope will be the first steps in it becoming a standard fit for all offshore helicopters,” said Shell v-p of aircraft Tony Cramp. 

“We know effective warning systems save lives,” said HeliOffshore CEO Tim Rolfe. “These systems have already been installed in helicopters, but the collaborative efforts of the offshore industry demonstrate that tailoring the warning system to the offshore environment will deliver crucial safety improvements every day.”

Lawmakers Urge Yellen To Release PSP Funds

Republican leaders in the U.S. House joined a growing appeal to the Department of Treasury to release Payroll Support Program (PSP) funding to small carriers. Transportation and Infrastructure Committee ranking Republican Sam Graves (Missouri) and aviation subcommittee ranking Republican Garret Graves (Louisiana) wrote a letter calling on Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to “break the bureaucratic logjam delaying critical PSP2 funds to the nation’s smaller airlines.”

Their letter followed a similar letter the National Air Transportation Association sent to Yellen, saying the delay in issuance of funding set aside in the December Covid-19 relief bill “has created a real hardship for these companies, many of which are small businesses.”

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 passed in December had renewed the PSP through March 31, and funds since have been disbursed for the nation’s largest carriers. But, the joint Graves letter noted that two months have passed since that bill was adopted, and “we are greatly alarmed that smaller, less financially secure air carriers and operators have still not received PSP2 assistance.”

They understood the decision to prioritize large carriers to ensure the money gets to the most workers as quickly as possible, but said, “It defies explanation that smaller air carriers have still not received assistance.” They delay, they added, “puts hundreds of small businesses at unnecessary risk of shutting down forever…This must not happen.”

MRO Insider, Portside Announce Partnership

MRO Insider has entered a partnership with Portside that will allow Portside customers to quickly hail AOG services and scheduled maintenance requests for quotes through MRO Insider’s platform. Portside is a provider of billing, reporting and analytics, and fleetwide planning tools that support more than 150 operators in 25 countries with more than 2,000 aircraft.

According to MRO Insider, the partnership also will provide users with maintenance budgeting that is easier, faster, and more accurate as well as dynamic budgets that adjust based on flight activity and comprehensive owner reports that are generated automatically.

More than 155 maintenance locations from 69 companies are currently participating in the MRO Insider network. In addition, more than 1,600 registered tail numbers use the network to request AOG and scheduled maintenance services and aircraft detailing, the company said.

Overcoming Avionics Obsolescence in Legacy Business Jets

Airplanes are built to fly for decades and ideally, a well-maintained airplane will provide many years of safe and reliable service. However, the longer an airplane flies, it’s inevitable that the avionics will need to be upgraded. With fast-moving technology, required safety mandates, and parts obsolescence, compliance with regulatory standards and overcoming technology barriers can be challenging for legacy jet owners and operators. Join us for this free webinar on April 19th as we discuss avionics obsolescence in the legacy business jet market and the proactive approach avionics manufacturers are taking to make retrofit upgrades more affordable and manageable.