Things went from bad to worse at Wheels Up yesterday, even as interim CEO Todd Smith was assuring investors and the media that the company was positioned for a rebound. After the stock shed an additional 21 percent on the day, financial network CNBC reported that the company is consulting with bankruptcy advisers. CNBC also reported that Warren Buffett, whose Berkshire Hathaway owns NetJets, said he thought “there’s a good chance” that Wheels Up customers who prepaid for block hours “are going to be disappointed later on.”
Even as Wheels Up announced a first-quarter loss of $101 million, Wall Street eyebrows were further raised by the exit package crafted for outgoing CEO and founder Kenny Dichter. According to a Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Dichter will receive his $80,000 monthly base salary for the next two years and an immediate lump-sum payment of $3 million. He will also receive any additional bonus for 2023 on a pro-rata basis and 100 jet flight hours in Wheels Up aircraft and will remain on the company’s health plan.
On Monday, several law firms announced the launch of a class-action securities fraud suit on behalf of shareholders against Wheels Up based on its restatement of 2022 financial results last month due to material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting.
Fargo Jet Center (FJC) recently completed Garmin TXi touchscreen glass upgrades on three Pilatus PC-12s operated by the Northeast Montana Stat Air Ambulance Cooperative. The operator has also contracted with Fargo Jet to provide the same avionics upgrades for two more of its PC-12s.
“Our relationship with FJC dates back more than a decade when we were looking for an authorized Pilatus service center to support our first PC-12. Since then, we have added two more aircraft to our fleet, with FJC continuing to support our routine maintenance, as well as provide dedicated air medical interior modifications and other minor installs and upgrades,” said Russ Dahl, director of operations for the air ambulance provider. “FJC has proven itself as a reputable and professional operation, which made them an easy choice when looking for a solution for our avionics needs.”
“Seeing the quality workmanship and attention to detail our team delivered on this first aircraft is rewarding and a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team,” Fargo Jet Center avionics lead Drew Stiles said. “Collaborating with the Northeast Montana Stat Air Ambulance Cooperative team to develop a custom solution tailored to better serve its operation has proven to be a win for all involved.”
The FAA is revising its certification procedures and rules to make it easier for pilots grounded by mental health issues to regain their licenses and encourage those needing help to get it, Federal Air Surgeon Dr. Susan Northrup said yesterday at the Business Aviation Safety Summit in New Orleans. Currently, 30 to 40 percent of applications reviewed by the medical division “have a mental health component,” Northrup said, yet only between 0.1 and 0.2 percent are denied licenses or recertification for medical reasons. The FAA is eager to “dispel the myths” about the impact of mental health conditions on certification, “so we can destroy the barriers to treatment,” she said.
In 2010, the FAA approved four SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) antidepressant medications for pilot use, and pilots who report taking them “have been doing remarkably well,” she said. In December, the FAA ended the requirement for annual neurological follow-up tests, and the agency is now considering adding seven additional SSRIs to the approved list.
Northrup said that for grounded pilots with applications on file, the agency is decreasing wait times, but she admitted, “They are still unacceptable at this moment, particularly for [pilots filing] initial SSRI” documents. The recent hiring of an additional psychiatrist to review applications should help reduce the backlog, she added.
The Marshall Skills Academy is preparing to welcome its 2023 cohort of 70 apprentices, who will be trained to handle a variety of technical and business tasks for clients such as Bombardier’s UK service center at Biggin Hill Airport. Its facility at Cambridge will also train recruits for the group’s own MRO operation, Marshall Aerospace, as well as for businesses such as Aircraft Restoration Company, Stansted Aerospace, and Titan Airways—all three of which have Marshall alumni on their management teams.
According to Marshall, the latest group of technical trainees will be the first to undertake preparation for the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s new Category A Part 66 aircraft maintenance license. The academy also provides education in business support fields such as quality and regulatory standards, health and safety, information technology, and procurement and estimating.
“Bombardier UK made a carefully considered decision to form a strategic partnership with Marshall Skills Academy to deliver our apprenticeship program,” said Paul Thomson, the general manager for Bombardier’s UK service center. “As a result, they will be able to apply for full Category A licenses at the end of their programs, ultimately enabling them to certify line maintenance.” The Bombardier facility was expanded in November 2022 to provide maintenance, modifications, and interior finishing capability for the manufacturer’s Learjet, Challenger, and Global jets.
So you own an aircraft, now what?
Hey, you've got yourself an aircraft, congrats! But do you know all the nitty-gritty details your repair station needs before going in for your first maintenance event? It's like your first visit to a new doctor – except the repair facility is filling out dozens of pages of information on the aircraft's health history – not you.
The 149th running of the Kentucky Derby drew thousands of spectators to Churchill Downs in Louisville on Saturday to watch as Mage won the “Run for the Roses,” providing a bounty for the area's FBOs.
Atlantic Aviation, which has operated the lone FBO at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport since 2005, was busy between Thursday and Sunday with 704 aircraft arrivals and 259 parked aircraft on Derby day. On Saturday, it set up a hospitality tent for arrivals and brought in food for crewmembers as they watched the race on large-screen TVs.
“Despite the impressive numbers of aircraft, passengers, and crewmembers we handled for the Kentucky Derby, there were zero safety incidents,” said Brian Corbett, the company’s chief commercial and sustainability officer. “Furthermore, our extended Atlantic Aviation family and friends that came from all over the country...shared best practices and strengthened relationships with key customers as they worked as a unified team to ensure safe and efficient passage for everyone who visited Atlantic Aviation.”
At nearby Bowman Field, Mark Geary, president of Louisville Executive Aviation, noted 200 aircraft arrivals around the race. Each day the company would fire up a barbeque grill and dish up hamburgers and hotdogs for guests. It also offered full-time shuttles to take guests to area hotels or the race track.
European-based aviation charter, management, and sales company Elit’Avia took a significant step toward increasing its presence in the North American market through the acquisition of Pioneer Business Services. Based in Newburgh, New York, Pioneer had been a subsidiary of Four Corners Aviation, providing a range of charter, management, and other services for aircraft owners and passengers.
With the acquisition, Elit’Avia is creating a distinct operating entity, Elit’Avia Americas, based in Newburgh, and has named Kevin Rodgers president, responsible for clients in North America and South America. Rodgers moves over from Elit’Avia’s sister company, ZenithJet in Canada, where he has spent the past 14 years as executive v-p and has worked with clients at both operations. He also has held roles with Jet Aviation and Bombardier Skyjet and serves as vice chairman of the Georgia Business Aviation Association.
Meanwhile, as part of a restructuring, Elit'Avia named Malta as its European headquarters. Michael Coulumb continues as CEO and accountable manager of Elit'Avia International and will steer operations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
“Our restructuring is a measured and purposeful step in remaining agile and ensures that we continue to deliver exceptional customer value for years to come,” Coulumb said, noting the company has had an office in Malta since 2008.
Mid-Continent Instruments and Avionics will move its California facility from Van Nuys to Chatsworth, less than 10 miles west, the company said Monday. It expects to complete the move on May 15 and anticipates no interruption to its operations.
“We’re keeping things simple for our customers," said Bryan Miner, director of the western region for the company. "We’re the same great team, providing the same excellent customer support. We’re even keeping the same phone number. We’ll just have a new address at a new and improved facility.”
Headquartered in Wichita, Mid-Continent opened its California facility in 1991 to expand its service capabilities and international reach. The location provides extended hours to customers in western U.S. time zones and around the globe. It offers new-product sales and repair services for instruments, avionics, electrical power systems, and accessories. The facility is FAA- and EASA-certified and provides quick turns and dedicated, one-on-one technical support.
Mid-Continent manufactures, overhauls, and repairs aircraft instruments, avionics, and advanced power systems for the global aerospace industry. The company supports general, business, and commercial aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, defense, and special-missions markets. It manufactures more than 25,000 units per year and processes more than 15,000 units in its overhaul, exchange, and repair operation.
Honda Aircraft is chasing more Southeast Asian customers for the HondaJet with the appointment this week of Forth Corp. and WingsOverAsia as new authorized sales representatives. Bangkok-based Forth will represent the manufacturer in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The territory for Singapore-based WingsOverAsia also covers Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines.
Forth Corp. is mainly active in fields such as communications technology, electronic monitoring, and support for energy and utility companies. WingsOverAsia has more direct experience in business aviation, running an FBO at Singapore Seletar Airport, as well as providing aircraft maintenance, sales support, and flight training.
In July 2022, North Carolina-based Honda Aircraft appointed Malaysia-based KarbonMRO as an exclusive authorized service center for HondaJet operators in Southeast Asia, adding to a global support network that now has 21 locations. There are 230 of the aircraft worldwide and the fleet has logged more than 170,000 flight hours.
“Southeast Asia is a dynamic market for business aviation, and we are excited to expand our presence in the region to deepen our connections with local customers,” said Peter Kriegler, Honda Aircraft’s v-p of sales.
Requires introduction of an expanded pitch trim preflight check and new trim malfunction procedures, as well as revision of the AP STAB TRIM FAIL caution and STAB TRIM FAULT advisory procedures. Prompted by multiple in-service events where, following a STAB TRIM FAULT advisory message and an autopilot disconnect, both pilot and copilot commands to the horizontal stabilizer for an airplane nose-up trim resulted instead in nose-down trim movement of the horizontal stabilizer.
Requires the removal and replacement of certain high-pressure first- and second-stage turbine disks. Prompted by a suspected material defect that could reduce the life of the part.
Requires a one-time inspection of the fuel filters and, depending on findings, replacement with a serviceable part(s). Prompted by a reported occurrence where cracks were found on the right-hand-side fuel filter bowl following an engine flameout. Subsequent investigation determined that the cracking may have been initiated by over-torquing of the stirrup thumbscrew during replacement of the fuel filter cartridge. This condition, if not detected and corrected, could lead to further cases of fuel filter bowl cracking and, in case of dual—both right- and left-hand sides—filter bowl failure, could possibly result in in-flight shutdown of both engines.
Requires the installation of a monitoring circuit comprising relays, external to the air data monitoring system heater current monitoring units, that will detect the loss of the affected probe heating function and will result in appropriate crew alerting system messages. This AD also requires a revision of the normal and non-normal procedure sections of the airplane flight manual. Prompted by Bombardier's review of the air data system that found a single-point failure exists within the left- and right-hand heater current monitor units, since the same programmable logic device (PLD) is responsible for both the control and monitoring functions of each unit. The PLD could fail in a way that it would erroneously energize the heater control relay and switch the heaters off. This failure could lead to unannunciated loss of ice protection on the air data probes, resulting in the potential display of misleading airspeed and other indications to the crew.
Requires the replacement of the trailing arm bushings and installation of new dynamic joint components for the main landing gear shock strut assembly to trailing-arm assembly joint as terminating action to the requirements of AD CF-2020-54R1, which mandated more frequent repetitive lubrication and repetitive detailed visual inspection of the main landing gear shock strut lower pin. Prompted by multiple reports of main landing gear shock strut lower pin part number being found cracked in service.
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