Textron Aviation has delivered the first passenger version of the Cessna SkyCourier twin-engine, large-utility turboprop to Western Aircraft, which does business in Hawaii as Lanai Air, the Wichita-based manufacturer said yesterday. Lanai Air offers luxury air service connecting Oahu to the island of Lanai.
Certification and deliveries of the SkyCourier started in early 2022. Powered by two wing-mounted Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-65SC turboprop engines, the aircraft features the McCauley Propeller C779 four-blade propeller, which allows for full feathering with reversible pitch. The SkyCourier features Garmin G1000 NXi avionics and flies to a maximum cruise speed of 200 ktas and a range of 900 nm.
“The Cessna SkyCourier is well on its way to becoming a legendary aircraft for our company,” said Lannie O’Bannion, Textron Aviation senior v-p of global sales and flight operations. “It’s highly versatile, with cabin flexibility, payload capability, performance, and low operating costs, and has already proven to be popular around the world.”
Designed for ease of maintenance, the SkyCourier employs simple systems and easy access points throughout the aircraft. The team also developed innovative ways to optionally convert the aircraft from a 19-seat passenger configuration to a cargo configuration using quick-release seats and removable bulkheads.
ExecuJet MRO Services' new maintenance facility at Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport (OMDW) opened recently and has already handled almost a dozen aircraft, said ExecuJet MRO Dubai maintenance director Nick Weber. The company, which is a subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, shares the same brand with ExecuJet FBO but is now a completely separate business.
“We had some aircraft scheduled for mid-May…to commence work in the new facility,” he told AIN. “We want to settle in; we want to settle the staff in. Dassault hasn’t set a finite date for the official opening, but we will probably have a soft opening and then the official launch probably later in the year.”
The outfit’s heavy maintenance facility has been at Dubai International Airport (OMDB). “We have line stations at OMDB and at OMDW,” Weber said. “We are moving our heavy maintenance facility to OMDW but at OMDB we will maintain aircraft-on-ground services.”
ExecuJet maintains its own identity and its own management team, even though Dassault acquired ExecuJet MRO services, he said. “It continues to be what’s called a multi-OEM MRO; it has the capability to serve Bombardiers, Embraers, and Hawkers, all of which it has served for many years. Nothing’s really changed. It’s just that following the acquisition by Dassault Aviation, we have added the Dassault capability.”
Jet Support Services Inc. (JSSI) saw its best sales year since its inception in 1989, with a near-30 percent jump in sales. The company offers a range of maintenance support and financial services to the business aviation industry, ranging from hourly cost maintenance programs for aircraft, engines, and APUs to parts and leasing, maintenance software, and other advisory consultations.
The record sales come as JSSI continues to increase its portfolio of offerings, including the launch of JSSI Maintenance Software to provide maintenance tracking solutions following the 2021 acquisitions of Traxxall and SierraTrax. “This is an exciting time for JSSI as we disrupt the maintenance space, offering integrated and innovative net-new solutions,” said chief revenue officer Francisco Zozaya. “We are laser-focused on integrating our suite of products and services and continue to stay customer-centric, listening to the industry and meeting unmet needs—simplifying the technical complexities of aircraft maintenance.”
Zozaya also suggested that there would be a number of milestones coming in 2023. “We continue to invest in technology, the engine behind our maintenance intelligence and software offerings. We are also expanding our engine and APU rental pool, as well as our hard-to-find parts inventory, filling a major gap in the industry.”
True Blue Power has received an FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) for installation of its Gen5 TB40 lithium-ion battery on all Pilatus PC-12 models. According to the company, the TB40 upgrade provides pilots with the ability to attempt multiple, repetitive starts while helping to prevent hot starts, costly engine repairs, or extended downtime.
The STC was developed by Finnoff Aviation Products and includes modifications for both single and dual main battery systems on early model PC-12s through the latest PC-12 NGX. Key benefits of the installation include weight savings of 60 percent compared to traditional lead-acid batteries, on-condition maintenance, and an extended eight-year battery life expectancy. With a capacity of 40 amp-hours at 26.4 volts of direct current, the TB40 battery can easily start PT6A-67B/P engines in all climates, from -40 degrees C to 70 degrees C (-40 degrees F to 158 degrees F).
“True Blue Power Gen5 batteries last four times longer than lead-acid and NiCad batteries,” said company director of aftermarket sales and support Van Winter. “The reduced maintenance and longer useful life can save PC-12 owners and operators up to $1,200 a year in total maintenance cost with a single battery. The TB40 quickly pays for itself.”
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.
Following the launch of its HDX small form factor antenna, broadband specialist Gogo Business Aviation has unveiled the FDX antenna, which is intended for larger aircraft and offers what the company claims is “best in class” performance. At the same time, the company has announced that its low-earth-orbit (LEO) systems will be grouped under the new “Gogo Galileo” brand.
Like the HDX, the FDX is an electronically-steered unit that connects with the company’s LEO broadband solution, which uses a satellite constellation and global gateways provided by OneWeb. The antenna has been developed in collaboration with Hughes Network Systems, and Hughes will manufacture the product. It offers faster data speeds, higher throughput, and lower latency than current geosynchronous (GEO) satellite systems can offer. This support simultaneous unique VPN, interactive video, and gaming sessions.
In the meantime, Gogo reports that the process of obtaining the first-article supplemental type certificate for the HDX antenna on the Bombardier Challenger 300 is underway, with Duncan Aviation providing engineering and certification support. Gogo reports that 595 of the nearly 900 Challenger 300-series aircraft have the company’s ATG system installed. About half of them are equipped with the Avance platform, which can be integrated with the Gogo Galileo LEO system.
The Aug. 21, 2021, Gulfstream GIV accident as a result of the separation of the aircraft's nose landing gear pip pin was attributed to a lack of communication between the pilot-in-command (PIC), second-in-command (SIC), and ground crew, according to the NTSB’s investigation final report.
During takeoff roll from Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE), the PIC, SIC, and a non-type-rated observer pilot reported that the nose gear developed a “violent shimmy” at around 100 knots. As the PIC aborted the takeoff, the gear separated from the airframe. The airplane then veered off the runway, and the right wing and right main landing gear struck approach lights, resulting in substantial damage. All 14 occupants escaped uninjured.
“The PIC and SIC failure during preflight inspection to ensure that the nose landing gear’s pip pin was properly installed, which resulted in separation of the pip pin during takeoff” and subsequent loss of the nose landing gear was the cause of the accident, the report said. Contributing to the accident was the ground crew supervisor’s “failure to inform the PIC or SIC of the anomaly concerning the pip pin” following towing.
After towing, ground personnel was unable to get the plunger button and locking balls of the nose gear’s removable pip pin to release, and the locking balls remained retracted. The ground crew reinstalled the pip pin. “However, the pin was not secured in position.”
Milano Prime, the private aviation manager at Italy’s Milan Linate Airport, has gotten off to a good start in 2023, it said this week at EBACE.
Chiara Dorigotti—CEO of parent company SEA Prime, which operates the general aviation infrastructure at Milan Linate and Malpensa airports—said Linate has been the only major airport in Europe to grow in the first four months of 2023. After finishing 2022 up 20 percent in traffic year-over-year, general aviation traffic is up by 11 percent over the first third of 2022 and 27 percent over the same period in pre-pandemic 2019.
The airport benefitted from the recent Milan Design Week exposition, which attracted private aircraft with peaks of 180 daily movements and 80 aircraft sheltering overnight.
SEA Prime recently celebrated the inauguration of its Hangar X, which is dedicated to Flexjet sister company Sirio. It brings the Milano Linate complex to 140,000 sq m (1.5 million sq ft) of dedicated business aviation infrastructure. “The demand for premium hangar space is still very strong,” Dorigotti said. DAs well, SEA Prime is pondering the expansion of its terminal at Linate—which is home to four service providers—due to demand from operators seeking private customer lounges.
Dorigotti told AIN a decision will come later this year with an eye toward completion in time for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which will be hosted in Milan.
The Aruba Department of Civil Aviation (ADCA) has certified ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia to maintain several aircraft types on its registry. The ADCA validated the company’s U.S. FAA certification, permitting ExecuJet to perform heavy maintenance work on Aruban-registered Dassault aircraft—namely the Falcon 7X, Falcon 8X, Falcon 900, and Falcon 2000. Separately, Aruba has approved ExecuJet to perform heavy maintenance on Bombardier Challenger 600s, Gulfstream G200s, GIV, and GV series, as well as Learjet 45s and Learjet 60s.
“We are truly delighted to be recognized by a growing number of the world’s leading aviation bodies,” said Ivan Lim, ExecuJet MRO Services regional v-p for Asia. “This approval is a testament to our readiness to expand our capabilities and extend our support to business jet operators and owners in markets around the world.”
Aside from the FAA and ADCA, ExecuJet MRO Services Malaysia has won certification from EASA, the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, and the civil aviation authorities of Bermuda, Cayman Islands, China, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Indonesia, Libya, San Marino, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Model(s): AS332C, AS332C1, AS332L, AS332L1, AS332L2, and EC225LP
Published: May 18, 2023
Effective: June 22, 2023
Requires removing skived polytetrafluoroethylene tape (PTFE tape), if installed, and replacing certain polychloroprene seals with silicone seals, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD. This AD also prohibits installing a jettisonable window unless the actions required by this AD have been accomplished. This AD is prompted by modifications developed by Airbus to address a report of an emergency exit window that required excessive pushing force to jettison.
Supersedies Emergency AD 2023–07–51 that required inspecting for a gap between the main rotor (M/R) pitch link upper rod end assembly bearing and the pitch control lever assembly and, depending on the results, replacing or re-identifying the M/R pitch link upper rod end assembly. Emergency AD 2023–07–51 also prohibited installing an affected M/R pitch link upper rod end assembly. Since the FAA issued Emergency AD 2023–07–51, it has been determined that a gap between the M/R pitch link upper rod end assembly bearing and the pitch control lever assembly that is within a certain dimension tolerance is acceptable. This AD continues to require the actions in Emergency AD 2023–07–51, as specified in a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) AD but allows a gap of less than 0.5 mm.
Requires replacement with serviceable parts and provides additional requirements for installation of the tail rotor duplex bearing housing and slider group assembly. This AD stems from reports of loosening of the tail rotor duplex bearing locking nut. Relevant investigations identified incorrect accomplishment of assembly and continued maintenance instructions of the tail rotor duplex bearing housing and slider group as the most likely root cause of the reported events. This condition could lead to failure of the tail rotor function, possibly resulting in loss of control of the helicopter.
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