AINalerts will not publish on Monday, May 31 in observance of Memorial Day. Publication will resume on Tuesday, June 1.

Jet Aviation Delivers First VIP-completed BBJ Max

Jet Aviation has redelivered the first-ever BBJ Max to an undisclosed customer. The completion, the company’s third of the year, was conducted at its Basel, Switzerland facility, which handled all of the design, crafting, and engineering on the project. Its cabin, which was built and installed on-site, includes woven wooden paneling, full-flat cocoon seats finished in 3D wood veneer, and a wine storage cooler in the living area.

“The brief was for a cozy, residential space in which one could relax and enjoy the ride,” said Grischa Schmidt, senior design director of Jet Aviation’s design studio. “The living area features a deep, inviting sofa, a seven-seat dining table for socializing, and a well-equipped, functional kitchen to accommodate fine dining. Wooden detail, soft fabrics, and indirect lighting all complement this residential and relaxing atmosphere.”

“As our first BBJ 737 Max, this was an opportunity to familiarize ourselves with the next generation of this aircraft, and we look forward to applying that knowledge to future Max projects,” added Matthew Woollaston, the company’s v-p of completion sales.

AINsight: A Frictional Tale about Checklist Use

In June 2019, a King Air 350 crashed on takeoff at Addison (Texas) Airport, killing 10 people. At the time, the NTSB preliminary report focused on a loss of power on the left engine and a loss of directional control.

In its final report published on May 18, the NTSB determined the probable cause to be “the pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control following a reduction of thrust in the left engine during takeoff. The reason for the reduction in thrust could not be determined. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to conduct the airplane manufacturer’s emergency procedure following the loss of power in one engine and to follow the manufacturer’s checklist during all phases of operation.”

The NTSB final report also included additional information on friction lock checklist procedures, emphasizing “the risk of an unintended power lever migration and the potential loss of control if the friction lock setting is adjusted incorrectly.” Control friction locks are an item on both the “Before Engine Start” and “Before Takeoff” (runup) checklists.

Checklist usage is a foundation to both good airmanship and safety. As demonstrated in this accident, the lack of checklist discipline can have a catastrophic outcome. In addition, revisiting the basics of aircraft handling with an inoperative engine, such as “dead foot, dead engine,” is paramount to handling these scenarios.

Merlin Developing Drop-in Autonomy Kit for King Airs

Merlin Labs will convert up to 55 Beechcraft King Air twin turboprops operated by Dynamic Aviation for autonomous flight, the companies announced this week. Boston-based Merlin has raised $25 million to support its plans to bring its “drop-in autonomy kit” into commercial service.

A King Air from Dynamic’s fleet is now being used for flight testing at Mojave Air & Space Port in California. Merlin intends to convert multiple aircraft types under FAA supplemental type certificates with its flight control system, which consists of computers, servos, actuators, and sensors.

The conversion process begins with the company performing a series of survey flights in which a test pilot conducts maneuvers to gather data. Using this data, Merlin builds an autonomous flight control model that is specific to each aircraft type, using hardware-in-the-loop, software-in-the-loop, and aircraft-in-the-loop simulators.

Once it has established that the model works in the simulators, the company installs them in a real aircraft and then gradually expands the envelope for autonomous flight, culminating in full takeoff-to-touchdown autonomy.

Merlin has been granted approval from the FAA to conduct optionally piloted tests that allow the company to control flights from the ground for some operations. However, all flight testing is conducted with a monitoring pilot on board.

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.

Group To Launch Ireland’s First Vertiport

A consortium of companies and organizations have come together in an MoU to launch Ireland’s first passenger and cargo vertiport at Shannon Airport. The parties involved include London-based Skyports, an advanced air mobility (AAM) infrastructure provider; Future Mobility Campus Ireland (FMCI), a not-for-profit organization tasked with creating a future mobility infrastructure that leverages new technologies in the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area; UAV system operator and training certification provider Avtrain; and the Shannon Group, a public/private partnership focused on the development of aviation, property, and tourism in the region.

With goals of establishing Ireland’s first air taxi service as well as routine beyond visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) drone operations, the group, which expects to establish an operational vertiport in 2022 at the FMCI campus adjacent to the airport, plans to start BVLOS testing there as early as September. Those tests, it said, will demonstrate the viability of UAVs and illustrate the benefits that AAM development can bring to both urban and rural areas of the country.

“Ireland and this region, in particular, has a huge potential to shape future research and development of [AAM],” said Russell Vickers, FMCI’s CEO. “Development of a vertiport in conjunction with a UAV testing area provides a natural extension to the capabilities of the Future Mobility Campus.”

NIAR Modification Lab Obtains Part 145 Certificate

The Werx lab at Wichita State University’s (WSU) National Institute for Aviation Research (NIAR) has received a Part 145 repair station certificate from the FAA for limited airframe and engine modification. Receipt of the certificate comes after Werx’s MRO team took delivery earlier this year of two Boeing 737s for modification.

NIAR Werx is partnering with Dynamic Aviation of Bridgewater, Virginia, to modify three 737s for a special-missions program in a 140,000-sq-ft hangar near McConnell Air Force Base. Also, the group is partnering with Sequoia Aircraft Conversions and the Kansas Modification Center on the conversion of Boeing 777-300ER aircraft from passenger to cargo configuration. Working from former Boeing Wichita modification facilities—including for Air Force One—NIAR Werx provides engineering services, aircraft modification, flight test and certification, and environmental testing services.

Werx was previously known as NIAR’s engineering design and modification team. It was created in 2018 with a team of 35 engineers who were previously employed at the Bombardier Flight Test Center in Wichita. That team has since expanded to 200 engineers, 100 aircraft mechanics, and 45 engineering and A&P students from WSU and its technical college, WSU Tech.

Subaru and Bell Deliver First 412EPX

Japan’s national police has taken delivery of the first production Subaru Bell 412EPX, three years after the upgraded medium-twin helicopter was announced. Bell and Subaru jointly developed the 412EPX as the platform for the new utility helicopter for the Japan Ministry of Defense (JMOD) program. JMOD began testing the aircraft in 2019.  

The 412EPX features a more robust main rotor gearbox with 30-minute run dry capability, an increased internal maximum gross weight of 12,200 pounds, and mast torque output of plus 11 percent at speeds below 60 knots. It has a maximum cruising speed of 122 knots and a maximum range of 357 nm. In addition, the 412EPX includes the BLR Fast Fin system, a pair of Pratt & Whitney PT6T-9 engines (rated at 825 shp each, max continuous), and the second generation of the Bell BasiX-Pro integrated avionics.

Bell has manufactured more than 1,100 of the 412-series helicopters since its introduction in 1981. Derived from the Vietnam War-era Huey, there are 11 different variants of the helicopter to date.

Bell and Subaru (formerly Fuji Heavy Industries) have collaborated on helicopter programs since the 1960s, jointly manufacturing and supporting more than 400 helicopters in Japan, including the Bell UH-1H/204B-2, UH-1J/205B, and AH-1S to the JMOD. Subaru currently provides helicopter MRO support to Japan’s coast guard, national police, and firefighting and disaster relief agencies.

Universal Aviation Expands Greek Operations

Universal Aviation has expanded its private aviation ground handling operation in Greece with the opening of its Mykonos office. Universal has had a presence in the country since 1993, with the introduction of its 24/7 Athens headquarters that provides ground support supervision to all of Greece.

Universal Mykonos, which opened just ahead of the peak Mediterranean summer travel season, provides local, dedicated company staff to directly support operators coming to the popular location, which has no FBO and no overnight aircraft parking at its small airport.

“Historically, Mykonos can be a challenging destination due to the difficulty of obtaining slots and then coordinating parking for the aircraft off the island,” said Yiannis Arkoulis, Universal Aviation Greece’s managing director. “With the additional challenges due to Covid, new operating protocols, and the pent-up demand this peak season will bring, we thought it was important to add our own dedicated people to the island to assist with those challenges.”

In addition to slot coordination, the company’s staff will assist with arranging helicopter transfers, yacht rendezvous, concierge services, and specialized on/off-airport logistics.

NATA’s Attempts End To Overturn NFPA 407 Decision

The National Air Transportation Association's (NATA) final petition attempt to overturn the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standards Council's decision to enforce new NFPA 407 requirements for automatic fuel overfill protection systems at all airport loading racks that are compatible with mobile refuelers was dismissed this week. This move effectively shuts down NATA’s last avenue of relief under the standards development process.

The changes to NFPA 407, which were adopted in 2017 and take effect on June 2, require additional protective fueling devices to be retroactively installed at airport loading racks, as well as modification of mobile refuelers.

While NATA continues its belief that the need for the systems is not based on statistical evidence, it suggests that FBOs, airports, and other fuel providers who are required to operate under NFPA 407 work with their local authorities to request a modification to the retroactive component of the requirements. According to NATA, those authorities have the ability to modify the requirements “if their application clearly would be impractical in the judgment of the authority having jurisdiction, and only where it is clearly evident that a reasonable degree of safety is provided.” It has prepared a form letter for that purpose and a letter of support that is available on its website.

For companies operating at Part 139 airports, NATA is seeking an extension for compliance from the FAA.

Photo of the Week

In honor of fallen heroes. Wheels Up provided a donated private flight to Washington, D.C., yesterday for two families of fallen heroes. Conducted in partnership with TAPS, a nonprofit that provides comfort and resources to families of fallen military members, the flight flew from Teterboro, New Jersey, to Dulles International Airport. Wheels Up used this custom camo-painted King Air 350i, designed in partnership with TAPS in 2019, for the flight. Onboard were the D’Ambras family from the Bronx and the Gronenthal family from Port Jefferson, both of which traveled to attend the TAPS Annual Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp in celebration of the lives of Army SFC Dominic D’Ambra, III, and U.S. Army Major Victor Trouvé Gronenthal. Thanks for your efforts and sharing, Wheels Up!

If you'd like to submit an entry for Photo of the Week, email a high-resolution horizontal image (at least 2000 x 1200 pixels), along with your name, contact information, social media names, and info about it (including brief description, location, etc.) to photos@ainonline.com. Tail numbers can be removed upon request. Those submitting photos give AIN implied consent to publish them in its publications and social media channels.