Avionics Sales Continue Double-digit Climb In 2019

For the 11th consecutive quarter, business and general aviation electronics sales rose year-over-year in the third quarter, the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) announced yesterday in its latest Avionics Market Report. Total sales for the first nine months climbed 14.3 percent to $2.2 billion, compared with $2.0 billion last year.

Retrofit sales for the period totaled $1.20 billion, outpacing forward-fit sales of $1.07 billion, AEA reported. Retrofit sales were 5.4 percent higher than 2018 while forward-fit sales jumped 26.2 percent in the same period.

The largest share of sales in the first nine months, 74.9 percent, were garnered by AEA members in North America (U.S. and Canada). “As we approach nearly three years with steadily increasing sales, I'm encouraged with the upward trend as industry looks to move beyond the FAA’s ADS-B Out deadline of New Year's Day 2020,” said AEA president and CEO Mike Adamson.

AEA member repair stations reported that in addition to ADS-B Out, their workload has been driven by an increasing number of full-panel retrofits, as well as installations of new electronic flight displays, digital autopilots, engine monitor systems, and in-flight connectivity, according to a spokesman. 

AINsight: Just Culture—Are We There Yet?

Criminalization of aircraft accidents “can have a chilling effect on the flow of crucial safety information and long-term adverse impact on safety. Holding controllers, pilots, and aviation technicians criminally liable for honest mistakes ultimately threatens the safety of the traveling public.” That's the message from Flight Safety Foundation president and CEO Hassan Shahidi. 

The primary objective of an investigation is to prevent future incidents and accidents. ICAO Annex 13—the global guide for aircraft accident and incident investigations—clearly states “it is not the purpose of an investigation to apportion blame or liability.” Yet today, many authorities around the world would rather seek retribution for an incident or accident than determine cause.

Unfortunately, the concept of applying a just safety culture in aviation is elusive—it’s a clash between blame and accountability. A key principle of a just culture is the clear understanding of the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. The left side of this line allows for human error, omissions, lapses, and accounts for other vulnerabilities in the system, while the right side of the line are behaviors that are determined to be culpable such as intentional willful violations, reckless behavior, or criminal acts.

Retribution against an individual for an honest mistake holds the potential to interfere with the prevention of future incidents or accidents. Motivation by fear will limit participation in change.

Canada Aims To ‘Raise the Bar’ on Air-taxi Safety

Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB) issued four new recommendations and reiterated 22 others to address concerns surrounding hazard management and acceptance of unsafe practices. A recently published study of air-taxi accidents highlighted a stagnant fatal accident record. The 200-page work analyzes the investigations into 716 accidents and serious incidents that occurred in Canada from 2000 to 2014.

The statistics showed a downward trend in the total number of air taxi accidents, but there was no downward trend in the number of fatal accidents or fatalities over the 15-year period. The analysis also revealed that the “highest number of fatalities in both airplane and helicopter accidents resulted from flights that started in VMC and continued to a point where the pilot lost visual reference with the ground.” The main difference was how the flight ended: in a loss of control or controlled flight into terrain.

The study determined air-taxi mishaps fall into two broad categories: acceptance of unsafe practices and inadequate management of operational hazards, such as flying overweight, flying into known icing conditions, flying with non-operating equipment, inadequate fuel reserves, poor crew coordination, unstable approaches, and loss of visual references in marginal weather or at night. As a result, TSB recommended eliminating unsafe practices; promoting proactive safety management and a positive safety culture; closing regulatory gaps; and collecting specific air-taxi activity data.

TAE Gets GE Turboprop Mx Nod for Americas

GE Aviation has expanded its service center agreement with TAE Aerospace, authorizing the Australia-based company to support its H-Series and M601 turboprop engines in North and South America.

In 2012 the company was named GE’s designated repair center for those engines in the Asia-Pacific region, and over the past year TAE acquired two U.S. maintenance facilities: Copperstate Turbine Engine Company in Phoenix, Arizona, and Ag Air Turbines in Midvale, Idaho. Under this new authorization, TAE will be able to perform work in the Americas starting in 2020, including line maintenance inspections, routine installed engine maintenance, removal and replacement of engines and components, as well as heavy repairs using OEM-provided parts.

“TAE is a valuable member of our turboprop service network and has contributed to our customers’ growth and success in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Milan Slapak, the engine maker’s president and CEO for the Czech Republic. “Expanding TAE’s expertise in North and South America benefits the entire industry.”

Private Jet Services Adjusts Membership Program

Private Jet Services (PJS), a New Hampshire-based jet card provider and aviation consultancy, has changed features of its membership program that are aimed at adding new benefits, stabilizing pricing, and reducing flight time minimums. The changes are effective immediately, the company announced.

Upon activation of new and renewing PJS Memberships, customers can choose to be billed for estimated or actual flight times, which the company said adds a new level of transparency to its program. Also, rates on super-midsize and large-cabin business jets established in 2017 will remain unchanged through 2020.

Lastly, flight minimums on light jets have been lowered from 78 minutes to 60 minutes because a significant number of its members frequently fly short-leg trips. “Since 2003, PJS has built its reputation by servicing our customers one flight at a time,” said company CEO Greg Raiff. “Through flawless execution of transportation logistics, paired with transparent, fixed pricing and flexible options, our members maximize the value of their investment.”

PJS is an agent for direct air carriers Elevate Jet and Air Chathams.

Civilian Hercules Gains FAA Certification

Lockheed Martin’s LM-100J—the commercial version of the C-130J—received FAA certification last Friday. While the military C-130J had also received civilian approval in its early years, the certification had lapsed as new systems were increasingly brought into the aircraft, requiring a new test effort with the LM-100J version to update the type certificate.

Flight trials were conducted with the first two LM-100Js, which have now been joined by a third aircraft, with another two now on the assembly line. Lockheed Martin has received orders for five to date, with the first of two aircraft for Fort Worth, Texas-based Pallas Aviation due for delivery in the first quarter.

Interest remains high for both commercial and military Hercules, with the UAE interested in acquiring the ITAR-free LM-100J. Opportunities elsewhere include a NATO maritime patrol requirement, for which Lockheed Martin has pitched its C-130J-based Sea Hercules, while in the commercial field the night-capable LM-100J-based “Fire Herc” could find traction in the firefighting role.

AIA Urges Capitol Hill To Finish Funding, Ex-Im Bills

After Capitol Hill opted for another short-term government funding measure, Aerospace Industries Association president and CEO Eric Fanning yesterday urged the passage of a full Fiscal Year 2020 appropriation, saying the workforce and economy can’t afford the prospect of continued stopgap funding or another government shutdown.

Congress this week adopted another temporary funding bill that will keep federal agencies, including the FAA, running until December 20 at Fiscal Year 2019 funding levels. The continuing resolution also extended the Export-Import Bank for that time. Its long-term reauthorization expired in September and lawmakers have yet to agree on a new reauthorization term.

Last year, Capitol Hill faced a similar deadline but lawmakers and the White House were unable to reach agreement on even a short-term extension, putting in motion what became the nation’s longest government shutdown in history.

“Once again, we face a potential shutdown that would threaten the livelihoods of many Americans in the midst of the holiday season,” Fanning said. “This continued uncertainty and delay jeopardize the strength and stability of our industry, economy, and national security.” He also expressed concern that Congress is “on the verge of failing to reauthorize” Ex-Im, which he called a vital tool for businesses of all sizes.

Lufthansa Technik To Perform First A350 VIP Conversion

Lufthansa Technik this week at the Dubai Airshow announced the impending first head-of-state cabin conversion of an Airbus A350, ordered by the German federal government’s Special Air Mission Wing. Slated to begin in April, preparations for the conversion have already commenced at the company’s VIP workshops in Hamburg, Germany.

The cabin will feature an office and conference area, adjoined by a multifunctional lounge, with the rest of the interior available to accommodate accompanying delegations. To make the aircraft available as soon as possible, it will be equipped with a transitional cabin encompassing the delegation section.

Lufthansa Technik supported the A350’s initial development, while the German Air Force was the company's first external customer, noted Wieland Timm, senior director sales of VIP and special mission aircraft. “With our wide-ranging expertise for the Airbus A350, we are well equipped to meet the high expectations of the new government aircraft.”

The company is currently is a major provider of engineering and maintenance services for the A350, while it has provided cabin interiors for more than 45 widebody aircraft to date.

AIN’s Tales from the Flight Deck: When Pilots Break the Rules

It's an all-too-human tendency, borne from our natural desire to find quicker solutions not only on the flight deck but also in our daily lives. It's also something all pilots are likely guilty of, especially if you have thousands of hours as pilot-in-command. Today we explore why pilots choose to break the rules and what can be done to overcome the natural desire to look for shortcuts, even when we fly.