Bombardier Business Aircraft’s flagship Global 7500 received FAA certification today, achieving another key milestone as it approaches service entry by year-end. The 7,700-nm, four-zone business jet gained Transport Canada’s nod on October 1, though EASA approval is still pending.
“This milestone is the latest accomplishment for our Global 7500, which has been exceeding expectations on every level,” said Michel Ouellette, senior v-p of the Global 7500 and 8000 programs. “The Global 7500 has proven itself as the highest-performing aircraft in the industry and promises to revolutionize the market and significantly change the business aviation landscape.”
Certification comes some eight years after Bombardier unveiled its longest range and largest business jet to date. While the program incurred a two-year delay to accommodate a wing redesign, certification follows a two-year flight-test program that included five aircraft that logged more than 2,700 flight-test hours. The results of that program enabled the company to boost range by 300 nm, opening up city pairs such as New York to Hong Kong, and confirm a published takeoff distance of 5,800 feet.
eABS Supplement Boosts King Air 300 Runway Performance
Advent Aircraft Systems has received FAA approval of a revision to the aircraft flight manual that boosts range/payload and airport options for King Air B300/B300C aircraft equipped with the Advent eABS anti-skid braking system.
The revision, which costs $2,500, offers up to a 7 percent reduction in takeoff field length under hotter, higher, and/or heavier conditions due to improvements in accelerate-stop performance, with up to 10 percent available under more extreme conditions. This can allow use of shorter runways in takeoff or departing with additional fuel or payload from runways previously permitted without the supplement.
In addition, the revision also permits a landing-distance reduction of up to 4 percent at higher, hotter, and/or heavier conditions. According to Advent, this could allow use of a 5,000-foot runway under Part 135 landing distance regulations.
“This is an important STC for the eABS,” said Advent v-p of programs Don Taylor. “While the primary benefit of eABS is overall runway safety and reduced costs, this STC now offers B300 operators additional range/payload and airport options, increasing the usefulness of their aircraft.”
Advent’s STC effort was supported by Textron Aviation, which provided a King Air 350i, flight crew, and flight-test support under contract. The supplement can be ordered from Textron Aviation service centers, Advent-authorized dealers, or Advent Aircraft Systems.
Leonardo Selling 15 More AW139s to China
Leonardo Helicopters signed a deal yesterday to deliver 15 EMS-configured AW139s between 2019 and 2021 to the Sino-U.S. Intercontinental Investment Company of China. The agreement was announced during the China International Import Expo in Shanghai and is part of a wider delivery plan to provide 160 Leonardo helicopters across various models to Sino-U.S. between next year and 2023.
The AW139s will be operated by Kingwing General Aviation, and the order builds on existing contracts from Sino-U.S. in recent years for a variety of EMS-configured Leonardo helicopters, including 34 AW119Kx singles, 25 AW109 Trekker light twins, and 24 AW139 medium twins. Leonardo claims sales of 185 helicopters to Chinese commercial and public customers and a 70 percent share of the EMS market there.
Leonardo CEO Alessandro Profumo said the deal reinforces the company’s “leading position in China,” which he characterized as a “fast-growing and highly competitive market.” Sino-U.S. is the exclusive distributor of Leonardo helicopters in China and the company affirmed its intention to establish a Leonardo-authorized training academy and completions center in China.
Arizona-based MRO provider StandardAero has completed a 30,000-sq-ft expansion project at its Miami facility that included a clean room, an additional vacuum furnace, and water jet cleaning capabilities.
The addition will make the location the largest provider of aerospace combustor overhauls in North America, and the world’s second largest, according to StandardAero, which acquired the former privately held Jet Aviation Specialists (JAS) facility last year.
“Since becoming a part of the StandardAero family in 2017, we have enjoyed the support and resources that the company has brought to bear on our Miami operations,” said Diego Beltran, the facility’s vice president and general manager at the recent dedication ceremony. “We are excited for our employees here, as well as for our customers, as we bring more and new work into our shop to meet the growing demands in the industry.”
Tamarack Teams with Eagle on Demo Day
Building on its growing active winglet base, Tamarack Aerospace is stepping up its marketing efforts with a demonstration day scheduled for November 13 at authorized installer Eagle Aviation in Columbia, South Carolina. The event will highlight so-equipped Cessna Citation CJ1 and CJ2+ jets and include demonstration flights for pre-registered attendees.
“Eagle was at the forefront of our independent installation network and has already completed several active winglet installations,” said Tamarack president Brian Cox. The company now has approvals for the winglets on most of the CJ family up through the CJ3+ (although modifications are under way for the CJ3/3+ program) and topped 75 installations by last month.
With multiple international certifications in hand, the Sandpoint, Idaho-based company has been building up a dealer network. Eagle was among the first named earlier this year.
“We’ve been very happy with the product quality, looks, and performance of the CitationJets that we’ve upgraded, and felt that an event where our customers and friends could experience this technology for themselves would be both productive and educational,” said Eagle Aviation’s Cary Friedman. The company cites numerous benefits from active winglet installation, including for range, maximum zero fuel weight, time to climb, climb gradients, single-engine climb performance, ride smoothing and stability, and LED navigation and anti-collision lighting.
Airshare Opts for Gogo Avance L3 on Phenom 100s
Fractional provider Airshare announced today that it will install Gogo Business Aviation’s Avance L3 connectivity solution across its fleet of 11 Embraer Phenom 100s. Many of Airshare’s Phenom 300s are already equipped with Gogo’s connectivity systems, and the company has committed to installing Avance L5 on all new Phenom 300s as they join its fleet.
Gogo Business Aviation v-p of aftermarket sales David Salvador said, “Avance L3 is ideal for midsize and lighter jets, bringing connectivity to the cabin at an affordable price.”
Avance L3 allows anyone onboard the aircraft to use email; send text messages and make voice calls with Gogo Text & Talk; and access flight apps that display moving maps, weather data, or other flight information. It can also connect to the Gogo Biz 3G data network for full internet connectivity.
Since its customers expect in-air connectivity while in the air, Airshare COO Harry Mitchel said Gogo’s Avance L3 and L5 are a “perfect fit.” He added, “Its systems are reliable and scalable, while also allowing us to affordably meet the connectivity needs of our customers.”
Heatcon, Solvay Partner on Composites Distribution
Heatcon Composite Systems will distribute composite repair products manufactured by Solvay Materials under a global distribution partnership agreement signed by the two companies.
Solvay’s products include vacuum-bagging films, breather fabrics, release films, peel plies, release fabrics, flash tapes, and sealant tapes.
Heatcon’s use of Solvay products will help ensure “maximum cohesion of base materials,” according to Heatcon. The company has served the aerospace industry for more than 35 years, supplying composite repair equipment such as hot bonders and accessories as well as repair materials and technician training.
In addition to aerospace, Solvay Materials manufactures lightweight materials for automobiles, batteries, smart devices, and medical equipment.
“Our goal is to expand our product offerings to better serve our industry,” said Heatcon president Eric Casterline. “We believe our partnership with Solvay is crucial for the future success of Heatcon.”
California FBO Receives New NATA Award
NATA has named Sonoma Jet Center the recipient of its inaugural Above and Beyond FBO Award, presented at its Aviation Leadership Conference this week.
The FBO, located at Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport in California’s wine country, established the Sonoma Jet Center Fire Relief Fund last year, bringing in approximately $20,000 to aid airport colleagues who lost their homes and belongings in the wildfires that consumed large areas of the state last year. Owners Josh and Julia Hochberg also used their facility to host a Sonoma County fire relief event that helped raise more than half a million dollars for emergency and long-term relief to the surrounding community.
Josh Hochberg is the chairman of the NATA aviation business community, an EAA Young Eagles program coordinator and a board member of the local chapter. He also is a founding member of the North Bay Disaster Response Team and a ground school teacher at a nearby high school. The company has established a flying club so its employees can further their careers in aviation.
“Sonoma Jet Center and its leadership are standouts in many areas, including altruism, efforts to inspire future aviation professionals, commitment to promoting industry-standard safety programs, and dedication to giving back to general aviation,” said NATA president Gary Dempsey.
Count on AIN for Full Coverage of MEBAA
As ever, you can count on AIN for full coverage of MEBAA 2018. Our team will publish three of our award-winning daily MEBAA Convention News editions at the show on December 10, 11, and 12. We will also have comprehensive real-time reporting of all the top news at AINonline.com and in our daily e-newsletters. If you are an exhibiting company that wants to share news or propose pre-show interviews and briefings please contact show editor Ian Sheppard.
Requires immediate adoption of the temporary revisions of rotorcraft flight manual and MMEL that prevents the use of manual mode of the emergency flotation system (EFS), a one-time inspection of the emergency flotation unit printed circuit board (PCB) and, depending on findings, replacement of the affected PCB. Prompted by a report of unintended inflation of the EFS.
Requires removing certain second stage turbine rotors from service at a reduced life limit. Prompted by a report that a TPE331-11U engine experienced an uncontained rotor separation. In addition, cracks were discovered through eddy current inspection in the bore of the second stage turbine rotor assembly.
Requires a visual inspection of the connections between the Firex squib wire harness connectors and Firex bottle connectors, installation of split ring lanyards on the squib wire harness connectors, and necessary corrective actions. Prompted by reports that non-conforming squib wire harness connectors might have been installed, which could result in squib wire harness connectors being connected to the wrong bottle connectors on affected aircraft.
AD requires a one-time visual inspection of the tail rotor servo-actuator installation and, depending on findings, accomplishment of applicable corrective action(s). Inspection results must also be reported to Leonardo.
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