The TBM Owners and Pilots Association’s (TBMOPA) 2019 convention last month in Denver attracted 345 attendees—including 135 owners—and 102 aircraft representing the entire Daher TBM single-engine turboprop lineup: TBM 700, 850, and 900 series, the French airframer announced today. The five-day convention at Denver Marriott Tech Center—September 25 to 29—focused on providing academic and learning sessions specific to airmanship and safety.
“The 2019 TBMOPA convention marked another step in meeting our association’s goal of promoting safety and providing opportunities to maximize both the pleasure and utility of the TBM ownership experience,” said TBMOPA chairman David Scobey. “We very much appreciate Daher’s efforts in supporting safety-based enhancements to existing TBM currently in service, as well as for its new-production aircraft. This is a sign of the TBM manufacturer’s long-term commitment to its product line.”
Daher also used the convention to discuss its acquisition of Quest Aircraft and what it would mean for TBM owners, as well as its development plans. In addition, Daher made presentations at the convention as did its vendors Pratt & Whitney Canada and Hartzell.
Scobey added that TBMOPA members’ attendance at the learning sessions qualified TBM owners for savings of as much as 10 percent on insurance premiums after a claim-free year.
First Flight of Dassault-configured PW812D Imminent
Within a few weeks, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) will go ahead with first flight of the Dassault-configured PW812D turbofan on its Boeing 747SP testbed. The PW812D will power the in-development Dassault Falcon 6X.
P&WC’s business aviation unit director of sales and marketing Cedric Gauthier told AIN last week that first flight of the Dassault-configured PW812D, which will produce 13,000 to 14,000 pounds of thrust, on the testbed was “imminent.” First flight will signal the beginning of the engine’s certification flight-testing campaign, according to Gauthier.
Sharing the core of the PW1200G geared-turbofan engine for the Mitsubishi SpaceJet regional airliner but neither the gear system driving the PW1200G’s fan nor the commercial engine’s low-pressure compressor stages, the PW812D has now accumulated more than 1,200 hours of running time, Gauthier said. That includes the time accumulated by both P&WC’s initial development-configured engines and the Dassault-configured engines P&WC is now producing.
P&WC is confident the PW812D will be awarded its type certificate in advance of the Falcon 6X’s planned entry into service in late 2022. The performance testing required for certification of the engine is “mostly behind us” and “we’ve completed the high-risk testing” in which the engine is subjected to physical damage, said Gauthier.
Colibri: Bizav Pilot Shortage Will Affect Bizjet Sales
Some 2,500 new business aviation pilots will be needed in the UK—and 98,000 globally—over the next 19 years to meet the growing demand to fly privately, said London-based business aircraft broker Colibri Aircraft. A shortage of pilots is creating operational challenges for current owners and risking the sale of some business jet types, it added.
Thus, Colibri is advising against clients hiring only one full-time pilot and then relying on contract crew to fill the right seat. The broker is also warning that business aviation pilots are increasingly leaving the sector to fly for airlines, which offer more predictable schedules.
According to Colibri, the commercial aviation sector’s focus on recruiting business aviation pilots will intensify, because the world’s passenger and freight aircraft fleet is set to more than double between now and 2038. Boeing’s Pilot and Technician Outlook estimates that the world will need to find 645,000 new commercial pilots during this same period.
“The business aviation sector is struggling to compete with airlines in recruiting pilots,” said Colibri Aircraft managing director Oliver Stone. “This means commercial airlines are not only recruiting existing business aviation pilots, but they are also getting the pick of newly qualified pilots. This issue is increasingly impacting the sale of some private jets, and we expect it to continue.”
Surging U.S. Bizav Fatal Accident Numbers Level Off
The excessively high number of fatal accidents and fatalities of U.S.-registered turbine business airplanes in the first half of this year finally leveled off in the third quarter, when no fatal accidents were recorded. According to preliminary statistics gathered by AIN, 21 people died in five business jet crashes and 36 lost their lives in eight turboprop crashes during the first nine months. In the same span last year, three people died in two U.S. business jet accidents and eight perished in four turboprop mishaps.
Two Beech King Air takeoff accidents resulted in 21 of the 36 fatalities involving U.S.-registered turboprops in this year’s first half. There were no reported accidents or incidents this year involving FAR Part 91K turbine operations versus one incident in the corresponding time frame a year ago.
One non-U.S.-registered business jet accident was reported in the first nine months. In the same period last year, 12 people died in two crashes of non-U.S.-registered business jets. Until the third quarter, there had been no fatal accidents this year involving non-U.S.-registered turboprops. However, 17 people lost their lives in four charter turboprop crashes in the quarter versus 19 people killed in five non-U.S.-registered turboprops in the first nine months of last year.
Unmanned aircraft company UAVOS today announced its Agro-drone R22-UV for day/night aerial applications. The unmanned Robinson R22 is equipped with the Simplex 222 spray system that includes a 26.4-gallon chemical tank and a 23-foot wide spray boom. It has a maximum endurance of two hours.
UAVOS said the aircraft offers a faster, more precise, and more environmentally friendly method of application compared to ground application with a wheeled vehicle or on foot. The company also noted that using a rotorcraft for such applications produces “downward rotation force” for more even and thorough pesticide droplet penetration of crops in all parts of the plant.
Using a UAV for aerial application also enables quick “spot spraying” of problem areas and the net application of less pesticide by using analysis from digital photos that can be provided by unmanned aircraft. Predetermined treatment areas can be set in a GPS-defined route for field flyovers. Using less pesticide saves costs and lessens the chemical impact on soil, groundwater, and the agricultural consumer.
UAVOS develops autopilots and other systems used in converted manned to unmanned aircraft, as well as specialized unmanned aerial vehicles in a variety of roles.
Business aviation broker and consultant Mente Group celebrated its move to larger office space in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex that coincides with the firm’s 10th anniversary, it announced today. The new headquarters at Hall Park in Frisco, Texas, gives the firm more than 6,000 sq ft of office space, which is more than double the size of its previous location.
The firm’s brokers have handled more than $10.5 billion in aircraft transactions and delivered more than 500 business jets since its founding. In addition to brokering business aircraft, the firm provides completion management services to include interior outfitting oversight and new business aircraft delivery.
Other U.S. cities where Mente has expanded operations include Boston; Chicago; Denver; New York City; Portland, Oregon; San Francisco; and Scottsdale, Arizona. Its customers include Andor Capital, Bank of Texas, BNSF Railway, Capital One, Delhaize Group, Entergy, Food Lion, JPMorgan Chase, LG, MassMutual Financial Group, Medical Properties Trust, MetLife, Quexco, Inc., Raytheon, Sprint, Stanley Black & Decker, Summit Alliance, and Williams-Sonoma.
Bell’s Hastings Honored for Continued Service to U.S.
Robert T. Hastings Jr., executive v-p of communications and government affairs for Bell, was honored with the 2019 America’s Future Series Megellas Award in recognition of his demonstrated continued service to the country. As this year’s recipient, Hastings was recognized at two events this month: the Salute to Maggie Luncheon hosted by Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) and the 2nd Annual Tribute to Valor Gala.
Hastings has amassed more than 30 years of federal and state military experience in the Department of Defense, U.S. Army, and state military agencies. While with the Army, he had command tours in Aviation and Cavalry, including service in Germany, Eastern Europe, Central America, Iraq, and Bosnia. He further serves in the Texas State Guard, commanding a group composed of seven civil engineer and civil affairs regiments.
At Bell, Hastings oversees internal and external communications, marketing communications, branding, corporate giving, and community and public affairs. He previously has held the roles of assistant secretary of Defense for public affairs, vice president of communications for the Information Systems Sector of Northrop Grumman, and chief of staff and vice president of communications for BAE Systems.
Aviation Safety Question of the Week
Provided by
What is a supercritical wing/airfoil?
A. A wing design that has a very high critical angle of attack, delaying the stall.
B. A wing design used in the 1960s to conceal the airfoil’s real purpose.
C. A wing design that is able to carry heavy loads, such as under-wing mounted engines or fuel tanks.
D. A wing design that delays the onset of the shock wave and also reduces aerodynamic drag associated with boundary layer separation.
AirMed Eyes APAC Reach with New Challenger 601
AirMed International has added to its fleet a Bombardier Challenger 601 that the company said will be able to provide faster response times to patients in Hawaii while also serving the Asia-Pacific region. The medically-equipped and -configured Challenger will be based at California's Sacramento McClellan Airport (MCC).
"This additional widebody aircraft will enable AirMed to provide longer-range flights to medically complex and neonatal patients,” said AirMed International president Denise Treadwell. “It adds to our growing capabilities around the world, specifically to Hawaii, Guam and the entire Asia-Pacific region for many hospitals and medical facilities in the area."
AirMed’s Challenger will augment sister companies under Global Medical Response, including Reach Air Medical and Guardian Flight, which serve the western U.S., including California, Alaska, and Hawaii. It will also work with Air Medical Response (AMR), a large ground ambulance service that serves the continental U.S. and Hawaii and is also a part of GMR.
Its fleet of aircraft comprises Beechjet, Cessna Citation, Hawker, Learjet, and Nextant twinjets as well as Beechcraft King Airs and Pilatus PC-12s.
FREE WEBINAR: Selecting and Installing the Right Connectivity Solution
Fast, reliable onboard connectivity goes a long way toward ensuring passengers stay happy during the flight. That’s why it’s so critical to have the right system installed in the first place. For help in finding the right solution for you, AIN is hosting a free webinar tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. ET, with editor-in-chief Matt Thurber moderating a discussion on what you need to know about choosing and installing the best in-flight Wi-Fi system for your business jet. Panelists include Viasat business development manager Marcus Oates and StandardAero avionics program management and business development director Jerry Sanders. Sponsored by Viasat.
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