Gulfstream Aerospace received FAA certification yesterday and EASA approval today for the flight control software update that eliminates crosswind landing limitations on the G500 and G600. Approval of the software fix is a terminating action for an Airworthiness Directive issued in May.
The first 20 of the approximately 170 in-service G500/600s will have the software update completed by the end of today, with most of the remainder of the fleet expected to be done by month’s end. Gulfstream Product Support president Derek Zimmerman said the software update and associated paperwork can be completed in one day at its service centers or at three special stand-up facilities in Fort Smith, Arkansas; Basel, Switzerland; and Singapore. All affected aircraft have already been scheduled for the software update work, he noted.
Jeannine Haas, Gulfstream’s chief marketing officer, said the approval paves the way for shipments this month of four G500/600 whose deliveries were deferred in the second quarter pending a fielded software fix. The Savannah, Georgia-based aircraft manufacturer told customers in May that it expected to have a certified solution by the end of September.
In another example of private equity flowing into the business aviation support market, Chicago-based private investment firm Granite Creek Capital Partners has made an investment in Odyssey Aviation U.S., which operates FBOs at Florida’s Kissimmee Gateway Airport and at Detroit-area Willow Run Airport.
Granite Creek’s investment—the amount of which was undisclosed—supports a broader recapitalization of the company with Equivu Capital, the investment arm of Odyssey CEO Salvatore Calvino, becoming the majority shareholder of the company.
As well, Granite Creek partners Mark Radzik and Jim Clark will join Odyssey’s board of directors.
“I am pleased to welcome Granite Creek on joining us in investing in Odyssey,” said Calvino, who runs Odyssey’s U.S. operations along with president Ken Allison. “Granite Creek’s growth capital investment will help the company continue to meet the needs of its existing customers, capitalize on growing demand for private aviation, and broaden the footprint of Odyssey across the United States.”
A Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 light jet is the first of its type to get a Tamarack Aerospace Group active winglet upgrade, the Sandpoint, Idaho-based company announced today.
The FAA- and EASA-certified upgrade provides for improved takeoff limits in high altitude and high-temperature conditions, according to Tamarack. Also, the upgrade provides improved fuel reserves, high-altitude stability, as well as safety of stability on landing and climb performance, the company added.
“We’re thrilled to work with the most recent Gen2 models as well going forward,” said Tamarack president Jacob Klinginsmith. “This is an outstanding aircraft and we’re proud to serve our customers by adding some performance and offering another level of safety for their families or in their charter operations.”
Tamarack initially received FAA certification for active winglets on the M2 in 2015. The M2 Gen2 is the latest variant of the CE525 series, which includes the Citation CJ, CJ1, CJ1+, and M2. The company’s winglets are on several other Citation models, totaling more than 160 Citation twinjets.
NBAA is urging its members to express strong opposition to a New York bill that would clear the way for lawsuits over rotorcraft noise. Senate Bill S7493A has passed both the New York Assembly and Senate and is headed to the desk of New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for her signature.
In a call to action, NBAA appealed to members to urge Hochul to veto the measure—the so-called “Stop the Chop” act—saying it is so expansive that lawsuits could be levied against a pilot, flight department, line service personnel, or other company personnel involved in helicopter operations that create an “unreasonable level of sustained noise,” even if the operation is in compliance with federal law. The bill provides exceptions for emergencies, disaster response, law enforcement, news-gathering, and other operations that are deemed for the public benefit or involve FAA-approved routes.
NBAA and a number of other organizations further wrote Hochul saying the bill is contrary to federal law. Joining NBAA in the letter were GAMA, HAI, NATA, the Eastern Region Helicopter Council, and the New York Aviation Management Association.
“As written, the act operates as an access restriction at the West 30th Street heliport,” the letter said. “But that is prohibited by the federal law governing the implementation of noise and access restrictions of the Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990.”
Hansen Helicopters CEO John Walker was remanded into custody on Monday after both a federal prosecutor and probation officer argued that he posed a flight risk. Walker was convicted Friday on more than 100 counts related to fraud, bribery, and money-laundering related to his operation of Guam-based Hansen Helicopters.
Walker faces potentially life imprisonment when sentenced on December 8th. He had been free on $1 million bail, secured by $2.5 million of residential real estate he owned on Guam, since his initial indictment in May 2018.
Defense offers of allowing Walker to remain free on his Missouri farm pending sentencing backed by additional pledged assets or arranging for Walker to wear a GPS ankle monitor were rejected by Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood, who expressed concerns about “getting burned” if Walker were to flee. While out on bail, Walker made all his court appointments and actually obtained court approval to travel to Mexico to participate in off-road racing, defense attorney Mack Martin argued.
However, prosecutor Marie Miller argued that, in addition to flight risk, the overriding rationale for incarcerating Walker was the continued operation of his helicopter company, renamed Pacific.Spotters, now based in the Philippines. “As long as John Walker is not remanded, he’s going to continue to put people at risk. He has expressed no remorse and has no intention to cease his operations. He needs to be stopped.”
Bombardier has opened registration for the 2022 Safety Standdown, which will be held November 8-10 at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita. The Montreal-based airframer’s 26th standdown is free for pilots, maintenance technicians, managers, cabin crew, and other aviation professionals but seating is limited.
The three-day aviation safety conference’s theme this year is “Moving Safety Forward.” This year’s session topics include runway excursion prevention, assessing safety in the hangar, creating a “sticky” culture and building followership, aviation stress and self-management, and making fitness for duty a standard practice.
Founded in 1996 as an aviation safety event for a Bombardier Learjet demonstration team in Wichita, the Safety Standdown was opened to other corporate pilots and flight crews in 1999. It has since expanded with an online component providing live webcasting of the event as well as other seminars and safety-related articles.
Business aviation services provider ACASS has received its second consecutive International Standard for Business Aircraft Operators (IS-BAO) Stage 3 registration renewal from the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC). The highest-level registration issued by IBAC, ACASS received its initial Stage 3 award in 2017.
“Everyone at ACASS knows how thoroughly committed we are to operational safety, but this recognition by IBAC reaffirms it for our clients and the business aviation community worldwide,” said ACASS v-p of operations Derek Holter. “Even in the midst of the major pandemic-related challenges of the last couple of years, our safety standards and practices have remained impeccable.”
Operators with Stage 3 are audited every two to three years for conformance with the standards, which emphasize continuous improvement, development of mature safety cultures, and the sharing of safety knowledge and experience with peer operators, as well as those that are developing a safety management system program.
Based in Montreal, ACASS was founded in 1994 and provides aircraft sales, acquisition, leasing, and management, aircrew staffing, and charter services.
Developed by the association’s GA fuel subcommittee with support and input from the fuel industry, the document serves to educate fuel dealers on the best practices to prepare for the widespread deployment of unleaded avgas. The document focuses on four areas in preparation for the transition: discovery, preliminary communications, infrastructure consideration, and final communications.
“With the spotlight glowing ever brighter on unleaded aviation fuels, industry stakeholders have been proactively seeking information on considerations for offering more environmentally friendly fuel options,” explained Megan Eisenstein, NATA’s managing director of industry and regulatory affairs.
In support of the Eliminate Aviation Gasoline Lead Emissions (EAGLE) Initiative, which calls for the gradual removal of leaded fuels without affecting the safe operation of the GA fleet, fuel dealers will need to still maintain supplies of 100LL during the transition. With multiple grades of avgas available, there is an increased risk of misfueling. To avoid this threat, NATA recommends the institution of misfueling prevention programs. “Keeping lines of communication open between pilots and FBOs throughout the fueling process is also essential,” noted Steve Berry, the association’s managing director of safety and training.
People in Aviation
FlyExclusive has named Byron Silkett-Irvine as senior director of safety. Silkett-Irvine brings more than 15 years of experience in aviation having previously served as senior manager of regulatory standards for Spirit Airlines and as a director of maintenance for the U.S. Air Force at Tyndall Air Force Base.
JetNet appointed Derek Swaim as president. Swaim has more than 20 years of experience executing corporate acquisitions, mergers, and growth equity investments for market-leading software, business information, and industrial technology companies. He most recently served as an executive-in-residence at Silversmith Capital Partners and previously was executive v-p of corporate development at Validity, a Silversmith portfolio company. He has also held investment banking roles at Harris Williams and Goldman Sachs.
Shane Ellis was promoted by Summit Aviation to the role of executive v-p of aircraft sales. Ellis joined the Summit team in May and prior to that had served as v-p of sales for Hawker Beechcraft/Textron Aviation and had worked with Piaggio Aero. Ellis has completed more than 300 aircraft transactions in his career, worth nearly $1 billion, and has led startups and turnarounds for aircraft dealers and a large aviation jet fuel provider.
Pro Star Aviation announced that Mark Ordung rejoined its team as regional sales manager for the Mid-Atlantic and New York Metropolitan territories. Ordung previously served as lead technician and technical sales representative at Pro Star for more than 10 years before spending the last five years leading sales efforts with Satcom Direct and JSSI.
Fredrik Bergman was appointed by Savback Helicopters to serve as commercial director. Bergman has more than 35 years of service in the Swedish air force, having previously served in roles including squadron commander, head of air force staff training and development, commanding officer, and chief of staff and deputy head of the communications department. His final assignment was as head of test and evaluation at Swedish Defence Material Administration before his retirement from military service this month.
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