Duncan Gives New Life to Aging Dassault Falcon 900B

Duncan Aviation recently completed a substantial refurbishment project that made a 32-year-old Falcon 900B look new again, the Lincoln, Nebraska-based MRO said. The work involved a new paint scheme and interior that involved rearranging the floor plan. Duncan Aviation used one of its STCs to install a high-density 16-passenger interior with eight single seats and two four-place divans.

The light cream interior was accented with black welt cord outlines and a low sidewall features black leather with an embossed pattern to provide dimension. In addition, Duncan added a light solid surface in the galley to contrast dark veneers of cabinetry. The carpet highlights the cabin colors with shades of black, gray, and cream, while a vinyl floor was installed in the galley.

Duncan said a couple of defining highlights included the modification of the drink rail and passenger service unit designs. The MRO further installed a Honeywell Ovation cabin management system, API winglets, FANS, and Gogo Avance L5 Wi-Fi. Plans call to upgrade the flight deck in the future with Universal Avionics EFI-890 displays.

“I purchased this aircraft knowing it needed love and care,” said aircraft owner Greg Hatcher, principal of The Hatcher Agency in Little Rock, Arkansas. “I flew away with an aircraft that looks better than the new one next to it on the ramp for a lot less money.”

Textron Offers Tank of SAF on Turboprop, Jet Deliveries

Customers taking delivery of new Beechcraft and Cessna turboprops and Citation twinjets can opt to have an initial tank of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), Textron Aviation announced yesterday. SAF also will be available to customers of its Wichita service center, it added.

“SAF equips air travelers with the ability to lessen the impact of their journeys on our planet, and we are proud to be making this fuel type available as part of our new aircraft delivery experience,” said Textron senior v-p of customer experience Christi Tannahill, who further explained the benefits of SAF reducing CO2 emissions and thus the industry’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. “Offering SAF for customer deliveries demonstrates an important next step in Textron Aviation’s commitment to sustainability.”

Tannahill noted that Textron aircraft using SAF flew to many aircraft industry events last year, including EBACE and NBAA-BACE, “and it is something we will seek to do for future events.” The Wichita-based airframer is not disclosing the source of its SAF supply, which according to a spokesman was acquired through a couple of spot purchases but the provider might not be who supplies it to Textron in the future.

New Nextant Partnership Expands NDT Beyond Aviation

Nextant Aerospace is partnering with Veracity Technology Solutions to offer non-destructive testing (NDT) to industries outside aviation, including industrial, power generation, and amusement park rides. Under the agreement, Nextant will provide five NDT technicians while Veracity will supply 15.

David Davies, CEO of Nextant parent company Constant Aviation, noted that Nextant’s NDT technicians already travel in the field to provide NDT on storage tanks, pressure vessels, and roller coaster tracks. “Starting this fall, we are going to share technicians to better serve all these external industries,” he said.

When NDT requests are received, Nextant and Veracity will dispatch technicians from their pool of 20. “The great thing about this partnership is that all the technicians within the pool are highly skilled with Level II or higher certifications, and they are accustomed to working in the demanding FAA-certified environment of aircraft testing,” said Veracity v-p of emerging markets Chris Chadwick.

Each company is expected to benefit from their pooling of resources, enabling them to expand their reach while ensuring that they have enough NDT technicians to support their primary businesses. “Their team specializes in areas where we can grow, and vice versa,” said Nextant NDT director of operations Shawn Ehrhart. “We’re all going to make new contacts and bring our NDT expertise to new clients.”

Tokyo Government Evaluating Leonardo AW609 Tiltrotor

Tokyo’s metropolitan government is evaluating the Leonardo AW609 tiltrotor to deliver future service to Ogasawara Islands, an archipelago of more than 30 subtropical and tropical islands approximately 540 nm south of Tokyo. More than 130 Leonardo helicopters are currently in service in Japan and the company has an established service and support network operating there.

Meanwhile, the first two production AW609s are currently being assembled in Philadelphia, where customer training will also be conducted at Leonardo’s new training academy. An advanced flight training device and the first AW609 full-flight simulator will be available at the Eastern Pennsylvania location for pilot training later this year. 

The AW609 is being marketed across a mission spectrum that includes EMS, SAR, VIP/corporate transport, offshore resource development, and government/public service duties. Designed to carry nine passengers, the 1,000-nm-range tiltrotor will be able to cruise at 275 knots at altitudes up to 25,000 feet. 

Leonardo last reported orders from 60 customers for the aircraft, for which a price has not yet been publicly disclosed. In 2016, Leonardo signed an agreement with operator Era Group (now Bristow) to develop an EMS variant of the aircraft. The AW609 first flew in 2003 and its development and certification has been subject to numerous delays, including those triggered by a fatal crash of a test aircraft in Italy in 2015 during high-speed dive testing.

NATA Seeks Further Part 135 Check Deadline Extensions

As the Covid-19 pandemic drags on, NATA has turned to the FAA seeking longer-term relief for Part 135 from some key regulatory deadlines surrounding observation checks. In petitions for exemption published in the September 1 Federal Register, NATA asked the FAA to extend the deadline for a Part 135 check airman to undergo an observation check by an FAA inspector or designated examiner from 24 to 36 months. The association similarly has asked the FAA to extend the deadline for an instructor to undergo an observation check by an FAA inspector, operator check airman, or aircraft designated examiner from 24 to 36 months. Comments on both petitions, which were revised after the agency sought further detail, are due September 8.

The petitions included in the FAA notices follow myriad extensions the agency has granted from aeromedical, training, proficiency, and other deadlines as the industry has grappled with an inability to travel and/or delays in lining up inspectors to meet the requirements.

“The current restrictions on FAA inspector travel (as described to our members by FAA employees), requirements for social distancing, and individual health concerns have significantly hampered the ability of the operators to maintain instructor currency,” NATA told the agency. “As the impact of the national health emergency continues, additional relief is appropriate.”

Concorde Rolls Out New Piper M500, M600 Batteries

Concorde Battery received U.S. FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) approval for installation of the newest addition to its Platinum Series turbine aircraft starting battery family, the RG-41/53, on the Piper M500 and M600.

TSO-C173a approved and eligible for installation in Piper PA-46-500TP and PA-46-600TP aircraft under FAA STC SA01050DE, the heavy-duty 53 Ah lead-acid absorbed glass mat battery provides nearly 40 percent more starting power and reserve capacity, reducing engine wear. In addition, the RG-41/53 reduces the depth of discharge on engine start, resulting in increased battery life, Concorde said.

The West Covina, California-based battery specialist said the sealed lead-acid batteries never require water replenishment, are maintenance-free, and pose no threat of thermal runaway. RG-41/53 batteries, and accompanying STCs, are available through Concorde’s authorized distributor network.

Concorde Battery has supplied aircraft batteries for more than 40 years, counting airframe manufacturers, business and general aviation operators, and U.S. and foreign militaries among its customers.

CBAA Plugs Bizav to Canada’s New Finance Minister

In a welcome letter to new Canadian finance minister Chrystia Freeland, the Canadian Business Aviation Association touted the contribution of business aviation to the country’s economy. The letter also pointed out regulatory and legislative restraints that the association says are impeding the industry.

“On behalf of the almost 25,000 people employed by Canada’s $12.1 billion business aviation sector, the Canadian Business Aviation Association most sincerely congratulates you on your appointment as Minister of Finance,” wrote CBAA president and CEO Anthony Norejko. “By way of this letter, it is our honor to introduce you to the business aviation industry.”

The letter shared what it called two “critical facts” about the industry. The first is that business aviation can help “kick start the aviation industry’s recovery by piloting safety and health programs related to rapid testing and contact tracing.” The second is that business aviation “can help enable Canada’s green economy and recovery plan.”

However, Norejko said, “Overly complex regulations, the specter of a new [so-called] luxury tax and a lack of incentives to upgrade or purchase business aircraft are holding us back.”

Hartzell Engine Tech Receives FAA ODA Approval

Hartzell Engine Technologies (HET) has received FAA Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) approval, which will enable the OEM designer and manufacturer of aircraft cabin heating products and engine accessories to bring new products to market in a quicker and more cost-effective way. “Our ODA approval comes at the end of a long road of FAA audits, inspections, and reviews,” noted HET v-p of engineering Rick Quave.

HET president Keith Bagley noted HET’s ODA is “an additional unit” to sister company Hartzell Propeller’s long-time ODA. “The authorizations are based on the FAA’s recognition of our companies’ long history of product expertise,” he added.

With the ODA, HET can act on the FAA’s behalf in terms of compliance and management of approval processes while eliminating the need to compete for FAA’s limited engineering resources at regional Aircraft Certification Offices on certification projects. It doesn’t eliminate current test, validation, or documentation required to prove regulatory compliance, Bagley added. “That helps us while reducing FAA backlogs,” he explained.

FAA engineers and inspectors will continue to provide regular oversight of HET.

AIN Webinar: Separating Fact from Fiction in Bizav Market

Industry leaders on the front line of business aviation will share their candid insights and opinions on the real state of the market, what we can expect through 2021, and strategies for managing during a crisis while targeting new business opportunities. Please join us on October 6 as AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber moderates this discussion with Jay Mesinger, president and CEO of Mesinger Jet Sales; Keith G. Swirsky, Esq., president of GKG Law, P.C., and Dan Drohan, chairman and CEO Solairus Aviation. Register now for this no-cost webinar.

Depstech Wi-Fi HD Borescope Review

Have you ever wanted to look deep inside your airplane or engine and never had the right tool? AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber reviews the Depstech wireless borescope camera and shows some practical uses for aircraft applications. The camera, mounted at the end of a thin, flexible cable, wirelessly connects to your smartphone for image display and is compatible with Android and iOS devices.