TsAGI Shows Off Refined SSBJ Design at MAKS Show

A new scale model of a future supersonic business jet (SSBJ) took center stage at the stand of TsAGI, the Russian acronym for Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute, last week at MAKS 2019 in Moscow. While bearing some resemblance to earlier models showcased two years ago, such as a gull-like shape of the wing, it differs in having a wider forward fuselage to house a passenger cabin.

In addition, the empennage of two vertical and two horizontal surfaces has been replaced by a V-like tail, while tunnels for air intakes leading to a pair of rear positioned engines are longer. Sweep angles for the leading edge of both inner and outer wing sections have also been reduced and the wing-to-fuselage attachment is extended by means of forward, rather than backward, sweep of the wing’s trailing edge.

A wide application of polymeric composites and metal-composite structures promises to reduce the 19-seat, Mach 2.45 SSBJ’s weight, the company explained. There was no information on a powerplant except for mentioning “use of liquid hydrogen as fuel for gas-turbine engines” being studied for application to “supersonic long-range flights.”

Detailed specifications will be worked out in the 2020 to 2022 timeframe, along with construction of a technology demonstrator. Documentation for serial aircraft is expected to be developed between 2022 and 2026.

Post-Dorian Bahamas Ops 'Complex,' Likely ‘Dangerous’

FlightOps is warning aircraft operators and pilots who intend to do humanitarian relief flights in the Bahamas that “the operational situation in the northern Bahamas is complex, potentially dangerous, and changing continuously.” In the wake of Hurricane Dorian, “Large parts of the islands have been wiped out, much flooding remains, roads are out, and the situation on the ground is very challenging.” Currently, FlightOps said the focus is on evacuation—“getting people out.”

Meanwhile, “The airspace picture is worrying,” it continued. “We’ve received reports of aircraft operating at low level without a transponder, creating a collision concern, and there were several reported security incidents on the ground putting the safety of crews at risk. The airports are not secure zones, and police presence is low. There are many more aircraft than usual in Abaco, meaning the airspace is crowded in places, and there is no ATC.”

According to the flight-planning company, there also are 15-nm no-fly zones around Freeport and Marsh Harbour, with access granted only by the Bahamas National Emergency Management Agency. At press time, North Eleuthera Airport was still closed, as were all airports in Bimini, Grand Bahama, and Abaco (except for Sandy Point).

Uber Seeks More eVTOL Partners for Ride-share Program

Uber is open to proposals from eVTOL aircraft developers to join it as partners in its planned Uber Air ride-share air taxi service, the company's advanced technology research center director François Sillion said this week’s Global Urban Air Summit in Farnborough, UK. The company has previously selected six partners, but Sillion said more could be added. “We don’t think any one company will win and there could be more than one aircraft on our platform,” he added.

Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight Sciences, Bell, EmbraerX, Karem Aircraft, Pipistrel Vertical Solutions, and Jaunt Air Mobility are already working as partners to develop Uber’s plans to launch services from 2023. At the Global Urban Air Summit, another U.S.-based eVTOL developer told AIN that it is poised to sign a partnership agreement with Uber.

Sillion explained that Uber is developing plans to launch services in U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Francisco, Dallas, and New York. Dallas appears to be a frontrunner because Uber is drawing up plans to develop “skyports” where passengers can board flights in downtown Dallas, Plano, Fort Worth, and at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. 

NTSB Forum To Spotlight Alaska Part 135 Ops

Continuing its quest to highlight safety issues involved with the Part 135 sector, the NTSB is hosting a roundtable tomorrow in Anchorage that will focus on flight operations in Alaska. Led by NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt, the roundtable will bring together Alaska-based commercial operators, safety experts, aviation industry associations, FAA officials, and Alaska native tribal leaders in an attempt to delve into ways to bolster safety of Part 135 operations conducted in the region.

Part 135 operations in Alaska were involved in 207 accidents resulting in 80 fatalities between January 2008 and June 2019, the NTSB said, noting Alaska relies heavily on aviation but must deal with unique terrain, challenging weather, and congested airspace.

“The number of Part 135 fatal accidents in Alaska is troubling,” Sumwalt said. “If the FAA and industry do not address these safety gaps, the Part 135 accident rate in Alaska is unlikely to budge. The objective of this roundtable is to reduce that rate by focusing on the proven ways to make these types of flights safer.”

Earlier this year, the NTSB included Part 135 operation in its most recent "Most Wanted” list of safety improvements for the first time. The Safety Board expressed the belief that increased use of safety management systems, flight-data monitoring, and controlled-flight-into-terrain monitoring could improve overall safety.

NBAA To Honor Ross Perot Jr. with Meritorious Award

NBAA selected long-time pilot and business leader Ross Perot Jr. as this year’s recipient of the Meritorious Service to Aviation Award. Among the association’s highest honors, the award recognizes “extraordinary lifelong professional contributions to aviation.”

Chairman of his family investment firm The Perot Group, Perot is the founder and chairman of Hillwood, a global real estate development firm that drove the development of Fort Worth Alliance Airport in Texas. Perot’s support helped Alliance grow into a vital business aviation and industrial transportation center for the region, NBAA said. In addition, Hillwood has frequently operated its business aircraft on humanitarian missions.

Perot made a mark at 23 as the copilot of the “Spirit of Texas,” a Bell 206L-1 LongRanger II, on the first round-the-world flight in a helicopter. He served eight years in the U.S. Air Force and later led an effort to establish the U.S. Air Force Memorial in Washington, D.C. More recently, Perot has become active in the urban air mobility market, including a partnership with Uber Elevate.

“Ross...represents the very best of our industry, including its humanitarian values, and has been a tireless advocate for the entire aviation community and a lifetime patriot for the U.S.,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. The award will be presented during the 2019 NBAA convention next month in Las Vegas.

FAA Approves IEAG’s STC For JetWave on Global Variants

The FAA has approved Innotech-Execaire Aviation Group’s (IEAG) STC for installation of Honeywell’s JetWave high-speed satcom hardware on the Bombardier Global Express, XRS, and 6000, the Montreal-based company announced. It supplements an existing Transport Canada STC for installation of the system and radome on the Global variants, as well as radome installation on Global 5000s, the company explained.

Follow-on approvals from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency are expected in the next few months. “We are excited about this important milestone, which builds on our proud tradition of supporting aircraft owners and operators looking for airborne connectivity solutions for their Global business jets,” said IEAG v-p of sales and marketing Frank Ercolanese.

In other news, IEAG's aircraft operations side has received IS-BAO Stage 3 registration from the International Business Aviation Council. “With aircraft based internationally, as well as across Canada, including [in] Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Hamilton, Windsor, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver, this international accreditation speaks to IEAG's unwavering commitment to capturing, managing, and mitigating operational risks through the use of its industry-leading safety management system (SMS) at all levels of the organization,” the company added.

Matthew Greene Steps In as President at Safe Flight

Safe Flight Instrument Corp. promoted Matthew Greene to president, reporting to chairman and CEO Randall Greene. Matthew Greene has served with the company since 2004, holding a number of roles in sales and marketing, contracts, and program management.

Most recently, he was executive v-p for the firm his grandfather, Leonard Greene, established after World War II to explore new ideas in aircraft instrumentation. In the ensuing decades, Safe Flight has become a pioneer behind numerous safety systems in the flight deck from stall warning and angle-of-attack (AoA) indication to coefficient-of-lift (CL) displays to autothrottle systems using AoA/CL guidance.

“I look forward to his leadership and growth for the company as we complete our 73rd year providing leading-edge safety, performance, and control systems to the aerospace industry,” said Randall Greene.

“It is a tremendous honor for me to serve as president of this iconic company that my grandfather founded in 1946, an organization that has been under family leadership for three generations and over seven decades,” added Matthew Greene. “I look forward to the opportunity in guiding the strategic direction…of Safe Flight.”

Offshore Helo Services Company PHI Exits Bankruptcy

Helicopter offshore services company PHI and its principal U.S. subsidiaries, including PHI Air Medical, have exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy, shedding $500 million in debt and acquiring new equity capital and a $225 million five-year term loan, it announced yesterday afternoon. “Our ability to successfully emerge from bankruptcy less than six months after our Chapter 11 filings and strengthen our balance sheet, while maintaining and continuing to expand our safety and service commitments, is a testament to the hard work of our talented employees and the strength of our relationships with our customers and partners,” said PHI chief executive Lance Bospflug.

Former unsecured creditors now own 100 percent of PHI’s equity, which according to the company is subject to dilution in connection with future stock issuances, including issuances of incentive equity grants to key personnel and potential issuances of stock warrants issued to former equity holders. “We have now reached all of the key goals that we set for ourselves at the beginning of this process—including a more sustainable debt structure and a stronger balance sheet,” Bospflug added. “However, this milestone is just the beginning of what we plan to achieve moving forward.”

With the exit, Bospflug has transitioned from president and COO to chairman and CEO of the company’s new board of directors. He replaces Al Gonsoulin in a move that was announced in June.

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