According to a UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) final report issued this week, the Oct. 27, 2018 accident involving a Leonardo Helicopters AW169 was likely caused by the failure of the helicopter’s tail rotor duplex bearing. This led to loss of tail rotor control that “was sudden and irrecoverable,” it said.

This bearing connected the control shaft to the tail rotor blades. The AAIB found that the bearing seized due to fatigue, cracking, pitting, shearing, friction, grease degradation, and heat generation.

The AW169 had just taken off mid-pitch and was climbing out of Leicester City’s King Power Stadium. As it cleared the roof, it entered an accelerating and uncommanded right yaw. A rear-seat passenger then began to panic.

Pilot Eric Swaffer applied full left pedal to no effect, confessing, “I’ve no idea what’s going on.” He then lowered the collective. Seconds later, spinning out of control, the helicopter crashed into the parking lot next door, killing Swaffer and his four passengers. Thanks to Swaffer’s last-second lift of the collective, the initial impact was survivable, but the post-crash fire was not.

Stewarts, a UK law firm representing the families of the deceased, has filed suit against Leonardo.

Rolls-Royce recently received FAA approval for its BR700-730B2-14 engine, known commercially as the Pearl 700, that powers the soon-to-be-certified Gulfstream G700 and G800 ultra-long-range twinjets. EASA gave its nod for the engine last September.

Developed at the Rolls-Royce Center of Excellence for Business Aviation Engines in Dahlewitz, Germany, the Pearl 700 incorporates the engine-maker’s Advance2 engine core with a new low-pressure system. This results in an 8 percent increase in takeoff thrust, to 18,250 pounds, compared with the predecessor BR725 engine. Rolls-Royce said the engine also provides a 5 percent efficiency improvement while keeping down noise and emissions.

Gulfstream opted for the same engine for both its 7,750-nm G700 and 8,000-nm G800, which are slated for certification and service entry in the upcoming fourth quarter and mid-2024, respectively. “The certification of the Rolls-Royce Pearl 700 engines for the G700 and G800 is a significant step that brings us closer to delivering these game-changing aircraft to our customers,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns, adding the company has received a “high level of demand” for both models.

To meet the growing demand for pilot training on the Pilatus PC-24 light jet in Europe, FlightSafety International in conjunction with the airframer will deploy a second full-flight simulator (FFS) for the type at its Paris Le Bourget Learning Center. The device is expected to be operational by mid-2024.

This will be the fourth FFS for the PC-24 globally, with the remaining pair located at FlightSafety’s Dallas-Fort Worth facility.

Since the PC-24 entered service in 2018, Pilatus has delivered more than 200 of the twinjets. With good short-field characteristics and the ability to operate from unprepared runways, it allows flights to locations not easily accessible by similar jets in its class.

“FlightSafety is pleased to offer expanded capacity to meet the demand in Europe for the growing fleet of PC-24 operators,” said Nate Speiser, the company’s v-p of sales and marketing. “FlightSafety has trained over 1,000 PC-24 pilots since introducing training for this aircraft in 2013 and we are excited to continue to advance our partnership with Pilatus for this program.”

“We are pleased to welcome the fourth PC-24 flight simulator in the PC-24 community,” said Pilatus v-p of general aviation Ignaz Gretener. He added that it represents “a great opportunity to fulfill future training demands while improving availability for all our current customers and operators.”

Bombardier today opened registration for its Safety Standdown scheduled for November 7 to 9 at the Hyatt Regency in Wichita. Held under the theme “Integrity in Safety,” the event is free of charge for aviation professionals in all fields, but registrations are limited.

The first-day agenda includes a session titled “Fatigue Risk Management: Visibility and Control,” presented by Pulsar Infomatics CEO Daniel Mollicone. Other sessions that day include integrity in the flight department, runway excursion prevention, FOQA fundamentals, and the coming safety management system mandate.

On the second day, the event kicks off with a session on “Reducing Surface Risk in the National Airspace System” presented by FAA runway safety program manager Scott Proudfoot and National Air Traffic Controllers Association runway safety representative Bridget Singratanakul. This session will focus on statistics related to runway incursions, what leads to a runway incursion, and the tools available to reduce the risk associated with them.

Workshops include “The Pilot Brain: How Personality Affects Safety,” which will cover the basics of how observable behaviors guide internal thought processes and how pilot personalities can affect safety culture and actions during an emergency.

Day-three workshops will feature subjects such as quality assurance in aviation fuel and breaking down the communication barrier between pilot and maintenance personnel.

Bombardier also will make all the event’s general sessions and select workshops available for viewing online.

The White House is bringing back former senior FAA official Michael Whitaker to take the helm of the agency. Rumored for months as the pick to lead the FAA, Whitaker has been serving as COO of Supernal, a Hyundai Motor company that is designing an eVTOL aircraft. He served as deputy FAA administrator under the Obama Administration from 2013 to 2016.

Whitaker also has a long background in airline operations, spending 15 years in leadership roles at United Airlines and three decades of legal-oriented positions with Trans World Airlines. Before his most recent position at Supernal, he was group CEO of InterGlobe Enterprises, which operates IndiGo.

He is being nominated to an FAA post that has remained open on a permanent basis since Steve Dickson left halfway through his five-year term in March 2022. Billy Nolen then slid into the position on an acting basis, but he departed the agency in June and now is chief safety officer for Archer. More recently, DOT COO and deputy secretary Polly Trottenberg moved over to serve as acting administrator.

The White House previously had nominated Denver Airport CEO Phil Washington to the role, but he withdrew from consideration after facing substantial Republican opposition. Whitaker has already drawn wide support from across the gamut of industry, most of which is well familiar with him.

Effective October 29, Canada’s Vancouver International Airport (CYVR) will permanently transition to a mandatory runway slot system. “All users of CYVR will require a pre-approved arrival and departure slot prior to operation,” according to an August 22 notice from the airport authority. This program will be operated by the airport reservation office (ARO) and will handle all general aviation and business aviation slot filings at CYVR.

Historically, CYVR has not required runway slots as the ATC system could manage the traffic volume unconstrained. However, in the past several years the airport authority said, “It has become apparent that CYVR will require a runway slot constraint to manage the flow of air traffic and improve on-time performance.”

Airport authorities said the process of managing the slots will follow “IATA worldwide guidelines as best practice.” CYVR will be using the same slot booking procedures that are in place at CYYZ and CYUL airports. Initially, operators need to contact the program vendor, PDC, to add CYVR to their account. Alternatively, operators may be able to engage FBOs at CYVR to assist with bookings, particularly for infrequent airport users. A “soft start” of the slot program is now in effect.

Aircraft charter and management provider TAG Aviation Europe has relocated from its former location at Geneva Airport to occupy two separate offices in the Swiss city.

Given that the company—which dates back more than five decades­—began its European operations at the airport, it will maintain a presence there in a facility with easy access to the airport and business aviation providers. The facility, just down Route de Pré-Bois from TAG’s old office, offers conference/meeting rooms, a staff canteen, and well-lit office space.

TAG will relocate its sales team to a downtown location with upscale furnishings, an onsite restaurant, gym, bar, cinema, and work collaboration spaces. The new setting places the company’s commercial sales staff amid the financial hub’s banks and global businesses and will allow it to quickly and effectively meet with prospective customers.

“These office moves signify our further commitment for our European business, as well as taking maximum advantage in having our teams in Geneva to be able to reach both clients and partners in aviation and business effectively,” said TAG Aviation Europe CEO Joanne Goodall.

In addition to aircraft operations and flight crew training, TAG also provides maintenance services in Asia and has an FBO at Macau International Airport.

Aerocare Aviation Services has made a "significant" investment in its Chester, UK-based MRO facilities, expanding its capabilities and workshop space. This will support the company’s continued growth in the business jet market and its planned diversification into commercial aviation. 

The investment will boost the Part 145 provider’s core MRO and paint shop facilities with new C-rating workshop space and tooling. The added capabilities will allow the business to deliver complete cabin refurbishments, component structural repairs, and manufacturing from its hangars at Chester Hawarden Airport.

“Having recently invested in widening our hangar doors to accommodate larger aircraft, the next logical step was to extend our in-house back-shop capabilities to provide a genuine one-stop-shop service to customers,” said Aerocare managing director Peter Mankelow.

According to Aerocare, the investment will allow it to attract and maintain a wider client base, as the new C ratings cover interiors, structures, doors and hatches, flying controls, and Part 21 subpart G approval for the production of components and systems. 

The company also will be highlighting its increased capabilities next week at the Air Charter Expo at London Biggin Hill Airport.