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Aircraft
Boeing’s Optimism Belied 747-8 Problems
Boeing Commercial Airplanes faced some familiar scrutiny over the fidelity of its program timelines again this month, when, no more than six weeks after 74
Aircraft
Airbus Spools Up A380 Production
It might seem only months since Airbus launched the mighty A380-800, but the double-deck, quad-aisle superjumbo marked the second anniversary of its first
Aircraft
MJet’s Wing Decision Raises More Questions about Composites
Resorting to worn-out business-speak to describe the merits of any new aircraft program has become customary, but Trans States Holdings president Rick Leac
Rotorcraft
Manhattan operator halts service
New York’s only scheduled helicopter shuttle service is no more, at least for now.
Rotorcraft
Eurocopter challenges Maryland RFP
American Eurocopter has lodged a protest concerning the Maryland State Police’s (MSP) request for proposal (RFP) to replace its fleet of 11 aging AS 365Ns.
Rotorcraft
Eurocontrol warns against maritime ‘skysails’
Eurocontrol is warning helicopter operators, especially offshore oil operators, of a potential threat posed by “skysails,” giant kites that help propel som
Aircraft
Boeing Uses Delays to Fine-tune 787 Maintenance Plan
While no one at Boeing would dare admit to any level of satisfaction with six separate
Engines
Talk of Narrowbody Re-engine Prospects Intensifies
Now that Boeing and Airbus have made clear their lack of interest in introducing all-new narrowbody models before 2020, talk of any response by the industr
Accidents
Controversy surrounds S-61 crash investigation
The investigation into last year’s fatal crash of a 1965 Carson Helicopter Sikorsky S-61N is beginning to take on the tenor of a high-stakes suspense novel
Rotorcraft
EASA certifies Bell 429
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) late in September issued a type certificate to the Bell 429.
Rotorcraft
AW sells more 139s, signs Mx deal
Bristow Group in late September ordered three AW139s for its offshore operations.
Rotorcraft
Bloomberg defends his helicopter
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg rebuffed local media criticism for using his own helicopter, an AgustaWestland A109S Grand, at his own expense, to travel
Maintenance and Modifications
Eurocopter plans Kazakhstan venture
EADS and Eurocopter last month signed a cooperation agreement with sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna to create a public-private joint venture in Kazakhst
Rotorcraft
Medical operator buys EC135s
Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., has ordered three new American Eurocopter EC135s for its MedCenter Air program.
Aircraft
Gulfstream G650 nears first flight
Under a bright blue sky on September 29, Gulfstream Aerospace
Rotorcraft
Government sector boosts Helitech orders
The reformed European Helicopter Association–operating under the acronym newEHA–publicly touched down for the first time at the 2009 Helitech show at Duxfo
Aircraft
Gulfstream rolls out G200 successor in Israel
Gulfstream and Israel Aerospace Industries publicly intro- duced the first example of the Gulfstream G250 at IAI’s facility on Ben Gurion International Air
Rotorcraft
Helitech news Briefs
Rolls-Royce boosted availability of RR300 engine parts and customer services by signing an exclusive distribution agreement with AAR.
Charter & Fractional
Flight Options Pilots Authorize Strike
IBT 1108, the union representing Flight Options pilots, on October 19 said 90 percent of those voting in a strike-authorization vote approved a strike if t
Regulations and Government
FAA Updates Parts Certification Rules
The FAA published new regulations for manufacturers of aircraft and aviation products that will update and standardize FAA requirements to better align the
Aircraft
Farnborough Kestrel To Be Built by Liberty?
Farnborough Aircraft director Adrian Norris said at the NBAA Convention that his company is in discussions to have Liberty Aircraft produce the all-composi
Charter & Fractional
Air Partner Private Jets Logs $4M Loss
The Private Jets division of charter broker Air Partner suffered a £2.5 million ($3.9 million) loss in its fiscal year that ended on July 31.
FBOs
Ocean Sky Plans Euro FBO Expansion
Ocean Sky Aviation plans to build a network of FBOs across Europe in the next 12 months.
Regulations and Government
FAA: mechanics must update certificate or lose privileges
On March 31 last year the FAA added a section to FAR Part 65 regarding airframe and powerplant mechanics’ certificates, but most A&Ps are not aware of
Maintenance and Modifications
Atlantic Aero named authorized TBM service center
Daher-Socata has designated Atlantic Aero its newest authorized TBM service center in North America.
Maintenance and Modifications
WestWind Technologies opens new hangar at Huntsville
A new 62,000-sq-ft facility has been dedicated on Huntsville International Airport, Ala., by WestWind Technologies to provide engineering, manufacturing, e
Maintenance and Modifications
US Aviation expands maintenance capability
US Aviation’s maintenance and avionics division is offering full Phase 1 through 5 inspections and structural inspections on the Hawker and most Cessna Cit
Maintenance and Modifications
LBAS performs first EUROPEAN Global Express overhaul
The first Bombardier Global Express 8C check has been performed in Europe by Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services (LBAS), a joint venture of Lufthansa Te
Maintenance and Modifications
German MROs join forces
Cologne Flugzeugwartung (ACC) and Columbia Jet Service have merged into ACC Columbia Jet Service.
Regulations and Government
Congress to Obama: no user fees in ’11 budget
Two powerful members of the House aviation subcommittee are circulating a letter urging President Obama not to include general aviation user fees in the Fi
