The NTSB has issued a preliminary report on a Dec. 28, 2011, incident in which a Cessna Citation VII was substantially damaged when it departed the runway during an emergency landing at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE) and crashed into an airport perimeter fence. The Citation had just departed from FXE on a Part 91 flight to Teterboro, N.J. when, according to the crew, they began experiencing “extreme” difficulty in controlling the aircraft. The captain reported that he needed to apply “a little left control” before the Citation entered a slow right turn that he could not stop.
Aviation
February 5, 2012 - 2:15am
This is The Jet Business’s new store in Mayfair, London’s fanciest neighborhood. It opened fully in January, complete with purpose-built 32-inch iPads that allow prospective clients to specify their private aviation preferences and view specifications and cabin layouts on life-size video walls. Sales discussions take place in a full-size mockup of an Airbus ACJ, featuring a living room, dining room and office. Company founder Steve Varsano tells AIN he is already busy fielding inquiries from visiting clients drawn from around the globe.
February 4, 2012 - 5:50am
In the wake of news that Boeing plans to close its defense, space and security operations in Wichita by the end of 2013, the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition (GWEDC) has helped launch an aviation task force to develop strategies that will promote the city’s aviation industries.
February 4, 2012 - 4:05am
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has approved a five-year extension of its partnership authorizing National Air Transportation Association Compliance Services (Natacs) to continue as a trusted fingerprint facility to process biological and biometric information for general aviation and commercial aviation worldwide.
February 4, 2012 - 3:40am
Cirrus has restructured more than $13 million worth of loan and lease obligations related to its Grand Forks, N.D. production facility with that city’s Growth Fund. Cirrus employs approximately 90 people in Grand Forks who make composite component parts for its SR-series piston aircraft, which are then shipped to the company’s assembly line in Duluth, Minn.
February 4, 2012 - 2:20am
Aerocon Engineering has developed for the Boeing 737-700, -800 and -900 a replacement forward airstair that the Van Nuys, Calif.-based company says is not only 50 percent lighter but also more reliable and requires less maintenance than the standard OEM equipment.
The new airstair is the culmination of a 24-month government contract. Aerocon CEO Benny Younesi expects an FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) in the middle of this year, and production has already begun.
February 4, 2012 - 1:08am
Business aviation will be well represented at the Singapore Airshow, despite the fact that just over a month later, most companies will be heading to Shanghai for NBAA’s relaunched Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (Abace). Airbus will give a show debut to its ACJ318 in Singapore, as will Gulfstream with its new G280. Another newcomer will be Ruag’s 228NG business/utility aircraft (a reworking of the Dornier twin turboprop).
February 3, 2012 - 10:10am
Hungary extended until 2026 the lease contract with the Swedish government for the 14 Saab Gripen C/D fighters that it received in 2006 and 2007. The agreement was due to expire in 2016. According to press reports in Budapest, Hungary currently pays $130 million per year to operate the aircraft, which were surplus to Swedish air force requirements. Saab said it is pleased by Hungary’s “long-term strategic decision.”
February 3, 2012 - 10:05am
The first NH-90 Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) in final operational configuration was delivered to the French Army on January 30. “This is the culmination of the most important helicopter program ever launched in Europe,” said Eurocopter CEO Lutz Bertling. Earlier deliveries of the TTH version to Australia, Germany and Sweden attracted criticism in those countries for various deficiencies. But Eurocopter said that the final configuration includes field-tested avionics that enable the helicopter to carry out its missions night and day with no major restrictions.
February 3, 2012 - 9:45am
Hungarian flag carrier Malev ceased all flying operations as of 6 a.m. Budapest time today, becoming the second carrier in a week to fall victim to European austerity measures. On January 27 Spanair stopped flying after a rescue deal with Qatar Airways collapsed. A year earlier the Catalonian government approved a €10.5 million loan to help sustain the cash-strapped airline, but those efforts proved futile.
