Gordon Gilbert
Contributor - Accidents and Regulations

Contributor - Accidents and Regulations

Latest from Gordon Gilbert

Charter & Fractional

Caravan,Jetstream fractionals cease operations

Two separate turboprop fractional operations have not done well.
Regulations and Government

Annual DOT drug reporting to be simplified

The DOT is proposing to eliminate many of the drug-related questions required to be answered by employers on the annual management information system (MIS)
Training and Workforce

Embry-Riddle given $20 Million for GA research

The FAA has given $20 million to the FAA Center of Excellence for General Aviation, a research and training facility at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universit
Aircraft

New Learjet 40 to replace Learjet 31A

Bombardier Aerospace will end production of its 11-year-old Learjet 31A following two years of declining sales, and the new Learjet 40, scheduled to enter
Finance, Taxes, Insurance

Global Aerospace to insure Eclipse 500 owners

Eclipse Aviation will partner with Global Aerospace to provide aircraft hull and liability insurance to owners of Eclipse 500s.

Another AASI alumnus joins Sino Swearingen

Less than a month after Carl Chen, former chairman, president and CEO of AASI, suddenly replaced Jack Braly as president and CEO of Sino Swearingen, the co
Charter & Fractional

NetJets Europe sees doubling of shareowners

NetJets owner Warren Buffett told The Wall Street Journal he expects fractional sales will double in Europe to 200 shareowners this year, although
Charter & Fractional

Flight Options says seniority issue resolved

Integrating pilot seniority, one of the thorniest issues created when fractional-operator Flight Options acquired Raytheon Travel Air earlier this year, ha
Engines

P&WC flies PW600 demo engine

The PW600 family of small turbofans, in the form of a 2,500-lb-thrust demonstrator engine, entered flight test last month mounted on P&WC’s Boeing 720

Lindbergh letter and flag to be auctioned

On November 14, New York City-based Swann Galleries will auction a letter and flag carried by Charles Lindbergh on his historic 1927 New York-to-Paris solo
Regulations and Government

Snakes included in animal incidents report

Regional and major airlines will be required to report incidents involving the loss, injury or death of an animal (hot or cold blooded) during air transpor
Accidents

More accident data now on NTSB web site

The NTSB has expanded its online database to include synopses of accidents occurring from 1962 to the present.
Charter & Fractional

Hop-A-Jet Charter introduces outside maintenance

With the recent receipt of an FAR Part 145 repair station certificate, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Hop-A-Jet is now offering maintenance to outside custome
Maintenance and Modifications

Turboprop East expanding Citation maintenance

Turboprop East, a 25-year-old North Adams, Mass.
Charter & Fractional

Italian firm to corral Mustangs for frax operation

Delta Aero-Taxi plans to start a fractional aircraft ownership operation in Europe with the new Citation Mustang.
Maintenance and Modifications

Raytheon will consider matching lowest parts price

If a Beechcraft or Hawker customer identifies the “exact same part at a much lower price elsewhere,” Raytheon Aircraft will “make every effort to lower the

Air Chef opens facility in Florida

Naples, Fla., is the site for Air Chef’s 14th business aircraft catering facility in 11 metropolitan areas.

Exec Aircraft expects OK of reorganization plan

Wichita-based Executive Aircraft, which filed for bankruptcy protection in August, expects court confirmation of its plan for reorganization next month.
Engines

Another Walter Beech mod gets STC'd

LoneStar Propjets of Waco, Texas, has received an STC to replace the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprops on the King Air 90 through C90 series with P
Regulations and Government

Blakey chooses Wichita for first road trip

In her first official visit outside Washington since she took office, FAA Administrator Marion Blakey traveled to Wichita last month, where she toured Rayt
Aircraft

Hawker 800 winglets STC set for next spring

Aviation Partners now expects to receive certification of its winglets for the Hawker 800 next May, nearly a year later than originally planned.
Maintenance and Modifications

BBA, Honeywell developing structural test robot

A laser-guided, computer-controlled robot that promises to significantly decrease the time it takes to find corrosion and other airframe structural anomali
Maintenance and Modifications

Alaska company developing TPE-powered Caravan

A more powerful, better-performing Cessna Caravan 208, including improved fuel burn, is the object of a program by Anchorage, Alaska-based Caravan dealer,

Raytheon Aircraft dismisses Premier I setback allegations

Top Raytheon Aircraft officials declined to comment directly on a recent Wall Street Journal article claiming the company has “suffered more setba

Ford flight dept. shifts gears on fleet

Published news reports and “numerous rumors” of the Ford flight department’s drastic downsizing are not only premature but false.
Safety

NTSB urges increased CVR capacity, reliability

The NTSB has had longstanding concerns about the lack of cockpit voice recorder (CVR) information following reportable accidents or incidents.
Regulations and Government

AD Would Mandate New Flap Parts on MU-2s

Owners of some 360 U.S.-registered Mitsubishi MU-2s would be required to install newly designed torque-tube joints to prevent possible failure of the flap
Maintenance and Modifications

Boeing To Bring Down BBJ Cabin Altitude

Early next year Boeing will offer a kit for BBJs and BBJ2s that will provide a 6,500-ft cabin at FL 410 instead of the standard 8,000-ft cabin.

GAMA Now Welcomes Non-U.S. Manufacturers

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association has opened its membership to include non-U.S.
Cabin Interior and Electronics

Outfitter Refurbs Interior Refurb Process

Duncan Aviation has introduced an aircraft interior refurb program known as “Arkitektuair,” the result of a three-year study and the implementation of new