Golf Champ Garcia To Visit Hawker Beech Chalet

Professional golfer Sergio Garcia plans to visit Hawker Beechcraft (Chalet A9) at the show this afternoon to talk about his experience operating his Hawker 4000. Garcia, who turned professional in 1999 and plays on the PGA U.S. and European tours, recently traveled aboard his Hawker 4000 to Shanghai for the HSBC Championship and to Hong Kong for the UBS Championship before coming here for this week’s Dubai World Championship. 

King Air Conquers the Atlantic

A twin-turboprop Beechcraft King Air 350ER has flown nonstop across the Atlantic from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Bournemouth International Airport in the UK as part of its delivery flight from Wichita, Kansas, hometown of manufacturer Hawker Beechcraft. The route over the ocean was the first nonstop transatlantic flight by the type. The record-setting 350ER is the first of four modified, extended-range King Airs ordered by the UK Ministry of Defence for its new Military Flying Training System. It features a large underbelly radome capable of accommodating a number of different maritime surveillance radars. The model has a range of 2,300 nm and 10 hours’ endurance. The Royal Navy will employ it in the rear-crew training role. Meanwhile, the Royal Air Force has received the tenth King Air B200 for the UK’s military multi-engine pilot training program. 

Jet Aviation Accepts Flydubai’s Fifth B737-800

Jet Aviation has conducted full technical acceptance procedures and delivery service on Flydubai’s fifth new Boeing 737-800. The Swiss company completed its first acceptance and delivery project last month. It conducted the full technical new-aircraft procedure in accordance with the procedures and checklists from Flydubai quality assurance, including the mandatory AD 111 required by the local GCAA. Jet Aviation delivered the airplane on time on October 13, at which time Flydubai immediately placed the 737-800 into service. The companies have entered negotiations to allow Jet Aviation to perform the same services on Flydubai’s sixth 737-800, due for delivery from Boeing early next month. The airline’s schedule calls for delivery of another 48 of the Next Generation single-aisle Boeings. 

Emirates-CAE Signs Several Training Contracts

Emirates-CAE Flight Training (ECFT), the joint venture training organization formed by Emirates Airline and Canadian simulator manufacturer CAE (Stand E224), has announced new contracts with Jet Aviation, MSC Aviation and Transaero for its tailored pilot training program. Jet Aviation has renewed its existing training contract covering its Gulfstream GIVs, GVs, G550s and Boeing Business Jets. Geneva-based MSC Aviation, the flight operation of Mediterranean Shipping Co., has signed a three-year contract to train its Hawker 800XPi pilots. And Transaero Airlines, Russia’s leading leisure airline, has extended the agreement for training its Boeing 777 pilots. ECFT, located at the Emirates Aviation College campus near Dubai International Airport. It operates 10 full-flight simulators: two Airbus A320/ACJs; an Airbus A330/340; a Boeing 777; two Boeing 737 NG/BBJs; a Gulfstream GIV; a Gulfstream GV/550; a Hawker 800/800XP; and a Bell Helicopter 412.

Chile Chooses CMC for C-130 Cockpit Upgrade

Esterline CMC Electronics announced here at the Dubai show that it has been selected to provide a cockpit avionics upgrade for the Chilean air force’s C-130 Hercules fleet. As prime contractor, the Canadian group will provide its Cockpit 9000 suite to the Fuerza Aérea de Chile, which operates C-130B/Hs with Grupo de Aviación No. 10 at Santiago. CMC is delivering the complete equipment suite with turnkey installation kits and is undertaking all in-country activities, including training and support. Cockpit 9000 can be tailored to customer requirements and can include up to six large multifunction displays. For its part, the Chilean air force is impressed not only by the safety benefits and flexibility offered by the new avionics suite, but also the speed with which aircraft can be modified and returned to operational service.