STC Granted For In-Flight WiFi System On Beechjet, Hawker 400: Cutter Aviation Holds Certificate To Install Gogo Broadband An STC for in-flight, high-speed wireless connectivity for the Beechjet 400A and Hawker 4
An STC for in-flight, high-speed wireless connectivity for the Beechjet 400A and Hawker 400XP family utilizing Aircell Gogo Biz in-flight broadband has been granted to Cutter Aviation in Phoenix, AZ.
Cutter developed the STC in partnership with Aircell utilizing the its ATG 4000 and ATG 5000 systems for installation in the Beechjet airframe. The STC was awarded on December 19, 2011 after nearly a year of development and is now available for purchase and installation on all Beechjet 400A and Hawker 400XP light business jet aircraft.
“In-flight wireless Internet access is no longer just an ‘extra’ for business aviation aircraft… it has become a requirement for peak in-flight productivity in the digital age,” said David Lohmeyer, Director of R&D for Aircraft Avionics and Services at Cutter Aviation. “Beechjet and Hawker 400XP operators have been waiting for a light, cost-effective in-flight WiFi solution for their aircraft and Cutter Aviation stepped up to meet their needs with the Aircell STC package.”
With the Aircell in-flight WiFi STC by Cutter Aviation, Beechjet operators may now access the Internet in the air just like they are able to at home, in the office or at public “hotspots” like their local coffee shop. Laptops, tablets and smartphones connect in-flight with ease just like a normal WiFi connection. In-flight users connect at speeds up to 3.1 megabites per second (mbps) and network coverage extends nationwide. The equipment and antennas developed by Aircell are light and compact enough for easy installation on a light jet like the Beechjet and more affordable than ever.
Various monthly data packages through the Aircell Gogo Biz provide Internet access for a wide range of budgets, from basic connectivity through unlimited data plans.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Few Clues As To Cause of FL Bell 206 Medevac Accident
Few Clues As To Cause of FL Bell 206 Medevac Accident: Pilot Was President of SK Jets and A Highly-Experienced Flyer News/Analysis By Jim Campbell, ANN Editor-In-Chief, Comm. Heli Pilot Few real de
Few real details are emerging in the tragic Monday accident that claimed the lives of three people and may yet still claim a fourth... the patient in need of a heart transplant who didn't get the heart in time for its transplantation.
The pilot was SK Jets President, Hoke Smith (68), described as a "highly decorated Vietnam Pilot with commendations that include The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart, and The Distinguished Flying Cross." Smith founded SK in 1997 as the sole owner and operator of one helicopter, expanding the business to seven jets, two helicopters, and 40 employees.
The accident aircraft, a 1979 Bell 206BIII, left early Monday morning on a heart harvesting run from Jacksonville' Mayo Clinic to Gainesville's Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. The pre-dawn flight carried Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Luis Bonilla and procurement technician David Hines of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, also a veteran of the Air National Guard.
The impact sight is a very short distance from ANN's HQ in Green Cove Springs and we found something amiss early Monday when Sheriff's officers arrived at the field looking for information as to the whereabouts of the (then) overdue helicopter. A short time later, a Law Enforcement helo discovered the fire surrounding the crash site and ID'ed the impact zone... some 6 hours after the aircraft went down. No indication as to the cause is currently evident though the scene shows the helicopter's main rotor having made contact with a series of trees on its way down into a heavily forested area used as a hunting club. Weather in area that morning reported lowered visibility and some fog. SK Jets has a pretty solid rep in this area, and their maintenance is said to be top-notch. A recent advertisement, featuring this helicopter for sale (N5016M), indicated that at that time, the total time on the aircraft was in excess of 11,000 hours.
The tragedy has had quite an impact locally. The heart that was to have been harvested was not available in sufficient time to be usable of the intended transplant and the intended recipient has had to be placed back on a transplant waiting list... and there is the possibility that another heart suitable for the transplant may not be found in time for that patient to survive their current cardiac issues.
John Noseworthy, Mayo Clinic president and chief executive officer, is quoted via a prepared statement as stating, "As we mourn this tragic event, we will remember the selfless and intense dedication they brought to making a difference in the lives of our patients. We recognize the commitment transplant teams make every day in helping patients at Mayo Clinic and beyond. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families."
A statement issued by SK Jets said, simply, “The focus of our efforts at this time is to attend to the needs of our passengers, crew and their families and work with the NTSB and local public safety officials to determine the cause and extent of the accident.”
Maj. Gen. Joseph Martin, Air National Guard Assistant to the USAF Surgeon General, and former State Air Surgeon for the Florida Air National Guard said that, “We mourn the tragic loss of David Hines. This tragedy emphasizes the dedication of those who risk their lives in order to give life to others. I was always impressed with David’s skill and dedication, as we worked together both in military and civilian careers. We extend our deepest sympathies to each of their families.”
Unfortunately, the AP report (distributed by a number of media sources) chose to quote a well-known aviation attorney as a "helicopter safety expert" when in fact, Gary Robb is a pretty active aviation litigator who has won some punishing verdicts against helicopter operators and manufacturers. We're not sure this guy has ever 'pulled pitch' on a Bell 206 of any kind, but he opined that the Bell 206 BIII (powered by the Allison 250) was prone to engine failure, cramped, possibly out of CG on this particular flight, and that the engine the aircraft utilized was now "discontinued" -- apparently seeking to suggest the possibility of an engine shutdown or failure -- an extremely rare occurence in my direct experience (and as borne out by the stats) with this series of helicopter and engine. A number of articles quote Robb as stating that, "We've seen a number of instances where that engine simply failed..."
The facts are not quite that simple... the reason that the Allison 250 C20J has been 'discontinued' is that new models have superseded it... and in all its many variants, the engine piled up a pretty solid rep (via a staggering number of configurations and installations)... as did the entire Bell 206 series... possibly one of the safest helicopters, statistically speaking, in the world. Quite a few readers who commented on the published stories took offense at Robb's imprimatur as a helicopter safety expert and scolded various outlets for quoting a person whose career has been built on finding companies and persons to blame (and pay for) for such tragedies. Hereabouts (on our local airports); Robb's remarks were met with scorn, disbelief and derision by a number of folks with actual (and in some cases, considerable) helicopter experience. ANN finds Robb's remarks (in our opinion) out of place, self-serving, and incredibly premature for an accident for which there are few facts to support any guess work involving engine failure, CG problems, and the like. We agree with those comments made that suggested that quoting Robb in the accident-related articles seemed like a poor choice.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 5016M Make/Model: B206 Description: BELL 206B HELICOPTER
Date: 12/26/2011 Time: 1053
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: FLORAHOME State: FL Country: US
DESCRIPTION
N5016M BELL 206M ROTORCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 3 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, ALERT NOTICE ISSUED AND WRECKAGE LOCATED NEAR FLORAHOME, FL
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 3
# Crew: 3 Fat: 3 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Air Ambulance Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: ORLANDO, FL (SO15) Entry date: 12/27/2011
Few real details are emerging in the tragic Monday accident that claimed the lives of three people and may yet still claim a fourth... the patient in need of a heart transplant who didn't get the heart in time for its transplantation.
The pilot was SK Jets President, Hoke Smith (68), described as a "highly decorated Vietnam Pilot with commendations that include The Bronze Star, The Purple Heart, and The Distinguished Flying Cross." Smith founded SK in 1997 as the sole owner and operator of one helicopter, expanding the business to seven jets, two helicopters, and 40 employees.
The accident aircraft, a 1979 Bell 206BIII, left early Monday morning on a heart harvesting run from Jacksonville' Mayo Clinic to Gainesville's Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. The pre-dawn flight carried Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Luis Bonilla and procurement technician David Hines of the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, also a veteran of the Air National Guard.
The impact sight is a very short distance from ANN's HQ in Green Cove Springs and we found something amiss early Monday when Sheriff's officers arrived at the field looking for information as to the whereabouts of the (then) overdue helicopter. A short time later, a Law Enforcement helo discovered the fire surrounding the crash site and ID'ed the impact zone... some 6 hours after the aircraft went down. No indication as to the cause is currently evident though the scene shows the helicopter's main rotor having made contact with a series of trees on its way down into a heavily forested area used as a hunting club. Weather in area that morning reported lowered visibility and some fog. SK Jets has a pretty solid rep in this area, and their maintenance is said to be top-notch. A recent advertisement, featuring this helicopter for sale (N5016M), indicated that at that time, the total time on the aircraft was in excess of 11,000 hours.
The tragedy has had quite an impact locally. The heart that was to have been harvested was not available in sufficient time to be usable of the intended transplant and the intended recipient has had to be placed back on a transplant waiting list... and there is the possibility that another heart suitable for the transplant may not be found in time for that patient to survive their current cardiac issues.
John Noseworthy, Mayo Clinic president and chief executive officer, is quoted via a prepared statement as stating, "As we mourn this tragic event, we will remember the selfless and intense dedication they brought to making a difference in the lives of our patients. We recognize the commitment transplant teams make every day in helping patients at Mayo Clinic and beyond. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families."
A statement issued by SK Jets said, simply, “The focus of our efforts at this time is to attend to the needs of our passengers, crew and their families and work with the NTSB and local public safety officials to determine the cause and extent of the accident.”
Maj. Gen. Joseph Martin, Air National Guard Assistant to the USAF Surgeon General, and former State Air Surgeon for the Florida Air National Guard said that, “We mourn the tragic loss of David Hines. This tragedy emphasizes the dedication of those who risk their lives in order to give life to others. I was always impressed with David’s skill and dedication, as we worked together both in military and civilian careers. We extend our deepest sympathies to each of their families.”
Unfortunately, the AP report (distributed by a number of media sources) chose to quote a well-known aviation attorney as a "helicopter safety expert" when in fact, Gary Robb is a pretty active aviation litigator who has won some punishing verdicts against helicopter operators and manufacturers. We're not sure this guy has ever 'pulled pitch' on a Bell 206 of any kind, but he opined that the Bell 206 BIII (powered by the Allison 250) was prone to engine failure, cramped, possibly out of CG on this particular flight, and that the engine the aircraft utilized was now "discontinued" -- apparently seeking to suggest the possibility of an engine shutdown or failure -- an extremely rare occurence in my direct experience (and as borne out by the stats) with this series of helicopter and engine. A number of articles quote Robb as stating that, "We've seen a number of instances where that engine simply failed..."
The facts are not quite that simple... the reason that the Allison 250 C20J has been 'discontinued' is that new models have superseded it... and in all its many variants, the engine piled up a pretty solid rep (via a staggering number of configurations and installations)... as did the entire Bell 206 series... possibly one of the safest helicopters, statistically speaking, in the world. Quite a few readers who commented on the published stories took offense at Robb's imprimatur as a helicopter safety expert and scolded various outlets for quoting a person whose career has been built on finding companies and persons to blame (and pay for) for such tragedies. Hereabouts (on our local airports); Robb's remarks were met with scorn, disbelief and derision by a number of folks with actual (and in some cases, considerable) helicopter experience. ANN finds Robb's remarks (in our opinion) out of place, self-serving, and incredibly premature for an accident for which there are few facts to support any guess work involving engine failure, CG problems, and the like. We agree with those comments made that suggested that quoting Robb in the accident-related articles seemed like a poor choice.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 5016M Make/Model: B206 Description: BELL 206B HELICOPTER
Date: 12/26/2011 Time: 1053
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
City: FLORAHOME State: FL Country: US
DESCRIPTION
N5016M BELL 206M ROTORCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 3 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, ALERT NOTICE ISSUED AND WRECKAGE LOCATED NEAR FLORAHOME, FL
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 3
# Crew: 3 Fat: 3 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Air Ambulance Phase: Unknown Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: ORLANDO, FL (SO15) Entry date: 12/27/2011
AZ CBP Receives Fourth Predator-B
AZ CBP Receives Fourth Predator-B: Aero-News Network - Your Daily Aviation and Aerospace News.
The US Customs and Border Protection received an Unmanned Aircraft this week, the fourth to be based at National Air Security Operations Center Sierra Vista, Ariz. Flights performed from this location reportedly will provide critical aerial surveillance to CBP border security personnel on the ground along the Southwest border. The arrival of the Predator-B marks the second of two unmanned aircraft earmarked in the supplemental budget provisions identified in August 2010.
CBP's Unmanned Aircraft Systems operate under several FAA-approved Certificates of Authorization that enable CBP to deploy a UAS in the national airspace. On the southwest border, the first COA allows access into Texas from Arizona to just west of the Big Bend border area. The second COA enables CBP to launch and recover a UAS from Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, and to operate along the entire Texas land border with Mexico, the coast, and over open water.
On the southwest border, CBP now operates a total of six Predator-B's from SierraVista, Ariz., and Corpus Christi, Texas. The missions from these two centers will allow CBP to deploy its unmanned aircraft from the eastern tip of California across the common Mexican land borders of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
CBP identified Arizona as a location for its ninth UAS because it will allow for the greatest support of the CBP Air and Marine Strategic Plan to secure the shared land border between United States and Mexico, and will allow for the most effective execution of counter-drug operations and Homeland Security missions.
Additionally, basing a fourth UAS in Sierra Vista will best posture CBP for rapid deployment throughout the southern tier of the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere. This operational capability increases CBP's ability to provide disaster relief and humanitarian support in the Gulf Coast region.
Since the inception of the UAS program, CBP has flown more than 12,000 UAS hours in support of border security operations and CBP partners in disaster relief and emergency response, including various state governments and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The efforts of this program has led to the total seizure of approximately 46,600 pounds of illicit drugs and the detention of approximately 7,500 individuals suspected in engaging in illegal activity along the Southwest Border.
The US Customs and Border Protection received an Unmanned Aircraft this week, the fourth to be based at National Air Security Operations Center Sierra Vista, Ariz. Flights performed from this location reportedly will provide critical aerial surveillance to CBP border security personnel on the ground along the Southwest border. The arrival of the Predator-B marks the second of two unmanned aircraft earmarked in the supplemental budget provisions identified in August 2010.
CBP's Unmanned Aircraft Systems operate under several FAA-approved Certificates of Authorization that enable CBP to deploy a UAS in the national airspace. On the southwest border, the first COA allows access into Texas from Arizona to just west of the Big Bend border area. The second COA enables CBP to launch and recover a UAS from Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, and to operate along the entire Texas land border with Mexico, the coast, and over open water.
On the southwest border, CBP now operates a total of six Predator-B's from SierraVista, Ariz., and Corpus Christi, Texas. The missions from these two centers will allow CBP to deploy its unmanned aircraft from the eastern tip of California across the common Mexican land borders of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas.
CBP identified Arizona as a location for its ninth UAS because it will allow for the greatest support of the CBP Air and Marine Strategic Plan to secure the shared land border between United States and Mexico, and will allow for the most effective execution of counter-drug operations and Homeland Security missions.
Additionally, basing a fourth UAS in Sierra Vista will best posture CBP for rapid deployment throughout the southern tier of the U.S. and the Western Hemisphere. This operational capability increases CBP's ability to provide disaster relief and humanitarian support in the Gulf Coast region.
Since the inception of the UAS program, CBP has flown more than 12,000 UAS hours in support of border security operations and CBP partners in disaster relief and emergency response, including various state governments and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The efforts of this program has led to the total seizure of approximately 46,600 pounds of illicit drugs and the detention of approximately 7,500 individuals suspected in engaging in illegal activity along the Southwest Border.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
BA/VAA price fixing fraud
For Nigerians flying the Lagos route, the face off between British Airways, BA and Virgin Atlantic and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA is long overdue. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways are notorious for charging excessively for flights between Lagos to London, until when Arik Air began to operate on that route. The rate in Ghana is Lower than that of Nigeria and the route from Ghana to London is Longer than that of Nigeria in terms of distance. British Airways charges N1.35m for a first class return ticket while in Accra, it is N773,000 while for the upper club class. the rates of 918,234 from Lagos as against 481, 498 from Accra. like BA, VAA air fare from Lagos to London is 821,000 as against 385,000 from Accra. Lufthansa and other foreign airlines also charge higher than others.
These foreign airlines do not exploit passengers from their countries or other countries as they do in Nigeria. in my own view NCAA acted well by intervening in the unfolding drama.
"Our doors are open to foreign airlines to explore Nigeria and the business opportunities the country has to offer, but our doors are closed to exploitation" those were the stern warning of Harold Demuren, the NCAA Director General of NCAA when another foreign airline, United Airlines launched its inaugural flights from Lagos to Houston, non stop direct flight. the warning was against the backdrop of an investigation in to the affairs of BA and VAA. NCAA investigation just concluded a six month investigation and found that BA and VAA erred in the areas of pricing and therefore the airlines were made to cough out $135m and $100 respectively as ompensation.
The challenge in enforcing the payment of the fine is though as there are no anti trust laws in the country thus placing it at a disadvantage when doing business with foreigners. The legislature has been foot dragging on the passage of the anti trust bill since 2002 and thus it is a disservice to the country's aviation industry. The price exploitation is not only applicable to Lagos - London route alone but also to other routes.
The problem in Nigeria's Aviation industry is that our domestic carriers do not have the capacity to compete with the foreign ones. When the foreign airlines operate profitably with Boeing 777s, 767s, 747s, A330s and A340s which is 85% we reply with Boeing 737s which is just 25%.
the main reason why they cannot compete favorably because they are undercapitalised and thus cannot acquire bigger jets.
A Boeing 777 cost between $245m to $300m. How many of our domestic carriers can afford that?
To save our airlines from collapsing, a regulated merger will strengthen them so also they (airlines)can also code share. NCAA should also go ahead by preparing a market for them via public expenditure traveling by compelling government to fly the local carriers. it will serve as a lifeline to them and a stimulus for investment
These foreign airlines do not exploit passengers from their countries or other countries as they do in Nigeria. in my own view NCAA acted well by intervening in the unfolding drama.
"Our doors are open to foreign airlines to explore Nigeria and the business opportunities the country has to offer, but our doors are closed to exploitation" those were the stern warning of Harold Demuren, the NCAA Director General of NCAA when another foreign airline, United Airlines launched its inaugural flights from Lagos to Houston, non stop direct flight. the warning was against the backdrop of an investigation in to the affairs of BA and VAA. NCAA investigation just concluded a six month investigation and found that BA and VAA erred in the areas of pricing and therefore the airlines were made to cough out $135m and $100 respectively as ompensation.
The challenge in enforcing the payment of the fine is though as there are no anti trust laws in the country thus placing it at a disadvantage when doing business with foreigners. The legislature has been foot dragging on the passage of the anti trust bill since 2002 and thus it is a disservice to the country's aviation industry. The price exploitation is not only applicable to Lagos - London route alone but also to other routes.
The problem in Nigeria's Aviation industry is that our domestic carriers do not have the capacity to compete with the foreign ones. When the foreign airlines operate profitably with Boeing 777s, 767s, 747s, A330s and A340s which is 85% we reply with Boeing 737s which is just 25%.
the main reason why they cannot compete favorably because they are undercapitalised and thus cannot acquire bigger jets.
A Boeing 777 cost between $245m to $300m. How many of our domestic carriers can afford that?
To save our airlines from collapsing, a regulated merger will strengthen them so also they (airlines)can also code share. NCAA should also go ahead by preparing a market for them via public expenditure traveling by compelling government to fly the local carriers. it will serve as a lifeline to them and a stimulus for investment
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