FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
2001
2001 - 0023.PDF
GENERAL AVIATION M-309 takes advantage of FAA fast-track certification GRAHAM WARWICK/WASHINGTON DC ADAM AIRCRAFT plans to use a US Federal Aviation Ad ministration (FAA) streamlined certification process to compress the development schedule for its M-309 piston twin. The Denver, Colorado-based company has had its first meetings with the FAA under the agency's Certification Process Improve ment (CPI) initiative, says chief executive John Knudsen. The CPI involves more direc tion and feedback from the FAA early in the certification process and allows increased use of third- party FAA-designated engineering and airworthiness experts (DERs and DARs). Knudson admits Adam is already working with the FAA ahead of filing its application for a Part 23 type certificate. He adds: "It's more of a partnership in the certification process. A more open process, with free-flowing communications, better schedul ing and more flexibility." Use of DERs and DARs "will provide flexibility in scheduling tests because we won't have to wait for an FAA person", he says. Adam plans to begin production of the Burt Rutan-designed, all-compos ite M-309 in 2003. A proof-of- concept aircraft, built by Rutan's Scaled Composites, has been flying since March, and die first of "three or four" conforming certification- test prototypes is expected to fly within 18 months, Knudsen says. Adam plans to unveil initial pric ing for the six-seat pressurised twin this month. Knudsen says the greatest interest in the aircraft is from operators of the Cessna 337 Skymaster, as they are already familiar with the advantages offered by the M-309's centreline-dirust layout. • Flying Partners adds to its Citation fleet BELGIAN fixed-base operator Flying Partners has placed a €20.3 million ($18.2 million) order for three Cessna Citation jets, marking the largest Citation order ever in Belgium. The order is for two Bravos and one Encore, widi aircraft deliveries to the Antwerp-based operator scheduled to commence in January next year. Flying Partners founder and chief executive officer Bernard Van Milders says: "Our decision to in vest in die new Encore and Bravos is based on the airplanes' high level of reliability, low operating cost and cabin comfort." Flying Partners already operates a Citation fleet fipm Antwerp air port, including a Citation III, two Citation SIIs, a Citation I-SP and a Cessna 425 Conquest. A Citation Ultra is scheduled to join the fleet diis year. Flying Partners is part of Flying Group and specialises in fraction al-ownership operations, while sis ter company Flying Service provides charter aircraft. The group's maintenance com pany Flying Support was sched uled to merge with Flying Service attheendoflastyear. • Bombardier to tackle backlog Demand for the Bombardier Global Express shows no sign of abating BOMBARDIER' HAS added another Global Express com pletion centre to its network in a bid to reduce a delivery backlog. Work has already been farmed out to BFGoodrich Aerospace, tire Jet Center of Van Nuys, and the UK's Marshall Aerospace. Now die Jet Center of Santa Barbara, Calif ornia, has started completion, work on one Global Express and a sec ond will arrive soon. By die end of last, year, 70 "green" Global Expresses had been delivered, of which just 22 had entered service. Most of the aircraft are being outfitted at Bombardier's centres in Montreal and Tucson, Arizona, but die first Jet Center and Marshall's Global Expresses will be handed over early diis year. While completion rime for die long-range business jet is down from 50 weeks for die initial air craft, it has not reduced as fast as Bombardier had hoped, hence die addition of extra completion capacity. Each of die four outside centres under contract can handle up to four aircraft at a time. The pressure will not ease as Bombardier plans to continue Glo bal Express output at its current high rate throughout this year, tackling a backlog of more dian 50 firm orders. This includes aircraft for die company's Flexjet fraction al ownership programme. The first Global Express for Flexjet is now nearing completion at the BFGoodrich Aerospace plant in Everett, Washington. • NEWS IN BRIEF • THAI HELICOPTERS CHC Helicopters Internat ional and its subsidiary Thai Aviation Services have won a Chevron Offshore (Thai land) contract, worth an expected C$18 million ($11.8 million), to establish a base at Utapao and to place a newly acquired Sikorsky S-76 into service, bringing its fleet in Thailand to 10 medium and heavy helicopters. • EMBRAER LEGACY Embraer has tendered a proposal to supply the Indian air force with staff transport aircraft. The Brazilian manu facturer declines to specify the quantity and model of aircraft, but industry sources suggest the bid involves the ERJ-135 or its recently launched VIP trans port version, the Embraer Legacy. The air force is understood to be seeking jet-powered staff transport aircraft to complement the two Boeing 737-2A8s in service with the Air Headquarters Communica tion Squadron based at Delhi-Palam. • CIRRUS CENTURY Cirrus Design has delivered its 100th SR20 piston single, and is scheduled to hand over the first uprated SR22 later this month. The company began deliveries in 1999 and plans to build 300 aircraft this year, with production to be split evenly between the SR20 and SR22 by the end of the year. Cirrus has a back log of 450 SR20s and 192 SR22s. • C0MAIR CHALLENGES Comair Jet Express, a sub sidiary of Delta Air Lines, has added a third large cabin Bombardier Challenger 604 to its fleet of charter aircraft. The new addition replaces a Challenger 601. The aircraft is based in Lexington, Kentucky. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 2 - 8 January 2001 21
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
