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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 1141.PDF
GDAS to make dynamic re-entry GRAHAM WARWICK/WASHINGTON DC AFAMILIAR NAME has returned to aviation with the formation of General Dynamics Aviation Services (GDAS) as an offshoot of Gulfstream's aircraft maintenance business. GDAS has been formed follow ing the February acquisition of four regional maintenance centres from Signature Flight Support. The four centres in Dallas, Las Vegas, Minneapolis and West Palm Beach have been combined with the former Gulfstream site at Westfield, Massachusetts, to form a network offering maintenance services for other manufacturers' business jets. The initial focus is on Bombardier Challengers, Dassault Falcons and Raytheon Hawkers. Gulfstream entered the "other people's aircraft" maintenance and refurbishment market in 1998 before its take-over by GD, through the acquisition of K-C Aviation The creation of GDAS as a separate entity within GD's Aerospace group signals the parent company's intention to grow its aviation services business, says executive vice-president Bill Boisture. As Gulfstream's own Aviation Services arm has over 70% of the market for maintenance of Gulfstream business jets, the opportunity for growth is in main taining other makes of business jet, says GDAS president Larry Flynn. The company has around 10% of the US market for maintenance of Challengers, Falcons and Hawkers. The two operations were sepa rated "to grow the services business while maintaining the focus of Gulfstream", says Flynn. GDAS will adopt service features from Gulfstream's maintenance arm, including three-shift, round-the- clock coverage to reduce aircraft downtime. It is hoped the GD name will make it easier to secure service authorisations from com peting manufacturers. GDAS, particularly, is targeting fractional ownership programmes: "Fractional fleets have no home base and need more than one place to go to for maintenance. And we work over the weekend," says Flynn, noting that Las Vegas and Palm Beach are among the most popular destinations for fractional owners. • Certification of an enhanced vision system (EVS) on the Gulfstream V business jet is now scheduled for July or August. Work had been delayed by the lack of a test aircraft, but installation of the production EVS on a GV will begin in mid-April. Cessna queries FAA safety inspection call CESSNA IS questioning the US National Transportation Board (NTSB) call for an airwor thiness directive (AD) requiring landing-gear inspections on sever al thousand piston singles. The NTSB has recommended that the Federal Aviation Adminis tration issue an AD requiring ins pection of main gear spring struts for cracks and corrosion on tail- wheel-configured Cessna 170s, 180s, 185s, 190s and 195s, requiring removal of die spring struts within 1 OOh and regularly thereafter. The recommendation was prompted by a September 1999 accident in Alaska, when the left main gear of a ski-equipped 185 collapsed on landing. The NTSB says 16of 76,000 aircraft in service have experienced spring strut fail ures since 1984. Cessna claims only 16,000 air craft may be affected and that fail ures are As do with operational conditions: **Nine out of 10 of the incidents were'in Alaska on aircraft fitted with skis or tundra tyres," it says • Van's flies RV-7 kitplane upgrade VAN'S AIRCRAFTJias flown an improved version of its best-selling &V6 two-seat aero- batic kitplfne. The new RV-7 will make its public debut at the Sun 'n' Fun show later this month. Aurora, Oregon-based Van's has shipped over 6,000 RV-6 kits since 1986, and more than 1,000 aircraft have been completed. The RV-7 incorporates advances that im prove performance and make the all-metal aircraft easier to build. The RV-7 accommodates Tex tron Lycoming engines up to 150kW(200hp), compared with 135kW for the RV-6. Never- exceed speed is raised to 200kt (3 70km/h) and wing-span and fuel capacity are increased. Legroom, headroom, visibility and useful load have also been improved. Deliveries of the $16,500 RV-7 kit have begun, and completion will be 30% quicker than for the $ 13,700 RV-6 kit. A quick-build kit will be available later this year. Van's will support RV-6 builders "for the foreseeable future", but may stop selling new kits. Recent buyers may be able to complete their aircraft as an RV-7, Van's says. • Gulfstream completed proof-of- concept testing with the Kollsman- developed EVS in September, with over 100 approaches in various weather conditions. The test air craft was then delivered to a cus tomer and certification testing had to wait for the availability of aircraft 501, the GV that will be used to flight-test aerodynamic refine ments for the GV-SP. It is due to fly in June or July, with 30-40 more approaches required for certifica tion of the EVS, Gulfstream says. The company says the EVS improves safety when landing in low visibility. A forward-looking infrared sensor and head-up dis play will also reduce the risk of run way incursions and controlled flight into terrain, Gulfstream believes. Several customers have already ordered the EVS, which will be certificated later on the GIV-SP and GV-SP. • Van V all-metal RV-7 is heading to Sun 'n' Fun to make its public debut NEWS IN BRIEF • JET PROFIT International aviation ser vices company Jet Aviation has reported record revenues of SFr 841 million ($500 mil lion) for last year, and record operating profits of SFr58 million. All lines of business and geographic regions showed improved perfor mance compared to 1999. • GLOBALRVSM Bombardier has clinched Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) approval for its Global Express ultra- long-range business jet from Transport Canada, the US Federal Aviation Adminis tration and the European Joint Aviation Authorities. • OCCITANIA APPROVAL Occitania now has UK Civil Aviation Authority approval for Dassault Falcon 50 busi ness jets to land at London City Airport. It is also seek ing approval for its Cessna Citations and Falcon 900s. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 3 - 9 Apri I 2001
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