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May 09, 2022

Airborne 05.09.22: Citation XLS Gen2, Jet A Prices, FAA v Starship

Also: Virgin Atlantic’s About-Face, Drone Safety Day, ALPA Targets Mismanaged Bailouts, ERAU Av-APP

Textron recently received FAA type certification for the Cessna Citation XLS Gen 2, and a lucky long-time operation was the recipient for the first unit off the production line. According to Mr. Lannie O’Bannion, Senior VP, Global Sales & Flight Operations, “loyal Citation customers inspire us to continually invest in bringing the latest design and technology to our product line.” Fuel pricing is skyrocketing... again. Word on the ramp is that Jet A prices, in some areas, equal or exceed that of 100LL, regardless of whether you’re at the pump or the truck. Those whose winged chariots run on 100LL are probably accustomed to

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Cessna Citation XLS Gen2 Graduates To Delivery

Straight Outta Wichita! Cessna Citation XLS Gen2 Is On The Loose

Textron Aviation Inc (TAI) recently received FAA type certification for its newest business jet, the Cessna Citation XLS Gen 2, and a lucky long-time operation was the recipient for the first unit off the production line. According to Mr. Lannie O’Bannion, Senior VP, Global Sales & Flight Operations, “loyal Citation customers inspire us to continually invest in bringing the latest design and technology to our product line.”

ElectroAir’s Dual Electronic Magnetos Kicks Bendix King To the Curb

ElectroAir’s President, Michael Kobylick was pleased to confirm that his company recently received STC approval from the FAA to expand their current STC’s to do dual electronic ignition systems. Included in that STC approval was the approval to replace the Bendix-King single-drive dual magneto for both four- and six-cylinder applications. Mr. Kobylick went on to say “this unit (pointing to a Bendix-King Magneto) has a very colorful history, no less than 9 AD (Airworthiness Directive) notes on it, frankly I consider it one of the more dangerous pie

Virgin Atlantic LHR to JFK Flight Does An About Face; Replaces First Officer

In an interesting twist that Virgin Atlantic referred to as a ‘rostering error, an international flight that has just departed Heathrow Airport (LHR) in the United Kingdom bound for John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) in the USA did an about face and returned to base. Some 30+ minutes into the flight, it was discovered that the First Officer (FO) who was almost lucky enough to get the chance to experience the aircraft (perhaps the Boeing 787-9 or Airbus A350-1000 as that is what they seem to be using for that route) had not completed a ‘final flight assessment.’

Another Deadline Come and Gone for SpaceX Environmental Assessment

SpaceX is going to keep waiting on the FAA, as the estimated release date for the requisite environmental review of their proposed Starship has passed once again. The FAA has to complete the review, known in bureaucrat circles as the Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA), before the South Texas Starbase site can become operational. The agency published a draft last fall, initially saying the final report would be complete before year's end - 4 months ago.

India’s Hindustan HAL-228 Gets Modern With Genesys Aerosystems S-TEC4000R

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), an Indian state-owned aircraft manufacturer has selected Genesys Systems’ S-TEC 4000R autopilot for its HINDUSTAN-228 aircraft. The HINDUSTAN-228 is an interesting looking aircraft, it’s a twin-engine turboprop, high-wing, boxy-looking like a Short 360, but slimmer, and 54 feet long. It originally began life as the Dornier 228 that was designed and manufactured by Dornier/Fairchild-Dornier) from 1981-1998, and in 1983, HAL (not to be confused with HAL of the Space Odyssey movie), bought a production license, and here we are.

Happy Mother's Day... Delta Pilots Protest Delta Maternity Leave Benefits

Currently, Maternity Pay Terminates For Pilots Six To Eight Weeks After Delivery

As Mother’s Day approached, Delta’s 13,700 pilots have protested the airline’s lack of effective accommodations, guidance, and support for new pilot mothers. Currently, maternity pay terminates for pilots six to eight weeks after delivery. Should a pilot need to stay home with her newborn beyond this time, she must go on unpaid leave and incur a substantial increase in health insurance premiums as a nonactive employee. Depending upon the pilot’s health plan, premiums can increase by as much as $2,200 a month.

Astronics Pushes CorePower To Support Electric Aircraft Industry

Astronics Corporation’s CorePower line of products, specifically for Airframe Power, has been expanded to include new offerings to its high-voltage power conversion (950VDC to 28VDC) and high voltage/high current solid state switching devices for bi- and uni-directional power distribution with load protection. Astronics stated that the new lineup is flexible and modular, and that intelligence has been added to ever element of the power system to meet industry standards.

Pilot 'Noticed A Dramatic Drop In Oil Pressure To 14 PSI'

On March 12, 2022, about 1245 central standard time, a Beech A36, N9410Q, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Heavener, Oklahoma. The pilot and passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the flight was from the Bentonville Municipal Airport/Louise M Thaden Field (VBT), Bentonville, Arkansas, to the Mena Intermountain Municipal Airport (MEZ), Mena, Arkansas.

Aero Linx: Air Marshal Association Our predecessor association, FAMSNJ, was formed in 2009. We merged with another group of unrepresented TSA employees to be the OLE component of a TSA-wide professional organization. It became apparent that FAMs stood alone, both in the severity of discipline and the lack of avenues of redress. In March of 2013, the FAMs split away and formed the AMA under the guidance of the Communication Workers of America/AFL-CIO. It became quickly apparent that a traditional union was not a good fit for federal agents, so in 2015 we ended our affiliation with the CWA and formed the Air Marshal Association.

Instrument Approach Procedure [ICAO] A series of predetermined maneuvers by reference to flight instruments with specified protection from obstacles from the initial approach fix, or where applicable, from the beginning of a defined arrival route to a point from which a landing can be completed and thereafter, if a landing is not completed, to a position at which holding or en route obstacle clearance criteria apply.

“The majority of Delta’s female pilots are the primary wage earners in their family. For women looking for a long-term career in such a competitive job market, this inadequate maternity benefit could be a dealbreaker.” Source: F/O Alison Britton, chair of the Delta Airlines Pilot Family Matters Committee, commenting on Delta’s 13,700 pilots -- who have protested the airline’s lack of effective accommodations, guidance, and support for new pilot mothers.