Bell Helicopter’s Canadian Supply Center Expands Offerings
December 15, 2009
FORT WORTH, Texas (Nov. 10, 2009) – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced that its Canadian Supply Center is now providing Honeywell T53 engine spare parts and accessories in Canada.
The Canadian Supply Center has entered into a distribution agreement with McTurbine, Inc., a Honeywell approved independent service center, to be their approved distributor for Honeywell T53 engine parts and accessories in Canada. Customers may place orders for these Honeywell parts directly with their supply center account manager using their existing Bell spares accounts.
Colin Bartole, general manager of Bell’s Canadian Supply Center said, “This agreement supports our mandate of being a one-stop supplier for all our customers needs and allows us to continue to expand our customer offerings. We want to be known as a complete service provider for our customers.”
Bell’s regional supply centers are strategically located around the world to provide customers with parts and accessories in a timely manner. Last year the Calgary center relocated into a 38,000 sq. ft. facility to accommodate expansion of their support and service offerings.
CAE to apply MFOQA concepts to simulator training applications in pioneering US DoD research initiative
December 15, 2009
MONTREAL, QUEBEC–(Marketwire – Dec. 14, 2009) – (NYSE:CAE)(TSX:CAE) – CAE today announced that its CAE Flightscape and CAE USA businesses have been selected by Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC) for a demonstration/validation initiative to demonstrate the benefits of applying Military Flight Operations Quality Assurance (MFOQA) concepts to the full-flight simulator (FFS) training environment for accident prevention and mishap reduction. The demonstration/validation initiative is funded by the U.S. Defense Safety Oversight Council (DSOC) through the National Defense Center for Energy and Environment (NDCEE) and is operated by CTC.
The concept, known as Simulator Operations Quality Assurance (SOQA), will involve researchers collecting statistics generated from flight data from FFS training sessions for comparison with statistics from flight data from the actual aircraft (MFOQA). The SOQA initiative will also explore the potential for developing evidenced-based training scenarios using objective flight data from known MFOQA events or mishaps.
“This initiative has significant potential to improve flight safety,” said Everett Smith, leader for MFOQA and safety technologies, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (OUSD), Readiness Programming and Assessment (RP&A). Smith foresees the potential transitioning of the technology to not only C-40 operations in the United States Air Force (USAF) but also across the Department of Defense. “The results of this demonstration effort will assist the military services in determining follow-on SOQA actions,” said Smith.
The 11-month evaluation will be conducted on a Boeing 737 full-flight simulator at CAE SimuFlite in Dallas, Texas, beginning this month. The USAF flies the C-40 military version of the 737. The aircraft type was chosen for the demonstration due to its commonality with commercial aviation operations.
The evaluation will also use CAE Flightscape’s Insight flight data analysis and flight animation software technology. The USAF Safety Center’s Mishap Animation and Analysis Facility (MAAF) at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, has been using Insight for flight data analysis of mishaps since their inception in 1996 and selected the new Insight Flight Animation product for their MFOQA program in 2006. Using the same technology for analyzing MFOQA events, mishaps and for debriefing simulator sessions greatly facilitates collaboration on the DSOC demonstration/validation initiative.
“CAE believes that flight data analysis technology can facilitate increased connectivity between MFOQA safety programs and the synthetic training environment to help train pilots how to prevent mishaps by exposing them to training scenarios based on actual MFOQA events and/or mishaps,” said Mike Poole, CAE Flightscape Executive Director and Chief Investigator. “CAE is very pleased to be partnering with the U.S. DoD in this emerging field of evidence-based training. By using a 737 simulator as a test bed, the results should provide benefit to the commercial aviation training community as well.”
Concurrent Technologies Corporation is an independent, non-profit, applied scientific research and development professional services organization providing innovative management and technology-based solutions.
CAE Flightscape is a world leader in safety of flight science and flight data analysis. The CAE business develops software tools that enable the effective study and understanding of recorded flight data to improve safety, maintenance, and flight operations.
Armed BLACK HAWK Demonstrator Completes Test Program
December 15, 2009
Customer Demo Shows Sikorsky Helicopter’s Weapons in Action
STRATFORD, Conn., Dec. 14, 2009 – Sikorsky Military Systems, a business unit of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., and Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ:ESLT) have successfully completed the Armed BLACK HAWK (ABH) demonstrator program, proof-of concept for the development BATTLEHAWK™ helicopter. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).
The ABH demonstrator program recently concluded in Israel with an opportunity for Sikorsky customers from around the world to observe the aircraft up close. Sikorsky Test Pilot Bill Fell provided a tutorial of the ABH demonstrator cockpit while the aircraft was on static display. Following the cockpit demonstration, customers visited a local military testing range where they observed a live-firing demonstration. The demonstration flight was conducted by Fell and an Israeli Air Force pilot.
“The successful conclusion of the demonstrator program signifies a major milestone for the Armed BLACK HAWK helicopter program,” said David Powell, Sikorsky Vice President, Worldwide Sales. “Sikorsky Aircraft has invested significant resources into this program in cooperation with the Israeli Air Force to prove the concept of these weapons, and we are pleased to announce that the technologies have been affirmed through our efforts. Together with Elbit Systems, and suppliers NEXTER and Rafael, we have established a winning combination for the success of the BATTLEHAWK helicopter program.”
The ABH demonstrator Flight Test program, which began in September 2008, was a cooperative effort between Sikorsky Aircraft and the government of Israel in conjunction with Elbit Systems Ltd., which is in charge of mission avionics and weapon systems integration. The program’s purpose was to produce an armed demonstrator for evaluation by the Israeli Air Force.
“I believe both companies benefited from this successful test program and we are looking forward to our next joint projects,” said Yoram Shmuely, Executive Vice President and Co-General Manager of Elbit Systems’ Aerospace Division.
The ABH demonstrator program tested an electro-optical guided missile, a laser-guided missile, a new laser-guided rocket system, and a 20-mm turreted gun. The production BATTLEHAWK helicopter will come equipped with a full suite of armed reconnaissance and attack capabilities, including an integrated helmet display Electro Optic Payload (EOP) and weapons options that include missiles, rockets, and fixed forward and turreted guns. These are available on new-build aircraft or as a kit that can be retrofitted onto existing BLACK HAWK helicopter platforms.
The BATTLEHAWK helicopter will provide medium-lift capability and firepower that cannot be duplicated by current dedicated utility or attack platforms. The aircraft can be used in either combat or peace time for such missions as troop transport, search and rescue, and disaster relief. On the modern battlefield, the BATTLEHAWK helicopter combines unique capabilities of advanced attack and accurate weapons delivery with deployment of fast-reaction teams.
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service. United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.
Cessna Pilot Centers Gain FAA 141 Approval for New Training Course
December 15, 2009
WICHITA, Kan., Dec. 14, 2009 Cessna Aircraft Company, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today recognized four Cessna Pilot Centers as the first training schools to gain approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 141 to use Cessna’s new Sport/Private Pilot Course in their private pilot certificate training programs.
The Cessna Pilot Centers gaining Part 141 approval are: Air Fleet Training Systems Inc., Fairfield, N.J.; Snohomish Flying Service, Snohomish, Wash.; Trade Winds Aviation (dba for Skyworks Inc.), San Jose, Calif.; and Pensacola Aviation Center, Pensacola, Fla. Many other Cessna Pilot Centers are also in the approval process to add the course to their training programs.
Cessna developed the new Sport/Private Pilot Course in association with King Schools of San Diego and released it to Cessna Pilot Centers in September after qualifying it for FAR Part 141 approval. The course is now the foundation of Cessna’s Flight Training System offered by the global CPC network.
The major advantages of the Cessna Flight Training System are that it’s Web-based for maximum customer flexibility, and it incorporates customizable scenarios for maximum instructor flexibility.
The Web-based system keeps track of every aspect of customer training and they can access training materials from any location where they have access to the Internet. And since the program is Web-based, changes and updates can be made instantly, with no replacement materials to distribute.
The Cessna Flight Training System also allows an instructor to customize the program to meet the requirements of the local training environment while not compromising the integrity of the training system.
Cessna Pilot Centers are flight training affiliates that use Cessna’s proprietary training curriculum and Cessna aircraft. There are more than 280 in the United States and around the world, offering customers an array of services including flight training.
DART Helicopter Services teams with Red Box International to distribute power units
December 15, 2009
Oceanside, Calif., Dec. 14, 2009 — DART Helicopter Services (DHS) today announced a new distribution agreement with Red Box International. DHS customers now have a source to all Red Box ground power and start units currently sold in North America.
“We are pleased to add Red Box units to our product catalog,” said DHS President Jeff Shapiro. ”This enables us to offer our customers a high quality, reliable range of ground support equipment.”
Some of the new products include the Red Box RBSC, which provides continuous power compatible with 28V aircraft systems, high-quality, highly portable engine starting systems, and combination start and continuous portable ground power units specially designed for heavy duty starting aircraft.
This affiliation further establishes the goal of Red Box International to provide customers with competitively priced, high quality, and technically advanced products,” said Adrian Jackson, special projects director for Red Box. “This is a great opportunity for both DHS and Red Box.”
Red Box ground power start units are capable of operating in extreme temperatures, ranging from -40˚F to +140˚F. Tough and compact, they are air transportable and maintenance free. Continuous power units provide stable 50,
100, 150 or 200 amp output at 28.5V DC. They are non-hazardous for air transport and can operate in temperatures ranging from -4˚F to +122˚F. Finally, the combination start and continuous power units offer a high charge retention and long storage life with a fast recharge and no cycling.
“By adding products like the Red Box ground power units, DHS is able to further strengthen its position as a company able to offer a complete range of high quality products that enhance rotorcraft operations,” Shapiro stated. Red Box joins over 20 other aftermarket product manufacturers DHS represents.
VivaAerobus looking to expand service in Mexico in 2010
December 15, 2009
The Mexican LCC’s CEO, Donal Rogers, has announced that the airline is investing $20 million next year in order to expand its presence throughout Mexico, he stated: “This will enable us to add four aircraft in the first quarter of 2010 and open up to 15 new destinations in Mexico as well as international destinations.”
Copa Airlines has added new B737-800 orders
December 15, 2009
Panama’s “model airline” announced last week that it has ordered two additional B737-800s for delivery in the second half of 2010. This brings its total next generation B737 orders this year to fifteen. Last July the airline ordered 13 NG B737s to be delivered in 2012 and 2015. The order also includes eight options for delivery between 2015 and 2017.
Peru is negotiating new routes to connect with the United States
December 15, 2009
The Peruvian minister of tourism and trade, Martin Perez, is in the US this week meeting with four US carriers that have shown interest in serving Peru. He announced that one US carrier has already confirmed its interest in serving Peru.
Volaris will operate from Mexico City’s AICM airport in January
December 15, 2009
The new service will include destinations in Texas, Illinois and California. The airline has announced that during 2010 it will open five new destinations in the United States from AICM airport. The Mexican LCC operates a fleet of 21 NG Airbus aircraft serving 38 routes in Mexico.
Avianca will replace its Fokker fleet of aircraft
December 15, 2009
The Colombian partner of the Avianca/TACA joint venture has announced that it plans to replace its fleet of 25 Fokker 100s and 50s and is considering both Embraer and Canada’s Bombardier.
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