Most popular posts for August 2020

1.) Introducing the Beechcraft King Air 360 - Textron Aviation ushered in the next generation of its legendary King Air turboprop family on Tuesday with the introduction of the Beechcraft King Air 360/360ER. [Full story]

2.) What happens when a drone gets ingested by an aircraft engine, FAA ready to conduct live test - The inclusion of large numbers of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS) may pose unique hazards to other aircraft sharing the airspace. [Full story]

3.) AS2 supersonic business jet to be built at new Florida research park - Space Florida is pleased to announce it has finalized a multi-million-dollar investment in Aerion Supersonic to accelerate the hiring of employees and development of the company's new state-of-the-art campus – Aerion Park – in Melbourne, Fla. [Full story]

4.) Second Cessna SkyCourier test article takes flight - Textron Aviation announced Tuesday the successful flight of its second Cessna SkyCourier flight test article (P1). [Full story]

5.) United Airlines adds new nonstop flights to four popular Florida destinations - United Airlines announced Tuesday plans to add up to 28 daily nonstop flights this winter connecting customers in Boston, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, New York/LaGuardia, Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio to four popular Florida destinations. [Full story]

Textron delivers King Air 350ER aircraft to Victoria Police

Textron Aviation announced Tuesday it delivered a Beechcraft King Air 350ER aircraft to Australian aviation service company Skytraders, which will operate and maintain the aircraft on behalf of Victoria Police.

The Beechcraft King Air 350ER is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation Inc.

The King Air 350ER will primarily support Victoria Police Air Wing and its team of Tactical Flight Officers, who lead airborne law enforcement, training, search and rescue, and extended offshore marine safety missions throughout the state of Victoria, Australia.

“By integrating the King Air 350ER into their fleet, Victoria Police Air Wing greatly enhances the capabilities of the professionals who respond to more than 5,000 taskings every year,” said Bob Gibbs, vice president, Special Mission Sales for Textron Aviation.

The custom-configured mission package for Victoria Police includes advanced mission management system, ground moving target indicator object detection, Tactical Flight Officer workstations, tactical radios, satellite communications and a data downlink. The extended range King Air is also fitted with optional factory installed Pratt and Whitney PT6A-67A engines.

Introducing the Beechcraft King Air 360

Textron Aviation ushered in the next generation of its legendary King Air turboprop family on Tuesday with the introduction of the Beechcraft King Air 360/360ER. The updated flagship turboprop offers the latest technological advancements in the cockpit, a redesigned cabin, and enhancements to passenger comfort. The aircraft is currently in production with customer deliveries expected to begin in the fall of 2020.

Cockpit upgrades

A key feature of the King Air 360 cockpit is the addition of the Innovative Solutions & Support ThrustSense Autothrottle. The autothrottle supports pilots in their critical mission of delivering people or cargo safely by automatically managing engine power from the takeoff roll through the climb, cruise, descent, go-around and landing phases of flight. This enhancement reduces pilot workload and supports them in their continuous vigilance to prevent over-speed or under-speed, over-temp and over-torque conditions.

Another important update in the cockpit is the new digital pressurization controller, which automatically schedules cabin pressurization during both climb and descent, reducing pilot workload and increasing overall passenger comfort. The pressurization gauges have been integrated with the powerful Collins Aerospace Pro Line Fusion flight deck.

Cabin upgrades

With seating for up to nine passengers, the latest King Air offers an even greater passenger experience than its predecessor. The aircraft features a cabin altitude of 5,960 feet at a typical cruising altitude of 27,000 feet – more than 10 percent lower when compared to the King Air 350i. The improved cabin altitude levels provide greater comfort for passengers, especially during longer flights.

A redesigned bespoke cabin design features a stunning new look with custom-built cabinetry, partitions and side ledges, upgraded materials and finishes, along with all new interior schemes.

Nearly 7,600 Beechcraft King Air turboprops have been delivered to customers around the world since 1964.

NASA orders avionics and autopilot upgrade for research aircraft

NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center operates a Beechcraft B200 aircraft, tail number N801NA, serial number BB-1164. The current avionics and autopilot suite, a critical aircraft system that projects rely on for accuracy, on the aircraft has been problematic for reliable operation and have been known to cause issues during research flight campaigns. Additionally, the aircraft needs RVSM capability, ADS-B In/Out, and TCAS/TAWS capabilities. “These are requirements for future projects, and they need to be addressed,” NASA officials said in contract documents released Wednesday.

The avionics and autopilot upgrade to N801NA will include:

• G1000 Platinum Package with Synthetic Vision, including RVSM capabilities. Includes standby ADI, airspeed indicators and altimeter. Headset compatible, tie-in to audio panel.
• Weather Radar upgrade (GWX-70).
• ADS-B In/Out upgrade.
• TCAS/TAWS upgrade, replace Skywatch 497 with Garmin GTW 825.
• ADF compatible (currently ADF-60, upgrade to ADF-60A for compatibility with G1000).
• Tie in the existing UHF radio to the G1000 suite.
• Update the current DME-40s and Radio Altimeter (not compatible with G1000) to a DME-42 and Garmin Radio Altimeter and tie-in to G1000 package.
• Retain the existing equipment that was removed to keep as spares for other B200 aircraft.

The work necessary to complete the avionics and autopilot upgrades shall be completed at a contractor’s facility.

All work should be completed within 20 business days of the arrival of N801NA to the contractor.

US Forest Service calls for avionics upgrade aboard fire mapping plane

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service - Utah Acquisition Support Center, is conducting market research regarding the availability of potential sources to complete the avionics/engine instrumentation refurbishment of plane N149Z, a Beechcraft B200C King Air (this aircraft is currently used for infrared fire detection and mapping). The Forest Service announced the avionics upgrade in a Sources Sought Notice released Friday.

“This will require that all avionics and engine indicating systems be removed to allow for installation of a Garmin G1000 system accompanied by a Becker Audio System,” officials said in the notice. “Several new items installed have upcoming FAA mandates such as ADS-B.”

Companies interested in supporting the project should contact the U.S. Forest Service no later than Sept. 18.

Beech twin-engine plane crashes in Saltville, Va.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash of a Beech BE55 aircraft in Saltville, Va.

The plane, a 1965 Beechcraft Baron 55 twin engine (tail number N5816S), is registered to LWF Inc. of Wilmington, Del., according to Federal Aviation Administration records.

Additional information: Missing plane located in Smyth County; no survivors

Beechcraft Baron, eye in the sky for ISR missions

Military and law enforcement agencies across the globe will find the mission persistence of the Beechcraft Baron ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) to be efficient and effective.

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Report released on May 2012 mid-air collision over Warrenton, Va.

Click on image to enlarge.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its investigation report Thursday into the mid-air collision between a Piper PA-28 and a Beechcraft Bonanza on May 28, 2012.

"This accident shows once again that the see-and-avoid principle is inadequate for preventing collisions between aircraft flying under visual flight rules (VFR)," said Jon Lee, TSB's Investigator-in-Charge. "Additional defenses must be put in place to prevent mid-air collisions among VFR aircraft."

The Piper (tail number N23C) was registered to and piloted by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employee Thomas Proven, and the Beechcraft (tail number N6658R) was registered to and piloted by National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) employee James Duncan. Given the unique circumstances surrounding the ownership and operation of the aircraft, the TSB accepted delegation of the accident investigation from the NTSB in accordance with international convention.

The Beechcraft was in a shallow climb, headed southbound, being operated VFR for the purposes of a biennial flight review. The Piper was in level flight, under VFR, and was heading in a southeasterly direction. The aircraft collided at approximately 1,800 feet above sea level just after 4 p.m. EDT in the area of Warrenton, Va.

The Beechcraft broke up in flight and the pilot and flight instructor on board were fatally injured. Proven, the sole occupant of the Piper, conducted a forced landing in a pasture approximately six nautical miles south of the Warrenton-Fauquier Airport.

“The TSB remains concerned that yet again, the defenses available to avert a mid-air collision between VFR aircraft in congested airspace have failed,” the board said in their report. “As VFR traffic increases, additional lines of defense should be considered to reduce the risk of a mid-air collision. These include changes in airspace classification, increased air traffic control intervention, ground-based and on board technology.

“A meaningful improvement to the ability to see-and-avoid other VFR aircraft may require on board technology capable of directly alerting pilots to the proximity of conflicting traffic. A number of viable and economical on board alerting systems exist or are under development. Had one or both of these aircraft been equipped with some form of the technology, the risk of collision would have been reduced. The report identified that there is a high risk of mid-air collision in congested airspace when aircraft are not alerted to the presence of another aircraft and rely solely on the see-and-avoid principle.”

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