Turbofan Pioneer Dr. Sam Williams Dies Dr. Sam Williams, founder and chairman of Williams International, died yesterday at the age of 88, according to a statement issued by his company. Williams patented the small turbofan engine and built on his company’s successful development of tiny cruise missile engines to break into the rarefied world of civil turbine engine manufacturers with introduction of the FJ44 line of turbofans. Winner of the Collier Trophy, the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy and the National Medal of Technology, Williams strived mightily to build a new category of aircraft–lightweight small personal jets. “Our objective is to replace aging, piston-powered light aircraft with all-new, four-place single and six-place twin turbofan-powered modern aircraft,” he said more than a decade ago. “This means we must develop a turbofan in the 700-pound-thrust category that is very low in cost at a high production rate, is extremely quiet, is light in weight, and is very reliable.” While the EJ22 civil version of the 700-pound FJX-2 wasn’t successful in the Eclipse 500 application, two FJX-2s powered Williams’s all-composite forward-swept-wing V-Jet II demonstrator, designed and built with Burt Rutan’s Scaled Composites. The FJ44 engine line spawned development of new light jets such as the Sino Swearingen (now Emivest) SJ30 and Cessna CitationJet series. According to Williams International, “Dr. Williams also applied his gift for innovation to the many charities he supported, especially through his promotion of inventors and inventions in medical research for cancer and degenerative eye diseases.” Williams is survived by Barbara Gibson Williams, his wife of 54 years, two sons, a daughter and three grandchildren. His son, Gregg G. Williams, current president and CEO of Williams International, will assume the title of chairman.
Free Training for Laid-off Bizav Pilots, Techs at FSI
FlightSafety International today announced the Proficiency Protection Program, which is intended to help maintain the currency of business aircraft pilots and maintenance technicians who have been laid off since January 1. Under the program, FlightSafety will offer a no-cost recurrent training course to pilots of business aircraft who were training under a full-service contract at the time of their job loss. The training will be provided in an aircraft type the pilot trained on under that agreement. Maintenance technicians who were enrolled in FlightSafety’s Master Technician program at the time they were laid off can receive the next course toward their Master Technician rating at no cost. This program will remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2009, according to the company. FlightSafety will schedule the training on an as-available basis and it must be started while the pilot or technician is unemployed. For pilots or mechanics to be eligible, the loss of employment must be a result of a staff reduction or job elimination that has occurred since January 1. Pilots and technicians who take advantage of this program are not required to repay the cost of the course or to enter into a new training agreement with FlightSafety once re-employed, the company said. Complete program details can be found on FlightSafety’s Web site.
Platinum Jet Defendant Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy
Andre Budhan, a cofounder of defunct charter operator Platinum Jet, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in a case relating to the 2005 crash of a Challenger 600 following an aborted takeoff at Teterboro (N.J.) Airport. Budhan, 42, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Newark, N.J., yesterday to conspiracy to defraud charter customers and brokers, and to impede and obstruct the FAA. In doing so, he admitted he and his conspirators booked and flew some 100 illegal flights for more than $1 million. At sentencing scheduled for October 5, Budhan faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss caused by his offense, whichever is greater. In addition, Judge Joseph Greenaway, Jr. must order Budhan to pay restitution to the victims of his offense. As part of the plea agreement, Budhan agreed that under advisory U.S. sentencing guidelines, he faces an actual sentencing range of between 46 and 57 months in federal prison. Budhan has five co-defendants, including Platinum Jet cofounders Michael and Paul Brassington, director of maintenance Brien McKenzie, director of charters Joseph Singh and pilot Francis Vieira. All five have pleaded not guilty and are scheduled to stand trial on January 19 next year.
Honeywell System Aims To Reduce Runway Excursions
Honeywell last week at the Paris Air Show launched SmartLanding, a product intended to reduce runway excursions by alerting pilots if the aircraft’s approach is unstable and at risk for an unsafe landing. “Runway excursions cost the global industry about $900 million every year,” said Honeywell Aerospace vice president for airlines Mike Madsen. “Honeywell’s SmartLanding for airline and business aviation reduces that risk by providing alerts to pilots if the aircraft is approaching the runway too high, too fast or is not configured properly for landing–common components of an unstabilized approach.” SmartLanding is a software enhancement to Honeywell’s EGPWS, which is already installed on more than 30,000 airline and business aircraft. Through a simple software upgrade to EGPWS, SmartLanding improves pilot situational awareness and helps break the chain of events that can lead to a runway excursion, by providing aural and visual alerts on the approach only if the aircraft has not met established safety criteria. Using GPS data, SmartLanding generates alerts by comparing aircraft position, speed and flight path with airport runway locations stored in Honeywell’s worldwide terrain and runway database.
Sikorsky S-76D Program Progressing on Schedule
According to Stratford, Conn.-based Sikorsky, two more S-76D prototypes will soon join the helicopter test program, which is expected to conclude next year with certification and first deliveries. Meanwhile, the company said last week at the Paris Air Show that it is continuing envelope expansion on the first prototype, dubbed D1, which has been flying since February 7. Since then, milestones reached by the aircraft include raising the landing gear, flying at various speeds, conducting maneuvers and flying with different loads as test pilots study the prototype’s performance. As of late last month, the aircraft had achieved forward flight at 120 knots and 25-degree-bank turns. The testing has also verified the performance and vibration characteristics of the new main rotor blades, which have flown to 155 knots on a flight-test S-76C, Sikorsky said. “We are getting ready to transition to a full ‘D’ aircraft with all components, so the program is truly reaching a new peak in terms of testing the boundaries of what this aircraft can do,” said S-76D program manager Jason Durno. Aero Vodochody in the Czech Republic is currently building the first production aircraft, for delivery to Sikorsky later this year.
New York Airspace Redesign Moving Forward
The New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia Metropolitan Area Airspace Redesign, which is intended to reduce delays in this heavy air traffic area, cleared a “key legal barrier” after a court struck down a group of legal challenges, the FAA said yesterday. A federal appeals court recently ruled that the FAA can move ahead as planned with the redesign, striking down legal challenges filed by the State of Connecticut, towns and counties in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Connecticut and a citizens group. Filed two years ago, the lawsuits alleged that the FAA didn’t properly perform an environmental impact study of the changes in air traffic patterns that the agency made as part of the redesign. A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia disagreed in its decision, saying, “The FAA’s environmental impact analysis was procedurally sound and substantively reasonable.” The FAA is currently implementing the second of four redesign stages. It is estimated that, once completed in 2012, the redesign will help reduce delays by approximately 20 percent in the area, as well as reduce noise and curb airplane fuel consumption and emissions.
Also Noted...
France-based Dassault Aviation today revealed details about the previously announced part-time working arrangement planned from September to February next year. Some 3,000 employees will, on average, have one week of forced leave per month. The manufacturer of Falcon business jets, which employs 8,300 people, cites a foundering market for the cost-cutting move.
Charles E. Morris, 90, a member of the NBAA board of directors from 1967 to 1979 and the former head of Mobil Oil’s flight department, died last Wednesday. He was one of the longest-serving members of NBAA’s board and played a significant role in business aviation, NBAA said. Morris also served in the Army Air Corps in World War II and received the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with oak leaf clusters. His son followed in his footsteps and is now a G550 captain for a communications company. A memorial service is planned for tomorrow at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Stamford, Conn.
Most workers at Cessna began an involuntary four-week furlough yesterday, though employees involved with aircraft servicing, parts or technical support are not affected. The company announced this cost-cutting move earlier this year. Additionally, Cessna laid off another 800 employees on Friday and plans to dismiss another 500 by August 14. Since November, Cessna has more than halved its workforce, cutting more than 8,000 people.
A Eurocopter AS 350B2 Ecureuil operated by Azur Hélicoptère crashed on Saturday in Brégnier-Cordon, France, killing all seven on board–one pilot and six passengers. No possible cause of the accident has emerged yet. The Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses is examining the wreckage and a maintenance data recorder. All six passengers were employees at a local amusement park.
Portugal-based private air services start-up Jet Republic signed up for Bombardier Aerospace’s carbon offset program for its initial fleet of 25 Learjet 60XRs, set to be delivered over the next two years, starting in October. Jet Republic could eventually take delivery of up to 110 Learjet 60XRs if it exercises all of its options.
Xavier Pons, Dassault Falcon director of sales for South America, correctly identified the Robin Alpha 2160 in the Paris Air Show slide show on the homepage of AINonline.com. Part of the fleet of the Mission Bleu Ciel association, the airplane is used to promote access to flying for disabled pilots. Pons will receive a $50 gift for being the first to notify AIN with the correct answer to “What’s this airplane?”
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