Unrest Persists over Flight Time and Rest Rules
The FAA has been working for years to revise Part 121 and 135 flight time, duty and rest rules, but it’s still not close to issuing new proposals or final rules. Meanwhile, confusion persists over interpretation of certain aspects of the rules that pertain to Part 135 on-demand operations. Recently, the agency received several requests for an interpretation of FAR 135.263(d) and 135.267(b), (d) and (e). Before issuing its interpretation, the FAA wants to receive public comments on the requestors’ questions, namely whether late-arriving passengers can be considered an “unforeseen circumstance or circumstance beyond the certificate holder’s or crewmember’s control” and whether the rest period under FAR 135.267(d) must be received in a timely manner. Based on comments received, the FAA will decide whether to restate prior interpretations or issue new ones. The agency also plans to reconsider interpretations related to the 14-hour duty day (the docket incorrectly states “14-hour test period”). Comments are due July 10.

NTSB Reports on Hawker Loss-of-Control Incident
An NTSB preliminary report posted yesterday provides details on a May 4 incident involving a Hawker 800A that went of control and lost more than 10,000 feet before recovering. N71MT, owned and operated by Raytheon Aircraft, was on a maintenance test flight and the crew was setting up for a stall series at 17,000 feet near Lincoln, Neb. The pilots calculated that the stick shaker would activate at 115 knots, the stick pusher at 107.5 knots and the stall at 105.5 knots. But as the airplane slowed through about 126 knots, “it abruptly rolled off, dropp[ing] the right wing, and the nose fell rapidly,” the pilot told the NTSB, adding that he felt “no vibration or abnormal indication.” The airplane rolled five to seven times to the right and the left. According to the pilot, the aircraft was “descending vertically” after breaking out of a shallow cloud layer at about 10,000 feet. “I neutralized the ailerons with the yoke and began a higher-than-normal back-pressure pull-out, experiencing [approximately] 4 to 5 gs. We stopped the descent somewhere below 7,000 feet.” The twinjet returned to Lincoln and made an uneventful no-flap landing. The two pilots and four passengers sustained minor injuries.

Gulfstream Will Not Go It Alone on an SSBJ
Gulfstream Aerospace president Bryan Moss has dismissed the company’s long-discussed “Quiet Supersonic Jet” (QSJ). At a press conference at EBACE earlier this month, he asked, “Will Gulfstream build a supersonic business jet? Read my lips: No!” He said the company is devoting its research efforts in this field to two issues: rule changes that would allow supersonic flight over land and sonic-boom suppression. However, a spokesman said that Moss’s remarks do not exclude the company from participating in a consortium to build an SSBJ. Both Aerion and Supersonic Aerospace International (SAI) are seeking partners to build their respective SSBJs. But Gulfstream’s supersonic philosophy seems more closely aligned with that of SAI, which also seeks to change supersonic overland regulations and is focused on developing an SSBJ with an ultra-low supersonic boom.

The Game’s On for Sport-Jet
Excel-Jet’s four-seat, single-engine very light jet, the Sport-Jet, flew for the first time this past weekend from Colorado Springs Airport. According to company president and founder Bob Bornhofen, as of yesterday the Sport-Jet had logged nearly four hours. “Takeoff rolls have all been less than 1,800 feet…Climb rates are almost 2,000 fpm; however, we haven’t pushed the [thrust levers] to climb or takeoff power setting yet, so the real performance is still to come,” Bornhofen added. Test pilot Ron McElroy described the all-composite, Williams FJ33-4-powered VLJ single as “very stable, quiet and [having] excellent control harmony and feel.” Certification of the $1 million Sport-Jet is planned for May 2008. Excel-Jet said the aircraft will cruise at 340 knots at 25,000 feet, with a range of 900 nm. The company is not talking about its order book at this time.

Jet Aviation Signs First Skylliance Partner
Executive Airlines of Barcelona, Spain, is the first company to join Skylliance, a new membership program for charter operators in Europe introduced by Swiss-based Jet Aviation. Executive Airlines will operate a CitationJet, Citation Bravo, Learjet 45 and Falcon 900 in the program. Member aircraft and crew uniforms will have special Skylliance markings and operators will be required to meet specific safety and service standards. According to Jet Aviation, in return for a one-time entrance fee and annual membership fees, Skylliance operators will benefit from European-wide marketing and sales support and discounted fuel at the company’s FBOs. Before an operator can join Skylliance, Jet Aviation will conduct a safety and services audit, and “to ensure that the program delivers its promises and maintains the highest levels of quality,” the company will conduct annual audits of each member.

Time Is Running Out…
…for qualified AIN subscribers to complete the AIN Product Support Survey 2006 questionnaire. Readers selected to participate in the survey have been sent notices by e-mail, fax and postal mail that provide their subscriber number and the link to the survey Web site. As a modest incentive, all those who complete the survey online by May 22 or return a completed printed questionnaire by tomorrow, May 17, will be entered into a random drawing to win one of three Canon SD400 five-megapixel digital cameras. The AIN Product Support Survey 2006 Web site is hosted by aviation market analyst Forecast International of Newtown, Conn., which will also compile the data.