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Cessna’s Turbo Skylane JT-A, which runs on jet fuel, takes first production flight

May 22, 201310:38 a.m.

Cessna Aircraft announced the first production flight of the Turbo Skylane JT-A took off from Independence on Tuesday.

The single-engine piston-powered plane has a diesel engine that runs on Jet-A fuel.

The four-place plane performed as expected, Dale Bleakney, Cessna senior test pilot, said in a statement.

“The weather conditions were fantastic, and we took the turbo 182 up for what turned out to be a very normal first flight,” Bleakney said.

The flight lasted 2.3 hours, flew at 8,000 feet and reached a true air speed at 182 mph.

The plane is the first aircraft powered by a diesel engine specifically designed for aviation, Cessna said.

The general aviation industry has been facing a looming fuel issue in many parts of the world.

Avgas, typically used to fuel most single-engine aircraft, is becoming scarce, expensive and unavailable in many parts of the world.

The ability for a single-engine plane to run on the more common Jet-A fuel means operators can fly to more parts of the world without worrying about the availability of increasingly scarce avgas, the company said.

The engine is expected to burn about 30 percent to 40 percent less fuel than comparable avgas engines, it said.

By Molly McMillin | Filed under Cessna | Comments

Beechcraft appoints new regional sales director for Sub-Saharan Africa

May 21, 201310:43 a.m.

Beechcraft Corp. has appointed a regional sales director for Beechcraft products in Sub-Saharan Africa, Kingsley Okoli, the company announced.

South Africa continues to be one of the largest growth markets in the world, Scott Plumb, Beechcraft vice president of sales for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said in a statement.

The business aviation fleet in the region has grown by more than 20 percent in the past 10 years, Plumb said.

“Having Kingsley stationed in South Africa will provide further impetus to strong Beechcraft sales in the region,” he said.

Okoli spent 13 years in the U.S. Air Force that included work involving the West Africa region and the Nigerian Air Force. He was an F-16 crew chief and later a fighter squadron logistics readiness officer, according to information from the company.

He has experience with Department of Defense acquisition program management, business development and operational management in foreign military sales and foreign military financing.

He most recently served as a senior program analyst for IMSolutions.

By Molly McMillin | Filed under aircraft manufacturers, Beechcraft Corp. | Comments

Boeing starts certification testing on 747-8 improvements

May 21, 201310:33 a.m.

Boeing’s 747-8 Intercontinental jet successfully completed its first certification test flight with a package of performance improvements, including enhanced engines.

The package is designed to improve fuel efficiency.

The flight took off from Paine Field in Everett, Wash., this week and flew for four hours.

“It was a great flight and the engines performed as expected, Capt. Kirk Vining said in a statement. “This is an important milestone for the flight test program.”

The plane’s Performance Improvement Package includes improvements to the engines and flight management computer software.

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under aircraft manufacturers, Boeing | Comments

Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems facilities in Oklahoma not damaged by tornado

May 20, 20135:05 p.m.

Employees at Boeing’s Oklahoma City offices took shelter during the time a massive tornado hit Moore, Okla., about a 20 minute drive away.

Everyone was safe, said Boeing’s Oklahoma City spokeswoman Jennifer Hogan.

The offices have not been damaged.

There’s no word yet on whether any Boeing employees’ homes  have been hit, however.

About 100 employees live in the Moore area. It’s not known how many of them are transfers from Boeing’s Wichita facility, said Boeing spokeswoman Michelle Nalley.

Spirit AeroSystems’ plants in McAlester and Tulsa, Okla., have not been hit, said Spirit spokesman Ken Evans.

“Our thoughts are with those who are working and those who have homes in that area,” Evans said.

He doesn’t know whether any employees’ homes were damaged, he said.

“We’re wanting to make sure everybody is going to be safe,” Evans said. “Safety is our No. 1 priority.”

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under aircraft manufacturers, aviation industry, Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems | Comments

Wichita engineering, technology and aerospace job fair to feature several employers

May 16, 20136:37 a.m.

A Wichita Engineering, Technology and Aerospace job fair will be held Tuesday, May 21, at the Wichita Marriott hotel.

Candidates must be U.S. citizens and have at least two years experience in the engineering, technology or defense industry and a degree or certification or comparable military experience, organizers say.

Several employers will be present, including Cirrus Aircraft, Zodiac Seats, Belcan Advanced Engineering and Technology, Dynomax, Honda Aircraft Co., M-E-C Co., and Nustar Energy.

The job fair will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Those unable to attend can submit a resume to resume@expoexpertsllc.com with WI in the subject lin, organizers  say.

For more details and to find a list of jobs, go to www.expoexpertsllc.com.

By Molly McMillin | Filed under aircraft manufacturers, aviation industry | Comments

Spirit AeroSystems recognizes seven suppliers as “Platinum Suppliers”

May 15, 201310:02 a.m.

Quality, cost and on-time delivery counts.

Spirit AeroSystems recognized seven of its suppliers, including five in the Wichita area, as Platinum Suppliers of 2012.

The suppliers were selected based on their performance last year as it relates to quality, on-time delivery, commitment to cost reductions and willingness to partner with Spirit for overall improvement in value to the company, Spirit said.

“In today’s aerospace environment, it is increasingly important to seek suppliers that provide the best total value for cost, quality and delivery,” Rob Mattinson, Spirit vice president of corporate supply chain management and global strategy, said in a statement.

The suppliers honored include:

Dynamic NC, Udall

Globe Engineering Co., Wichita

Labinal Services, Wichita office

Logistics Resources, Wichita

ZTM, Wichita

All Metal Services, London

M. Torres, Pamplona, Spain

By Molly McMillin | Filed under aircraft manufacturers, aviation industry, Spirit AeroSystems | Comments

WSJ report: Boeing names 777X leaders, including Kansan Mike Carriker as chief pilot

May 14, 20136:14 a.m.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Boeing has selected key leaders to lead the development of its Boeing 777X,  an upgrade of its 777 jet.

Boeing has appointed a chief engineer and directors of finance, business operations, supplier management, human resources and leaders for its “integrated product teams,” the report said.

The company also appointed Kansan and Wichita State University graduate Mike Carriker as chief pilot.

Carriker most recently was chief pilot of Boeing’s 777 Dreamliner. He grew up in Baldwin City and is a WSU aeronautical engineering graduate.

The 777X program has not yet officially been launched. That will depend on firm contracts to buy the jet by airline customers.

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under aircraft manufacturers, aviation industry, Boeing | Comments

Aviation industry analyst Richard Aboulafia to headline Tuesday’s Wichita Aero Club

May 13, 201311:09 a.m.

Teal Group aviation industry analyst Richard Aboulafia is heading to Wichita for the third time to address the Wichita Aero Club on Tuesday.

In a survey last year, members selected Aboulafia as their favorite speaker.

Aboulafia, vice president of analysis for the Teal Group, will share his insights into Wichita’s general aviation and commercial aviation industry and give his predictions for where the industries are headed.

He is often quoted by a variety of news outlets, including ABC, BBC, Bloomberg, Reuters, CBS, CNN, NBC, NPR and PBS.

Aboulafia’s visit is sponsored by Spirit AeroSystems.

The luncheon will be held at the Doubletree by Hilton Wichita Airport.

For reservations, call 316-681-4471 or go to www.wichitaaeroclub.org. The luncheons are $40 for non-members and $30 for members.

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under aircraft manufacturers, associations, aviation industry | Comments

Traffic down at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport in March

May 7, 201311:07 a.m.

The number of passengers flying in and out of Wichita Mid-Continent Airport in March fell 8.5 percent, according to new figures from the Wichita Airport Authority.

In March, 113,747 passengers used the airport, compared to 124,285 passengers in March 2012.

For the first three months of 2013, traffic totaled 303,675, down 7 percent from the first three months in 2012

Air carriers served Wichita in March with 33 daily depatures, compared to 34 for the same month a year ago.

 

 

By Molly McMillin | Filed under airports | Comments

DAC Aviation to take delivery of six Grand Caravans

May 3, 201311:06 a.m.

Courtesy photo

DAC Aviation International, based in Montreal, has taken delivery of the first of six Cessna Grand Caravan Ex aircraft to be delivered over the next six months, the company said.

DAC’s primary base of operations is the Wilson Airport in Nairobi, Kenya.

The new Grand Caravan, which can hold a two-person crew, 10 passengers and cargo, will be based in Nairobi later this month.

The company serves aid and relief agencies in remote and conflict-affected areas.

Including the six Caravans, DAC’s fleet will total 21 aircraft.

The company was founded in 1993 by Emmanuel Anassis, a bush pilot in Africa, who realized that international relief and aid agencies lacked reliable air transportation services.

Its first client was the United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF.

“Our success depends on our highly-trained and experienced pilots, support crews and, of course, the right aircraft,” Anassis said in a statement. “These are important missions. The welfare of many people depends on our clients’ work. Our job is to get them where they need to go safely and reliably. We go where few others dare.”

By Molly McMillin | Filed under aircraft manufacturers, Cessna | Comments