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Two Seriously Big Birds Heading For Certification Among the more intriguing aircraft of NBAA 2008 were two good-sized birds brought by a manufacturer formerly best known for their experimental designs. Ron Lueck was on hand to discuss the new and upcoming airplanes from Comp Air, starting with the most recent Comp Air 9 and continuing on to the Comp Air 12. Comp Air claims that the fully Carbon Composite construction of the 250 kt CA9 gives it a 'sleek airframe that allows it to cruise at 250 knots even though it has fixed landing gear.' The fixed landing gear gives the aircraft the ability to utilize rugged terrain and unimproved airstrips where a retractable gear aircraft may be impractical, while the high useful load offers additional capabilities and utility. The Honeywell TPE331-12 powerplant provides 1000 HP. The CA9 has a seating capacity for 6 persons, a wing area of 250 sq. ft., and a stall speed of 58 kts. It has an empty weight of 3,800 lbs, and a gross weight of...

Private TiltRotor Operations May Be in YOUR Future In the midst of the 2008 NBAA Convention, the mockup of a BA609 TiltRotor concept destined for civilian usage continued to draw curiosity. First announced in 1998, full-size mockups of the BA609 have been fixtures at industry trade shows for several years... but actual progress on the program has been slow in coming. Most of the 80+ orders for the 6-9 passenger aircraft have been on the books for a decade, and the initial $10 million asking price has skyrocketed to somewhere south of twice that amount. So far, two of a planned four prototypes have taken flight. The flight test program has validated the BA609's unique flight envelope, including flight at altitudes up to 25,000 feet and speeds up to 310 knots, all at the maximum weight. The test program continues to check all the points of the flight envelope as required by both the FAA and EASA. The BA609 partners believe the BA609 is the most suitable, flexible, and versatile...

Honda Aircraft Stakes Out New Territory Via a Unique Jet Design There are few things in aviation today that can truly claim the adjective of "Unique." Much of aviation is derived form concepts, designs or planforms that we've seen before... unless you find yourself considering the HondaJet. The HondaJet is an advanced, lightweight, business jet featuring an extra large cabin, high fuel efficiency, and high cruise speed compared to existing small business jets. To achieve the high-performance goals, an over-the-wing engine-mount configuration, a natural-laminar-flow wing, and a natural-laminar-flow fuselage nose were developed through extensive analyses and wind-tunnel tests. The wing is metal, having an integral, machined skin to achieve the smooth upper surface required for natural laminar flow. The fuselage is constructed entirely of composites; the stiffened panels and the Sandwich panels are co-cured integrally in an autoclave to reduce weight and cost. The prototype...

Icing On The Cake! HBC Receives Brazilian Order Worth Nearly $200M When Hawker Beechcraft said earlier this year it wanted to strengthen its foothold into international markets... the company wasn't kidding, or making idle comments. In the early hours of NBAA 2008, HBC announced Brazilian-based L�der Signatures S.A. had ordered 23 aircraft spanning the Hawker Beechcraft product line. L�der, a Hawker Beechcraft dealer and authorized service center since 1996, purchased what is considered to be one of the largest general aviation aircraft orders in Brazilian history with a value estimated at nearly $200 million. The contract was officially signed by L�der CEO Eduardo de Pereira Vaz at NBAA. "L�der has been a partner with Hawker Beechcraft as a dealer and authorized service center for 12 years. We’ve shared a great relationship with them over the years and it’s a tremendous honor to now receive one of Brazil’s largest-ever orders from this great company,"...

Info-Packed Second Annual Latin America/Caribbean VLJ Conference Concludes In Miami Even though the 2008 National Business Aviation Association's annual conference came to an end barely a month ago, that doesn't mean that all BizAv-related events were done for the year. ANN was pleased to aid the VLJ - Latin America and the Caribbean conference in seeking dialogues, answers and discussion on matters concerning VLJ operations in an impressive market segment. Operators and interested customers just completed a gathering (a few hours ago) in Miami intended to allow attendees to brainstorm ways to spur on the very-light jet industry, and the growth of business aviation in general, throughout Latin America. The second annual Very Light Jets - Latin America and the Caribbean conference ran through November 10-11, with the aim to answer fundamental questions about the industry, and to address expectations of segment growth in the region. MIU Events -- organizers of this conference, as...

http://www.fullflap.tv - If you want to get your hands on the controls of an aircraft, whether it is a 747, a tiny microlight or a fast jet, this is the show for you. We'll inspire you with the possibilities out there, the fun and interesting news stories and then we'll entertain you with pilot features or information that will get you airborne. Join us in the skies.

Cessna Launches Sixth Citation Special Olympics Airlift With Harrison Ford Cessna provided an inspiring addition to the early hours of last month's NBAA 2008, with the announcement of the company's sixth annual Citation Special Olympics Airlift Program, to help athletes travel to the 2010 USA National Games to be held near Lincoln, NE. This will be the sixth time Cessna has organized the extensive airlift campaign to benefit Special Olympics. The company put out the call Sunday for volunteers to help transport more than 2,000 athletes and coaches from across the nation on their Citation jet aircraft. "The success of the airlift starts with our Citation owners committing to provide a safe way for the athletes, coaches and families to travel to the games," said Cessna Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Jack J. Pelton. "We also rely on support from Cessna employees and volunteers, the Federal Aviation Administration, on-site airport officials, local fixed base...

Wright Bros. Great-Grandniece On Hand At 'Silver Bird' Unveiling The newest addition to Wright "B" Flyer Inc.'s fleet of historic lookalike aircraft made its public debut at last month's NBAA 61st Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando, FL. Amanda Wright Lane -- great-grandniece of aviation pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright, and trustee of Wright "B" Flyer, Inc. -- was on hand to talk about the new flyer dubbed the "Silver Bird," nicknamed for its metal skeleton. The roughly 7/8-scale aircraft was on static display inside the Orange County Convention Center for the duration of this year's show. "This was the plane that really introduced the country to aviation," Wright Lane said. "It not only circled the Statue of Liberty, but was flown at air shows across the country and gave people their first glimpse of what was possible with aviation." In all, 33 volunteers -- ranging from ages 11 into their 90s -- helped to build the Silver Bird for over a year. "They want other...

Four Industry Hopefuls Weigh In On State Of Small Jets At NBAA Panel Discussion The current state of the very-light jet segment -- as well as its uncertain future -- were the subjects of a well-attended forum at last month's NBAA 2008 Convention. Four industry leaders hoping to see their companies profit from the sale of small jets offered their thoughts on the matter, while sweating out an economic forecast that was looking more dour with the hour. Among the topics discussed were the difficulties in certifying any new aircraft, and in particular VLJs... as well as the overall health of the segment, especially as the global economy appears headed for a pronounced downturn. The panel was dominated by comments from four players in the controversial VLJ market: Cl�udio Galdo Camelier, Vice President of Market Intelligence, Embraer Executive Jets; Jack Braly, CEO of AAI Acquisition; Mike McConnell, newly-named President and GM of the Customer Division of Eclipse Aviation; and...

Four Industry Hopefuls Weigh In On State Of Small Jets At NBAA Panel Discussion The current state of the very-light jet segment -- as well as its uncertain future -- were the subjects of a well-attended forum at last month's NBAA 2008 Convention. Four industry leaders hoping to see their companies profit from the sale of small jets offered their thoughts on the matter, while sweating out an economic forecast that was looking more dour with the hour. Among the topics discussed were the difficulties in certifying any new aircraft, and in particular VLJs... as well as the overall health of the segment, especially as the global economy appears headed for a pronounced downturn. The panel was dominated by comments from four players in the controversial VLJ market: Cl�udio Galdo Camelier, Vice President of Market Intelligence, Embraer Executive Jets; Jack Braly, CEO of AAI Acquisition; Mike McConnell, newly-named President and GM of the Customer Division of Eclipse Aviation; and...