VISION VALIDATED
Dassault has received US certification for the Falcon 7X enhanced vision system. The validation comes seven months after the European Aviation Safety Agency approved the system, which provides an image on the head-up display and flightdeck displays that enables the pilots to see the terrain and airport environment in low visibility, such as in fog, haze, snow or at night.
FAA FORECAST
The total hours flown by general aviation aircraft are forecast to increase from 24.1 million in 2010 to 37.8 million in 2031 - an average annual growth rate of 2.2% a year - according to the latest 20-year aerospace forecast issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration. The GA fleet - which includes light piston engine aircraft and business jets - is expected to increase from 224,172 in 2010 to 270,920 in 2031, an average growth of 0.9% a year. Broken down, "the fleet of fixed-wing turbine aircraft are expected to grow at a rate of 3.1% a year, fixed-wing piston aircraft at a rate of 0.2% per year, and rotorcraft at 2.6% a year," says the report.
DISPLAY FOR A109
Avidyne and engineering company Jet Avionics have received Brazilian supplemental type certification to install Avidyne's EX600 multifunction display in the AgustaWestland A109S helicopter. "The EX600 is the only system that supports advanced weather displays and traffic on the moving map for complete hazard awareness on one screen, critical information for helicopter pilots flying in the complex and busy airspace that surround Brazilian cities," says Marcos Pedrone, technical director for São Paolo-based Jet Avionics. Avidyne has already received Brazilian approval for the EX600 on more than 350 fixed-wing models.
SIGNATURE FOR BAHRAIN
Business aviation services provider Signature Flight Support has opened a sales office Bahrain to take advantage of the growing demand for business aircraft within the Middle East.
Source: Flight International
