The two-seat model is primarily designed for flight training and owns European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) CS-23 and FAA Part 23 certification. It is now certified under Transport Canada’s Part V Subpart 21, allowing Tecnam to begin deliveries to private owners and flight training organizations in the country.

Designed to train students from first flight until they earn their commercial pilot license, the P-Mentor includes a variable pitch propeller, simulated retractable landing gear, and ballistic parachute. It also comes with a Garmin touchscreen and avionics and is powered by a Rotax 912iSc3 engine.

The model supports both VFR and IFR training at a cost of operation of just 89 Canadian dollars ($64.71) per hour, by Tecnam’s estimate. That efficiency enables it to fly for about nine hours between refuelings.

The company also claims the P-Mentor can reduce flight school emissions by as much as 60 percent. The aircraft could represent a fresh injection into a fleet of training aircraft that is largely aging.

“We look forward to working with all the Canadian flight schools to improve the quality of training and support lowering hourly rates,” said Giovanni Pascale Langer, managing director of Tecnam.

During last year’s EAA AirVenture, Tecnam introduced the P-Mentor in North America after agreeing to a deal with EpicSky Flight Academy for the purchase of 15 aircraft. The company earned full FAA Part 23 certification just a few months later. It started U.S. deliveries in June, beginning with a shipment to Kansas-based Kilo Charlie Aviation.

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The move brings the engine one step closer to entry into service, the company said.

Last year Textron Aviation announced it planned to use the PW545D to power its new Cessna Citation Ascend business jet.

• READ MORE: Textron Aviation Unveils Cessna Citation Ascend in Geneva

“As the latest derivative in the PW500 engine family, we look forward to the Ascend’s entry into service,” said Cedric Gauthier, vice president of sales and marketing for GA at Pratt & Whitney Canada. “Certification was granted following 630 hours of engine testing, in addition to 230 hours of flight testing on the Ascend prototype test aircraft.”

Pratt & Whitney has been making aircraft engines since 1925, when the company, which was established as a precision machinery manufacturer in the 1860s, built its first aircraft engine, the Wasp. 

About the PW545D

According to Pratt & Whitney, the PW545D engine uses an advanced mixer and efficiency improvements in the compressor and turbine sections. This allows for a lower fuel burn, thus reducing operating temperatures.

The new engine is also equipped with Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) technology which is included with many PW500 models. The engine enables the Citation Ascend to integrate new autothrottle technology for simplification of engine operation, reducing pilot workload while maximizing efficiency.

The post Transport Canada Awards Pratt & Whitney Engine Type Certification appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The landmark flight from London’s Heathrow Airport (EGLL) to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK) in a Boeing 787 equipped with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines is set for November 28.

• READ MORE: Could SAF Be a Cost-Effective Solution to Rising Aviation Fuel Prices?

Last summer, the airline announced the successful completion of ground tests of the engine running on SAF. The company also named fuel suppliers Air BP and Virent and revealed details about the fuel it plans to use. SAF for the transatlantic flight will be produced through the hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) method and will include synthetic aromatic kerosene (SAK) blended in an 88-to-12 percent ratio.

“The Civil Aviation Authority’s permit to fly Flight100 marks a key milestone and a huge achievement for all the teams working towards this historic flight,” said Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic. “Getting to this point has been more than a year in the making and taken radical collaboration across our consortium partners and government. We’re committed to using 10 percent SAF by 2030, but to get there we need the government to support the creation of a U.K. SAF industry. We know that if we can make it, we can fly it.”

• READ MORE: Boeing, NASA, United Partner on In-Flight SAF Study

Virgin Atlantic received U.K. government funding last year in connection with an industry-wide Department for Transport challenge to make a transatlantic flight powered by 100 percent SAF. The latest permit is a critical step toward the international approvals needed for the planned flight.

Among Virgin’s next steps are submitting applications to the FAA, the Irish Aviation Authority, and Transport Canada to allow the SAF-powered flight to travel through American, Irish, and Canadian airspace.

The post Virgin Atlantic Takes Big Step Toward SAF-Powered Transatlantic Flight appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“The certification of HALO in Canada is an important accomplishment for M600 owners, Piper, and our Canadian dealer, Aviation Unlimited,” said Ron Gunnarson, vice president of sales, marketing, and customer support at Piper. “It is our mission to bring the latest and greatest technology in our aircraft to customers worldwide.”

• READ MORE: We Fly: Piper M600/SLS Halo

For M600/SLS aircraft already operating in Canada, the installation of a simple kit containing certain HALO components and new software will allow the entire Autoland system to function.

The Piper M600/SLS with the HALO Safety System is the first general aviation aircraft certified with Garmin Autoland, which can safely land the aircraft at the nearest suitable airport if the pilot becomes incapacitated. The Piper’s G3000 avionics include autothrottle, Autoland, emergency descent mode, Surface Watch, Safe Taxi, and other features designed to increase safety.

The six-seat, pressurized M600/SLS is powered by a 600 hp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42A engine. It has a maximum cruise speed of 274 ktas, a range of 1,658 nm, and a standard useful load of 2,400 pounds.

The post Transport Canada Grants Certification for Piper M600SLS HALO appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

“We’ve been hunkered down for two years. It’s time to go out and have some fun—or better yet, go to the Butchart Gardens in Victoria and see them!” says Todd Banks, president and CEO of Kenmore Air.

The flights to Canada were suspended in March 2020 when the border was closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kenmore Air will resume air service between Seattle and Victoria, British Columbia, on April 1. On May 1, service resumes between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia. 

This has been made possible, says Banks, by the reopening of Canadian airports. They were closed in March 2020 by Transport Canada (the Canadian aviation authority, akin to the FAA) as a means of controlling the spread of COVID.

The NOTAM expired earlier this month.

“The airports are reopening in a phased approach,” Banks explains. “Kenmore Air will begin two flights per day, then ramp up the schedule as more customers show up during tourist season. We are adjusting, waking up our organization thoughtfully and safely.”

By June, the company aims to have four flights a day between Seattle and Victoria and Vancouver.

What You Need to Go

The COVID testing requirements for travelers between Canada and Washington state were also recently relaxed, so travelers do not need to show proof of a recent negative COVID test, but they must show proof of a vaccine.

Customers are also required to have a current passport. Banks suggests using the ArriveCAN app that allows the user to put in their vaccination information and passport information.

Masks will still have to be worn on the aircraft as Kenmore is a Part 135 operation and required to follow FAA requirements on masking. Masks are still required on public transportation.

Why This Matters

Kenmore Air, with its iconic de Havilland DHC-2 Beavers on floats are as much a symbol of the Pacific Northwest as the Space Needle, Mount Rainier, or the orca. Banks grandfather, Robert Munro, founded the company with two friends in 1946. 

For residents of the Pacific Northwest, the increase in the number of the Kenmore Beavers on floats taking off and landing on Lake Washington either heading to or coming from someplace is a sure sign of spring. 

Banks notes the company performs engine overhauls for Beavers in addition to scheduled and charter operations. In the less flying intensive months, the maintenance team stays very busy.

To make a reservation or to take advantage of one of Kenmore’s air tours or trips in Washington state, visit the Kenmore Air website.

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The decision comes as a growing number of airspace bans were put in place over the weekend across Europe severely restricting where Russian airlines and other operators can fly.

• READ MORE: Russian Airlines Lose Routes As European Flight Restrictions Spread

“As of 28 February, landing, takeoff, and [overflight] of EU airspace is prohibited for all Russian owned, registered, or controlled aircraft, including private jets of oligarchs,” the European Commission said Monday morning.

Shutting down the EU airspace for Russian aircraft. pic.twitter.com/TqBt9CkbOR

— European Commission (@EU_Commission) February 28, 2022

Following the announcement, Russian carrier Aeroflot said it was canceling all of its flights to European destinations, Reuters reported.

The government of Switzerland, renowned for decades of neutrality, also announced Monday afternoon that it, too, would join the EU in imposing financial sanctions and a flight ban.

“[S}wiss airspace will be closed to all flights from Russia and to all movements of aircraft with Russian markings from 3 p.m. Monday with the exception of flights for humanitarian, medical or diplomatic purposes,” the government said in a statement.

The move to prohibit Russian aircraft in EU skies comes one day after Canada announced it would be closing its airspace to all Russian aircraft operators.

• READ MORE: Ukrainian Officials Reveal Fate Of World’s Largest Cargo Aircraft, ‘Mriya’

“The Government of Canada is prohibiting the operation of Russian-owned, chartered or operated aircraft in Canadian airspace, including in the airspace above Canada’s territorial waters. This airspace closure is effective immediately and will remain until further notice,” Transport Canada said. 

The move of unambiguous support for Ukraine was a direct reaction to Russia’s “aggressive actions,” the country’s transport minister said.

“All of Canada is united in its outrage of President Putin’s aggression against Ukraine. In response, we have closed Canadian airspace to Russian-owned or operated aircraft. The Government of Canada condemns Russia’s aggressive actions and we will continue to take action to stand with Ukraine,” Canada’s Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, said in a statement.

• READ MORE: Invasion Reveals Gaps In Ukraine’s Air Defense Strategy

As of Monday morning, the U.S. had ramped up sanctions against Russia to include freezing Russian Central Bank assets in the country, but had stopped short of issuing a similar flight ban. 

U.S. State Department officials issued an urgent travel warning Monday urging Americans in Russia to consider leaving the country, citing the flight bans.

“Due to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine, an increasing number of airlines are canceling flights into and out of Russia, and numerous countries have closed their airspace to Russian airlines,” the warning said. “In addition, airspace around southern Russia is restricted and a number of airports in the area have closed.”

• READ MORE: What the Russian Air Force Has in the Sky

The countries prohibiting the overflying of Russian owned and operated aircraft (as of February 28, 2022) are:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Croatia
• Republic of Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

The post European Union, Canada Close Airspace To Russia appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Using global navigation satellite system (GNSS) technology similar to GPS, ADS-B calculates an aircraft’s location, speed, and direction, providing controllers greater situational awareness for aircraft in their airspace. Space-based ADS-B has already been used to provide global surveillance to capable aircraft in Hudson Bay, the North Atlantic, and Canada’s domestic airspace above 29,000 feet.

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In December 2021, Nav Canada—the first service provider to employ ADS-B in its airspace—expanded its services to aircraft below 29,000 feet in the Montreal Flight Information Region. It plans to expand that scope to the Edmonton and Winnipeg Flight Information Regions in late 2022. A mandate for surveillance in Canada’s Class C through E airspace is expected as early as 2026. 

Equipment Requirements for the New Canadian ADS-B Compliance

An owner looking to comply with the 2023 mandate will need to outfit their aircraft with an ADS-B Out-capable transponder and broadcast antenna that communicates with receivers with 1090 MHz extended squitter capability.

There are options. Owners can either use a series of antennas (based on version) mounted on the top and belly of the fuselage, or a single antenna capable of transmitting up and down to satellites. A noncompliant aircraft could be denied entry into ADS-B-designated airspace, except for special circumstances. 

Differences Between U.S., European, and Canadian Mandates

ADS-B requirements to operate in the U.S. are slightly different. The U.S. ADS-B mandate, which went into effect January 1, 2020, requires aircraft operating in airspace requiring Mode C or S transponders to have ADS-B-out equipment.  

Additionally, a 1090 extended squitter is required above 18,000 feet msl, whereas pilots operating below can use a 978 MHz universal access transceiver. Outside U.S. airspace, almost all ADS-B systems operate on 1090 MHz.

While the new Canadian mandate will allow domestic aircraft to comply with U.S. and European rules, the U.S. and European operators traversing Canadian airspace will need to meet Nav Canada’s antenna requirements.

The post Canada to Implement Space-Based ADS-B Mandate in 2023 appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Among the issues identified during a 2018 overrun investigation was, “The rules governing instrument approaches in Canada are too complex, confusing and ineffective at preventing pilots from conducting approaches that are not allowed, or banned, because they are below the minimum weather limits,” according to Canada’s Transportation Safety Board. In other parts of the world, a flight crew is not allowed to begin an instrument approach if the reported weather is below published minimums for a given approach except in Canada, where “flight crews are permitted to conduct approaches in visibility conditions that are below what is published.”

The TSB recently issued these findings as part of its report of a February 2018 accident in which a chartered Beech King Air A100 ran off the end of the runway at Havre-Saint-Pierre, Quebec. The airplane was substantially damaged but luckily all occupants escaped with only minor injuries—or none at all. As part of the report, the TSB asked Transport Canada to simplify approach and landing minima as presented in a TSB video.

The King Air A100 was conducting a charter flight under instrument flight rules, from the Sept-Îles Airport, Quebec, to the Havre St-Pierre Airport, Quebec, with two crew members and six passengers. “Prior to departure, the weather at Havre St-Pierre aerodrome indicated a visibility of 3/4 of a statute mile in light snow…enroute, the crew received updated weather, which indicated the visibility had deteriorated to just 1/4 mile in heavy snow—well below the minimum visibility allowed to conduct the approach. However, the pilot believed he could continue the approach safely.” When the pilot did manage to catch sight of a small patch of runway, he continued the landing, touching down just 700 feet before the end of the runway. The aircraft overran the end and came to a stop in a large snowbank approximately 220 feet beyond the end of the runway.

The TSB said, “Flight crews have to consult multiple reference documents and consider a variety of factors to determine if an approach is allowed. The current rules also make it difficult for ATC to determine whether an approach is authorized. As a result, ATC will clear an aircraft for an approach regardless of the published minima, leaving the ultimate decision to conduct the approach to the flight crew.” The TSB added that, “based on the pilot’s interpretation of the various factors and exceptions relating to the approach ban, the pilot incorrectly believed he was allowed to conduct the approach.”

The post Transportation Safety Board of Canada Says IFR Approaches Are Confusing appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Transport Canada and the FAA are looking for input on the operation of the cargo doors on certain models of the Cessna 206, particularly those involving floatplane installations. An August 2018 accident in the Northwest Territories, Canada, trigged the request.

The pilot of the Simpson Air Limited Cessna U206G had four passengers on board the airplane for a sightseeing flight from Fort Simpson Island Water Aerodrome, including landings at Virginia Falls and Little Doctor Lake. The early-evening flight was in the process of the water landing at Little Doctor Lake, around 18:30 mountain daylight time, when the pilot lost control and the floatplane nosed over. While the pilot and a passenger escaped, the remaining three occupants did not get out of the airplane in time.

The Transportation Safety Board determined that the severity of the accident, otherwise survivable, was compounded by the passengers’ inability to exit the airplane while it was submerged. According to Notice NOTC0041, “Canadian authorities are considering mandatory action to require a Cessna door handle kit, placards, and limiting the airplane occupancy to five for all Cessna U206 airplanes on their registry. The FAA is continuing to investigate to determine if we should consider similar AD action.”

Operators, owners, and pilots are requested to deliver feedback regarding “any information on prior experience with the 206 cargo doors with regard to use, operation, and clarity of placards and instructions as well as any modifications or alterations completed by owners and operators that aid in the usability with and without flaps extended,” the notice said. The FAA’s Airworthiness Fact Sheet on the matter can be accessed here.

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