Gulfstream G700 earns FAA certification
Gulfstream Aerospace last week announced the all-new Gulfstream G700 has received FAA type certification, a milestone coming after the aircraft’s approval had been held up for several years amid heightened FAA scrutiny stemming from the Boeing 737 Max crisis. The G700’s FAA certification also confirmed two new performance improvements: a balanced field length takeoff distance of 5,995 feet/1,827 meters and a landing distance of 3,150 ft/960 m (standard ISA day, sea level), both shorter than originally anticipated.
“We have successfully completed the most rigorous certification program in company history with the G700,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream.” In September 2023, Gulfstream announced G700 performance enhancements for range, speed and cabin altitude. The aircraft’s range increased to 7,750 nautical miles/14,353 kilometers at Mach 0.85 or 6,650 nm/12,316 km at Mach 0.90, gaining 250 nm/463 km at both speeds over original projections. The G700’s maximum operating speed increased from Mach 0.925 to Mach 0.935, making it the fastest in the Gulfstream fleet. Along with the range and speed increases, Gulfstream announced that the G700 cabin altitude, already the lowest in business aviation, was further reduced to 2,840 ft/866 m while flying at 41,000 ft/12,497 m. The G700 cabin also features quiet noise levels, 20 windows and 100% fresh, never recirculated air. www.gulfstream.com
Boeing CEO resigns amidst 737 MAX crisis top management shakeup
Persistent production problems and accompanying public relations crises have prompted a management shakeup that will see Dave Calhoun “step down” from his position as Boeing Company CEO at the end of the year. Board Chair Larry Kellner has informed the board that he does not intend to stand for re-election at the upcoming annual shareholder meeting. The board has elected Steve Mollenkopf to succeed Kellner as independent board chair. In this role, Mollenkopf will lead the board's process of selecting Boeing's next CEO. In addition to these changes, Stan Deal, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO, will retire from the company and Stephanie Pope has been appointed to lead BCA, effective immediately.
Calhoun addressed Boeing’s difficulties in a letter to employees: “The eyes of the world are on us, and I know that we will come through this moment a better company." Boeing has suffered through a spate of problems with its airplanes even before Calhoun took over as CEO from Dennis Muilenburg in January 2020, following two fatal crashes of the 737 Max 8 in 2018 and 2019. Most recently, Calhoun oversaw quality control efforts related to January’s incident in which a door plug blew out of the side of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9. On February 28, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker gave Boeing's senior leaders 90 days to develop a “comprehensive action plan” to address its systemic quality-control deficiencies. www.boeing.com
CMC, Hexagon partner on GNSS jamming, spoofing solution
CMC Electronics and Hexagon's autonomy and positioning division, which includes the Hexagon / NovAtel brand, are developing technology that will mitigate global navigation satellite system (GNSS) jamming and spoofing using a multi-constellation, multi-frequency GNSS platform. Multi-constellation systems can receive position, navigation, and timing signals from more than one satellite navigation network, such as the U.S. GPS, Europe’s Galileo, Russia’s Glonass, and others. With a focus on enhanced detection of spoofing and jamming, lighter weight and a smaller form factor, this solution will shape the trajectory of GNSS technology for the future, as both companies emphasized. Jamming and spoofing of GNSS signals is no longer confined to military conflicts; users in the commercial realm are being affected all over the world. www.cmcelectronics.ca
People: David van den Langenbergh appointed member of EBAA’s Board of Governors
Luxaviation Group announced that David Van Den Langenbergh, Chief Industry Affairs Officer of Luxaviation Group was appointed member of the European Business Aviation Association’s Board of Governors during the 2024 Annual General Assembly which took place on March 20th in Brussels.
David Van Den Langenbergh has over 20 years of experience in business and commercial aviation. A native of Schoten, Belgium, David, 44, was Airworthiness Manager of Belgium-based Abelag Aviation, which he joined in 2006 as head of Part 145 repair station maintenance. Prior to that, he worked for ten years as line and base maintenance manager at Lufthansa Technik and Delta. His early years were spent in general aviation where he worked as a mechanic before moving up to the post of inspector. David entered aviation right out of vocational school and is largely self-taught. He obtained his pilot’s license at the tender age of 21.
David joined Luxaviation Group in September 2014 as Chief Technical Officer. He successively became President of Luxaviation Aviation Services in January 2019 and has been Luxaviation Chief Industry Affairs Officer since June 2022. David is member of the Board of Directors in multiple Luxaviation AOCs. David is also Accountable Manager for the Luxaviation San Marino AOC. Since 2016 David Van Den Langenbergh has been a board member of the General Aviation Manufacturer’s Association (GAMA) having been the Chairman of the European Leaders Steering Committee for 4 years and an active member of multiple working groups. He is the Co-Chair of the EBAA – GAMA Maintenance Working group and Chairman of AMAC’s Maintenance Working Group. David discusses on a regular basis with EASA, FAA and EU aviation representatives to support Business and General Aviation interests. www.ebaa.org