16 MAY 2020 ÇPlane&Pilot2019, according to a
report issued by the
Aircraft Electronics
Association. Sales
increased more than
10% during the year,
with retrofit avion-
ics accounting for
more than half of the market.PC-24 GETS THUMBS-UP FOR
ROUGH FIELD OPS
The PC-24 twin jet from Pilatus successfully completed
rough field certification in February, substantially expand-
ing the number of airports that can accommodate the
airplane. The certification allows the utility aircraft to
take off from and land on unpaved runways, be they wet
or snow-covered, enabling the airplane to fulfill its original
intent as a rugged, utility jet.COLLIER TROPHY CANDIDATES UNVEILED
Nine nominees for the coveted 2019 Robert J. Collier
Trophy have been announced by the National Aeronautic
Association, which will select a winner in April. Among the
aviation marvels chosen for consideration are Gulfstream’s
G500 and G600, the Stratolaunch carrier aircraft and the
Hubble space telescope.GULFSTREAM G700 MAKES FIRST FLIGHT
Gulfstream’s latest creation, the ultra-long-range G700,
took to the skies for a 32-minute jaunt in February, mark-
ing the beginning of the bizjet’s flight test program. In
addition to sterling performance specs, including a max
range of 7,500 nm, Gulfstream says its newest bird boasts
the biggest cabin in the industry.MEXICO PUSHES ADS-B DEADLINE BACK
Mexico’s ADS-B adherence mandate, which initially
aligned with that of the U.S. and was set to go into effect
on Jan. 1, 2020, has now been pushed back by two years.
The move comes a few months after Canada also delayed
its ADS-B mandate as it continues to address the issue
of antenna diversity.CORONAVIRUS TRIGGERS
ABACE CANCELLATION
The National Business Aviation Association announced
the 2020 Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition,slated to be held in Shanghai in late April, was canceled
due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. ABACE
was first launched in 2012 and since then has become
one of the premier aviation trade shows in Asia.FAA AND HAWAII SPAR OVER
DILLINGHAM AIRFIELD
In the wake of the news that the state of Hawaii is con-
sidering early termination of its Dillingham Airfield
lease agreement with the U.S. Army, the FAA has issued
correspondence highlighting the state’s obligation to con-
tinue civilian operations at the airport through 2025. The
stipulations result from Airport Improvement Program
funding received by the airport, which sees 36,000 civilian
aircraft operations annually.EMERGENCY AD FOLLOWS
CIRRUS SERVICE BULLETIN
The FAA issued an
emergency AD fol-
lowing a fire that
destroyed a Cirrus
SF50 jet and has
been linked to a
faulty audio jack
circuit board. The
AD will ground just
3% of the Cirrus Jet fleet, however, as the other 97% have
already complied with the required fix.UNITED AIRLINES ACQUIRES
TRAINING PROGRAM
United Airlines is seeking to bolster its pilot candidate pool
and has acquired a flight school in Phoenix, Arizona, to
serve as a training ground for future aviators. The airline
hopes that the school will attract 500 student pilots each
year, who will be guaranteed a spot at the airline after
completing the necessary flight hours.LAKE AMPHIBIAN SEEKS BUYER
The owner of the Lake Amphibian series, which was
first brought into being in the late 1940s and has pro-
duced some 1,300
airplanes, is seek-
ing to hand over the
reins to an inter-
ested buyer. The
company has not
produced aircraft
for more than a decade but continues to make parts to
support the existing fleet.Continued from page 14
Errata: Due to a record keeping error, the name of the winner of the Plane & Pilot Your Flying World Photo Contest in our April, 2020
edition was incorrectly spelled. It is "Jon" not "John" Hicks. In addition, due to an editing error, the author of our Lessons Learned feature,
Rocky Mountain Turbulence In An Old Stinson, was incorrectly attributed. The story was written by Mike Davenport, not by Jack Ciulla.