viation International News April 2023

SHOWS: CROWDS RETURN TO HELI-EXPO

SAFETY: SOLVING PART 135 DUTY TIME AND REST ISSUES

BIZJETS: MAXIMUM ALTITUDE VERSUS REALITY

AIRCRAFT: ELVIS JETSTAR RESCUED FROM THE DESERT

2023 FBO Survey

Pentastar Aviation takes top honors for the third year in a row

12

Part 135 rest, duty regulations review leads to calls for change

40

4 Dassault soars as Falcon, Rafale order book swells

6 Avidyne and IS&S unveil Helix avionics upgrade

8 Airbus, Genesys launch IFR-capable H125 program

10

17

18

34

HAI explores rebranding to reflect evolving industry

20

36

38

GAMA: General aviation aircraft shipments, billings improve in 2022

ACSF stepping up spotlight on FDM program

Safety Talk: Bryan Burns traces ACSF growth in members, safety programs

Special Report: 2023 FBO Survey, The Americas

AIN senior editor Jerry Siebenmark flies west

Market Corner: Weighing highaltitude in purchase decisions

How Jimmy Webb’s ambitious dream led to Elvis’s JetStar

Dassault soars as Falcon, Rafale order book swells

BY CHRIS POCOCK

Dassault posted a net profit of €830 million ($890 million) on €6.9 billion in revenues last year, despite supply-chain difficulties, inflation, and Western sanctions that r esulted in the cancelation of Russian orders for Falcon business jets. The company also booked net orders for 64 Falcons and 92 Rafales, the latter mainly thanks to the UAE’s confirmation of its order for 80.

CEO Eric Trappier told journalists at the company’s annual results press conference last month that “the backlog was full and is the largest in the company’s history.” It comprises 87 Falcons and 164 Rafales.

Trappier described progress with the Falcon 6X and 10X programs. Certification and first deliveries of the 6X are expected in midyear, with some aircraft already completed at its Little Rock factory. Some minor improvements are being made as a result of the recently concluded 6X world tour.

Some parts for the 10X are already made and wing tests have been conducted. It is being designed to fly on 100 percent

News Briefs

BBGA: BIZAV MUST FIGHT BACK

The business aviation industry must be more outspoken and confident about its environmental achievements and goals if it is to successfully combat growing hostility from environmental activists, stressed speakers at the British Business and General Aviation Association conference last month. In fact, the conference itself was interrupted by those activists. Rana Walker of business development/crisis management firm GR&AT said social media platforms are essential tools to fight misinformation of business aviation and to communicate its “positive story.”

ONE KILLED IN CHALLENGER 300 IN-FLIGHT UPSET

sustainable aviation fuel. Trappier said that the spacious cabin will be a major selling point and suggested that China could be a significant source of 10X orders.

Meanwhile, production of forward fuselages for the Falcon in India is ramping up, and the EASy IV avionics upgrade for the 7X and 8X is continuing.

A Falcon maintenance hub was opened in the UAE last year and a new center is opening in Melbourne, Florida, to replace the now-closed facility in Wilmington, Delaware, where “the facilities were becoming obsolete,” Trappier noted. He admitted that support for Falcon customers worldwide could be improved, especially regarding the supply of spare parts. But Falcons still remain in high demand, as evidenced by the few available on the preowned market, he added.

Dassault is proposing the 10X for Europe’s next maritime patrol aircraft. Study contracts worth €10.9 million each were recently awarded to Dassault and Airbus, which is proposing the A320neo. z

“Investigators are now looking at a reported trim issue that occurred prior to the in-flight upset” of a Bombardier Challenger 300 on March 3 over Northampton, Massachusetts, that killed one passenger, according to the NTSB. The twinjet, took off from Dillant-Hopkins Airport (KEEN) in Keene, New Hampshire, with two flight crew and three passengers. Flight tracking data from ADSBExchange indicates that the aircraft climbed to about 24,000 feet before the in-flight upset occurred eight minutes into the flight, with vertical speed peaking at almost 6,000 fpm before dropping to nearly -2,000 fpm some 15 seconds later. The jet diverted to Bradley International Airport (KBDL) in Windsor Locks, Connecticut.

RUNWAY EXCURSION REMAINS TOP BIZJET ACCIDENT TYPE

Runway excursions remained the top accident type for business jets in 2022, according to the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) 2022 Safety Report. In 2022, FSF’s Aviation Safety Network logged 35 business jet accidents, down from 40 in 2021. Runway excursions accounted for 17 accidents. Also topping the list were loss of control, gear up/ landing gear collapse, and ground damage.

The Falcon 6X is schedule to enter service in the middle of this year. Last year, the company booked net orders for 64 Falcons, boosting its order book to 87 for its business jet line. Rafale fighter orders reached 92, with deliveries for the UAE’s order for 80 starting in 2027.

PUT ENGINE INFO ON DISPLAY.

TXi EIS. AVAILABLE NOW FOR SELECT PC-12s.

AUTO START SYSTEM INTERFACE AND FUNCTIONALITY

EXCEEDANCE RECORDING AND WIRELESS TREND DATA TRANSFER CAPABILITY

AHRS AND EIS REVERSIONARY CAPABILITIES

News Briefs

Avidyne and Innovative Solutions & Support’s Helix integrated flight deck brings helicopters to modern standards.

Avidyne and IS&S unveil Helix avionics upgrade

BY CHARLES ALCOCK

Avidyne and Innovative Solutions & Support (IS&S) have launched their new Helix integrated flight deck as an upgrade package for in-service helicopters. The system combines Avidyne’s Helios FMS and IS&S’s 10.4-inch flat-panel displays.

The companies said they first plan to offer the Helix retrofit package for the Sikorsky S-76C++ rotorcraft. They expect to announce pricing later this year, once they complete integration work and certification, which will be done by PHI MRO Services. PHI will also perform installations and provide aftermarket support.

Along with the new displays, the Helix package includes 3D synthetic vision, electronic charts, ADS-B weather and traffic, and SBAS/LPV approaches.

The Helix installations will include a pair of display units, one configured as a primary flight display and the other as a multifunction and engine instrument display. As an option, the installation can include another pair of displays for a co-pilot.

Avidyne’s dual Helios units are dzusmounted GPS/SBAS FMSs that meet

TSO-C146c for full GPS SBAS/LPV approach guidance, including flight planning, “one-touch” departure, airway, and arrival navigation, and the company’s GeoFill waypoint nomination. The equipment features a full QWERTY-style keyboard and a touchscreen “hybrid touch” user interface for map panning and rubber-band flight plan editing. Other features include integrated wireless connectivity to iPads for access to third-party apps, such as ForeFlight and Avidyne’s IFD100, as well as 16-watt VHF radios, Jeppesen charts and airport diagrams, video, fuel flow, ADS-B In display, moving map, and synthetic vision. “Avidyne and IS&S have put together a solution that is designed and targeted to extend the life of a large number of legacy helicopters still in operation, including the S-76C++, the Black Hawk, the AW109, and more,” said John Talmadge, Avidyne’s v-p of worldwide sales. “We are excited to be working alongside IS&S to develop Helix, which will give new life to these airframes at a cost that won’t break the bank, and that provides operators with a whole host of new capabilities while dramatically improving reliability and dispatchability.” z

WHEELS UP ANNOUNCES $30M IN COST-CUTTING, LAYOFFS

Wheels Up is implementing a restructuring plan it expects to produce $30 million in annual savings. In an 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the company said the plan “is intended to streamline the company’s organization and reduce headcount in areas of the business that do not directly impact the company’s operations or its customers’ experience.”

The plan is designed to deliver “positive adjusted EBITDA” in 2024, the company said. Savings would come primarily from cutting sales, marketing, and general administrative expenses. Last year, Wheels Up reported a net loss of $507 million.

SAF MADE FROM AIR COULD BE GAME CHANGER

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) developer Air Company has received a $65 million contract from the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to scale up production and install its technology at military bases. As Air Company’s Airmade SAF is derived from captured carbon dioxide and water, it can be made anywhere and is not tied to a specific feedstock. The company is moving through the approval process with ASTM as it works to ramp up production. Last year, the company supplied the USAF with a small amount of Airmade SAF, which was tested in an unmanned aircraft. The USAF said the fuel “matches the properties and performance of jet A-1.”

CJP-FOQA AVAILABLE FOR CITATION JET PILOTS MEMBERS

CloudAhoy’s CJP-FOQA (flight operations quality assurance) program is now available for Citation Jet Pilots Association (CJP) members. Using information from LinxUs flight data monitoring system or AirSync data acquisition device, CJP-FOQA helps pilots view post-flight analyses to help improve their performance and inform training plans.

A WORLD OF SUPPORT

Wherever your destination, Gulfstream Customer Support has you covered. With an extensive force of experts around the world, we offer responsiveness matched only by our devotion to detail. It is our pleasure to serve you.

News Briefs

STELLAR AVIATION BREAKS GROUND ON RENO FBO

Airbus, Genesys launch IFRcapable H125 program

BY CHARLES ALCOCK

Airbus Helicopters is introducing instrument flight rules (IFR) capability for its H125 single-engine helicopter. Developed in partnership with Genesys Aerosystems, the upgrade could significantly improve the operational flexibility for missions such as law enforcement and emergency medical services.

The partners expect to make it available in the second half of 2024.

The changes needed to free the H125 from the constraints of operating only under visual flight rules (VFR) will include an upgraded cockpit, a three-axis autopilot, and redundant hydraulic and electrical systems. Genesys has already installed the same autopilot under a supplemental type certificate on the larger Airbus H145 and also on Sikorsky’s UH-60A Black Hawk.

“We have seen some demand for IFR from customers and now we want to be ready to meet this demand,” Airbus Helicopters, Inc., CEO Romain Trapp said at

Heli-Expo in March. “It will enhance the all-weather capability of the aircraft.”

Initial certification with the FAA will be followed by Brazil’s air safety agency. Airbus may seek STCs in other markets, including Europe.

The IFR upgrade is the latest in a series of investments Airbus has made in enhancing its single-engine aircraft. Last year, the manufacturer increased the power of the model to boost payload by 120 kg (264 pounds) in hot-and-high operating conditions.

“Thanks to its recent innovations, the H125 remains an unrivaled product in terms of performance and value for money,” said Jérome Ronssin, head of light helicopter programs at Airbus. “This new IFR feature will expand the helicopter’s mission capabilities in all weather conditions, especially for critical missions such as public services, including law enforcement, emergency medical services, and enhanced training—all missions that are in high demand worldwide, and in particular in North America.”

See further Heli-Expo coverage on pg. 34 z

Stellar Aviation—which operates a trio of FBOs in Florida, Illinois, and Nevada—has broken ground on a new facility at Reno/ Tahoe International Airport (KRNO). The $25 million project on the northeast corner of the airfield will include a 5,000-sq-ft terminal, a pair of 30,000-sq-ft heated hangars, 10,000 sq ft of combined attached office space, and five acres of ramp area. First phase of construction is expected to be completed by mid-2024. The Epic Fuels-branded FBO is also about to complete the installation of a 40,000-gallon tank farm. It soon plans to continuously stock sustainable aviation fuel.

AEROBRIGHAM BUYS MYGOFLIGHT HUD DIVISION

Texas-based MRO AeroBrigham has purchased the SkyDisplay head-up display (HUD) division from MyGoFlight. SkyDisplay can be installed in numerous aircraft under an approved model list supplemental type certificate, including several turboprops and light jets. Under the new company name AeroDisplay, AeroBrigham plans to continue developing the HUD, including configurations for additional Part 23 airplanes, as well as Part 27 helicopters.

AVIATION ’ S NET-ZERO GOAL NOT EASILY ACHIEVABLE

A new report from the UK’s Royal Society concludes that no single path to achieving net-zero carbon in aviation exists and the avenues being explored are all fraught with technological and practical difficulties. Among the more startling conclusions: the UK would have to allocate huge areas of agricultural land to support biofuel production or more than double its renewable electricity supply just to support the greening of aviation. The working group called for more R&D in efficient production, storage, and use of green hydrogen, ammonia, and efuels.

Airbus and Genesys Aerosystems are making the H125 helicopter capable of operating under instrument flight rules.

Heli-Expo 2023

General aviation shipments, billings improve in 2022

BY KERRY LYNCH

Global business and general aviation fixed-wing aircraft shipments increased across all categories in 2022 with a combined improvement of 6.5 percent and a corresponding 5.8 percent rise in billings, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Similarly, r otorcraft shipments and billings were up 7.5 percent and 6.8 percent, respectively.

GAMA, which released its yearend shipment report on February 22 during its annual “State of the Industry” press conference, reported that 2,818 fixed-wing aircraft were handed over last year, compared with 2,648 in the year earlier. Turboprop deliveries surged by 10.4 percent, while business jet deliveries improved by only 0.3 percent. Billings last year were $22.9 billion, up $1.3 billion from 2021.

News Briefs

PT6 REACHES 60 YEARS

Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) is celebrating the 60th year of PT6 engine production and the accumulation of one billion hours of flying on its various engine models since the company was formed nearly 100 years ago. More than 64,000 PT6s have been produced since 1963, and some 155 different aviation applications are powered by the turbine engines, according to P&WC. “Today’s PT6 is up to four times more powerful, has a 50 percent better power-to-weight ratio, and up to 20 percent better specific fuel consumption compared to the original engine,” said P&WC president Maria Della Posta.

GJC: STRONG BIZJET MARKET FACES HEADWINDS

Business jet makers last year largely reported strong order books and book-to-bill ratios well in excess of 1:1, but supply-chain problems and market uncertainties tempered ramp-ups in production. Even so, business jet makers handed over 712 aircraft in 2022, two more than a year earlier. Deliveries were up in the single digits at Textron Aviation, Bombardier, and Gulfstream.

GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce, noting his board members point out that “It’s not about the units, it’s about the value,” said value is up 4.5 percent. “When you are delivering $19.8 billion of business jet aircraft, that’s pretty remarkable.”

He further noted that the North American contribution reached its highest pe rcentage at 69.9 percent since GAMA began tracking market share in 2007.

The business jet market remained strong in 2022 but questions remain about whether 2023 may bring a tougher environment for the industry, Global Jet Capital (GJC) said in its latest Market Brief. GJC noted that in the fourth quarter flight operations improved year-over-year; orders for new aircraft came in at high levels; transactions were still above pre-Covid levels; and pricing remained stable. But it also pointed to uncertainties such as inflation, supply chain disruption, the war in Ukraine, energy instability, and Covid. “The biggest question going forward is the health of the global economy,” GJC said. “The business jet market has remained resilient but will likely be tested this year.”

THRIVE AVIATION OPENS HEADQUARTERS EXPANSION

Charter operator Thrive Aviation has opened a 17,000-sq-ft headquarters expansion in Henderson, Nevada, as the company continues to experience rapid growth. The expansion houses the company’s operational control center, as well as a training and development lab. Thrive anticipates making additional growth announcements in the coming months.

Aircraft shipments were higher last year than in 2021, GAMA reported, and turboprop deliveries led the way with deliveries up 10.4 percent.

 ... what we’re seeing now is they go from single-engine aircraft to a single-engine turboprop. 

Part 135 rest, duty regs review leads to calls for change

BY STUART “KIPP” LAU

Decades-old Part 135 pilot rest and duty regulations may be giving way to a more progressive set of science-based rules. Current regulations, according to experts, are far too prescriptive and fail to recognize the effects of circadian rhythm and cumulative duty time. A new set of rules is soon expected to enter the notice of proposed rulemaking process and would be based on modern fatigue science while accommodating the diversity of operations within the charter and air ambulance industry.

In July 2021, the Part 135 Pilot Rest and Duty Rules Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) submitted its recommendations to the FAA, after nearly three years of collabor ative industry work. Established by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2 018, the Pilot Rest and Duty Rules ARC was formed to identify the effectiveness and deficiencies of the current Part 135 regulatory framework and to develop

recommendations for future rulemaking activities.

The ARC comprised a group of individuals that represented a cross-section of the charter industry and fatigue experts including government, industry organizations, operators, academia, and labor.

Originally established in 2019, the primary objective of the ARC was to achieve the following as it relates to pilot rest and duty regulations: reduce the potential for excess fatigue across the complexity of Part 135 operations, provide a tiered approach for effective alertness management for a variety of business models, improve the enforcement of regulations, minimize the economic impact, accommodate the unique requirements of air medical services, and provide additional protections for flightcrew members operating during the window of circadian low (WOCL).

According to NBAA director of flight operations and regulations and member of

the ARC Brian Koester, “The existing rules are based on preventing acute and cumulative fatigue. While they are based on science, fatigue science has advanced since the rules were written. Our goal was to use the opportunity presented by the ARC to recommend modern, performance-based regulations that reflect the advancements in fatigue science.”

In its report, the ARC identified several deficiencies in the rest and duty regulations and other dangerous practices that are common with some Part 135 operators.

Most apparent was an acknowledgment that the rules, first established in 1978, are applied equally around the clock and do not consider WOCL—a period where fatigue is at its highest level and alertness is low. WOCL is identified as a period between 0200-0600 (local for the pilots’ home base). Thus, the ARC recommended that regulations should account for the safety risks of increased fatigue during this period.

DANGEROUS PRACTICES

Other dangerous practices, as identified, include “rolling rest” and “Part 91 tailend ferry flights.” Both practices hold the potential to induce fatigue and decrease safety margins.

Rolling rest is an “illegal and widespread practice of requiring a crew member to be in rest on a rolling (continuing) basis without assigning an end to the rest period.” Prospective rest periods—those with a defined beginning and end—are a better way to manage rest and, with new record-keeping requirements, will be more enforceable.

BRIAN KOESTER

DIRECTOR

Part 91 tail-end ferry flights are another practice where operators require flightcrew to reposition an aircraft at the end of a Part 135 duty period. This practice was commonplace in helicopter air ambulance (HAA) operations until 2014 when regulations (FAR 135.601) were changed to define a Part 135 HAA flight to include those “conducted to reposition the helicopter after completing the patient or donor organ transport.”

Several Part 135 Pilot Rest and Duty Rules ARC members spoke with AIN about the prevalence of fatigue in Part 135 and other non-scheduled flight operations and about the ARC’s recommended new rules.

According to fatigue expert and Coalition of Airline Pilots Association (CAPA) representative Lauri Esposito, “Fatigue is a serious issue in nonscheduled flight operations because a pilot doesn’t always know when they are going to be operating a flight, which

THE PERFECT PLACE FOR BUSINESS AIRCRAFT

NBAA

OF FLIGHT OPS AND REGS

makes sleep management difficult. In other words, a pilot may know that he is ‘on call’ for a specific time period, but because he doesn’t know exactly when his flight assignment is during this timeframe, it is difficult to plan when to sleep.” Esposito, a Boeing 757/767 captain, also served on the Part 121 Pilot Rest and Duty ARC—these efforts and recommendations created a new set of regulations (Part 117) that are now applicable to all Part 121 passenger operators—cargo operators were exempt from these rules.

Jessica Naor, president of Grandview Aviation—a large charter operator—added, “Fatigue, particularly with Part 135 operators flying at night [during the WOCL], is a major problem in the industry. Many 135 operators on the ARC agreed that the current rest rules are not being followed, nor enforced, because our current rules aren’t clear enough. Prospective rest requires that pilots are assigned specific rest periods and specific duty periods—on-call is not r est, yet many operators are leaving pilots ‘on-call’ or in ‘rolling rest,’ which has a huge impact on the alertness of crews flying in these environments.”

Naor expressed concern that the current rules are difficult to enforce; this creates a disadvantage for those operators that perform at a higher level of safety. “Operators following the rules can’t compete today either,” she said. “I have had charter brokers tell me personally they can’t use us because we have assigned rest periods for pilots—that was the day I realized how bad and how widespread this issue is. The industry can, and should, do better for our pilots and our passengers.”

SAFETY FIRST

Naor believes that taking a “safety first” approach to fatigue risk management was not only the right thing to do but may have some other intangible benefits such as pilot retention. “I feel strongly that when you make the right calls you will always be successful in the end. Beyond the safety aspect of this, we have better retention of pilots because they know we value them

and we’re setting them up for success, not pushing them beyond their physical limits that could endanger them,” she said.

Quantifying the issue of fatigue in non-scheduled operations is difficult and the problem is more than likely underreported, according to NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP) Industry Research Committee member Mike Hanson.

such as A SIAS so that all aviation stakeholders can benefit.” Hanson has held various leadership positions at NJASAP and is a Cessna Citation XLS captain.

Hanson believes that fatigue is a major challenge for pilots flying for nonscheduled operators. “As a Part 135 pilot for a large operator, there are many issues that we face daily that can lead to acute and cumulative fatigue,” he said.

These issues include operating during the overnight hours, schedule flips (an early duty show time followed by a late duty show time, or vice versa), inconsistent duty start times, consecutive long duty days (up to 14 hours per duty day, no matter what time of day), an excessive number of consecutive duty days (with no current limit, outside of 13 days off per quarter), multiple changes to duty assignments during a duty day, no limit to the numbe r of segments flown, long-range international operations, Part 91 ferry legs at the end of a Part 135 duty day, and hotel and transportation issues.

“Fatigue has long been an issue in Part 135 [and 91/91K] operations but quantifying that fatigue has always been a challenging task,” Hanson said. “Our Part 121 counterparts have benefited from mandatory safety r eporting systems to help identify and mitigate safety-related issues [such as fatigue] for many years. However, Part 135 and Part 91/91K operators lag behind in the implementation of formal safety reporting systems, let alone the sharing of that data with other potential aviation stakeholders.”

A lack of a mandatory reporting system masks the true nature of the fatigue threat facing the industry, he continued. “Less than a quarter of Part 135 operators have a formal ASAP [reporting] program, and less than 10 percent of operators share quantifiable information with an organization

“Other operators and pilots may face additional challenges, depending on the type and schedule of their operations. Pilots that work for Part 135 scheduled operators face similar obstacles and challenges that pilots of Part 121 passenger carrying operators face, but without the fatigue protections of Part 121...rules.” Hanson added, “Additionally, some Part 135 operators incorrectly still use ‘rolling rest’ scheduling practices, and pilots may fear retribution if they were to call in ‘fatigued’ when they are too tired to safely operate an aircraft.”

Likewise, fatigue creates specific operational challenges ranging from routine business trips t o complex aeromedical transport flights. “One of the key challenges we discussed on the ARC was organ transplant missions because this is one of the most fatiguing mission types in Part 135 today,” Naor said. “Grandview Aviation has been flying these missions since 2007 so we have a lot of experience and have felt the challenges of the existing rule set in

JESSICA NAOR PRESIDENT, GRANDVIEW AVIATION

 I feel strongly that when you make the right calls you will always be successful in the end.

this environment. Organ transplant flights happen with a couple hours’ notice during WOCL periods and the average mission lasts 10 hours. That’s very difficult to fit into a 14-hour pre-assigned shift without having many overlapping crew shifts to accommodate it, which most operators don’t have.”

Naor noted the ARC also identified the typical business meeting trip as being tough as well. “Pilots waking up in early morning hours to take off at 7 a.m. and fly back many hours later in the evening is grueling on crews. But, having a hotel room to in which to grab a nap would make a positive impact. Every table in the report is tied to some common circumstance that pilots in 135 fly and attempts to mitigate the fatigue risk associated with the timing and duration of the trips in cumulative hours, days, or time of day.”

FAA HAS FALLEN BEHIND

Hanson believes the FAA has fallen behind in implementing science-based rest and duty rules for charter operators, saying, “EASA, CASA, and the [Canada] ‘air charter’ Part 135 equivalents have all updated their rest and

the first ARC was formed in 2003 with no action taken and additional efforts began in 2009. The 2009 Duty and Rest ARC was the basis for Part 117 rules, which were applied only to Part 121 passenger operations and ignored Part 121 cargo operations and Part 135 operations.

duty rules in recent years to reflect current scientific understanding of human physiology as it relates to fatigue. The U.S. regulations lag despite numerous attempts to bring our segment of the industry up to date.”

Efforts to change Part 135 rest and duty regulations began nearly 20 years ago;

Hanson pointed out the irony because the FAA in its 2009 Rest and Duty ARC charter stated: “The FAA recognizes that the effects of fatigue are universal, and the profiles of operations occurring under parts 121 and 135 are similar enough that the same fatigue mitigations should be applied across operations for flightcrew members. To carry out the Administrator’s goal, the FAA is chartering an ARC that will develop recommendations regarding rulemaking on flight time limitations, duty period limits, and rest requirements for pilots in operations under Parts 121 and 135.”

Stay connected nationwide with SmartSky. Talk, text, game, livestream, video conference, upload and download large files. All at once. On multiple devices. Move more data than ever before via a software-defined network that advances with the latest technology. Anything else is a no go.

Get smart and contact us at 800.660.9982 or info@smartskynetworks.com. smartskynetworks.com

INFLIGHT WI-FI THAT ACTUALLY WORKS

SMART



As a Part 135 pilot for a large operator, there are many issues that we face daily that can lead to acute and cumulative fatigue. 

ALERTNESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Recommendations from the Part 135 Pilot Rest and Duty ARC attempted to limit the overall economic impact while providing provisions for improved recordkeeping and rest scheduling. The report introduces the concept of an Alertness Management Program (AMP) and outlines a tiered solution that can accommodate operators ranging from a small charter with low-fatigue related risk to a more comprehensive set of rules for certificate holders more likely to be exposed to fatigue-inducing circumstances, including air medical and organ transport operators.

The purpose of an AMP is to promote flightcrew member alertness by providing fatigue monitoring and fatigue mitigations. The complexity of an AMP and the mitigations will depend on the type of operation. The ARC has recommended that the FAA publish an advisory circular on AMP.

Smaller operators that do not routinely operate during WOCL may opt not to employ an AMP. Rest and duty limits, in this case, are more restrictive to avoid the potential for unmitigated fatigue.

A Level 1 AMP, in general, has more prescriptive limits based on the number of pilots, and whether the duty period infringes on WOCL. As envisioned, the Level 1 AMP would allow additional flexibility and would be approved by the operator’s principal operations inspector.

A Level 2 AMP includes a customized set of flight, duty, and rest limits accompanied by an expanded AMP defining the mitigations necessary for that ope ration. The recommended requirements for a Level 2 AMP are much greater than a Level 1 AMP and would require approval from FAA headquarters.

The Part 135 Pilot Rest and Duty Rules ARC came to a consensus supporting the recommendations in the report submit ted to the FAA. The proposed changes account for WOCL and other scientific principles to establish a more progressive set of rest and dut y rules.

Transforming these recommendations into law is a long process, and when asked if the industry is prepared for this change, the responses varied.

CAPA’s Esposito, who has personally witnessed changes to rest and duty rules, maintained, “Yes, the industry is ready for these changes. FAR Part 117 was implemented in 2012. These scientifically based flight/duty regulations replaced FAR Part 121 for passenger carriers only. Initially, there was resistance from the airline industry, however, after more than a decade of operating under Part 117, none of the predicted detrimental impacts have come to fruition. The same thing will happen with Part 135. Both operators and pilots will adapt and adjust to the new rules.”

NJASAP’s Hanson added, “I think the industry is averse to change in general, but this is a known issue that needs to be addressed by all stakeholders involved: the regulator, the operators, and the pilots. The ARC membership discussed this at length, and while there will be an adjustment period, the recommendations will lead to a safer operation for the entire U.S. aviation system.”

Throughout the process, members of the ARC have remained focused on fatigue and

its impact on safety, Hanson stated, adding: “And so it remains, fatigue has been common in our segme nt of the industry and continues to be to this day.

“Part 135 operations have greatly evolved over the decades, with aircraft that can cover all corners of the globe. Unfortunately, the only things that haven’t changed in that time is the human physiology that requires sleep to allow pilots to safely perform our duties, and the antiquated rest and duty rules that govern our operations. We are hopeful that the ARC recommendation document will be the basis for a long overdue NPRM that will finally update these rules.”

Grandview Aviation’s Naor further said, “Fatigue doesn’t typically get recorded as the primary cause of an accident, but we know that human factors is the biggest contributor to aviation accidents. Fatigue induces poor decision- making, mistakes, loss of concentration, and slowed reaction times, everything we know that causes accidents. The NTSB may not always name fatigue as the cause of an accident, but we can all understand intuitively that it plays a role in most accidents and incidents.” particularly in cases where pilots are highly skilled.” z

New rest and duty recommendations for Part 135 operators aim to improve fatigue management.

WEIGHT & SEE

The same flexibility that makes private aviation so appealing to travelers can present challenges for pilots and crews to ensure the aircraft stays within safe weight and balance limits. Handling last-minute changes to passengers or cargo appropriately is vital for safe flight operations. We’re highlighting this issue as a focal point for increasing your safety margin.

Post it, Share It

Thoughtful flying keeps people safe and helps reduce claims for aircraft damage. Mount the poster where it can serve as a visual reminder ahead of the busy summer travel season. Need more? Download free copies at usaig.com.

Are You Covered?

Find out more about our coverage, our Performance Vector safety initiative or Performance Vector PLUS good-experience returns program. Contact us and we’ll connect you with an aviation insurance broker in your area.

John Brogan President and CEO, USAIG

WEIGHT & SEE

ENSURE YOUR AIRCRAFT WILL STAY WITHIN WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMITS

Flight crews are constantly challenged to adapt to changes, but aircraft limits aren’t flexible. The responsibility to assure aircraft stability and performance ranks above convenience. Have a process that avoids any guesswork when evaluating late changes and empowers crews to make and implement safe decisions.

Resist underestimating when factoring weight of people, baggage, cargo, and fuel.

Load in a way that keeps the aircraft’s center of gravity in safe range and prevents cargo from shifting.

Scrutinize changes; confirm it’s safe to take extra passengers or heavier-than-planned cargo.

Relay any manifest changes to your off-aircraft flight monitor/dispatcher prior to takeoff.

ACSF stepping up spotlight on FDM program

BY KERRY LYNCH

Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) is hoping to use events such as its annual Safety Symposium and word-of-mouth to build momentum for its recently launched flight data monitoring program and encourage others to adopt such practices.

Most recently ACSF held its Safety Symposium last month at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida, and on the agenda was a session of top executives discussing the challenges the y’ve faced regarding the perception of FDM, how they overcame those challenges, the hardware involved, data analysis that comes with the program, and the safety and operational benefits.

Taking a page from the effort to develop its Aviation Safety Action Program (ASAP)—which was built by word of mouth—ACSF president Bryan Burns said his hope is to foster similar success for FDM. “It’s a mirror image of what we did with ASAP 10 years ago,” he told AIN. ACSF formally opened the FDM program to participation this year after beta-testing it with three operators in 2022.

Frank Raymond, director of safety for a Part 91 operation, who formerly held the same title for ACSF, explained that the program is designed to help organizations improve their flight operations by using more data.

With ASAP, a voluntary reporting program, operators can learn what happened from the pilot’s perspective, Raymond said. FDM tells the operator what the airplane did. The programs can work together, he noted.

Many of ASAP participants have FDM, Raymond said. “But we’re really trying to

get folks that haven’t touched FDM and who are afraid of the cost and complexity. There are a lot of smaller operators out the re that don’t have the time, the money, the resources, to get some of these programs. That’s where [ACSF’s FDM initiative] started. How do we get these programs down to operators that typically wouldn’t have been able to afford them? How do we raise their safety game?”

“We want to provide training to everybody from the frontline to the C-suite on what FDM can and cannot do,” Raymond said. “‘This is how it should be used, this is how it should not be used.’”

Once that foundation is built, operators need to look at the aircraft and the avionics to know what type of hardware is best for the airplane. The right har dware is critical to getting the data off the airplane, he explained.

“Technology has gotten less expensive and more readily available,” Raymond said. “There are mor e options out there than there were 15 years ago when I started my FDM at another company.”

Program partners include AirSync and CloudAhoy, which make FDM feasible for light jets, turboprops, and even piston aircraft. AirSync provides hardware options and cellular connectivity to get the data off the aircraft.

ACSF looked to develop cost-effective solutions to reach those operators. “They may not have all the bells and whistles of some of these legacy programs, but for the cost, you’re still getting access to data that you wouldn’t otherwise have,” he said.

To get started, Raymond added, “you have to have the right safety culture.” Without a just culture in place, “FDM isn’t going to be in an environment where it can thrive.” ACSF also stresses the importance of training on FDM for both management and flight crews so they have a better understanding of what they can do with the data in a non-punitive environment.

The data is then transmitted wirelessly to CloudAho y, which provides the analysis. “That’s where we’re actually looking at the data,” Raymond said. CloudAhoy created a dashboard with graphics to provide a picture of what’s happening with the aircraft.

“The basic idea of FDM is that we’re using aggregated data to look at our system,” Raymond commented. “The goal, as a flight department, is [to ask] how are we flying our aircraft? Are we flying in accordance with the aircraft flight manual? Are we flying in accor dance with our SOPs with the CFRs?”

The beta test ran for a year, and Raymond said the feedback was positive. z

Bryan Burns traces ACSF growth in members, safety programs

BY KERRY LYNCH

Bryan Burns has steered the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) through its near infancy to a multi-faceted safety organization that offers a variety of safety programs to charter operators. He joined ACSF in 2010, two years after it was formally established, as executive director and later became president. He brought 30 years of fixed-base operation experience to his role at ACSF, serving as general manager for Signature Flight Support at Washington Dulles and Ronald Reagan Washington National airports and before that v-p of Jackson Hole Aviation and president of Vail Valley Jet Center in Eagle, Colorado. He was the recipient of the NBAA Dr. Tony Kern Aviation Professionalism Award in 2021 as well as the Flight Safety Foundation Business Aviation Meritorious Service Award in 2022. He discussed the evolution of ACSF with AIN.

Talk a little about the history of the Air Charter Safety Foundation.

The foundation was formed as a spinoff of NATA [the National Air Transportation Association] as a sister organization because of the large number of high-profile fatal accidents that were happening in the industry back in 2006 and 2007.

The FAA was not happy with charter operator safety and said, “You guys have got to reach out to your charter members to fix this. This is just not acceptable.” That’s what triggered the Industry Audit Standard. [The late ACSF v-p operations] Russ [Lawton] developed the original [ACSF] Industry Audit Standard. Really, 90 percent of the foundation back in the day was doing audit standards. Literally, that was the purpose of it.

How has the ACSF evolved?

When I started with the foundation, we had 30 members, and literally, that consisted of our entire board. We are now over 300 today. So, when you talk about growth, you talk about exponentially where we’re at. I think what’s really driving a lot of that, if not the majority of it, is our Aviation Safety Action Program [ASAP, a non-punitive voluntary safety reporting initiative]. That’s been kind of the staple that has [grown] from what

initially began as our Industry Audit Standard. After ACSF was formed, it really concentrated on the Industry Audit Standard and didn’t even consider ASAP till five years later.

How did you get involved with ASAP?

[ACSF] evolved and we became a little bit more creative. We started thinking about why the Part 121 world has ASAP, but Part 91 does not and relatively few 135s were participating. That was a huge turning point in the foundation: creating the relationship not only with the FAA headquarters but more importantly the Flight Standards District Offices [FSDOs] in the field, to become recognized as a third-party program manager for the ASAP program.

Russ and I went around the nation literally talking to all the FSDOs and introducing the ASAP concept in the early stages [to the industry]. Like most things, word of mouth just kind of began in the industry and we promoted the heck out of it. And so, we created an entire—how would you say—ASAP industry that was never considered in the past to mitigate risk and move the safety needle.

What’s been the result?

We’ve got well over 278 of what we refer to as ASAP certificates. We’re managing

about 222 companies, but they have multiple certificates. We’re about split right now between Part 135 and 91.

I think one of the major factors that validates everything we’re doing in the ASAP space is that we have the FAA, especially in the FSDOs, reaching out to us to train their own inspectors on the ASAP program. The FAA has had its own challenges with attrition, staffing issues, and internally trying to keep inspectors current. We have built an enormous relationship with these folks to the point that there are times when they’re referring operators to the ACSF if they want to start an ASAP program. So I mean, just back to the word of mouth is where it’s coming from and the really solid trust relationship, this partnership, that truly makes it all work.

Was there reluctance for operators to sign onto a voluntary safety reporting program?

Russ and I always go back to 3M and Target, the Part 91 flight departments that really were the first to participate in the program even before 135 joined. We went around the country doing various regional forum presentations on the ASAP program. There absolutely was reluctance. There was the piece of why

should we do this. However, we tapped into those folks [participating] and that started trickling into the system. We gave a venue [at our annual conference] to get operators that were participating in our ASAP program to tell the audience the value and benefits of it. There wasn’t any kind of directive that came out from the FAA. We just took the liberty of kind of growing it ourselves

Flight data monitoring [FDM] is, in my view, a very similar path that we’re taking with the challenges of folks being concerned about Big Brother looking.

These are all very similar challenges. You have to switch that conversation over to the impact it’s having on enhancement in improving your operation from a safety component. It’s the culture. And if you’ve got the right culture, it is hugely successful.

With ASAP rolling and the Industry Audit Standard getting regular customers, what was next for ACSF?

It led to what has now been a combination of the SMS [safety management system] program. As a component of ASAP, we were relying on many other commercial businesses that had SMS platforms, servers, and tools that we did not. Customer feedback, however, was “We would love to have one-stop shopping.”

Basically, let’s have everything reside under one server, under one platform. Because with all these programs, you have to make it simple in order for folks to participate. So that was another turning point for us a year ago or so.

By allowing the SMS platform to be introduced, now folks can file a combination of SMS reports and ASAP reports, under our QuickBase server. That was a big add to our initiatives and programs.

And then, what has been most recent in this past year has been FDM. We felt that was a natural evolution of the pathway to safety.

If you look at all those steps [Industry Audit Standard, ASAP, SMS, and FDM], you are capturing a ton of data that analyzed properly and reviewed properly can improve what

you’re doing. I always look at that as peace of mind at the end of the day that you’re doing everything through those channels to manage your safety program as best as possible.

Did the NTSB coordinate with you or ask you to take on these roles?

No, never. Obviously, [former NTSB chair] Robert Sumwalt was very helpful with some direction and guidance. We just felt that it was right for our members.

When it comes to recommendations and the terms the [NTSB] always uses after an accident, it is encouraging and promoting safety programs by looking at what historically has been the domestic airlines’ safety record. The airlines have three things that typically small and medium-sized operators do not: time, money, and resources. So, the airlines have all these wonderful programs. Historically, everything we just talked about they’ve had for years.

There’s the cost, and members saying “We’d love to participate, but who’s going to pay and how will we find time for this?”

When you’re a large mega operator, that works on a scale of an airline. W hen you’ve got two aircraft and a dozen employees, you need help to truly apply these safety programs and initiatives properly and monitor them, police the m, provide feedback, and corrective action improvement.

How is this scalable to the Part 91 and Part 135 world? This has always been the challenge, and this is where the Foundation fits in. The ACSF comes in to try to help facilitate and manage. That’s what made the ASAP program so successful, managing those programs as best w e can.

That’s what we’re trying to do with FDM. z

This interview was edited and condensed.

AIN 2023 FBO Survey: The Americas

REPORT BY CURT EPSTEIN, CHARTS AND DATA BY DAVE LEACH

Business has been good for the FBO industry in the post-Covid period. Private aviation was spurred to record heights by an influx of ne w users, seeking more controlled travel environments as well as relief from the still-diminished airline schedules.

According to Argus TraqPak data, flight activity last year in North America was more than 5 percent above 2021 levels and 15.5 percent over pre-Covid 2019. Flight hours increased by nearly 11 percent year-over-year and were up 22 percent from 2019.

The large-cabin jet segment saw the largest increase, up 11.4 percent compared with 2021. Yet operators are seeing the cost of flying rise for a variety of reasons.

With that increased usage came higher fuel sales for most FBOs, despite the surge in jet-fuel pricing caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The resulting sanctions on Russia led to a tightening of the global oil supply, which saw jet-A prices skyrocket to new levels in the second quarter of the year, reaching nearly $13 a gallon in some areas. High prices have persisted with the nationwide average at more

than $11 a gallon, according to Airnav.com.

“We are continuing to see traffic increase...and the gallons pumped are really reflecting this,” said David Peacock, general manager of Wilson Air Center’s Memphis International Airport location. “The higher fuel prices we are experiencing haven’t seemed to have an effect on this.”

Among the FBOs AIN spoke with for this year’s FBO survey, many indicated they experienced record totals in activity and fuel sales in 2022.

That increase in activity, coupled with a wave of new private aviation users, has also exacerbated the shortage in hangar space being felt by many service providers.

“If you look at every manufacturer, the airplanes that they are making today are substantially larger than they were 20 years ago,” explained Scott Cutshall, senior v-p of development and sustainability with California-based Clay Lacy Aviation. “So, there is a need for not only more hangar space but hangars large enough to accommodate what we are referring to as the upgauging that’s going on in the industry.”

In the post-Covid environment, labor

issues were another factor FBOs had to address. With a tight labor market, aviation service providers competed with other service-oriented industries for staff. This required FBOs to step up their compensation to attract and maintain quality talent.

“Finding staff remains a challenge,” said Dana Fales, general manager of Sheltair’s facility at Fort Lauderdale International Airport. “To combat this, we have adjust ed the way we pay our employees to encourage longevity and growth.” The Florida-based company is also offering additional benefits such as longevity bonuses, educational reimbursements, and new employee referral financial incentives.

Against this backdrop, AIN once again asked its readers to rate FBOs they frequented over the year in five categories: line service, passenger amenities, pilot amenities, facilities, and CSRs. To land at the top of the survey ratings, it is not enough for an FBO to excel in just one or two categories; a location must demonstrate all-around consistency. We present to you this year’s top 5 percent. International results will appear in the May issue. z

TOP RATED FBOS IN THE AMERICAS (BY OVERALL AVERAGE)

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

SOUTHEAST REGION

FBO AIRPORT CODE OVERALL AVERAGE

ATLANTA

4.78 Pentastar Aviation

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

HILL AIRCRAFT KFTY4.410.04

EPPS AVIATION KPDK4.370.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KPDK4.200.00

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKPDK4.170.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KFTY3.950.00

BOCA RATON/POMPANO BEACH

SHELTAIR KPMP4.56-0.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KBCT4.36-0.04

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKBCT4.170.02

CHARLESTON

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KCHS4.530.00

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKCHS4.09-0.08

CHARLOTTE

WILSON AIR CENTER KCLT 4.59-0.01

CHATTANOOGA

WILSON AIR CENTERKCHA4.660.00

DAYTONA BEACH

SHELTAIR KDAB4.620.01

FORT LAUDERDALE

BANYAN AIR SERVICEKFXE4.730.01

SHELTAIR KFLL4.710.01

NATIONAL JETS KFLL4.590.00

JETSCAPE KFLL4.240.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KFLL4.150.00

FORT MYERS/NAPLES

BASE OPERATIONS AT PAGE FIELD KFMY4.680.01

NAPLES AVIATIONKAPF4.260.01

PRIVATESKY AVIATIONKRSW4.25-0.04

JACKSONVILLE

SHELTAIR KJAX4.66-0.01

MEMPHIS

WILSON AIR CENTERKMEM4.730.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KMEM4.040.02

MIAMI

FONTAINEBLEAU AVIATION KOPF4.460.00

ATLANTIC AVIATONKOPF4.400.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KMIA4.240.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KOPF4.150.00

NASHVILLE

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKBNA4.120.02

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KBNA4.120.01

NORTHWEST FLORIDA

SHELTAIR KECP4.600.04

ATLANTIC AVIATION KDTS 4.44-0.04

MILLION AIR KTLH4.220.00

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

Oakland County International Airport (KPTK), Pontiac, Michigan

Unique among FBOs, Pentastar has its own jet bridge, attached to the 10,000-sq-ft, two-story satellite Stargate terminal. It is specially equipped to handle large charter flights such as sports teams, with its own baggage carousel, departure lounge, and workstations.

On one of the few remaining undeveloped parcels of land at KPTK, the company is about to break ground on a new $11 million expansion that will add a pair of 25,000-sq-ft hangars and 8,000 sq ft of passenger lounge and offices.

Occupying the top seat in the FBO Survey for the third-year running is Pentastar Aviation. It ranked among the top 10 in all five survey categories this year, the only location to achieve that status. To ensure it continues to exceed the expectations of its clients it recently added the director of customer experience position to its leadership team.

Standing out among the gaggle of service providers at Oakland County International Airport in Michigan, the company traces its existence back nearly 60 years to its roots as the flight department for the Chrysler Corporation. It eventually extended its services to other jet operators, and in 2001 it was purchased by Edsel B. Ford II, the great-grandson of the legendary Henry Ford, to pursue his passion for aviation.

Pentastar, which is open and staffed 24/7, is a full-service FBO offering a broad slate of capabilities from aircraft management and charter to 24-hour maintenance and interior refurbishments. One distinctive feature is its in-house kitchen: Fivestar Gourmet, which supplies catering to aircraft operators as well as meals to FBO customers and airport workers. It has even expanded its catering service to other airports in the area.

The complex includes 155,000 sq ft of hangar space and 10 acres of reinforced ramp space. It has a pair of terminals with the main 5,000-sq-ft building offering passenger lounges, multimedia-equipped conference rooms, and the Fivestar Café.

Last summer, the Avfuel-branded location achieved Stage 2 registration under t he International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH).

4.77 American Aero FTW

Fort Worth Meacham International Airport (KFTW), Fort Worth, Texas

American Aero FTW’s facility was designed from the start to incorporate virtually every feature to improve the customer experience, and it has certainly accomplished that goal, according to AIN’s readers who have placed it firmly in the top 5 percent of all FBOs since 2017 when its current facility opened. This year, the company scored in the top 10 in four of the five survey categories: passenger amenities (4.73), pilot amenities (4.73), facilities (4.77), and CSRs (4.85).

The 8,600-sq-ft terminal adjacent to the U.S. Customs facility features an array of technologies and amenities such as self-tinting glass windows, white noise speakers embedded in the lobby walls along with sound dampening materials

to provide a tranquil environment, a private lounge for groups of up to 12 people, a fully- soundproofed snooze r oom complete with a one-ton door, shower facilities, a crew dining room with china service, a well-stocked refreshment bar, 25-seat A/Vequipped conference room, and even a high-speed dishwasher for aircraft service items during quick turns. It offers 80 covered parking spaces to protect customer vehi cles from the harsh Texas sun and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the terminal and ramp. “Every detail of the customer experience has been considered and our team takes that attentiveness to the next level by delivering the highest standard of customer service,” said general manager Angela Thurmond.

The Signature Select-badged FBO occupies a 34-acre leasehold at FTW, with 255,000

SOUTHEAST REGION (continues)

FBO

ORLANDO

SHELTAIR KORL4.670.02

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKORL4.500.00

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKMCO4.480.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KMCO4.350.01

RALEIGH/DURHAM

ATLANTIC AVIATION (Formerly TAC Air) KRDU4.150.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KRDU3.88-0.01

SARASOTA

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKSRQ4.550.00

DOLPHIN AVIATIONKSRQ3.560.00

SAVANNAH

SHELTAIR KSAV 4.610.00

TAMPA/ST. PETERSBURG

SHELTAIR KTPA4.770.01

SHELTAIR KPIE4.600.03

SHELTAIR KSPG4.37-0.11

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KTPA3.940.00

WEST PALM BEACH/STUART JET AVIATION KPBI4.720.00

ATLANTIC AVIATION–STUART JET CENTER KSUA4.640.00

APP JET CENTERKSUA4.450.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KPBI4.410.01

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKPBI4.33-0.02

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

sq ft of hangar space capable of sheltering the latest ultra-long-range business jets. It expects to break ground soon on an additional 40,000 sq ft of aircraft storage.

From its start in 2012, safety has always been the cornerstone of the company, as it was the world’s first to achieve Stage 1 and Stage 3 IS-BAH registration and was recertified as Stage 3 in 2021. The location is normally open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day with after-hours callouts available.

4.77 Sheltair

Tampa International Airport (KTPA), Tampa, Florida

A top performer in the AIN FBO Survey for its entire nearly two-decade existence, Sheltair Tampa was among the highest scorers this year in the line service (4.81), passenger amenities (4.77), pilot amenities

(4.73), and facilities (4.79) categories, making it one of only three FBOs to top score 4.7 or higher in every category.

While most FBOs have warehouses and fuel terminals as their neighbors, that is certainly not the case with Sheltair Tampa. KTPA’s central location means customers are not resigned to vending machines, with an upscale shopping district and fine dining restaurants just across the street from the Avfuel-supplied FBO.

One of the notable features of the IS-BAH Stage 2-registered location,

WEST REGION

Its 150,000 sq ft of hangar space—which can hold aircraft up to a Global 7500—will soon be augmented by the opening of a long-awaited $20 million expansion that will add more than 77,000 sq ft of aircraft shelter, 32,000 sq ft of office space, and nearly two acres to the ramp. Next year, the FBO is also planning to add another 50,000sq-ft hangar capable of housing aircraft up to a BBJ.

“Demand for hangar space in the Florida market has seen rapid growth in recent years,” said general manager James Toler. “With our soon-to-be-completed hangar development, we are rising to meet the growing demand for hangar and class A office space.”

4.73 Banyan Air Service

complex across the field, which opened in 2020 and added 160,000 sq ft of hangars and a 9,500-sq-ft satellite terminal.

The 14,000-sq-ft main terminal features an airy two-story, Key West-themed atrium, including a separate TV lounge, waterfall, 800-gallon saltwater aquarium, palm trees, and paddle fans; three pilot lounges; a trio of a/v-equipped conference rooms seating six, 10, and 30 respectively; two snooze rooms, business center; and duty-free shop. Also, part of the complex are the world’s largest pilot shop and the Jetway Café, a popular breakfast and lunch destination that is run by a local caterer.

Combined, they all served to give the FBO its top-10 scores in the passenger amenities (4.72) and facilities (4.80) categories.

Due to its location, the IS-BAH Stage 2 facility, which has a staff of 190, serves as a gateway to the Caribbean, offering travel assistance and documentation services for the Bahamas and other island destinations. The company has patiently awaited the institution of Bahamas customs preclearance and even has a facility earmarked for its eventual introduction.

same score are listed in alphabetical order

which is adjacent to the U.S. Customs facility, is its iconic 13,000-sq-ft aircraft arrivals canopy that protects passengers from Florida’s alternately intense sunshine or rain. Sheltair is about to embark on a major $1.4 million renovation of the complex’s 8,300-sq-ft, two-story terminal, one that will completely reconfigure its interior to improve customer servic e flow.

Banyan Air Service, one of four FBOs at Fort Lauderdale’s dedicated general aviation airport has come a long way from its 1979 founding as a small aircraft maintenance facility. Today it is the world’s largest FBO, occupying more than 120 acres at KFXE and offering aircraft operators virtually every service they might require.

True to its maintenance roots, the facility offers a full Part 145 repair station, avionics shop, engine shop, paint shop, and parts department. Home to a flock of 185 turbine-powered aircraft in addition to hundreds of piston aircraft, Banyan manages 360,000 sq ft of hangar space (over one million sq ft including offices). This includes the Sheltair-built Northside

The Avfuel-branded FBO is also well known throughout Central and South America as well as with operators in those areas scheduling their maintenance at Banyan to coincide with trips to the U.S. Banyan’s line service staff recently transitioned to 100 percent paperless, which has reduced the communications required between its line staff and CSRs by 80 percent.

4.73 Wilson Air Center

Memphis International Airport (KMEM), Memphis, Tennessee

Though Wilson Air Center may be a small FBO chain with just four locations in Tennessee, Texas, and North Carolina, the company, with its ties to the Holiday Inn chain, knows a bit about hospitality, and it shows.

Bearing the name of late patriarch Kemmons Wilson, who also founded the hotel

Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida

5G & BUSINESS JETS – WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOUR FLYING?

Webinar | May 16, 2023 | 1:30 - 2:30 pm ET

As the deployment of 5G cellular towers have come online, the rules and advisories are different for every aircraft and for every operation scenario. Learn about how a radar altimeters works with your avionics subsystems, what to watch for and how these new regulations will affect your flight operations in the business jet market. Panelists will be announced shortly.

Collins Avionics will also be hosting the following upcoming webinars:

› June: Flight Deck Aircraft Modernization

› July: Global Aircraft Tech Insert 5.8 Upgrades

Registration information will be provided shortly.

Hosted by:

Sponsored by:

REGISTER TODAY AT:

brand, the family-owned company brings those service flourishes to all of its locations including its flagship Memphis FBO, which earned its highest score this year in the CSR category (4.80).

“We pride ourselves on outstanding customer service and attention to detail,” said general manager David Peacock, adding the company also pioneered the use of a “hotel style” concierge to enhance the service level of the FBO. “The concierge will meet each arriving and departing aircraft to take the stress out of travel for the customer.”

A major feature of the facility is its 26,000-sq-ft aircraft canopy, one of the largest in the world. The company looks to bring every arriving aircraft under that

canopy no matter how large or small. AIN’s readers clearly appreciate that capability, awarding the location a top 10 score in the facilities category (4.75).

The 5,700-sq-ft terminal includes a passenger lounge, business center, conference rooms, pilot lounge with snooze r oom, and refreshment bar featuring local favorite Blue Bell ice cream yearround. A separate 730-sq-ft VIP handling area with ensuite bathroom is aimed at professional and collegiate sports teams. The location also placed among the

TOP FBOS BY CATEGORY — AMERICAS

leaders this year in the passenger amenities category (4.73).

The facility, which has 35 NATA Safety 1st trained employees and is open 24/7, occupies nearly 18 acres at KMEM. It offers 108,000 sq ft of heated hangar space, which can accommodate aircraft up to a Bombardier Global 6000, and is home to 26 jets and turboprops.

4.72 Henriksen Jet Center

Houston Executive Airport (KTME), Houston, Texas

GREAT LAKES REGION

FBO AIRPORT CODE OVERALL AVERAGE

BATTLE CREEK

MIDWEST REGION

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

DUNCAN AVIATIONKBTL4.380.00

CHICAGO

HAWTHORNE GLOBAL AVIATION SERVICES KPWK4.670.01

J. A. AIR CENTERKARR4.600.00

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKPWK4.540.00

B COLEMAN AVIATION KGYY 4.40-0.03

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KPWK4.400.03

CINCINNATI

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KLUK3.930.03

CLEVELAND ATLANTIC AVIATIONKCLE3.870.00

COLUMBUS

LANE AVIATION KCMH4.210.02

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KCMH3.920.00

DETROIT

PENTASTAR AVIATIONKPTK4.780.02

INDIANAPOLIS

MILLION AIR KIND4.540.00

FIRST WING JET CENTER KTYQ4.270.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KIND4.270.00

LEXINGTON/LOUISVILLE

While most of the FBOs that placed highly in the AIN FBO Survey are located at municipally-operated, publicly-owned airports, Henriksen Jet Center at privatelyowned Houston Executive Airport breaks that mold as it is operated by the same company that owns the airport.

The 23,300-sq-ft terminal, which opened in 2013, is staffed 24/7/365. It includes 8,000 sq ft of tenant office space, as well as a two-story lobby with an authentic Ferrari 333SP race car on display, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ramp, crew suite with theater room, shower facilities, a pair of snooze/ quiet rooms, kitchenette, and dining area, flight planning room, 10-seat A/Vequipped conference room, refreshment bar, and concierge service. A complimentary valet parking garage is available t o customers. Those features served to give the facility the highest overall score (4.78) in the pilot amenities category in this year’s survey.

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KLEX4.480.00

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKSDF4.210.02

MILWAUKEE

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KMKE4.360.00

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

A benefit of being the only service provider on the field, the FBO has free reign over more than 10.5 acres of ramp. “We have recently put in practice a customer service ramp agent, who is able to offer a friendly face while greeting our customers, and who can provide quick and efficient service while communicating with our line service team,” said Andrew Perry, executive director of the company’s airports in Houston and Austin.

The FBO offers nearly 180,000 sq ft of hangar space including a 23,000-sqft hangar with 3,000 sq ft of office space that opened last year. Home to 65 business jets and turboprops, the facility can accommodat e the latest offerings from

FBO AIRPORT CODE OVERALL AVERAGE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

DES MOINES MODERN AVIATIONKDSM4.440.02

FARGO

FARGO JET CENTERKFAR4.680.01

KANSAS CITY

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKMKC4.640.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KMKC3.920.01

LINCOLN

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKLNK4.49-0.02

DUNCAN AVIATIONKLNK4.260.00

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KSTP4.620.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KMSP4.490.01

ST PAUL FLIGHT CENTER KSTP4.350.00

PREMIER JET CENTERKFCM4.310.02

ELLIOTT AVIATIONKFCM4.120.00

OMAHA

REVV AVIATION KCBF4.30-0.04

ATLANTIC AVIATION (Formerly TAC Air) KOMA4.250.02

ST LOUIS

AERO CHARTER KSUS4.600.01

MILLION AIR KSUS4.48-0.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KSUS4.390.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KSTL3.800.00

WICHITA

YINGLING AVIATIONKICT4.410.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KICT4.310.00

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

Gulfstream and Bombardier. It also has, at 33,000 sq ft, what is believed to be the world’s largest aircraft canopy, sheltering three-quarters of an acre, with a ce nter height of 53 feet. This contributed to the location’s high score in the facilities category (4.80), the third-highest score overall.

4.72 Jet Aviation

Palm Beach International Airport (KPBI), West Palm Beach, Florida

As a global FBO operator with more than 30 locations including eight in the U.S., Jet Aviation is well known to the business

SOUTH REGION

FBO AIRPORT CODE OVERALL AVERAGE

AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

HENRIKSEN JET CENTER KEDC4.71-0.01

MILLION AIR KSAT 4.55-0.02

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKAUS4.310.00 SIGNATURE FLIGHT

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KAUS4.150.00

DALLAS/FORT WORTH

AMERICAN AEROKFTW4.770.02

BUSINESS JET CENTERKDAL4.690.01

MCKINNEY AIR CENTERKTKI4.660.04

TEXAS JET KFTW4.650.00

MILLION AIR KADS4.630.00

ALLIANCE AVIATIONKAFW4.590.04

HOUSTON

HENRIKSEN JET CENTER KTME4.720.05

GLOBAL SELECTKSGR4.670.00

MILLION AIR KHOU4.610.01

JET AVIATION

HOUSTON KHOU4.430.00

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKHOU4.380.03

LITTLE ROCK

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KLIT4.110.00

NEW ORLEANS

FLIGHTLINE FIRSTKNEW4.380.00

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKMSY4.230.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KNEW4.210.00

OKLAHOMA CITY

ATLANTIC AVIATION KOKC 4.64N/A

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

aviation industry, and its lone Florida facility at Palm Beach International Airport has continually impressed AIN ’s readership with its highest score tally this year being a 4.79 in the CSR category.

According to general manager Nuno Da Silva, his 53-person staff with an average tenure of 20 years is crucial to the Air Elite FBO Network location’s success. “The critical differentiating factors that set us apart from our competition are primarily our people and their longevity at Jet Aviation Palm Beach,” he told AIN . “This degree of experience enables us to provide a safety-driven environment, and by familiarizing ourselves with our client’s needs and preferences, we are able to create a

memorable experience every time they visit us.” The main 18,000-sq-ft, two-story terminal, which is staffed 24/7, has served since the company began operations there in 1985 and has been renovated several times. The building includes an executive lounge, conference room, business center, pilot lounge with snooze room and showers, flight planning area, and refreshment bar offering treats such as freshly-squeezed lemonade, warm cookies, tropical flavored slushies, and local favorite Rich’s ice cream.

It rated among the top facilities in the pilot amenities category (4.69) in this year’s survey. The facility also shares the recently opened satellite FBO on the northwest side of the field with fellow General Dynamics subsidiary Gulfstream.

Like all of the Jet Aviation locations, the KPBI facility has achieved Stage 2 registration under IS-BAH.

The 25-acre complex has more than half a million square feet of ramp space and 200,000 sq ft of hangars, which can handle anything up to a BBJ-class aircraft. It is home to 62 jets and turboprops.

4.71 Henriksen Jet Center

Austin Executive Airport (KEDC), Austin, Texas

For the sixth consecutive year, Henriksen Jet Center, the FBO at privately-owned Austin Executive Airport, has placed in the top 5 percent of all FBOs, according to AIN ’s readers. More remarkably, the facility has also earned the top score of all FBOs in the passenger amenities category during that same span, and this year tallied

the second highest in the facilities category (4.82). Like its sister at Houston Executive Airport, both locations are Paragon Aviation Group members, and as in Houston, the company owns both the airport and the FBO.

The 22,500-sq-ft terminal at KEDC features an airy two-story, glass-sheathed lobby, with a Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 engine from the former Concorde jetliner on display as a focal point along with a fully-restored 1914 Indian motorcycle in a glass case. Among the amenities are a pilot lounge with quiet rooms equipped with the latest in massage chairs, shower facilities, a luxurious theater room with stadium seating, a 12-seat A/V-equipped conference room, and a 15,000-sq-ft aircraft arrivals canopy, which can accommodate a BBJclass aircraft. That shelter can lower the temperature by more than 30 degrees versus the exposed ramp baked by Texas’s blazing sun.

The Phillips 66-branded location, which is staffed 24/7 every day, has 175,000 sq ft of hangar space to house its 62 based jets and turboprops, including the 28,000-sqft community hangar with 3,000 sq ft of office and shop space completed last year. Given that hangar is already full, the company has already poured the foundation for the next similar-sized one.

“2022 was our best year in fuel sales and operations since we opened in 2011,” said airport executive director Andrew Perry. “The Austin area is one of the fastest growing areas in the U.S., and our base tenant count and our transient traffic has increased over the last two years.”

4.71 Sheltair

Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (KFLL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida

As the CAA-preferred FBO on the field, the Avfuel-branded FBO is an official gateway to the Bahamas, offering pre-clearance services, along with a 24-hour U.S. Customs service facility adjacent to its terminal. The location is also an authorized departure point for flights into Washington Reagan National Airport under the TSA’s DASSP program.

As part of a company-wide initiative, the location also welcomes and supports flights for animal rescue charities including Turtles Fly Too and Pilots N Paws.

4.71 Sheltair

NORTHEAST REGION

FBO AIRPORT CODE OVERALL AVERAGE

ALBANY

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

MILLION AIR KALB4.500.02

BALTIMORE

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KBWI4.100.00

BOSTON

JET AVIATION KBED4.270.01

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKBED4.27-0.04

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KBED3.96-0.05

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KBOS3.590.01

BURLINGTON HERITAGE AVIATIONKBTV4.630.00

HARTFORD

Sheltair’s flagship facility at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport is the Florida-based chain’s second location to reach the top 5 percent in this year’s AIN FBO Survey. With the largest leasehold of the four service providers at KFLL, the facility, which opened in 1988, operates 21 hangars with nearly 320,000 sq ft of aircraft storage space. It is home to 36 jets, nine turboprops, and eight helicopters.

The IS-BAH Stage 2-registered FBO, which has a staff of 65 and is operational 24/7, earned its highest survey score this year in the CSR category (4.76) and placed among the top finishers in pilot amenities (4.70).

Like its Tampa sibling, the KFLL facility, which occupies more than 50 acres, is set to undergo a multi-million-dollar renovation program including improved landscaping, reconfiguration of its parking lot, and ne w signage. Next year in a second phase, its three-story, 68,000-sq-ft terminal—which is open 24/7—will undergo r econstruction with the expansion of its porte cochere to accommodate more vehicles and reconfiguration of the lobby to improve customer service flow.

Amenities include a pilot lounge, snooze rooms, and flight planning area; the onsite Jet Runway Express deli/café; duty-free gift shop; private charter lounge; three conference rooms; refreshment bar; fitness center with sauna, showers, and locker room; concierge; courtesy shuttle; and crew cars.

Rounding out Sheltair’s trio of locations making the top 5 percent in this year’s AIN FBO Survey is its facility at Denver Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, the chain’s first location away from the East Coast of the U.S. with its $20 million permanent complex opening in mid-2020 during the height of the Covid pandemic.

The 27-acre leasehold includes a 10,400sq-ft terminal with a land-side porte cochere for passenger drop off and pick up, and a 162-foot wide, 32-foot-tall aircraft arrivals canopy that can handle anything up to a Bombardier Global 7500. The lobby interior features pine, stone, and exposed raw steel as well as a radiant-heat floor for customer comfort. Amenities include two A/V-equipped conference rooms, passenger and pilot lounges with fireplaces, snooze rooms, concierge, crew cars, and onsite car rental.

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KBDL4.340.03

ATLANTIC AVIATION (Formerly TAC Air) KBDL4.070.00

LONG ISLAND MODERN AVIATIONKISP4.52-0.03

MODERN AVIATIONKFRG4.430.01

MODERN AVIATIONKFOK4.430.01

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKFRG4.21-0.04

MAINE

NORTHEAST AIRKPWM4.590.02

BANGOR AVIATION SERVICES KBGR3.930.00

NEW YORK CITY

MERIDIAN TETERBOROKTEB4.67-0.01

MILLION AIR KHPN4.630.01

JET AVIATION KTEB4.460.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT–SOUTH TERMINAL KTEB4.360.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KMMU4.250.00

PHILADELPHIA

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKPHL4.030.01

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKPNE3.590.00

PITTSBURGH

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKPIT4.550.00

WASHINGTON D.C.

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KDCA4.430.00

APP JET CENTERKHEF4.290.00

JET AVIATION KIAD4.260.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KIAD4.230.00

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

The IS-BAH Stage 2-registered complex, open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. with afterhours callout available, added 29,000 sq ft of hangar space last year along with 6,200 sq ft of offices and nearly 50,000 sq ft of ramp space, bringing the site to 12 acres of apron.

Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (KBJC), Denver, Colorado

ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION

FBO AIRPORT CODE OVERALL AVERAGE

ALBUQUERQUE

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

CUTTER AVIATIONKABQ4.510.01

BOISE

WESTERN AIRCRAFTKBOI4.69-0.02

JACKSON JET CENTERKBOI4.35-0.02

BOZEMAN

YELLOWSTONE JETCENTER BY

SIGNATURE KBZN4.51-0.01

JET AVIATION KBZN4.280.02

COLORADO MOUNTAINS

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKMTJ4.60-0.02

VAIL VALLEY JET CENTER KEGE4.580.00

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKRIL4.300.05

TELLURIDE REGIONAL AIRPORT KTEX4.210.03

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKASE4.120.02

COLORADO SPRINGS

CUTTER AVIATIONKCOS4.590.02

COLORADO JETCENTERKCOS3.980.02

DENVER

SHELTAIR KBJC4.710.00

MODERN AVIATIONKAPA4.63-0.02

DENVER JETCENTERKAPA4.500.01

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KDEN4.420.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT SOUTH KAPA4.200.00

GLACIER

GLACIER JET CENTERKGPI4.510.00

GRAND JUNCTION

WEST STAR AVIATIONKGJT4.460.00

JACKSON HOLE

JACKSON HOLE AVIATION KJAC 3.660.00

PHOENIX/SCOTTSDALE

JACKSON JET CENTERKPHX4.600.02

CUTTER AVIATIONKPHX4.590.02

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KSDL4.580.00

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKSDL4.400.00

CUTTER AVIATIONKDVT4.350.00

PUEBLO FLOWER AVIATIONKPUB4.430.01

SALT LAKE CITY

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KSLC4.45-0.01

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKSLC4.33 0.11

SANTA FE

JET CENTER AT SANTA FE KSAF4.650.03

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KSAF3.820.00

SUN VALLEY

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKSUN4.47-0.01

TUCSON

ATLANTIC AVIATIONKTUS4.380.02

MILLION AIR KTUS4.25N/A

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

Currently under construction are an additional three hangars, each with a pair of dedicated offices, restrooms, and a private garage with streetside as well as hangar access. They will add an additional 5 2,000 sq ft of heated hangar space and 3,700 sq ft of office space, and when complete they will bring the location to more than 113,000 sq ft of aircraft storage.

To mitigate the winter conditions the region is known for, each hangar threshold as well as the concrete walkways throughout the facility are equipped with an ice-melting system.

The location received its highest score this year in the line service category (4.75) and it also expanded its Avfuel-branded fuel farm with the addition of another 20,000-gallon tank that brings its capacity to 55,000 gallons of jet-A.

4.69 Aero-One Aviation

Dothan Regional Airport (KDHN), Dothan, Alabama

the success of our business through our profit-sharing program, so they think all day, every day like owners of the business,” he told AIN.

The location services the 30 jets and turboprops based on the field in addition to transient general aviation and military aircraft. Dupree noted the airport recently hosted an Air National Guard disaster training exercise that attracted dozens of C-17s and F-16s and kept the FBO’s 21 NATA-Safety 1st-trained employees on their toes for days.

The facility has more than 100,000 sq ft of hangar space, capable of sheltering aircraft up to a Citation Longitude.

Age is but a number for the facility’s 1965-vintage, 5,000-sq-ft terminal, which earned the company one of the top overall scores for passenger amenities (4.71) this year. lt offers two seating areas, refreshments and snacks, the Prop & Rotor Café, a conference room, office space, and a recently renovated pilot lounge.

While the company has worked diligently to keep it updated, Dupree explained that he is currently working with the airport to determine whether there is yet another renovation in the facility’s future or if it will finally be demolished and replaced with a new terminal. A decision is expected by the end of this year.

4.69 Business Jet Center

Dallas Love Field (KDAL), Dallas, Texas

Aero-One Aviation, which was founded in 2010 and is the sole service provider at Dothan Regional Airport in Alabama, made its first appearance this year as a top 5 percent FBO in AIN’s annual survey. The family- o wned business is a member of the World Fuel Service-sponsored Air Elite Network.

It earned its highest score this year in the line service category (4.76) due in part to its quick turn expertise and its staff which has extra incentive to provide top-notch service, according to company owner and president Chris Dupree. “Our employees participate in

When it comes to top-tier service providers, the Lone Star State has the bar raised high, and included among them is Business Jet Center (BJC), the highest-rated FBO among the four service providers at Dallas Love Field. In operation since 1997, the family-owned facility placed among the top scorers this year in the passenger amenities category with its score of 4.73. The FBO seems to offer things in triplicate in its unique 33,000-sq-ft, threestory atrium terminal: three crew lounges, three snooze rooms, three conference rooms, and three Mercedes-Benz crew cars. Other amenities include private crew showers, game

Hosted by: Sponsored by:

AVIATION SAFETY WEBINAR: MASTERING FLYING IN COLORADO’S ROCKY MOUNTAINS

May 2, 2023 | 1:30pm et

Join FlightSafety and Signature Aviation as we explore flying in some of the United States’ toughest terrain – Colorado’s Ski Country. A must-attend seminar for flight crews that frequent Rifle, Vail, and Aspen, we’ll break down the need-to-knows of operating safely in mountainous and snowy terrain, and share some helpful tips to keep you mission ready.

REGISTER TODAY AT: Discussion headed by:

RICHARD MEIKLE Executive Vice President, Operations & Safety.

FlightSafety International

room with golf simulator, foosball, and pinball, a large meeting room, and a well-stocked refreshment area. Canine passengers are welcomed as well with treats and their own fire hydrant relief area.

Having opened its 16th hangar—a new 49,000-sq-ft structure—late last year, the 53-acre complex has nearly 400,000 sq ft of hangar and office space, yet even that is not enough, as chief properties officer Jason Pons explained to AIN. The company has plans to build another five hangars of a similar size able to accommodate the latest ultra-long-range business jets along with the accompanying ramp.

A full-service FBO, BJC provides aircraft charter, management, maintenance, sales, and acquisitions along with its business aircraft ground handling. The Phillips-66branded location just purchased six new jet-A refuelers and an avgas truck to ensure it maintains a safe and current fleet, according to managing partner Mike Wright.

Open 24/7, the FBO part of the facility has a staff of more than 80 (out of 150 total company employees). “Every person on

ABOVE & BEYOND

Marc Joseph SHELTAIR KPMP

Estrella Flores CARLSBAD JET CENTER

Amanda Brown HILL AIRCRAFT

Marina Sobas ATLANTIC AVIATION–STUART JET CENTER

Pablo Garcia BANYAN AIR SERVICE

Johanna Echeto SHELTAIR KORL

Lizeth Cervantes HENRIKSEN JET CENTER

Krissy Ross PENTASTAR AVIATION

Lauren Rones-Payne MILLION AIR–HPN

Cathy Frank NAPLES AVIATION

Ysabella Tetley HENRIKSEN JET CENTER

Stephanie Annunziata MODERN AVIATION

Betsy Wines MERIDIAN TETERBORO

Rick Vigue NORTHEAST AIR

Dayna Reynolds MILLION AIR–DALLAS

Jessica Blakeman SHELTAIR KOCF

Brittany Lacy AERO CHARTER, INC

Ashley Harris AMERICAN AERO

Holly Hopkins TEXAS JET

Kawai Lopez MONTEREY JET CENTER

our team believes and is invested in our four values: family spirit, humble heart, trusted service, and vibrant experience,” said chief experience officer Cat Wren. “We take the time to learn what you need and want out of your FBO experience and will do our very best to make sure you receive that every time you come see us!”

4.69 Western Aircraft

Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field (KBOI), Boise, Idaho

Idaho may be a bit off the beaten trail for some, but that hasn’t stopped the customers of Western Aircraft, one of three

service providers at Boise Air Terminal/ Gowen Field from placing it in the top 5 percent of all facilities in the AIN FBO Survey for the third consecutive year.

The Greenwich AeroGroup member, which celebrates its 65th anniversary this year, once again earned top-tier scores in the passenger (4.76) and pilot amenities (4.73) categories, finishing third overall in the former. “Western Aviation is unrivaled in terms of facilities,” FBO manager Dan Milender told AIN, adding, “our exceptional service-oriented approach, as well as our ambition to be the safest, most progressive business aviation provider distinguishes us from our competitors.”

The 5,000-sq-ft terminal features a pilot lounge with a pair of snooze rooms and

Katie Senior GLOBAL SELECT KSGR

Jeanette Rivera CLAY LACY AVIATION KVNY

Kevin Cayer FONTAINEBLEAU AVIATION KOPF

PERSON FBO

AIRPORT CODE

Nancy Rios SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT KSDL

Denise Ortiz SHELTAIR KLAL

Cat Wren BUSINESS JET CENTER KDAL

Ciara Read SHELTAIR KFLL KFLL

Dawndi Ulmer FARGO JET CENTER KFAR

Laura Foscolo MODERN AVIATION KFOK

Gene Mcdonough MILLION AIR–RIC KRIC

Shinelle Haag ATLANTIC AVIATION KSRQ

Christina Sanders SHELTAIR KJAX KJAX

Gavin Dyer WILSON AIR CENTER CLT KCLT

Sebastian Rose SHELTAIR KDAB KDAB

Hannah Branda SHELTAIR KTPA KTPA

Richard Campbell CUTTER AVIATION KPHX

Claudia Tascon SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT–SOUTH TERMINAL KTEB

Brooke Kirklen B COLEMAN AVIATION KGYY

Rosemary Gomez SUN VALLEY AVIATION KHRL

Melina Verdugo DESERT JET CENTER KTRM

Carlos Rodriguez MERIDIAN HAYWARD KHWD

Mark Jackson ATLANTIC AVIATION KANE

Ashley Rainer SHELTAIR KBJC KBJC

Kiah Ziegler CHANTILLY AIR JET CENTER KHEF

Jamie Munoz GALAXY FBO KADS

shower facilities, eight-seat A/V-equipped conference room, flight planning area, passenger lounge with refreshment bar, courtesy cars and shuttles, plane-side vehicle valet, and concie rge. It is staffed from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. with after-hours callout available. Milender noted the company will be switching to X-1 FBO management software this year.

With 14 based turbine-powered aircraft, the facility has seven heated hangars ranging in size from 50,000 sq ft capable of sheltering five Gulfstream G650s at once, to the smallest at 7,884 sq ft, as well as nearly seven acres of ramp space. It also offers a dedicated mobile AOG response team from its Class 1, 2, 3, and 4 FAA repair station—the highest classification—meaning it can work on any production aircraft. The location also offers avionics and interiors

refurbishment. In addition, Western is an authorized Piper and Pilatus aircraft dealer. Each July, the location sees a boost in business aviation traffic courtesy of the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, a weeklong media finance event that has taken place since 1983 and attracts major political figures and corporate executives. z

CARIBBEAN

FBO AIRPORT CODE OVERALL AVERAGE

PROVIDENCIALES

CANADA

FBO AIRPORT CODE OVERALL AVERAGE

CALGARY

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

PROVO AIR CENTERMBPV4.480.03

NASSAU

ODYSSEY AVIATIONMYNN4.360.00

JET NASSAU MYNN4.070.01

ST MAARTEN EXECUJET TNCM3.680.00

FBO SURVEY RULES AND METHODOLOGY

History

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

SKYSERVICE CYYC 4.490.00

MONTREAL

LUX FBO CYHU4.640.03

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT CYUL4.520.01

SKYSERVICE CYUL4.410.00

TORONTO

SKYSERVICE CYYZ4.620.00

SIGNATURE FLIGHT SUPPORT CYYZ3.500.00

BRAZIL

FBO AIRPORT CODE OVERALL AVERAGE

SAO PAULO

CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR

EMBRAER FBO SDCO4.610.00

WORLD-WAY AVIATIONSDCO4.530.00

LIDER AVIACAO SBSP3.770.00

This report on AIN’s FBO survey covers fixed base operations in the Americas.

AIN has been conducting surveys since 1981, asking about the service that FBOs provide their customers and reporting the results from these annual surveys. Initially, we sent out a paper survey questionnaire by mail to qualified subscribers in the U.S.—pilots, flight attendants, and dispatchers—the people who use or make arrangements with FBOs. In later years, qualified subscribers in the remainder of North America and the rest of the world were added to the survey.

In 2006 we moved the FBO survey online. We have continued to add FBOs each year and now offer respondents a comprehensive list of 4,500 FBOs worldwide.

The Survey

The FBO Survey site allows subscribers to keep a list of personalized FBOs and from this list they can easily change or affirm a prior rating and leave an updated comment.

The scores in this report and on our website reflect the cumulative average of scores from

2015 through today. Only the most recent rating of an FBO is counted on a per-user basis and only FBOs that have received 20 or more ratings are eligible for their scores to be published.

From May 1, 2022, until Feb. 3, 2023, we asked subscribers to update and give new ratings for FBOs they had visited in the preceding 12 months. We contacted readers via email and announcements in our enewsletters. The bulk of this promotion took place from Dec. 1, 2022 through Feb. 3, 2023.

The FBO survey site asks readers to evaluate FBOs they visited the previous year in five categories: line service; passenger amenities; pilot amenities; facilities; and customer service representatives (CSRs). For each of these categories, the participant is asked to assign a number from 1 to 5, 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest.

Observations

Each year we review ratings to ensure their accuracy. On our new site we have a system to flag, review, and, if necessary, remove ratings identi-

fied as dubious by factors such as email address, IP address, and concentration of scores.

Score Calculations

An FBO’s overall average is calculated by adding all the individual category ratings received by that FBO and dividing the resulting sum by the total number of all category ratings received by the FBO. In other words, if a particular FBO was evaluated by 50 people (and assuming that all 50 evaluators gave that FBO a rating in each of the five categories), then the FBO would receive a total of 250 category ratings. These 250 category ratings are added together and then the sum is divided by 250 to arrive at the overall average for this particular FBO.

Overall averages are calculated using the cumulative average of all ratings given from 2015 through the present. This year’s results will show an FBO’s increase or decrease versus that FBO’s cumulative rating from one year ago.

FBOs with same score are listed in alphabetical order

SIKORSKY SEEKS TO HEX EVTOL COMPETITORS

HAI explores rebranding to reflect evolving priorities

BY CHARLES ALCOCK

Heli-Expo 2023

Helicopter Association International opened the 2023 Heli-Expo last month in Atlanta with a push to have a more expansive reach to all vertical aviation. This reach could mean a new name for the association under a strategic initiative that president and CEO James Viola unveiled as the annual convention was set to kick off.

“We know we must unify the industry with a new vision for vertical aviation and promote community compatibility,” Viola said.

The HAI board, consisting entirely of senior executives from helicopter operators, has embarked on a rebranding exercise. The objective centers on demonstrating HAI’s determination to be inclusive to all aspects of the burgeoning vertical flight sector now rocketing into new directions driven by new electric propulsion technology and automation.

That might or might not mean retaining the word “helicopter” when HAI reinvents itself, but Viola pledged the rebranding will “look to the future while honoring the past.”

One of the key planks of the new HAI strategy involves elevating safety culture throughout the value chain. “This is one of the toughest things to do because we still see far too many accidents, and helicopter accidents always make the front page,” cautioned Viola. Working with ICAO, HAI helped form a global vertical safety team and at Heli-Expo rolled out a more extensive portfolio of safety tools intended for member companies of all shapes and sizes.

Also new at HAI is a small business advisory council working to support that demographic. One of the key challenges—access to a skilled workforce—will result from the pilot and mechanic shortage expected to stretch for another decade. “We need new pathways to attract and retain the best workforce, and we can’t just depend on recruiting people who are fascinated by rotary aviation,” Viola concluded.

When the show wrapped, HAI estimated that $2 billion in business was conducted during the event, which drew 12,400 attendees from 97 counties and featured 639 exhibitors alongside 49 aircraft on display. z

Sikorsky is getting into the eVTOL race in a big way. It announced plans at Heli-Expo to partner with GE to develop “HEX,” a fully-autonomous, hybrid-electric demonstrator eVTOL prototype. The company expects the uncrewed aircraft to fly by 2026 or 2027, have a maximum weight of more than 7,000 pounds, and offer range of greater than 500 nm. The prototype would serve as a flying testbed to evaluate large aircraft design and novel propulsion and control architectures for sustained hover.

For HEX, GE will combine its CT7 turboshaft engine with a 1 MW-class generator and associated power electronics, building on hybrid propulsion systems it is already developing for NASA and the U.S. Army. The aircraft will use Sikorsky’s Matrix autonomy flight control system and Sikorsky will design, build, and system integrate the aircraft. The company envisions HEX spawning an entire family of eVTOLs scaled to carry passengers and payload for both the civil and military markets. Sikorsky has developed and extensively tested Matrix over the last decade.

“Sikorsky’s HEX aircraft will provide critical insights into the possibilities of electric systems in VTOL aircraft,” said Paul Lemmo, Sikorsky president. “Ultimately, we want to show the potential of large advanced air mobility vehicles to perform utility missions for the U.S. military and transport passengers between cities. As Sikorsky celebrates 100 years of flight innovations, it’s fitting to highlight our continued commitment to safe and sustainable transformative flight.”

M.H.

This year’s Heli-Expo show reflected renewed optimism in the rotorcraft segment.

MARIANO ROSALES

The Paris Air Show Is Back!

AIN’s Paris Air Show News offers a full slate of impactful print and digital marketing opportunities:

PRINT OPPORTUNITIES

› Show dailies packed with the latest news and announcements distributed on site and at major hotels June 19, 20, 21, and 22

› Digital editions for all four days also sent to the full AIN subscriber list

DIGITAL OPPORTUNITIES

› Paris Air Show landing page on AINonline.com running from June 13 to July 12 featuring display and native advertising opportunities

› Four separately produced Paris Air Show Alerts newsletters with display and native advertising available

› Dedicated emails to a custombuilt audience of your design

› Boost your Air Show videos through AIN’s YouTube channel

› Interstitials running on AINonline.com

Close Date for Print: May 30th

Close Date for Digital: June 1st

Contact Sales Advertising: sales@ainonline.com

Contact Editorial: ainedit@ainonline.com

Jerry Siebenmark flies west

BY AIN STAFF

AIN senior editor Jerry Siebenmark, 56, passed away on Feb. 20th, 2023.

Siebenmark joined AIN in 2018, covering mainly business aviation news with a concentration on maintenance/MRO and charter/fractional topics from his office in Wichita. Despite struggling with cancer for more than three years, he remained a prolific writer and raised his hand for nearly every assignment offered.

He had developed a reputation for a fair yet tough approach to his news gathering and writing. One spokesperson told AIN that he could ask a difficult question and inquire after their children right afterward—and it was well received.

Siebenmark brought a zeal to his coverage of the aviation industry. One of his favorite assignments, was a demonstration

ride in Blade Urban Air Mobility’s Airbus EC130 that resulted in the article “How Urban Air Mobility Helped Me Beat My Boss.” Siebenmark suggested that he “race” his editor Matt Thurber, who was driving to the same destination ( see accompanying article).

In addition, he became known at AIN for his sense of humor and fun. Siebenmark would zoom around the convention halls with glee despite being dependent on an electric scooter. He enthusiastically made the multiple-leg airline trip to join the AIN team at recent conventions regardless of the enormous challenges.

Apart from an incurable obsession with squirreling away airshow and convention memorabilia, especially hats and coffee mugs, Siebenmark was known for an equally

deep love of high-quality watches. In Wichita, he was a member of an informal group that gathe red every Saturday at Watch Works, a local store where owner Gregg Breeden welcomed anyone with an interest in complex watch innards and endless discussions about the clockmaker’s art.

A tangible expression of Siebenmark’s fascination with watches was his almostdaily Instagram posting of the watch he was wearing and how it was calibrated to match the day’s weather or other elements of the ever-changing Wichita environment.

During Siebenmark’s illness, longtime Wichita aviation communications executive Dave Franson would check Siebenmark’s Instagram postings, and if no posting appeared for a few days would call to check if Siebenmark was alright. At a

PHOTOS: FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND CO-WORKERS OF JERRY SIEBEMARK

HOW I BEAT MY BOSS WITH BLADE

As determined as my boss, AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber, was to win, there was absolutely no way he was going to beat me in a race between the Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall and Henderson Executive Airport (KHND).

NBAA ConventionNews

BARRY

DAY 3 October14,2021

MediaGroup

HowIbeatmybosswithBlade

Blade’schalet thestaticdisplay. What missed first-classtreat-mentbyBlade’screws,both company’spreflightlounge northendofthe WestHalland itsstaticchalet.Withalreadybookedflight,check-inwas easy

asshowing Bladeattendant photoID. Andthen wasoffered choiceofbottled wateror soda awaitedmyflight,sitting

That’s because he was driving a rented, late-model Ford Escape and I was flying in Blade Urban Air Mobility’s Airbus EC130, operated by local outfit Maverick Helicopters. In partnership with NBAA, Blade has been operating helicopter shuttles for NBAA-BACE attendees between the convention center and static display for $99 one way. NBAA and Blade are pitching the flights as a demonstration of urban air mobility.

ourpilotandhelicopterawaitedus.After briefdemonstrationofhowtoput four-pointsafetybelt,weclimbedintotheseven-seatcabin, pilotfiredup light-singlehelicopter’s848-shpengine,and Flyingat350 agl,theshortride

provided beautifulbackdropofthebluemountainssurroundingLasVegas dusk

post-funeral memorial on February 25, members of Siebenmark’s family each wore one of his watches.

Siebenmark grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, before joining the U.S. Air Force and serving at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita. After his honorable discharge, he graduated from Wichita State University and spent 25 years as a journalist covering aviation and business beats, first for the Wichita Business Journal and then the Wichita Eagle

“Jerry was a devoted husband, father, and friend and truly loved his work covering business aviation. He wanted nothing more than to keep working as long as he could, and he never let his illness get in the way of pursuing a good story and doing a stellar job covering the maintenance beat and the Wichita aviation scene,” said AIN editor-inchief Matt Thurber. “We will miss his crafty sense of humor and willingness to jump in feet first to help get the job done.”

Siebenmark is survived by his wife, Carri, and two adult children—son Cal and daughter Carli.

thetoAAMsetchange

worldJamesWynbrandt said“Howquicklytheworldhaschanged,” utivemoderatorCyrusSigari,execchairman co-founderjetAvivaandco-founder managingpartnerofAAMventurecapital investmentfirmUP.Partners,before introducingtheNBAA-BACEpanelistsyesterday AdvancedAirMobility(AAM)keynotesession. uctThesix—EricAllison,headofprodBetaJobyAviation;KyleClark,CEO Technologies;MartinPeryea, Thrun,CEOofJauntAirMobility;Sebastian CEOofKittyHawkCorp.;MelissaTomkiel,president BladeTigner,UrbanAirMobility;andBenjamin CEOofOverair—leadcompaandniesthatarebringingnewtechnologies solutions AAM. Theyexplainedwhat happening andwhat’scoming aninspiring sessionthatevokedeventsfromthe continuesonpage

Thurber had zero chance of beating me to KHND—it took him 30 minutes while I flew over him in early evening traffic. For me, it was an approximately 15-minute journey, cruising at 130 knots, from the time I climbed into the helicopter outside the north end of the West Hall and stepped out next to Blade’s chalet at the static display. What he also missed was first-class treatment by Blade’s crews, both at the company’s preflight lounge at the north end of the West Hall and at its static chalet. With an already booked flight, check-in was as easy as showing a Blade attendant a photo ID. And then I was offered my choice of bottled water or a soda as I awaited my flight, sitting on one of the three contemporary couches.

The wait wasn’t long before I and another passenger were led out to a blocked-off section of the Diamond parking lot, where our pilot and helicopter awaited us. After a brief demonstration of how to put on the four-point safety belt, we climbed into the seven-seat cabin, the pilot fired up the light-single helicopter’s 848-shp engine, and we lifted off.

Flying at 350 feet agl, the short ride provided a beautiful backdrop of the blue mountains surrounding Las Vegas at dusk. After touchdown and upon exiting the helicopter, a Blade golf cart shuttled us to the company’s chalet. There, once again, we were offered a choice of beverages, including adult libations of which I was able to indulge while Thurber was still making his way to KHND.

J.S.

Weighing high-altitude capabilities in purchase decisions

BY KEVIN O’LEARY

Since the Wright Brothers invented the aircraft, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have tried to build aircraft that fly higher, faster, and farther than all other competitors.

In warfare, an aircraft with a higher max altitude could be a huge advantage in that it could attack from above or climb to escape. In the same fashion, as a bird of prey taking out its target from above, the German Messerschmitt Me262 jet could climb faster and higher than Allied piston-powered fighters.

This altitude advantage allowed the Me262 to attack Allied bombers from above.

If the Germans had developed the Me262 a couple of years earlier, this altitude and performance advantage could have changed or at least delayed the outcome of WWII.

However, does a higher maximum certified altitude (HM) make one business jet a bet ter purchase decision than another? Those that agree will boast about the ability their aircraft has “to get up high” and sip fuel, fly over thunderstorms, avoid other traffic, and receive more direct routing. These may all be real-world advantages of using these higher altitudes but how

often are these HM aircraft able to benefit from these advantages? Are these meaningful advantages of HM business jets or just hype that lacks substance?

To gain insight into this, my firm, Jet Advisors, conducted a study of 29.8 million IFR flights either arriving, departing, or flying point-to-point in the U.S. Ninety-one different jet types were included.

STUDYING HIGH ALTITUDE FLYING

Our study initially looks at all business jet flights that achieved an altitude greater

Percentage of Flights Above FL350 (All Bizjets)

Percentage of Flights Above FL350 (All Bizjets on Long Flights)

than 35,000 feet (FL350). Since most business jets are not certified to fly above 45,000 feet (FL450), we then focused on altitudes achieved by HM aircraft on all flights, and subsequently, on longer flights where it makes more sense operationally to climb to higher altitudes.

Comparing altitudes above 35,000 feet, the study found that most business jets fly at 41,000 feet or FL410. A large number of flights also use FL430 and FL450. There is a dramatic drop-off after FL450. This is likely because many aircraft are not certified to fly higher than those altitudes. But despite being the most popular altitude, FL410 is only used by 8 percent of all business jet flights.

Since it is logical that shorter flights wouldn’t benefit from higher altitudes, the study also analyzed longer flights, defined as those greater than 1,000 nm. About 3.9 million business jet flights were considered long. Nearly 16 percent of long flights were at FL410 and 44 percent were flown between FL410 and FL450.

The study then considers high-altitude flying. Only 23 of the 91 types in the study are certified to fly above FL450, and we examined 8.3 million flights flown by these HM aircraft. There is a distinct pattern showing that after FL470, flights drop off dramatically. It also shows that FL470 only represents 1.4 percent of all flights for HM-capable bizjets. Of some 1.6 million long flights involving HM aircraft above FL450, the largest percentage was at FL470.

Our study also showed which aircraft types are making the most use of the airspace above

FL450. Gulfstream is clearly the leader but it’s worth noting that the flights on Gulfstream products capable of flying over FL450 still only use airspace above FL450 on only 8.9 percent of their total U.S. flights (including international departures and arrivals). None of the HM aircraft types in the study flew more than 2 percent of all their flights over FL470 and most flew nearly zero flights at those altitudes.

What are the answers to the questions of whether an HM has a material operational advantage over one that does not and whether that should be a criterion for buying a certain aircraft type for primarily domestic use? The data suggest that ultra-long-range aircraft such as Gulfstreams need this capa-

bility on international/North Atlantic routes.

But for aircraft used for domestic trips in the U.S., HM is not a material criterion for a purchase decision and has little operational advantage over other aircraft.

As always in aviation, there are exceptions where high-altitude capability can make a certain critical trip nonstop, and then max certified altitude needs to be considered. z

Kevin O’Leary, Ph.D., is the CEO and founder of Jet Advisors, an aircraft acquisition, brokerage, consulting, fleet planning, and insurance firm.

The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily endorsed by AIN Media Group.

Percentage of Flights Above FL450 (HM Bizjets)

Percentage of Flights Above FL450 (All Bizjets on Long Flights)

Percentage of Flights Above FL450 (HM Bizjets by OEM)

How Jimmy Webb’s ambitious dream led to Elvis’s JetStar

BY DALE SMITH, PHOTOGRAPHY BY BARRY AMBROSE

“Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine. ” —Elvis Presley

As the best-selling solo recording artist of all time, Elvis Presley is the undisputed “King of Rock and Roll.” But few people appreciate that between his music, movies, television appearances, and other business ventures, “ol’ swivel hips” was also one of the entertainment industry’s most ambitious entrepreneurs.

To Elvis, time was money, so he maximized every moment, and that included being an early adopter of private aviation. He started out chartering, but as his desire for increased convenience, privacy, and security grew, he moved into the world of aircraft ownership.

After buying and selling a variety of airplanes, he made his move into the big jet in April 1975 when he purchased a four-engine

Convair 880 from Delta Air Lines for $250,000.

The airline-worn 880 was sent to Meacham Field in Fort Worth, Texas, to unde rgo a complete interior upgrade, including 29-place seating, a conference room, a master suite, a guest bedroom, two and a half baths with gold-plated fixtures, an entertainment system with quadraphonic 8-track sound, sky-to-ground phone, and a full galley. The cabin was finished in yellow, green, and gold fabrics. It also had suede sofas, which, unlike Elvis’s shoes, were not blue.

It’s said that Elvis was especially excited about the fact that the same team who had previously designed Air Force One was creating his Convair’s new look. According to the Graceland Blog—the official publication of Elvis’s Graceland Museum—the renovations

took six months and cost $800,000. Interestingly, while the cabin’s color palette and finishings would have made Austin Powers proud, the exterior paint scheme was relatively sedate, featuring overall white with blue and red striping. Other than the “880EP” N-number, the only other adornment was an American flag and the letters TCB on the tail. TCB was an acronym for Elvis’s motto: Taking Care of Business.

Christened “Lisa Marie” after his only daughter, Elvis and his family flew on the Convair 880 for the first time on Nov. 27, 1975, and used it extensively for travel throughout the U.S. and parts of Canada.

VIVA LAS JETSTAR

It was during the 880’s six-month upgrade that Elvis bought his first Lockheed

JetStar—nicknamed “Hound Dog II“—so he and his wife, Priscilla, could easily travel to Fort Worth to inspect the big jet’s progress. Elvis was a stickler for details and kept tight reigns on the refurb process.

Today, Lisa Marie and Hound Dog II are displayed at Elvis’s Graceland Museum in Memphis, Tennessee.

With these two airplanes being kept well busy, in late 1976, he added another JetStar to “Elvis’s Air Force.” Purchased just a few months before his untimely passing, neither Elvis, his family, friends, nor any of the infamous “Memphis Mafia” members ever used his second JetStar. It was Elvis’s in name only.

While N20TC (the N-number was later changed to its current 440RM) had the shortest history with the “King,” it probably has the most colorful backstory.

According to Graceland’s archivists, the aircraft was purchased in December 1976 for $840,000 by Elvis’s father, Vernon, as a business investment. Immediately after the purchase, he signed an agreement with Omni Aircraft Sales to lease the airplane out.

And, contrary to popular belief, Elvis had nothing to do with the JetStar’s striking interior or exterior finishes. In fact, when it comes to the aircraft’s rather flamboyant red velvet tufted upholstery, the Graceland archivists say that the previous owner, Roy

McKay, had explained in a TV interview that he designed the cabin’s look himself.

As McKay related the story, when he originally purchased the JetStar, it had a two-toned gray interior, which “kind of looked like a casket,” he said.

After Elvis’s death in August 1977, Vernon Presley sold the JetStar to Air Cargo Expr ess. From there, it had a couple of owners and was finally bought by McKay Oil Corporation.

JIMMY HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING

How and why the airplane was abandoned remains a mystery, but the aircraft sat at Roswell International Air Center in Roswell, New Mexico, for many years. Its original avionics disappeared, and the four engines—it’s unclear if it had Pratts or Garretts—had been repossessed.

In 2017, the unlucky JetStar was sold at auction for a whopping $430,000. The undisclosed buyer did nothing with the airplane. It sat unattended in the desert until this past January when it was up for auction as part of the Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, Florida.

That’s where it came to the attention of Jimmy Webb, host of YouTube’s popular “Jimmy’s World.” If you’re one of his 3 22,000-plus subscribers or any of the millions who watch his weekly vlogs, you know that he’s all about rescuing abandoned airplanes.

“I’ve always enjoyed taking things apart and fixing them. I started with dirt bikes and four-wheelers when I was about 10 years old—fix it and trade it for something else,” Webb said, noting he went to school for automotive and diesel mechanics and then to college to study electromechanical engineering.

“I’ve done a lot of things: real estate investing, restoring classic cars, even some ministry work—but I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart,” he continued. “Then, in 2019, we moved from Colorado to Florida, and I joined the Air Force Reserve.”

Webb explained that it was joining the Reserve that got him into flying. He had to drive nearly five hours from his home in west central Florida to the Air Force Reserve base in Jacksonville.

“I hated that drive. One day, a friend at the base suggested I learn to fly and turn that long drive into a short flight. It sounded like a great idea,” he said. “I didn’t know anything about learning to fly, so I asked around and was told the best way

Elvis paid just $250,000 for his first big jet, a Delta Convair 880 he named “Lisa Marie.”

JIMMY WEBB HOST, JIMMY’S WORLD

 I’ve done a lot of things; real estate investing, restoring classic cars, even some ministry work—but I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart. 

GRACELAND MUSEUM ARCHIVES

was to get the written and the FAA physical out of the way, so that’s what I did.

“I was also told that buying an airplane to train in was a good way to go, so I bought a nice Cherokee 180,” Webb continued. “I earned my private and instrument ratings and built over 120 hours of flight time in five months. It was during the pandemic shutdown; gas was cheap, so I just flew the wings off that airplane.”

WELCOME TO JIMMY’S WORLD

It was about this time that Webb started his current avocation of “saving” abandoned airplanes.

“There was a derelict Cherokee 6-300 at the airport where we do our monthly Reserve drills,” he said. “I started asking about it and found it had an interesting backstory. It looked like a solid airplane, so I bought it and spent six months fixing it up. I flew it for a while and sold it.

“That’s when I started the YouTube channel,” Webb continued. “Everyone told me I’d go bankrupt, and I figured people would like to watch me do it—and they did. It’s been quite a ride.”

Webb stressed that all the work done to any airplane on the channel is done under the supervision of licensed A&Ps. He’s also working on earning an A&P himself.

In the few years he’s had the channel, Webb has already found and rehabilitated a variety of piston singles and twins, but throughout them all, his driving goal has been to own a private jet.

And if you’re ambition is to buy a jet, what better one to start with than Elvis’s JetStar?

“I saw the airplane come up on a video somewhere, and with Elvis’s current resurgence in popularity, I thought, ‘what the heck.’ This was something I couldn’t pass up,” he said. “The JetStar is an amazing airplane anyway, and having one that belonged to ‘The King’ is about as cool as it gets.”

Webb signed up as a bidder for the Mecum Auction in Kissimmee, where the

JetStar would be sold, and drove the two hours to the auction’s location. Not wanting to accelerate his race to bankruptcy, he set a somewhat conservative bid limit.

Frankly, he wasn’t really expecting to go home with the airplane; he mainly wanted to create some good vlog content. But he also knows how the whole TV auction process works, and things are never what they seem.

After all was said and done, Webb’s final bid—which was well above his original ceiling—fell short of the $260,000 gavel price. Although he didn’t “win,” he did say a real highlight of the event was seeing Pricilla Presley on the auction stage.

JIMMY HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

“I knew a lot about the auction process and how it works. The job of the auction house is to get as close to the reserve selling price as possible,” he explained. “I needed to have a bid in so it would be considered when the ‘winning’ bid fell through. That’s when they start the real negotiations.

“The phone bidder who actually ‘won’ was likely a fake to drive up the price,” Webb said. “None of this was a surprise to me.”

So, according to Webb, everything was working according to the script when his phone rang an hour after he had left the auction site.

“It was one of the sales guys telling me that the phone buyer was backing out, and the auctioneers would rather sell it to me,” Webb continued. After some phone negotiations, he agreed on $234,000, including the buyer’s premium (10 percent of the selling price). Mecum provided financing.

“After the deal was done, my first thought was ‘what an idiot I am,’ followed quickly with the realization that I now owned Elvis’s JetStar—how cool is that?” Webb said.

TRYING TO GET TO YOU…

The $234,000 question was: what would Webb do with it? Step one of his plan was accomplished in mid-February when he and his team traveled to Roswell to see the jet in person—something Elvis never did—and to disassemble it so it could be trucked to Tampa.

The disassembly process began a little roughly with circular cutting blades b reaking and, as the crew went to get more, their truck had also broken down.

Jimmy Webb was surprised and pleased to find the JetStar’s interior in fairly decent shape.

BUILD YOUR BRAND AND DRIVE SALES

WITH AIN CONVENTION & AIRSHOW NEWS

For 50 years, AIN has provided market-leading coverage of the most important airshows and conventions across the globe. In 2023, AIN is expanding its coverage with more events and more marketing opportunities. Drive awareness and consideration with a 360-degree marketing plan including print (where available), newsletters, and digital. Custom content opportunities are also available across all of our platforms.

January: Schedulers & Dispatchers | March: *Heli-EXPO, Sun n’ Fun, AEA | April: AERO Friedrichshafen

May: *EBACE | June: *Paris Air Show, Aircraft Interiors Expo | July: EAA Air Venture

August: LABACE | October: *NBAA-BACE | November: *Dubai Air Show

Learn more at: marketing.ainonline.com/airshows-conventions

But the crew soldiered through these issues and Webb was pleased with the aircraft.

“Actually, it is in much better condition than I had thought, especially in the cabin,” Webb said.

“We were able to connect an external GPU, and all the electronics—VHF radio, microwave, TV, and lights all powered up. I could hear the tower but didn’t have a mic to try and call them. That would have been pretty cool.”

As much as he’d love to resurrect the JetStar to flying condition, that’s not realistic.

“I talked to experts, and they say it’s about $6 million to get it airworthy,” he explains. “Even if we had the time and money, it still couldn’t legally fly.” The aircraft would not meet noise restrictions,

he explained, and there are no hush kits available. “And there’s no telling what kind of ADs [airworthiness directives] are on the airframe.”

So, what do you do with a JetStar that can’t fly? In Jimmy’s World, you mount the fuselage on an RV chassis and drive it around the country.

“That’s the best solution for what we have to work with,” Webb says. “The interior is in good shape, so it doesn’t need m uch work, and we can put instruments and avionics in the cockpit. The real work will be repainting it in the silver and red scheme it had when Elvis bought it.”

No doubt it will be an interesting process, and, of course, Webb will vlog it all.

“My goal is to find the best way to continue Elvis’s legacy with his fans and his

airplanes,” he continued. “I want to find a way for as many people to enjoy seeing it as possible. And be happy that I saved it from the scrap yard.”

Obviously, being on a trailer, the wings and tail will have to be removed, but Webb has a creative use for those parts.

“We’re going to cut them up and sell them as Elvis collectibles,” he explained. “Each one will be engraved and include a copy of the original bill of sale signed by Elvis.”

No matter what the JetStar’s final configuration is, every airplane fan who appreciates Webb’s commitment to keeping a very unique airplane out of the smelter can say: “Thank you. Thank you very much.” z

—Curt Epstein contributed to this article

Want to go faster, farther, and safer more sustainably?

The 2023 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2023), Europe’s premier on-demand aircraft and advanced air mobility event is taking off at the magnificent Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland, and the Geneva International Airport from Tuesday, 23 May through Thursday, 25 May 2023.

EBACE2023 is the place where you will experience, enhance and help shape the future of business aviation. You won’t want to miss it — make plans to attend!

ebace.aero/2023

Exploring trade-offs and options for obsolete helo avionics

BY MARIO PIEROBON

A multitude of options are available to helicopter operators wanting to upgrade obsolete or near-obsolete aircraft instruments and avionics. These options, however, require careful consideration and each comes with trade-offs.

Andrew Barker, v-p of integrated avionics at Honeywell Aerospace, cited as examples of trade-offs the expense of upgrading the equipment, required database services, and aircraft installation downtime—all of which can add to the overall upgrading cost.

When it comes to considering an upgrade to helicopter avionics, the cost-benefit analysis must make sense, agreed Universal Avionics CEO Dror Yahav. “The capability to upgrade helicopter avionics may be limited by the number of dealers/installers and the required regulatory issues that may be faced,” he said. “The conversation on whether to upgrade or not would certainly have to consider the quantity of upgrades desired to complete and the similarity between the

aircraft desired to be upgraded. Having to integrate avionics not previously proven on the helicopter model may be extremely cost prohibitive.”

Once a decision is made on helicopter avionics upgrades, operators need to conside r details like mounting locations, building block architecture, and navigational and situational awareness tools, which ha ve different display sizes, said Pat Coleman, manager of aviation aftermarket sales for the Americas at Garmin.

Garmin AS350 upgrade

“We offer an array of attitude indicator products ranging from a single 3.125-inch instrument replacement, like the GI 275, versus a full EFIS retrofit, like the G500H TXi,” Coleman said. “The integration between Garmin products and others is paramount in streamlining efficiencies for the pilot.”

There is a push for digital/electronic flight instruments to replace older “steam gauge” gyro-based instruments because they are lighter, more reliable, easier to sustain, and offer many more features, said Chris Polynin, director of product management at L3Harris Commercial Aviation Solutions. “However, it really depends on the core operation of the helicopter and requirements, and the available space, in addition to the costs and if a supple mental type certificate [STC] is needed. For example, if an operator is actively using flight data analytics, then it needs systems and recorders to capture the data from the various systems, provided there is room for the equipment,” he said. “The re is an increasing emphasis on open architecture and software u pgrades. This allows rapid data sharing between systems; however, depending on the platform, not all the equipment will be available and will prohibit the ideal upgrade.”

Flight control systems have become sought-after upgrades in recent years as stability augmentation has helped decrease helicopter pilot workload, according to Coleman. “Garmin’s GFC 600H incorporates fully coupled autopilot functions as well as electronic stability and protection, hover mode, level mode, as well as a modern ‘smart servo’ design. In short, operators are seeking modern solutions that incorporate an attractive balance of performance, capabilities, and value,” he said.

Operators also need to concentrate on customer service before, during, and after the sale, explained Jeff Stubbs, senior v-p of operations and systems technology at Rebtech. “Helicopter operators need to

be aware of repair lead times and mitigate those by keeping spares on hand. In a way this is like insurance, something one has to pay for hoping to never use it,” Stubbs said.

UPGRADE OPTIONS

The biggest change today is moving into the glass cockpit environment, Stubbs added. “And that has [propelled] continuous improvement, particularly on the human factor side, since being initially developed. We have a few new developments coming up that will assist the flight crew further still in the design stage at this point,” he said.

Today, numerous upgrade options are on the market for helicopters and, according to Yahav, some of the most reasonable to consider include display systems, radio

function enhancements, terrain avoidance and warning systems, forward-looking infrared, and others that can help enhance situational awareness.

“The future should continue to focus on the ability to maintain situational awareness, to include hazard avoidance, reduced visual environments, and e nhanced communication capabilities with the multiple entities helicopters are often required to engage with,” he said.

“The use of enhanced flight vision systems, synthetic vision systems, artificial intelligence capabilities of recognizing hazards, and the capabilities to communicate with multiple ranges of voice communication systems without having to focus inside the cockpit should be the focus of future capabilities.”

Bedford, Texas-based Rebtech specializes in an important aspect of helicopter avionics upgrades, making sure that the new avionics are compatible with night-vision technology.

 The future should continue to focus on the ability to maintain situational awareness, to include hazard avoidance, reduced visual environments, and enhanced communication capabilities... 

For Garmin, the most popular helicopter avionics upgrades include the G TN Xi series of navigators, G500H TXi EFIS display, GI 275 multifunction display, and GFC 600H autopilot. “Select helicopter models have options to retrofit a Garmin integrated flight deck, including the G1000H NXi and G5000H,” Coleman said. “Other helicopter-specific products available include radar altimeters, onboard weather radar, ADS-B compliant transponders, and an array of portable avionics products and pilot-specific wearables. The future of our helicopter products will inevitably allow for greater integration, capabilities, and enhancements as we continue to develop innovations for safety and operational efficiency, largely based on our core products available today.”

L3Harris is developing and integrating non-cooperative surveillance equipment enabling detect and avoid operations. “The smaller footprint and advanced operations are ideal for urban air mobility and light helicopter customers,” said Polynin. “Our

EFD-750 is a multifunction display that can serve as a primary display for helicopters. We are developing more integrated multipurpose displa ys that combine primary flight, standby, navigation, and auxiliary displays into a single device.

“They minimize cockpit space using an edge-to-edge front glass LED-backlit LCD touchscreen and contain the horizontal situation indicator, attitude directional indicator, synthetic vision, ADS-B traffic, aircraft system monitor pages, communication, and navigation. These displays e nhance situational awareness and pilot efficiency in a small footprint.”

The primary helicopter avionics upgrade options available today from Honeywell

include the soon-to-be-released HeliVue Touch PFD/MFD display, the AeroNav 800/900 navigators with a KXP-80 remote transponder, KRA-405B radar altimeter, and the KGX-130 providing ADS-B In information, said Barker. “In the future, helicopter operators and owners can look forward to Anthem,” he said. “This cockpit system offers a simple and intuitive user interface, always-on cloud connectivity, scalable architecture, and advanced safety features. It is a ground-up new system that improves flight efficiency, operations, safety, and comfort.”

FLIGHT DATA MONITORING

In the helicopter industry, flight data monitoring is becoming a common safety tool for operators, providing the ability to measure aircraft and pilot performance and use that data to improve training and identify risk areas, Polynin said. “If the helicopter has a quick access recorder, flight data recorder, avionics suite, or other types of recording device in the aircraft, users can offload the data for analysis by L3Harris and our partner Truth Data. Truth Data Insights has focused on adapting flight data monitoring software to better fit the many roles a helicopter can have,” he said.

“The ability to collect usable flight data is the foundation; the next step is to have the right tools and software to be able to use that data for safety purposes,” added Tom Nied, director of operations at Truth Data.

The system creates a database of all information produced and aggregates the data into various graphic formats and dashboard presentations. The analytics will reveal actionable operational trends to improve operational safety and efficiency, explained Nied. “The user can establish a customized HFDM/HFOQA [helicopter flight data monitoring/flight operations quality assurance] program to transform the data into useful and actionable information,” he said. z

Becker and AvPanels developed a Robinson R44 avionics upgrade using Honeywell BendixKing’s 10.1-inch touchscreen display along with Becker’s AMU 6500 digital audio management unit.

 The ability to collect usable flight data is the foundation; the next step is to have the right tools and software to be able to use that data for safety purposes. 

Tight helicopter market in hover

BY MARK HUBER

Manufacturers, financiers, and leading rotorcraft analysts expect the market for both new and used civil helicopters to remain tight for the remainder of 2023, squeezed by a triumvirate of pressures including inventory, inflation, and continuing supply-chain challenges.

While the civil market has mostly returned to pre-Covid normal in terms of overall new helicopter sales and/or flight hours, price increases have placed additional pressure on the already constrained preowned market. Meaningful forecasting in this environment, clouded by continuing economic uncertainty, is difficult, so much so that, for the first time in recent memory, Honeywell did not issue its turbine helicopter sales forecast at this year’s Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo.

“The market is quite tight. That’s across the board: search and rescue, EMS, offshore wind, oil and gas, utility, and marine

pilot transfer,” said Jaspal Jandu, CEO of helicopter lessor LCI. “It’s tight everywhere.” While new civil helicopter production is up, it is nowhere near the levels required to take pressure off the used market. This is partially the function of continuing supply disruptions.

The likelihood that OEMs will significantly boost production to alleviate scarcity across all categories remains low, according to the experts. “I think they’re [the OEMs] strapped for resources,” said Jason Zilberbrand, president of aircraft valuation and consulting service Vref. Zilberbrand doesn’t see supply and prices getting back to normal until 2024, at the earliest. “I think a lot of folks just didn’t come back after Covid and it’s going to reduce capacity. They can’t get stuff up fast enough, and the stuff that they’re getting out is having more issues post-delivery.”

HeliValues CEO Jason Kmiecik thinks OEMs will remain cautious about raising

production in the face of economic uncertainty. “Given that behavior, odds are the used market will remain tight for newer and current production models,” he explained.

While Safran Helicopter Engines CEO Franck Saudo describes the helicopter market as “superb,” he acknowledges “severe supply-chain headwinds.” Saudo characterized the business as “the best market I have seen for close to the past 10 years.” With “positive momentum in next to all helicopter market segments” in “all geographical areas,” the upward trend prevails for both new helicopter demand and the aftermarket, he added.

He attributed the scenario to an increase in worldwide helicopter flight hours, which have returned to pre-pandemic levels and contributed to a “robust and sustained demand for new helicopters” that has eclipsed the demand recorded in 2019.

The scarcest airframe in the helicopter market remains the multi-role Leonardo AW139 intermediate twin, according to most market watchers.

PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

To achieve mission success you need proven, expert support. Leonardo Helicopters offers unrivalled capability with decades of expertise and deep technical knowledge across customer support, advanced service solutions and training.

Thanks to a passionate, dedicated team of specialists, Leonardo is always by your side, investing in an expanding global support network, cutting-edge digital support and training solutions, and state-of-the-art technology to improve maintenance and operations.

All backed by an unswerving commitment to deliver excellence every day.

However, Saudo said his company’s supply chain “remains very much constrained… mainly due to labor shortages” and constitutes “the number one challenge of our company in 2023.” He said Safran has battled the problem by becoming increasingly vertically integrated and adding employees—400 last year and an estimated 200 more in 2023. Material shortages are acute in steel, particularly superalloys, he added. “In the foreseeable future, I do not see an improvement,” Saudo said. “We keep assessing the situation.”

In the face of this environment, some suppliers are moving to alleviate uncertainty by stocking an abnormally large number of parts. Atlanta-based Rotorcorp is doubling its inventory of Robinson Helicopter parts in response to continuing supply-chain disruptions and rising costs, which it anticipates will extend into 2024.

Rotorcorp is the largest reseller of Robinson parts in the world with more than 3,000 customers in 40 countries. The company is taking the action to “ensure that high-tempo and high-urgency Robinson R22, R44, and R66 helicopter operators around the world can easily access the critical parts they need to keep flying safely.”

According to Rotorcorp, supply-chain problems and price increases were particularly acute for the Lycoming piston engines and related parts used to power R22 and R44 models. In fact, the engine manufacturer’s prices have increased by 25 to 30 percent while lead times for items such as cylinder kits are up to 12 months. Meanwhile, obtaining whole engines can take eight months.

LCI’s Jandu says the situation requires OEMs, suppliers, owners, and operators to plan well in advance, significantly changing how the rotorcraft community does business. “For operators coming to us [lead times] are increasing quite dramatically,” he told AIN. “Operators are speaking to us one, two, even two and a half years in advance” of when they need a helicopter, he said, “looking at capacity requirements in 2024 and 2025.”

And the competition for helicopters coming off lease can be intense. “We’re seeing multiple operators and end-users bidding for the same aircraft. There is competition out there for relatively scarce resources.” Scarcity and rising interest rates are propelling lease rates upward, Jandu said.

That includes rates on models such as the Airbus EC225LP and the Sikorsky S-92A, once orphaned by the collapse of the offshore oil market immediately before and extending into the pandemic, according to HeliValues’s Kmiecik.

“We are finally starting to see prices rise for the first time in years for the heavy class of helicopters,” he said, adding that recent transactions in the third and fourth quarters of 2022 drove up valuations on both the EC225LP and S-92A. EC225LP sales involved the utility or search and rescue sector, and S-92A sales remained in the offshore energy transport sector.

60 percent of the demand was for growth and 40 percent was for replacement, he noted, adding those numbers are now inverted with 60 percent, even 70 percent of the demand for replacement and the remainder for growth.

“You can delay the purchase cycle but at some point, the hull gets too old, you start reaching service limits, or the end-user demands more safety features that the old units can’t accommodate. So I feel like there’s an entire bow wave that has yet to happen on the replacement side.”

Jandu thinks these market dynamics will help the overall helicopter market, particularly the super-midsize category, which has been slow to gain traction. “We’re quite bullish on the super-medium category,” he said, while also noting that technological advances are also showing up in smaller helicopters, specifically the Airbus H145. But none of this comes cheap.

Offshore’s increasing sole reliance on the S-92A as its main heavy twin-engine helicopter could pave the way for the Bell 525 as a second-source aircraft, particularly in the North Sea, depending on its eventual sales price and timing of its final certification, he said.

Jandu said a fundamental demand pattern shift could subject the market to continuing supply scarcity for some time. During the oil price collapse and the pandemic, “new orders and deliveries decreased and operators and end users started using the existing equipment a little bit harder and a little bit longer,” he said.

As a result, “the entire replacement cycle got pushed out three or four years to the right. Now it has to be addressed,” Jandu said. “The replacement cycle is upon us and the mathematics is against us.” Historic market forecasts typically indicated

“Somebody’s going to pay for it,” Jandu cautioned. “We’re in the business to help end-users and operators and we want to drive this growth. But interest rates are moving up. Capital also has some requirements for ESG [economic, social, and governance compliance]. Ultimately the end user is going to have to come to the table and we’re going to have to arrange these [lease] contracts in a more aligned [fashion],” he said. “All this new equipment doesn’t come for free.”

The scarcest airframe in this market remains the multi-role Leonardo AW139 intermediate twin, according to most market watchers. Although the price of used Leonardo AW139s has dropped slightly in the last six months, the demand for leasing one has increased. “Lease rates are going up faster than the [sales] values are dropping,” said HeliValues’s Kmiecik. “The 139 is still one of the most popular aircraft because it has proven itself to be a very reliable aircraft. Everybody loves it, they love flying in it, they love flying it, they love working on it.” z

 Somebody’s going to pay for it... 

BY CHAD TRAUTVETTER

Constant Aviation Now Under Flexjet’s Wing

Business aircraft MRO Constant Aviation is being folded into sister company Flexjet as the fractional provider’s in-house maintenance department. Flexjet noted that its fleet grew by 40 percent last year, bringing additional demands for maintenance services. Constant Aviation will continue to operate under its own brand name and provide maintenance services for both Flexjet and non-Flexjet-operated aircraft.

While both companies are Directional Aviation subsidiaries, Flexjet is technically acquiring Constant because the MRO arm wasn’t wholly owned by Directional. Under the deal, Flexjet will acquire Constant’s facilities at Ohio’s Cleveland Hopkins International and Florida’s Orlando Sanford International airports, as well as its nationwide AOG mobile response network. Flexjet also plans to build facilities at Sanford, expanding its maintenance footprint there to 220,000 sq ft.

“Integrating Constant Aviation into Flexjet is part of an overriding strategic vision to differentiate Flexjet among its

competitors at the most fundamental level,” said Flexjet senior v-p of maintenance Jay Heublein. “Typically, other companies in our space rely largely on third-party providers to meet their global product support and maintenance needs. This not only limits their overall ability to meet the needs of their customers, but it also takes control away from operators and limits their ability to deliver the highest possible levels of service.” z

Preliminary Reports

No Survivors in King Air Crash

Beech King Air 200, Feb. 22, 2023, Little Rock, Arkansas

Five members of a North Little Rock environmental consulting firm were killed when their King Air crashed just after takeoff from Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport. The flight was bound for Columbus, Ohio, where the occupants were to investigate a fatal explosion in a metals factory. A line of thunderstorms with 40-knot wind gusts was reportedly passing through the area at the time, and the National Weather Service had issued a Special Weather Statement about 30 minutes before the accident. Initial press reports did not include any witness accounts of the crash, which occurred within one mile of the airport.

Five Lost in Air Ambulance Break-up

Pilatus PC-12/45, Feb. 24, 2023, Stagecoach, Nevada

All five occupants, including the pilot, two medical crewmen, a patient, and the patient’s wife, perished when the single-engine turboprop crashed 14 minutes after takeoff from Reno/Tahoe International Airport. The air ambulance flight departed at 21:00 local time with a destination of Salt Lake City. Radar and ADS-B track data showed that it reached a maximum altitude of 19,400 feet before entering a spiralling descent at a rate that exceeded 30,000 fpm. No distress call was received. The last radar hit came at 11,000 feet; two hours later first responders found the main wreckage about 25 miles southeast of the airport.

Accidents

BY DAVID JACK KENNY

In a press conference on February 26, NTSB vice chairman Bruce Landsberg cited evidence that the airplane had broken up in flight: the outboard portion of the right wing and one horizontal stabilizer and elevator were found half to three-quarters of a mile from the fuselage.

Prevailing weather included gusty winds and less than two miles visibility in snow beneath a 2,000-foot overcast with both forecasts and pilot reports of icing up to 20,000 feet and light to moderate turbulence, conditions within the Pilatus’s capabilities. Landsberg described the weather as “pretty much a normal winter evening around Reno.” He also noted that the airplane was not equipped with a flight data recorder or a cockpit voice recorder, something the NTSB has long recommended that FAA regulations be revised to require.

Final Reports

Loose Ring Nut Precipitated L.A. Hospital Crash

Agusta A109S, Nov. 16, 2020, Los Angeles, California

Examination of the wreckage determined that the ring nut securing the tail rotor duplex bearing had backed out of its sleeve, causing the loss of yaw control during a steep approach. The pilot and one of the two passengers suffered serious injuries when the helicopter crashed onto the rooftop helipad of the USC Keck Medical Center at the conclusion of an organ procurement flight. The pilot reported that about 40 feet above the helipad, while descending at 40-50 knots airspeed and 102 percent engine rpm, a gradual right

yaw began that was not corrected by full left pedal. As the helicopter’s nose crossed over the edge of the building, the yaw accelerated dramatically. Realizing that the aircraft was becoming uncontrollable, the pilot “dumped collective” to keep it on the helipad. Footage recorded by a witness in an adjacent building corroborated his account, showing the helicopter slowly rotating clockwise during its descent and rolling left prior to impact. The main rotor blades struck first, followed by the left main landing gear and then the fuselage, and the helicopter came to rest on its left side.

All major components of the wreckage remained on the rooftop. The tail rotor assembly and 90-degree gearbox were separated from the tail boom, and examination of the tail rotor rotating controls found that the ring nut had separated from the thrust sleeve assembly, disconnecting the tail rotor control servo actuator from the pitch-change links.

The manufacturer reported four previous instances of ring nut failures at tributed to installation errors, none of which had been investigated by the NTSB. These led the manufacturer to issue five successive technical bulletins, the EASA to issue Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) 2012-1095E, and the FAA to issue AD 2014-02-08, later superseded by AD 2015-11-08. Among other provisions, these required daily pilot inspections of the dual safety wires securing the ring nut. Fragments of one safety wire remained attached to the ring nut, which also showed accelerated wear at the bottom edge of its outside diameter. The manufacturer has since developed an improved dual-lock bearing support retrofittable to current aircraft.

The material on this page is based on reports by the official agencies of the countries having the reponsibility for aircraft accident and incident investigations. It is not intended to judge or evaluate the ability of any person, living or dead, and is presented here for informational purposes.

Ice Accumulation Cited in Landing Stall

Embraer EMB-500 Phenom 100, Aug. 2, 2021, Paris-Le Bourget Airport, France

Airframe ice accreted after the crew deactivated the anti-icing systems, and their decision to fly a no-ice approach profile led the light jet to stall onto the runway just before landing, shearing the nose and right main landing gear and igniting a fire after the strut punctured the right fuel tank. The airplane slid some 1,050 meters (3,445 feet), then veered off the left side of Runway 27. Airport rescue and firefighting crews extinguished the fire and the two pilots and sole passenger were evacuated without injury.

The Maltese-registered charter flight departed from Venice at 08:17, cruising at FL 340. The first officer was the pilot flying. Flight manual charts for non-icing conditions led them to calculate a final approach speed of 121 knots and reference landing speed (Vref) of 97 knots.

At 09:20, they tuned in the Le Bourget ATIS recording. The snow predicted in their departure weather briefing had not materialized and the runways were clean, but severe icing was reported between 3,000 and 5,000 feet, something the captain said was “common” at Le Bourget.

The crew activated the engine and windshield de-icing prior to descending to 5,000 feet; then, after descending to 3,000 feet with clearance for the ILS 27 approach, operated the wing and stabilizer boots for 21 seconds, deactivating them after confirming that ice along the leading edges had broken off. The approach was flown with full flaps at 135 knots indicated airspeed.

Five seconds after the radar altimeter indicated 50 feet, airspeed dropped from 94 to 90 knots and the angle of attack increased from 10 to 28 degrees. The captain took the controls and attempted a go-around as the stall warning activated, but too late. Three hours after the accident, BEA investigators found ice on the leading edges of both wings and horizontal

stabilizers. The BEA also noted that the increased landing speeds and distances the manufacturer required with deicing systems in use would have precluded landing at Le Bourget due to insufficient runway length and inadequate climb performance.

Other Phenom 100 pilots interviewed acknowledged that they had “unofficially” been taught to use deicing just long enough to dislodge visible ice to avoid having to divert. The investigation also cited similar accidents in Gaithersburg, Maryland, in 2014 and Berlin in 2013 attributed to failure to properly use deicing systems.

Aggressive Takeoffs Preceded Fatal Departure Stall

Rockwell International Aero Commander 690B, Aug. 16, 2021, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

The TSB’s review of radio communications between the pilot and the control tower showed that on at least his two previous departures, the accident pilot had made sharp left turns immediately after takeoff to fly in close proximity to the control tower, apparently for the entertainment of the tower controllers.

The solo pilot was killed and the airplane destroyed when it stalled into the ground from approximately 45 feet, igniting a fire that consumed three-quarters of the airframe in the less than three minutes it took airport rescue and firefighting crews to reach and extinguish the blaze.

The accident flight was the day’s third of “bird dog” firefighting operations conducted to establish entry and exit routes for waterbomber crews and coordinate operations with fire crews on the ground.

On the first two flights, the pilot was accompanied by a forestry air attack officer, as is standard for “bird dog” operations. On the first, the pilot made a steep left turn immediately after takeoff from Runway 12, passing within 200 feet of the front of the control tower. The tower controller radioed: “That was fantastic,” adding “thanks

for the little show.” The pilot replied “I can get closer if you’d like,” and the controller answered, “Sure.”

Before the second takeoff, the pilot transmitted: “Get your camera ready if you’d like,” and a second (trainee) controller responded “Sure! Will do.” Asked whether he’d prefer the pilot to fly north or south of the tower, the trainee replied, “Your choice. I got the camera ready.” The pilot opted to go south, banking earlier and harder, this time passing some 600 feet behind the tower. The trainee radioed, “Thanks for the show. Next time I want to be on board.”

The accident flight was intended to reposition the airplane for maintenance at Dryden Regional Airport in Ontario, so the forestry air attack officer was not on board. The pilot was instructed to line up and wait on Runway 12 while another aircraft landed on Runway 25; the two pilots briefly conversed on tower frequency before the Commander was cleared for takeoff.

The airplane began a steep left turn immediately after rotation, rolled hard left, and crashed inverted onto the surface of Runway 07, catching fire. Examination of the wreckage found no evidence of pre-impact anomalies except a failed elevator trim cable, most of whose strands had worn through before the accident flight.

However, the trim tab was found in the normal takeoff position, and the TSB ruled out runaway trim as having played any part in the accident. The Board noted that high-energy maneuvering often required during fire-spotting flights likely desensitized the pilot to risks of accelerated stalls. z

BY GORDON GILBERT

April 12, 2023

U.S.: Safety Management Systems

The FAA proposes to update and expand the requirements for safety management systems (SMS) to make them applicable to all certificate holders operating under the rules for commuter and on-demand operations, commercial air tour operators (under Parts 91 and 135), production certificate holders that are holders or licensees of a type certificate (TC) for the same product, and holders of a TC who license out that TC for production. Charter and tour operators would be required to implement an FAA-approved SMS no later than two years after the effective date of the rule. Comments on the proposal are due by April 12, 2023.

April 14, 2023

Europe: Heli CrashResistant Fuel Systems

This EASA notice of proposed amendment (NPA) seeks to mandate the installation of crash-resistant fuel systems (CRFS) into existing rotorcraft designs that are still in production and the retrofit of existing rotorcraft that are operated in EASA member states. The objective of the NPA is to mitigate the risks linked to a post-crash fire involving rotorcraft. Comments due by April 14, 2023.

April 20, 2023

U.S.: Northeast Route Update

The FAA has postponed the implementation date for the final phase of its multi-year Northeast Corridor Atlantic Coast Routes (ACR) project from the previously scheduled Nov. 3, 2022 to April 20, 2023. The FAA said the delay is to avoid making numerous route changes during the busy summer and winter peaks. The main change of the ACR project is that about 150 new or modified routes using performance-based navigation (PBN) procedures are replacing the highaltitude route structure, decreasing reliance on ground-based navaids.

May 31, 2023 and Nov. 30, 2023

Europe: Passenger Entry Requirements

The European Commission has delayed the onset of new passenger reporting requirements that were previously scheduled to

start on Sept. 30, 2022. EES (Entry/ Exit System), designed to replace the current system of manual stamping of passports with an electronic record, is now scheduled to start a transitional phase in May 2023. Manual stamping of passports will end in mid-August 2023, and the transitional phase will end in February 2024. ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) is an online pre-travel, and pre-boarding requirement applying to visa-exempt third-country nationals planning to travel to European states. It is expected to be implemented in November 2023.

June 7, 2023 Europe: ADS-B Out Mandate

The ADS-B Out requirement in Europe was Dec. 7, 2020, for aircraft receiving their certificate of airworthiness (C of A) on or after December 7. Aircraft that obtained their C of A between June 6, 1995, and Dec. 7, 2020, must arrange for retrofits to meet the ADS-B Out mandate by June 7, 2023. Both deadlines apply only to aircraft with an mtow exceeding 5,700 kg (12,566 pounds) or having a maximum cruising true airspeed capability greater than 250 knots. Aircraft with a C of A dated before June 6, 1995 are exempt from European ADS-B requirements.

June 12, 2023 and Sept. 9, 2024

U.S.: Pilot Records Database

By June 12, 2023, operators under Parts 91, 91K, and 135 must complete submissions of

reports to the pilot records database (PRD) of all historical records concerning training, alcohol testing, qualification, proficiency, and disciplinary actions dating on or after Jan. 1, 2015. Final compliance date for reporting historical records before January 1, 2015, is Sept. 9, 2024. Also beginning on Sept. 9, 2024, the Pilot Records Improvement Act ceases to be effective and will not be an available alternative to the PRD.

Aug. 1, 2023

U.S.: Maintenance Schools

As part of an interim final rule overhauling aviation maintenance technician school regulations (Parts 65 and 147), the FAA is transitioning from using the mechanic practical test standards (PTS) as the testing standard for obtaining a mechanic certificate. As a part of this transition, the FAA developed the mechanic airman certification standards (ACS), which adds task-specific knowledge and risk management elements. The FAA will use the PTS as the testing standard until July 31, 2023. Starting Aug. 1, 2023, the FAA will use the ACS to conduct mechanic certification tests.

Aug. 10, 2023 and May 16, 2024

Canada: ADS-B Out Mandate

Due to continued supply chain impacts, the previously announced implementation dates for ADS-B Out in Canada is delayed beyond the original date of Feb. 23, 2023. As a result, the mandate will come into effect

as follows: Class A Canadian airspace on August 10, 2023; Class B Canadian airspace on May 16, 2024; and Class C, D, and E air space to occur no sooner than 2026.

April 24, 2024; Oct. 24, 2024; April 25, 2025

U.S.: Airport Safety Management Systems

Certain air carrier airports certified under Part 139 will be required to submit implementation plans for a safety management system on the following deadlines: April 24, 2024 for airports designated as hubs; Oct. 24, 2024 for airports with 100,000 or more annual operations over the previous three years; and April 25, 2025 for airports classified as port of entry, landing rights, user fee, and international facilities. In each case, the SMS must be implemented no later than 12 months after receiving FAA approval of the certificate holder’s implementation plan. Most GA airports will be able to obtain a waiver from the SMS requirement.

Dec. 2, 2024

Europe: Part 145 Safety Management Systems

Starting on Dec. 2, 2022 EASA Part 145 maintenance organizations were required to meet revised regulations. However, there is a two year transition period, to Dec. 2, 2024, to allow maintenance organizations to correct any findings of noncompliance with the new Part 145 requirements. The main change is implementation of a safety management system (SMS), which requires hazard identification systems, risk management and safety assurance processes, and the designation of a safety manager. To support the SMS process, several requirements have been changed including the safety policy, internal occurrence reporting, competence of staff, and compliance monitoring (replacing quality assurance).

For the most current compliance status, see: www.ainonline.com/cc

Complete Business Aircraft Services

Aircraft Acquisition & Consignment

Airframe Maintenance

Avionics Installation

Emergency Assistance (AOG)

Engine & APU

Engineering & Certification Services

FBO Services

Government & Special Programs

Paint & Interior

Parts, Avionics, Instruments & Accessories

Experience. Unlike any other. www.DuncanAviation.aero

Duncan Aviation is the largest family owned and operated business jet service provider in the world.

People in Aviation

BY KAIT WILSON

David Allen was promoted to COO at Elevate Aviation Group subsidiary Keystone Aviation. Allen joined Keystone in 2018 and has more than 35 years of experience in the industry, leading various business functions involving operations and safety at TAC Air, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, and US Airways. At Keystone, he assisted with establishing the organization’s safety management system.

West Star promoted Ryan Law to project manager at its Grand Junction, Colorado facility. Law was hired as an AMT at West Star in 2014.

Mark Hall is the new site manager at Spirit Aeronautics Ohio. Hall has over 30 years' experience in aviation including as avionics installer, supervisor, planner, and project manager.

Ashley Bowen Cook was appointed president of Greteman Group, succeeding the company’s sole owner and creative director Sonia Greteman, who will transition to chair of the board while continuing to serve as creative director. Cook’s career in aviation includes previously interning in the Bombardier Learjet public-relations department, working in events and marketing for Bombardier Flexjet in Dallas, and serving as the first female board chair of the Wichita Aero Club.

Embraer appointed Roberto Chaves to the newly created role as v-p of global procurement and Dimas Tomelin to the new position of v-p of strategy, digital, and innovation. Chaves joined Embraer in 2001 and most recently served as director of procurement. Tomelin has been with Embraer for 21 years and has served as director of strategy for the past three years.

Nicolas Potier was appointed v-p of support and services at Safran Aircraft Engines replacing François Planaud, who is retiring. Potier will also serve as a member of the company’s executive committee. He has held various leadership positions with Safran since joining the company in 2012, most recently as executive v-p of the wheels and brakes division at Safran Landing Systems.

Pat Harvey was named v-p of sales at Hatt & Associates. Harvey has prior experience as a sales director at a worldwide aircraft brokerage. He is also a pilot and certified flight instructor based in Minneapolis and will be responsible for leading aircraft sales initiatives in the Midwest U.S.

Aviation Maintenance Professionals hired Tru Pham as v-p of marketing and branding. Pham has more than 15 years of experience in private aviation with a blended background in sales, marketing, FBO management, and ownership services.

Paragon Aviation Group appointed Gary Forster , J ean-François Guitard , and Florian Samsinger as members of its FBO advisory board. Forster serves as managing director of ExecuJet Caribbean, Guitard is the director of the general aviation and business development unit of Société des Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur, and Samsinger is managing director of Magnum FBO.

Jay Merkle was appointed senior director of regulatory affairs at Supernal. Merkle previously spent 30 years at the FAA, most recently as executive director of the agency’s unmanned aircraft systems integration office. In his new role, he will assist the company with developing an integrated regulatory and policy framework to support advanced air mobility operations globally.

Simon Roussel was hired as director of flight operations by ACASS. Roussel has more than 35 years of experience in flight operations, having previously worked as an aircraft dispatcher for several commercial operators, as well as for Skyservice Business Aviation as director of operations control center and most recently as director of flight operations.

Alyssa Sleight was promoted by the Air Charter Safety Foundation to director of safety. Sleight previously served as assistant director of safety and programs manager for the foundation’s various safety initiatives, including the Aviation Safety Action Program.

JAY MERKLE ALYSSA SLEIGHT

DAVID ALLEN

ASHLEY BOWEN COOK

Wheels Up subsidiary Air Partner appointed Rommel Dones director of charter sales, based at Los Angeles International Airport. Dones has more than three decades in the international cargo market, having most recently worked at Navitrans Global where he spent six years doubling as director of its charter division and regional sales manager of the U.S. West Coast.

Jet East appointed David Crowder general manager of its newly established Statesville, North Carolina MRO facility. Crowder began his aviation career in 1988 as an aviation maintenance technician with American Eagle. From there, he accepted a position with Stevens Aviation as general manager before eventually being hired by Jet East.

NATA promoted Ken Thompson to managing director of regulatory affairs and hired Paige Kroner as senior advisor for industry relations. Thompson, who previously served as NATA’s senior advisor of regulatory affairs for maintenance, is an A&P mechanic and served as an aircraft mechanic/inspector, quality control inspector, quality assurance manager, chief inspector, designated manufacturing inspection representative, and senior manager in manufacturing and maintenance facilities. Kroner previously worked for aviation companies Piedmont-Hawthorne Aviation, Chantilly Air, and Signature Flight Support, as well as trade associations American Association of Airport Executives and NBAA.

Raffi Kasparian was appointed to head Alton Aviation Consultancy’s new Dubai office as managing director; Mabel Kwan, previously managing director of investments at Changi Airports International, joined Alton as managing director in the Singapore office; and Ronan Murphy, previously v-p of strategy and planning at AMCK Aviation, joined as director in Dublin.

JetAviva hired Timon Huber as managing director for its new Embraer sales division. Huber previously worked for 36 years at Embraer and was one of the first employees to join Embraer’s business jets division.

Robert Grimmett was hired by helicopter manufacturer Schweizer as the company’s North American sales manager. z

Long-time aircraft broker Jack Prewitt passed away at age 91 on February 8 at his home in Texas. Prewitt served in the U.S. Air Force and trained as an avionics technician. Following his military service, he began a career with Dallas Aero as an avionics technician. Later, he joined a new division of Qualitron Aero, where he was involved with avionics and interior completions at Meacham Field and worked on Air Force One for presidents Johnson and Nixon. Prewitt shifted his focus to aircraft sales in 1973 when he joined Associated Air Center at Dallas Love Field. Prewitt founded aviation brokerage Jack Prewitt & Associates in 1978, offering a range of services. The company is now run by his family, with son-in-law Rick Pitts serving as president and Sabrina Prewitt and Rene Prewitt serving as senior vice-presidents.

James A. Wilding—founding president and former CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority—passed away on February 24 at age 85. Wilding began work with the FAA in 1959 and participated in the planning and development of Washington Dulles International Airport. In 2016, the main international arrivals area at Dulles was renamed in his honor.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Wayne Johnson is the recipient of the 2023 Daniel Guggenheim Medal for his contributions to vertical flight aeronautics and resulting computational codes enabling the design of the first tiltrotor aircraft and eVTOL, as well as the Mars Helicopter. Johnson will receive the award during the Vertical Flight Society’s 79th Annual Forum in mid-May.

NBAA’s business aviation management committee selected Rebecca Torres, Mya Coley, and Emily White as recipients of its 2023 leadership conference scholarship. Torres is an aerial services project manager, Coley is a certified flight instructor and coordinator of aviation operations for a flight department in Newburgh, New York, and White is a senior specialist in data and tech analysis with a private company in San Antonio. The scholarship covered the cost of registration and associated attendance at the organization’s 2023 Leadership Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. The recipients were also recognized by the committee during the conference.

DAVID CROWDER

TIMON HUBER

 continued from page 10

At the same time, the European share has dropped from 18 percent to 11.8 percent.

Meanwhile, turboprop makers enjoyed a strong year, reporting 582 deliveries versus 527 in 2021. Simcom International CEO and GAMA chair Eric Hinson noted this marked three years of increased shipments for the segment. Turboprop billings jumped 15 percent last year to $2 billion.

Hinson noted that over the past several decades, “we’ve seen this continued gr owth of single-engine turboprop aircraft.” In the past the owner-pilot would move from the single-engine piston to the twin-piston, Hinson said. “But what we’re seeing now is they go from single-engine aircraft to a single-engine turboprop.” In fact, Daher said it had a record year in orders, setting the company up for some 100 shipments in 2023 and 2024.

As demand for new pilots remains strong—and alongside it a need for training—the piston market improved by 8.2 pe rcent, with 1,524 aircraft delivered last year. This is up from the 1,409 piston aircraft shipped in 2021.

As for the rotorcraft market, OEMs delivered 876 units worth $4 billion in 2022. This is up from the 812 shipped and $3.7 billion in billings in 2021.

Turbine helicopters led these increases, up 7.6 percent with 682 deliveries. This marked an improvement from 631 a year earlier. Piston helicopter shipments rose almost as much, at least percentage-wise—up 7.2 percent. Helicopter manufacturers reported 194 piston deliveries in 2022 and 181 in 2021.

“The general aviation manufacturing industry continues to show increasing strength despite workforce and supply-chain challenges across our industry,” Bunce said as he anounced the results.

“Our product development across the spectrum of fixed-wing, rotorcraft, and advanced air mobility vehicles is spurred by the recognition that our industry is the safety and sustainability technology incubator for global civil aviation.” z

JAMES HOLAHAN (1921-2015), FOUNDING EDITOR, WILSON S. LEACH, FOUNDER & CEO

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF – Matt Thurber

NEWS EDITOR–AIN PUBLICATIONS – Chad Trautvetter

EDITOR AIN MONTHLY MAGAZINE – Kerry Lynch

SENIOR EDITORS – Charles Alcock – AIN/FutureFlight.aero, Curt Epstein, Gregory Polek – Air Transport, Int. Show Editions, Jerry Siebenmark, Hanneke Weitering – FutureFlight.aero writer/editor

COPY/SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR – Kait Wilson

CONTRIBUTORS – David Donald – Defense, Mark Huber – Rotorcraft , Jennifer Leach English, David Jack Kenny – Safety Gordon Gilbert, Dale Smith, Richard Pedicini, James Wynbrandt

PRODUCTION MANAGER – Martha Jercinovich

GRAPHIC DESIGNER – Grzegorz Rzekos

DIRECTOR OF VIDEO – Ian Whelan

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER – Dave Leach

PRESIDENT–Ruben Kempeneer

VICE PRESIDENT SALES & MARKETING – Karl H. Elken

SENIOR DIRECTOR, INDUSTRY AFFAIRS AND EVENTS– Nancy O’Brien

ADVERTISING SALES

Michelle James – Midwestern U.S., Western U.S./Western Canada/Asia Pacific, +1 (520) 343-0236

Joe Rosone – Mid-Atlantic U.S./Southeast U.S./Caribbean/Brazil, +1 (301) 693-4687

Diana Scogna – Europe/Middle East, +33 6 62 52 25 47

Victoria Tod – Northeastern U.S./Eastern Canada/Great Lakes U.S./United Kingdom, +1 (203) 733-4184

Yury Laskin – Russia, +7 05 912 1346

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR – Eileen Silberfeld

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND CLIENT SERVICES – Lisa Valladares

AD OPERATIONS SPECIALIST – Lauren DelNegro

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING – Zach O’Brien

SALES ADMINISTRATOR – Cindy Nesline

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & HUMAN RESOURCES – Michele Hubert

ACCOUNTS PAYABLE – Mary Avella

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE – Bobbie Bing

U.S. HEADQUARTERS

214 Franklin Ave., Midland Park, NJ 07432, +1 (201) 444-5075

Advertising Inquiries: +1 (201) 345-0085, adsales@ainonline.com

Circulation Inquiries: +1 (201) 345-0085, subscriptions@ainonline.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. EDITORIAL OFFICE:

Kerry Lynch (business aviation): klynch@ainonline.com, Tel: +1 (703) 969-9195

EUROPEAN EDITORIAL OFFICE: Charles Alcock: calcock@ainonline.com, Tel: +44 7799 907595

AIN MEDIA GROUP EXECUTIVE TEAM

Wilson Leach, Dave Leach, Jennifer Leach English, Karl H. Elken, Matt Thurber, Michele Hubert, Nancy O’Brien, Ruben Kempeneer

Aviation International News (ISSN 0887-9877) is published twelve times per year (monthly). Periodicals postage paid at Midland Park, N.J., and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Aviation International News, P.O. Box 8059, Lowell, MA 01853 USA. Allow at least eight weeks for processing. Include old address as well as new, and an address label from a recent issue if possible. Subscription inquiries: +1 (201) 345-0085 or email: subscriptions@ainonline.com.

Aviation International News is a publication of AIN Media Group, 214 Franklin Ave., Midland Park, NJ 07432; Tel.: +1 (201) 444-5075.

Copyright © 2023 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of The Convention News Co., Inc. is strictly prohibited. The Convention News Co., Inc. publishes Aviation International News, AINalerts, AIN Air Transport Perspective, AINtv, Business Jet Traveler, BJTwaypoints, ABACE Convention News, Dubai Airshow News, EBACE Convention News, Farnborough Airshow News, FutureFlight.aero, HAI Convention News, LABACE Convention News, MEBAA Convention News, NBAA Convention News, Paris Airshow News, Singapore Airshow News, Mobile Apps: Aviation International News; AINonline. PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40649046 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: PITNEY BOWES INTERNATIONAL MAIL, STATION A, P.O. BOX 54, WINDSOR, ON, N9A 6J5, returns il@imex.pb.com.

For feedback, letters to the editor, or other editorial needs, please contact AIN’s Editors at ainedit@ainonline.com

2nd Annual

Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

July 10-12, 2023 | Pendry Park City Hotel | Park City, Utah

Corporate Aviation Leaders: During this fully-hosted event, collaborate with peers, meet with OEM and aviation service providers, and hear from thought leaders during leadership sessions, peer breakouts, and curated networking to discuss the growing complexities of corporate aviation.

Flights, hotel, onsite meals, and registration are provided for all qualified attendees.

Sponsors: The Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit is a curated event that places you right in front of vetted decision-makers without the long nurturing process.

Sponsors will have guaranteed one-on-one meetings, plus board room style presentations to high level decisions makers. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available to raise your companies awareness. The number of sponsorships will be limited.

Submit an application to attend

Submit an application to sponsor

Bringing together a trusted group of corporate aviation leaders in a private, invitation-only setting.