Aviation International News August 2024

TRAINING: COMPETENCY-BASED TRAINING COMES TO BIZAV

OEMS: THE ACT THAT REVITALIZED GENERAL AVIATION

ROTORCRAFT: SHINING A LIGHT ON NIGHT-VISION GOGGLES

Special Report: Product Support Survey

Flight of the Fury

LONDON TO NEW

14 AIN Product Support Survey: Bombardier rises to the top of product support rankings

50 Learning to fly with night-vision goggles

Safety benefits with competency-based training

4 Bizav attorney: IRS audits are ‘going to be very intense’

6 FAA to change Part 380 operations, exploring special category

8 Gulfstream's flagship G700 rapidly picking up validations

10 U.S. business jet accident fatalities unchanged in first half

12 Expert Opinion: Don’t let the autoflight bring you down

24 Pilot Report: Flying Piper’s turboprop-single M700 fury

44 Remembering GARA 30 years later: The law that changed the industry trajectory

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.

Bizav attorney: IRS audits

‘going to be very intense’

BY KERRY LYNCH

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has begun a half-dozen audits of what will be an initial tranche of 50 into the use of business jets. Based on the first few, “it’s going to be very intense and it’s going to be something that the industry hasn’t seen on this level,” warned David Shannon, a partner with and chair of the business aviation practice for Lewis Brisbois, during NBAA’s June Regional Forum in New York.

In February, the agency revealed plans to launch “dozens” of audits on business aircraft use to ensure that large corporations, partnerships, and high-income taxpayers are properly allocating between personal and business use for tax purposes. Additional funding received from the Inflation Reduction Act enabled the IRS to increase staff so it could “closely examine this area, which has not been closely scrutinized during the past decade,” the agency said.

“The IDR [the IRS Information Document Request] we received…is twice as long as some IDRs are and the things they’re asking for are extremely thorough,” Shannon said. “We’re at the stage where we need to treat this with the level of seriousness that the situation requires.”

Noting that there is a small pool of

aviation attorneys and accountants with experience in this area, he added: “We don’t have the capacity as an industry to handle those 50 audits that are going to come [initially]. After these initial 50 audits for the large businesses, the algorithm that they’re using is going to be modified and then you’re going to have hundreds and hundreds of audits. Our industry cannot handle hundreds and hundreds of audits.”

He urged the audience to prepare now and go through a mock audit. “You have to go through all of your documentation now because when you get the phone call or when you get your notice in the mail, it’s not going be the only one that goes out. There’s going to be dozens of these that are going to keep coming out.”

In addition to the normal corporate documents and minutes, the IRS is seeking a lengthy list of documentation on a range of items. If a company is unclear on the documentation, it is leaving the determination of the flight in the hands of the auditor. “I want everyone to understand that those flights need to be documented thoroughly because that’s what they’re coming after,” he said. z

News Briefs

STRIKE ENDS AT BOMBARDIER ’ S GLOBAL JET PLANT

An 18-day strike that brought Global 5500, 6500, and 7500 assembly to a halt at Bombardier’s production facility at Toronto Pearson Airport ended July 10. The 1,350 unionized plant workers, represented by Unifor Locals 112 and 673, ratified a three-year collective agreement that provides a 12.5% wage increase over that span. It also increases pension contributions and ensures better jobs. Bombardier opened this new $500 million aircraft production facility in early May.

WHEELS UP LAYS OFF 11% OF PILOT STAFF

Wheels Up laid of 11% of its pilots in late June, citing a “stafng imbalance” caused by “a sharp decline in our pilot attrition rates in the first half due in part to a reduction of pilot hiring at the airlines and pilots choosing to stay at Wheels Up.” Layofs were reportedly concentrated to King Air flight crewmembers and pared its estimated pilot ranks from 950 to 850. Wheels Up reported a $487 million loss last year, and a $97 million shortfall in the first quarter.

EBAA BACKS DASSAULT LAWSUIT AGAINST EUROPEAN COMMISH

Benjamin Schwalen, NBAA general counsel and corporate secretary; Kristi Greco Johnson, NBAA senior v-p of government afairs; and David Shannon, partner with Lewis Brisbois, host a session at the NBAA

Regional Forum in White Plains, New York, on a range of tax issues, including the recent IRS audits.

The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) has joined Dassault Aviation in taking legal action against the European Commission’s Taxonomy Delegated Act, which it says discriminates against the industry. On July 4, industry attorneys told the European Union General Court that it is intervening with assistance in the Dassault case filed earlier this year. The EU Taxonomy identifies approved sustainable economic activities to help companies and investors make decisions over sustainable investments and “green” financing. EBAA secretary general Holger Krahmer said the European Commission excluded business aviation on ideological grounds.

JSX was swept into the debate surrounding the Part 380 public charter regulations.

FAA to change Part 380 ops, exploring special category

BY KERRY LYNCH

The FAA is moving forward on a rulemaking to alter the definitions of “scheduled,” “on demand,” and “supplemental” as it seeks to tighten the requirements for operators flying under the Department of Transportation’s Part 380 public charter economic authority. In addition, the FAA plans to form a Safety Risk Management Panel (SRMP) to discuss the potential for a new operating authority for scheduled Part 135 operations in 10- to 30-seat aircraft.

Following up on a notice issued last August about the potential changes, the agency in June said it plans to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) expeditiously and the rulemaking and panel are designed to address the rapid expansion and increased complexity of public charter flights in recent years.

“Part of the safety mission of the FAA is identifying risk early on, and that’s exactly what we’re doing on public charters as usage expands,” said FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker. “If a company is e ff ectively operating as a scheduled airline, the FAA needs to determine whether those operations should follow the same stringent rules as scheduled airlines.”

Noting its original request for comments on a potential for a rulemaking drew

some 60,000 responses, the agency said the NPRM would solicit further input on an effective date that would enable industry to adapt to any change.

As for the SRMP, the agency further said: “Because of our dedication to expanding air service to small and rural communities, we will explore opportunities to align aircraft size and certification standards with operational needs for small community and rural air service.” The SRMP will be tasked with digging into data to explore risks.

In addition, the FAA is coordinating with the Transportation Security Administration to review security requirements for passenger screening involving public charter flights.

When first announcing the change last year, the FAA said a rulemaking could push some Part 135 operators into 121. The change comes at the behest of certain airlines and pilot unions, which argue that Part 380 companies are effectively Part 121 operators flying under Part 135 and are allowed to bypass certain safety and security requirements. Business aviation groups have pushed back, saying the FAA is jumping into competitive issues rather than safety issues, and that the data do not support changes. z

News Briefs

EASA STARTS FLIGHT TESTS ON AW09 HELICOPTER

EASA test pilots have started certification flights with the AW09 helicopter being developed by Leonardo subsidiary Kopter. The company is aiming to complete type certification under CS-27 rules in 2025. Kopter is using a pair of preproduction models, PS4 and PS5, for flight testing and expects to start flying the first production version, PS6, at the end of this year. In September 2022, it retired the earlier PS3 prototype after logging 387 flights.

UNIVERSAL HYDROGEN CLOSES BUSINESS

Universal Hydrogen has abandoned its eforts to convert regional airliners to run on liquid hydrogen, with the U.S. startup acknowledging that it is closing the business. “While we have been pursuing new capital for some time and evaluating various strategic options, we have been unsuccessful in closing any new investment,” chairman and CEO Mark Cousin said in a written statement. In February, Universal Hydrogen reported that it had conducted a first ground test run with its megawatt-class fuel cell powertrain using its proprietary liquid hydrogen module to supply the fuel.

TWO BIZJETS SPRAY-PAINTED AT LONDON STANSTED

Just Stop Oil protestors broke into London Stansted Airport early June 20 and damaged a pair of business jets parked by Harrods Aviation. Police arrested Jennifer Kowalski and Cole Macdonald soon after the attack, which happened 24 hours after the same group sprayed the UK’s Stonehenge World Heritage Site with orange powder. Protestors cut through Stansted’s security fence and crossed a pair of live taxiways and apron areas to reach the parked jets. Police at Stansted have since mobilized additional resources to protect airside and landside areas.

Gulfstream G700 rapidly picking up validations

BY KERRY LYNCH

Gulfstream Aerospace’s G700 program has been picking up steam since FAA certification on March 29, accumulating type validations from eight nations along with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. The Savannah, Georgia airframer listed Mexico among the latest nations to approve the 7,700-nm business jet.

After receiving the U.S. nod at the end of March, Gulfstream delivered the initial copies in April. Ahead of Gulfstream’s July 24 quarterly earnings call, industry observers estimated the airframer had handed over eight by early July—lagging initial expectations—with others at the time pending a believed modification.

Both analyst Baird and Hagerty Jet Group had made that assessment, but Hagerty pointed to a “dozen or so” aircraft that had been lined up on the tarmac in Savannah missing horizontal stabilizers, which it said were believed to be undergoing modification at the behest of the FAA.

Even so, Gulfstream reported the inservice fleet has already topped more than 700 flight hours, showing a maturity in the program.

“We planned for a seamless entry into service for the G700, and this incredible start is a testament to both the maturity of the program and the dedication of the Gulfstream team,” said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. “Thanks to the investments we made across our business, from research and development to manufacturing and completions, the G700 program is exceeding customer expectations—they are flying their aircraft around the world immediately upon delivery, and the feedback we are hearing is outstanding.”

Along with accruing hours, the model continues to rack up city-pair speed records, including from Paris to Montreal in 6 hours 16 minutes and São Paulo to White Plains, New York, in 8 hours 46 minutes. Both flights averaged a speed of at least Mach 0.90.

The flights are pending National Aeronautic Association and Fédération Aéronautique Internationale recognition as world records.

These will bring the total number of record flights for the ultra-long-range model to nearly 60. z

News Briefs

GE TEAMS WITH NASA ON HYBRID-ELECTRIC ENGINE

GE Aerospace is working with NASA to make hybrid-electric, high-bypass turbofan engines. The work will build upon the partners’ ongoing collaboration on the NASA Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration program.

GE Aerospace and NASA are modifying GE’s Passport 20 engine with hybrid-electric components for testing under NASA’s Hybrid Thermally Efcient Core project, which seeks to reduce fuel burn through the development of small core engine technologies.

GJC: BIZJET MARKET IS NORMALIZING

Global Jet Capital saw a continued normalization in the business aircraft market in the first quarter with flight operations and transaction volumes declining year over year, available inventory levels increasing but still low, and OEM backlogs growing. While flight operations were down 2% year over year in the first quarter, they were still 16% above 2019 levels. Supply chain and labor issues still hampered new aircraft deliveries, but demand remained high with OEMs reporting a book-to-bill of 1.3:1 in the quarter. Preowned available inventory increased in the first quarter.

LEONARDO TO ASSEMBLE AW609 AT GROTTAGLIE FACILITY

Leonardo has confirmed plans to add a second final assembly line for the AW609 tiltotor at its Grottaglie production facility in the province of Taranto in southern Italy. This would be in addition to the primary AW609 assembly line in Philadelphia. The decision marks a strategic shift for the aerospace and defense group, which said it is diversifying the use of the Grottaglie site that had been mainly intended to build aerostructures for Boeing 787s. Leonardo is also pausing 787 composite center fuselage barrel production to match reduced manufacturing and delivery rates at Boeing.

We invent them. We design them. We build them.

We were meant to fly.

And one day, we let them soar

U.S. bizjet accident fatalities unchanged in first half

BY GORDON GILBERT

The number of fatalities from U.S. business jet accidents in the first half of this year was unchanged from that of the first half of last year despite fewer accidents in the recent six-month period. According to preliminary information researched by AIN, three N-registered bizjet accidents took the

lives of nine persons in the first half of 2024, compared with nine deaths from four accidents in the same timeframe of 2023.

The NTSB preliminary report on the Feb. 7 fatal accident involving a Beechcraft Hawker 900XP sheds little light on

CAE DEDICATES GULFSTREAM SAVANNAH TRAINING CENTER

CAE inaugurated its first business aviation training center dedicated to Gulfstream business jets in Savannah, Georgia. Located near Gulfstream Aerospace’s headquarters, the center began operating earlier this year with a G450/G550 fullflight simulator. The next flight simulator to come online is for the G280, anticipated to be ready for training shortly. The center has the capacity for four simulators. In addition, the facility is ofering maintenance training for the G650 and G500/600 ultra-long-range models.

DAWN RISES ON FIRST SOLARPOWERED FUEL REFINERY

European renewable fuel production pioneer Synhelion has inaugurated DAWN, the world’s first industrial solar fuel plant, in Jülich, Germany. Founded in 2016, the company has expanded its technology from a mini-refinery on the roof of the public research university. Synhelion has worked since then to apply its sun-to-liquid process on an industrial scale. The pilot plant will produce several thousand liters of synthetic crude oil a year, which can then be processed into fuels including sustainable aviation fuel. Next year, the company expects to begin construction on its first commercial plant in Spain.

ELEVATE MRO OPENS DENVER MAINTENANCE BASE

Elevate MRO has opened its new business aircraft maintenance center at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Denver. The expansion includes increased staf and maintenance teams to support the existing clients and boost service availability. The 17,000-sq-ft facility provides hangar and ofce space, allowing Elevate to expand its maintenance and management capacity. It will also introduce avionics services.

Expert Opinion

Don’t let the autoflight bring you down

BY CHRIS LUTAT

In all of my years of flying, whether as an instructor/evaluator or simply a member of the crew, I’ve never seen a pilot win a fistfight with the autoflight.

As I was nearly done writing this article in early May, the NTSB issued its preliminary report on the fatal accident involving a Daher TBM 700, N960LP, near Truckee, California, on March 30, 2024.

In the headline of his report on the release, Gordon Gilbert wrote for AIN that, “the preliminary accident report shows a series of autopilot engagements and disengagements” just prior to the accident.

Here’s the set-up: The airport was closed for VFR traffic; the weather was IMC with ceiling and visibility requiring an instrument approach. The PIC was reported by the NTSB to have had 250 hours flying the aircraft. The preliminary report gives few facts beyond these initial findings, and we may never know why this series of apparent actions in the cockpit were taken.

Initial indications suggest that the pilot made several attempts to connect the autoflight while maneuvering the aircraft close to the ground in an area of high terrain, at night, in weather. Drawing irrefutable conclusions from this information will be a challenge for the NTSB, but its final report will be one that many pilots will be anxiously awaiting. It had the effect of immediately reinforcing for me how important the topic of this article is to contemporary aviation safety.

Inevitably, whether new to flying or a weathered veteran with thousands of hours, every contemporary pilot will confront new technologies designed to increase safety margins and contribute to efficiency and productivity. We all generally agree that those are good things—and wouldn’t have it any other way.

LUTAT MANAGING PARTNER, CONVERGENT PERFORMANCE

But unless we work for an organization that has the resources to deal with these advances systematically through training and evaluation programs supported by a rigorous standardization team, many crewmembers are mostly on their own when it comes to smoothly blending traditional airmanship with contemporary automation. Whether adapting to enhanced flight vision systems like synthetic vision systems augmented with a head-up display or to the latest mandated communications-navigation-surveillance systems and protocols, the amount of knowledge that flight crews need to understand and become proficient with is not going to diminish in the coming years.

Yet few training programs—even the best in our industry—recognize the need to develop a balanced approach to airmanship blending proficiency with advanced flight guidance, autoflight systems, and the stickand-rudder skills that got many pilots their first flying job.

If you stay committed to a flying career long enough, eventually you will encounter conditions that require autoflight and flight guidance systems to take a backseat to maintain control of the aircraft along a safe flight path. Yet real-world practice opportunities can seem scarce when the aircraft and crew are in revenue operations.

If you’re reading this and saying to

yourself, “Yeah, this isn’t a problem,” it may be because you haven’t yet experienced the collision of practical airmanship with onboard automated systems designed to control the aircraft flightpath. Sources of aviation safety are plentiful, but you need to go no further than NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) to assess for yourself the prevalence of incidents and reports of airborne flight crews working out their own understanding of their autoflight systems in real time (just about the worst time to do it).

I recently searched the ASRS database for just one type of situation where disconnecting and manually flying the airplane would be a very safe and wise option—altitude excursions. I put in just two of the many search criteria available on the site.

After selecting “Excursion from assigned altitude” plus “Human Factors/HumanMachine Interface,” my request generated 648 hits. Apparently, at least 648 times after an altitude excursion, crews felt compelled to write about it in a NASA report.

It may not be the most demanding airmanship challenge of our time, but it can ruin an otherwise fine flying day. It’s representative of a problem that has been plaguing our industry for decades—one that we should all be able to eliminate (mostly, that is) if we work to refine the relationship between the hardware (the aircraft and all of its integrated systems) and the wetware (that’s you and me).

Of course, I am not the only pilot thinking these thoughts—they are indeed shared by many other pilots and now, it seems, they have the attention of the research community and some regulators as well.

The International Civil Aviation Organization is in the final stages of a yearslong study on the waning of “hand flying”

CHRIS

(otherwise known as “manual handling” in some circles). It’s one industry study that I’m looking forward to when it is finally published, perhaps later this year. But the gist of the research was reported by Aviation Week & Space Technology.

After studying 30 years of accidents and major incidents, researchers focused on 77 flightpath-related accidents and more than 300 incidents—finding that 36% had evidence of automation dependency, and the percentage appears to be climbing. In the two decades from 1990 to 2010, the figure was 22%, but it rose to 49% in the decade that followed.

The article states that the study found: “Technical advances in flight deck systems are not being supported with sufficient training or best-practices guidance, leaving many pilots too reliant on automated systems and deficient in fundamental hand-flying skills.”

Our own research and fieldwork bear this out, and in 2013, Convergent Performance stated in our book "Automation Airmanship " that pilots and the organizations they fly for should as a matter of routine build mandatory hand-flying or manual-handling opportunities into standard operating procedures (SOPs). For example, something as simple as requiring an SOP that departures be flown manually

as opposed to mandating autopilot engagement at 500 or 1,000 feet could contribute to more balance between proficiency with the autoflight and proficiency with manual flight. How to achieve an optimum balance

is open for debate and should be handled by individual flight departments taking many considerations into account (such as prevailing flying conditions, experience levels, and other safety factors). Policy changes like this can have a real payoff; follow-up and fine-tuning are key to any policy change.

Our observations and the experiences of veteran pilots everywhere show that the decision to “fly the airplane first” is made (and briefed) long before a conflict over control between the pilot and the autoflight forces the choice. z

Chris Lutat is managing partner of Convergent Performance, a B777 captain, and co-author of "Automation Airmanship: Nine Principles for Operating Glass Cockpit Aircraft."

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

Industry Insights. Thought Leadership.

The NTSB's preliminary accident report illustrates the flight path of the ill-fated TBM.

AIN Product Support Survey

Bombardier rises to the top of product support rankings

BY GREGORY POLEK

AIN’s product support survey for 2024 saw Bombardier rise to the top of all manufacturers with a full point improvement from 2023, when it ranked last in the business jet sector with a score of 7.6. The company’s 8.6 rating this year resulted from a strong showing in several categories, including a tie for first place with Dassault in warranty fulfillment with a score of 9.0.

Also seeing gains in support rankings in 2024 were Embraer and Dassault, with each improving by 0.4 points in the overall average from 2023. Both had strong service center ratings, reflecting their concerted effort to grow support capacity.

Atop the turboprop ratings, Pilatus continued to score among the highest overall in the survey. However, its 8.4 rating tied Embraer’s in the overall average, two

points behind Bombardier.

While virtually every company surveyed last year reported negative effects of supply chain constraints, several reported some improvement in that area in 2024. Efforts to relieve the pressure took the form of better communication and hands-on help for suppliers, increasing inventory levels, and maintaining closer ties with teardown agencies to help supplement their parts inventories. Finally, continued pressure from increased demand for MRO services saw companies add still more square footage for MRO operations and parts warehousing.

However, cost of parts continued to be a sticking point for many of the OEMs in the survey. As with last year, that category brought in the lowest scores.

Rolland Vincent of Texas-based Rolland

Vincent Associates—the data provider for the AIN survey—noted that improved competitive conditions and easing of supply chain constraints accounted for much of the overall improvement in scores.

Finally, while staffing shortages broadly accounted for adverse effects, some of the OEMs reported more success in recruiting technicians than others.

First-place finisher Bombardier, for example, benefitted from apprenticeship programs at facilities in London, Singapore, and Melbourne, Australia, to ensure a flow of new hires trained to address any workforce shortages. A new program in Wichita supported with grants by the state of Kansas promises further capacity, as has its direct development of needed infrastructure.

SURVEY RULES AND METHODOLOGY

AIN ’s annual Product Support Survey aims to quantify and rate through statistical analysis the product support functions of aircraft manufacturers over the past year. The survey, whose respondents include operators of business jets, pressurized turboprops, and turbine-powered helicopters, endeavors to encourage continuous improvement in aircraft product support throughout the industry.

SURVEY TOOL

For the third year, AIN conducted the survey via a questionnaire developed in partnership with Rolland Vincent Associates, a Texasbased consultancy focused on aviation market research, strategy, and forecasting. Designed to provide improved ease of use and to encourage more participants to complete the entire questionnaire, the survey tool included

Spanish and Portuguese versions along with clearer language and imagery around the categories and evaluation scale. Finally, it asked respondents to evaluate one full aircraft at a time, including airframe, engines, and avionics.

METHODOLOGY

AIN emailed qualified readers a link to the password-protected survey website active from mid-April to mid-June. It asked respondents to rate individual aircraft and provide the tail number, aircraft age, primary region of service, and whether they used factory-owned or authorized service centers, or both. The survey also asked respondents to rate, on a scale from 1 to 10, the quality of service they received during the previous 12 months in the following categories: Factory-owned Service Centers; Authorized Service Centers; Cost Per Hour Program; Parts Availability; Cost of Parts; AOG Response; Warranty

Fulfillment; Technical Manuals; Technical Reps; and Overall Aircraft Reliability.

THE RESULTS

In total, 679 unique respondents representing 2,221 aircraft, from 62 countries completed the survey. While total responses were above last year’s total, AIN did not receive enough ratings to verifiably report results for Daher, Honda Aircraft, Airbus Helicopters, and Bell. Rolland Vincent Associates reviewed the data to ensure accurate and valid responses. It also compiled the final survey results in close coordination with AIN

COMING NEXT

AIN has published its 2024 Product Support Survey results for aircraft in this issue; next month will feature avionics, cabin electronics, and airborne connectivity products; and engines will follow in the October issue.

BUSINESS JETS

After finishing last among the five business jet makers appearing in 2023’s survey, Bombardier became the toprated OEM in the airframer category this year as it jumped to 8.6. Bombardier ranked first in cost-per-hour programs with an 8.3 rating, placing it six-tenths of a point ahead of the second-place vote-getter Gulfstream. It also had a strong showing (9.0) in aircraft reliability.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

Supporting an in-service global fleet of some 5,170 aircraft, Bombardier continues to work toward ensuring that operators consider the OEM their “first choice” for maintenance, modifications, and parts. In a recent interview with AIN, Bombardier v-p of product support Anthony Cox said achieving that objective starts with building the company’s network footprint with an ever-expanding team of 1,800 technicians.

‘We clearly have to focus on the customers where they need us, when they need us,” he explained. “So, we do a lot of studying of the demographic worldwide, and we consider our aircraft movements and our installed base. We study the maintenance requirements that are upcoming, and the parts that our customers may need. Those studies allow us to address each market with a suitable infrastructure, human resources or human capital, and any other technical abilities that we may need.”

Cox noted that Bombardier no longer su ff ers from the staffing shortages that virtually every maintenance provider experienced before the Covid pandemic took hold.

“Two years ago, I think we would’ve been pleased to see around 150 aircraft in maintenance throughout the network,” said Cox. “Typically, today, we have anywhere from 280 to 300 aircraft in work. So, in terms of market share, we continue to improve that. Market share is a result of the customers having a good experience, word of mouth, our expanded

capabilities, our expanded footprint, and full OEM support.”

Cox further reported that supply chain constraints have begun to loosen for Bombardier and generally industry-wide. However, some of the smallest sub-suppliers continue to suffer from a shortage of raw materials, for example.

“We still have some difficulties with a couple of partners who are catching up on raw material, but none of it [is] affecting our production line,” explained Cox. “The in-service market where we struggle is just with a couple of suppliers who make unique parts. They require certain equipment; they require finesse in the supply chain.”

“We’re working with those partners. We have about a hundred intervention specialists that we’ve deployed out to our various vendors. And their role is to assist the vendors in any shortages, make sure that we have a line of balance to support our aftermarket needs.”

Cox also noted that its proprietary Smart Link application has yielded significant returns, allowing for what he called a visualization of the aircraft health monitoring system. In a Global 7500, for example, the application generates thousands of parameters per millisecond to analyze potential problems ahead of landing, giving technicians alerts to ensure they have access to the needed parts.

Finishing with an overall average score of 8.4, Embraer saw its results improve by four-tenths of a point from last year’s showing, leaving it in a close second place behind

Bombardier. The Brazilian manufacturer saw some of its strongest category rankings in technical manuals (9.1), technical representatives (9.2), and overall aircraft reliability

BOMBARDIER

EMBRAER

 Embraer continued (9.1), all of which placed it among the top of the individual scores. Among all the scoring categories, only a fourth-place finish in parts availability (7.2) weighed on the overall result.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

Characterizing its focus on customer experience as essential to its entrepreneurial success and a core aspect of its business strategy, Embraer Services & Support highlights its Executive Care program as a way to help navigate a healthy expansion of the business and to budget aircraft maintenance costs.

Executive Care rolls together planning, budgeting, and support under a fixed monthly fee, along with an hourly charge for flight hours flown to render a straightforward and simple program for customers to manage. The program freezes costs for scheduled and unscheduled maintenance items upon enrollment.

Important improvements over the past year include technical services at no cost for up to five hours and reduced rates thereafter, as well as carbon offsets of the first 25 flight hours for newly delivered aircraft. Although the program does not cover parts, Embraer offers up to a 10% discount over the standard list price, as well as a 10% discount for new enrollments in landing gear overhaul add-ons. Finally, operators get a special price for select service bulletins and Phenom STC special coverage.

To ensure operational excellence, Embraer is concentrating on guaranteed spare parts availability and optimized inventory turnover to minimize downtime and enhance

cost-effectiveness, as well as footprint expansion and synergy to streamline operations across locations to eliminate redundancies, foster collaboration, and improve overall efficiency. Embraer doubled its maintenance service capacity in the U.S. to support the continued growth of its customer base with the addition of three Executive Aviation MRO facilities at Dallas Love Field, Cleveland, and Sanford, Florida. In support of the expansion, Embraer Services & Support increased its mobile response network by 28 teams and added access to interior services, paint, and component repairs. Embraer Services & Support also said it intends to move its facilities at Paris–Le Bourget Airport to a new maintenance building capable of accommodating more capacity, while committing to low-carbon construction and energy self-sufficiency. The company expects the new executive aviation maintenance facility to more than double the unit’s capacity.

Finishing just a tenth of a point lower than second-ranked Embraer at 8.3, Dassault saw an overall rating improvement of four-tenths of a point compared with its 7.9 showing last year. The company’s highest individual scores in warranty fulfillment (9.0) and technical representatives (9.3) both helped maintain its buoyancy. However, lower scores in cost-perhour programs (7.1) and AOG response (7.7) helped keep it from ascending any higher than its third-place finish.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

Dassault Aviation’s opening in late March of a purpose-built 149,500-sq-ft MRO facility in Kuala Lumpur further supports

the company’s plan for developing a wider global aftermarket footprint with modernized and expanded facilities to support the growing fleet and product line of its Falcon family. Operating under the ExecuJet brand, the service center can support 10 to 15 aircraft at one time, including Dassault’s largest aircraft, the Falcon 6X, which recently entered service, and the larger 10X, scheduled to reach the market in 2027.

The acquisition of the global maintenance activities of Luxaviation’s ExecuJet subsidiary and the European-based MRO activities of TAG Aviation five years ago cemented Dassault’s plan to command a worldwide Falcon maintenance network and bring support capability closer to customers.

DASSAULT

“Over the last half decade, we have more than doubled our global support capacity and considerably modernized our MRO capability,” said Jean Kayanakis, Dassault Aviation senior v-p for worldwide customer service. “We now have more than 60 service locations and 15 parts distribution centers around the world, along with the go-teams necessary to support aircraft in the field 24/7 wherever they may be. This is part of a strategy aimed at keeping us as close as possible to our customers and offering all the services needed to maximize the up-time and value of their Falcon fleets.”

Further expansion will hinge on the opening of several more facilities, including a new U.S. flagship MRO in Melbourne, Florida, to support Falcons operating in North and South America, in 2025. Further added capacity in the U.S. will take the form of another authorized service center (ASC), Pro Star Aviation, located near Boston.

Dassault also opened a third authorized facility in India, Indamer in New Delhi, adding to the two ASCs in Mumbai. Dassault said all the activity reflects a need to stay ahead of fleet growth and provide more service. The company has 40 factory service centers, 21 ASCs, and 15 parts distribution centers.

Meanwhile, Dassault’s relocation of its facility in Sorocaba, near São Paulo, Brazil, anchors Catarina International Executive Airport’s maintenance offering.

Last year, the company opened a major new ExecuJet MRO center at the Dubai World Central airport.

Finally, the company continued to encourage more customer use of Dassault’s online parts ordering system. Now, its customer base places 70% of orders online while Dassault continues to improve its customer portal and add eCommerce platforms. Last year, it increased parts inventory by 13% amid gradually improving supply chain constraints and high fleet utilization.

GULFSTREAM

After ranking in a tie for the top spot with Textron last year, Gulfstream saw its total score fall by one-tenth of a point in 2024. However, with the improvements made this year by Bombardier, Embraer, and Dassault, an 8.0 overall score lowered Gulfstream’s position to the number-four spot. Gulfstream’s lower rating in cost of parts (5.9) and factoryowned service centers (7.8) weighed on its total score.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

Gulfstream continues its pursuit of a plan for facility modernization and expansion to ensure consistent service across all its service centers.

In April, the company continued the expansion of its Savannah-based MRO facility, already one of the largest dedicated business aviation maintenance facilities in the world. Once complete, it will provide more than 200,000

sq ft of workspace, allowing Gulfstream to expand scheduled and unscheduled inspections as well as maintenance, avionics upgrades, and interior refurbishments.

The company followed the Savannah announcement with a new repair and overhaul shop that opened at its Farnborough Service Center. In Mesa, Arizona, the company began work on expansion in the fall of 2022 in anticipation of completion of its new 225,000-sq-ft facility later this year. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, progress continues on a new component repair and overhaul facility where Gulfstream plans first to concentrate on wheels, brakes, and landing gear and then increase o ff erings to support aircraft structures, avionics, and other components.

Gulfstream has invested heavily in spare parts storage and distribution, concentrating its effort on locating warehouses near key airports such as Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Georgia and Schipol Airport in Amsterdam. Meanwhile, Gulfstream has increased its investment to more than $2 billion in ready-to-serve parts inventory, helping

the company mitigate ongoing supply chain constraints. The company’s in-house repair and overhaul (R&O) capabilities aid an effort to gain more control over the supply chain. R&O capabilities also align with sustainability goals, allowing for extension of aircraft life cycles while reducing the need for raw materials and manufacturing of replacement goods.

The manufacturer also has increased the strength of its workforce by identifying and establishing new roles to enhance customer service, where teams have grown by more than 500 employees in just the past year. The company now employs more than 5,000 people at a dozen MRO locations across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Finally, the company continues preparations for entry into service of the G700, on which the customer support team has already completed extensive training for deliveries of the aircraft.

The only business jet airframer to have scored below an overall 8.0 rating, Textron Aviation registered a score of 7.9, a drop of 0.2 from last year. A 6.5-point showing in cost of parts beat Gulfstream’s placement in that category. The company did see respectable scores in overall reliability at 8.8 points, placing it a tenth of a point above Gulfstream, while a 7.5-point showing in cost-per-hour programs placed it above Dassault’s 7.1 score.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

The manufacturer of Beechcraft and Cessna aircraft has spent what it calls a significant investment in support over the past year. During the past year, Textron added resources and employees in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, boosting support outside its U.S. stronghold. The expansion included a third member of its 1CALL team based in Spain for unscheduled maintenance support along with a technical support team in Australia.

Technology investments saw the addition of Textron Aviation’s service management app, helping ease the process for customers to review and approve work and connect with a service center. A Textron rulemaking change request would allow Part 91 owners of single-engine

turbine-powered airplanes to perform a “current inspection program recommended by the manufacturer” in lieu of annual or 100-hour inspections,” effectively increasing inspection program options and reducing maintenance costs.

The expansion of the company’s parts distribution facility at its Wichita headquarters adds 180,000 sq ft of space, ensuring a ready supply of parts for both new and existing models.

TEXTRON AVIATION

TURBOPROPS

PILATUS

Among the two OEMs to appear in the rankings of turboprops still in production, Pilatus with its PC-12 outscored Textron’s King Air support by an average of 0.5. However, the Swiss manufacturer saw its own composite score fall by twotenths of a point compared with last year’s showing of 8.6.

The company’s standout scores of 9.1 or better in four distinct categories proved remarkable. Its highest result of 9.3 in both overall reliability and factory-owned service centers helped counter its weaker results in parts availability and cost, with 7.4 and 6.2, respectively.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

Pilatus has seen its fleet of more than 2,090 PC-12s account for 10.6 million flying hours, while some 360 PC-12NXGs amass about 210,000 flying hours. About 260 PC-24 light jets now in operation have collected 230,000 hours in the air.

Pilatus held five customer-oriented operators conferences around the world in the past year. During that time, it entered an agreement to acquire the Pilatus-focused MRO business from Aero Centers Epps in Atlanta.

A major revision to the company’s service center policies and procedures improved spare parts availability and

allowed for faster response times. Along with that e ff ort, Pilatus developed a real-time service center analytics suite, allowing greater cooperation between the OEM and its authorized service centers to further standardize “Pilatus Class” service.

Pilatus obtained approval for engineering design work under its Stans DOA at Pilatus Business Aircraft in the U.S., obtained Pilatus FOCA/EASA approval for Pilatus PC-24 maintenance training, and opened a second maintenance training classroom at Pilatus Business Aircraft USA.

TEXTRON AVIATION (KING AIR)

Textron Aviation’s King Air turboprop matched its composite score of 7.9 from last year in the turboprop sector as well as among the company’s three business jet models, cementing its finish in both groupings. While finishing behind Pilatus by half a point in the turboprop category, the King Air posted relatively high scores in companyowned and authorized service centers, where it finished ahead of Pilatus by two-tenths of a point. Also finishing ahead of Pilatus in technical manuals, the King Air’s support apparatus scored overall aircraft reliability of 8.6.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

See the summary of Textron Aviation’s improvements on page 19.

Daher did not draw enough responses to post a valid sample of scores.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

Daher has shown progress on several elements of its maintenance offering, most notably the consolidation of the Kodiak Care and TBM support networks under the umbrella dubbed Kodiak & TBM Care. The company now boasts 55 service centers, just four of which are factory-owned. In North America, customers have access to 28 TBM centers, 14 Kodiak locations, and eight that now serve both airplanes. What Daher calls the Prestige package for the purchase of a new TBM 960 includes the TBM Total Care Maintenance Program, which covers scheduled maintenance for five years or 1,000 flight hours. The company offers a similar program for TBM 910 customers. For a new Kodiak 100 or Kodiak 900, the Kodiak Care maintenance program covers four years or 1,000 hours.

Since 2018, Daher has developed the use of data

TURBOPROPS (out-of-production)

transmission systems on TBM models. The systems enable full-flight engine and aircraft data recording and wireless transmission to the relevant server. In-house experts continue enlarging its list of high-value features, reports. The same data feed the Daher-developed Me & My TBM app, which generates individual flying assessments and debriefs of pilot owners/ operators.

MITSUBISHI MU-2

Out of production since 1986, the Mitsubishi MU-2 nevertheless continues to rank as high or higher than any of the newer designs in several categories covered by AIN’s product support survey. Backed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America (MHIA) at its facilities in Dallas and five MU-2 authorized service centers, more than 220 of the turboprop twins still fly worldwide, thanks largely to its support apparatus.

Registering no lower than 9.0 in eight categories including its overall rating, MHIA finished with a perfect 10.0 in warranty fulfillment and a 9.4 in overall aircraft reliability. Its lowest rating—a 7.2 in cost of parts—placed the company more than a full point ahead of the two other turboprops in that category.

Consisting of spare parts sales, engineering, field support, quality assurance, flight safety, and customer support, the company’s support organization helped attract many new members to the MU-2 community over the past 12 months, it said. MU-2 owners and operators actively engage with each other to take advantage of the experience gained over many

years of flying the MU-2. The MU-2 Flyers Association, organized by MU-2 owners and experts, plans to host a safety seminar in Smyrna, Tennessee, this coming September. The seminar will cover operational tips, analysis of past accident scenarios, and enhancements for some of the onboard safety specific to MU-2.

MHIA supports the seminar and encourages all MU-2 pilots to attend and share their experience and operational tips among pilots.

DAHER

HELICOPTERS

LEONARDO

Posting a strong 8.4 composite rating in this year’s survey, Leonardo nevertheless scored three-tenths of a point lower this year than it did in 2023. The only helicopter maker to have drawn enough responses to post a valid sample of votes in this year’s list, the company took the top slot in the helicopter sector by default. Nevertheless, it finished with better than an 8.0 in eight of the 10 groups. Technical representatives accounted for its highest score at 9.2.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

A plan Leonardo formulated last year to strengthen the level of support through 2025 has already boosted the company’s global service network, including digitization and enhancements in supply chain management. Leonardo further reinforced its service center and logistics support network through closer proximity to operators’ bases. Present in all continents, the company reinforced its network in Europe with Leonardo Belgium’s service growth and Yeovil’s single-site logistics hub. Other focus markets include Australia, Malaysia, the U.S., Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.

Digital advances include Leonardo’s Sesto Calende, Italy-based Diagnostic Service Tower, which supports data gathering and analysis for more than 1,400 connected helicopters. Benefits include fleet management and operational efficiency gains, data-driven training, spares, and logistics management.

In the field of logistics, the company increased critical items stock availability and logistics output to respond to its growing in-service fleet. Critical stock availability (fill rate) improved by 150% in 2023 versus 2022, and the company registered a more than 50% logistics output ove r 2022.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

Bell’s new customer service facilities include Chinook Helicopters, established this year as an authorized Bell

505 dealership serving Western Canada. As an authorized Bell 505 dealership, Chinook Helicopters will execute aircraft demonstration flights and work to promote the aircraft to Western Canada private operators. Bell also signed an agreement to grant Bell customer service authorization to Abu Dhabi Aviation and provide service for Bell 212, Bell 412, and the Subaru Bell 412EPX helicopters.

Finally, Bell has named Boeing as an authorized and endorsed supplier of used serviceable material products for Bell 212 and 412 customers and maintenance providers. The agreement allows Bell to expand its Boeing- supported rotable pool with USM parts including airframe, main transmission, avionics, main rotor head, main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, and gearboxes.

Bell did not draw enough responses to post a valid sample of scores.

BELL

AIRBUS HELICOPTERS

Airbus Helicopters did not draw enough responses to post a valid sample of scores.

THE IMPROVEMENTS

Evidence of the effectiveness of Airbus Helicopters’ innovation in product support comes with advances in HCare

offerings since the program’s launch in 2022. Last year, the company saw the number of Airbus helicopters covered by

one of the three versions of HCare global contracts—namely HCare Initial, HCare In-Service, and HCare Lifetime—grow by 4%, reflecting their flexibility and ability to meet customer expectations throughout the life cycle of their fleets.

Meanwhile, Airbus’ investments to address supply chain constraints yielded a €400 million increase in working capital over 2019. The company also managed to increase the supply of spare parts with end-of-life management, extending the life of serviceable components and creating more opportunities to lower prices with helicopter buy-backs and dismantling complete helicopters.

Airbus has begun using a new multi-purpose test bench for those components installed last year at Airbus Helicopters in Grand Prairie, Texas, resulting in decreased turnaround time for customers and more than a two-fold capacity in testing capacity for main gearboxes.

LOOKING FOR

Flying Piper’s turboprop-single M700 Fury

BY MATT THURBER

After flying Piper Aircraft’s new turbopropsingle M700 Fury, it’s clear that this is the airplane that customers have been waiting for. A larger engine with 100 more shaft horsepower boosts performance, yet it’s still possible to fly as efficiently as the previous model, the M600 SLS.

I flew the M700 in May with Piper manager of engineering flight test Joel Glunt at Piper’s Vero Beach, Florida headquarters. Coincidentally, Piper had just received FAA flight into known icing approval for the airplane. The remaining certification

item is unpaved runway approval, which is expected shortly.

The main difference between the M600 and M700 is the latter’s Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-52 engine and five-blade composite Hartzell propeller, the latter of which was optional on the M600. To accommodate the more powerful engine, the M700’s intake plenum was redesigned for improved ram air recovery and the exhaust stacks have a flatter design that maximizes residual thrust. There are no changes to the airframe and equipment;

both have six seats and Garmin touchscreen-controlled G3000 avionics with autothrottle and Autoland.

The M700 adds Garmin’s PlaneSync 4G LTE cellular datalink, which allows owners to check fuel quantity, aircraft location, oil temperature, battery voltage, and Metar weather report at the M700’s location and download databases wirelessly and remotely. Its more powerful engine delivers better performance during climb and at high altitude, and significant improvements in takeoff and landing distance.

Garmin G3000 avionics feature two touchscreen controllers, giving the M700 Fury’s cockpit a clean and uncluttered look.

At the 6,000-pound maximum takeoff weight, climb rate is 2,048 fpm, a 32% improvement over the M600. Climb to FL250 takes 13.9 minutes, a 34% improvement. The M700’s takeoff distance is 1,994 feet and landing distance is 1,968 feet, compared with the M600’s 2,635 and 2,659, respectively. Landing performance is without prop reverse, just using beta mode. Its empty weight is 80 pounds greater than the M600 because of the larger engine, so payload with maximum fuel of 260 gallons is 565 pounds versus the M600’s 658 pounds. But the extra power boosts the maximum range to 1,852 nm, up from 1,658 nm for the M600. What owners will like most is the higher maximum cruise speed of 301 ktas, 27 knots faster than the M600.

MARKET POSITION

It’s hard to compare the M700 to other single-engine turboprops because it is the second-lowest-cost pressurized singleengine turboprop available. At just over $4 million (typically equipped for about $4.3 million), the M700 is less expensive than the Epic E1000 GX ($4.45 million) and TBM 960 ($5.3 million) and much lower than the Pilatus PC-12 ($6.2 million) and upcoming Beechcraft Denali ($7 million).

But the M700 is also in a different class in terms of cabin size and performance. Piper is still offering the M500 turboprop single, so that is its entry-level, highperformance single, but the M700 has a lot to offer and is just as easy to fly as the M500—maybe even easier with the autothrottle and safer with Autoland—so it won’t be a surprise to see buyers lining up for the M700.

In comparing these models, it may be helpful to begin with their engines and their flat-rated output. The M700’s PT6A52 delivers 700 shp. The TBM 960’s PT6E66XT provides 850 shp. The PC-12 NGX is powered by a PT6E-67XP with 1,200 shp, the same output as the Epic E1000’s PT6A67A. The Denali is the only airplane in this group that is not powered by a Pratt &

Whitney Canada engine, and its GE Cata lyst will provide 1,300 shp, the most in this class.

In terms of basic performance specifications, the M700’s new 301-knot top speed at FL250 brings it into the competitive sphere of these airplanes: TBM 960, 330 knots at FL280; PC-12 NGX, 290 knots at FL220; Epic E1000 GX, 333 knots; Denali, 285 knots. Range has been a complaint for Piper turboprop buy ers, but the M700’s maximum range of 1,852 nm at 206 knots or 1,149 nm at 301 knots (with 45-minute reserve) gives it new longer legs. By compar ison, the TBM 960 can fly 1,440 nm at 326 knots or 1,730 nm at 252 knots (45-minute reserve). The PC-12 NGX at long-range cruise can fly 1,803 nm (100nm alternate). Epic publishes a maximum range of 1,560 nm. And the Denali’s published figure is 1,600 nm.

load databases and view aircraft data.

To achieve maximum range, the airplane has to be loaded with as much fuel as it can carry, which limits the payload. At the standard empty weight, the M700 can carry 565 pounds of payload. The TBM 960’s maximum payload is much higher at 1,446 pounds, while the PC-12 NGX can carry even more at 2,236 pounds. The Epic E1000 GX’s maximum payload is 1,100 pounds, the same number as the Denali.

Apart from the important aspect of performance capability, the other key determinant for the person writing a big check to buy one of these airplanes is the size of the cabin. The M700 is typical of Piper’s M-class airplanes, ranging from the piston M350 to the M500 and M700, and they share the same cabin dimensions: length, 12.25 feet, width 4.1 feet, and height 3.9 feet. The TBM 960’s cabin isn’t much larger than that of the M700: length,13.3 feet; width, nearly 4 feet; and height 4 feet.

The manufacturers of the larger airplanes like to point out the narrow aisles in the M-series and TBM, and moving from back to front does take a little wriggling.

Pilatus’ PC-12 NGX is unique (as will be the Denali) in that it has a massive rear baggage door. Its cabin’s length is 16.9 feet, width 5 feet, and height 4.8 feet. Textron Aviation is clearly targeting the PC-12 with the Denali, which has a cabin that is 16.75 feet long, 5.25 feet wide, and 4.8 feet tall. Epic’s E1000 cabin measures 15 feet long, 4.6 feet wide, and 4.9 feet tall.

All of these airplanes have the most modern avionics with autopilot envelopeprotection features and in the M700, TBM 960, and Denali, Garmin’s Autoland technology, which enables safe recovery of the airplane in case of pilot incapacitation.

Four of the airplanes have Garmin avionics, four have touchscreen controls: the M700, TBM 960, Denali, and PC-12 NGX. The Epic E1000 GX has Garmin’s keyboard interface, while the PC-12 NGX has a Honeywell Ace avionics suite. Another differentiator is the engine control. The M700 and E1000 GX have a traditional PT6 control system. TBM 960, PC-12 NGX, and Denali pilots might find their single power levers simpler to operate.

FLYING THE M700

Climbing into the left seat of the M700 takes me back to the familiar feel of a Piper

cockpit, and the M700 is still an easy airplane to manage with excellent, straightforward handling.

The Garmin touchscreen-controlled G3000 avionics make running the avionics much simpler than the G1000 system on the M500 and other airplanes, and the autothrottle adds an extra dimension of precise control. It also adds safety: during an autopilot-coupled go-around, letting the autothrottle manage power can be much safer, helping the pilot avoid radical maneuvers close to the ground. It was necessary to pull the prop back into beta to keep the M700 from going too fast while taxiing.

Glunt reminded me before taking off from Vero Beach’s Runway 12R that while the M700 has an autothrottle, the engine isn’t digitally controlled, so the pilot needs to advance the power just enough—to about 800 foot-pounds of torque—for the autothrottle to engage and not advance the throttle all the way.

The 700-shp PT6 accelerated the M700 rapidly to the 75-knot rotation speed, and I pulled the nose up and then up and up some more, trying to keep to the 95-knot best rate of climb speed. We were loaded with 1,055 pounds of fuel, not quite two-thirds of the

260-gallon max fuel capacity, and our takeoff weight was just under 5,400 pounds, well below the 6,000-pound mtow.

Initial climb rate was over 3,000 fpm as we headed up to 13,500 feet, and even through 8,000 feet we climbed at 2,500 fpm. After leveling off at 13,500 feet, I reacquainted myself with the handling of Piper’s M-class turboprops. I’ve always enjoyed flying the M500 and M600, and the Fury carries on the familiar Piper feel.

Having learned to fly in Pipers, the M-class airplanes feel just like larger

Cherokees, with crisp response although the pitch control is heavier due to the size and weight of the airplane. Pitch trim is definitely helpful.

Glunt demonstrated some of the M700’s Garmin Electronic Stability & Protection (ESP) envelope protection features. We switched ESP off so I could do some steep 180-degree turns without the nudge to wings level protection, and these were easy to do by keeping the primary flight display (PFD) flight path marker on the horizon line.

Banks at 30 degrees were so smooth it felt like the airplane was on rails. Stalls were benign, with no wing drop and a simple reduction in angle of attack and adding power to recover. With the autopilot on, I steered the M700 back to Vero Beach for a coupled RNAV approach to Runway 12R. With approach mode selected, the autothrottle perfectly set the speed as the autopilot tracked the glide path to the runway.

I watched the PFD as the M700 aligned with the runway, illustrated by centerline chevrons with mile markers leading to the runway end. At 200 feet, I clicked off the autopilot and, heeding Glunt’s reminder that the rudders and nosewheel are directly connected, straightened the rudder pedals just before touchdown in the gusty left crosswind. Pulling the power lever into beta mode slowed the Fury nicely for the turnoff z

Club seating for four offers a comfortable configuration for Piper M700 Fury passengers. Buyers can customize the interior with leather, veneer, and trim as well as stitching and embroidery options.

SOLUTIONS IN BUSINESS AVIATION

Business Aviation Sponsor Showcase

This year’s edition of Solutions in Business Aviation marks its sixth anniversary and will have a different look, appearing as an exclusive sponsored content section within the pages of AIN’s August issue.

This change was made to ensure we keep delivering the superior content that you have come to expect from AIN. This section of the publication is filled with compelling solutions from some of the top companies in the industry.

In addition, our industry continues to face issues regarding the management of generational differences as new graduates enter the market. This topic has been among the most popular roundtables at our Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit events.

To further stimulate this discussion, we asked market leaders how their organization is preparing for the retirement of highly experienced employees and transferring that knowledge to the next generation.

Their responses are included in this edition of Solutions in Business Aviation.

Please enjoy.

Warm Regards

Lisa Valladares Director of Marketing & Client Services lvalladares@ainonline.com

WE’RE UP-FRONT ABOUT WHAT’S BEHIND THE PANEL.

With decades of experience and thousands of installations, the avionics pros at Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems know that the only way to deliver the performance their customers demand is to pay attention to every tiny detail.

Whether you’re flying a turboprop or large-cabin jet, sooner or later you’ll need to upgrade your avionics. The problem is that any shop can make the front of the panel look great. But it’s the attention to detail behind the installation that truly makes a difference in performance and reliability.

Prioritizing detail is what makes Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems’ installations stand out from the rest.

As the company’s Director of Aircraft Modifications, Rob Reed, explains, “Over the years, we’ve developed several STCs to alleviate obsolescence issues on many types of aircraft. But no matter the goal, each job starts with our team ensuring every element is done to the highest level of quality and by paying attention to every detail behind the panel. That’s the only

way to guarantee that the systems will provide reliable performance for the life of the aircraft.”

THE TERMINATION IS REALLY THE BEGINNING.

One of the “smaller details” that sets Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems installations apart is the quality of their wire terminations. It may not seem critical, but after a few hundred hours of vibration, a poorly terminated connector will fail, and so will the unit it’s connecting to.

“The quality supervisor in our Greenville (South Carolina) wiring harness shop has been certified as a trainer for the IPC/Wiring Harness Manufacturing Association A-620 standards,” Jim Williams, Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems, VP Government Operations, adds. “It includes a robust quality

assurance system that approves every phase of our harness-making and connection termination processes.” This level of quality assurance and harness-building excellence is in place at Stevens’ wire harness facilities in both Greenville and Nashville.

Another detail that sets the company’s installations apart is the craftsmanship of its wiring harnesses. For example, both Stevens’ wire harness facilities have full-size mock-ups of King Air compartments to create pre-contoured harnesses for Garmin G1000 installations.

“Other shops build them on a flat table, and that means the wires and connectors can be strained during installation—which can lead to failures,” says Gary Brown, Stevens’ Nashville sales director. “We pre-contour the harnesses to eliminate all those stress points— and prevent problems.”

MORE THAN GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOVERNMENT WORK.

Reed adds that the company’s unmatched history of delivering high-end installations is one reason it does so much avionics upgrade work on various U.S. government agency aircraft.

“Our DoD contracts require extremely detailed processes, and we have incorporated many of them into our standard installation practices,” he says. “The result is that we’re bringing even higher quality, reliability, and safety to all of our customer aircraft.”

While the processes have evolved to keep up with changing technologies and customer needs, Williams stresses that it’s still the skills and attention to detail provided by Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems technicians that makes the difference.

He added that the company is so proud of its technicians’ work behind the panel that it sends photos of the finished work to the aircraft’s owner. Not many shops do that today.

“It comes down to the technicians behind the connections,” Williams says. “They are the ones touching every part of the installation.

It’s their unwillingness to compromise that sets our installations apart.”

That level of quality enables Stevens Aerospace and Defense Systems to cover each of its avionics installations and stand behind the workmanship for “as long as they own the aircraft.”

“In the past four years alone, we’ve completed hundreds of cockpit and cabin avionics installations across our network of locations,” Williams explains. If there is ever a problem a problem with our workmanship, we will stand by it and get you flying quickly.”

“That kind of reliability is why our customers come to us,” he says. “In the end, system reliability is critical to their operational safety.”

THE SOLUTION

» Authorized installer for Collins, Garmin, Gogo, Honeywell, STARLINK, Universal, and others

» From connectors to cut-outs, every detail is completed to the highest U.S. DoD standards

» Stevens’ world-class workmanship warranty - proven by 70-plus years of civilian and government installations and backed by decades of solid proven performance.

FLY MORE. PAY LESS.

For over three decades, CAA’s independent contract fuel program has been the trusted choice for Part 91 turbine aircraft operators, offering not only guaranteed lower jet-A pricing but also discounts on other essential trip and aircraft handling services.

THE SOLUTION

» Independent contract fuel program created specifically for Part 91 turbine aircraft operators

» Average 25% saving o ff retail prices

With the continued popularity of private aircraft travel, pilots and trip planners don’t need the added hassle of trying to find the lowest jet-A prices—and with CAA, they don’t have to.

“Whether they’re operating a fleet of longrange jets or a single aircraft, CAA’s independent contract fuel program guarantees members that they will pay lower prices than any other independent fuel program at participating FBOs,” stated a CAA representative. “We work hard every day to connect our loyal members with some of the best FBOs in the world who share our vision for fair and competitive fuel pricing.”

“We’ve partnered with leading independent and chain FBOs to ensure the price our members pay is at least ten cents a gallon lower than other programs,” they continued. Our members can easily access our pricing via maps on our website and mobile app. In addition, we also work with key fuel pricing locators, including ForeFlight, JetFuelX, and FuelerLinx, to make sure our pricing is easily accessible to our members.

CAA currently provides the guaranteed lowest contract fuel prices at over 260 domestic and international FBOs and handlers at con-

veniently located airports that business and private travelers want to fly to—no more landing at inconvenient airports to save on fuel.

THE SAVINGS DON’T STOP WHEN THE FUELING DOES.

The representative stated that, along with the lowest jet-A prices, CAA members also receive discounts on ramp fees, rental cars, hotel rooms, and even international trip planning through participating partner FBOs and providers.

“The strength of our program lies in our members. We currently have over 12,000 aircraft registered in our program, and we work hard to provide a great value to their operations every day,” they continued. “Our goal is to continue to grow our membership to drive more traffic to our CAA Preferred FBOs and ensure continued competitive pricing in the future.

To those ends, CAA is offering a FREE 90day trial membership to any Part 91 turbine aircraft operator. You can sign up at www. caa.org. After the trial period, operators may choose to join CAA and pay the yearly membership fee of $500 for each enrolled aircraft.

» Turbine aircraft operators can sign up for a FREE three-month trial at www.caa.org

“Since 1994, CAA has grown into the most trusted and respected name in competitively priced jet fuel in the business and private aviation user community,” the representative stated. “And all of our efforts then and now continue to be focused on encouraging the growth of Part 91 operations by bringing together operators and FBOs in a win-win arrangement.”

Ensuring your aircraft is ready when you are.

Engine Assurance Program has amassed a $41M inventory of rental engines and replacement LRUs and complemented that with a large network of dedicated AOG technicians to meet one goal: Ensuring its customers enjoy 99.9% aircraft availability.

Whether you’re talking about Sam Walton’s two-seat Ercoupe 145c or a global conglomerate’s longrange jet, all aircraft owners have one thing in common: When they need to take off, they want their airborne assets ready to fly.

Unfortunately, engine-related AOGs do happen. When they occur, the Engine Assurance Program (EAP) team has the parts and the technical expertise to get its customers’ aircraft airborne as quickly as possible.

“We are totally focused on supporting our customers and their aircraft,” explains Sean Lynch, EAP’s founder and managing director. “That’s why we’ve invested over $41 million in our inventory of rental engines, replacement oil pumps, fuel controllers, and the like.

“I can’t tell you the last time a customer has been AOG because we could not get them an oil pump,” he continues. “And as of today, we still have a flawless track record of getting rental engines on customer aircraft quickly. I think only Honeywell has a larger stock of TFE731-series engines than EAP.”

Parts are just pieces of the solution. Of course, any business jet MRO would give their “eyeteeth” to have access to EAP’s extensive parts pool, but Lynch knows that parts

aren’t worth much if highly experienced technicians aren’t available to install them.

“We’ve negotiated an exclusive arrangement that gives us priority access to a team of top field service technicians,” he says. “These technicians are basically on ‘standby,’ so when a customer has an AOG situation, the expertise they need will arrive as quickly as possible.

“In my opinion no one else in the business is going to the extent that we are,” Lynch continues. “It’s a huge investment, but it actually saves us time while assuring the high quality of the work. And because the parts and engines come from our inventory (as often as possible), we get the parts faster and at lower overall costs.”

As you might expect, solving AOGs is just one service EAP delivers to its customers. The dedicated field-support relationships can also provide routine inspections and maintenance along with more in-depth services like R&Rs, performance runs, fan balancing, vibration surveys, engine borescoping, and more. “It sounds like a cliché, but everything we do is to benefit our customers,” Lynch stresses.

“Other MROs might not see it today, but ours is a customer-focused business, and our customers care about dispatch reliability.

“We are investing in the parts and people

to help ensure that our customers can use their airplanes when they need to fly,” he says. “We take great pride in helping them do that, and that commitment is the reason we are in business.”

See the list of engines we cover. Visit eap.aero or call +1 (214) 350-0877 for a quote.

THE SOLUTION

» An exclusive network of engine AOG specialists helps achieve a 99.9% aircraft dispatch rate

» Supporting 26 models of legacy CFM, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce engines

» Also offering rental engines for MPIs

QUALITY UPHOLSTERY IS NOT A SEAT-OFYOUR-PANTS OPERATION.

Duncan Aviation is acquiring the latest in digital design and automated material and foam-cutting tools to help its upholstery artisans continue to deliver the highest-quality cabin finishings while controlling costs and minimizing aircraft downtime.

Like any true art, hand-crafted upholstery takes time. Unfortunately, today’s MROs don’t have any to spare. Every minute counts when a customer brings their aircraft in for interior work.

How do you achieve consistent quality while minimizing downtime? Duncan Aviation’s answer: Upgrade its interior shops with the latest digital design and automated production equipment to help its team of experienced upholsterers continue to provide the extremely stylish and high-quality cabin completions they have been known for since 1981.

“In 2023 alone, we had over 460 interior work orders across our three facilities, and that means we have to strive for efficiency,” explains Duncan Aviation’s Lincoln, Neb., Interior Manager, Jared Stauffer. “Traditional upholstery work would mean significantly longer downtime for those aircraft. To help reduce that downtime, we’ve been upgrading our upholstery shop with automated tools to save time and maintain quality.”

A STITCH IN TIME…

Stauffer says that Duncan Aviation’s evolution to advanced upholstery automation started in the early 2000s when it installed its first CNC machine for leather cutting. The next big step was adding software to create custom seat and divan patterns.

“We’ve eliminated the time and cost of shipping the seats to Lincoln,” he explains. “All we need is a couple of measurements from the seats, and we can start the production process before the aircraft even arrives in our hangar. Or we can cut the leather here and send it to our Provo or Battle Creek facilities for final fitting. That saves a tremendous amount of time.”

Another recent automation addition is a new leather quilting machine, significantly increasing Duncan Aviation’s ability to create unique designs for its discerning customers.

“We were using outside vendors for this work, but that limited our control of the process both from a design and delivery standpoint,” Stauffer said. “Being able to work inhouse is a big plus for us.”

Another big time-and waste-saving technology adopted by Duncan Aviation is the addition of a five-axis CNC machine to cut seat foam to the most exacting design specifications.

“These technologies make it much easier for our technicians to produce top-notch quality and consistency in less time,” he continues. “That leaves more time to concentrate on the finer points like uniform stitching, consistent panel gapping, and the overall high level of final finishing that sets our interiors apart.”

SHORTENING THE CURVE FROM APPRENTICE TO ARTISAN.

Like so many MROs, Duncan Aviation is faced with the fact that many of its talented uphol-

sterers are approaching retirement. In the past, it would take years to train an apprentice with the skills necessary to maintain the company’s legendary quality. Today’s automation is helping to dramatically shorten that learning curve.

“With routine tasks like material and foam cutting now being done by the CNC machines, we can concentrate on having our experienced craftsmen mentor our less tenured technicians, reducing their training time,” Stauffer explains. “By bringing the new hires up to speed quicker, we will be able to continue to deliver the exceptional quality our customers expect from us.”

While it may seem that advanced automation and digital technologies will replace experience and craftsmanship, Stauffer stresses that this is not the case—not at Duncan Aviation, anyway.

“Just to be clear, there’s nothing the machines can do that our craftsmen can’t. We have a lot of talent and experience under our roof,” he says. The main thing is that the automation enables us to better support our customers’ needs for high finish quality and low aircraft downtime.”

“It’s just one more way for current and future Duncan Aviation customers to see that we are constantly innovating to improve our services and meet their goals,” Stauffer adds. “We are taking steps to continue to do what we’ve done well since 1956: delivering the services our customers want.”

THE SOLUTION

» Over 43 years of experience with high-quality aircraft cabin upholstery and refurbishing

» Talented upholsterers use advanced automation to create unique cabin finishes

» Automation enables new upholsterers to learn skills faster and with greater consistency

“Just to be clear, there’s nothing the machines can do that our craftsmen can’t. We have a lot of talent and experience under our roof... ”

EXECUTIVE INSIGHT

How is your organization preparing for the retirement of highly experienced employees and transferring that knowledge to the next generation?

CORPORATE AIRCRAFT ASSOCIATION

We strive to hire the best and brightest at CAA. In our customer surveys, we get excellent feedback on our customers’ interactions with our team. In fact, 99% of our customers say they plan to renew their membership—an extraordinary number. We continue to grow our employees and expand their responsibilities to ensure we continue to provide great services and customer experiences in the future. We also provide our team with an education reimbursement program to continue expanding their skills for today’s competitive marketplace. I absolutely love working with this amazing team!

David Scobey, President & CEO

DUNCAN AVIATION

Duncan Aviation has developed excellent partnerships with technical trade schools and high schools with aviation programs. We are also active in the DOD SkillBridge program, which provides opportunities for separating service members. In addition, we have a Department of Labor-certified A&P Apprentice Program to help team members attain the necessary skills for engine and airframe maintenance certification.

Jeff Lake, President

ENGINE ASSURANCE PROGRAM

With the entire industry struggling to maintain a qualified workforce today, preparing for tomorrow is a daunting challenge. Along with mentoring the younger members of our team, we collaborate with organizations such as the Love Field Pilots Association and the Independent Falcon Aircraft Operators Association to engage and inspire the next generation of aviation professionals.

Sean Lynch, Managing Director

NAPLES AIRPORT AUTHORITY

The Naples Airport Authority strategically addresses succession throughout the year. Employees are offered career path planning, robust training, industry engagement, and professional development opportunities. We are committed to retention by striving to be a best-in-class employer and maintain a formal succession plan.

Chris Rozansky, Executive Director

PURPOSE-BUILT TO DELIVER UNPARALLELED PERFORMANCE.

Covering 99% of the globe, Intelsat’s FlexExec and FlexAir are the only high-speed connectivity solutions “purposebuilt” to meet the rapidly increasing bi-directional throughput needs of today’s data-hungry business, personal, and governmental aviation passengers.

According to a report by Euroconsult Prospects, the connectivity capacity demand for business aviation will increase up to 60 Gbps by 2030. That’s a tenfold jump from today’s usage.

While that number may seem extraordinary, consider that a business aircraft’s data usage is expanding to not only meet increasing passenger needs but also include a growing array of high-demand applications that manage the critical aircraft and engine health monitoring information flowing to and from the airplane.

“Not long ago, higher-down load speeds were the end goal, but today, there’s a greater need for much higher upload speeds,” explains Tuomo Rutanen, Intelsat’s director of business and government aviation. “Video conferencing alone requires much higher bi-directional throughput speeds. Passengers won’t settle for poor network performance just because they’re in an airplane.”

THE RIGHT WAY TO GET CONNECTED.

Rutanen says that Intelsat has created its dedicated business aviation network “from the ground up” to deliver the high-quality user experience its customers expect.

“We’ve ‘purpose-built’ our network of satellites and ground stations to accommodate that fact that we’re connecting to jets traveling at

600 miles-per-hour,” he explains. “The jet is going from beam to beam very quickly, so our network anticipates the aircraft’s track to make sure the beam capacity is ready to pick it up.”

“We own and operate the largest constellation of Ku-band satellites, which means we have plenty of capacity worldwide,” Rutanen continues. “And because we have multiple layers of satellites in key locations, we can turn up the number of beams to add capacity in high-demand areas to ensure the data fow doesn’t get slowed down.”

“That’s unique in our industry. Some of our competitors try to do it with a single-layer of satellites, but in times of high usage, they don’t have access to the added capacity to meet the needs quickly,” he adds. “That fexibility is one of the big benefts of our FlexExec and FlexAir solutions. We deliver when others can’t.”

THE FUTURE IS FASTER AND MORE FLEXIBLE.

Rutanen says that today, Intelsat’s network consistently delivers speeds of 25 Mbps download and two Mbps upload speeds, but there’s more to come.

“By the end of this year, we’re going to double our bi-directional speeds to 50 Mbps on and three Mbps off the airplane,” he explains. “We have a roadmap that will take us to 100 Mbps and beyond in terms of the capacity we will deliver to the aircraft.”

“Our fexibility extends to giving us the ability to offer our providers and their customers a range of service options,” Rutanen concludes. “No matter what they want in a connectivity solution, we can deliver what customers want.”

THE SOLUTION

» Global, enterprise-grade connectivity solution purpose-built for business aviation

» Multi-orbit satellite network delivers consistent performance in high-usage situations

» High-capacity, bi-directional throughput provides seamless global voice and video streaming

» Offered through Intelsat’s partner Satcom Direct

EXPERIENCING LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT

Created for business aviation, SmartSky’s patented ATG connectivity solution has been built from the ground up to provide the seamless connectivity capacity, speed, reliability, and security that today’s pilots and passengers really love.

When you think about it, we all have a love/tolerate relationship with our technology. Sure, we love what it can do, but we also need considerable tolerance for when it’s not performing up to par—like when you’re struggling with dial-up data speeds while flying on the company jet.

What you wouldn’t give to have your aircraft’s connectivity provider show you a little

love. Thankfully, that love/love in-flight Wi-Fi experience is closer than you think.

SmartSky® offers the only next-generation air-to-ground (ATG) connectivity solution that is fully tested, certified, and operating today. It reliably delivers the same online experiences in flight that you enjoy everywhere else. What’s not to love about that?

“Our network has been specifically built

to meet business aviation’s unique airborne connectivity needs,” explains SmartSky CEO David Helfgott. “Providing a reliable, two-way, real-time connection to an airplane flying at high speeds, at varying altitudes, that frequently changes directions, is very difficult. It’s connectivity in three dimensions, and it’s not easy.

“It requires a totally different network ar-

Actual SmartSky user comments

chitecture optimized for the unique needs of aviation,” he continues. “Any provider using a commonly-shared resource like a satellite— that bandwidth, by definition, is not optimized for aviation because it’s shared with all the other primary users, including thousands of users on the ground within the same footprint.”

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE. AND A GREAT WI-FI CONNECTION

Not only has SmartSky’s entire “pure-play” ATG network been created specifically for aviation, it delivers inflight connectivity in a new way.

“I would say that we haven’t just introduced a new network; we have invented a new kind of ATG network,” adds SmartSky Networks’ President Ryan Stone. “Our architecture has one ‘beam’ dedicated to each connection. Effectively, you have a private nationwide network following your aircraft.” And then, only aircraft are using the network and, instead of flying through a broad signal that is shared with other planes, your individual connection to each tower is handed off seamlessly as you travel across the coverage area.

“Our patented beamforming technology enables us to provide high-speed, low-latency, symmetrical data flow specific to a single aircraft,” he continues. “That sets the stage for what we alone can deliver—seamless,

real-time streaming capabilities.”

But what does that mean to SmartSky users? As Barry Blackwood, a veteran pilot flying a SmartSky-equipped Pilatus PC-12, says, “It’s a total game-changer. Having the SmartSky system on board is immensely valuable in aiding aviators with communications and access to real-time flight information.”

“A high-capacity datalink connection can augment flight operations and the safety of flight,” Stone says. “We are seeing a lot of interest from pilots because our network delivers what others can’t.”

DELIVERING UPSIZED CAPABILITIES TO DOWNSIZED AIRCRAFT

“Connectivity use has moved aggressively downstream from large-cabin jets to single-engine turboprops,” Helfgott says. “But with that has come the expectation that the smaller aircraft will have the same online experience you have on big aircraft. That’s what SmartSky was created to deliver.

“Our hardware requirements are very compact, so we are able to get streaming-level, symmetrical datalink performance in aircraft where it has never been available before,” he continues. “Right now, we’re obtaining new STCs quickly, and by the end of the year, we’ll have 14,000 tails covered for SmartSky installations.”

THE SOLUTION

» Low latency, 20x capacity of other ATG, equal bandwidth moving data to and from the aircraft delivers seamless real-time streaming and unprecedented performance

» Patented beamforming means no signal sharing, plus highly stable and secure connections

» Flagship and LITE systems deliver seamless connectivity to turbine singles through VVIP jets

That’s great news for the growing numbers of MROs and dealers that sell and install SmartSky because, in a word, customers love it.

“What’s different and so much easier about SmartSky is there is no pre-set limit to the number of devices connected, unlike the legacy ATG systems. We can have watches, cell phones, and computers connected as if you were in your office,” explains Eric Legvold, CEO of Davinci Jets. “Plus, customers can use their cellphones to make calls without any special app and stream on any device, all without paying additional fees or subscriptions.”

“We talk to our customers all the time, and it’s pretty common to hear them say how dissatisfied they were with their legacy connectivity provider and how much they love what SmartSky lets them do,” Helfgott adds. “These are people who expect high quality and consistency. There’s no tolerance for anything less.”

ASK FOR SMARTSKY ON YOUR

PROTECTING PARADISE

Whether it’s providing a first-class travel experience for its guests or implementing industry-leading environmental and sustainability programs, the Naples Airport Authority is working hard to live up to its promise of being the gateway to the Paradise Coast.

From the moderate winter temperatures to the relaxing Gulf breezes to the plethora of sporting and recreational activities, it’s no wonder Naples has earned its title as Florida’s “Paradise Coast.”

But as we all know, paradise is a fragile thing. That’s why, since its inception, the Naples Airport Authority (NAA) has been committed to taking whatever steps it can to ensure the airport safely handles the 122,000-plus movements it sees annually while actively protecting and enhancing the area’s sensitive natural environments.

“Naples attracts people because of its quality of life and breathtaking natural beauty,” says Christopher Rozansky, Naples Airport Authority’s Executive Director. “We aim to take every step we can to protect and enhance both environments.”

In fact, the NAA is a recent recipient of the Florida Airports Council (FAC) J. Bryan Cooper Environmental Award for its Com-

prehensive Wildlife Management Program, which included stormwater drainage system enhancements that improve water quality exiting the airport grounds and removing invasive slash pine trees near the approach end of runway 05. That effort not only enhanced aircraft operational safety but also eliminated popular nesting locations for bald eagles.

FLYING INTO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

The NAA took another significant step forward in mitigating GA’s environmental impact by becoming one of the first public airports in Florida to offer UL94, unleaded avgas, at its FBO.

“We are striving to be at the forefront of making aviation more sustainable while ensuring the safe operation of all aircraft that use Naples Airport,” Rozansky states. “Offering the option of UL94 is a significant step in that direction.”

He also explained that the NAA, under the direction of its Board of Commissioners, is offering subsidies to its tenants that will cut the cost of UL94, selling at, or below, the price of 100LL. In addition, the NAA is offering tenant aircraft a one-time $250 credit to offset the required FAA certification.

“I am so excited about the Naples Airport Authority’s commitment to GA and the envi-

ronment by offering UL94 as an option,” states aircraft owner and Naples resident Linda Sollars. “I am exceptionally grateful for the ability to purchase unleaded fuel here in Naples.”

In addition to the introduction of UL94, the NAA is upping its sustainability game by phasing in a zero-emissions fleet to replace its fuel-powered ground support equipment and field vehicles.

Whether through encouraging the use of lead-free fuels, its voluntary “Quite Hours Curfew,” or a long list of ecological and environmental enhancements, the Naples Airport Authority is committed to protecting the local environment while ensuring the safe operation of every aircraft that uses the airport.

“As aviation continues to progress into new and exciting directions, including preparation for Sustainable Aviation Fuel and the eventual introduction of electric aircraft,” Rozansky continues, “the Naples Airport Authority aims to be an industry leader in environmentally sustainable and responsible technologies and programs.”

643-0733

THE SOLUTION

» Recently remodeled terminal with on-site Customs office ranked among the “Top 10 FBOs”

» NAA recently received multiple awards for sustainability and environmental protection efforts

» First airport in southwest Florida to sell UL94 no-lead avgas

SECURE THE BEST LOAN FOR YOUR TURBOPROP PURCHASE

THE SOLUTION

» Custom-tailored loan packages created by pilots who understand the turbine aircraft world

» Funding available for all types of new and pre-owned piston, turbine, and jet aircraft

» Refinancing options available that can save owners thousands per month

For over 10 years, owners of all classes and categories of aircraft have been trusting AOPA Finance’s experience and expertise to help them obtain the best financing package available while avoiding any transactional turbulence.

Congratulations—you’ve decided now’s the time to move up to a turboprop. While there are plenty of decisions still to be made, one of the biggest is who will handle your financing package.

“But wait,” you say. “I’m nowhere close to financing. I haven’t even found the right airplane.” Ah, but waiting is one of a buyer’s biggest mistakes. And the reasons go well beyond just being “pre-qualified.”

As AOPA Finance Director of Credit & Sales Brian Macbean explained, there are a lot of factors that impact the loan rate available to a borrower, especially when it comes to turbine-powered aircraft. The aircraft’s age, loan amount, down payment, term length, usage and even the borrower’s previous experience with turbine aircraft operations all play a role. If it sounds complicated, it’s because aircraft financing is different than what most people are used to. That’s why you need to start the financing process early and should have a turbine aircraft financing expert on your side.

“We’ve handled thousands of aircraft loan transactions, so we have a lot of experience and insights into which lenders are going to be the best match for a particular buyer,”

he said. “There are some lenders who prefer particular aircraft and will offer better terms on those models. That means faster approvals and lower interest for borrowers.”

Macbean stressed that this doesn’t mean that the airplane models that lenders find less desirable are unsafe or inefficient; it means that they are looking for qualities such as an aircraft’s utility and resale value. For example, right now, the Pilatus PC-12 and Cessna CJ3 are two examples of aircraft that lenders like.

“There is so much utilitarian value in these aircraft that lenders are eager to finance them,” he continued. “Some lenders also prefer to finance aircraft that are more expensive. With a larger purchase price, you’ll likely have slightly better terms available because these lenders have more interest given the dollar amount of the loan.”

AVOIDING TURBINE-RELATED TRANSACTIONAL TURBULENCE.

Macbean also shared other insights into how lenders look at turbine aircraft differently than piston models.

“Buyers don’t know that most lenders require turbine aircraft to be on some type of

engine program to get a loan,” he said. “They also want to know if the aircraft will be operated under Part 91 or a Part 135 certificate. All that impacts the length and type of financing available.”

“Our only business is aircraft financing, so our experience allows us to put transactions together in the most beneficial ways .” Macbean continued, “AOPA has a strong reputation for helping our members with their aircraft and aviation needs, because of this reputation AOPA Finance is able to provide our members with access to the best lenders and the best possible financing options. Working with AOPA Finance means you have a team dedicated to the success of your aircraft purchase.”

Safety benefits with competency-based training

BY STUART “KIPP” LAU

While taking root with airlines, competency-based training is relatively novel in the business aviation sector.

Despite improvements in aircraft, technologies, and safety systems, there was a noticeable uptick in fatal accidents involving business jets and turboprops during the first three months of 2024. Globally, 12 business aviation accidents resulted in 43 fatalities in the first quarter of this year. During the same period in 2023, there were seven accidents and 19 fatalities.

In each of these accidents, a pilot or crew was legally trained, qualified, and proficient, but found themselves in a situation that led to an undesirable aircraft state that ended in a catastrophe. Often these accidents involve an unexpected condition or threat that was not encountered during an initial or recurrent training event. Reviewing each accident case presents ample learning opportunities to improve safety. Unfortunately, traditional training programs are too rigid and cannot easily adapt to change.

Most business aviation training

programs employ a model that “trains a task and checks a task”—this is largely unchanged from the way the Wright Brothers taught people to fly in the early 1900s. Each training task satisfies a regulatory requirement, often accomplished in a time-compressed, box-checking exercise that ensures compliance, without any consideration for operational context.

For the business aviation pilot, the FAR 61.58 PIC proficiency check is a great example of the “train a task, check a task” model where a pilot visits a training provider to fly the same approaches, stalls, steep turns, and engine failures-at-V1 maneuvers year-after-year. It is widely acknowledged that these maneuvers-based training programs are unpopular with business aviation pilots and safety advocates, alike. For decades, the NBAA safety committee has recommended ditching these “cookie cutter” training and checking events in favor of scenario-based training sessions tailored

to meet the specific needs of a business aviation operation.

A BETTER WAY

However, there is a novel and improved approach to training called competencybased training and assessment (CBTA) that will produce higher-performing and more resilient flight crews, according to Farnborough, UK-based FlightSafety International (FSI) regional director Fernando Sanchez. “Traditional pilot training focuses more on execution of maneuvers to ‘proficiency,’ which is measured against published tolerances. However, CBTA permits the use of focused training elements within a scenario to meet or exceed a particular standard.”

The International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) offers this definition of CBTA: “Training and assessment that are characterized by a performance orientation, emphasis on standards of

performance and their measurement, and the development of training to the specific performance standards.”

Sanchez summarizes this by saying, “In practical terms, this means pilots are trained according to predefined standards, which have a direct relation to safety and operational effectiveness.”

Scheduled airlines are leading the way in adopting CBTA as a training methodology. Boeing, through its global Heads of Training CBTA workshops, has been able to introduce CBTA to more than 100 customers and 20 regulators. Since implementing CBTA methodology within its curricula, Boeing has seen an increase in requests for guidance from its dedicated global CBTA deployment team to actively support its customer airlines.

Boeing Global Services senior manager of airline training deployment Stuart Gruber explained, “CBTA is an integrated and outcome-focused training program aimed at providing pilots with the competencies to be resilient, safe, and highly effective in the performance of their duties.”

Gruber highlighted some key improvements, saying: “CBTA is a significant shift in training, which identifies, develops, and evaluates the competencies required by pilots to operate safely, effectively, and efficiently in a commercial air transport environment. While most traditional training methods rely primarily on historical accident and incident data, there is a wealth of additional data about what highly successful pilots do that can be analyzed to enhance operator safety.”

Two years ago, CAE introduced a new enhanced recurrent training option for business aviation that leveraged modern competency and evidence-based training philosophies. Developed to improve the PIC proficiency check (61.58) experience for its customers, CAE’s Scenario-based Enhanced Recurrent training program includes human-factors-based scenarios and uses data to reduce risk by continuously evolving recurrent training sessions

to improve pilot competency and resilience. CAE continues to innovate and is adopting CBTA philosophies throughout its curricula. According to CAE chief learning officer for commercial aviation training, Civil Aviation Services Christopher Ranganathan, “Traditional training and checking are based on curricula designed to ensure reliable crew performance in routine (foreseen) line operations, and in response to lessons learned from previous accidents.” He added, “…[this] assumes that teaching pilots to avoid errors made by crews in these previous accidents…will prevent the next accident.”

A key safety driver, according to Ranganathan, is to ensure effective threat and error management (TEM). “Traditional training programs normally address this requirement through separate training

modules for ‘technical skills’ (e.g., systems and procedures knowledge, procedures application, flight path control) and ‘non-technical (CRM) skills’ (e.g., communication, leadership, situation awareness, decision making).”

DEFINING COMPETENCIES

Ranganathan further describes how CBTA can better prepare pilots for unexpected threats. “CBTA considers that given the complexity of humans and the general aviation environment, it is very unlikely the conditions likely to cause the next accident will be like something the pilot has been exposed to in training that is based on historical precedent only,” he said. “Instead,

it seeks to provide the pilot with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes, described in terms of observable behaviors, that a trained crew can apply in a manner that will allow them to perform both routine tasks required in day-to-day operations and to mitigate the effects of threats yet unforeseen. For ease of use, these observable behaviors are grouped or organized into a set of competencies.”

According to Ranganathan, “A competency is a dimension of human performance that is used to reliably predict successful performance on the job. A competency is manifested and observed through behaviors that mobilize the relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes to carry out activities or tasks under specified conditions.”

Ranganathan continued, “In CBTA program design, ‘events’ are introduced into training programs as vehicles to train the required observable behaviors, with the application of these observable behaviors serving as TEM countermeasures. Competencies are developed methodically through: (i) the introduction of training events that progressively require the application of an increasing number of the full set of observable behaviors; (ii) by progressively increasing the complexity of the simulated operational and environmental condition (threats); and/or (iii) progressive withdrawal in the amount of instructional intervention.”

UK-based Skyborne Training Academy offers flight training services for some of the largest airlines. Students are immersed in airline-style training at modern training centers located in the U.S., UK, and Europe.

Skyborne manager of multi-pilot training Nick Heard, as a company subject matter expert, is keen on developments in the flight training industry and added to the discussion on CBTA benefits. “CBTA is a system of defined pilot training which requires trainees to achieve proficiency in knowledge, skills, and attitude within nine technical and non-technical competencies.

CHRISTOPHER RANGANATHAN CAE CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER

It provides extremely detailed analysis of pilot development by assessing so-called ‘observable behaviors’ within the nine competencies and the many sub-competencies within them.”

He added: “CBTA ensures more detailed analysis of pilot proficiency than traditional training as it provides a broader observational platform for training data scrutiny, which encompasses both technical and non-technical data.”

ORIGINS OF CBTA

than specifying training events or maneuvers training only.

“For instance, data could show that multiple issues could be traced to deficiencies in SOP compliance by crews operating in situations of high workload.

An EBT program would produce training that focuses on the pilot competencies of application of procedures and workload management. A competency-based program would focus on the crew behaviors as they manage through the situation.”

tools and fleet operations data to customize training to each individual airline, and helps pilots efficiently respond to in-flight challenges. It is this evidence, both within training and from operations, which informs unique training requirements, enabling the development of a more competent pilot.”

CAE’s Ranganathan understands the merits and supports the implementation of CBTA programs. “Given the fundamental CBTA ethos of preparing a pilot for the routine (foreseen) and the unforeseen (unexpected threats), CBTA should result in a pilot who is more resilient.”

Heard pointed out that CBTA is not new and is linked to evidence-based training (EBT). “CBTA was developed for the aviation industry in the 1970s, gaining most ground in the last 20 years,” he said. “EBT sits within CBTA. Arguably, all pilot training is evidence-based. However, modern EBT can be seen as a refinement of CBTA to incorporate changing data (i.e. evidence) into training system design.”

Heard drew some comparison to advanced qualification programs (AQP) employed by major airlines. “This is employed by airlines, which modify traditional recurrent training in response to internal or external safety data trend analysis to prevent potentially serious incidents.” An example cited by Heard is the use of flight data monitoring (FDM) information to highlight an adverse trend in unstable approaches.

FlightSafety International’s Sanchez further explained the differences between EBT and CBTA. “EBT and CBTA are related but are not the same. EBT has been around for a while and it used elements of the real-world operation, usually detected by data gathering and analysis, to guide training needs,” he said. “The novelty of the approach is that this data analysis can highlight areas where pilot competencies could be trained for improvement, rather

CBTA BENEFITS

According to Boeing Global Services’ Gruber, implementing CBTA will improve flight crew performance, and make the training process more efficient and effective. “The change to CBTA methodology in pilot training focuses on developing and evaluating skills, knowledge, and behaviors essential for pilots to operate safely and efficiently in a commercial air transport environment. The benefit to individual pilots with CBTA training is a more tailored and relevant learning experience.”

Gruber added, “Boeing’s implementation of CBTA leverages digitally advanced

Ranganathan is also sold on the data collection aspects of the program. “CBTA requires the monitoring and analysis of standard training metrics. Sharing of this standardized data allows for benchmarking.”

Fundamentally, Ranganathan said, “The key to the quality in any training program is the instructor. CBTA has defined a global pilot instructor-evaluator competency framework that addresses TEM in the context of instruction. In CBTA, instructor-evaluator competence is also assessed, paying equal emphasis on the process of instruction (a documented set of instructor-evaluator behaviors) as it does on the outcome (quality of training delivered). The application of CBTA thus facilitates an objective measure

FlightSafety’s graphical flight-deck simulator can help introduce CBTA concepts.

NICK HEARD

SKYBORNE TRAINING MANAGER

of instructor-evaluator competence.”

Skyborne Training Academy’s Heard agreed. “Training for instructors using CBTA is essential to ensure standardized assessment of the observable behaviors, which form the lynchpin of CBTA. Without instructor training, data may become skewed, leading to incorrect analysis of proficiency.”

According to Ranganathan, CBTA is scalable to suit various sizes of airlines and business aircraft operators and can complement an operator’s safety management system.

“With EBT, every operator can benefit from ‘best in class’ recurrent program analysis and design, by direct adoption of the ‘baseline EBT’ program from ICAO Doc 9995 relevant to the generation of aircraft in their fleet. After a period of maturity in EBT, an operator may elect to enhance their EBT through incorporation of insights from their safety management System (SMS).”

Ranganathan further explained, “For the individual operator, the best measure of the efficacy of a training program is obtained through the analysis of operational outcomes. Modern safety management systems use a TEM lens to determine the current level of safety performance, seeking data to implement predictive safety intervention, if possible; proactive intervention if this is not possible; and then at least reactive actions.

“The safety performance measurement tools include flight data analysis, crew-generated occurrence/hazard reports, results of safety investigations into line events and the line operational safety audit (LOSA). Of these, FDM, crew occurrence reports, and safety investigations provide reactive opportunities, while insights from FDM, crew hazard reports, and LOSA can provide proactive safety opportunities.”

He added, “The assessment of crew competence in CBTA is framed in the context of TEM performance and so allows a ready comparison with LOSA outputs and safety investigations that are conducted

using the pilot competency framework to describe crew behavior. This facilitates predictive safety management.

“The robust methodology required by CBTA for general training program design, allows the creation of consistent training programs targeted to the pilot demographic and addressing relevant operational threats,” he concluded.

“The main benefit of CBTA,” said FlightSafety International’s Sanchez, “is that the training focuses on transferable behaviors represented by relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Transferable means that the training is not aimed at dealing with events ‘like the last one.’ Rather the training is to improve the related pilot competencies that would allow pilots to deal with any future events.”

For the pilot, Sanchez explained, “CBTA is about achieving competency standards that permit pilots to deal with unknown

and novel situations. For instance, when dealing with complex aircraft systems failures in challenging environmental conditions, pilots require a set of well-trained competencies, regardless of the system that failed (hydraulic, electrical, etc.) or the environmental conditions of the flight (cold weather, stormy conditions, limited radar coverage, etc.).”

Implementation of CBTA is an important step, according to Skyborne Aviation Academy’s Heard.

“Many commercial airlines are already proactively using CBTA within their initial and recurrent training programs. Other airlines may need to see further evidence of the cost-benefit before investing in CBTA programs,” he said. “Along similar lines, the business aviation industry may still need to be convinced of the benefits of CBTA, through clear evidence of improved safety and efficiency.”. z

The signing of the General Aviation Revitalization Act by President Bill Clinton on Aug. 17, 1994, was the culmination of an incredibly complicated and lengthy legislative process that nevertheless was also bipartisan and preserved a vital segment of America’s powerful aerospace industry.

Remembering GARA 30 years later: The law that changed the trajectory of the industry

By the mid-1980s, the general aviation industry was headed toward a grave and uncertain future. Cessna Aircraft had made the decision to cease pistonaircraft production. Piper Aircraft was headed toward bankruptcy and by 1991 had entered Chapter 11. An industry that in 1979 delivered nearly 18,000 aircraft had dwindled to about 2,500 unit shipments just six years later and 1,300 by 1993. And that was turbine and piston aircraft combined.

While many factors played into this, most fingers pointed to product liability as a chief reason. Simply put, manufacturers could no

BY KERRY LYNCH

longer afford the long liability tail left by their 40-plus-year-old machines.

That was the backdrop for a nearly decadelong battle that culminated in the 1994 passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act, or GARA. One of the most significant victories for the industry, it was a massive undertaking in a Congress that had little appetite for product liability reform. However, it was an effort that brought together an interesting mix of House and Senate Democrats and Republicans, the business and general aviation industry, labor, and even the airline community.

A few of the key players in this battle

shared their stories from the time and/or thoughts on the impact of the legislation, which was signed into law on Aug. 17, 1994, now 30 years ago.

ED BOLEN

Bolen was the legislative aide for then-Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, a tenacious Republican from Kansas who was the architect of the legislation in the Senate. Bolen, whose primary responsibility for the Senator was aviation, worked closely with the then-president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), the late Ed Stimpson, on the bill in the Senate. Bolen would later succeed

Stimpson at the helm of GAMA and is now president and CEO of NBAA.

I joined the Senator’s staff in 1990. She had originally introduced [a general aviation product liability] bill in 1986. My understanding of the history had been that the bill was relatively large and complex and sought to address kind of all the concerns of the general aviation industry. It did not go anywhere in the first three congresses in which it had been introduced.

Then a decision had been made by the manufacturers to boil it all down. [They looked at] what was really needed. And that was a statute of repose—a period where, at some point, the liability and responsibility would not be on the manufacturer; if an airplane was above a certain age, its very durability proves that it was not poorly designed and it was not poorly manufactured.

And so the legislation that ultimately became law was just a three-page bill, and it created a statute of repose.

My recollection is that maybe it was first introduced at 12 years, but later at 15 years and then through negotiations became 18 years. One of our major opponents was Howard Metzenbaum of Ohio [former Senate Democrat]. He was a really fierce opponent of product liability reform in any respect. We were trying to negotiate with him. He wanted to take it from 15 years to 18.

We said, “Look, we’ve gone from 12 to 15. That’s a long time.” And he said, “I’m asking you to go from 15 to 18. I’m coming down from infinity.”

So, we ultimately settled on 18, and it passed the Senate first.

Most people thought it would not get out of the Commerce Committee. At the time, [former South Carolina Democrat Sen. Ernest] “Fritz” Hollings was the chair of the committee and [former Kentucky Democrat Sen.] Wendell Ford was the head of the aviation subcommittee. They decided they could go ahead and let it go to the floor because it would never pass the full Senate. And if it did, it wouldn’t

 We had big champions of this in both the House and the Senate... 

pass the House. But it got onto the Senate floor.

There was a bill that Fritz Hollings desperately wanted to pass, a manufacturing law. Senator Kassebaum was the first person to offer an amendment to his bill, which was the General Aviation Revitalization Act. Hollings did not want GARA on his bill but agreed to give Senator Kassebaum a vote on her standalone bill. We got it past the Senate, and it went over to the House.

In the House, it needed to get out of the Judiciary Committee, which was chaired by [former Democrat Rep.] Jack Brooks from Texas, and he was adamantly opposed to it.

In this particular Congress, [thenOklahoma Republican Rep.] Jim Inhofe had introduced a resolution [bringing transparency] for something called a discharge petition, which said if a majority of the House votes to move something out of committee—to discharge it from committee—they could do it. That resolution had passed. It had never been exercised before GARA.

We were stuck in the Judiciary Committee and [former Kansas Democrat Rep.] Dan Glickman, who served on that committee, challenged Brooks, and filed the discharge

petition to get it out of Brooks’ committee. It ultimately passed the House, and I think everybody thought, “Well, it’s not going to be signed into law because the trial lawyers have a lot of sway.”

But at the time, the assistant attorney general was named Frank Hunger. He was a passionate pilot and had a lot of sway in the White House. He was married to [former Vice President] Al Gore’s sister. Our bill was [also] supported by labor—the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) had lobbied for it and the assistant attorney general was for it. Ultimately, Clinton wanted to create the jobs, the manufacturing jobs.

The bill was signed into law in the Oval Office on Aug. 17, 1994.

There were lots of things that came together for our bill. One of them was that in the early 1990s, there was the National Commission to Ensure a Strong Competitive Airline Industry. [Former Cessna Aircraft chairman] Russ Meyer served on that commission and, among other things, he became close with the head of the IAM and was able to have the commission [backing], including labor support.

This was a recognition that the airlines depended on general aviation for training and for maintenance workers. If we were going to have a strong competitive airline industry, we need to have a strong competitive general aviation industry.

It was that connection with labor that was a really big deal. I was not in the room. I was on the Senate side, but I certainly got the reports and I’ve spent a lot of time with Ed Stimpson and John Goglia [who represented the IAM at the time] as they relayed the story of John pounding his fist on the table [during a Judiciary Committee hearing with Brooks], saying, “We want those jobs.” John is a big guy. We know he’s got a heart of gold, but he came across as a tough technician from Boston, and him pounding the table saying we want those jobs really seemed to galvanize the House Judiciary Committee.

ED BOLEN PRESIDENT AND CEO NBAA

Then you had this commission that endorsed it and that gave it some momentum.

And then, the uniqueness of the situation where you had airplane manufacturers routinely sued every time there was an airplane accident.

We were ultimately winning the lawsuits. But the average cost of the lawsuit was $500,000 to prove that an airplane you built 40 years ago was not poorly manufactured or designed.

You also had the manufacturers that had pulled out. Cessna had pulled out of the piston market. Piper was in bankruptcy. No one wanted to buy Piper because they didn’t know how to value the company because it had this long product liability tail.

We had big champions of this in both the House and the Senate who were totally committed to it. There was just a huge amount of support. You had someone in Senator Kassebaum who was very much respected. She was tough. She was thoughtful. She was prepared, and people liked her.

She’d been working to get the bill out of the Commerce Committee for many years. People like Fritz Hollings and Wendell Ford recognized and appreciated how hard she was working to represent her constituency and the deep belief she had in the fairness of the bill.

And so in the Senate, there was a confluence of events.

In the House of Representatives, there were people like Dan Glickman, [Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman] Norm Mineta [D-California], and [aviation subcommittee Chairman] Jim Oberstar [D-Minnesota]. There were just a lot of people who believed so deeply in aviation.

And then, the entire general aviation community came together. [The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association] really came out strong.

It was unbelievable that all those years of preparation and then one opportunity after another where it seemed

insurmountable, but the bill kept getting over the next hurdle.

The scene [at the White House signing] was magnificent. We were in the Oval Office. Al Gore and Bill Clinton were both in there. Frank Hunger was there. Labor was represented. Senator Kassebaum was there and Dan Glickman [were among the many others.] Stimpson and [then-AOPA president] Phil Boyer were there.

We met briefly in the Oval Office and a picture was taken. Then we came out of the Oval Office, and Russ Meyer announced that Cessna was going back into piston-aircraft manufacturing.

There are at least three things that happened since GARA. One of them was Cessna went back into the production of single pistons, built a new factory, and has been producing 172s ever since. Piper was able to come out of bankruptcy. You also had the Klapmeier brothers at the time making kits. I think having the statute of repose encouraged them to go ahead and introduce a certified airplane. Just in those three companies, you see something pretty profound.

You go behind that knowing that there’s a bright future for aviation; investment and attention have gone into the growth of companies like Garmin, and [in] all of the people who build aircraft, maintain aircraft, and learn to fly on aircraft.

All of that has been pretty spectacular. You see the things that have come forward in the market. General aviation has always been an incubator for new technologies, and I think you can trace that innovation coming up through companies in general aviation since 1994.

There were lots of opportunities for everybody to say: “This is too hard. We did our best but it wasn’t meant to be.” It was just so much preparation, so much determination, so much tenacity, that eventually all of that and a lot of good fortune came together and we got a product liability bill passed.

It’s something that everybody is enormously proud to have been part of.

It was a huge moment in my life.

DAN GLICKMAN

Former Rep. Glickman (D-Kansas) represented Wichita and was the driver to getting product liability reform through the House. In a twist of irony, Glickman lost his re-election after he championed the bill, but was later selected by then-President Bill Clinton to become Secretary of Agriculture. “My life work worked out just fine. I have no regrets whatsoever,” he told AIN. Glickman has remained active serving on multiple boards and consultancies such as the Bipartisan Policy Center, APCO Worldwide, and the Aspen Institute.

Looking at this period of toxic

Former Rep. Dan Glickman (D-Kansas) not only recognized the importance of the general aviation industry but he also enjoyed the challenging legislative process.

partisanship we’re in today, it’s hard to believe that we once passed a major piece of product liability reform legislation affecting the aviation industry on a bipartisan basis. Just imagine that.

On an amazingly bipartisan basis, Congress decided that our liability laws affecting small airplane manufacturers needed to be revised to bring a rule of reason into the

chairman. He was blocking this bill. I was on the committee, and I filed a discharge petition. This is now more frequently used, but back then you never really filed a discharge petition—which was a way to bypass the committee—especially if you were a member of the majority party. It was like a sacrilegious thing to do, but I didn’t have any choice.

 This is a case of great collaboration, and again, bipartisan support. 

whole litigation system as it affected small airplanes because that system was having a devastating effect.

What this legislation did was to recognize some reasonable limits to liability when an airplane had a catastrophe—and it was actually quite effective.

Not everybody supported it—such as the trial lawyers. But the bill did not go after them either. It was a way to try to provide some limits on liability without taking away the rights of people who were legitimately hurt by gross negligence.

Without this help, a lot of these companies would probably not have made it. It was, of course, very big to the Wichita community where I was from.

First of all, it had big grassroots support. You found people all over the country who had friends and business colleagues in the small airplane world, a lot of companies that had small airplanes in rural communities.

In this case, the grassroots support was strong enough that we had over 300 sponsors of the legislation in the House, which was enough to get us to the floor through parliamentary maneuvers.

In the [House] Judiciary Committee, there’s no question there was a tendency to support the trial lawyer’s position on most liability issues. And I had a hurdle to deal with: [Chairman] Jack Brooks of Texas. We weren’t getting any action from the

So, I filed a discharge petition. You needed 218 signatures. When I got to 216 names, I went to Mr. Brooks and said: “I’m going to get the 218. Why don’t you go ahead and mark up the bill and send it to the floor?” And that’s what he did.

There was no way that he could stop us even if he wanted to because of the vast grassroots support. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers was very instrumental in counteracting the trial lobby. Both of these were traditional Democratic constituencies. The machinists’ union represented the thousands of workers in the aircraft industry. So, that was another factor in getting a lot of Democrats to not be too vigorous in their opposition to the bill.

I also had the support of the thenSpeaker of the House Tom Foley, who encouraged me to be vigorous in my zest to get this bill through Congress. I had the power of numbers, frankly, helping me.

Cessna’s chairman Russ Meyer, was one of the folks who was the most instrumental in its passage. He was very strong, pushing this bill the whole way through it. A lot of his colleagues in both GAMA and NBAA were also very active. The executives were just terrific to work with. If something didn’t work, they said, “Well, let’s try this.”

But after the bill was passed, Cessna shortly thereafter announced the opening of its single-engine plane assembly line in

Independence, Kansas. It’s one of the few cases where we actually had an immediate tangible impact from a piece of legislation— in this case, a plant opening and the creation of jobs. I think it was over 1,000 jobs.

I think GARA both substantively and psychologically really kind of inspired the industry, which was going through somewhat of a funk in terms of production, jobs, and related issues.

We got this bill passed, and it created a spark of excitement in that industry.

The nice thing about this bill is labor and the industry worked together. This is a case of great collaboration, and again, bipartisan support.

I had more fun in that legislation working with all these private pilots around the United States, working with small towns and rural areas that needed general aviation, and working with the industry.

Now watching the Congress, I look at all the controversy, and I think, “Do these people have fun anymore?”

GREG PRINCIPATO

Principato recently retired as president and CEO of the National Aeronautic Association after a long career that also had him heading up the National Association of State Aviation O fficials and Airports Council InternationalNorth America. He began his career in politics working in the offices of then Sens. J. Bennett Johnston (D-Louisiana) and Joe Biden (D-Delaware), and also of the governor of Virginia. But he broadened into the aviation realm when he led a panel, the National Commission to Ensure a Strong Competitive Airline Industry, which had a little-remembered but key role in the passage of GARA.

This year marks the 30-year anniversary of the signing of GARA. By general consensus, this legislation truly saved a key part of our aviation manufacturing base. In many ways, the success of GARA is taken for granted. It is seen as something that made eminent sense; why would it not pass?

Two visionary leaders—Cessna CEO Russ Meyer and GAMA president Ed

Stimpson—put together a proposal and waited for the right time to strike. That time arrived in 1993 with the formation of the National Commission to Ensure a Strong Competitive Airline Industry.

To outsiders, this seemed odd. The commission was empaneled largely because of the bankruptcies of Pan Am, Eastern, and Braniff, as well as the troubles faced by McDonnell Douglas. The name of the commission hinted that general aviation manufacturing was not likely to be a major topic, or a topic at all.

Ninety days were allotted for the commission’s work, signaling the urgency felt by many because of the airline bankruptcies. The recommendations were sure to be taken seriously.

The 15 members were selected by congressional leaders of both parties and President Clinton. Meyer approached his friend, Senator Bob Dole, the Republican leader of the Senate, and successfully secured one of Dole’s two nominations to the commission.

This was the opportunity he and Stimpson had been waiting for.

Still, the odds seemed high. President Clinton was seen as an ally of the trial lawyers and had five selections on the Commission. Democrats who were in the majority in Congress, and also close to the trial lawyers, selected six of the 10 members picked by congressional leaders.

The chair was a former Democratic governor of Virginia who was a friend of the President’s, Gerald L. Baliles. The executive director—me—did not at that time have much of a history in aviation.

Undaunted, Meyer and Stimpson launched their plan. There was a series of early conversations the chair and I had with each member. He asked each his or her top priority. Meyer said his urgent priority was the need for a 15-year statute of repose on general aviation aircraft.

Meyer explained that because of lawsuits filed against manufacturers on aircraft as old as 20, 30, 40, and even 50 years old, Cessna had stopped making those

 We understood this recommendation could help revive an entire industry... 

RETIRED AS PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTIC ASSOCIATION

aircraft. There was still a demand for them, and general aviation provided a jumping-off point for commercial and military aviation. It was, he argued, a strategic economic and technological priority for the U.S. to act to save this critical industry. A 15-year statute of repose seemed more than sufficient to establish that a particular airplane was manufactured properly.

After researching the concept of a statute of repose, Chairman Baliles and I spent some time considering and speaking with others about the implications of such a change. We quickly saw this was not some kind of subsidy program cloaked as “industrial policy.” We understood this recommendation, if adopted, could help revive an entire industry and put thousands back to work. This was, in its simplest form, applied common sense.

NOW CAME THE HARDER PART

First, we needed to convince the 13 other commission members that this was important. Few even knew about this issue. Part of the long series of hearings and educational sessions we held focused on the issue of aircraft manufacturing, and we made sure a

light was shining on this. There seemed no opposition within the commission.

That’s when we heard from Capitol Hill. I fielded calls from unhappy Democratic staffers. One such call was from a senior member of the Commerce Committee staff who yelled at me, saying the commission had no mandate to even touch this issue, and product liability was a “no-go” zone. I referred him to our enabling statute that required we make recommendations to foster a healthy and competitive U.S. aircraft manufacturing industry. This was clearly an issue meeting this standard. I did this often.

Meanwhile, Chairman Baliles was working to assure members of both houses of Congress that this was an important matter, worthy of their consideration.

The 15-year statute of repose was included in our final report. Now came the hardest part: Democrats on the Hill, who were close to the trial lawyers, pushed back hard. Since they had the majority, it left a steep hill to climb. The fact that a high-profile presidential commission was led by a high-profile Democrat (Governor Baliles) and a Democratic executive director (me) meant little to those Hill leaders. I worked hard with White House staff to try to gather support. (It must be said that Democratic Congressman Dan Glickman and his very able staffer Sherry Ruffing were also in the trenches once the proposal got to the Hill).

This massive hurdle was cleared for good when Governor Baliles reached out to his friend, President Clinton. Governor Baliles made the case for this proposal, in essence, from one governor to another. Any good governor would do anything possible to open factories in their state and create those jobs. Baliles told Clinton that, by supporting this legislation, we had a commitment from the chairman and CEO of Cessna that a factory would be opened right away if this was passed and signed. And that others would follow.

President Clinton agreed to support the legislation. Stimpson worked his magic on the Hill. Democrats made the final

GREG PRINCIPATO

legislation an 18-year statute of repose. Meyer followed through on his commitment to reopen the factory. The rest is history. It is said success has a thousand parents. The successful passage and application of this statute is due to the work of so many people. At the time, though, it seemed an almost impossible task.

But a sensible proposal had been developed. Russ Meyer and Ed Stimpson sensed the time was right. Governor Baliles and I were willing to endure months of angry reaction from friends on the Hill. Baliles hit on the perfect argument to make to the President to gain his support. A small, needed compromise was made to get the bill over the finish line.

This inside story has been little told over the years. The law has been so successful, my guess is that most who opposed it at the time would shy away from admitting it now. GAMA’s year-end general aviation production numbers—4,070 in 2023 according to the latest report—show just how successful it has been.

It is always worth remembering that good things are oftentimes difficult to achieve.

RUSS MEYER

Russell W. Meyer led Cessna Aircraft for 32 years and remains chairman emeritus and active in the industry, including as chairman of Wichita- based CitationPartners, which refurbishes Citation XLS business jets. A threetime chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Meyer was called by Rep. Dan Glickman a “seminal figure” in the passage of GARA. His leadership at both Cessna Aircraft and within the industry earned him the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy, as well as a place in the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Meyer spoke with AIN about how deeply meaningful the legislation was to him and shared a few thoughts about its impact.

Although the industry celebrated the somewhat miraculous enactment of GARA 30 years ago, I’m not sure that anyone fully

 Cessna committed to starting the production of single-engine [piston] aircraft immediately... 

recognized the immensely positive impact this legislation would have on general aviation. Think about this.

The escalating and incalculable cost of product liability essentially killed the production of single-engine propeller aircraft. During the 25 years from 1960 to 1985, the industry averaged the delivery of about 7,500 propeller aircraft per year. As recently as 1977 to ‘78, the industry delivered more than 18,000 aircraft in both those years.

Cessna was by far the largest producer of single-engine aircraft. We routinely produced at least 50% of industry deliveries. Solely because of the cost of product liability, we had no choice but to stop producing any single-engine aircraft in 1986. It was without question the most difficult decision in my long career in aviation.

Talk about bringing an important industry back to life! During our testimony at all four Congressional hearings, Cessna committed to starting the production of single-engine propeller aircraft immediately after GARA was enacted. The bill was passed in August of 1994. In December of that year, we broke ground on a new production facility in Independence, Kansas. We were proud to deliver the first new 172s in 1996. We subsequently added the 182 and 206.

Importantly, other companies are also producing single-engine aircraft. As a result, the industry has been able to support the increasing requirements of flight training. The requirement to train new aviators will continue to increase. Without GARA and the production of new singleengine aircraft, we could never have met those requirements.

GAMA has tracked airplane deliveries for decades. Its numbers tell a story of the passage of GARA: “The count of deliveries from 1994 through 2023 is 43,446 piston airplanes, 13,481 turboprops, and 20,705 business jets for a total GA airplane delivery count of 77,632 units... Airplane value delivered: $504 billion.” z

Then-Cessna chairman Russ Meyer (left) celebrated with President Bill Clinton the signing of the General Aviation Revitalization Act on Aug. 17, 1994, and promised to restart single-engine production.

Rotorcraft

Learning to fly with night-vision goggles

BY MATT THURBER

A variety of companies offer pilots training to fly with night-vision goggles (NVG), but one is also the pioneer of developing NVG for the civil aviation market and manufactures and maintains these precision optical-electronic devices: Aviation Specialties Unlimited (ASU). AIN visited ASU recently at its Boise, Idaho headquarters to learn more about NVG, including participating in a training class and flying ASU’s Bell 505 at night while wearing NVG.

NVG have seen dramatic improvements since military helicopter pilots first began flying with them in the 1960s. Now most medevac operations use NVG during night operations, and they are penetrating the fixed-wing market. ASU offers training in its Bell 505 and a Cessna 206 equipped for NVG operations and says it is the only company offering fixed-wing NVG training.

NVG amplify existing light by 6,000 to 10,000 times, a great aid for pilots flying in areas with little natural or artificial light. The technology involved has improved greatly, and ASU is now employing the latest version of the image intensifier “tube,” the component that amplifies the light, in its lightest and most compact set of NVG, the E3.

A simple description of a set of NVG would describe it as two lenses surrounding an image intensifier, and there are two of these components, one for each eye. Just because they are binocular, however, doesn’t mean that NVG provide a binocular view, like wearing glasses, for example. The view is monocular, which does affect depth perception, but there are techniques to overcome this, and I didn’t find it difficult. The sight picture through each goggle is limited to a 40-degree field of view, which means the pilot must look around to get a complete view of the outside world.

The image intensifier tube, which is only

about half an inch long, is where the magnification happens. As light enters the tube, a photocathode converts light energy (photons) into electrical energy or electrons, which are then multiplied to provide the amplification. All of this requires energy, and surprisingly just 3 volts from two AA batteries are sufficient for up to around 50 hours of operation.

ASU’s NVG training includes a full day of ground school followed by three nights of flight training, either in the Bell 505 or Cessna 206.

GROUND SCHOOL

Our class included me plus two fixed-wing pilots whose company planned to implement NVG, and they would be flying in the 206. ASU chief flight instructor Bradley Brummett led the ground school and also teaches fixed-wing flying.

During the ground school, we learned some NVG history; the technology of the tube; ASU’s founding in 1995 by Mike

Atwood and its growth as a developer of NVG, repair station, engineering center for NVG supplemental type certificates, and training provider; the regulatory framework surrounding NVG use; and instructions on how to mount NVG on a helmet and adjust the lenses. Brummett also delved into eye anatomy, day and night vision and constraints, how NVG can effectively make up for night-vision drawbacks, and NVG myths.

One myth is that visual acuity, the ability to recognize details, is poor with NVG. Visual acuity at night drops to 20/200 “unaided”—without NVG—but is restored with NVG, bringing it back to 20/25.

Another myth says that there is no peripheral vision with NVG, which is true if the user is looking only through the goggles. But new NVG users soon learn that it’s easy to turn the head to look elsewhere and that looking under or beside the goggles with unaided vision is not only possible but necessary for viewing instruments

Aviation Specialties Unlimited director of operations Tony Tsantles starting up the company Bell 505 for a night-vision goggles training session with AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber flying right seat.

and avionics or looking outside through a helicopter’s chin bubbles.

Brummett explained the regulations that cover NVG-compatible installations and operations. Basically, for an aircraft to be NVG-compatible, its internal and external lighting must “not adversely affect the operation of the NVG during any phase of the NVIS [night vision imaging system] operation.”

The standard NVG since 1998 has been the ANVIS-9 system, which originally had green phosphor imagery. Recent ANVIS-9 and the E3 NVG are equipped with white phosphor tubes, and this has proven to work better because the eyes use day or bright light photoptic vision when viewing imagery in the NVG. A key advantage of the E3 NVG is that they weigh much less than ANVIS-9 and don’t require addition of balance weights below the battery pack to even out the load on the helmet. This is a huge benefit for pilots who fly with NVGequipped helmets for hours at a time.

I showed up for the Bell 505 flight at 9 p.m., and it was still light out. Once it was darker, Bell 505 instructor and ASU director of operations Tony Tsantles showed me how to adjust each monocular’s lenses for optimal viewing.

While the E3 uses the same tube as the ANVIS-9, a big difference, other than the lighter weight, is that the E3 NVG doesn’t have a metal ring around the eyepiece lens. This results in a better view through the lenses but also a cleaner unaided view because it opens up some space around the eyepiece and makes it easier to look around, not through, the lens.

FLYING WITH NVG

About an hour after sunset, I climbed into the right seat of the 505 with Tsantles flying left seat. We flipped our goggles into position and started the engine, and then he did the liftoff from the ASU ramp at Boise Air Terminal. Once airborne, Tsantles handed over control, and I flew the 505 over to the assault strip, an unlit runway used for military training.

I flew a normal approach then landed on the strip, and even with the goggles on, I didn’t feel like depth perception was compromised. There was plenty of ambient light, but I looked through the goggles almost exclusively and felt like I could easily judge the helicopter’s height near the ground. We did use the 505’s searchlight and landing light to illuminate the ground, and this proved helpful, especially when peeking under the goggles to look through the chin bubbles.

After taking off from the assault strip, Tsantles had me fly south to a low set of hills. Here he asked me to land in a small area at the top of one of the hills next to some old railroad tracks. I was able to touch

down fairly precisely. Not too bad given that I didn’t have much time in 505s before this, and had never flown one at night. After landing, he asked me to flip my goggles up, and it was almost completely pitch black, with one dim light visible on a hill in the distance ( see photos above). With the goggles on, I could see every divot in the dirt and each blade of grass dancing in the wind from the rotors.

After taking off, I flew over Lucky Peak Reservoir to a Forest Service helipad, where again I landed in pitch-black conditions without the goggles.

After taking off from the pad, Tsantles

took the controls briefly so I could see what a dying campfire looked like with goggles on and off. Without the goggles, I couldn’t see anything but with the goggles on, the small fire bloomed into view. The amount of light amplification with the goggles is stunning.

We swapped goggles so I could feel the lighter-weight E3, and it does indeed add less pressure on the neck. I was fairly comfortable with the view through the ANVIS-9 goggles by then, but the E3 are easier to look around for unaided views.

Tsantles did the next landing near Little Grouse Creek, where we were surrounded by high terrain with no apparent ambient light but plenty of illumination in the NVG. I then flew us over the hills and downtown

Boise and the capitol and back to the airport for a landing on the ASU ramp.

Flying with NVG was an amazing experience; so little ambient light was needed to provide a clear view. Looking up into the night sky with the goggles reminded me of visiting a planetarium as a school kid; every scrap of the sky was filled with bright stars. The main takeaway from this experience is that night operations of any kind can be flown much more safely with NVG. I can’t imagine flying medevac missions to unlit areas without goggles, and the high takeup rate of aeromedical operators using NVG underscores that sentiment. z

The view through the goggles in the left photo and the same view unaided (without goggles) on the right. The phone camera didn’t capture the resolution of the goggles, which is much better in reality.

On the Ground

Modern Aviation to Expand Denver FBO

Modern Aviation will expand its footprint at Denver’s Centennial Airport (KAPA) with the announcement that it will purchase an existing hangar and office complex.

The 6.5-acre property—located directly across the street from Modern’s main KAPA FBO—includes 53,270 sq ft of hangar space, 52,400 sq ft of office space, and a 7,320-sq-ft garage. While the two hangars are fully occupied, 15,000 sq ft of Class A office space is available.

Last year, the company completed an expansion project at Centennial that added 52,000 sq ft of hangar space, 4,000 sq ft of office space, a new 7,000-sq-ft terminal, and three acres of ramp. This new acquisition brings the facility to a total of 179,000 sq ft of aircraft shelter along with 129,000 sq ft of office space.

Farnborough Airport Unveils Major Hangar Development

Farnborough Airport (EGLF) has unveiled its newest hangar facility that increases the aircraft storage capacity at the London-area business aviation hub by 70%. Launched in 2022, the £55 million ($70 million) Domus III project adds 175,000 sq ft of hangar space.

Adjacent to EGLF’s two main taxiways, the 300-meterlong (984-foot) four-bay hangar was delivered 18 months after the start of construction, on time, and on budget.

It incorporates sustainability features such as an intelligent lighting system with daylight dimming to conserve electricity, translucent automated doors to allow natural light, wide-span door openings to reduce the need for unnecessary aircraft movements, rainwater harvesting, and eco-friendly heating systems.

“Domus III represents a monumental leap forward in aviation hangar technology, setting new standards in the industry with a state-of-the-art facility that not only cements Farnborough Airport’s position as London and the southeast’s premier hub for air connectivity but also reflects our commitment

to drive environmental performance across every part of our business,” said Simon Geere, the airport’s CEO.

Odyssey Aviation Debuts New Exuma FBO

Odyssey Aviation has officially opened its new, multimillion-dollar FBO at Bahamas’ Exuma International Airport (MYEF). The facility includes a 4,800-sq-ft terminal with a spacious passenger lounge and refreshment bar, conference room, pilot lounge with flight planning area, and in-house Bahamian customs and immigration service.

Additionally, the complex includes a fuel farm with a capacity of 55,000 gallons of jet-A and 20,000 gallons of avgas. It is served by a trio of 5,000-gallon jet refuelers and a 1,000-gallon avgas tanker.

The company has a large footprint in the Bahamas with an FBO at Lynden Pindling International Airport (MYNN) in Nassau and handling services at Eleuthera Governor’s Harbour International Airport (MYEM) and Rock Sound International Airport (MYER), also on Eleuthera. A member of the Paragon Aviation network, it also has facilities in Kissimmee, Florida (KISM); St. Simons Island, Georgia (KSSI); and Detroit, Michigan (KYIP).

Upstart FBO Takes Over at D.C.-area Airport

Just two years after it began operations as the second FBO at Virginia’s Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO), Kuhn Jet Center will buy out competitor ProJet Aviation, rendering it the lone aviation services provider on the field.

In June, the Leesburg Town Council approved the transfer of ProJet’s leases for its FBO, hangar, and fuel farms to Kuhn.

Included in the acquisition is ProJet’s 4,000 sq ft of space in the airport’s terminal, its fuel farm, and 70,000 sq ft of hangar space. Kuhn said it will continue to operate both locations. Last month, the company broke ground on an additional 42,000-sq-ft hangar on the north end of the field.

FBO AND AIRPORT NEWS BY CURT EPSTEIN

A Rising Star in the Lone Star State

When the Galaxy FBO chain broke ground on its facility at Dallas-area Addison Airport (KADS) in the summer of 2020, it had little idea that the opening of its third location would be delayed by a year due to labor and supply chain issues resulting from the global pandemic. As the saying goes, however, “Good things come to those who wait,” and the results have proven that adage.

The third service provider at KADS, Galaxy FBO opened on Nov. 1, 2022 and swiftly made its mark, landing in the top 5% of all FBOs in this year’s AIN FBO Survey.

The 17-acre leasehold includes a 14,364sq-ft terminal across the street from Addison Circle Park, with an easy turn-of from Addison Road right into the FBO’s porte-cochère. It features two eight-seat conference rooms just off the well-furnished lobby that can double as private passenger lounges; a refreshment bar; a pilot lounge with shower facilities; and onsite car rental, pet station, and valet parking. Special lighting towards the ceiling of the expansive, double-height lobby can be color-customized in honor of holidays, events, or even VIP customers. At only 5 square miles, the town of Addison has the highest concentration of restaurants in the U.S. with more than 200, including many in walking distance of the FBO.

A climate-controlled customer vehicle garage—complete with two electric charging stations and a wash area (for complimentary based-tenant car washes)—is adjacent to the ground service equipment bay. The company just installed a meeting venue in Hangar A, adjacent to the terminal that can accommodate up to 60 people.

The complex has 112,000 sq ft of hangar space and is home to 35 turbine-powered airplanes ranging from a Pilatus PC-12 to a Gulfstream G650. Seven acres of contiguous ramp space are available.

A member of the Air Elite Network, the Phillips 66-branded FBO shares the airport’s community fuel farm, with its designated tanks holding 50,000 gallons of jet-A and 10,000 gallons of avgas. They are served by the company’s NATA Safety 1st-trained line staff, operating a trio of 5,000-gallon jet refuelers and two avgas tankers. Last year, the FBO earned Stage 1 registration under IBAC’s International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling, the voluntary audit-based safety program of industry best practices.

Also in 2023, a new Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility opened on the field, replacing the small ofce formerly located in one of the FBOs. Arriving international aircraft will now clear customs and immigration at the midfield location, and the Galaxy FBO staf will position customer cars there upon request, so passengers can depart immediately from the airport after CBP approval rather than accompanying the aircraft to the FBO.

While August is traditionally the slowest time of the year at KADS, the airport saw several spikes above its normally busy traffic over the past year. Last month, the airport and neighboring Addison Circle Park hosted Kaboomtown, its annual July 3 airshow, followed by one of the nation’s largest fireworks displays that typically draws half a

million spectators, and Major League Baseball held its 2024 All-Star Game at Globe Life Field in nearby Arlington. Last year, the American Country Music Awards were also presented in the Metroplex town of Frisco, and in October, the Texas Rangers drew visitors during their win of the 2023 World Series, the first in team history. While the Super Bowl always provides a boost in outbound private aircraft trafc, this year’s venue of Las Vegas proved an even stronger draw.

According to general manager Jamie Muñoz, her team at the FBO—which is stafed 24/7, 365 days a year—goes out of its way to make clients feel at home. “The biggest testament is on any given day when you see our based tenants flying out, within a matter of 30 minutes you will see maybe 20 hugs transpiring,” she told AIN. “It feels like a family; it feels like home, and we have customers that come and just hang out here, and they want to talk. It’s been really special to see that and hear from customers, ‘I don’t know what it is about this place, but it feels diferent.’”

That level of interaction includes one based aircraft owner who decided he wanted to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with the staf at the FBO and brought his wife and friends to share the fully catered meal he had delivered there. C.E.

With all three Galaxy FBO locations in Texas, the company's newest location at Addison Airport is helping it develop a loyal following in the Lone Star State.

CURT EPSTEIN

Accidents

BY DAVID JACK KENNY

Preliminary Reports

Unsecured Bearing Was Recently Replaced

Airbus Helicopters AS350, May 1, 2024, Plant City, Florida

Following a low-altitude loss of yaw control that necessitated an emergency autorotation in a field, investigators discovered that the aftmost hanger bearing supporting the tail rotor drive shaft had not been properly secured. One of the two bolts holding it in place was found loose in the tailboom; the other was still in place, but its nut was not correctly seated. All five hanger bearings had been replaced during scheduled maintenance some 12.3 flight hours earlier.

The helicopter was operated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff ’s Office.

During a positioning flight from Lakeland Linder International Airport, the 2,322-hour commercial pilot chose a field to practice confined area approaches and slope landings. Maneuvering in the landing zone at about 50 feet and 20 knots, the helicopter entered a left spin that the pilot could not arrest. His emergency autorotation brought the helicopter upright with the engine still running and no damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot and the 132-hour copilot were not injured and exited the helicopter normally after shutting down the engine.

Aircraft damage included separation of the tail rotor gearbox with damage to one tail rotor blade and “multiple bends and wrinkles in the tailboom.”

No Serious Injuries in Emergency Autorotation

Aerospatiale SA315B, May 27, 2024, Hildale, Utah

The pilot and two of his three passengers escaped with minor injuries following

an emergency autorotation to a road in response to a partial loss of engine power. The third passenger was not hurt.

Following a 15- to 20-minute sightseeing flight, the pilot shut down the engine to clean the helicopter’s windscreen before boarding new passengers; he reported that the second takeoff was normal but the aircraft soon felt “sluggish.” He initiated the autorotation after the low RPM warning activated at about 50 feet altitude and 50 knots airspeed.

Video captured by a witness showed flames coming from the exhaust stack from a few seconds after takeoff until the helicopter reached the ground.

Final Reports

Aspen Takeof Overrun Followed Instantaneous Wind Call

Hawker 800XP, Feb. 21, 2022, Aspen, Colorado

Gusty tailwinds reportedly proved too strong to allow the pilots attempting to take o ff to lift the twin-jet’s nose at rotation speed at Colorado’s Aspen/Pitkin County Airport. No one was injured after the crew aborted the takeo ff and the jet went o ff the runway and into the snow, although the Hawker was substantially damaged.

According to the NTSB final report, the probable cause of the accident was “the flight crew’s decision to take off in tailwind conditions that were consistently above the airplane’s tailwind limitation, which resulted in a runway overrun following an aborted takeoff. Contributing was the flight crew’s use of the instantaneous wind report for the decision to attempt the takeoff.” Like many business jets, the Hawker’s tailwind takeoff limitation is 10 knots.

When the Hawker was cleared to taxi

to Runway 33, the wind was reported at 170 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 30 knots. After a delay due to arriving traffic, the tower controller cleared the Hawker for takeo ff and, according to the NTSB, “reported the wind was from 160 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 25 knots, and the ‘instantaneous wind’ was from 180 degrees at 10 knots.”

The tower controllers must use the two-minute average wind as the official wind report, based on the standalone weather sensor (SAWS) readings, according to the Aspen tower standard operating procedures (SOPs). Further, “If a pilot requests, the instantaneous wind may be issued after the SAWS two-minute average wind has been given.” The ATIS broadcast is also supposed to include a warning if the wind is above a 10-knot sustained tailwind or gusting above a 15-knot tailwind between headings of 100 to 200 degrees for Runway 33.

However, according to the NTSB, there appears to be no actual definition of “instantaneous wind” and no guidance on whether pilots should use it to try to take off at a moment when the gusts appear to die down enough to avoid exceeding a tailwind limitation. The FAA previously told AIN that “instantaneous wind” gives the pilot a three-second snapshot of current wind conditions.

“‘Instantaneous wind’ is a term used by ASE [Aspen control tower] that is not defined in any FAA publication of record,” the NTSB report noted. “After the accident, the ASE ATM [air traffic manager] was asked why ASE ATC chose to use the phrase ‘instantaneous wind’ when reporting the standalone weather, and the manager stated he was not sure where that [term] had originated. He reported that a few operators routinely request the instantaneous wind reports because of their familiarity with ASE operations.”

According to the NTSB, “Following the accident, the operator informed its flight crews to no longer consider ‘instantaneous wind’ reports in their decisionmaking process.”

Helicopter Destroyed by 'Unsecured Overalls'

MD Helicopters 500D, Oct. 18, 2018, Wānaka Aerodrome, South Island, New Zealand

An investigation spanning nearly six years ultimately determined that a pair of heavy cold-weather overalls carried loose in the cabin departed the aircraft and flew into the tail rotor after the left rear door opened shortly after takeoff.

The resulting in-flight breakup killed the pilot and two Department of Conservation staff on their way to conduct wildlife culling operations. Police initially treated the accident site as a crime scene due to threats made by opponents of the department’s cull. Reconstruction of the accident sequence found that the impact separated the tail rotor from the boom, propelling it forward into the main rotor blades. The outer sections of two of the five blades broke off; another then severed the tail boom.

Two experienced flight instructors flying a Robinson helicopter in the traffic pattern saw multiple items leave the cabin before the tail boom bent upwards and separated from the aircraft. Wear on the latch mechanism of the left rear door pointed to its having opened in flight.

King Air Crash Attributed to Tailplane Stall

Beech E90, Oct. 18, 2022, Marietta, Ohio

The NTSB concluded that the twin-engine turboprop’s sudden departure from controlled flight was the result of a tailplane stall caused by ice accumulation. Both pilots were killed when the airplane

entered a spinning, near-vertical descent in the final segment of the RNAV approach to Runway 21 of Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport in Parkersburg, West Virginia, crashing into the parking lot of an automobile dealership in neighboring Marietta, Ohio.

Weather studies indicated “a 20% to 80% probability of encountering supercooled large droplets” during the approach. The King Air was certified for flight into known icing, but the extensive damage and post-crash fire made it impossible to determine whether its anti-icing systems were in use.

The 75-nm positioning flight originated at John Glenn Columbus (Ohio) International Airport, maintaining 11,000 feet en route. Communications with Indianapolis Center, Parkersburg Approach, and eventually Parkersburg Tower were routine.

The airplane maintained the minimum crossing altitude of 2,800 feet to the final approach fix, then slowed from 170 to 126 knots. Multiple eyewitnesses saw it flying straight and level before suddenly spinning straight into the ground, a sequence also captured from several different angles by security cameras.

Published stall speeds for the E90 range from 65 knots with full flaps to 88 knots with flaps retracted.

Tailplane stalls are relatively rare and usually precipitated by icing, which accumulates more readily on the tail than the wings. They cause an abrupt pitching-down moment similar to a wing stall, but the required recovery technique is exactly opposite to the conventional stall recovery.

Training Accident Remains Mysterious

Learjet 35A, May 15, 2023, Hohn Military Airport, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

The failure of a highly experienced pilot to apply sufficient rudder pressure during

a planned simulated engine failure, and that of the similarly experienced pilot monitoring to intervene in time to avert a catastrophic loss of control, were not explained by any findings from the cockpit voice or flight data recorders, and no evidence of mechanical anomaly was found in the wreckage.

The 62-year-old pilot flying, who had logged more than 8,000 hours in Learjets, and the 58-year-old pilot monitoring, who had more than 6,250 hours in type, were killed when they lost yaw control after reducing thrust on the right engine shortly after takeoff

The 1993-model jet entered a snap roll and crashed inverted next to the runway. Before the simulated engine-out, a required maneuver during recurrent proficiency checks, the pilot monitoring had said, “In advance, you will lose the right engine.”

The accident, described in detail in the October 2023 issue of this report, took place during a larger exercise in which six of the operator’s Learjets were to conduct practice instrument approaches to help train air tra ffi c control sta ff while also conducting proficiency checks for the pilots flying.

Another company pilot recalled an incident (confirmed by flight data recorder information) in which the wiring behind the rudder pedal in a different Learjet temporarily restricted him from applying full rudder pressure during the same exercise, but its relevance to the accident could not be determined.

Compliance Countdown

BY GORDON GILBERT

Aug. 6, 2024

U.S.: Artificial Intelligence in Transportation

The DOT has issued a request for information (RFI) seeking input from interested parties on the potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in transportation, as well as emerging challenges and opportunities in creating and deploying AI technologies in applications across all modes of transportation. Specific areas in aviation for which information is sought include using AI for air trafc control optimization on large-scale aviation operations, application of AI tools to ensure safe operation of uncrewed air systems, and in other emerging aviation applications. Written submissions were due by Aug. 6, 2024.

Aug. 12, 2024

U.S.: Powered-lift Aircraft

The FAA invites public comment on the agency’s draft advisory circular for the type, production, and airworthiness certification of powered-lift aircraft that use battery-powered electric engines for propulsion. Recent applications for the type certification of powered-lift aircraft require the FAA to publish proposed airworthiness criteria, along with an explanation of its equivalency determination, for public notice and comment. This draft AC establishes a more efficient path in designating the type certification basis for certain powered-lift projects, as the FAA will not need to announce the criteria for each project for notice and feedback. Comments must be received by Aug. 12, 2024.

Aug. 31, 2024

Australia: Transition to New Regulations

Australia’s Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has released compliance timelines for certain Part 133 and Part 135 rotorcraft and smaller charter airplanes to transition their training and checking systems to recently adopted new flight operations regulations. Operators must ensure that CASA has a current copy of their proposed training and checking systems manual no later than Aug. 31, 2024. A key change to the transition approach is a self-assessment

by operators. It’s aimed at making sure the accountable person is confident that the training and checking requirements have been properly addressed in operational procedures. Operators will have until Feb. 28, 2025 to implement their systems.

Sept. 9, 2024

U.S.: Pilot Records Database

Final compliance date is Sept. 9, 2024, for reporting historical records concerning training, alcohol testing, qualification, proficiency, and disciplinary action records that date before Jan. 1, 2015, to the FAA’s new pilot records database (PRD). Also beginning on Sept. 9, 2024, the Pilot Records Improvement Act (PRIA) ceases to be effective and will not be an available alternative to PRD. Also after this date, each entity that holds an operating certificate under Part 121, 125, or 135—or management specifications for Part 91K—must report to the PRD all historical records kept in accordance with PRIA dating from Aug. 1, 2010, until June 10, 2022. Since June 2023, certain operators under Part 91, 91K, and 135 were required to complete submissions to the PRD of all historical records dating on or after Jan. 1, 2015.

Oct. 24, 2024, and April 25, 2025

U.S.: Airport SMS

Certain air carrier airports certified under FAR Part 139 are required to submit an implementation plan for a safety

management system (SMS) 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.

Dec. 1, 2024

U.S.: Notam Transition

On or about Dec. 1, 2024, the FAA is scheduled to transition its notam format so it aligns with international standards. The agency said shifting to the new format will ensure U.S. notams are compliant with standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization. According to the FAA, the new format will result in improved accuracy and accessibility of notam data for pilots, dispatchers, and other notam consumers; provide notam consumers with one consistent format for domestic and international operations; and allow for enhanced search, sorting, filtering, and archiving capabilities of notam data.

Dec.

2,

2024

Europe: Part 145 SMS

Starting on Dec. 2, 2022, EASA Part 145 maintenance organizations were required to meet revised regulations that were published in November 2021. However, there

JUST AROUND THE CORNER

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 introduced in the regulation is the required implementation of a SMS. To support the SMS processes, several organization requirements have been changed including the safety policy and internal occurrence reporting.

Feb. 16, 2025

U.S.: Medical Transport of Veterans

Scheduled to start on Feb. 16, 2025—a year delay—the U.S. Veterans Administration (VA) will have the authority to begin reimbursing non-contract ground and air ambulance transportation at rates “significantly below costs,” according to providers. Critics charge that the move will force providers to “downsize operations and reduce hours of availability while compromising the ability of veterans, particularly in rural areas, to receive prompt medical transport.” Under the new rules, the VA will be allowed to pay the “lesser of the actual charge or the amount determined by the Medicare Part B Ambulance Fee Schedule.”

The VA currently pays for the actual costs of such medical transports.

May 28, 2027

U.S.: Safety Management Systems

Certain FAR Part 21 aircraft manufacturers, FAR Part 135 on-demand charter and commuter operators, and FAR Part 91 air tour operators will need to implement an FAR Part 5 SMS by May 28, 2027. Less restrictive provisions apply to most singlepilot or single-aircraft organizations and other smaller entities. Guidance materials, including ACs, to support the FAA’s new SMS rules, were scheduled to be available approximately 30 days after the rules went into effect on May 28, 2024.

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

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People in Aviation

BY JESSICA REED

Howard Jones is taking over as CEO of aircraft ground support equipment provider Tronair . Paul Schwarzbaum , who held the position of CEO and president for nearly six years, announced last month that he would retire. Jones is being promoted from v-p of operations.

West Star Aviation changed its leadership structure, including naming Jim Rankin—CEO since 2018—as executive chairman of the board. Stephen Maiden took over as the company’s CEO, while Allen McReynolds was made president in addition to continuing as COO. Maiden previously served as president and CEO of Jet East until it was acquired by West Star last November. Before joining West Star, McReynolds was managing partner at SeaTec Consulting.

Go Rentals hired Ed Barrera as CFO. Barrera’s 25 years of experience includes leading accounting, supply chain, legal, and safety departments at various companies.

Ryan Waguespack was appointed to the international non-executive board of the Air Charter Association (ACA). Waguespack, owner and founder of General Aviation Consultants, will represent the region of North America on the board.

Kim Ernzen joined StandardAero as its COO, replacing the retiring Kerry O’Sullivan . Ernzen previously was president of naval power at Raytheon Technologies and also formerly worked for Cessna Aircraft and Hawker Beechcraft.

Andy Smith joined Flydocs as chief commercial officer. Smith brings more than 27 years of experience in business development and leadership, including the creation and implementation of customer engagement and revenuegenerating strategies.

Mike Audus was tapped by Ametek MRO as division v-p and business unit manager for MRO Europe. He previously worked for airlines and military organizations with a focus on avionics, power management systems, and engine MRO.

Daher’s board of directors appointed Didier Kayat as the Daher Group’s chairman of the board on June 4. Kayat, also the group’s CEO, took over the position from Patrick Daher , who had been the chairman since 2016. Olivier Genis was also appointed as the group’s v-p of the board.

Andrew Summers—who previously led Air Charter Service’s business in the Middle East, Africa, and India—was appointed as regional director for the company’s mainland European offices. Summers will return to ACS’ UK headquarters after working in the Dubai o ffi ce for the past decade.

Air Charter Service (ACS) appointed Elie Hanna CEO of ACS Dubai after 13 years with the company. Hanna will now oversee ACS Dubai’s growth in the Middle East.

Geoff Savage and Trish Gentile have joined the leadership team at Schubach Aviation. Savage, with previous experience at NetJets, Virgin Group, and VistaJet, joined Schubach as v-p of charter sales. Meanwhile, Gentile has taken on the role of v-p of business development. She had previously worked for NetJets, VistaJet, and XOJet.

Pedro Leroux was reelected to his fourth term as union president for the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP). Leroux has served as an NJASAP Compliance Committee member, system board of adjustment chair, and lead strategist since he joined NetJets in 2006.

Julie O’Brien has joined Paragon Aviation Group as v-p of business development. O’Brien previously worked for ProJet Aviation as its general manager since 2017.

Nora Khalil is taking on the role of v-p of legislative affairs at the Aerospace Industries Association Khalil’s more than 20 years of experience in both the private and public sectors includes serving on the House Appropriations energy and water subcommittee.

JIM RANKIN

KIM ERNZEN

NORA KHALIL

ELIE HANNA

Mike Ginter is now leading the Air Safety Institute at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Ginter previously held the role of v-p of airports and state advocacy for AOPA since 2018.

Omni Helicopters Guyana is developing

Industry stalwart Richard “Dick” Van Gemert, whose business aviation career spanned five decades and who was renowned for his operational and safety management leadership, passed away on June 16.

Van Gemert, who had received a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Michigan and later graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton Business School’s senior executive program, began his flying career in 1960 with the U.S. Navy, where he spent five years and rose to the rank of lieutenant. In 1966, he transitioned into business aviation with Xerox. He joined the flight department as a first ofcer, became chief pilot two years later, and subsequently became manager of flight operations, manager of Xerox travel services, and director of the company’s General Services division.

He later moved over to Kimberly-Clark, leading K-C Transportation Services. After the aviation services company was sold in 1996, Van Gemert helped found—and served as president of—New World Jet. In 2006, he joined Jet Aviation Holdings U.S. as senior v-p.

Van Gemert was actively involved in numerous associations, including as chair of the International Flight Safety Foundation Corporate Advisory Board, member of the NBAA board of directors, and a member of the NATA business management committee, among others.

Jean-François Georges, who retired from Dassault Aviation in 2003, passed away on May 11. “He was the stitching that knitted [Falcon] operators and Dassault employees into a special family,” said Jean Kayanakis, senior v-p of worldwide Falcon customer service and service center network.

A graduate of France’s Supaero aerospace engineering school, Georges worked his entire career at Dassault, starting as a flight test engineer on the Falcon 20 in 1966. He was the architect of the first head-up display installation in an airliner while designing the flight deck in the Mercure, which became certified for Category III all-weather landings. Georges also worked on Europe’s Hermes spaceplane program.

its own helicopter pilots with the selection of two Guyanese citizens and employees as pilot trainees. Somant Heeralal and Yadram Ramcharran will soon begin ab initio training at Hillsboro Aero Academy’s helicopter pilot school in Troutdale, Oregon. z

After Georges became responsible for Dassault’s civil aviation activities in 1992, his commitment to serving customers took on new importance. “After many successful years laser-focused on technological advances, he fully embraced the new complexities of understanding customer perspectives,” Kayanakis wrote.

Business aviation veteran James “Jamie” T. Wilson passed away suddenly on June 8 at age 50. Wilson’s extensive career spanned more than 25 years; he most recently was a senior associate of logistics, FBO management, mentoring, and coaching at FBO Partners.

Wilson’s journey in aviation began at Washington Dulles International Airport with Piedmont-Hawthorne Aviation, which later became Landmark Aviation. His roles as customer service manager and assistant general manager showcased his leadership skills and dedication. His career further advanced as he joined Landmark Aviation’s charter and aircraft management division as regional sales manager. He was later promoted to general manager at Landmark Aviation KIAD.

Transitioning from Landmark Aviation, Wilson brought his extensive experience to Concept Solutions and later Parrillo Associates, where he served as program manager on two critical FAA programs supporting NextGen initiatives.

Marisa Maretti, known during her extensive career as “the first lady of business aviation,” passed away May 18 at age 79. Maretti was a pioneering force in the aviation industry and was the first European woman to establish a business jet dealership. Over her four-decade career, she facilitated the sale of nearly 200 business jets.

Maretti’s aviation career began when she joined Alico, a dealer and authorized service center for Cessna pistons. She founded her own company, Business Aviation Marketing, in the 1970s, with an ofce based in Milan, Italy. Cessna Citations became a staple of her business.

Maretti was appointed as the Cessna Citation-authorized sales representative for Italy, Monaco, and the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. This continued for more than 35 years.

MIKE GINTER

what might have caused the twinjet to descend seemingly out of control and crash near Westwater, Utah, although the pilots planned to perform a stall warning and systems check enroute. The two pilots were killed in the Part 91 IFR positioning flight.

Oil pressure warnings preceded the failure of both engines and the Feb. 9 fatal crash of a chartered Bombardier Challenger 604 on a highway on approach to Naples Municipal Airport in Florida. The two pilots of the Part 135 flight operated by Ace Aviation Services (doing business as Hop-A-Jet), were killed in the accident. The flight attendant and two passengers escaped with minor injuries.

On March 10, an Israel Aircraft Industries 1125 Westwind Astra was involved in a fatal approach accident at Ingalls Field Airport in Hot Springs, Virginia. The airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated by SkyJet Elite as a Part 91 IFR personal flight.

In the first half of this year, two people died in one non-U.S.-registered business jet accident versus 15 deaths in three fatal accidents in the first half of 2023. On Jan. 20, two of the six people aboard a Russian-registered Dassault Falcon 10 died when the twin-engine business jet crashed while in Afghanistan on a chartered ambulance flight.

N-registered business turboprops suffered nearly the same number of fatal accidents in both comparable periods, but the fatality count widely differed. Four Part 91 mishaps claimed seven lives in the first half of this year versus 17 fatalities from five accidents last year, including five deaths in a Part 135 accident.

Nine accidents of non-N-registered business turboprops were fatal to 36 occupants in the first half of 2024 compared with 28 killed in eight crashes in the like period last year. Five of this year’s fatal accidents occurred to private flights; two were reported as charter flights; one as skydiving; and one as a police mission. z

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

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November 18-19, 2024 | Orlando, Florida

AIN’s Corporate Aviaton Leadership Summit Mx event is a fully-hosted, invitaton-only event for Directors of Maintenance.

“The AIN CALS event has been a refreshing experience for leaders within the corporate aviation community and the vendors that support their businesses. 100% engagement for 2.5 days. Truly a working event that leaves us all a bit tired but very enthused!” – 2024 CALS West fight department atendee