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Flexjet flies into European market
Completions/MRO Amac Adds Capacity Swiss-based Amac Aerospace is expanding its already broad capabilities with new acquisitions, international expansion and savvy diversification of its services portfolio. page 33
by Chad Trautvetter U.S. fractional ownership and charter provider Flexjet announced here in Geneva on Sunday night that it will start flying within Europe in the third or fourth quarter of this year, using a fleet of eight Nextant 400XTi light jets. To allow it to provide point-topoint service in the region, the company has signed a letter of intent to acquire a yet-unnamed Europe-based company with an existing air operating certificate (AOC). This acquisition is expected to close in the second half of this year, after which it will start its European service. Initially, Flexjet will offer on-demand and membership programs in Europe at a targeted per-mile price that is comparable with turboprop or very light jet offerings in Europe. Access to its dedicated 400XTi fleet is expected to be offered on a limited basis through select charter brokers, the company said.
In addition, Flexjet will offer tailored international programs to European-based business aircraft owners looking to exit whole-aircraft ownership, as well as users of charter services looking for a more personalized service. Wider offerings, including fractional shares or jets cards, could be added later on as more models enter its European fleet, according to Flexjet president and CEO Mike Silvestro. Flexjet’s North American customers will also be able to access the company’s European fleet. For example, a U.S. Flexjet fractional share owner could use Flexjet’s Global Access program to fly into Europe and then use one of its 400XTis for intra-Europe travel. Launched in late March, Global Access provides access to Flexjet’s longrange, large-cabin aircraft–currently three Bombardier Global Expresses and six Gulfstream G450s–for transatlantic travel, billed at hourly rates that
decrease the longer the distance flown. The Gulfstream G650 will join the Global Access fleet this year, followed by the G500 in 2018 and the Aerion AS2, scheduled in 2023. Raymond Jones, the former senior v-p of sales at Bombardier Business Aircraft, will head Flexjet’s non-U.S. operations as managing director for international. Jones, who joined Flexjet last year, said that he and his European sales and marketing team will be based in London, while its regional aircraft operations center will be based elsewhere in Europe at a location that has still to be determined. According to Jones, two each of the 400XTis will be based in London and Paris–the exact airports have not yet been selected–with two additional cities in central and/or eastern Europe to be named by year-end. Its European-based aircraft will be registered in a yet-to-be-determined
Jet Aviation Adds JetVision App Aircraft interior customers can make decisions on materials and monitor their project 24/7 from anywhere on the planet with the new JetVision 3D tablet application. page 36
New Aircraft Citation Longitude Gets Its Wings Back home in Wichita, Kansas, Cessna completed the successful wing-mating of its newest project, the Longitude. First flight is expected later this summer, with certification due next year. page 64
Avionics Dassault’s FalconEye Sees All Combining synthetic- and enhanced-vision technology, Dassault’s Head-Up Display, dubbed ‘FalconEye’ enhances safety and enables reduced approach minimums. page 93
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Boeing Business Jets is showing the first VIPconfigured 787 Dreamliner this week here at EBACE. It is the largest aircraft ever displayed at any NBAA-organized event. The bizliner was completed by Greenpoint Technologies and flew direct to Geneva from the company’s facility in Moses Lake, Washington.
DAVID McINTOSH
Interior Design
BBJ thinks big, brings VIP 787 by James Wynbrandt Marking its 20th anniversary, Boeing Business Jets (BBJ, Booth M073) is displaying here at EBACE the first 787 Dreamliner with a custom VIP interior. “This is the largest aircraft ever displayed at an NBAA-sponsored event,” said BBJ president David Longridge. The completion was performed by Greenpoint Technologies at its Moses Lake, Washington facility. The project was initiated and directed by California’s Kestrel Aviation Management on “spec,” with no buyer contracted, though a sale is reportedly in the final stages of negotiations. The BBJ 787-8 arrived here non-stop from Moses Lake, with Captain Rene Gonzalez, Boeing’s chief pilot, in command. The 5,000-nautical-mile (9,260-kilometer) journey, flown at the 787’s Mach 0.85 cruise speed, was not much more than a crow hop for the Dreamliner.
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Mexico’s Across reboots its fleet with Embraers
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FOUNDED IN 1972 JAMES HOLAHAN (1921-2015), FOUNDING EDITOR WILSON S. LEACH, MANAGING DIRECTOR
by Charles Alcock
MARK WAGNER
Mexican charter operator Across is to replace its entire fleet with a mix of eight Embraer Legacy 500, eight Phenom 300s and seven Phenom 100Es. On the opening day of the 2016 EBACE show, the company signed a contract covering $260 million in firm orders with the Brazilian airframer, which has already delivered the first two Phenom 300s and one of the Phenom 100Es, with a second set to arrive next month. The remaining deliveries will be made
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF – Charles Alcock EDITOR - INTERNATIONAL SHOW EDITIONS – Ian Sheppard PRESS ROOM MANAGING EDITOR – Mark Phelps THE EDITORIAL TEAM David Donald Kerry Lynch Caroline Bruneau Jeff Burger Thierry Dubois Peter Shaw-Smith Bill Carey Curt Epstein Matt Thurber Samantha Cartaino Mark Huber James Wynbrandt GROUP PRODUCTION MANAGER – Tom Hurley PRODUCTION EDITOR – Martha Jercinovich THE PRODUCTION TEAM Alena Korenkov Grzegorz Rzekos Mona L. Brown Helene Elek John A. Manfredo PHOTOGRAPHERS David McIntosh, Mark Wagner
Bianca Proszunsky, director of international sales for Mexican operator Across, is pleased with a deal for eight Embraer business jets, signed with Embraer Executive Jets president and CEO Marco Tulio Pellegrini.
over the next five years. The new aircraft are replacing Across’s existing all-Textron fleet, consisting of a mix of Caravans, Citation Mustangs, CJ4s, CJ3s, Citation
BOMBARDIER TOASTS FLEXJET FOR CHALLENGER 350 ORDERS Bombardier and Flexjet are celebrating the confirmation of an order for 20 Challenger 350s here at the EBACE show. The airframer announced the $534 million order on April 1, but without naming the customer. The announcement brings the total number of Flexjet-ordered Challenger 350s to 60, with deliveries of the previous orders having begun in January 2015. Bombardier Business Aircraft (Booth Z115) president David Coleal said, “We congratulate Flexjet on the continued growth and expansion of their fleet, and we appreciate the enthusiastic reception that Flexjet and its owners have given our Challenger 350 aircraft.” Michael Silvestro, Flexjet CEO, added, “The Challenger 350 and its predecessor the Challenger 300 proved to be our best seller in 2015.” –M.P.
One of the stars of EBACE 2016, Pilatus’s flight-test PC-24 twinjet, made its grand entrance yesterday here in Geneva. It will be on display in the static area.
MARK WAGNER
LOCAL HERO TAKES A BOW
UAS SUPPORTS WILDLIFE CONSERVATION MISSION
Xs, Sovereigns and XLSs. Across is Embraer’s authorized sales representative in Mexico. Formed in 2009, Across also runs an FBO at Toluca Airport, which is part of the Signature Select chain. It will offer the new Embraer fleet for both charter and fractional ownership services. Across CEO Pedro Corsi Amerlinck told AIN that his company has an option to double the size of the order. He said that the strong dispatch reliability of the Legacys and Phenoms, combined with the manufacturer’s customer support commitment and low maintenance requirements had been big factors in deciding to take its business to Embraer. “The Mexican market is big and growing fast,” Amerlinck stated. “About 30 percent of our charter flights are to and from the U.S., 10 percent are within Central America and all the rest are local.” The new firm orders were included in Embraer’s backlog for the first quarter of 2016. “This fleet order reflects our growing presence in Mexico and confirms the long-term relationship we are building with Across,” said Marco Tulio Pellegrini, president and CEO of Embraer Executive Jets (Booth Z073). “The Mexican market has a solid business aviation utilization culture and Embraer’s portfolio is perfectly suited to fulfill the increasing demand for more efficient and reliable aircraft in the region. We are glad to support Across in expanding its best-in-class services.” o
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On June 6, UAS International Trip Support (Booth E065) will partner with pilot Faisal Sultan in his mission Flight For Wildlife–an attempt to set a new world record by cirmcumnavigating the globe in a single-engine Diamond DA-20 within 26 days. Sultan’s goal is to raise international awareness for wildlife conservation and the grave danger that poaching currently presents to many of the world’s endangered animal species, which are brutally slaughtered to supply illegal markets with products such as ivory. Sultan will depart Kenya’s Nairobi International Airport and fly eastbound covering over 41,440 kilometers (22,376 nautical miles). Despite 41 scheduled stops for refueling and challenges from significant anticipated weather and air traffic routing, he hopes to return to Nairobi within 26 days. His attempt for the world record has been registered as a Class C-1B mission with the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI), the international governing body of air sports. UAS International Trip Support will provide Sultan with mission control and flight support for the duration of his journey. “We’re honored to support this world-record attempt and the cause of wildlife conservation that is close to our hearts at UAS,” said co-founder and CEO Omar Hosari. In a story on page 16 of this edition, UAS co-founder and executive president Mohammed Husary was mistakingly identified as UAS executive vice president Jay Ammar Husary. AIN apologizes for this error. –J.L.E.
4 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
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Theoretical max range is based on cruise at Mach 0.80 with four passengers, two crew and NBAA IFR fuel reserves. Flight duration is estimated at best cruise speed and accounts for 85% annual winds conditions. Actual performance will be affected by ATC routing, operating speed, weather, outfitting options and other factors.
New Lear 75 cabin door adds privacy, lowers dBs by Charles Alcock Bombardier is bringing a largecabin feel to its Learjet 75 light jet with the introduction of a new pocket door bulkhead that separates the cabin from the galley and the cockpit. As well as enhancing passenger privacy, the new feature reduces cabin noise by an average of between six and eight decibels. “This makes for a much more private cabin for the passengers and it is a first for a light jet,” said Bombardier Business Aircraft product planning and market development Brad Nolen. The first aircraft to be equipped with the new door is on static display here at the EBACE show. The new pocket door reduces cabin noise that would otherwise
intrude from the forward door area and cockpit. The added empty weight is minimal, with no effect on performance, nor is passenger legroom compromised by the addition. The Learjet 75 boasts the widest cabin cross section in its class at 5 feet, 1 inch (1.56 meters), and also is the only one with a flat floor. “The Learjet has a great legacy and we want to bring it into the future with innovations like this that make the Lear 75 a premium offering in the light jet segment,” said Anali Stewart, Learjet product manager. “Our aim is to offer as many large aircraft features as possible in a light jet, including speed and altitude.”
The new door will be available as an option for both sixand eight-passenger versions of the aircraft. Bombardier (Booth Z115) is not disclosing the cost of the option, which will be subject to negotiation with individual customers. The modification is covered by a supplemental type certificate from the FAA. The pocket door uses a threeinch space behind the rear-facing seats of the front club-four. This removes the recline space from behind the two front seats, although these can be brought forward to provide more space behind them. “The Learjet 75 business jet is already valued for its comfortable interior and its ability to fly farther and faster than its nearest competitor,” said Bombardier Business Aircraft president David Coleal. “The pocket door option adds an extra dimension of comfort previously found only on larger jets.” Each seat gives passengers
Bombardier sees delivery dip, followed by recovery after 2017 Bombardier Business Aircraft has scaled back its annual market forecast to reflect continued uncertainty in world economies. Over the next 10 years, through 2025, the Canadian airframer forecasts 8,300 new-jet deliveries–in the market segments in which it competes– with a combined value of $250 billion. Twelve months ago, Bombardier predicted 9,000 deliveries with a combined value of $267 billion–meaning that this year’s projections are, respectively, down by 8 and 7 percent. Presenting its latest forecast at an EBACE show press conference on Tuesday, Bombardier reported that economic slowdowns in key emerging markets and reduced demand in the large-cabin sector are the main drivers of its reduced forecast for new deliveries. It was these trends that in May 2015
prompted Bombardier to reduce production rates for its Global 5000 and 6000 large-cabin jets, with resulting layoffs. But the company emphasized that by the end of 2017 it expects these negative trends to start reversing. Bombardier sees North America accounting for the greatest number of new-jet deliveries between 2016 and 2025 with 3,930 aircraft. Europe is expected to be the next-largest market, with 1,530 deliveries–meaning that Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Russia & the CIS and Latin America between them will account for just over onethird of the anticipated total. Latin America is expected to be in third place for deliveries with 790, followed by China with 700. “This annual forecast identifies longer-cycle trends that we use in our own
6 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
The cabin of Bombardier’s light Learjet 75 can now have the look and feel of a much larger aircraft with the new option of a pocket door separating the cockpit and galley from the rest of the cabin. Besides adding privacy, it also reduces noise by up to 8 dB.
access to their own USB outlets for personal electronic devices plus a seven-inch pop-up monitor connected to a media center that allows them to enjoy music or movies. Sidewall audio speakers create a surround-sound effect. The Learjet 75 cockpit is equipped with the Garmin G5000 avionics suite. Its synthetic vision system is the only one available as baseline equipment in the light jet category.
strategic decisions, enabling us to react quickly and efficiently to constantly changing markets,” said Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Bombardier Business Aircraft’s vice president of strategy, marketing and innovation. “We have built our leadership position in aviation by continuously monitoring the market and making proactive business decisions based on macroeconomic analyses and our industry expertise.” According to Bombardier market intelligence and analysis manager Thomas Fissellier, the forecast team expects the emerging markets to return to economic growth this year and next, contributing to a restored world annual GDP growth rate of 3 percent by the end of 2017. Historically, a 3 percent GDP rate has correlated with higher new aircraft order rates and strong business aviation activity. Bombardier’s projections show anticipated large-cabin-jet delivery rates for the whole industry down by as much as around 10 percent from 607 in 2015 to between 540 and 560 in 2016. The
In February, Bombardier delivered its 75th Learjet 75, just over two years after the aircraft entered service, joining its Learjet 70 sibling. Last month, Bombardier veteran Mike Fahey was chosen to lead a new worldwide sales team dedicated to the Learjet 75 and 70 models. Here in Geneva this week, Bombardier is exhibiting examples of its Challenger 350 and 650 models, plus a pair of Global 6000s. o
company believes delivery rates in the medium and light categories will be fairly stable. Over the 10-year period, Bombardier forecasts 2,400 large-cabin deliveries (worth $130 billion), 2,800 midsize jets ($84 billion) and 3,100 light jets ($36 billion). Orders in the jet segments forecast by Bombardier stood at 607 in 2015, which was just one percent up from the 601 in 2014. Last year represented the highest delivery rate since the last [pre-financial crisis] peak in 2008 and Fissellier described it as a “transition year.” Fissellier explained that Bombardier’s forecast works on a so-called regression model that consists of the following three key variables, each with its own supporting driver listed in parentheses: pre-owned aircraft inventory (world GDP growth, MSCI equity market index, and interest rate spread); orders (world GDP growth, oil price, percentage of pre-owned inventory on market, and one-year residual aircraft values); and deliveries (world GDP growth, production capability and order backlog). –C.A.
THE WORLD’S MOST ADVANCED LIGHT JET IS CERTIFIED AND BEING DELIVERED. In December 2015, the HondaJet received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification, and Honda Aircraft Company began deliveries. Join the celebration and learn more at EBACE 2016, Booth N072 or hondajet.com.
MORE PRIVACY, LESS NOISE. Introducing the only forward pocket door in the light category, providing the quietest in-class cabin. This innovative feature offers a private and separate living space for passengers, reducing the cabin noise by up to eight decibels.
EXPERIENCE PEACEFUL TRANQUILITY. VISIT THE LEARJET 75 AT THE STATIC DISPLAY TODAY. B U S I N E SSA I R C R A F T. B O M B A R D I E R .CO M / L E A R J E T 75 Bombardier and Learjet 75 are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. Š 2016 Bombardier Inc. All rights reserved.
TO LEARN MORE: CONTACT MIKE FAHEY +1 (316) 946-6634 MIKE.FAHEY@AERO.BOMBARDIER.COM
Lufthansa Technik’s ‘Home’ interiors target younger VIPs by James Wynbrandt
Lufthansa Technik’s “Home” interior concept starts with the realization that passengers on VIP Airbus A350s have a lifestyle that combines family travel with business. The cabin is set up to be flexible for both.
The whole concept of Home is to add a more person-centric experience. On-board massage tables are one option for those who find value in using travel time for relaxation and rejuvenation.
Recognizing the bottom-line element of business aviation travel, LHT’s Home program includes conference rooms and full-capacity business needs, such as Internet connectivity and communications.
Top-tier organic materials such as brushed oak and natural fabrics are part of the Home experience. LHT recognizes that today’s VIP is younger and accustomed to fast delivery once the decisions are made.
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Lufthansa Technik (LHT, Booth L089) such as brushed oak and natural fabrics. is celebrating a “Home” coming here in A humidification system and LED mood Geneva, introducing a VIP interior con- lighting will heighten a feeling of being on cept for the Airbus A350 that the comple- top of the world for those on board. tion and refurbishment specialist has de“We wanted to put the human being at signed for a new generation of executive the center of the story,” Reichenecker said. airliner buyers. “We call it ‘Home,’ because “We want the VIP to leave more relaxed that’s what it’s supposed to be,” said Mi- than when they entered.” chael Reichenecker, LHT’s chief interior Composite airframes such as the A350’s architect and Home’s co-designer. “Our can create challenges for completion cencustomers are getting younger, and they ters, but Lufthansa Airlines operates will have different demands on what they A350s, initially outfitted by LHT, providwant their aircraft to do,” he said. ing hands-on experience with the airframe. LHT believes these cus“We have a huge expert tomers will demand a flexteam,” said Wieland Timm, ible space that allows them LHT’s head of VIP sales. to alternately enjoy comThe interior can be furplete family privacy or ther customized to meet entertaining, while still owner tastes and preferences, accommodating staff and and can also be adapted for other support needs. the Boeing 777 and 787 airEBACE attendees can take frames. Home will take a virtual tour of the interior approximately two years to at LHT’s display at its booth, construct. “It will not be where Home is showcased on the fastest [completion], but 3D monitors and iPad apps it will be the best looking,” Michael Reichenecker providing 360-degree views claimed Reichenecker. from various points in the floor plan. Its A350 interior concept notwithReichenecker is also on hand to explain standing, LHT sees demand for new the fine points of the design. narrowbody bizliners declining, and preHome brings the master suite area to owned sales and refurbishments on the the front of the cabin. “That’s the best increase. The used inventory is coming place in the airplane–the most quiet, the mostly from the Middle East and Asia, least affected by movement, the place you Timm said, as are purchases and requests want to be if you own this aircraft,” said for retrofits. Here again, LHT sees a genReichenecker. The forward section can be erational shift occurring. closed off with “huge sliding doors,” trans“The customers are getting younger and forming the space into a private suite with they do not want to wait so long to get a bedroom, and providing the opportunity new aircraft and interior,” observed Timm. to gather alone with family, “something “You see this especially in the Asian marVIPs often don’t have enough time to do,” ket. The buying pattern is similar to luxReichenecker said. ury cars: They go in the shop, say ‘I’ll take A small office in the master suite area it,’ in red or green, and they want it delivprovides room to meet with staff, video ered tomorrow.” conference, and attend to other business That impatience is an advantage for without impinging on family fun. LHT, Timm said, pointing to its Elite This private forward section joins a and Leadership Select modular interiors large guest area farther back in the cabin designed for ACJs and BBJs ,respectively, and, when the sliding enclosures are which he said are “the fastest-built cabins opened, forms “a huge cinema lounge” in the world; we can deliver it, everything for entertaining. included, in five months.” “The idea is that you really can open LHT is also showcasing products from it up to a wide, brightly lit space, or can Inairvation, its joint partnership estabclose it off and be in a totally shielded lished to develop products for business jet area,” said Reichenecker. interiors. These innovations include a new, Given the hectic lifestyles of widebody competitively priced content service, offeraircraft owners, healthy dining is also a ing early window releases, for Nice HD, focus. With a galley equipped with LHT’s LHT’s integrated CMS/IFE (cabin mannew inductive cooking stove, “You can agement system/inflight entertainment) always have a fresh meal prepared instead system. LHT has an active Nice HD retof having something coming out of a rofit program for Global aircraft. microwave,” said Reichenecker. “The Chair,”which is what LHT calls Also adding to the wellbeing at Home: Inairvation’s in-development all-purpose there’s a large spa area in the rear of the business aircraft seat, is also on display aircraft, equipped with a steam shower, here at the EBACE show. First delivermassage bench, and workout and relax- ies are expected in the second quarter ation areas. of next year, said Philip von Schroeter, Enhancing the comforting ambiance, Inairvation’s CEO, and LHT’s director, the interior will feature organic materials OEM business units. o
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Artistic new name for a legacy player by Mark Huber Helicopter maker AgustaWestland is making its first air show appearance under the newly adopted name of its parent company Finmeccanica (Booth Z045). The Anglo-Italian
company now goes by the name Leonardo Helicopters, as part of the wider group name change to Leonardo-Finmeccanica (or simply Leonardo from January 1, 2017). Its helicopters will still
be designated with model names beginning AW. The move follows several months of an interim identity as AgustaWestland was temporarily rebranded as Finmeccanica The ground run of the third AW609 civil tiltrotor prototype on May 4 follows the resumption of test activities with the first prototype, AC1, on April 15. The flight-test program had been on hold following the fatal crash of AC2 on October 30 in Italy.
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The largest privately-owned facility in the world offering VIP, private and corporate aviation services. — Maintenance — Completion and Refurbishment — Charter / Aircraft Brokering AMAC Aerospace Switzerland AG Telephone + 4 1 58 310 31 31 info@amacaerospace.com Henric Petri -Strasse 35 www.amacaerospace.com 4051 Basel, Switzerland
12 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
Helicopters. The new name acknowledges 15th and 16th Century Italian artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci, widely credited with devising the first concept for the helicopter. Late last year, Finmeccanica CEO Mauro Moretti said thenew name would be “recognizable, simple [and] very Italian.” Moretti said Finmeccanica was looking for something to “reflect the history of our evolution in space and security,” adding that the company slogan would now be “genius at your service.” Meanwhile the third AW609 civil tiltrotor, AC3, completed its first restrained ground run on May 4 at the LeonardoFinmeccanica facilities in Cascina Costa, Italy, with all engines and systems operating. The aircraft will join the FAA flight-test program at the company’s Philadelphia plant this summer. Testing plans for AC3 include icing trials scheduled for this coming winter. The ground run of the third prototype followed the resumption of test activities with the first prototype, AC1, on April 15. The flight-test program had been on hold following the fatal crash of AC2 on October 30 in Italy, outside Santhia in Vercelli province. That accident killed company test pilots Pietro Venanzi and Herb Moran. While the cause of the crash is still officially undisclosed, Leonardo officials indicated in February that they were confident of its cause and that it would have minimal effect on the flight-test and aircraft-certification program. At that time they said they planned to finish the test program with three aircraft. The fourth prototype, AC4, is undergoing assembly in Philadelphia and destined to enter the test fleet next year. The OEM expects to earn certification of the AW609 in 2018 and will start deliveries immediately thereafter. o
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Swiss-based CJ1 operator is the first to install Tamarack’s active winglets by Chad Trautvetter The first customer installation of Tamarack Aerospace’s Atlas (active technology load
alleviation system) winglets was completed in late April on a Cessna Citation CJ1 operated by
private charter firm JetPingu and based at Switzerland’s Grenchen Airport. The installation took This Cessna Citation CJ1, operated by private charter firm JetPingu and based at Switzerland’s Grenchen Airport, is the first customer aircraft outfitted with Tamarack Aerospace’s Atlas active winglets. The Textron Aviation Service Center in Zurich performed the installation.
400 man-hours and was performed at the Textron Aviation Service Center in Zurich (Booth V029). Tamarack Aerospace Group secured supplemental type certificate (STC) approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency for the Atlas winglets on the CitationJet, CJ1 and CJ1+ in January. EASA approval for the M2, a variant of the CJ1+ with Garmin G3000 avionics, is pending. U.S. FAA STCs are anticipated to follow this summer for all four models. New STC Targets
According to Tamarack COO Brian Cox, the company is also pursuing EASA and FAA STCs for Atlas on the CJ3 and then the CJ2. He said the CJ4 and other aircraft types “are on our radar,” adding that more news on this front will follow this summer. The U.S. company’s winglet system includes an extra control surface near the wingtip that aerodynamically alleviates wing twisting caused by the winglets. Because of this, reinforcing the wing is not required, so the installation time is “substantially less” than that for a “passive” winglet, said Cox. Approval is slated for late summer on an aircraft flight manual supplement to improve the first- and second-gradient climb by 20 percent, raise zero fuel weight by 400 pounds and permit higher-weight takeoffs in hot-and-high conditions. The 1992 CitationJet testbed has demonstrated a 25-percent reduction in fuel burn thanks to the winglets and set an unofficial record of flying 1,853 nm nonstop, according to Cox. o
00 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com 14
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UAS expands its global reach and introduces new software by Peter Shaw-Smith UAS, the Dubai-based flight sup- Aviation Concepts Group that sees us port company that is in the process of significantly boost service capabilities setting up offices worldwide, is making and offer clients more location options inroads in the Far East, the U.S., India and higher quality in the Asia Pacific and Africa, and is unveiling new software region,” said Husary. here at EBACE. He spoke of “tremen“The past 12 months have dous growth” in that region seen UAS build on its capain the previous nine months. bilities in the Asia Pacific “Our clients can access and Greater China. It has hangarage, technical supalso significantly increased port and other facilities at its portfolio of clients at Pacific FBOs in Subic Bay, its Americas headquarters Manila, and Guam. Three in Houston, and is coming strategic partnerships last closer to realizing its goal year with FBOs and service of placing a station manproviders T&T Aviation in ager in every country on Vietnam, IASS in Tokyo, the African continent,” Jay and Bali FBO operator PT Ammar Husary, executive Sari Biomantara, saw us UAS’s Jay Ammar Husary vice president, UAS (Booth strengthen service levels to E065), told AIN in an interview before meet increasing client demands.” EBACE. Recently, UAS’s regional office in A number of important strategic Beijing began operating 24/7 to cope partnerships formed since August 2015 with the rapid increase in demand for have seen it solidify its foothold in the reliable trip support solutions in Greater Asia Pacific region. “Most recently, we China. Similarly, its regional office in have entered a strategic partnership with New Delhi, India, has been increasing
its market presence since establishment a year ago. UAS also has station offices in 13 African countries, with another two about to open. “There is no substitute for the professionalism of local and regional staff who not only have a thorough understanding of local regulations and business culture, but also awareness of international procedures and the support of our extensive global network,” Husary said. “In Africa, we are steadily building the most extensive ground presence available on the continent. Just this month, we placed a new station manager in Congo, bringing the total to 13, and constant expansion is on our agenda for the remainder of 2016 and beyond.” From an operational viewpoint, he said challenges exist to ensure compliance with CAA and regulatory bodies for every category of flight operator and purpose. “Because rules on entry requirements and permit applications change regularly in many jurisdictions, it is our responsibility to ensure we are always aware of the latest requirements in every country worldwide and to remain ahead of the game in this respect,” added Husary. Emergency situations like the recent Zika and Ebola epidemics, as well as terrorism threats, require operational knowledge and experience to plan around and work through. “We have a vast network
of preferred vendors, allowing clients instant access to credit for services at airports they are visiting for the first time or do not operate to regularly. This is something that is vital to clients and a great opportunity for us to excel.” Most of the current activity is in North America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East. Saudi Arabia had plans to open FBO facilities in Dammam, while several better-known FBO operators are seeking opportunities to purchase existing FBOs or invest in new facilities. Of late, this activity had also been seen in Europe, the U.S. and South Africa. Flight Evolution Software
UAS is also introducing a new software tool here at EBACE. “UAS Flight Evolution is a cutting-edge technological development from UAS Evolution, the most comprehensive suite of online and mobile flight-planning tools available for business aviation. It is highly sophisticated, while being easy to use, convenient, and highly efficient,” said Husary. “It provides a new standard of user experience. We worked with the highly acclaimed aviation application developer ForeFlight to design it. It has been designed by pilots for pilots, making it the most relevant and necessary addition to any airman’s toolkit. We’ll be demonstrating its capabilities and features at the UAS booth at EBACE 2016.”
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16 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
FALCON 8X ENGINE GETS EASA BLESSING
MARK WAGNER
The European Aviation Safety Agency has issued type validation for the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307D engine that powers Dassault’s new Falcon 8X trijet. The turbofan was certified last year by Transport Canada and the FAA. The PW307D, which delivers 6,725 pounds of thrust at sea level, ISA + 17C conditions, delivers five percent more thrust than the earlier PW307A model on the Falcon 7X. Specific fuel consumption has been cut thanks to improved fan seals, blade tip clearances and exhaust mixer, as well as a new fadec. The Falcon 8X is expected to be certified this summer. –T.D.
by Chad Trautvetter
BOMBARDIER HIGH-TAILS IT TO EBACE Bombardier’s light, super-midsize and large-cabin jet offerings–the Learjet 75 and Challenger 350 and 650, respectively–sped across the ocean from Montreal to be available for viewing here.
Pazos unveils new San Juan FBO by Curt Epstein Despite the recent the only FBO in dire news regarding the Caribbean to Puerto Rico’s econoffer such service, omy, the Caribbean in-house. It will be island is still very available 24/7 with much open for busia one-hour notificaness. And come this tion, and will handle fall it will be the site all general aviation of a brand new $6 operations at the million FBO. The airport, which was operators of Pazos recently privatized. FBO (Booth Z029), Pazos president Jose “This enhances the one of two service Maldonado is investing airport’s already providers at San in a new $6 million FBO strategic importance at Luis Muñoz Marin Juan’s Luis Muñoz International Airport in San as the first U.S. port Marin International Juan, Puerto Rico. of entry southAirport (LMM), east of the United chose to present their new facility States,” said Pazos president here at EBACE to demonstrate Jose Maldonado. their investment and commitThe glass-sheathed, two-story ment to the region. building will offer continuous The 12,500-square-foot views of the ramp and runway, (1,161-square-meter) terminal and will include a luxury passenwill more than double the size of ger lounge, concierge service, a the facility Pazos has occupied pilot’s lounge with snooze rooms since it moved from Isla Grande and shower facilities, a 15-seat Airport to LMM in 2002. It a/v-equipped conference room, will feature an onsite full-ser- on-site limousine service, car vice U.S. Customs and Border rental and a canopy-covered airProtection facility, making it craft arrival area.
European bizav flying marginally up in April
After the opening of the new terminal, the company will break ground on a new 22,000-sq-ft (2,044-sq-m) hangar capable of sheltering aircraft up to a Boeing 737-800. The new structure will bring the facility’s hangar space up to 30,000 sq ft (2,787 sq m), and support its maintenance capabilities. Over the past year, as part of the construction project, the company added 150,000 sq ft (13,935 sq m) of ramp, for a total of 240,000 sq ft (22,297 sq m). “The expansion will further support the airport’s general aviation operation, already the busiest in the Caribbean,” noted Maldonado. Based on its capital improvements, the company recently negotiated a 20-year extension to its lease. A member of the World Fuel Services’ Air Elite network since 2013, Pazos conducts all the fueling at the airport, with an annual flowage of approximately 7 million gallons, pumped from the airport’s newly installed fuel farm, which was supplied by World Fuel. o
The company’s San Juan FBO will include a glass-sheathed, two-story terminal with a luxury passenger lounge, pilot lounge with snooze rooms, 15-seat conference room and a canopy covered aircraft arrival area. It is slated to open this fall.
Business aircraft flying in Europe achieved a marginal gain of just 0.1 percent last month, with 63,602 departures recorded in the region, according to data released on May 10 by data group WingX Advance. The overall improvement stems from 2-percent growth in business jet activity; business turboprop and piston activity dragged down the results, declining between 2 and 3 percent. Yearto-date, flying in the region is trailing 2015 by 1.6 percent. “The declining trend in the first quarter did not extend into April, with stabilization in the UK market and growing activity in Germany making for a small recovery,” said WingX managing director Richard Koe. Western Europe recorded growth of 1.6 percent last month, with flight activity up in all markets except Switzerland. Germany and Spain were the strongest markets, WingX said. Several smaller markets also saw some growth last month, with flights from Norway up 8 percent; Czech Republic, 10 percent; and Belgium, 15 percent.
Flights from southern and eastern Europe fell 2 percent, deteriorating on the 12-month trends. Arrivals from Russia into Europe fell by 11 percent, though this is an improvement on recent trends. Transatlantic flights were up 5 percent, while Middle East connections climbed 2 percent. In the jet category, very light jets led the pack as activity ascended 22 percent year-overyear last month. This was followed by an 8-percent increase in ultra-long-range flying and 2.5-percent growth in light jet activity. Turboprop flying in the region struggled last month, falling 2.4 percent. Two of Europe’s busiest business aviation airports, Paris Le Bourget and Geneva, each saw slight year-over-year declines last month. The next busiest airports—London Luton, Farnborough and Nice—all recorded modest gains in activity. Of the 25 busiest European business airports tracked by WingX, Munich logged the largest growth, with activity soaring 25.4 percent. o
STANDARDAERO ADDS ARUBA AUTHORIZATION StandardAero Business Aviation (Booth N073) announced its recent official confirmation and certification for providing aircraft and engine services in Aruba, expanding the company’s international footprint and investments to more than 40 countries. The Aruba certification applies to StandardAero’s MRO facility at Houston International Airport (IAH). The U.S.-based company has renewed an additional 13 international certifications to date this year, in various countries in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. “We aim to be the global MRO leader in the business aviation industry,” said company president Marc McGowan. “Expanding and maintaining our international certifications and authorizations is critical for our customers who operate and travel both domestically and internationally.” –J.W.
www.ainonline.com • May 24, 2016 • EBACE Convention News 17
NEWS CLIPS z Shanghai Hawker Pacific Sees Busy 1Q Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Centre (SHPBAC) is reporting that the period from January to April 2016 has been its busiest four months ever to start the year. The FBO had nearly 2,000 movements, combining numbers at Shanghai’s Hongqiao and Pudong airports. This is a 14.6 percent increase, the company said. Shanghai Hawker Pacific has seen sustained growth for its operations every year since opening in 2010. “With Disneyland set for opening next month in Shanghai, we think this trend will continue,” general manager Carey Matthews predicted. About one third of the movements take place at Hongqiao airport. SHPBAC is a joint venture between Shanghai Airport Authority and Hawker Pacific and hosts the annual ABACE business aviation event, which was most recently stages this past April. The next event will take place April 11-13, 2017.
z Ricklin named manager at Ruag’s GVA Ruag Aviation (Booth E089) has appointed David Ricklin as general manager at the company’s Geneva business aviation maintenance facility and FBO. Welcoming Ricklin to his new position, effective May 1st, Volker Wallrodt, Ruag Aviation’s senior v-p for business jets, Do228 and components, stressed the company’s emphasis on “full transparency, quality and trust.” Ricklin brings 20 years’ experience in business aviation, Wallrodt said. Ruag’s service offerings range from maintenance, repair and overhaul to cabin interiors, painting, system upgrades, FBO and consulting.
z Universal Avionics’ New AHRS TSO’d Universal Avionics (Booth T063) has received TSO approval for its AHS-525 attitude heading reference system (AHRS). The new product is positioned as a low-cost option for replacing legacy mechanical attitude and directional gyros in Part-23 and Part-25 fixed-wing aircraft and Part-27 and Part-29 rotorcraft. Benefits include reduced operating costs and weight, as well as increased reliability, according to Dan Reida, Universal Avionics’ v-p of sales and marketing. The AHS-525 contains multiple solid-state rate gyros to measure angular aircraft motion in the pitch, roll and yaw axes, and several accelerometers to measure aircraft linear motion along the longitudinal, lateral and vertical axes. It is said to be a more cost-effective option than replacing the more fragile mechanical “spinning” gyroscopes.
z Dallas Airmotive Speeds Turn Times U.S.-based Honeywell engine service provider Dallas Airmotive introduced ExpressLane capability here at EBACE, aimed at providing accelerated turnaround times for MRO service on Honeywell TFE731 turbofans. The company currently offers a standard 14-day turn on Major Periodic Inspections (MPIs) and Core Zone Inspections (CZIs) for the engine, but with the new program it says it can provide even quicker service while maintaining quality levels. “ExpressLane describes our ability to ramp up and flex our operations and deliver expedited turnaround times,” said Mark Stubbs, chief commercial officer of parent company BBA Aviation Global Engine Services. “We have worked very hard to become more efficient and flexible within our product lines.” Earlier this year the company completed two major MPI/ CZIs in 10 days, and the team can turn around MPIs in as little as three days, the company said. Also here at EBACE, Dallas Airmotive (BBA Aviation Booth C051) is teaming with H+S Aviation, also a BBA subsidiary, to offer exclusive incentives for customers who sign up at the show for qualifying engine overhauls at either of the companies.
Airbus Corporate Jets tapped Jet Aviation Basel to produce renderings of a VIP-configured cabin in an ACJ350.
Jet Aviation presents its vision of A350 interior by James Wynbrandt Jet Aviation Basel (JAB) has revealed that Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ) has appointed the company to design and render a VIP cabin interior for the Airbus ACJ350 for presentation here at EBACE. A member of the newgeneration composite airliner’s flight test fleet is making an appearance here, though it will not be in the show’s static display. JAB’s Design Studio’s response is an interior taking inspiration from both high-end hotels and residential design philosophies. The concept “takes on a new approach to VVIP aviation interior design,” according to Jet Aviation, “with a focus on how completions clients might appreciate the future of flying in a next-generation aircraft.” ACJ selected JAB Completions Center for the project “based on
their demonstrated capabilities to execute an interior fit-out on widebody and composite aircraft,” said ACJ managing director Benoit Defforge. The cabin layout features a large lounge and dining area segmented into separate spaces for eating, relaxing and socializing, and balanced by a spacious private suite including a master bedroom, bathroom and private lobby. The proposed design elements include an electro chromatic shade system and induction chargers within the nightstand in the bedroom, and a heated towel rail and walk in shower in the bathroom. Renderings of the interior have been created by ACA Advanced Computer Art GmbH, and will be shown to select visitors aboard the green A350 during the show. Additional renderings and a 3D
printed model of the cabin are on view at JAB’s display (Booth A050) here at the show (the model will on Tuesday be in the A350 and will then be transferred to the Jet Aviation booth). JAB also announced delivery of a major refurbishment on a U.S.-registered Embraer Legacy 650, performed in conjunction with its C-Check. The project included a full carpet replacement, seat and divan re-upholstery, wood repairs, recovering of the dado panels, and a new NonTextile Flooring installation in the galley, in addition to an avionics upgrade. JAB also repainted the aircraft’s exterior. JAB, Europe’s only Embraer Service Center, also recently refurbished an EMB-135 during its C-Check. Further expanding its capabilities, JAB announced here that it has received approval from EASA to operate its new Honeywell Aerospace Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) Overhaul Facility for the GTCP36 series. Honeywell’s APUs are used in thousands of jets to start main engines and provide bleed air and electrical power. o
GDC working on Airbus, Boeing JetWave by Kerry Lynch GDC Group is progressing on a number of supplemental type certificates (STCs) for Honeywell’s Ka-Band JetWave hardware on various VIP Boeing and Airbus aircraft. The company anticipates the first batch of STCs to be completed early next year to cover the Boeing 747-300/400, 777-200/300, Boeing Business Jet, BBJ 2, BBJ 3 and the Airbus ACJ319/320 (Airbus Corporate Jets). A second batch covering the Airbus A330/340 is anticipated in the third quarter of 2017. The STCs will enable operators to use the JetWave Ka-Band service that will offer seamless global coverage and enable HDTV live streaming, advanced in-flight entertainment and office options, voice over internet
18 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
protocol telephony and VPN, among other capabilities. The installations and STCs combine the expertise and capabilities of the company’s GDC Technics completions facility in Fort Worth, Texas, and its GDC Engineering unit, formed through its late-2014 acquisition of Munich, Germany-based PFW Engineering Group. Since that acquisition GDC has unveiled a new “Engineering the Impossible” strategy and invested $30 million in developing an array of new technologies for cabin interiors. For the JetWave STCs, GDC Technics is installing the equipment and conducting final ground and flight tests, while its GDC Engineering
unit is handling engineering and certification. “Through the integration of the latest in-flight connectivity capabilities, GDC continues to demonstrate its commitment to innovation,” said Mohammed Alzeer, general partner of GDC Technics. “This game-changing technology allows operators to experience the long-anticipated convenience of in-flight connectivity that is as good as at-home and in-office features.” Noting that GDC Technologies signed an agreement in November 2014 to develop JetWave STCs on both Airbus and Boeing platforms, Alzeer added, “Now we are on our way to fulfill our commitment to aircraft owners and to Honeywell.” o
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Gulfstream G650ER wins limited EASA nod
Gulfstream has a full contingent of its business jets here at the EBACE show.
Gulfstream Aerospace is bringing its longest-range aircraft, the G650ER, to the European market with the recent European Aviation Safety Agency approval for private operations for the twinjet. The extended range version of the G650 was announced during the 2014 EBACE event and achieved U.S. FAA certification in October that year. Customer deliveries of the 7,500-nm jet began a month later. The approval is limited to private operations and, for placarded aircraft, charter operations of up to 100,000 pounds. Gulfstream (Booth S141) continues to work toward full validation for commercial operations and is hopeful to obtain that nod by the end of 2017. EASA approval enables customers to register the aircraft in a European Union country. Certification comes as Gulfstream executives remain encouraged about the prospects of the European market. The Gulfstream fleet, now at 220 in Europe, has grown by 24 percent in the region over the last
five years, Gulfstream president Mark Burns said on the eve of the 2016 edition of EBACE. Burns noted the importance of this show, saying it “has become one of the most important events of the year for us” while stressing that his company is optimistic for its prospects here this week. Gulfstream also is using EBACE as a platform to demonstrate its efforts in biofuels, flying both the G450 and G550 to EBACE using renewable fuels. Green Credentials
“In 2011, the G450 was the first business jet to cross the Atlantic using biofuels,” Burns said. “The G450 and G550 flights to Geneva are the first transatlantic flights made using our own renewable fuel supply and mark an important milestone in our mission to practice sustainability.” Gulfstream signed a three-year agreement with World Fuel Services last year for a consistent supply of renewable fuels for its flight operations in Savannah. AltAir produces the fuel, a blend of low-carbon
MARK WAGNER
by Kerry Lynch
renewable fuel and Jet A that Gulfstream said can achieve more than a 50-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to the G450 and G550, the entire Gulfstream demonstrate fleet has now flown using renewable fuels, as has the G500 flight test fleet. Scott Neal, senior v-p worldwide sales and marketing, also updated the progress of both the G500 and G600, reiterating that they both remain on schedule. The G500 flight test fleet surpassed the 1,000-flighthour mark two weeks ago and has accumulated 240 flights.
During flight tests, the G500 has reached 53,000 feet and flown up to Mach 0.995. The flight-test program, which currently has four aircraft, is demonstrating “terrific reliability,” Neal said, adding the fidelity so early in the program “is something we haven’t seen before.” He credits the results to the investments in flight test labs that have enabled more than 50,000 hours of ground testing and system maturation. The first production G500 is in completion and is expected to fly later this year to test all the systems in a fully outfitted
aircraft. The G500, a 5,000-nm aircraft (at Mach 0.85) that features the Symmetry Flight Deck with active control sidesticks, is expected to be certified in 2017 and enter into service in 2018. The 600 is moving ahead rapidly behind the 500, with first flight now anticipated later this year, ahead of the original schedule of 2017. The first aircraft’s wings were joined last month and the empennage has been mated to the fuselage. That aircraft, which will fly 6,200 nm at Mach 0.85, is slated to receive certification and enter service about a year behind the G500. o
You’re not seeing double—Honda Aircraft is showing two identically painted HondaJets at the static display.
HondaJet gets European approval by Chad Trautvetter Honda Aircraft’s HA-420 HondaJet received EASA certification on the eve of EBACE, paving the way for deliveries of European-registered aircraft to customers. Steven Higgins, EASA’s section manager for high performance aircraft and turboprops, presented the type certificate for the HondaJet to Honda Aircraft president and CEO Michimasa Fujino during
a press event yesterday. This follows U.S. Federal Aviation Administration approval in December and Mexico Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil validation in March. Honda Aircraft will next turn to getting certifications in Canada and Brazil. Meanwhile, the company has completed all icing testing on the HondaJet and is awaiting
flight-into-known-icing approval from the FAA and EASA. This [latest] certification signifies the HondaJet meets the highest European safety standards,” said Fujino. “HondaJet deliveries in Europe have begun, and we are excited to see the HondaJet enter service in this important market.” In fact, the keys to the first European-registered HA-420
20 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
MARK WAGNER
DAVID McINTOSH
EASA’s Steven Higgins presents the European type certificate for the HondaJet to Honda Aircraft president and CEO Michimasa Fujino.
HondaJet–M-HNDA (an Isle of Man registration)– will be handed over to Honda Aircraft northern Europe dealer Marshall Aviation Services today at 9:30 a.m. at the EBACE static area. A U.S.registered HondaJet was delivered last month to Rheinland Air Service, the HondaJet dealer for central Europe, during AERO 2016 in Friedrichshafen, Germany, marking the first customer handover for the model in Europe. Honda Aircraft has already established a comprehensive
sales and service dealer network in Europe. This includes TAG Aviation for the southern Europe region, in addition to Marshall Aviation and Rheinland Air Service. The HondaJet, which features over-the-wing mounted engines, is priced at $4.85 million and has an NBAA IFR range of 1,223 nautical miles/2,265 kilometers. o
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Europe’s GDP is up, but bizav not following EBAA comes to Geneva as it ponders its own ambitions and expansion against a confusing economic backdrop. Speaking at a pre-EBACE press conference on the 27th floor of ‘The Hotel’ in Brussels on April 27, the association’s CEO Fabio Gamba admitted that the picture isn’t very positive, and is in fact confusing. Europe’s business aviation activity dipped last year over the previous year, and the farther east the worse the picture looks. While the situation in Russia is known–a combination of a political stand-off with the
and connectivity.“Often people don’t grasp the complexity” of the latter, said Gamba. On top of this, it has seven country profiles, including the main three of Germany, France and the UK. Together these represent 63 percent of output, from a sector that employs 371,000, adds €27 billion of value to the economy and “almost €98 billion” to output, according to EBAA’s figures. “The main difference is that we fly direct,” noted Gamba. “We don’t have hubs.” He added, “We’ve taken the 800,000 movements by bizav annually and looked at the fastest alternative, and on average we’re gaining two hours [on the airlines].” He said that in terms of connectivity, business aviation offers some 100,000 city pairs, “25,000 of which have no commercial service. So 200,000 flights a year are not possible via airlines.” He added that many would find they were “close to an airfield wherever you are.” Triple Dip
EBAA CEO Fabio Gamba
EU and the commodities crisis that has suppressed the BRICS nations–the overall figures point to a move into the third dip of a “triple-dip recession” with a curious break away from the usual correlation with GDP. The meeting was the second time that EBAA had presented trends in business aviation, and it follows a comprehensive thirdparty report that was released in March. Gamba said that the study looked at business aviation in Europe from three angles: its economic contribution; time and cost efficiencies;
On the economic situation Gamba said, “We believe that business aviation is a good indicator of how the economy is faring.” In his presentation, he pointed to the “big dip” of 2008 and another dip in 2011/12, with both tracking GDP growth. “But we started to see a decoupling at the end of 2015; GDP was up 1.8 percent but [European] bizav was down 2.0 percent. So the question is, is that only related to a number of months? Or could it mean a difficult time for Europe?” He suggested that a new wave of industry consolidation might not be far away. EBAA’s study also looked
COURTESY OF EBAA
by Ian Sheppard
With a few exceptions, business aviation traffic in Europe last year dropped deeper into the “red” the farther east you look.
at 2010 to 2015 with a focus on the top 10 business aviation airports. Gamba said that Paris Le Bourget is “the biggest bizav airport by far in Europe” even though it had dropped in terms of movements. But some others, such as Geneva, had seen considerable drops in movements. “So we have some concerns about Geneva.” Moscow was down almost 5 percent and Rome Ciampino almost 7 percent. Only London Luton and Farnborough showed growth, he said. The busiest city pair was Paris (Le Bourget)-Geneva with around 4,000 flights a year. Paris’s two main airports, Charles de Gaulle and Orly, see very little business aviation traffic. Gamba contrasted this with London where bizav traffic is spread among six or seven airports, giving a good array of choice depending on the part of the city you need to access. The next most active city pairs were Paris-Nice, MilanRome and Moscow-Nice, but Gamba noted, “All the top four have decreased.” He asked whether this troubled picture was “just passing turbulence? And was the promise of the East only fleeting?” Looking at 2015 departures compared to 2014 (see illustration), Russia showed a 40 percent decrease, and even once booming Turkey dipped by 6.3
Report Illegal Charter Activity, Says EBAA At the end of April, EBAA put out a note urging “everyone involved with business aviation” to ensure that flights advertised and arranged are both legal and in compliance with the regulatory safety standards demanded by air operator certificate holders. “If you are a passenger, crewmember, or anyone else who suspects a non-compliant business aviation activity, please report the activity to EBAA,” it said. The form is available at http://ebaa.org/en/current-issues/reporting-noncompliant-flights.aspx and any additional relevant documentation can be uploaded also. The association noted that “a campaign to curb
non-compliant activities must be built on concrete facts and case studies that define the importance of the phenomenon and help the association and authorities to understand the motivations behind the activities. Effective countermeasures can only be developed if the trends are correctly identified.” It said that the information provided to EBAA would be used to produce an initial aggregated report on non-compliant activities. “This report will help us to develop tailormade solutions to address the non-compliant activity issue, which can then be presented to national authorities.” No personal details will be published and only aggregate data will be included in the final report. n
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percent. Ukraine was down 57 percent and Belarus down by 72 percent, though it is a tiny market, Gamba admitted. Even the Baltic countries and Poland were down, so the faltering European business aviation landscape is growing in the east. Poland had been “playing the locomotive” but not any more. Business Aviation Lags
Gamba then compared business aviation passenger numbers to airline premium travelers. Bizav accounted for around 1.3 million whereas the latter accounted for 37 million, counting all flights leaving European airports for any destination worldwide. Airline premium passenger numbers have recovered, but business aviation is lagging behind. There is a correlation, however, in that large-cabin business jets continue to be strong worldwide. Business aviation is “increasingly being used for long haul” flight, growing from 5.9 percent of movements in 2005 to 8.1 percent in 2015. “So it has increased by 40 percent while intra-European has decreased slightly” [-2.7 percent in that period]. He noted, however, that the “big machines” had struggled in terms of new sales in the past one to two years, “but we have a revival in [sales of] the entry-level jets.” So there is a “bright side,” said Gamba, given that profits and margins are better on long-haul, due to lower competition. “It’s where business aviation is at its best, to fly from a small airport in Scandinavia to a small airport in Brazil.” Also on the bright side he noted that business aviation had maintained a steady 7 percent share of flights over the past 10 years, “despite everything.” Gamba concluded by outlining what EBAA is focusing on now, one priority being increasing the number of satellite-based
precision approaches, to open up more airfields to business aircraft. He said that 500 LPV procedures are planned, and that there were already 150 in Europe so far. This compares to the U.S. with its more than 3,500 LPV approaches. “We’re telling the Commission that the runways are there,” he stated. He said that EBAA is also working hard to “disseminate a Just Culture, the sharing of occurrences in a no-blame environment,” via E-SORS (the EBAA Safety Occurrence Reporting System). Gamba also spoke to AIN after the event about what might help boost the sector, and described a new initiative to try to persuade policymakers, initially in Brussels and later in the U.S., that allowing increased foreign ownership would help what is, in fact, a global industry to perform better. “The new EU Aviation Policy talks about tapping into new markets. “We saw the Transport Commissioner [Violeta Bulc] in January and said they could limit the risk by trying it on the non-scheduled sector first–and bizav is supposed to be seamless globally. We have no flags on our tails. So we believe they should open up the ownership and control between like minded countries, such as the EU and U.S.” This would also avoid the air transport sensitivities over Middle East and other foreign companies gaining control of U.S. companies by buying into European ones, and thereby getting market access too, believes Gamba. He said it is early, but the seed has been sown. “She [Bulc] said to come back if you can convince the Americans.” Events-wise, as well as EBACE, EBAA has a new “Schedulers & Dispatchers” style event in October in Cannes, called Airops and dedicated to FBOs and airports. o
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TAG’s here with Part-NCC solutions by Curt Epstein Ahead of a looming mandate for new regulatory standards from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for private aircraft operators, TAG Aviation has announced a new
compliance solution, which it will be discussing with EBACE showgoers at its booth (Y044). Part-NCC (for “non-commercial operations with complex motor-powered aircraft”)
goes into effect in late August and will essentially require that all private operators of larger aircraft adhere to the same basic standards as commercial air operators, requiring an
operations manual, along with submitting a compliance declaration to their national aviation authority accepting responsibility, accountability and liability for their operation under the new regulations. “On August 25th 2016, all non-commercial (privately operated) complex aircraft, where the beneficial owner or operator
has their principal place of business or residence in any EASA member state, will have to comply with Part-NCC,” explained TAG Europe president Graham Williamson. The regulations will apply to all operators or owners of aircraft that fall within specified weight and size guidelines; more than 5,700 kg (12,566 pounds) for fixed wing or more than 3,175 kg (7,000 pounds) for rotorcraft. Operators of complex aircraft (more than 19, seats and/or certified for operation by two pilots, and/or more than one jet or turboprop engine for fixed wing, and seating for nine and/or certificated for operation by two pilots for helicopters) registered in a state other than an EASA member state but having their principal place of business (i.e. operator is established or residing) in an EASA state will also be affected by the new rule. Custom Programs
According to Williamson, TAG has developed a customtailored program, which will release the private operator from the complexity and personal liability of the new regulations while still maintaining the flexibility of the operation. Under the program, “TAG will sign the declaration and take over the responsibility and accountability for the operation on behalf of the owner,” Williamson told AIN, noting the operation could continue to retain and employ its own crew. Under the approved TAG private operations manual, existing flight crew members will be required only to complete a single annual recurrent training event in a simulator. Customers will be offered the opportunity to integrate their crew into the company’s training program at one of its dedicated facilities or they can continue to use their current training provider pending approval and audit from TAG. TAG will audit and supervise all third party suppliers for quality and value on behalf of the client, and can perform Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization (CAMO) services for the aircraft or enter into a third-party agreement with the customer’s existing CAMO. “The TAG solution will allow an owner or operator to seamlessly transition to PartNCC with no disruption or change to their day-to-day operation,” said Williamson, adding owners can be assured that their aircraft will meet any and all of regulatory standards, according to European law. o
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24 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
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Embraer has doubled the size of its U.S. factory in Florida to accommodate assembly of Legacy 450s and 500s. Back in April at the Embraer factory in Brazil, 25 employees who will work at the new Florida assembly facility trained alongside colleagues on the Legacy 500 line.
Vanguard Legacy is taking shape by Chad Trautvetter The first Embraer Legacy that will be assembled in the U.S.–a Model 450– started rolling down the line at Embraer Executive Jets’ Melbourne, Florida final assembly plant last week. An expansion project at the factory, started in October 2014, more than doubles the size of the facility, to 124,600 sq m (149,000 sq ft), allowing Legacy 450 and 500 assembly to be added alongside the existing Phenom 100 and 300 production. All Phenom assembly will be shifted to the Florida facility by July 1, Embraer Executive Jets managing director and COO Phil Krull told AIN. Krull said that the fuselage for the Legacy 450 arrived from Embraer’s Faria Lima facility in São José dos Campos, Brazil, early last month; the midsize jet’s wings and empennage, built at the
company’s Evora factory in Portugal, arrived late last month. Twenty-five Melbourne employees recently completed four weeks of training at the Legacy 450/500 production line in São José dos Campos in preparation for the start of midsize jet assembly in Florida. According to Krull, Legacy assembly will start out slow in Melbourne; the first Legacy 450 built there won’t be delivered until mid-December. Two Legacy 450s will first be assembled at the facility, followed by two 500s. After that, this mix will be determined by customer demand, he said. The facility will be able to assemble up to 96 Phenoms and 72 Legacys annually. There are three other main elements to the expansion project: a new 29,260sq-m (35,000-sq-ft) paint facility that can accommodate the Legacy 450/500,
New Argus program audits charter brokers by Curt Epstein While Argus International may be better known for its charter operator Platinum safety ratings program, in the year since it released its charter broker “certification standard,” the program has grown as anticipated according to company president and CEO Joseph Moeggenberg. “We’ve been very happy with how it has been accepted within the industry,” he said. Initiated in response to concerns from all sides of the charter industry, from the charter operators, to customers and even the brokers themselves, the program has filled a gap, said Moeggenberg. “What we’ve found is that the industry really needed an independent, unbiased, data-based program that confirms if a charter broker is, in fact, a legitimate business,”
he told AIN. “There are some real problems happening within this industry. It’s unregulated. A whole new industry group turned up on the scene, and it’s called the ‘bar-stool broker.’” Equipped with little more than a cellphone, such disreputable brokers have the potential to cause a variety of problems, he said. Customers might show up at an airport expecting to see a modern jet waiting for them, only to find a vintage-1970s Learjet 25. On the other side of the ledger, charter operators report they are not getting paid promptly; and sometimes, not at all. For qualified brokers, it has become a challenge to separate themselves from the chaff in what is a big industry. “I do know that the air charter brokers are involved in hundreds of thousands of
a 25,920-sq-m (31,000-sq-ft) completion center/flight-prep building, and a new dedicated delivery center for the midsize Legacy jets. The completion center/flight prep building is attached to the final assembly facility and was also finished this month. A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for these buildings is planned for early next month [June]. Structures are quickly coming along on the new paint facility and delivery center, which are scheduled to open in the next few months. The paint bay is large enough to hold two Legacy 500s, or possibly even one Legacy 650 if needed, said Krull, who added that the facility could be expanded in the future as Legacy assembly in Melbourne ramps up. Embraer is now ramping up production rates at the Evora facility in Portugal. The manufacturer also has its
flights per year and the economic impact is in the billions of dollars,” noted Moeggenberg, who gained insight as he conducted research into the segment. “We were taken aback by how much gross revenue they generate.” A Three-legged Stool
The certification standard, launched last year, was established with the help of industry experts, including the British Air Charter Association, which has become one of the program’s staunchest supporters. “We know how to audit companies and how to build a standard,” Moeggenberg said. “What we did was to address all the concerns from the charter customers, charter operators and the brokers. The standard was designed to highlight the best brokers who are using best practices, and our hope is that it drives the non-professionals away from the industry.” In practice, the standard functions much in the same manner as Argus’s charter operator audits. Currently, the program
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major service center in Portugal, which is operated by its Ogma subsidiary. Both facilities are close to the capital Lisbon. Meanwhile, Phenom 100 and 300 assembly–currently flowing at a rate of five per month–will increase to six a month by year-end as production of these light jets shifts entirely to the U.S. in July. This is expected to rise to seven per month sometime next year–the maximum capacity with two shifts, said Krull, who pointed out that Phenom assembly could exceed this rate if a third shift were added. Between five and 10 Legacy 450/500s will come off the line at Melbourne next year, he said, with ramp up expected to increase in 2018. Up to 600 new employees will be added at the U.S. facility for Legacy production, with 50 of these positions planned to be filled by year-end. o
has seven certified brokers who have undergone a successful onsite audit and have met all the standards. It also includes 13 registered brokers, most of whom are working toward certification and have supplied their policies and procedures along with documented proof they are meeting the requirements of their specific jurisdictions. While the program is still developing, Cincinnati, Ohio-based Argus (Booth E066) has noted some trends as it grows. “We expected for the first couple of years to do most of our business in North America, but actually, Europe is becoming our largest market for the audit, which has surprised us,” Moeggenberg said, adding a possible explanation for the discrepancy. “The legitimate brokers are really trying to set themselves apart, because one of the big issues in Europe is gray-market charter. The concern is that some brokers are actually providing lift on aircraft that are not on an AOC.” Aside from Europe, the program has seen wide geographic
distribution, with candidates from Asia, the U.S. and South America. While currently only one auditor is performing the onsite audits, the company has two more who are completing training, one in Europe and the other based in Asia. They are expected to begin conducting their own audits next month. Cost of the program varies depending on the size of the operation and is determined on a case-by-case basis. Fees range from approximately $5,000 for smaller operations, and up to the $10,000 range for the largest brokers. Each audit covers a two-year period, after which a new audit must be scheduled. In between, however, the charter broker must keep Argus informed of its activities. The fact that it’s a “living standard” is another similarity to the company’s other products. “The Argus Platinum standard for charter operators is always evolving,” explained Moeggenberg. “This certified charter broker standard will also change constantly.” o
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Signature Flight Support fills a gap with Italy’s SEA Prime joint venture by Curt Epstein It’s been a busy few years for Italian airport operator SEA, which manages Milan Linate and Milan Malpensa Airports. The company acquired the main FBO at Milan Linate, which lays claims to being the largest and busiest such operation in Italy, when it purchased ATA Ali Trasporti Aerei and ATA Ali Servizi, which previously operated the facility, and formed subsidiary SEA Prime to manage the location. It immediately embarked on a $2.3 million total overhaul of the facility. In March it entered into a joint venture with Signature Flight Support, which acquired a 60 percent stake in Prime Aviation Services, the company’s general aviation (GA) ground handling business. It is currently in the process of rebranding the Milan Linate FBO as well as its satellite GA handling locations at Milan Malpensa, Rome Ciampino, and Venice Marco Polo airports to join the global FBO network of Signature parent company BBA Aviation, which has expanded significantly with the recent acquisition of the Landmark Aviation group. The Landmark takeover, completed in February, has added 68 FBOs in North America and Europe, including locations in the UK and France. “Between the Landmark and Signature integration, Italy was missing in that map, so they were very happy and keen to enter our market,” said Chiara Dorigotti, general manager of SEA Prime. “We believe the benefits are definitely mutual. [Signature] partnered with a very strong airport manager and the operator of the largest FBO in Italy, and we partnered with the largest operator of general aviation [services] in the world.” While SEA Prime (Booth H059) will manage the infrastructure, Signature (Booth C051) will handle training; customer service (both for the passengers and crew); aircraft handling; and fueling duties at all four locations. “They bring the international network and quality standards that we believe will benefit our airport,” Dorigotti told AIN. “We think they could also use our
partnership, maybe, to expand further in Italy where there are opportunities at other airports.” The refurbishment of the two-story 13,560-sq-ft (1,260sq-m) general aviation terminal included two pilot lounges with
this partnership, and even Signature was impressed.” Next month the company will also unveil a new partnership to establish a bar/restaurant lounge in the FBO, with an onsite kitchen that will also After merging with international support provider Signature Flight Support, the SEA Prime FBO at Milan’s Linate Airport, above, launched an ambitious refurbishment project. The business aviation terminal now features an airy lobby, left, with two pilot lounges , snooze rooms, concierge services and more. SEA Prime general manager Chiara Dorigotti, bottom left, enumerated the passengers’ advantages of the upgrade. Sponsored by BMW, the all-new business center, bottom right, features large yet discreet conference rooms.
snooze rooms, shower facilities, concierge service, satellite TV, snacks and beverages, Wi-Fi and of course, being Italy, an espresso machine. One major new feature as of this year is the fully equipped BMW Business Center, a large yet discreet area where customers can hold private meetings. The German luxury automaker, which was planning to advertise in the terminal, was so impressed with the new facility that it offered to sponsor it, and redecorated it to emulate the interior of the new flagship 7-series BMW, a pair of which it provided to the FBO for ferrying passengers from the terminal to their aircraft. “They are very happy with [the deal] because the type of customers we see here of course are their target for that type of car, the top-of-therange BMW,” Dorigotti said. “We are very happy about
provide high-end catering for business aircraft as well as for clients to hold gatherings in the business center. In terms of business, the company bucked the recent downward trend in Europe and saw a slight increase in business aviation traffic last year with approximately 22,000 movements. Open 24/7, and located just 15 minutes from the center of the city, its customers enjoy unprecedented access from the airport. It expects to see a major boost at the end of next week when Milan hosts the European Champions League soccer final. The event has been known to add hundreds of aircraft movements above and beyond the normal levels at host airports over the several days surrounding the match. Such crowds should not be a problem for the location, which manages 16 acres
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(67,000 sq m) of ramp space and operates its own 40,000 gallon (150,000 liter) fuel farm, served by a trio of refuelers. “It’s very convenient for our customers because they don’t have to wait for fuel to come from commercial aviation,” said Dorigotti. While the location has 204,514 sq ft (19,000 sq m) of hangar space dating mainly from the 1960s, which can shelter aircraft up to a G550, the company expects to add another 32,300-sq-ft (3,000-sq-m) hangar by the end of the year, which can accommodate even larger aircraft. Funds for yet another hangar are already earmarked. “Bigger aircraft need bigger facilities,” noted Dorigotti. “Our business has changed a lot in the past 20 years, so we have to build bigger hangars. They will take a BBJ, Airbus A320, all the types of aircraft we are seeing more and more often coming here
to Linate.” Perhaps its most exciting news is the construction of an FBO at Milan Malpensa. According to Dorigotti, GA traffic at that airport is mainly intercontinental, with aircraft from the Middle East and the U.S. “Malpensa is smaller, but it’s a good-size business because the average aircraft size is bigger,” she said, “so it’s very interesting for us to operate from there.” SEA Prime expects to break ground on a new facility later this year, with an anticipated opening in 2017. Overall, the company has budgeted approximately $22.9 million on infrastructure improvements in Milan over the next five years. o
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IFE drives the market for Skandia’s soundproofing by James Wynbrandt Soundproofing is set to become the next must-have interior retrofit, according to Skandia, Inc. (Booth S089), and the U.S.-based aviation materials supplier has brought its acoustical experts here to EBACE to discuss and showcase the company’s cabin sounddampening solutions. “It’s common knowledge that a quieter cabin will reduce fatigue,” said Jarod Triplett, Skandia’s vice president. “We’ve seen soundproofing evolve more and more over recent years, and owners and operators are much more sophisticated and savvy if there’s a sound issue.” But fatigue issues aside, recent efforts by business jet manufacturers to lower cabin sound levels have been driven more by the advent of HD IFE systems and passengers’ expectations of enjoying a home theater-style experience in flight, Triplett said. But since older, and nonturbine aircraft, aren’t outfitted with contemporary soundproofing materials, Skandia sees a big opportunity in these markets, particularly for jets undergoing C-checks, at ownership change, or at end-of-lease. Triplett noted that “Many aircraft put into service between ’06 and ’08 were on a 10-year lease, and those are starting to expire. And a lot of [owners] are choosing to reinvest in their current aircraft, given market conditions.” Skandia offers soundproofing kits for more than 80 different aircraft models, from Bombardier Globals down to turboprops and Cessna piston aircraft. “The key is the frequency from 63 Hz to 8,000 Hz; those are the ranges we need to neutralize,” said Kambiz Avval, a Skandia acoustic engineer and specialist in aerospace soundproofing. “As material scientists, we look at what material is best for which frequency range.” Dampening low frequencies (63 Hz-250 Hz) requires heavy material, but given the need to keep empty weight down, “We have to do optimization and integration, creating a matrix of different materials, each layer for a dominant frequency harmonic wave we hear in an aircraft,” Avval said. The thermal/acoustic barrier
includes insulating strip blankets, overframe blankets and carpet padding, made from fibrous cell foam, fabric and felt-based materials, all meeting the radiant flammability test for Part 25 aircraft. The installations can be complex; a Global Express soundproofing system has more than 1,200 pieces, and accurate positioning of the material is critical for proper functioning. Skandia provides precise diagrams and instructions with its kits as well as training to ensure proper installation.
an equal level of soundproofing with just two thirds of the weight of the old, he explained. Triplett declined to provide pricing for the soundproofing kits, but said “more often than not, costs are not the deciding factor” in the retrofit soundproofing decision. EBACE attendees are invited to Skandia’s display to hear more about their cabinquieting capabilities. o
Detailed Testing
But each aircraft cabin has its own unique noise signature, and the most effective soundproofing solutions are customized. For such projects, Skandia uses handheld devices to record ambient sound at various points in the cabin aboard the aircraft when it’s at cruise power at its typical cruising altitude. The equipment measures both the dB(A) level–the perceived loudness across the entire audible frequency range–and the dB(SIL) level, which measures the difficulty of hearing speech, in the 1,000-, 2000- and 4,000-Hz range. The dB(SIL) scale “is the sound level perceived as most annoying to the human ear,” Avval said. The cabin recording data is downloaded, the dominant harmonic waves and the aircraft’s “noise profile” are reviewed, and the soundproofing system is designed around the results. Following installation, Skandia conducts a second inflight recording to document the changes in cabin sound levels. The dB (decibel) scale is exponential; every 3 dB reduction in sound is the equivalent of a perceived 50 percent reduction in cabin noise level. Skandia’s systems reduce cabin sound levels by 3 to 10 dB, Triplett said. As an added bonus, a soundproofing retrofit often reduces weight as well. “The older generation materials tend to be on the heavy side,” said Triplett. With current-generation materials, engineers can achieve
The science of noise reduction has come a long way. Not only do different materials better neutralize noise in different frequency ranges, but each aircraft, itself, has a unique noise signature. Dampening materials must be arranged and installed, accordingly.
DALLAS AERONAUTICS EXPERIENCING PHENOMENAL GROWTH Dallas Aeronautical Services (DAS) has been repairing business aircraft composite and metal components for nearly 12 years and last year opened a new repair station in São José dos Campos, Brazil, to supplement its Texas facility. In addition, in 2014 DAS built a new 4,682 square-meter (50,400-square-foot) facility at its headquarters in Cedar Hill, about 32 kilometers (20 miles) south of Dallas. DAS vice present Mike Manning and president Donald Snodgrass had worked for a variety of repair stations before deciding to open DAS. “We thought we could do this better,” said Manning, “and we focused on business jets right away.” The company now has expertise in repairing flight control surfaces, radomes, thrust reversers and engine inlets as well as many other components. A DAS specialty is engine inlets–for example, the company owns the only set of Bombardier Challenger 300 inlets available for exchange. “We have OEM-style tooling,” said Manning, “and we completely remanufacture them, we don’t just repair them.” DAS can turn around a set of Challenger 300 inlets in only 14 days, he added, and can repair Gulfstream G200 inlets as well-although it doesn’t stock an exchange set of those. In Brazil, there is less business aircraft work, so DAS Brazil also bids on commercial aircraft repair jobs, as there is little local competition. The Brazil facility is both an ANAC and FAA repair station, enabling it to serve operators of Brazil- and U.S.-registered aircraft using the same engineering and repair approvals developed at its Texas facility. “As far as we know, this is the first time that the Brazilian government has done this,” Manning said. DAS (Booth H109) also holds EASA repair station approval.
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Dallas-based composite-repair specialist DAS has opened a second repair station in Brazil. The company cites owners’ holding onto aircraft longer as one reason for its success.
DAS has built up a capable set of tooling and equipment for composite and metallic repairs, including full heat-treating, in-house anodizing and welding and two autoclaves, one measuring 1.5-bysix meters (five-by-20) feet and the other 2.7-by6.7 m (nine-by-22 ft). “They’re made of high-carbon steel so they don’t expand and contract,” Manning explained. “We’re pretty self-sufficient. Each part has to look like it’s brand new. That’s the thing about the business aviation industry. High quality is very important.” With more owners and operators of older business jets hanging on to their airplanes longer, DAS is experiencing continued growth. “Business is phenomenal,” he said. “We’re on track to have 22 to 23 percent growth this year, compared to last year.” More buyers are generating pre-purchase inspection business, too, and this helps DAS because its experts can tell maintenance shops what to look for then assist with any needed repairs. DAS is also seeing a lot of insurance work resulting from bird strikes, hail damage and ground incidents. –M.T.
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Europe introduces first LPV IFR approaches by Matt Thurber The first European LPV-200 IFR approach was implemented at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport’s Runway 26L on May 3,
following publication of the procedure on April 28. A Dassault Falcon 2000XLS was among the first aircraft to fly the new
approach, along with an ATR 42-600 and an Airbus A350. The new approach mirrors Cat I ILS approach minimums, including a 200-foot decision height, and it is supported by the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (Egnos), Europe’s satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS). Egnos LPV-200 became operational on September 29 last
Falcon 2000 test pilots flying the first Egnos-enabled LPV-200 IFR approach to Charles de Gaulle Airport’s Runway 26L.
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year, and French air navigation service provider DSNA developed the LPV-200 approach. The next airport to receive an LPV-200 procedure will be Austria’s Vienna International, and others in Europe will follow. “The new LPV-200 approach procedures now implemented at Paris-CDG aim to demonstrate that the SBAS technology, Egnos in Europe, is a Category I performance approach that is reliable,” said DSNA CEO Maurice Georges. “We are convinced that SBAS is a fundamental technology to modernize our navigation infrastructure. Following this first implementation, LPV-200 approach procedures will be progressively deployed over our IFR runway-ends network.” “The accuracy and stability of the LPV guidance is really amazing, much better than with ILS. Lowering the LPV minimums down to 200 feet in Europe is a great improvement enabled by Egnos and is valuable for business aviation operations,” said Dassault test pilot Jean-Louis Dumas, who flew the first approach in the Falcon 2000XLS. o
GAINJET ADDS A CHALLENGER 605 Charter operator GainJet Aviation last month added a Bombardier Chal lenger 605 to its fleet. The new addi tion will be based between the Greek capital Athens and Amman, Jordan. The 605, which is the third air craft of its type in the GainJet fleet, can accommodate 12 passengers. It features four individual seats, a clubfour dining area and a four-seater sofa. The aircraft’s maximum range is 4,000 nm (7,400 km). GainJet’s already diverse fleet already includes the following types: Gulfstream G650, G550, G450, Embraer Legacy 600 and Bombardier Challenger 604, as well as a Boeing 757-200 with 62 seats and a state room and a Boeing 737-400 with 64 seats. The company (Booth C035) is headquartered in Greece. “The acquisition of our new CL605 complements our growing fleet,” said GainJet president Ramsey Shaban. “Where our CL604 aircraft are primarily dedicated to our grow ing medevac operation, the CL605 will fill a void that once existed in the GainJet fleet–supplying custom ers looking for a super midsize longn range VIP aircraft.”
Amac adds capacity, diversifies capabilities by James Wynbrandt Amac Aerospace Switzerland announced here at EBACE its acquisition of JCB Aero SAS, concluded in April, expanding the reach and capabilities of the Basel-based company’s completions, maintenance, engineering and production services. JCB Aero, of Auch, France, produces interior elements including curved honeycomb panels and composite structures, and also provides engineering and completion services. Citing its “experienced and highly skilled craftsmen,” Kadri Muhiddin, Amac’s group executive chairman and CEO, said the acquisition “makes the perfect complement to Amac Aerospace’s operations and core competencies.” Located on a private airport, JCB, with more than 120 employees, has a 54,000-sq-ft (5,000-sq-m) hangar and 66,000 sq ft (6,127 sq m) of office space. JCB will continue operating under its own name for the present. Amac (Booth H115) also announced an expansion of its footprint in Turkey, where its Istanbul facility is a Dassault Falcon Authorized Service Center, with plans to establish a base at Milas Bodrun Airport in southwest Turkey, where it recently acquired a parcel of land from the Turkish Airport
Authorities. Amac will build a hangar on the property, slated for completion in November, that can accommodate two narrowbody aircraft simultaneously. Fourth Hangar
Since last year’s EBACE, Amac has celebrated a host of firsts, which it highlighted during a media day at its EuroAirport Basel headquarters facility last week. The company opened its fourth hangar, dedicated to maintenance, in October 2015. The 78,000-sq-ft. (7,280-sqm) hangar can accommodate one widebody and two narrowbody executive jets simultaneously. During a tour of Amac’s facilities, a 747-8i the company redelivered last May–the first head-of-state completion on an -8i, according to Amac (performed for an undisclosed Middle Eastern customer)– was undergoing its first annual inspection in the new hangar. Amac’s business model calls for providing both completions and maintenance, to help weather boom and bust cycles. “Our aim is to keep a 50-50 balance [between completions and maintenance], but it’s never the case. It changes. There is always movement in the market,” said Muhiddin. “The
FLIGHTBAG APP ENHANCES FLIGHTSAFETY’S E-COURSEWARE The new FlightBag app from FlightSafety International (Booth G043) announced this week at EBACE 2016 offers features that increase the effectiveness of courseware delivery, presentation and general use. It is available as an iOS app for the iPad, and there is a web-based version for Android- and Windows-based tablets and computers. It will be available for pilot, maintenance-technician and flightattendant courses. Publications include digital training manuals, cockpit posters, flashcards and guides that serve as a resource for post-course review and reference. FlightBag features capabilities beyond those of the company’s existing eReader app, including enhanced notes functionality that automatically transfers customers’ notes and bookmarks to subsequent document versions, as well as a better annotation tool kit for highlighting, drawing and grid placement. Courseware organization capability is also enhanced through a new “My Favorites” tab that allows clients to organize those documents most frequently used in training. Meanwhile, a “My Document” tab allows customers to import and export their own documents via Apple iTunes. –C.T.
Last October, Amac opened its fourth hangar at its EuroAirport base in Basel. The latest structure adds 7,280 square meters of floor space, enough for a Boeing 747-8i that is currently undergoing its first annual inspection since it was completed here a year ago.
completions market has taken a step down, that’s for sure– Boeing is not selling, Airbus is not selling, in comparison with six or seven years ago. But aircraft love maintenance.” Muhiddin noted that the widebody executive aircraft market is dominated by government customers, which are more impervious to economic gyrations than private customers, though not immune. “We were comfortable to last year,” when oil prices began to slide, he said, affecting even some governments. “If you don’t have a new airplane, the next step is refurbishment - if you don’t want to spend $100 million, you spend $20 million,” Muhiddin said. “If there’s no refurbishment, then there’s maintenance. Like it or not, the aircraft has to come in for inspection.” Muhiddin pronounced Amac “in excellent shape,” “very profitable,” and debt-free. Annual turnover is now more than $250 million, he said. The company has invested more than $200 million on its Basel facilities, and the value of the company, based on a recent unsolicited purchase offer, is $1.5 billion, according to Muhiddin. Twenty-to-25 aircraft are typically at the fully secure facility at any one time. Amac sees widebody maintenance as a growing opportunity, as MROs that provide maintenance for airlines’ widebodies don’t have the training or capability for removal and reinstallation of executive-configured airliner interiors. In the refurbishment arena, the company is now targeting Bombardier’s Global Express; Muhiddin noted many are in mid-life and will be undergoing 10-year inspections and C checks, an ideal time for interior
upgrades, which can be performed in parallel with the required inspections. Amac (the acronym stands for “Aircraft Modifications And Completions,” as well as “Aircraft Management And Charter”, says the company) opened its first hangar in 2008. With the completion of Hangar 4, its hangar space totals more than 300,000 sq ft (28,280 sq m) and secure apron area exceeds 480,000 sq ft (44,610 sq m). Two of the hangars can house two widebody and a narrowbody airframes simultaneously. The hangars are supported by massive wooden braces. When the first hangar was under construction, the price of steel, typically used for roof supports, had spiked due to demand in China. “Somebody suggested wood–we said that won’t work, but after tests, we found wood can resist a fire better than the buckling point of steel,” said Muhiddin. “The steel price came down, but we decided to stick with wood.” The company’s hangars sit side-by-side, with workshops for upholstery, woodwork, avionics, engineering, and other services in offices along the perimeter within each hangar. Amac’s in-house capabilities handle almost every element of its interiors and refurbishments, eliminating scheduling, reliability and quality issues than can arise when relying on third party providers. But unlike the majority of completers and refurbishers, Amac has no interior design department where clients can see materials or select cabin configurations and appointments. Amac said most clients have their own designers who’ve designed homes, yacht interiors and other projects for owners, and are familiar with
their tastes and requirements. Amac’s designers work with the owners’ representatives to translate those design requirements to an aircraft interior. More than 630 work at the Basel facility, and the company plans to add an additional 100 over the next year. Its more than 100 engineers handle all STCs for its projects. The company is currently installing a Honeywell JetWave Ka-Band system on a BBJ3, and is developing an STC for the fuselagemounted antenna, its fourth STC for a Ka-Band antenna installation. Amac is also developing Ka-Band installations for Boeing B777s, BBJs and Airbus A340s, and offers its STCs to aftermarket service providers. Amac also performed five C-checks on B777s over the past year, and recently signed heavybase-maintenance contracts for a B777 and a BBJ. Amac supplements its completions/refurbishment and maintenance with charter and aircraft management/sales services; the company has 15 narrowbody and widebody executive airliners under management. Amac is also the distributor for the Pilatus PC-12 singleengine turboprop in Turkey and the Middle East, and during the past year has sold its first three in the region – two to a buyer in the UAE, and one in Turkey. Muhiddin said it has taken time to educate customers in the region of the benefits of the PC-12. “In the Middle East, they see one engine, they won’t come near it,” he said, but emphasized his belief in the platform. Amac will also represent the in-development Pilatus PC-24 twinjet, which is making its debut public appearance this year at EBACE. o
www.ainonline.com • May 24, 2016 • EBACE Convention News 33
Honeywell now able to ‘GoDirect’ to market with new fast-track apps by Kerry Lynch Honeywell is rolling out a new brand, GoDirect, to create a one-stop shop for all of its services. GoDirect also reflects an effort to get products to the market faster through the development and enhancement of apps. As part of the rollout, Honeywell has released a new GoDirect web portal that provides access to its comprehensive portfolio of aerospace services, including flight planning, software updates, maintenance services and a variety of other offerings.
to market. “In my world, most of the applications I am doing are noncertified,” he said. “I can launch them in weeks.” To do this, the company is leveraging its connectivity capabilities through a new branded product called GoDirect. It’s designed to “enable everything we can do to make a better workflow for people who maintain and work on airplanes, as well as the flight crews and dispatch…What we have done is create a whole new thinking around work-stream optimiza-
With GoDirect, Honeywell is able to bring new products to market faster through the development of apps before migrating these features and functions to its certified avionics. Above, its Weather Information Services app depicts weather radar data on a planned flight over the North Atlantic.
The portal is part of Honeywell’s philosophy of taking a holistic view of services from “gate to gate,” the company said. GoDirect, however, is much broader than a brand or a web portal. It also is designed to reflect the company’s vision of bringing safety innovations and new technologies to market, when possible, through apps that don’t require certification. Michael Edmonds, v-p, services and connectivity for Honeywell Aerospace, noted Honeywell offers dozens of product lines that are mostly certified and take years to get
tion and branded it GoDirect: [as in] ‘GoDirect’ to the solution to a maintenance problem or ‘GoDirect’ to the destination, in terms of flight support.” The ultimate goal is to get those advisory technologies to the cockpit on a certified basis, but creating uncertified apps will broaden access to the technology sooner and at lower cost, Edmonds said. Honeywell is in the process of developing a series of such products. These include a Fuel Efficiency app that was developed with technology the company gained through its acquisition last year of a small Bulgarian company, Aviaso. The app tracks every phase of flight from the planning, to taxiing to the flight and provides a briefing that enables the operator to see ways the flight could have been conducted more efficiently or how other savings could be generated. The tracking includes
everything from fuel tankering options to whether too much potable water is being carried on board to whether the flaps are used most efficiently. The app, which Edmonds said took only about four weeks to create, is directed more toward the fleet operator – Honeywell has 26 airlines that have been using the services, but has been in discussions with fractional operators and other large business aviation fleet operators. The Weather Information Services app, which is live now, links weather data to flight plans selected by a pilot. The pilot has control of the data it obtains, with information from radar and satellite weather information. It includes a range of reports, such as Pireps, Metars and terminal area forecasts. It will provide weather conditions both horizontally and vertically, enabling pilots to better determine how to fly around weather. Honeywell is working on the next update, “NowCasting,” which Kiah Erlich, general manager of Honeywell’s Flight Support Services business, said will become a more accurate way of forecasting. This will show intensity of weather satellite imagery and also will depict aggregated data – “crowdsourcing” – accumulated from Honeywell’s RDR-4000 weather radar installed on aircraft operating around the world. By aggregating information from the weather radar, Honeywell can provide data on activity over oceans and other regions where such information is not readily available, she said, likening the effort to using every RDR-4000-equipped aircraft as a weather balloon. Another feature that will be available shortly for Honeywell’s weather app is “Vertical Optimization,” which includes a tool to optimize routes based on fuelperformance data and weather. Honeywell is also focusing on the maintenance side through GoDirect, developing a “My Maintainer” app that taps into data from the aircraft and tracks crew-alerting-system messages. The app, designed for mobility, can point to the origin of the fault and track the history of similar
34 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
faults and can send messages to a central office for corrective actions when and if necessary. Honeywell’s new Flight Preview app came out of the company’s FMS (flight management system) engineering team, providing an iPad preview of an instrument approach to a given airport. The app, to be released shortly, enables pilots to “pre-fly” an approach depicted on the Apple iPad
and become familiar with the airport and procedures before making the actual approach. (See box.) These apps are designed for the electronic flight bag Erlich said. “You don’t have to wait for expensive certified avionics,” she said. “We are taking a lot of our avionics technology and getting it to market faster and cheaper in these non-certified application.” o
Flight Preview App Helps Pilots Pre-fly Approaches Honeywell’s new Flight Preview app allows pilots to “fly” an instrument approach depicted on the Apple iPad to help them become familiar with the procedure and the runway environment before flying the actual approach. The new app was developed by Honeywell’s flight management system (FMS) engineering team. “It has the same FMS logic in our FMS products applied in this application,” said Kiah Erlich, general manager of Honeywell’s Flight Support Services business. The basic idea behind the app is to allow pilots to select the airport and any of the available instrument procedures at that airport, choose the transition, then preview the entire approach, including, if desired, the missed approach procedure. The approach plays in two panes on the iPad. The left pane shows a 2-D Google Maps-based “movie” of the approach, and the right side shows the approach plate. “Push ‘play’ and you’re watching a movie about that approach,” Erlich said, “with terrain, the street view, minimums, each transition and the missed approach.” When “flying” a previewed approach, the user can speed up or slow down the action. Honeywell sees the Flight Preview app as a tool for instrument students as well as experienced pilots. “We’re working with a couple of airlines on getting Flight Preview into their opsspecs [operational specifications] to count toward their airport training,” she said. Pilots might want to preview approaches while planning a flight, or the app can also run standalone without internet access, allowing pilots to use the app as a briefing tool to preview an approach during low-workload phases of flight or when given a reroute to a different approach procedure. This is the first version of the Flight Preview app, and Honeywell (Booth U123) plans to add more features, include additional instruments (altitude is the sole instrument on the left-hand pane), 3D airspace depictions, forecast weather overlays and geo-referenced charts, according to Erlich. “Anything that could help situational awareness,” she added. The Flight Preview App should be available on the Apple App Store in mid- to late May. The app covers nine regions in the U.S., and each region will cost $1.99 per month or $19.99 per year. Honeywell is planning to add international approaches to the app. –Matt Thurber
Honeywell’s new Flight Preview app allows pilots to “fly” an instrument approach depicted on the Apple iPad to help them become familiar with the procedure and the runway environment before flying the actual approach.
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Jet Aviation’s 3D JetVision helps decision-makers choose by James Wynbrandt Jet Aviation has introduced JetVision, a 3D visualization application that enables clients to control completion projects via secure virtual access from anywhere in the world. The product helps reduce downtime by facilitating quick decisions and responses. In addition to precise depictions of design and layouts for clients’ approvals, JetVision provides progress reports, images, and video feeds that enable clients to monitor projects in real time. The app will also simplify maintenance, troubleshooting and parts support once their aircraft enters service. JetVision is an outgrowth of numerous initiatives undertaken by Jet Aviation, the Basel-based completions and MRO provider, in preparation for working on new generation airliners such as Boeing’s 787 and the Airbus A350,–said Matthew Woollaston, v-p, completions sales & marketing. “The overall goal is to reduce the downtime and give the client a far greater understanding of what they’re going to receive at the end of the program,” Woollaston said.
“We design in 3D, and we came to the realization we had the ability to shorten downtime, and would probably be moving faster [on completion projects] than the principal and their representatives would be able to make decisions,” Woollaston continued. “In the current state, [clients] look at a 2D deck plan and are expected to make decisions based on that,” a process he called “unrealistic and unfair,” adding, “That’s probably the reason it takes so long to get a final answer.” Jet Aviation unveiled a beta version of JetVision last year at EBACE to “a small group of key influencers in the industry,” Woollaston said. “We’ve been working closely with them over the last year to refine it.” The data used to create the 3D view seen in JetVision is the same the design and engineering teams use to plan and create the aircraft interiors, so clients have a precise view of relative sizes and fit. Meanwhile, Jet Aviation’s 3D design and engineering process eliminates the need for
Developed as part of the runup to new-generation Boeing and Airbus VIP completions, Jet Aviation’s JetVision enables clients to envision their project in 3D, enhancing decisionmaking and saving downtime.
prefitting monuments and other interior elements. “There’s 100 percent assurance of fit, form and function before it goes on the aircraft,” Woollaston said. Moreover, the added precision enables designers and engineers to craft “a wholly new, lighter and more effective acoustic treatment, achieving a much quieter cabin.” In addition to seeing their project’s progress in real time, clients can use JetVision to approve work orders and sign off on design changes. “We’re still discovering its capabilities and things we can do,” said Adam White, Jet Aviation’s senior director, completions engineering. “We expect to expand its capabilities. We’re going to roll out the product, get feedback, and incorporate that into the tool.” Attendees can see and try out JetVision
PW800 engines are fulfilling promises by Charles Alcock Following on from last year’s Transport Canada certification of its PW800 engine, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC, Booth N114) is continuing to support Gulfstream’s flight test program for its new G500 long-range aircraft, which is powered by the 15,144-poundthrust PW814GA turbofan. The 15,860-pound-thrust PW815GA engine is set to power the G600 jet when it makes its first flight, scheduled towards the end of this year. The PW814GA now has logged more than 2,500 flight hours on board four G500 test vehicles and also on P&WC’s own Boeing 747 testbed. “Performance on the engine is great, and we are demonstrating the fuel burn we promised,” Michael Perodeau, PWC’s v-p for marketing in corporate aviation and military programs told AIN. The engine maker committed to delivering a 10 percent reduction in fuel burn compared with existing engines in the 12,000- to 18,000-pound-thrust class. With more than 6,500 hours of full-engine testing and more than 12,000 cycles, P&WC is already predicting that the PW814GA will “be one of the
quietest engines around” with a double-digit margin compared with ICAO Stage 4 limits. According to Perodeau, it also is meeting its emissions goal of achieving double-digit margins better than the CAEP 8 requirements. As it prepares for Gulfstream’s G500 service entry, P&WC has been finalizing all documentation. It also has been evaluating maintenance procedures to
Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW800 series is the turbofan of choice for Gulfstream’s G500 and G600 business jets. P&WC expects substantial fuel-burn benefits.
ensure that design goals are met in terms of ease of product support. For instance, the manufacturer recently changed out a line-replaceable unit on the wing, taking advantage of the turbofan’s very large access panels in
the bypass duct, which give improved access to the engine core. It has also been investing in support facilities, training field service representatives, and boosting spare parts provisioning. “We have strived to offer best-in-class maintainability,” said Scott McElvaine, senior director for PW800 marketing and customer support. With predicted dispatch reliability of 99.99 percent, the PurePower PW800 will require 40 percent less scheduled maintenance and 20 percent fewer inspections than other engines in its class, according to its maker. P&WC says the time-on-wing will be superior to that of any other engine of its kind, with the first shop visit targeted at 10,000 hours or beyond. At the same time, P&WC is also preparing for entry into service of Dassault’s new Falcon 8X trijet, powered by the engine manufacturer’s PW307D turbofan. Meanwhile, the manufacturer is planning to roll out improvements in performance, reliability and convenience for light jet operators with its 950to 1,780-pound-thrust PW600 engine line. o
36 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
at Jet Aviation’s display (Booth A050). The app is smart-device based; no head goggles or other hardware is required, and during EBACE, Jet Aviation has opened access to the app to the public. It’s available in both iOS and Android versions, downloadable via the Apple App Store and Google Play. Though created for completions on new-generation aircraft, JetVision can be adapted for any completion or refurbishment project, according to Jet Aviation. The app also provides views of systems and components behind the interior structures, and once the aircraft is in service, maintenance technicians can use the app for troubleshooting, ordering parts, and simplifying inspections and repairs. Flight crews can use it to better understand the aircraft’s systems. o
SATCOM DIRECT PRO MAKES ITS DEBUT Satcom Direct is introducing SD Pro here at EBACE this week. SD Pro is a fully integrated flight operations management platform that aggregates and delivers real-time data, synchronizing the flight department with the aircraft it manages. “The future of flight operations management is here,” proclaimed Jim Jensen, Satcom Direct’s founder and CEO, in unveiling the new offering. SD Pro was conceived “when we saw how members of aircraft management companies and flight departments had to access numerous information sources, multiple screens, and disparate access points to do their jobs,” said Satcom Direct president David Greenhill. Attendees to EBACE can see and test drive SD Pro at the company’s display (Booth S115) where four kiosks with iPads are showcasing its full range of capabilities. SD Pro can amalgamate data from the aircraft with a variety of applications, including flight logs, scheduling, maintenance information and more, all via a single interface. The U.S. company has established partnerships with leading software support providers many flight departments use, including AircraftLog’s flight scheduling, Gulfstream’s MyCMP and Universal Weather’s Trip Planning, to seamlessly integrate their services with SD Pro, and “more partnerships are in the works,” Jensen said. The SD Pro interface displays information via modules on a customizable dashboard that can be tailored to meet the varying needs of flight departments, flight crews, corporate management and individual team members. The web-based platform is accessible via any computer, mobile device or tablet, and automatically adapts the interface to the screen of the device. SD Pro requires no additional hardware for aircraft equipped with onboard connectivity, but provides optimum functionality via an onboard Satcom Direct Router, which provides access to the company’s value-added services such as FlightDeck Freedom. This enables operators to “create a reliable historical record for the life of the aircraft, and save money by accurately capturing cycles and times down to the second,” said Jensen. Satcom Direct is also highlighting here its recently introduced WiFi Hub, which can serve as either a node for executive airliners equipped with the Satcom Direct router, or a standalone connectivity solution for smaller airframes. The company also announced the launch of its support for Inmarsat’s JetConnex service, the new high-speed network, which the company has already provisioned, though not certified, aboard a Bombardier Global Express and a Gulfstream 650. –J.W.
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Ruag Do 228 turboprop finishes Latin demo tour by Samantha Cartaino Ruag’s Dornier 228 demonstrator was involved in a life-saving search and rescue mission over the Cape Verde Islands while it was returning from an extensive tour of Latin America.
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this week’s EBACE show. The Switzerland-based company took one of its Dornier 228 twin turboprop utility aircraft on a six-week tour of Latin America and, on the way home they even managed to save a life. From February 29 to April 10, the Dornier 228 flew no less than 20,285 nm, as it was shown off to companies, institutions, government and military officials, and business executives in 17 cities throughout the continent. Then, on its way back across the Atlantic, the Ruag team was called upon to assist with an emergency search and rescue (SAR) mission to find a missing kayaker as the aircraft was flying into Praia in the Cape Verde Islands. Successful Rescue
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38 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
While on approach to Praia Airport, air traffic controllers realized the 228 was the only suitably equipped aircraft available to conduct an SAR mission in support of local emergency teams. The aircraft, which was equipped in a multi-role configuration, descended to 1,000 feet and, after flying seven hours from Natal on the eastern coast of Brazil, it spent another 40 minutes circling before it found the kayaker and alerted rescuers to his position. During its trip, the Dornier 228 visited Tlaxcala and Cancun (Mexico), Panama City (Panama), Cartagena and Bogota (Colombia), Guayaquil (Ecuador), Lima (Peru), Iquique and Santiago de Chile (Chile), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Asuncion (Paraguay) and Brasilia (Brazil). The aircraft also stopped at regional conferences. In addition to manufacturing the NG (new generation) version of the Dornier 228, Ruag Aviation (Booth E089) has extensive capability in aircraft modification and maintenance. For instance, as part of its cabin upgrade service for business aircraft, it can install inflight entertainment and connectivity solutions, as well as features such as new LED lighting. Ruag also has a facility at Oberpfaffenhofen, southern Germany, and is an authorized service center for Airbus Helicopters, Bell, Bombardier, Cirrus, Cessna, Diamond, Dassault, Embraer, Leonardo, Piaggio, Sikorsky, Pilatus, Piper and Mooney. o
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Stratajet booking app aims to shake things up by Ian Sheppard Stratajet (Booth F051) officially launched its charter booking platform and app on April 22 in London. The UK company has spent the past five years building the software, algorithms and data it needs to perform near-real-time quoting, something that has never been done before as it requires electronic links into operators’ own systems as well as an enormous amount of data on everything from airport- and airspace-use charges to runway characteristics, weather and Notams. Stratajet’s booking engine, combined with a belief that the industry has been very inefficient (for example empty legs representing almost 40 percent of all flights in business aviation), attracted investment from seed funds and venture capitalists. The company has grown rapidly over the past 15 months or so, to almost 50 employees from only six. Many are assigned to collecting and analyzing data and to setting up operators on its system. Stratajet founder Jonny Nicol told reporters at the launch event
that the complexity of developing the software had been “insane” and that the company almost folded in 2014. The Stratajet system can now trawl 500 operators for availability and prices, and check all the associated airport/ airway charges and constraints to give a concrete quote in less than 10 seconds (something he says takes other brokers a couple of days to complete). Addressing fears that customers would be unlikely to commit to booking an expensive charter flight online, Nicol said the company had already had instances of individuals paying for flights using their smartphones, using the Stratajet app. “We soft launched last year...and launched Apple Pay a few months ago. Somebody paid £40,000 for a trip with a fingerprint.” And as for the reluctance of “under-30” customers to use an app for charter booking, he told of an 86-year-old lady who used the system to visit her family in Scotland. Stratajet offers operators its software free of charge – so aircraft availability and prices can
be shown directly to the traveling public. Stratajet believes this will ultimately mean increased revenue and efficiency for operators, which will help to bring down costs for customers chartering aircraft. Nicol said, “Fast forward to the day when most of the world’s jets are available through our platform and empty flights are a thing of the past. This is the Stratajet revolution – one aimed at lowering costs, improving jet operator profitability and bringing private flight to the mainstream traveler.” Face-to-face Tour
Stratajet started in Europe, gathering data from 2,107 airfields, many of which have far lower fees than the larger airports business aviation often uses. Once the technology was operational, Nicol embarked on a tour of Europe in the company’s Piper Chieftain to meet and vet operators. The platform is now live in 44 countries across Europe, and similar plans are underway to expand into the U.S. market – Nicol is currently busy working his way around the U.S. between trips back to the UK, and flew the Chieftain across the Atlantic last year. He is in the process of visiting 426 operators in 48 states to introduce them to Stratajet. “Our vision is to change the
EASA OKs latest Garmin features by Matt Thurber Garmin (Booth S045) received EASA approval last month for a number of new features on its GTN 650/750 touchscreen navigators. EASA also has approved Garmin’s Connext cockpit connectivity system, which allows transfer of flight plans wirelessly between the iOS version of the Garmin Pilot app and GTN navigators, when the aircraft is equipped with Garmin’s Flight
Stream 210 wireless gateway. This installation also allows GPS information from the GTNs to drive the moving-map and attitude information from the Flight Stream 210 to support the attitude indicator in Garmin Pilot’s synthetic vision display. Other GTN 650/750 features covered by the recent EASA approval include the ability to build customized holds over a fix
in the database or a user-defined waypoint. Pilots can also add an expected further clearance time as a reminder to depart the hold or contact ATC. New navigation capabilities include radius-to-fix (RF) leg support for approaches that offer RF legs (although the aircraft must also be equipped with a digital HSI). Pilots can also load a secondary approach to prepare for flight to an alternate airport after a missed approach. Garmin has added fuel range ring overlay on the GTN moving-map showing range that can be flown (total endurance and until operating on reserve fuel). More Options
New features just approved by EASA include building customized holding patterns on GTN 650/750 navigators (left) and iPad-based VFR charts for France with Garmin Pilot.
The GTNs can display more metric and imperial units, additional fixed-wing aircraft icons, airspace altitude overlay on the moving-map and they support LP+V approaches, GMA 35c Bluetooth audio and pairing, custom checklists with the
40 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
Stratajet founder Jonny Nicol has persisted in bringing the Stratajet app to market.
way people think about private aviation, removing the stigma of it being a closed industry and fundamentally changing the way people travel,” said Nicol. “By removing the staggering inefficiencies that exist in the industry, we have the capability to take a fleet of flying limousines and turn them into taxis, bringing a whole new level of flexibility and accessibility to the world of private jet travel.” To this end a partnership with an as-yet unnamed mainstream booking site is being finalized, he revealed, based on the possibility that business aviation could compete in some instances with airline business class, in cases where several travelers are going together to a particular destination. Nicol said that Stratajet’s
system is still in play even as a flight is being executed and can be used if there are changes, or to change an empty leg to suit an order. “We know that the aircraft is going to cost the operator a certain amount to fly empty,” said Nicol, “but if somebody wants to fly a similar route, our technology also allows us to redirect a plane. Constantly working around your needs, it can even find the nearest, most convenient airfield for you and redirect the plane there.” In conclusion Nicol commented, “We believe there will soon be a watershed moment in the aviation business when people will say there was private aviation before Stratajet and private aviation after Stratajet – it’s a total game-changer.” o
Garmin Checklist Editor and WireAware wire-strike avoidance technology. The latest version of the Garmin Pilot app is now live in the Apple App Store, and new features include iPhone display of the flight profile view that was recently introduced on the iPad. The profile view also shows ADS-B in traffic when paired with the new GTX 345 ADS-B in transponder, Flight Stream 210 or the GDL 39 3D ADS-B in receiver as well as terrain, obstacles, special-use airspace, TFRs, and Metars. The synthetic vision page on the iPhone or split-screen panel page on the iPad also displays attitude information when connected to those devices. For European pilots, the app now enables VFR flight plan filing in Europe directly with the country’s Aeronautical Information Service. European pilots can also overlay Metars, TAFs, Airmets, Sigmets, Notams and winds aloft throughout Europe on the moving map, within the airport information page and as a widget in split-screen mode on an
iPad. A new feature is the addition of VFR chart coverage in France, and Garmin Pilot now offers access to more than 50 geo-referenced VFR and IFR charts in Europe. Pilot profiles in Garmin Pilot can now have customized personal weather minimums, with settings for cloud ceiling, minimum visibility and maximum crosswind components. Garmin Pilot notifies the pilot during flight planning if any of these parameters will be exceeded. Pilots can also view preferred runways based on current headwind or crosswind components at departure and destination airports. Garmin’s new aera 660 portable navigator connects via Bluetooth to Garmin Pilot, and the two devices can share flight plans. Garmin Pilot Version 8.2 is free for existing customers and starts at $74.99 per year in the U.S., plus $74.99 for the IFR add-on and $149.99 per year for global navigation and weather, plus additional fees for VFR and IFR coverage for individual countries or regions in Europe. o
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Daher’s latest, the TBM 930 features Garmin’s G3000 by Thierry Dubois Daher last month introduced the updated TBM 930 at its factory in Tarbes, France. The most prominent upgrade from the existing TBM 900 makes the six-seater the first turboprop single with Garmin’s high-resolution touchscreencontrolled G3000 avionics suite, and it further signals the company’s intention to expand its product line with more new models. Aerodynamic refinements, including new distinctive winglets and redesigned landing gear doors make it faster, with a 330-knot (611 km/hr) maximum cruising speed (252 knots–467 km/hr–at maximumrange settings). Given that the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is getting closer to relaxing restrictions on commercial operations with single-engine turbine aircraft in instrument meteorological conditions (so called SET-IMC), the market for aircraft that fit the mission looks strong. Single-engine IFR commercial operations have been approved in France since 2013, and more widespread approval is expected. EASA plans to include SET-IMC discussions in this June’s meetings, unless a full schedule pushes the talks off until the next meeting in October. Either way, the agency is expected to approve SET-IMC throughout its jurisdiction and operations to begin sometime next year. In jockeying for position against competitors such as Pilatus’s PC 12, any and all improvements in Daher’s latest TBM variant bode well for a larger share of the expanding market. The instrument panel of the new TBM 930 features three wide-format WXGA displays that can operate in split-screen mode, enabling maps and flight plans to remain on the screen side-by-side with primary flight information, traffic and weather. Two touchscreens control communication and navigation. Thanks to the higher resolution, synthetic vision better depicts terrain in 3D. Daher has developed a new interior for the TBM 930, with reshaped seat cushions and headrests. The company offers a new choice of wood or carbon
finishes. Polished metal is used for handles, door sills and steps. The TBM 930 shares the performance and technical details of the TBM 900; the only dif-
feedback. The proportion of customers who prefer the TBM 900 is higher than expected, according to Nicolas Chabbert, senior v-p of Daher’s airplane busi-
With aerodynamic improvements such as winglets and improved landing gear doors, the new TBM 930 is faster than its ancestors. But the big news is in the cockpit, where Garmin’s touchscreen G3000 anchors an extensive avionics upgrade.
ference is the human-machine interface. Comparing the two is similar to comparing an iPhone to a classic BlackBerry, according to Daher’s v-p of engineering Christophe Robin. While dismissing the suggestion that the TBM 900’s cockpit might quickly be seen as outdated, he acknowledged that touchscreens are the future of interfaces. “I do not know exactly how, but in 10 years all new cockpits will be tactile,” he told AIN at the product unveiling on April 5. Early customer demonstration flights have yielded surprising
ness. Describing the difference between the keyboard-controlled G1000 and the tactile G3000, he said the former is for those pilots who have a rather intuitive way of flying. As a tactile interface, “the G3000 requires a more systematic routine, and it is great to have a choice,” Chabbert said. The price difference between the two models is in the $210,000 to $240,000 range (€186,000 to €212,500), with the most expensive version of the TBM 930 selling for $4.1 million (€3.63 million). Both models feature flight envelope protection, the TBM
42 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
930 thus retaining the “e-copilot” concept of the TBM 900’s 2016 edition, introduced earlier this year. “Underspeed protection,” for example, uses an angle-ofattack sensor to prevent a stall. If the pilot makes unsafe pitch-up inputs at low speed, the yoke will become harder to pull. The result is very close to what a fly-by-wire system provides, Robin said. The only exception is that a TBM 900/930 pilot will still be able to override the protection. Aural alarms have changed, with voice replacing sounds. It is better ergonomics, as the pilot no longer has to interpret the sound, Robin asserted. The number of times the word is repeated, the tone and the time interval between two occurrences have been carefully decided and follow standards in large commercial aircraft. In the event of pressurization failure, for example, “mask” can be heard three times. It remains unclear whether EASA will require two pilots
for SET-IMC, but Daher has increased its single-pilot automation with its “e-copilot” avionics. “With the e-copilot, we have taken a fresh look at the aircraft’s design and put the pilot at the center,” Robin told AIN. The method can be likened to a user experience-based approach, which is different from targeting performance, handling qualities and so on. Daher’s design office has been entirely restructured along these lines. The company (Booth X114) expects to deliver more than 50 aircraft–a mix of TBM 900s and 930s–by the end of this year. Daher has booked orders for 140 TBM 900s since launch in 2014, with 110 aircraft delivered through this year’s first quarter. The majority were purchased by customers in the U.S. and Canada (78 percent). South America represents 10 percent of the sales (primarily in Brazil), with Europe accounting for 8 percent and Asia-Pacific the remaining 4 percent. o
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Dassault’s Falcon 8X fresh from its world tour by Charles Alcock
DAVID McINTOSH
working on aircraft number 21. Six aircraft are already at its completions center at Little Rock, Arkansas. Trappier told AIN last month that existing Falcon owners feature prominently among the early buyers for the new 8X, with several of them stepping up from the 7X model. With a range of 6,450 nm (11,937 km), it is meant for city pairs between Asia and Europe, and other long intercontinental missions. This year, Dassault is celebrating its 100th anniversary as defined by the launch of the Éclair (“Lightning”) propeller developed during World War I by its founder Marcel Dassault, father of the group’s honorary chairman Serge Dassault. The patriarch is among the first customers for the new 8X. Trappier acknowledged that 2016 has not started all that well for the business aviation sector,
Paris, New York, Abu Dhabi and Shanghai were the ports of call for Dassault’s Falcon 8X demonstrator. Shown here at the ABACE show in China, the trijet is expected to boost Dassault’s business jet revenue when it enters service.
MARIANO ROSALES
Dassault’s new Falcon 8X appearing here in Geneva this week at the EBACE show recently completed an exhaustive world tour as part of a series of route proving exercises as it prepares for service entry in the second half of 2016. Fitted with a full production cabin interior, 8X serial number three flew around 55,000 nautical miles (101,788 kilometers) over the course of four weeks and 65 flights. The tour started with some short European flights from Dassault’s headquarters in France during the final week of March. Then, on April 4 it crossed the Atlantic from Paris to the New York-area Teterboro Airport, giving Dassault chairman and CEO Eric Trappier his first flight in the 8X, before heading east to Abu Dhabi and Shanghai, where it appeared at the ABACE show. The 8X then made various stops across southeast Asia before heading west again, flying nonstop from Singapore to London before recrossing the Atlantic to tour the U.S., including some high-altitude trials in Leadville, Colorado. It also went to South America before returning to Paris. In March, the aircraft completed cold weather trials in northern Canada, where it was exposed to temperatures of -33-deg C. As of the end of April, Dassault had fully stocked its warehouses with 8X spares in readiness for initial customer operations. The manufacturing process for the 8X is already well advanced, with Dassault’s factory at Bordeaux in France
Dassault chairman and CEO Eric Trappier has the company in the midst of an “economic transformation” designed to cut costs and increase efficiency.
with new jet sales lagging. Even though Dassault still sees strength in the U.S. and European markets, softer demand from China, Brazil and Russia has resulted in some uncertainty over the sales outlook for this year. “At the same time, lower prices for preowned aircraft have meant that if someone is buying a new aircraft, and they first have to sell an aircraft, it might cause them to hesitate,” he concluded. But Trappier expects the arrival of the 8X to have a big impact on Dassault’s standing in the market. “It will strengthen our sales, whether it takes three months, six months or a year,”he told AIN. At the same time, Dassault is making a renewed effort to sharpen its competitive edge in the face of stiff competition from rivals with lower cost bases and is willing to cut prices for new aircraft. Trappier said that the airframer is now planning an “economic transformation” that will tackle cost issues on both the civil and military sides of its business. While giving few specific
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indications as to what this transformation will entail, he pointed to efforts to extend digital technology and processes to every aspect of its business. “This must also include subcontractors, as we are not alone in [controlling the] pricing of aircraft,” Trappier explained. “So we have launched programs for them to become more competitive.” What Next for 5X?
Meanwhile, the delayed Falcon 5X program seems to be gathering some more positive momentum, with confirmation last month that engine supplier Snecma is preparing to test a revised version of the aircraft’s Silvercrest engine that it says will fix the problems that triggered an almost-two-year delay. “In order to optimize the program we decided to freeze manufacturing and slow down our subcontractors in order not to have too much stock in our inventory,” said Trappier. “Now, we have a new schedule given to us by Snecma at the beginning of the year, so it’s certification
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44 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
in 2019 and delivery in the first half of 2020. I’m still convinced it’s the right aircraft in terms of what it will offer. We’re not satisfied, we’re not happy at all, but we have to face the situation.” He added that he expects Snecma to reinforce its engineering teams in a bid to speed up recovery from the technical issues. Part of facing the situation is talking to 5X customers about where the delay leaves them. “Most of them understand and will wait for the 5X,” said Trappier. “Some want to keep their contracts, some want to cancel and some want to take a leasing solution or buy another aircraft.” Future research and development work at Dassault continues to be strongly focused on reducing the environmental footprint of the Falcons–further cutting noise, fuel burn and emissions. Environmental considerations seem to be a block on Dassault’s lingering ambitions to enter the supersonic business jet arena, and Trappier indicated that it will, instead, focus on delivering greater subsonic speed. o
Basel
Latest electronic dimming system turns windows into IFE screens by Samantha Cartaino Here at the EBACE show, Vision Systems is showcasing its latest electronically dimmable window (EDW) system for business jets and VIP helicopters. This new system integrates a transparent video display that allows passengers to view content such as an interactive moving map and travel information through the airplane window. Controlled by either a touch panel directly on the window, a personal tablet or light sensors, the EDW provides visual and thermal comfort by protecting passengers from the sun while still preserving the view. The system can also be used as a partition to provide privacy to part of the cabin.
or pleated fabrics and come as single or dual screens, the shades can be synchronized to
reach the top or bottom position simultaneously throughout the aircraft or by cabin zones.
They can also be controlled by a touch panel directly on the window, or via a tablet or integrated light sensors. This week, Vision Systems is also unveiling a new window for helicopters that can be jettisoned in the event of an emergency. The new model has been selected by Airbus Helicopters for its latest H160 model. The
H175 model already features the EDW system. EDW is to be a feature of the new Dassault Falcon 5X jet’s unique skylight window. The manufacturer has already provided the technology for a Dassault Falcon 900 refurbished by Ruag Aviation, as well as for the new HondaJet and the Epic E1000 turboprop single. o
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French company Vision Systems is showing windows that double as display screens for IFE systems.
According to France-based Vision Systems, EDW also contributes to lower aircraft operating costs by reducing air conditioning consumption. The windows automatically assume their darkest setting when the aircraft is on the ground, reducing cabin temperature in warm conditions. The windows also block 99.9 percent of harmful UV light and include noise insulation to keep the cabin quieter. Maintenance is also simplified because the electronic controls are fully integrated and there are no moving parts. The company also offers conventional motorized shades, which feature smooth
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www.ainonline.com • May 24, 2016 • EBACE Convention News 45
MoonJet is predicting a strong 2016 by Peter Shaw-Smith With a focus on operations in the Middle East, Europe, CIS, Africa and the Asia Pacific, MoonJet Flight Support (Booth AO88) is seeing several market trends which it says have led to an increase in business aviation activity. “MoonJet has seen some interesting growth over the last 12 months with a focus on operational support services, and current customers looking to MoonJet for additional services or outsourcing more of their own operational work,” John Hewett, regional manager UK and Western Europe, MoonJet Flight Support, told AIN. “We are expecting a strong 2016 and we have some exciting plans for this year. Advancements in areas such as IT will create some value-added benefits for our customers as well as efficiency savings internally,” he said. MoonJet provides constant updates and feedback to customers. “We can allow [customers] the
chance to focus on other pressing matters as they know they are in safe hands with MoonJet. We pride ourselves on our customer service, and this ensures we have industry-leading customer retention levels.” Using a base in Sharjah Airport Free Zone for the Gulf region, MoonJet is able to transact business with organizations globally and to enjoy office space and infrastructure to rival most major business cities and districts. Falling aviation fuel prices have made the market very competitive, and operators are benefitting from prices at recent historic lows. This as well as easier borrowing terms on financial markets has led to fleet growth in the business aviation sector. “We are seeing customers purchase not only more aircraft, but larger aircraft. This has allowed us to grow organically with them. We have seen some of them go from one aircraft to multi-aircraft and multi-range fleets in a very short space of time,” he said.
MoonJet’s Africa expertise is starting to pay dividends, and with better quality FBOs and infrastructure developing, interest is increasing. “Africa has always been a big market for MoonJet and we are starting to see better quality FBOs develop the market there,” he said. “Generally, many operators become nervous when [going] into Africa, but we have so many years of experience dealing with the African market that we can provide our customers that safe pair of hands they need.” MoonJet will be displaying some IT enhancements at EBACE and in the coming months will launch a new web portal to give customers instant access to aviation fuel prices and accounting information. “They will be able to look up prices, arrange fuel and see administrative information on demand. We are also looking at growth areas within the handling networks to see if we can add value to their experience.” o
46 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
UNIVERSAL CLOSE TO SUPER PUMA FLIGHT DISPLAY OK Universal Avionics is anticipating certification for its EFI-890H Advanced Flight Displays on the Airbus Helicopters Super Puma AS332L1 by the middle of the year, with installations on customer aircraft already under way. “The first helicopter is a transport configuration and the second helicopter with SAR [search and rescue] functionality is well into the modification process,” noted Grady Dees, Universal’s director of technical sales. “The EFI-890H installation provides a cost effective technology insertion for the Super Puma. According to the Arizona-based company (Booth T063), the package will include dual EFI-890H primary flight displays (PFD) for the pilot and copilot, dual UNS-1Fw Multi-Missions Management System (MMMS) with 5-inch flat panel control display units, and a single radio control unit, which works with the MMMS system and replaces federated control heads for existing radios. Optional night vision goggle-compatible versions of the above units are also available. This latest version of the proven flight display package is customized for the Super Puma, and provides steering cues for both 3-axis and 4-axis operations including roll, pitch and collective. The new PFD system replaces a suite of existing electromechanical altimeters, airspeed indicators, vertical speed indicators, ADI/FD indicators, radio altitude indicators and HSI indicators, allowing for significantly easier display and switching of navigation data. In SAR variants, automatic transition to hover will be supported by an upcoming software release to the MMMS. –C.E.
Air Culinaire now serving in Paris Air Culinaire Worldwide (Booth X089) recently opened a new in-flight catering facility at Paris-Le Bourget Airport. Besides being halal certified, the new facility is CE-certified, which is the highest level of certification available in the European market. This new 800-square-meter (8,611-square-foot) kitchen in Paris joins the in-flight catering provider’s 22 worldwide ownedand-operated kitchens as well as its associate catering partners on six continents. Local government and aviation officials as well as industry press and international private aviation companies attended a grand opening event held earlier this month for the new facility. Attendees were able to meet Air Culinaire’s Paris team and sample selections of local cuisine produced by Thierry Fournier, the
general manager of Air Culinaire Worldwide Paris, and his team. Steven Roberts, senior v-p of operations at Air Culinaire Worldwide, said, “The new state-of-the-art Paris kitchen is our international flagship culinary center and embodies our
vision of the future of aviation catering and what it will require for our discerning clients. As private aviation and charter flights continue to gain global market share, popularity and momentum, savvy consumers are beginning to shun the idea
of big ‘food manufacturers’ that offer assembled commercial flight meals rather than the culinary artistry that we offer our clients and guests.” –S.C. Thierry Fournier, general manager, Air Culinaire Worldwide Paris; Steven Roberts, senior v-p global operations, Air Culinaire Worldwide; Paul Schweitzer, senior v-p global sales and marketing, Air Culinaire Worldwide
ARGUS ACQUIRES DRONE-TRAINING INSTITUTE USI Argus International (Booth E066) recently acquired the Unmanned Safety Institute (USI) of Orlando, Florida. This flight safety organization focuses on safety training, certification and management of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). While the terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, the transaction officially closed on April 22, 2016. With this acquisition, Argus has increased its global aviation safety presence in the airline, business aviation and rotarywing industries. Joe Moeggenberg, Argus president and CEO, stated, “It has been our objective to actively participate in the UAS sector, as we have already seen the overlap between UAS and our existing clients in the airlines, business aviation, and rotary-wing businesses. However, in Argus fashion, we will only enter a new niche in the marketplace once we have brought on knowledgeable and respected program managers who have earned their stripes through years of handson, frontline experience. We found this experience with the USI team and its founders. No other aviation safety company has more, or better, resources from across the entire aviation spectrum than Argus.” –S.C.
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www.ainonline.com • May 24, 2016 • EBACE Convention News 47
The first HondaJet has been delivered to its European dealer, and demo flights have started.
HondaJet in service
After years of planning, leading Japanese automaker Honda is a player in business aviation. by Mark Huber
The delivery ceremony for the first of Honda’s long-awaited HondaJets took place last December 23, two days before Christmas. Honda Aircraft president and CEO Michimasa Fujino told the crowd at the Greensboro, North Carolina factory, “We are very excited to commence deliveries of the HondaJet, fulfilling Honda’s commitment to advancing human mobility through innovation. Honda Aircraft has now extended this commitment skyward with the delivery of our first aircraft, and I hope we soon will begin to see many HondaJets at airports around the world.” Well, now Europe has its first HondaJet with the first delivery in April to Honda’s Central Europe dealer, Rheinland Air Service. The German company will be the first HondaJet operator in Europe, where Honda now has three dealerships and a total of seven
HondaJet deliveries as of press time. Rheinland Air Service, based at Moenchengladbach Airport, will use its first HondaJet for demonstration purposes before reselling it. The company told AIN it has “several” orders for the aircraft and that it expects most European customers to have them flown by professional pilots (as opposed to being owner-flown). It takes a lot more than designing and manufacturing a top-notch aircraft to launch a business jet program from the ground up, and Honda has achieved what many said would never
come to pass. In advance of certification and first deliveries, Honda Aircraft had already built a network of dealers in 11 countries across North America, South America and Europe, which are now providing customer support, supplementing Honda Aircraft’s customer support facility in Greensboro. Pilot training is being conducted with a full-motion Level D flight simulator at the FlightSafety International Honda learning center co-located at the Greensboro campus. The unique HondaJet grew out of a research project that began in 1986.
AT A GLANCE Price
$4.5 million
Passengers
5-6
Crew Maximum cruising speed Range
2 420 knots (778 km/h) 1,180 nm* (2,185 km) Length: 17 ft 8 in (5.38 m)
Cabin
Width: 5 ft (1.52 m) Height: 4.94 ft (1.15 m) Volume: 860 cu ft (24.35 cu m)
*NBAA IFR reserves, four passengers Source: Honda Aircraft.
48 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
Honda’s 420-knot jet can leap tall mountains, with comfort and efficiency.
The original all-composite MH02 featured the over-the-wing-engine-mount (OTWEM) configuration that is the signature feature of the current HondaJet, but the research testbed had a forwardswept wing. It first flew in 1993. With that research in hand, Honda’s Fujino went back to the drawing board, Ten years later, the first HondaJet prototype took to the skies. Today, the 420-knot (778 km/hour), $4.5 million light twinjet is fully certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), was approved by Mexico’s aviation authority last month and anticipates certification from other countries. It was also nominated for 2015’s Robert J. Collier Trophy, the U.S. National Aeronautic Association’s annual award honoring “the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America.” The five-to six-passenger jet is certified for single-pilot operation and has a range of 1,180 nm (2,185 km), an initial climb rate of 4,000 feet per minute (1,219 meters per minute) and a maximum altitude of 43,000 feet (13,106 meters). Honda claims the aircraft has 15 to 20 percent greater fuel efficiency and has a faster cruise speed than competing models. Honda’s massive 83-acre Greensboro, N.C. campus should be able to turn out 70 to 100 aircraft per year when production is fully ramped up. Though just two aircraft were delivered by the end of December, the first
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two years of production have been sold out for many years. The HondaJet uses a carbon fiber composite fuselage mated to metal wings. The appearance is unconventional, with the over-wing engine pylons, thin natural laminar flow wings, porpoise-like nose and raked cockpit side windows. The design yields more speed; more luggage space; and a larger, quieter cabin with less vibration. The OTWEM pylons reduce drag and eliminate the need to contour the aft fuselage. The aircraft’s interior features upscale automotive accents, such as high-tech plating that runs the length of the cabin and an aft-cabin lavatory with a solid privacy door (as opposed to a curtain, as some light jets use). Some possible configurations include a small refreshment area, cabinets and a closet, rather than the single, side-facing seat; and an all-forward-facing seat layout for air-taxi operations. The color/fabric palette for the interior consists of four-to-five possible combinations. Honda uses highperformance computers and software to create virtual-reality, high-resolution pictures of the cabin in different colors and fabrics and based interior design options on early customers’ preferences. Honda engineers worked with the theory that each passenger requires about 60 cubic feet (1.71 cubic m) of space and that the seatpitch angle needs to be such that passengers’ feet don’t overlap when they’re seated in the
Garmin supplies the HondaJet’s G3000 touchscreen avionics, with synthetic vision, weather and traffic. The primary reason for the over the wing engine mount (OTWEM) configuration is cabin comfort. With the engines attached to the wings rather than the aft fuselage, there is less vibration and more room inside.
club-four facing seats. Passenger legroom is generous inside the HondaJet. Key suppliers for the HondaJet include GE Honda Aero Engines for the HF120 engines, each with 2,050 pounds of thrust (930 kg); Garmin for the G3000 touchscreen avionics; and Emteq for its SkyPro HD IFE and cabin-management system, which features Audio/Video on Demand, interactive 3-D moving map, exterior camera and wireless cabin control of lighting and monochromatic window shades at each seat via passengers’ personal electronic devices. With the SiriusXM satellite radio option, passengers can select station presets at individual seats. While the prototype had been flying
for many years, it wasn’t until March 2011 that a conforming test model achieved the design speed and altitude numbers at a weight equivalent to that of an aircraft with a finished interior and passengers. A few significant roadblocks caused delays in the development program, which originally projected certification by 2010. The HF120 engines initially failed iceingestion tests, forcing a costly redesign of their fan blades, pushing the development schedule back almost a year. While the new blades are only slightly thicker, the redesign forced Honda to repeat much of the testing it had performed on the original blades. The redesign was also complicated by the
⌀眀栀攀渀攀瘀攀爀眀栀攀爀攀瘀攀爀 䈀漀漀琀栀 匀㌀
猀甀瀀瀀漀爀琀攀搀 戀礀 䄀椀爀 䈀倀
50 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
fact that the engine fan is made from a “blisk,” or single forging that combines all the blades and the fan disk in a onepiece component. HondaJets are sold through a network of dealerships that have customer sales and service centers built to company standards–much the same way Honda sells automobiles. Honda Aircraft has support facilities located within approximately 90 minutes of any location in North and South America and Europe, with more expansion in the pipeline. In addition, Honda opened its $20 million maintenance, repair and overhaul center in 2013 on its North Carolina campus. o
Jeppesen adds Europe-friendly features to Mobile FlightDeck EFB by Mark Phelps Boeing subsidiary Jeppesen recently announced it had expanded visual flight rules (VFR) coverage of its Mobile FlightDeck electronic flight bag (EFB) in Europe. It now encompasses Scandinavian countries Norway, Sweden and Finland. The company also released a report from German aviation expert attorney Professor Elmar Giemulla concluding that the Mobile FlightDeck app complies with IATA and EASA regulations for private pilots to fly without paper backup charts. Jeppesen (Booth E051) has further enhanced Mobile FlightDeck with a new single installation option for iPads that provides access to both VFR and instrument flight rules (IFR) real-time flight data. For European pilots, that adds up to a more affordable option for those who fly both IFR and VFR. Mike Abbott, director, Jeppesen Navigation & Flight Deck programs, said, “The ability to switch between IFR and VFR data through a single installation offers pilots more flexibility in selecting the EFB service that best suits their requirements for flying.” Other recently added features enable pilots to import route information and third-party flight planning data from sources such as RocketRoute, AvPlan and FltPlan.com. They can also view departure and destination airports for which air traffic control had recently cleared flights, enabling them to plan their own flights with greater confidence in receiving needed clearances. Finally, Jeppesen has partnered with audio specialist and headset manufacturer Bose Corporation to add audio warnings to the Mobile FlightDeck VFR app. Pilots can connect their Bose A20 headsets to their iPad or other device through a wireless Bluetooth connection and receive real-time critical airspace and waypoint audio warnings. This adds an aural element to the visual warnings displayed on the device screen. There is a unique warning sound as well as a voice warning of “airspace” to call out if the aircraft is approaching controlled or restricted airspace. Abbott said of the new airspace and waypoint warnings, “Automated audio warnings in Mobile FlightDeck VFR enhance pilot workflow
and reduce ‘head-down’ time and manual interaction with their iPad.” The warnings can be
of particular value when flying in congested airspace, such as that found in much of Europe. o
Jeppesen has added several new features to its Mobile FlightDeck electronic flight bag (EFB). The added features benefit instrument pilots, but also those flying under visual flight rules (VFR) in Sweden, Finland and Norway.
www.ainonline.com • May 24, 2016 • EBACE Convention News 51
‘BACA badge’ for charter brokers would reward proven, reliable players
Mumford is quick to point out that this is for the charter market, and there is no intention to step on the toes of the likes of IBAC and EBAA. They are more focused on the operators, he pointed out. “We very much want to work with BBGA, EBAA, etc. So we don’t want to reinvent the wheel…but we will focus on the broker bit.” “We will aim to raise the standards without adding too much cost or barriers to entry,” he added. “There are good and bad brokers–so we want to encourage the good ones.” A criticism that is often leveled at the broker market is that “there are no barriers to entry,” admitted Mumford. “But it’s easy to say
by Ian Sheppard brokering market. So his experience ties in with what has been mounting pressure over recent years to tighten up scrutiny of the aviation brokers, themselves, with many supporting this move as they have become more “corporate” in recent years. Mumford said BACA would resist full-blown regulation, and to this end is reviewing its Code of Conduct. “First we need to step back and take a look at the breadth of the market,
the good and the bad behavior, and then make sure the Code of Conduct is robust and has meaning, and how we should deal with those who don’t comply.” He said the “ultimate goal” is to create a “BACA badge” that represents reliable quality “that the flying customer” can look to. BACA has tied up with ARGUS International to “incorporate the BACA Code of Conduct into their accreditation system.”
WINGX
Size and Diversity of BACA Membership [2015] 67% of BACA members are either Charter Brokers or Aircraft Operators. 180 full members.
220 MEMBERS 76
Charter Broker Aircraft Operator
71
35% 32%
24
Professional Services Legal / Insurance
11% 7%
15
Flight Planning
9
4%
Airport
8
4%
8
4%
FBO/Handling Agent MRO
3
1%
Fuel Supplier
2
1%
Aviation Catering
2
Ground Transport
1
Aircraft Manufacturer
1
1%
82%
14%
0% 0%
4% WINGX ADVANCE GMBH
The Baltic Air Charter Association (BACA), which is based in the City of London, is exhibiting at EBACE for the first time this year (Booth EO66). AIN met with new chairman Richard Mumford earlier this month to find out why the association is now raising its profile and what it is really about. “Historically, we represented companies across the board,” he said–meaning all types of commercial air charter, both in business aviation and air transport. BACA is now looking to bolster its presence in commercial air transport as a priority, as it was increasingly being seen as focused on the executive charter market. “We’re hoping to change the perception that we’re focused on executive charter, while not taking our eye off the executive market,” Mumford said. “So we’re looking to re-engage with organizations like BATA [the British Air Transport Association] and ERA [the European Regions Airline Association], on the charter side. Lots of European airlines have aircraft with spare capacity they want to charter out.” BACA’s main push on the executive side is its Code of Conduct and its tagline, “Our word is our bond.” Instilling confidence in brokers’ integrity is something that Mumford, who is a lawyer with Stevens & Bolton LLP based in Guildford, UK, has been championing. He envisions BACA approval becoming a recognized stamp of quality. This is imperative, he said, at a time when “the general view is that charter will come under greater scrutiny…and the CAA lacks the resources, so it’s an opportunity for BACA to step up.” Mumford admits his is a very traditional organization, while pointing to the need to modernize. “We have an opportunity to offer thought leadership in the market, political lobbying, etc,” he said. “We held a symposium around a year ago with our members, who were overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Then we set up a strategy committee and I’ve been elected as chairman–which is unusual, as I’m a lawyer, not a broker. But the reason is, we’re looking at things differently.” In his early career Mumford was involved in the introduction of regulation to the insurance
Full Member
Associated Member
Professional Services includes: Consulting, Finance, Insurance, Media, Legal
© 2015 by WINGX ADVANCE GMBH | ACTIONABLE INTELLIGENCE FOR BUSINESS AVIATION
52 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
Retired Member
Source: WINGX Research and WINGX BACA Survey, 2015
2/9/2016 |
4
that just because someone is operating with a mobile phone, they don’t know what they’re doing. That is not always the case, and a lot of them do.” He noted that a lot of the larger, established brokers are offering additional services, however, such as insurance. But he also pointed out that BACA does not want to stifle innovation in the broker market. Fortunately, it tends to be a small world; “It’s a very traditional market–as is the whole aviation market–so it’s close-knit, and it’s easy to develop a bad reputation quickly. That’s previously served us well, but greater corporatization and standard levels are being demanded, and it now needs a new solution.” Mumford’s rise to chairman has been swift. “I have been a member of BACA for seven to eight years, but I joined the council only 18 months ago. I believed BACA was a sleeping giant and had a good opportunity.” He would like to see the organization grow, initially by establishing a proper secretariat, increasing its footprint from the sole full-time staff member it has in London at present. “We have lots of ideas on what we might do–for example we are looking at some sort of formal annual conference.” He suggested that ERA is “in some ways a model for our organization in the future,” with its committees, broad membership including OEMs, and annual general assembly. He is also keen to increase sponsorship from OEMs and other industry participants, with Dassault already coming in to support some of its activities, he said. Only 35 percent of BACA’s membership is made up of charter brokers (total 76), with operators, insurers, lawyers, handling agents, airports, FBOs and other companies (including one manufacturer) making up the rest of the 220-strong membership. WingX carried out an analysis of BACA’s membership in February 2016, said Mumford, showing that its members have a total turnover of around €4.2 billion and employ some 7,000. The operator members represent more than 700 aircraft, two thirds of which are engaged in business aviation with the other third being air transport/cargo. It includes 123 “light jets” the rest being large corporate aircraft, and airliner/cargo aircraft–both jets and turboprops. In 2015 the 71 BACA member operators conducted 68,000 “handling movements” generating an estimated €561 million ($648 million) in charter revenues. o
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Not much revealed here in a rendering of Textron’s entry into the single-engine turboprop arena. What is visible is the large aft cargo door, as well as the conventional boarding door.
Textron Aviation firms up plans for a new single-engine turboprop by Matt Thurber Textron Aviation unveiled the cabin mockup for its singleengine turboprop (SETP) on April 25 in Wichita to visiting journalists, and released some more refined specifications and other details. The company has been showing the mockup to potential customers for months and gathering feedback on the clean-sheet design. More recently it released a drawing highlighting the low-wing, T-tail configuration, which includes a large cargo
door on the left aft fuselage. At last year’s NBAA Convention, Textron had said that the SETP, which has not yet received an official name, would offer speeds in excess of 280 knots (519 kilometers per hour) and a range of at least 1,500 nautical miles (2,778 km). Textron also selected GE Aviation’s new advanced turboprop engine, which also has no name, to power the SETP. In the Textron Aviation application, the engine
will deliver 1,240 shp, driving a 105-inch- (267-centimeter)diameter, five-blade, composite, fully feathering and reversible McCauley propeller. Avionics will be Garmin’s touchscreencontrolled G3000 flight deck. Textron Aviation (Booth V029) will offer the SETP for an introductory price of $4.5 million (in 2016 $), and it is taking orders now. The refined performance figures for the all-metal design include a range of 1,600
nm (2,963 km) and a maximum speed of 285 knots (528 kph). In addition to the cargo door, a forward cabin entry door measuring 24 inches (61 cm) wide by 59 inches (150 cm) tall will provide access on the forward left side of the fuselage. The cargo door measures 59 inches (150 cm) tall by 53 inches (135 cm) wide. “Both of those are larger than any of the existing products in this space today,” said Michael Thacker, senior vice president, engineering. The competing products include Daher’s TBM series and the Pilatus PC-12. The PC-12’s cargo door is 53 inches (135 cm) tall by 52 inches (132 cm) wide. The SETP measures 48 ft, 9 in (14.9 m) nose-to-tail, with a wingspan of 54 ft, 3 in (16.5 m) and a tail height of 15 ft, 2 in (4.6 m). By comparison, the PC-12NG is 47 ft, 3 in (14.4 m) long, has a wingspan of 53 ft, 4 in (16.3 m) and tail height of 14 ft (4.3 m). The TBM 930, the latest model in the TBM series, has
a length of 35 ft, 1 in (10.7 m), wingspan just over 42 ft (12.8 m) and height of 14 ft, 4 in (4.4 m). Other SETP specifications include a maximum altitude of 31,000 feet (9,449 meters) with a cabin altitude of 6,000 feet (1,829 m) and full-fuel payload of 1,100 pounds (499 kg). First flight is scheduled in 2018, followed by service entry “soon after,” although the timeline for certification was not specified. Certification will be under FAR Part 23, with singlepilot capability. The cabin features a flat floor with maximum width at 63 inches (160 cm) and height at 58 inches (147 cm). “That’s three inches [wider] than its closest competitor,” said Kriya Shortt, senior v-p of sales and marketing at Textron Aviation. (The PC-12’s cabin, also flat-floored, measures 60 inches (152 cm) in width and 58 inches (147 cm) in height.) The standard configuration will be a six-passenger executive layout, with a four-seat club area forward and two forward-facing seats in the back. Cabin windows are larger than is typical in this class of airplane. High-density seating will allow up to nine seats
Continued on page 57 u
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Business Jet Traveler: a user’s guide by Jeff Burger The company that produces the magazine you’re holding also publishes Business Jet Traveler, which has been helping subscribers maximize their investment in private aviation since 2003. The magazine publishes six regular bimonthly issues per year, plus annual Buyers’ Guides in April (China edition) and July (international edition). Issued by the same team that has produced the industryleading Aviation International News for more than four decades, BJT offers unbiased reviews of new and used aircraft; advice on buying and selling jets; and information about taxes, laws, financing, safety, maintenance, insurance, and more. It also features articles about new luxury autos, vacation destinations, and other leisure pursuits, plus interviews with luminaries ranging from film director Francis Ford Coppola and master chef Wolfgang Puck to magicians Penn and Teller and entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson. It’s a blend of content you can’t quite find in any other magazine anywhere in the world. Upcoming issues will feature several particularly noteworthy subjects. In June, BJT will offer the 5th annual edition of its popular Book of Lists, a 13-page compendium of indispensable information and advice for business jet travelers. In July, the magazine will publish the 9th annual edition of its aforementioned Buyers’ Guide. This award-winning guide— which has been completely revamped for 2016—will feature the BJT Yellow Pages, a handy updated worldwide directory of air charter, jet card, and fractional-share providers; aircraft brokers; aircraft financial institutions; aircraft manufacturers; business aviation caterers; cabin-electronics manufacturers; completion and refurbishment centers; hull and liability-insurance brokers; and more. In October, BJT will deliver the results of its latest exhaustive Readers’ Choice poll, which will include subscribers’ ratings of aircraft, airframers, and service providers. BJT’s high editorial standards have earned it 38 journalism awards since 2005. In the annual competition sponsored by the American Society of Business Publication Editors,
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www.ainonline.com • May 24, 2016 • EBACE Convention News 55
Comlux America has completed the expansion of its third completions and maintenance hangar in Indianapolis, allowing it to accommodate widebody aircraft like the Airbus A330. Below, left to right: Fly Comlux CEO Andrea Zanetto celebrates the signing of a contract to manage a Boeing 777 for Crystal AirCruises with its vice president Richard Ziskind and Comlux Group chairman and CEO Richard Gaona.
Comlux to manage luxury-tour B777 by Charles Alcock Luxury travel group Crystal AirCruises appointed Fly Comlux to manage operations of its VIP-equipped Boeing 777200LR widebody due to enter service around the end of 2017. The aircraft, which is currently undergoing completion in the U.S., will be equipped to carry around 52 passengers for flights as part of luxury tours around the world. Fly Comlux, which is the VIP airline division of Comlux the Aviation Group, will place the 777-200LR under its commercial air operators certificate (AOC) in Aruba. Already under the Aruba AOC is a 767-200ER that Fly Comlux has operated in the charter market since 2011, and this is due to be joined by an Airbus ACJ330. The company has a European Union AOC in Malta, which operates Bombardier Challengers and Globals, Embraer Legacys and Hawker 900XPs. A third Fly Comlux AOC is based in Kazakhstan. Crystal AirCruises, which is the new division of the Genting Group’s Crystal Cruises, is also preparing to add a VIP Boeing 787 to its fleet. It operates a fleet of four luxury ocean liner cruise ships. “Crystal Air Cruises is a complement to the plethora of options Crystal is providing today’s global luxury travel,” said president and CEO Edie Rodriguez. “As we bring cruising to the skies, our guests can expect the highest quality of aviation service with Comlux.” According to Comlux Group chairman and CEO Richard Gaona, U.S.-based Crystal turned to his company because of its extensive experience with private jet management and charter operations. “Our operational teams are already working together with their counterparts at Crystal AirCruises, in order to prepare for the first Crystal AirCruises flight in 2017,” he commented. “This is an exciting new program for Comlux and I am fully convinced we will provide an outstanding customized
service to Crystal AirCruises and their high-end passengers.” For Comlux, the contract with Crystal AirCruises represents an opportunity to expand its customer base beyond the core aircraft management and charter market, which remains quite challenging for service providers. But this has not discouraged Comlux from continuing to make significant investments in its infrastructure and capabilities, which also include maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), as well as completions. “The market is still very difficult, but I feel that 2016 is to be a better year than 2015, and it is now very much a buyer’s market,” Gaona told AIN, citing political uncertainty ahead of November’s U.S. Presidential election and declining new aircraft sales as examples of factors that are undermining market confidence. “But, all in all, it’s still not going to be an easy year, and that’s why we have to be proactive and get out on the road to capture new business.” In the first quarter of this year, he explained, demand for charter was “much quieter” than last year, but it did pick up somewhat during April. The VIP aircraft completions market also
Comlux Strengthens Its Board with New Appointments Comlux the Aviation Group announced the appointment of Domingo Ureña Raso to its board of directors. He comes to the business aviation services group from Airbus Military, where he was CEO, after a 30-year career with the Airbus Group. In March, Comlux also appointed Frederic Dubant as its new executive vice president commercial. Dubant has been part of the Comlux management team for the past seven years, having previously served as vice president legal and contracts. –C.A.
has been quiet, mainly because of the very limited delivery schedule for new Airbus Corporate Jets and Boeing Business Jets, partly because prospective customers seem to be waiting for these manufacturers to introduce their new, re-engined ACJneo and BBJ Max models, respectively. On the other hand, he argued, with existing aircraft owners delaying acquisitions of new models, they are keeping their current assets longer, and this is stimulating demand for maintenance and refurbishment work. Comlux’s response to these circumstances has been to expand its Comlux America facility in Indianapolis. It now boasts three hangars, and is aggressively pursuing a wider array of MRO and completions work. Changing European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regulations on aircraft operations are also creating new opportunities for Comlux to provide extra support and assurance for management clients. The new Part NCC rules effectively require aircraft operated purely for private use to be operated under standards that are close to those imposed on commercial operators. This can create an onerous burden on smaller operators and owners who may find it easier to turn to a larger operator for help. Similarly, the new Third Country Operators (TCO) authorization requirement for non-European commercial operators seeking to fly within the European Union also strengthens the case for these companies to seek support from a local AOC holder. “Customers have to be more selective over which operators they work with because a much higher degree of [operational] control is required,” explained Gaona. “We made the choice to operate completely under commercial rules, and we have added qualifications such as ETOPS 180 minute clearance and FAR 129 compliance [governing foreign carriers flying into the U.S.] that helps us to win management
56 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
contracts. You just can’t operate under fake AOCs anymore. I hope that the authorities will be more controlling so that we are competing on a truly level playing field.” Another significant revenue stream for Zurich-headquartered Comlux (Booth N103) comes from its involvement in aircraft transactions, of which it has completed around 60 to date. For instance, it recently signed for a new Global 6000 on behalf of a client and now is in the process of selling its previous aircraft, also a Global. Comlux America Expansion
On April 27, Comlux America opened its newly enlarged completion hangar in Indianapolis. The ambitious project expanded the company’s third hangar size from 128,000 square feet (11,891 square meters) to 157,000 sq ft (14,586 sq m), allowing the building to simultaneously accommodate one widebody aircraft and up to four single-aisle models. Both the ceiling and ground footprint were increased to allow larger airframes to move in and out, and the facility can now take any widebody, apart from an A380. The company’s two other hangars, between them, can accommodate a pair of BBJs and several smaller business jets. Work currently moving through the Indianapolis site includes the completion of an ACJ330, a BBJ and the first of the new Sukhoi Business Jets (SBJ). At the same time, Comlux America is performing maintenance on another couple of BBJs and a pair of ACJs. The SBJ completion program for Russia’s Sukhoi required Comlux America to obtain full EASA Part 145 approval since the aircraft cannot be worked on under U.S. FAA supplemental type certificates. “We increased the size of our
facility in response to changes in the market,” said Comlux America CEO Scott Meyer. “We had been capturing a significant share of the narrowbody market, but this went through a drastic downturn, with Airbus and Boeing delivering less than three each year, and at the same time, we saw increased and sustained growth on the widebody side.” At the same time, the maintenance and modification side of its operation has been boosted by operators responding to obsolescence in their aircraft systems and the need to install new technology. Last year, the Indianapolis site earned Boeing warranty approval (up to C check level), adding to its existing service center status with both Airbus (C-check) and Bombardier (up to eight-year checks on the Global family). “We’ve signed two new BBJ [maintenance] clients this year, and it’s a hard-fought [market] that is very competitive, especially for domesticallyoperated aircraft,” Meyer said. It is working on a 12-year-old BBJ that needs new emergency lighting and power sources, as well as an extensive modernization of the cabin. “Ours is the only VIP completions center designed and built specifically for that role. We didn’t leverage existing hangars,” Meyer said. “We have organized all the various shops so that they feed with one another from a fabrication point of view. With completion projects, 80 percent of the work is fabrication, and that’s where you need efficiency.” By the time it completes its ramp up, Comlux America will have almost doubled its staffing levels. The company needs to recruit and retain highly skilled staff and benefits from the being close to prestigious universities such a Purdue, Notre Dame, Northwestern and Penn State. o
uContinued from page 54
in the cabin and two in the cockpit for a total of 11 occupants. An optional enclosable lavatory with a belted seat can be fitted in the aft cabin, and forward of the club seating is a full-height galley/storage cabinet. The cabin configuration is all about flexibility. Both the storage cabinets and lavatory are easily removable for high-density seating or all-cargo configurations. “Our process continues to solicit voiceof-the-customer feedback from day one,” said Shortt. “And we’ve been doing that with this product for some period of time,” she added. Buyers of other Textron Aviation airplanes were invited to view the cabin mockup when visiting the company’s Wichita headquarters during deliveries and other events. “What’s unique about this is the seats are fully berthable,” said Christi Tannahill, senior v-p of interior design and engineering. “Designing this airplane, it was important we [incorporated] not only executive-style seating, but also cargo. So you can lean all the way back [except for the aft seat in front of the lavatory bulkhead], you can take those seats out, the lavatory can come out, and you can use all of that space for hauling. “The flat floor and the large windows give this a really spacious look and feel, and we have the largest seats in this space. There are USB ports at every seat. One
of the other areas we focused on is the service galley, you have access to coffee, and you can configure this however you like. You can hang coats, put luggage or briefcases or have it completely removed and have this space available.” Window shades are manual, as they are on other typically owner-flown Citation jets such as the Mustang and M2. No further details about the cockpit were available, although Shortt said that Textron will incorporate GE’s single-lever power control for the SETP. “That was another reason that GE was a good fit, because we wanted to be able to incorporate the feel of flying a jet and the simplicity of not having the pilots do so much work,” she said. Counting on Smart Customers
The engine’s Fadec and low specific fuel consumption were also factors in the GE selection, according to Shortt. “[Customers] don’t look at only an acquisition; they look at what their operating costs, what their maintainability will be as well. Those are all things that we look at in the design phase prior to manufacturing.” While the SETP is Textron Aviation’s first cabin-class single-engine turboprop program, both Cessna and Beechcraft explored this concept well before the two companies merged in 2014. At EAA AirVenture 2012, Cessna invited showgoers to climb inside a mockup of a
single-engine turboprop and surveyed visitors to measure their expectations for performance. This was a smaller airplane with sidestick flight controls, a cabin slightly larger than a Piper Meridian or TBM and maximum speed of 260 knots (482 kph) priced between $2.1 to $2.5 million. Wingspan would have measured 42 feet (12.8 m), baggage compartment 26 cubic feet (.74 cubic m) and cabin 54 inches (137 cm) wide, 53 inches (135 cm) tall and 17 feet, eight inches (5.4 m) long. Beechcraft proposed its own singleengine turboprop concept a few months later, and this would have used the composite fuselage of the Premier IA twinjet. Hawker Beechcraft showed a rendering of airplane seating one pilot and eight to 11 passengers in a cabin 66 inches (168 cm) wide, nearly 65 inches (165 cm) high and 20.4 feet (6.2 meters) long. NBAA IFR range with four passengers was projected at 1,750 nm (3,241 km) and high-speed cruise 302 knots (559 kph) at FL250. Maximum payload would be 2,800 pounds (1,270 kg) and a full-fuel payload 1,650 pounds (748 kg). These projects didn’t necessarily guide the SETP’s ultimate shape, but may have had some impact. “The advanced design process is an iterative process,” explained Thacker, “and you try to put together the pieces of technology and capability that you have in-house to come to a product that makes sense. And so all of the pieces
that were looked at, all of the concepts that were derived earlier have fed into where we have ended up with this product. We’re taking the best of both legacies and bringing it together and moving it forward to the next generation of aircraft.” Textron Aviation’s ongoing interest in the SETP stems in part from what is happening in the new-airplane market. “In the past five years when you look at deliveries,” said Shortt, “it’s about a 12.5 percent increase [in this category per year] in what has been a challenging market. It’s good growth and certainly indicative of a space that customers want and need product.” The target market for the SETP is owner-pilots and professionally flown transportation along with specialmissions applications. “The demand will be across the world,” she added. “The capabilities that the aircraft will offer will allow it to play very well in the international segments, [and] with the pending [single-engine IFR] changes with EASA we see good growth opportunities with the product in Europe as well. She said, “Certainly the Caravan is great from a utility perspective, [but] I think that this is going to–we hope–grow our share in what is a strong and resilient market with little competition.” Textron Aviation will unveil the cabin mockup and the official name of the SETP at this year’s EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin in late July. o
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Uptick in African ops spurs KALC’s success
Stanley Joseph, general manager, Kilimanjaro Aviation Logistics Centre, with members of the team.
With increasing business aviation activity to and within Africa, Tanzania-based Kilimanjaro Aviation Logistics Centre (KALC, Booth X089) has been expanding its regional presence and has set up a regional affiliate in Ethiopia. “We’ve seen growth in Ethiopian business aviation activity, especially connected to the African Union,” Stanley Joseph, general manager, KALC, told AIN. KALC is a Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. affiliate founded eight years ago to meet the growing demand for trip support across Africa. Universal Aviation, the ground support division of Universal, recently added a dedicated supervisory agent in Ethiopia. As a result, it can now provide ground supervisory services to business aviation airports throughout Ethiopia. “Our agent fully understands the logistical challenges often encountered when operating into Ethiopia, and she [uses] her local knowledge and the global resources of Universal to help clients avoid any unexpected events or delays on the ground. “Business aviation in Tanzania is dominated by charter operators. Private jets are fairly few but we are anticipating growing demand to travel regionally,” said Joseph. Part of the company’s strategy in Africa, but also the rest of the world, is to establish a physical presence in locations clients
consider high stress and high risk. This could be due to lack of infrastructure, high-traffic airports where business aviation is not the top priority, remote locations or airports where clients are likely to need last-minute support. “It was important to establish a presence on the ground in Africa because the continent provides unique logistical challenges and the subtly different aviation regulations with which the 56 countries of Africa are bound.” Initially KALC served as a permit office, with the capability to support around 10,000 trips a year. However, demand for regional client support has increased and the company has expanded its reach. “Our multilingual team, based in Tanzania and Ethiopia, is available 24/7 to help our clients meet the communication, compliance and regulatory challenges of operating through this region, which can be confusing and complex, as each country has its own rules and regulations,” Joseph said. With Foreign and Corrupt Practices Act and anti-bribery violations increasing sharply, operators need to use a provider familiar with guidelines and international laws. “Another key differentiator for us is Universal’s compliance department. It’s a common misconception that ignorance is a viable defense, but individuals and corporations
KALC
by Peter Shaw-Smith
have been prosecuted for violations committed by third-party providers who committed illegal acts on their behalf,” he added. “Our clients can rest assured that everything we do is in full regulatory compliance.” The company is investigating new opportunities to expand throughout the continent outside the traditional business aviation destinations in north Africa and southern Africa. “There is a sharp increase in traffic to the middle of the continent, much of which is multinational corporations invested in natural resources. I’d expect that trend to continue. “Even if a client is operating regionally within Africa, and they have an AOG situation, because we’re part of Universal,
we can utilize Universal’s other resources and contacts to expedite receiving parts, ensuring they make it through customs and immigration,” said Joseph. “All of our offices around the world communicate, and regardless of whether it’s a flight handled directly by KALC or a trip through Universal trip support headquarters, the entire network is available to mobilize in the event of an unforeseen event.” In Africa, he said, listening to clients and working with government and airport officials is important. “Because of the global slowdown, I think you will see an uptick in business aviation infrastructure development in Africa, including FBOs, dedicated general aviation terminals [and other facilities].”
TrueNorth to supply router for BendixKing AeroWave Satcom by Matt Thurber
Targeted for use on light jets and turboprops, BendixKing’s AeroWave 100 router weighs just a little more than half a pound and is installed permanently.
BendixKing has picked TrueNorth Avionics (Booth H111) to manufacture a router/ wireless access point for the company’s AeroWave 100 Inmarsat SwiftBroadband satcom. The AeroWave router is based on TrueNorth’s Optelity Hot Spot “N” wireless access point, which was introduced last year and is targeted for light- to mediumsized jets and turboprops. The AeroWave router is permanently installed in the aircraft as a certified product, and it weighs
just over half a pound. The router includes an external antenna, but it must be connected to telecom equipment–the AeroWave 100–in order to facilitate communications outside the aircraft. 3G Data Speeds
The AeroWave 100 and the AeroWave router allows passengers to connect mobile devices to the satcom system via Wi-Fi and use TrueNorth’s MyStylus app to make calls from iOS and Android mobile devices.
58 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
The AeroWave 100 features data speeds of up to 200 Kbps (3G) on Inmarsat’s Class 15 satcom network. Operators pay for service up-front, $1,999 for 50 hours, which averages to $40 per hour, but this pre-paid package is limited to 104 Kbps. “Other plans are available with the higher speed,” according to BendixKing, which is a Honeywell (Booth U123) division. A $3,000 rebate is available for buyers taking delivery before June 1. Total system weight is about 12 pounds.
KALC is a founding member of the African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) and participates in regional forums to promote the business. “Business aviation in the region [leaves] a lot to be desired, and we work closely with lobbying groups to ensure civil aviation and airport authorities in the region understand business aviation and the potential impact it can have on the economy,” Joseph said. “Our goal is to reduce the operational stress and risk for our clients. We have seen the impact our Ethiopia team has had. The goal is to continue meeting our clients’ needs across the region, not only in permits but in handling supervision and coordination,” he concluded. o “We are enthusiastic about the AeroWave 100 system, offering an innovative solution for the general aviation market, and this great opportunity to work with BendixKing in providing new airborne communications functionality to an underserved aircraft category,” said Mark van Berkel, TrueNorth CEO. “As part of the system, our integrated minirouter/wireless access point brings communications capabilities previously reserved for long-range aircraft into the cabins of light aircraft like Cessna Citations and Bombardier Learjets. With certified Wi-Fi people can stay connected in flight.” o
EMBRACING CHANGE
Wyvern assesses UAV safety, as Wingman program matures by Bill Carey & Charles Alcock Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) rep- unmanned aircraft systems. At a minimum, resent both an opportunity and a chal- vendors of UAV services will have to comlenge for aviation risk management and ply with the regulation to gain access to safety auditing firm Wyvern. On the the airspace; to be successful as accredone hand, the commercial industry for ited operators they will need to implement unmanned aircraft is poised to explode proven safety management processes. in the U.S. and elsewhere; on the other “This is the challenge,” said Dawley, hand, the industry is immature and undis- who spoke with AIN during the Xponential ciplined when it comes to benchmark 2016 conference in New Orleans earlier safety practices. this month. “We’re not working with aviaU.S.-based Wyvern (Booth H069) has tion providers, number one,” he explained. advised business aviation on safety best “We found that in the acceptance, even the practices for more than two decades. It recognition, of these types of processes, also now assesses vendor compliance with most operators have no clue. Safety manquality- and safety-management practices agement is not even part of what they do. for end users of UAV services. These are people who have never had to “They want to know when they’re document and implement organizational going out and sourcing these vendors—do policies, risk management processes—all they meet a certain benchmark? These are these kinds of things.” [vendors] that have no experience for the At the Xponential conference, which most part,” said Wyvern CEO Art Dawley. is sponsored by the Association of Until recently, there has been no regula- Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, tion of commercial UAVs to help guide the Wyvern announced the launch of a industry, Dawley noted. But the situation safety assessment program for UAVs will change in the U.S. once the Federal called EXACT, short for “Excellence Aviation Administration (FAA) releases through Assessment, Consistency and Sierra Completions_AIN Show Pub_EBACE Geneva_10 x 6in_2016.pdf 1 5/11/2016 3:13:48 PM its Part 107 final regulation for small Training.” It provides a certification
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RTI Forensics, a forensics investigation firm audited by Wyvern, uses the DJI Inspire 1 quadcopter in its operations.
process for UAV operators benchmarked from the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Document 10019 Manual on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems. The goal of the program is to both help UAV consumers “make informed decisions” about the vendors they use, and measure vendors’ “commitment to mitigate risk” in their operations. EXACT “takes many of the processes that have become the focus of safety management for manned aircraft but recognizes and tailors them to the unique challenges of unmanned operations,” the company says. The program’s UAV-specific standards and recommended practices address technical performance of operations from remote pilot stations, command and control datalink, support equipment, payload management and other areas. Wyvern also announced the award of its first EXACT certification to RTI
Forensics, a forensic investigation and engineering company based in Stevensville, Maryland. In June 2015, the FAA granted the company a commercial exemption to operate the DJI Phantom 2 Vision and Inspire 1 quadcopters for aerial data collection under its Section 333 process. RTI Forensics uses small drones for property insurance, casualty investigation, infrastructure inspection and other purposes. Wingman Grows
Meanwhile, Wyvern is continuing to develop its flagship Wingman audit program for business aircraft operators. Taking input from its customer advisory board, the company has revised the Wingman Standard to reflect the latest research on aviation safety and international regulations. Along with the EXACT program for UAV operations, Wingman constitutes the Wyvern Risk Management suite of services. Much of the focus for the new Wyvern Aviation Training program is both manned and unmanned aircraft in the emerging markets of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Part of the Saudi Arabia-based Nexus group, Wyvern also now offers a cloud-based information resource called Wyvern Aviation Intelligence, founded on its database of air charter operators, with search tools and additional data from both public and private sources. o
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Jetex doubles its FBO network with facilties in Europe and Africa Jetex Flight Support has On the eve of EBACE, expanded its network in the company announced it France with the May 11 open- has secured a tender from the ing of a new FBO at Marseille Moroccan National Airports Provence Airport, one of the Authority (ONDA) to establish country’s busiest business five new FBOs, the first such aviation destinations. facilities in the North African The location, which offers country and the company’s first FBO and ramp services, is open footprint in Africa. It has already 24/7 and provides dedicated begun private jet ground suppassenger and crew lounges, port at Casablanca Mohammed flight-planning area, concierge, V International Airport, round-the-clock customs clear- Marrakech Menara and Rabatance and one-hour prior noti- Salé, where Swissport was also fication for flights. chosen to provide “Being the second handling services. largest French city, At the seasonal with no prior perdestinations of mission required or Agadir-Al Massira, other notable restricand Dakhla, Jetex tions, Marseille is was named as the a top candidate exclusive ground to be our second services provider. At FBO location in all five airports Jetex France,” said Loic will have onsite cusLa Joye, Jetex’s FBO Jetex president and CEO toms service. Adel Mardini has just signed network manager. “By partnering a deal for five new FBOs in The facility will Morocco. with Jetex, ONDA be fully operamarks a new strational in time for France’s host- tegic step in the development ing of the UEFA European of business aviation activChampionship soccer tour- ity across Morocco’s airports,” nament this summer, added said Zouhair Mohammad El Julien Pedusseau, the facility’s Aoufir, ONDA’s CEO. “Jetex is manager. “This Jetex Marseille a global player in the industry FBO will facilitate conve- and these new FBO installations nient access to UEFA games will undeniably bring a signifiin Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, cant improvement in hosting and Nice and Toulouse,” he said. In handling passengers across busiaddition to access to the south ness aviation.” of France, the site is near the Construction on the WesternMediterranean playground style FBO is expected to begin of Monaco, 45 minutes away by the end of the summer in by helicopter. Marrakech. “Marrakech is numDubai-based Jetex (Booth ber one for business jet movement N090) also has a facility at Paris in Morocco,” said Jetex president Le Bourget. It noted that it will and CEO Adel Mardini. “There’s be further expanding its business around 4,000 movements per in France in the near future. year, that’s why we have a plan
to make a big investment in this airport.” Next to follow will be Rabat, Casablanca and the vacation destinations of Agadir and Dakleh which each see approximately 500 movements a year. “For us Morocco is very important, first of all because it’s a stable country, a destination for private jets and it has the highest number of flight movements in North Africa,” Mardini told AIN ahead of the show. “The vision of the Moroccan government is to make all these airports a destination for the general aviation business, and they want their economy to grow, and this is why they asked for an international brand such as Jetex to be in Morocco.” The company, which is known for its trip support services, will also extend its ground handling network to Spain and Greece starting in June. In Spain it will operate at Barcelona, Malaga and Madrid, while in Greece, though it will be based in Athens, it will provide ground handling at all the country’s airports. “Both destinations are very important to our business,” said Mardini. “Many private jet owners fly to these destinations for business and vacations.” He added the instability in some areas of the Middle East has caused some local owners to venture further afield. “These people have started flying to Europe more and more, Greece and Spain are one of the most common destinations for the people in our area, that’s why we chose both of them. In addition to the existing business, we believe that this will see huge growth in the future,” Mardini concluded. o
RUAG CUSTOM PAINTS CHALLENGER 350 Ruag Aviation recently became the first company in Europe to fully repaint a Bombardier Challenger 350 since the aircraft’s launch in 2013. Ordered by Windrose Air Jet Charter for an undisclosed client, the Challenger 350 was repainted based on a personalized design scheme. The work was done by Ruag’s specialists in Munich, Germany, using special-effect painting techniques. Windrose’s client required a combination of fine artwork and bold graphics. Ruag (Booth E089) used Bombardier-certified paint and finishes to cover the aircraft, including the interior surface of the passenger door. The client received daily progress reports with photographs and written documentation from Ruag’s in-house painting consultancy team.
“Aircraft owners are largely concerned with aircraft resale value,” said Reinhard Imhoff, Ruag sales manager for exterior services. “Full repainting and finishing services for aircraft exteriors are necessary for maintenance, durability and value preservation and are performed at set intervals or at the moment of resale.” The Switzerland-based Ruag Aviation group provides maintenance, repair and overhaul services, as well as cabin interiors and system upgrades. The company is an authorized service center for Airbus Helicopters, Bell Helicopter, Bombardier, Cirrus, Textron (Cessna), Diamond, Dassault, Embraer, Leonardo-Finmeccanica, Piaggio, Sikorsky, Pilatus, Piper and Mooney. –S.C.
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Chip Johns
by Curt Epstein
FlightSafety International is broadening its advanced upset-prevention and recovery program, adding five new types—the Cessna Citation CJ3, Gulfstream G450 and G650, Beechcraft King Air 350 and Pilatus PC-12—to the existing GV and G550.
FSI adds more models to upset recovery course by Chad Trautvetter FlightSafety International (Booth G043) is adding five more business aircraft types to its advanced upset-prevention and recovery training program, which was first introduced for the Gulfstream GV and G550 last June. The new types are the Cessna Citation CJ3; Gulfstream G450 and G650; Beechcraft King Air 350; and Pilatus PC-12. Courses for the new types will become available between now and the end of this year. Locations and start dates will vary by aircraft type, FlightSafety said. The company’s program uses the only flight simulator expanded with aerodynamic, flight control and motion models specifically for upset prevention and recovery training that is qualified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s National Simulator Program. According to FlightSafety, the models developed and incorporated into the simulators include low speeds that replicate full aerodynamic
stalls and extreme high speeds beyond VMO and MMO. Of particular interest to European operators, “FlightSafety’s advanced upsetprevention and recovery courses exceed EASA requirements,” noted Dann Runik, the company’s executive director for advanced training programs. “Our courses are aircraft type-specific and include manufacturer-approved techniques and procedures for recovering from upsets due to aerodynamic stall, as well as high-speed/Mach events well in excess of the certified maximum speeds. “Pilots safely experience historically accurate upset scenarios while very low to the ground, as well as night and instrument meteorological conditions, which would be far too dangerous to do in an aircraft. The training also helps pilots to increase their knowledge of aerodynamics and develop new skills that are critical to safe operations.” o
BROMMA JET ADDS CHALLENGER 300 TO FLEET Swedish charter operator Bromma Jet recently added a Bombardier Challenger 300 to its fleet of two Dassault Falcon 7Xs. The company, based at Stockholm Bromma Airport, has a sales agreement with aircraft management and charter group TAG Aviation (Booth Y004). It will base the nine-passenger Challenger and 11- and 14-passenger Falcon 7Xs in Paris. “Our partnership with Bromma has been a perfect fit, since we look after the dispatch of their aircraft as well as their maintenance,” said Florent Sériès, TAG Aviation’s European vice president for sales and marketing. “We are looking forward to renewing our collaboration with them, and their new Challenger 300 offers exciting new opportunities for us.” TAG Aviation has operations in Europe, Asia (Hong Kong) and the Middle East (Bahrain), with a fleet of over 120 aircraft, some 50 of which are available for charter. The group also is involved in maintenance, FBOs and training. –S.C.
SAFETY FIRST Jet Aviation Maintenance and Refurbishment Services You can count on Jet Aviation’s nearly 50 years of industry experience whether you need a routine inspection, heavy maintenance and repair, refurbishment, or the technical expertise of our round-the-clock AOG team. Strategically located around the world, our repair stations are staffed by technicians trained in all major airframes. Keeping your aircraft safe and operational is our No.1 priority at every Jet Aviation facility. You can count on us.
VISIT US AT EBACE HALL 4, BOOTH #A050
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JSSI OFFERS TIP-TO-TAIL MX FOR GLOBAL JET CAPITAL CLIENTS Hourly cost maintenance provider Jet Support Services Inc. (JSSI) and business aircraft financier Global Jet Capital announced a new partnership here at EBACE, where any preowned aircraft offered by Global Jet Capital Aircraft Sales that are not already covered by a maintenance program will include JSSI’s Tip-to-Tail unscheduled maintenance program. As part of the special JSSI program, Global Jet Capital’s aircraft buyers will also receive rental engines and components during any unscheduled maintenance events for six months or 400 flight hours, whichever comes first, to help minimize any possible aircraft downtime. JSSI (Booth G051) also announced a deal with Dallas-based bizliner repair specialist Associated Air Center. “This new relationship with Associated Air Center enhances our ability to introduce and expand existing maintenance programs for the customized or VIP airliner market,” said JSSI president and CEO Neil Book The Chicago-based company has launched a new airframe parts-only package for the MD Helicopters MD500 and 600, which when combined with its Rolls-Royce engine coverage will create a complete maintenance package for operators of those rotorcraft. JSSI has a similar program for the MD900 nearing completion. Any of JSSI’s existing engine maintenance programs can be bundled with an airframe parts-only program. Lastly, the company noted that it has enrolled its first mainland-based Gulfstream G650ER to its engine and APU maintenance program. The Rolls-Royce BR725 A1-12-powered twinjet is managed by Brilliant Jet and financed by Minsheng Financial Leasing. –C.E.
Textron Aviation completed the first wingfuselage mating for the Citation Longitude on Thursday at its plant in Wichita, Kansas.
First Citation Longitude gets its wings, nears maiden flight by James Wynbrandt
Visit us here at EBACE 2016
Booth # G042 lma-assoc.net
techcomposites.com
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Six months after unveiling its newest jet, Cessna announced here at the EBACE show the successful completion of the wing and fuselage mating of the first Citation Longitude, which is on track for first flight this summer followed by entry into service in 2017. “The team has been working diligently to meet a development schedule unmatched in the industry, and it’s rewarding to see the aircraft taking shape,” said Scott Ernest, president and CEO of Cessna parent company Textron Aviation (Booth V029). The clean-sheet design integrates the latest technology throughout the aircraft (see page 88), including a Garmin G5000 flight deck, head-up display, enhanced vision capability, and Fadec-equipped Honeywell
HTF7700L turbofan engines with fully integrated autothrottles. According to Cessna, the Longitude offers the lowest ownership costs in the category, as well as the lowest cabin altitude–5,950 feet–in its class. With seating for up to 12 passengers, the flat-floor, stand-up cabin features a standard double-club configuration, and class leading walk-in baggage compartment, which is fully accessible in flight. Cabin environmental and entertainment systems can be controlled by passengers using their mobile devices, and high-speed internet connectivity is standard. The Longitude boasts a maximum cruise speed of 476 knots, a high-speed range of 3,400 nm, and a full fuel payload of 1,500 pounds. o
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WWW.GLOBALPARTS.AERO / 1.316.733.9240 Visit us at Booth DO89 Join Us for a Reception Tuesday, May 24th at 3:00 PM 64 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com
MARKET EXPANDING FOR API SPLIT SCIMITAR WINGLETS Aviation Partners, Inc. (API) is continuing to experience growing demand from Boeing Business Jet operators for its Split Scimitar Winglets (SSW). Certified for the BBJ by both the U.S. FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency last year, the SSWs have now been installed on eight aircraft. This comes in addition to the more than 700 Boeing 737 NextGeneration models equipped with the winglet design. API and Boeing announced during last year’s EBACE that the split-scimitar design would be standard on all new Boeing 737 NG BBJs. In addition, the FAA and EASA have approved retrofit on all in-service BBJ, BBJ 2 and BBJ 3 aircraft. “We are seeing significant interest in SSW for BBJs, including from operators in the EMEA region,” said Gary Dunn, v-p of sales and marketing for API (Booth Y045). Several of the current installations have involved BBJs in the region. Dunn warned, however, “due to the vast number of shipsets being consumed by [Aviation Partners Boeing] airline customers, early planning is the key to securing a 2016 Aviation Partners’ split scimitar winglets are now retrofit position for the BBJ.” installed on eight BBJs. A number of MROs, including Lufthansa Technik (Booth L089) and Sabena Technics (Booth S066), have performed the installations. The winglets provide a 2-plus percent range increase over API’s existing Blended Winglet, essentially providing a seven-auxiliary-tank BBJ with the range of an aircraft with eight tanks, API said. –K.L.
Rockwell Collins offers a choice of upgrades for King Air 350s by Ian Sheppard Rockwell Collins has announced that it is now offering three new upgrade packages for Pro Line II-equipped Beechcraft King Air 350 twin turboprops. The upgrades will enable operators to comply with upcoming airspace mandates. It is formally launching the trio of options here at EBACE and also offering incentives for King Air operators to upgrade to a new touchscreen Pro Line Fusion flight deck with its larger, 14-in displays. Craig Olsen, vice president and general manager business and regional systems for the U.S company (Booth U073), told AIN the upgrade packages would allow operators to comply with the avionics requirements mandated under SESAR, and its NextGen equivalent in the U.S. All three options include automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADSB), synthetic vision, updated flight management system (FMS) with localizer performance and approach procedures with vertical guidance (LPV/APV), radius-to-fix (RF) legs and the latest version of integrated flight information system (IFIS). “Rockwell Collins this year is placing a lot of emphasis on airspace modernization. We want to ensure that we have a wide range of offerings, especially as operators figure out how to do ADS-B and FANS,” said Olsen. With FANS 1/A, Falcon 50EX operators will comply with regulations for operating over the North Atlantic and be able to access preferred wind-efficient transatlantic routes to save time and fuel. “One of the things we’re trying to reinforce is that, in our experience with mandates, that customers tend to procrastinate–so we’re really making a strong push, as the mandate deadline is now less than 1,500 days away.” The upgrades Rockwell Collins is now “bringing forward” are both FAA- and EASA validated as STCs and enable all King Air 350s to be upgraded. They are all available through the Rockwell Collins authorized dealer network.
features include: unlimited exchanges, rentals and repairs; parts ship within 24 hours; labor and overnight shipping in the U.S is included; up to five no-faultfound failures are allowed. The company said the bundled Pro Line Fusion upgrade is available for a limited time through Rockwell Collinsauthorized dealers. It also includes a manufacturer’s extended warranty on new equipment -+ to three years. “This extremely competitive Pro Line Fusion bundle for legacy King Air 350s provides owners more peace of mind with essentially zero annual cost for avionics,” said Olson. “Plus, upgrading to Pro Line Fusion modernizes the cockpit to closely match what is being delivered from the factory, which will provide much higher aircraft value in the long run.” Pro Line Fusion is also designed to accommodate future technology enhancements such as the Rockwell Collins HGS-3500 Head-up Guidance System, EVS-3000 Enhanced Vision System and Airport Moving Map. “All of our King Air STCs are also available to the aftermarket,” said Olsen, who added, “We’ve already got a lot of traction in the marketplace.” He said that Rockwell is “starting to feel good about the aftermarket in Europe.” While admitting this is driven to some extent by the airspace mandates, he also claimed the company’s analysis of the market indicates “a recovery in the bizav arena.” Also at EBACE, the company is rolling out a new approach to CASP. Olsen said that previously the whole CASP offering had been “a bit of an overkill for some” so it has introduced a threetier approach, CASP Elite at the top end, CASP and CASP Essentials. Each one is a three-year term, so it increases the warranty on new aircraft/systems from the usual two years, said Olsen. “One of the other compelling things is that customers get turnkey compliance to airspace
Operators of older Beechcraft King Air 350 models can update their cockpits to the equivalent of a factory-new airplane. The upgrades focus on operations in the era of “airspace modernization.”
modernization, and it also strengthens the residual [values].” Falcon Fusion
“We’re also working very hard to expand the portfolio of EASA certifications,” said Olsen. “We’re putting a lot of energy into the [Dassault] Falcons – the FANS 1/A for the Falcon 50EX has now been certified, and combines with FANS-1/A training.” He noted that for FANS-1/A operators have to obtain a letter of authorization from their regulatory authority. “Lots of operators are not familiar with that, so we’re throwing in support, and one-year’s access to ArincDirect.” The certification is held by Dassault but the STC is also available through all the Rockwell Collins authorized dealers, Olsen said. The solution is available as an option with the Pro Line 4-to-Pro Line 21 upgrade. The company’s FANS 1/A solution is already fitted to more than 300 Pro Line Fusion equipped Bombardier Global 5000/6000s and Gulfstream G280s and is also available for Bombardier Challengers and Pro Line 21-equipped Falcon 2000s (or as part of a Pro Line 4-to-21 upgrade). Finally, Olsen was keen to give an update on Rockwell Collins’s project with Duncan Aviation (Booth G089) of Lincoln, Nebraska, on upgrading Cessna Citation CJ3s to Pro Line Fusion. This was announced at last
Pro Line Fusion Incentives
ArincDirect Continues Integration
Alternatively, operators can opt for the company’s touchscreen-based Pro Line Fusion 14-inch LCD avionics upgrade. As an incentive to go to Pro Line Fusion, for King Air 350s equipped with Pro Line II, the company has expanded its offer to include Flight Management System (FMS) navigation database updates and coverage under its Corporate Aircraft Service Program (CASP) program at no additional charge for three years. CASP is supported by a global dealer network of more than 250 facilities that service and repair Rockwell Collins’ avionics and cabin systems. Highlighted
Dave Poltorak, Rockwell Collins v-p and general manager for business aviation, Information Management Systems, said that ArincDirect continues to evolve after the company’s acquisition of Arinc two years ago. The business unit now consists of cabin services, international trip support (based in Houston) and flight support services (based in Annapolis, Maryland, where Arinc was based). “It’s well beyond the original software offering,” he said. Rockwell Collins acquired flight-support company Air Routing International in 2010, creating its Ascend product, which is now part of ArincDirect. He said that there were “no big headlines” on the ArincDirect app for EBACE “but we have a good list of capabilities. We’ll roll out a number of new features soon, for example, a change in the display, and a switch to Apple Mapping.” He added that ArincDirect now has 5,000 users worldwide but noted a trend towards customers wanting to “pay as you go,” especially for international trip support. Also operators seem to prefer products related to the cockpit, “to be on subscription, while cabin services tend to be pay-as-you-go…they are different business models.” —I.S.
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oNovember’s NBAA convention, with the upgrade having since received interest from “a large number of customers,” he told AIN. “Many have come forward and signed up well ahead of it being ready. It will be available to the market in early 2017. The package is “similar to the King Air” one in that it is designed to be an all-in-one approach including compliance with all upcoming mandates, and also having the latest touchscreen displays. Head-up Safety
Olsen said that he used to head up the company’s Head-up Guidance System (HGS) business unit in Portland, Oregon. “Our compact HUD is now available for aircraft that weren’t previously able to take a HUD,” he explained. This was achieved by putting the projector below the screen rather than above the pilot’s head, and using a refracting prism rather than projection. “So we were able to put it in the Embraer Legacy, for example, and you’ll see a variety of applications [in the future]. Our roadmap has us bringing it to the King Air and a variety of other platforms. Ultimately he said “we’re really driving towards a combined vision system to take sensor inputs and the database in SVS to give a ‘best view. We see this as incredibly powerful.” He agreed that this could come to light GA aircraft, ultimately, as it “reduces stress in low vis.” He even suggested that one day pilots might not need instrument ratings as they’d always be able to see clearly, in “visual equivalent operations.” The company acquired HUD specialist Flight Dynamics in Portland, Oregon back in 1979 (it initially acquired half, then added the other 50 percent in 1999). Olsen said it was “one of the most successful acquisitions for Rockwell Collins,” and that Boeing had failed to see the potential as Alaska Airlines pushed to have the first HUDS on its 737s, starting in the mid-1980s. o
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Flight Safety Foundation presses for global information sharing by Mark Phelps
Flight Safety Foundation president and CEO Jon Beatty, top, and v-p of communications Frank Jackman
The non-profit, U.S.-based Flight Safety Foundation (Booth A091) continues to advocate worldwide for increased information sharing in all areas of business aviation safety, among other initiatives. Headlining the foundation’s efforts is its multiyear Global Safety Information Project (GSIP), launched last year to promote data collection, sharing and analysis of diverse elements of safety information. Now approximately halfway through its planned agenda, GSIP is designed to help clarify best practices for collecting and analyzing safety data for participants in the program. To date, GSIP has held focus groups in the Americas and Asia Pacific, but FSF president and CEO Jon Beatty told AIN the lessons learned are applicable worldwide. He said, “We’ve been working with the Pan American ICAO [International Council of Aviation Authorities] group for several years, so we’re most familiar with them. We chose to focus on Asia Pacific because of the rate of growth. But once
we’ve completed the project, we’ll apply what we’ve learned to all other regions of the world. We’ve been keeping EASA in the loop, as well as authorities in the Middle East.” Attending the EBACE show for the FSF is v-p of business operations Susan Lausch. She said that approximately half of the Flight Safety Foundation membership consists of business aircraft operators, and in its plans to expand the collection and analysis of safety information, European input is not only welcome, but highly desirable. The advisory committee is always on the lookout for worldwide participation and anyone interested in participating is encouraged to stop by the FSF booth and contact Lausch, or visit the website and reach out to make contact. By year-end, FSF plans to introduce GSIP “toolkits” to help operators make the most of the safety information that is available through the shared information of GSIP. Toolkits will also help aviation authorities with their programs. Frank Jackman,
FSF v-p of communications said, “They’ll take the form of manuals, and ‘how-tos’ for processes and procedures, helping operators define what data to collect, how best to collect it, what has been collected elsewhere, and so on.” Beatty added that the toolkits will vary in complexity – some designed for smaller entities, even single-aircraft operators, while others can be more complex, intended for large corporate flight departments, even governmental flight operations. Protecting Personnel
In addition to facilitating the information-sharing program, FSF is also instrumental in promoting safety-informationprotection programs. The object is to ensure that aviation personnel from around the world who report safety information need not worry about incrimination or certificate sanctions from their respective controlling agencies, such as the U.S. FAA or Europe’s EASA. The Flight Safety Foundation works with ICAO’s Safety Information Protection Task Force to ensure that the flow of information is not stanched by fear of reprisal. FSF supports this principle in accordance with guidance from ICAO Attachment E to Annex 13, as well as by providing a toolkit for governmental aviation controlling agencies to develop voluntary
safety reporting systems. The Flight Safety Foundation is proud of its collaboration with ICAO and the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) on their Fatigue Management Guide for General Aviation Operators of Large and Turbojet Aeroplanes. The guide is based on the work of ICAO’s Fatigue Risk Management Systems Task Force and includes input from experts in business aviation operations. The 96-page report is available on the FSF website as well as the IBAC and ICAO sites. Last month, FSF participated in the Fatigue Management Approaches Symposium at ICAO’s fatigue risk management system conference in Montreal. The foundation also conducted its own Business Aviation Safety Summit (BASS) from May 5-6 in Austin, Texas, hosting a large crowd of attendees, exhibitors and industry sponsors. Looking ahead, FSF will host its annual Network Dinner on July 28 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Finally, the foundation’s largest annual event, its International Air Safety Summit, will be held in Dubai November 14-16, hosted by Emirates airline. For details on that meeting, and all activity supported by the Flight Safety Foundation, visit its website, www.flightsafety.org. o
China’s Haeco PJS expands global focus with EBACE presence by Mark Phelps Evidence is growing that the EBACE show continues to mature. Part of that proof is the expanding geographic range for exhibitors. China-based Haeco Private Jet Solutions (PJS) is a notable example. A division of Hong Kong Aircraft Engineering Company (Haeco), which includes Haeco Americas in the U.S., Haeco PJS provides maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) as well as interior completions. Whereas just a short time ago, it was considered unusual to find a business jet operating in China, now there is a major MRO and interior completions provider doing business in the country. Haeco PJS’s presence here in Geneva signals the company is making itself known to European operators, as well. At
last month’s ABACE show in Shanghai, Haeco PJS (Booth F059) announced it had been named as one of five worldwide authorized service centers for Airbus Corporate Jets (ACJ. Large-cabin business jets and bizliners such as the ACJ family have been among the more popular aircraft among Chinese buyers and operators. Their long range and comfortable cabins enable Chinese business people and high-networth individuals to travel the world on their own flexible schedules in comfort and security. Haeco PJS’s cooperative agreement with Airbus underscores their commitment to supporting business aviation in the Asia Pacific region, not only for local operators, but also for international visitors from
Haeco Private Jet Solutions is a newly appointed dealership for Rockwell Collins cabin entertainment systems.
Europe and the Americas. The company is already a Boeingapproved cabin completions center for customers in the Asia Pacific region. Haeco PJS also announced at ABACE that it has signed a dealership agreement to distribute Rockwell Collins in flight entertainment (IFE) systems and products. The pact gives the Xiamen, China-based maintenance and completions company access to the U.S. electronics firm’s sales and support network, an important element
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in sustaining business jet operations in Asia Pacific. “Establishment of the dealership by Haeco PJS would allow both companies to provide the region’s private end business jet customers and operators with a broader range of products and services that are more cost-effective and reliable,” said Henry Chan, commercial v-p of Haeco PJS. Haeco’s facilities in Xiamen include specialist shops for cabinetry, veneer finishes, upholstery and other cabin
décor work. In addition to authorization from the Civil Aviation Adminstration of China, the company holds Part 21 approval from the Hong Kong civil aviation authority, which has an arrangement with the European Aviation Safety Agency under which the latter will validate Haeco’s supplemental type certificates. Through the Haeco Americas division of its parent company, it has access to the certification process of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. o
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MHS sticks to its roots; pursues ‘healthy’ growth
MHS Aviation CEO Steffan Fries likes to become involved with clients from the very early stages of an aircraft acquisition.
by Charles Alcock Fast approaching the 40th anniversary of its founding in 1979, German aircraft management and charter specialist MHS Aviation appears to have steadfastly navigated the inevitable ups and downs of the business aviation market. MHS has prospered with a combination of sticking to a few core services in which it can excel, while remaining highly flexible in the face of the extremely varied needs and expectations of its client base. In pursuit of what it characterizes as “healthy” sustainable growth, the company is perfectly willing to try new areas of business and is now looking to expand in the area of wet leasing aircraft as well as in providing private operators with support in complying with Europe’s new Part NCC rules. Just ahead of this week’s EBACE show the MHS Aviation fleet consisted of 20 aircraft managed under its air operators certificate (AOC), with another five operated on a purely private basis. The most recent addition to the fleet has been a Bombardier Challenger 605, which joined the AOC earlier this month and is set to be joined by its larger Global Express sibling by the end of May. Other recent additions so far this year include an Embraer Phenom 300, a Challenger 300 and a Cessna Citation CJ2+. Last year, MHS became the first German
operator of the Gulfstream G650. According to CEO Steffen Fries, the company commonly is involved at the earliest stages of an aircraft acquisition, helping the prospective buyer to structure every aspect of the deal from arranging financing to settling on a country of registration and on what basis the aircraft will be operated. “Banks generally feel better about our involvement in managing the aircraft,” he said. One trend MHS has seen of late is a greater willingness on the part of more owners to make their aircraft available for charter, with the exception, generally, of the very largest category of jets. No two management contracts are the same, with MHS willing to adjust these according to owners’ willingness to make their aircraft available for use by third parties. At the extreme end of the spectrum, one owner has instructed Fries’s team to take whatever bookings it can get on the understanding that he will simply be able to use one of the company’s other aircraft in the event of a schedule clash. This owner flies approximately 150 hours each year, and barely half of these are in his own jet. “Generally, charter rates and margins have been going down, and at the same time our dollar costs have become more
expensive and pilots want higher wages,” Fries told AIN by way of explaining that charter activity is far from being the company’s main profit center, and that its main purpose is to offset costs for owners. “We don’t charter out aircraft if we don’t see [the chance for] a reasonable rate and a profit,” said Fries, acknowledging that increased supply of available aircraft, and the fact that some charter operators are motivated to keep aircraft flying for almost any income, continues to squeeze margins. Tailored Contracts
In some cases, MHS’s management contracts specify fixed payments per revenue flight hour for aircraft owners to cover aircraft depreciation and fixed costs. Essentially, MHS takes a risk that
it can leverage its expertise and economies of scale to ensure a margin on any given flight. “If you are a desperate aircraft owner with a lease payment to make to the bank you must make sure that you fly, something like 30, 40 or 50 hours [of charter] each month,” said Fries. “We don’t follow that route because this is a just a spiral to the bottom [in terms of prices]. Today, we’re getting higher hourly rates than we were three years ago.” According to Fries, there are now around 12,000 jets available for charter worldwide, resulting in more unused hours than was the case a few years ago and a potentially large over-supply of charter capacity. MHS does as much as 80 percent of its charter business with a regular group of direct customers or brokers. “They have to be able to rely on us to make the
TRAXXALL GROWING INTO MAINTENANCE-TRACKING MARKET Montreal-based Traxxall Technologies launched its business aircraft maintenance-tracking service just two years ago and has grown from having nine aircraft enrolled early last year to more than 300 aircraft now. “We continue to have lots of interest,” said Traxxall president Mark Steinbeck, “and we’re growing every month. By the end of the year, based on our projections, we should be approaching 500 aircraft.” Here at EBACE, Traxxall (Booth S093) is demonstrating its unique holding area feature, which is tailored for operators in EASA countries under continuing airworthiness management organization (CAMO) programs. In the U.S., new airworthiness directives, service bulletins and inspection program changes get pushed immediately into the maintenance program, but EASA operators need these items to be reviewed and accepted by their CAMO before adding them to the “maintenance due” list. “This solves a major frustration,” Steinbeck said, “and it’s been live since Day One.” Traxxall operates on Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform. “We’re the only cloud-based
[maintenance-tracking system],” Steinbeck said, “which makes it much more secure and allows us to keep overhead costs down. We can pass the savings on to customers, and we tend to be 20to 30 percent cheaper than our competition.” Customers can access Traxxall online from any computing device and customize dashboards and reports to suit their operation. Commercial operators can easily allow regulators to access applicable sections of their Traxxall accounts to verify regulatory compliance. “It’s so intuitive,” he said, “like every other system I use in everyday life.” For companies that run operations software, Traxxall can integrate with a variety of products such as RocketRoute, Rockwell Collins’s Flight Operations System (FOS) and Avianis. Others such as Seagil Software’s BART and BoldIQ’s Astro are being added. “A lot of times people try to buy one software program to solve all their needs,” Steinbeck explained, “but they end up with one that does 30 percent of the job and the rest is a compromise.” Buyers have shifted to purchasing best-of-breed programs
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that can work together, he added. For example, FOS users can set up their systems so that flight times are automatically updated, and this data feeds into Traxxall to keep maintenance schedules up to date. “Flight operations can see when maintenance items are due,” he said. “This opens up communication with the flight department.” Traxxall users can also generate logbook entries for digital signatures. The company’s analysts are all A&P mechanics, and they are directly involved in the enrollment process when new aircraft are added to the Traxxall system. “They have more than 350 years of aviation experience,” Steinbeck said. Traxxall is now developing an inventory control module, which should be released on August 1. Five customers have been beta testing the module, which will help those operators who store parts to keep track of their inventory’s value and also the expiration dates on life-limited parts. “It even goes into purchasing and shipping,” he said, “so it’s an ordering module as well.” –M.T.
flights successful, and I see this as a partnership,” he said, indicating that in some cases he has repositioned aircraft even at a cost to MHS to ensure that valued clients get exactly what they need, when they need it. In response to one of the potentially disruptive charter marketing models, MHS has integrated its fleet availability with Fly Victor’s online membership program via its Rockwell Collins Flight Operations System (FOS) software. “If a customer puts in a charter request in the [Fly Victor] app we see it in FOS two seconds later,” explained Fries. In his view, the complexities and many variables involved in charter operations mean that the process is always going to require some human interaction and discernment and the key to optimizing this is for operators is to have qualified personnel available around the clock to respond to flight requests. “This approach certainly brings a new energy and momentum to the market and it is leading companies to invest in new technology,” he concluded. “What we see is that lead time for charter bookings is dropping dramatically with customers expecting instant availability, making it all far less predictable and requiring even greater flexibility.” In the spirit of concentrating its resources where they can be most effectively and profitably exploited, MHS opts not to conduct maintenance on its own aircraft. Instead, it prefers to depend on leading Part 145 providers such as Jet Aviation, ExecuJet Aviation and Ruag–even though the first two are also aircraft management/ charter competitors. That said, MHS does offer support to aircraft owners as a Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization to assist in compliance with the CAMO requirements of the European Aviation Safety Agency. Similarly, it has now started offering support with compliance with the new Part NCC rules, which essentially require purely private aircraft operations to be governed by rules that are comparable to those required of commercial operators. “As an aircraft owner you are better [off] handing over the operation for a small fee to us than implementing all the processes and systems just for your aircraft,” said Fries. MHS also is receiving more requests to provide other operators with aircraft under shortterm wet leases, with pilots, maintenance and insurance all included. With no fewer than 110 pilots on its direct payroll, the company is well resourced to provide this service. o
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Universal Avionics provides new FMS upgrade incentives by Matt Thurber Universal Avionics (Booth T063) has announced an FMS upgrade incentive program and new training opportunities for dealers and integrators. The FMS upgrade is for operators of the Learjet 40/45 series (including XR models) and the Citation Excel/XLS
and offers the opportunity to trade in non-SBAS (satellite-based augmentation system) Universal FMSs for a “significant credit” toward purchase of a Universal SBAS-FMS. The incentive program is available through the end of 2016. The
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benefits of the upgrade include, according to Universal Avionics director of sales Robert Clare, “compatibility with the regional SBAS around the world, but also a path to Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV) and ADS-B out.” Universal’s website includes a payback calculator so operators can determine how much they can save by flying SBAS LPV approaches. Free Training
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Members of Universal’s authorized dealer and integrator network can take advantage of free FMS and UniLink UL-800/801 Communications Management Unit integration and installation training at the company’s Tucson, Ariz., headquarters and at its Midwest support center in Wichita, Kansas. The next FMS class will be held June 7-8 in Wichita, and the next UniLink class is scheduled for June 9 in Wichita. Subjects covered include: “Installation planning and resources, models and specifications, system interfaces and basic requirements, configuration, testing, troubleshooting and maintenance, basic operations and technical support.” Universal has also added training options on its UniNet Online Service Center, including “FMS End User Maintenance Training Module for Software Control Number (SCN) 604 through 1001,” which covers basics of FMS operations, maintenance and configuration, according to the company. The training modules are presented as short narrated videos that explain the concepts and also provide demonstrations of the processes. “Whether learning something for the first time, enhancing understanding or just refreshing one’s memory of a long-forgotten topic, these videos are yet one more service we provide to our customers,” said Paul Carlin, Universal Avionics customer training instructor. “Our intent is to provide customers with the best possible resources to help them fly smart and land safe.” o
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Gamit’s Roam system eases maintenance tracking woes by Charles Alcock Aviation asset management specialist Gamit is launching its new Records Online Asset Management (Roam) system for storing searchable aircraft maintenance records. The product is part of the UK company’s portfolio of services that also include aircraft spare parts and logistics, supporting operators as a continuing airworthiness management organization (CAMO) and a variety of technical services, such as supervising maintenance work. Gamit, based near London Stansted Airport, developed Roam in-house as a way to convert paper maintenance archives into intelligent PDFs that allow users to browse and search records, as well as perform audits and analysis. It can reduce the time to retrieve key records literally from days to a few seconds. Crucially, explained Gamit general manager Nadeem Muhiddin, the system allows aircraft owners and operators to quickly find the so-called “dirty finger prints” that show where a maintenance supervisor has signed and recorded that a given task has been completed. These details are essential to establishing that every aspect of an aircraft’s maintenance record is as it should be–a point
that is especially important with leased aircraft. Lessors will not accept a leased aircraft back from an operator without all records accounted for and can charge additional monthly fees if they are not complete. “Aircraft records tend to be the bane of everyone’s life and sophisticated maintenance management systems don’t really keep records in this way,” Muhiddin told AIN. Roam is based on a form of artificial intelligence that searches metadata for the scanned aircraft records and uses optical character recognition to help search for specific information and details. For instance, users could run a report on all task card numbers in a maintenance work package and check that all the tasks were completed and recorded as such. Customers have two ways to use the Roam system. They can purchase access to the Cloud-based system and load all the data themselves. Alternatively, Gamit can digitize the client’s records and then hand over the system for use. Both options include training, and prices vary according to the scale of an operation. The technology had its origins in the late 1990s when Gamit (Booth I100)
Air BP and RocketRoute envision valuable synergy by Samantha Cartaino Fuel supplier Air BP last month acquired a minority stake in RocketRoute, the developer of a cloud-based flight planning system that also incorporates functions such as fuel purchasing, crew briefing, flight plan
filing and flight tracking. For Air BP, the deal, completed for an undisclosed amount, presents an opportunity to more closely connect with private pilots and business-aviation operators. The two UK-based companies are
Searches for aircraft maintenance records that sometimes used to take days can now be reduced to seconds with Gamit’s Records Online Asset Management (Roam) system.
developed searchable documents stored on DVDs. It has since adjusted the system for Internet-based use. Muhiddin said that the idea to market Roam came from a conversation with a Swiss operator at last year’s EBACE show when an executive told him that it had once taken three days for a technician to find a single hard-copy maintenance record of airworthiness for a surveyor. Gamit’s wider remit is to help operators and owners with many aspects of managing aircraft, including arrangements for maintenance. Muhiddin explained that some private aircraft operators prefer not to be visible in this respect and are glad to have a third party
planning to introduce new initiatives for customers in the coming months. “Air BP is an integral part of the aviation supply chain, so we want to be able to offer our customers tools that enable them to operate more efficiently,” said Air BP chief operating officer Norbert Kamp. “The decision to invest in RocketRoute demonstrates the importance we attribute to the ability of technology to support this.”
Fuel supplier Air BP has jumped into the Internet-based flight-planning market by buying a stake in software developer RocketRoute.
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negotiating and supervising maintenance services. In other instances, they simply don’t have the manpower to take care of these duties. The company was founded back in 1990 by Kadri Muhiddin (Nadeem’s father), who is also one of the leading shareholders in Switzerland-based maintenance and completions group Amac Aerospace. It also provides CAMO support under the European Aviation Safety Agency’s Part M rules, as well as supervising maintenance work to ensure that all tasks have been completed as required, on time and on budget. Other services include supplying and leasing aircraft parts and consumables. o
RocketRoute and Air BP (Booth S131) began working together in 2014. RocketRoute, which works online and via an app for smartphones, allows pilots and trip support staff to create and display routes, search through documents and airport plates, delay flight plans and much more. “We are delighted to have Air BP as an investor in our business,” commented RocketRoute co-founder and CFO Kurt Lyall. “We now have the resources to deliver the full potential of our company and have access to a truly international network of airports through Air BP.” Each year, Air BP supplies approximately seven billion gallons of jet fuel and aviation gasoline across the globe. With more than 700 global locations in over 50 countries, the company serves a market that ranges from private light-aircraft pilots to commercial airlines. Air BP’s services for the general and business aviation sectors include the Sterling Card, which provides easy access and means of payment for all fuel types. The cards can be used globally and are color-coded to specify which fuel the cardholders require. o
NEWS NOTE This year’s EBACE show will feature the YoPro Session & Networking Event for young professionals in the business aviation industry tomorrow from 5:15 p.m (17:15) to 7 p.m (19:00) at Inspiration Zone in Hall 5 (Booth F017). The event will feature young professionals speaking about their paths to professional development. The YoPro Networking Reception will take place right after the event, giving EBACE attendees the opportunity to meet and greet future innovators and network with established professionals. The goal of the YoPro session, which is aimed mainly at people under the age of 35, is to support individuals interested in business aviation careers. According to NBAA, the event “will promote networking, sharing of best practices and build a sense of community among future aviation leaders.” YoPro speakers this year will include Kristopher Akana, communications manager with the European Business Aviation Association; Rohan Mark Jayawardene, CEO of Diamanté Jet; David Shannon, a partner in Lewis Brisbois’s aviation law practice; and Diana Zuluaga, cofounder of Jet d’Or. o
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VisionSafe’s EVAS emergency equipment enables flight crews to see their way through a smoke-in-the-cockpit emergency landing. The company has teamed with King Schools to offer an online iLearn training course for pilots in proper opeation of the EVAS.
VisionSafe sets up iLearn EVAS course by Matt Thurber Smoke-in-the-cockpit events occur far more often than might be supposed, yet pilots have few tools to help mitigate the effects. VisionSafe (Booth Y067) has long recognized this problem and developed the Emergency Vision Assurance System (EVAS) to give pilots the ability to see instruments and through the windshield when dense smoke obscures the cockpit. But training on the EVAS is necessary, and to that end VisionSafe and King Schools announced an agreement for King’s iLearn online learning platform to host the VisionSafe EVAS training course.
The EVAS is powered by its own battery and is custom-designed for the aircraft type. When needed, the pilot places the EVAS on the glareshield and unfolds the Inflatable Vision Unit (IVU) so it correctly fits over the instrument panel and windshield. The blower then sucks smoky air through a filter, filling the IVU with clean air so the pilot can see through the “inflatable transparent envelope” created by the IVU. The EVAS fits into an aluminum container that weighs about six pounds. Many business jet manufacturers offer EVAS as optional equipment for their airplanes.
The EVAS course costs $119 and includes two course keys, which allow access via the web and also downloading in the King Companion iOS app for offline access. “We are thrilled to work with VisionSafe to provide easy access to the training that professional pilots need when flying EVAS-equipped aircraft,” said King Schools cochairman John King. “Many professional pilots already rely on the iLearn environment for their training needs, so hosting this important training for VisionSafe was a natural fit,” added co-chairman Martha King. o
Working with NASA, Honeywell recently flight-tested new cockpit displays that help pilots see sonic booms before they happen. As part of a joint study, Honeywell is looking to prove that the displays could allow pilots to reroute and reduce the effects of aircraft noise over populated areas. Honeywell was awarded a two-year contract in 2015 as part of NASA’s Commercial Supersonic Technology (CST) project. The goal is to overcome the issue of sonic booms as a regulatory roadblock to commercial supersonic flight. The conceptual designs used for cockpit displays in the CST project are a part of Honeywell’s Interactive Navigation (INAV) technology. INAV is a system that provides the simultaneous display of traffic, terrain, airspace, airways, airports and navigation aids. “Important to our progress in reducing the sonic boom impact over land is to have a predictive sonic boom display in supersonic aircraft cockpits that ensures our future quiet supersonic aircraft remain below acceptable noise levels,” state Brett Pauer, NASA CST subproject manager at Armstrong Flight Research Center. “We have partnered with avionics companies like Honeywell to translate our NASA algorithms into an integrated avionics system that is tested and evaluated by pilots.” Although the research work has not been conducted with any particular supersonic jet program in mind, the INAV technology is already a feature of Honeywell’s Primus Epic avionics suites used in the cockpits of Dassault, Gulfstream, Pilatus and Beechcraft aircraft. Dassault and Gulfstream have both previously pursued supersonic business jet programs, and neither company has absolutely ruled out plans to restart theses projects. –S.C.
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Aviation market intelligence specialist JetNet is here at EBACE demonstrating its latest aircraft research services. Both the Evolution Marketplace and Marketplace Manager products have been enhanced. A new Aircraft Value tool, now under development, will be available for preview here in Geneva (Booth W101). JetNet has also created a new flight activity tool. Karim Derbala, managing director of global sales, said, “We developed a tab to display a map of an aircraft’s flight activity for various timeframes, including ‘last year,’ ‘since current owner,’ ‘last 90 days’ and even ‘lifetime.’ This provides our customers with insight into an aircraft’s flight history, airframe time, home base airport and patterns of flight operation.” “These are dynamic times for our industry. What had seemed a steady march toward recovery these last several years, has now taken a bit of a stumble,” said Rolland Vincent, creator of the JetNet iQ division for observation and forecast. He will conduct a state-of-the-market briefing today at 11:00am in Salle S.
z P&WC Begins Broad Rollout of MyP&WC Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) has begun a broad rollout of its new MyP&WC Power portal, which provides customers access to P&WC products, services and information most relevant to them. The portal already has 3,000 users, but with the broad rollout, P&WC expects that number could reach 50,000 by the end of 2016. “Every aspect of our new service portal is designed for customer convenience and making it easier to connect and access a range of information services,” said Satheeshkumar Kumarasingam, v-p, commercial services for P&WC (Booth N114). The portal is tailored to meet the needs of both fleet owners and individual aircraft operators, and has an e-commerce capability to manage transactions. The broad deployment follows positive feedback from a customer survey in March and beta testing of more than 400 customers in early April. “We are onboarding existing portal customers in a progress manner in order to ensure comprehensive support during the transition,” Kumarasingam said, adding, “customer feedback to date has been highly positive, and with the portal’s powerful e-commerce capabilities, we are confident we could see upwards of 80,000 users take advantage of it over the long term.” Among the new users is European Citation Mustang fleet operator GlobeAir.
z Gama, Cotswold Team on Helo Pilot Training Business aviation services group Gama Aviation is to start training helicopter pilots at its rotorcraft operational base at Fairoaks Airport, UK, in partnership with Cotswold Helicopter Center. The new venture, will start with a single Guimbal Cabri G2 aircraft, and trainees will have access to other aircraft in the Cotswold fleet, such as a Robinson R44, an Airbus Helicopters AS350 and an AS355. Gama (Booth V045) will be responsible for all aspects of safety management and compliance monitoring systems, while Cotswold will focus on training, sales and marketing. “Fairoaks has always been a favorably positioned, helicopter-friendly base and I’m pleased that we are able to bring Cotswold to our historical home,” said Gama Aviation director Steve Wright. “This announcement follows an increase in our helicopter capacity at Fairoaks as we aim to build it into a center of excellence for the group; the addition of training perfectly complements our existing maintenance, avionics and hangarage services.”
MARK PHELPS
z JetNet Unveils New Market Analysis Tools
New organization aims to assist business aviation service providers by Curt Epstein With EBACE being one of Europe’s largest annual gatherings of aviation professionals, the founders of the International Aviation Services Organization (IASO) chose the gathering as the stage to announce its launch last night in an off-site reception and dinner. “Our goal is to improve safety and facilitate the highest standards in aviation services, working closely with established industry organizations to see how they can benefit in becoming an IASO member,” said Munir Khalifa, the non-profit organization’s president and founder. Though the timing of the launch might suggest the organization will cater specifically to business aviation, its organizers have set their sights on support for all aspects of aviation. “IASO’s main objective is
to organize, represent, educate and support the world’s aviation services industry into one representative block that will give its members a greater profile and a stronger, clearer voice,” said board member and operations manager Roy Barnett. “It’s very clear to IASO that we don’t want to compete with IATA or IBAC or ACI or anyone, we just want to be another set of helping hands.” While its founders note the new organization is still a work in progress, they promise economy-of-scale benefits to members in areas such as insurance, fuel, and assistance in disputearbitration resolution. IASO will also feature a program known as the aviation ground services support tool (AGSA), an assessment process based primarily on the
IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO) standard, where members can undergo a confidential introspective onsite review of their business with the aim of making it safer, more efficient and more cost-effective. The company says it will establish similar offerings for other service segments. “We have a team that we are developing that will do these assessments, and each one of these assessors will have a very comprehensive knowledge of the ISAGO,” said Barnett. “In other areas we will go out and canvas the best practices for that industry.” The organization, which includes the Middle East Business Aviation Association as one of its founding members, will offer a tiered level of membership with annual dues starting at $3,000 a year. o
TEXTRON ANNOUNCES SINGLE-ENGINE TURBOPROP ORDERS Textron Aviation (Booth V029) announced at an EBACE press conference yesterday that it has secured orders for its in-development single-engine turboprop. The aircraft was initially announced during last year’s NBAA Convention and the cabin mockup was revealed on April 25 in Wichita, Kansas. The company also announced that a European Customer Conference will take place October 5-6 in Paris. The single-engine turboprop, priced at $4.8 million, will have a flight deck powered by Garmin’s
G3000 touchscreen avionics suite. It features cruise speeds of up to 285 knots as well as a full-fuel payload of 1,100 pounds. It can transport one pilot and four passengers from Los Angeles-to-Chicago, New Yorkto-Miami, London-to-Moscow or Geneva-to-Istanbul. The first flight is scheduled for 2018. Meanwhile, Textron is going international with its customer conferences. Besides the annual conference in Wichita, the manufacturer will hold conferences in Singapore, June 13-14; Brisbane, June 16-17; São Paulo, June 29-30; and Paris, October 5-6. –S.C.
DAVID McINTOSH
NEWS CLIPS
The braintrust of the fledgling International Aviation Services Organization (IASO) l-r: Samir Sajet, board member; Aleksander Al-Asadi, board member and co-founder; Munir Khalifa, founding chairman; Ali Alnaqbi, president and founding chairman of MEBAA; and Roy Barnett, board member and IASO’s vice president of operations.
Textron Aviation has received orders for its in-development single-engine turboprop, president and CEO Scott Ernest (right) announced yesterday here at EBACE.
www.ainonline.com • May 24, 2016 • EBACE Convention News 77
Gama is experiencing robust growth by Charles Alcock Gama Aviation’s growth path could see it expanding its footprint with newly acquired FBOs in multiple locations in a bid to boost the ground support side of a portfolio that is already strong in aircraft management and charter, as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul. The UK-based group has been diversifying for the past 16 or so years and took significant leaps forward when it expanded its capital base with private equity investors in 2008, and then again in early 2015 when it implemented a reverse takeover of Hangar8 plc. “We believe we have a viable, proven business model that can deliver good yields and performance, all of which is predicated on providing a high-touch and high quality service level in a heavily-regulated industry,” said Gama CEO Marwan Khalek. On April 21, Gama (Booth V045) reported strong financial performance in its first published results as a public company since it combined its business with Hangar8. For the year ending December 31, 2015, the UK-based group achieved revenues of $413.1 million (15.1 percent up on the previous year), gross profits of $62.4 million (27.6 percent up) and a gross profit margin of 15.1 percent (compared with 13.6 percent).
Commenting on the results, Khalek indicated that the group may be looking to make more acquisitions that may range from “small bolt–on acquisitions to larger and more transformational ones.” Earlier this year, Gama bought the Aviation Beauport FBO on the island of Jersey. The company also cited strong revenue and margin improvements from its U.S. operations, including the flights it operates for private aviation membership program Wheels Up. It has also invested further in its new Glasgow base by opening a second hangar there earlier this year, and in April it signed a contract for a hangar facility in Nice, France, which is just over an hour’s drive from Geneva. “It’s an interesting bizav entry point, and movements can get intense there,” the company told AIN. While consensus in the business aviation community seems to be that 2016 has made a shaky start in terms of trading conditions, Khalek is not unduly concerned. “We have been through several recessions and 2008 and 2009 [at the height of the last financial crisis] were our fastest growth period,” he told AIN. “Hangar8 made a lot of sense to us because it gave us a public platform and all we’ve done since then is to continue implementing our strategy of trying
to grow organically and through more acquisitions. The business model is fundamentally robust and we’ve tried to eliminate risk elements in terms of asset exposure and costs. Diverse activities also have been a key to stability in uncertain times. For instance, though very visible, charter only accounts for around 5 percent of Gama’s revenues. “We are spread across many geographical areas and profit centers, we have hedged,” said Khalek. “Europe continues to be a very challenging market as our business tracks GDP, which tracks [consumer] confidence. The sentiment is subdued and we have put out a cautious message about organic growth in Europe. But we are very bullish about the U.S. and we’re planting seeds in the Middle East and Far East that will help us to hedge the risk [of decline in other markets].” Gama’s role as operating partner to the Wheels Up private flight membership provider has generated significant activity. “Just over half of our U.S. fleet is involved and it represents about 35 to 40 percent of the [U.S. charter] revenue stream,” said Khalek. He also sees scope to boost Gama’s ground services business in the U.S., with line maintenance capability at seven or eight locations. o
FLOCKING TO GENEVA The annual EBACE gathering brings Europe’s business aviation industry together for three days of seminars, meetings and educational sessions. Best of all, the ramp at Geneva International Airport, directly adjacent to the Palexpo convention center, is an eyecandy store for those with a sweet tooth for the latest in business aviation technology.
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STRATAJET SECURES $8M IN NEW FUNDING Private jet charter booking platform Stratajet (Booth F051) has announced that it has raised $8 million in additional funding. The new investment, which adds to $6 million in capital previously raised, will come from London-based venture capital group Octopus Ventures, with support from Stratajet’s existing backers Playfair Capital and JamJar Investments. UK-based Stratajet launched its platform to consumers in early 2016 and since then has generated more than 2 million flight quotes (see page 40). Next month, it will launch the new Stratafleet 3.0 version of its charter quoting system, which it provides free of charge for operators. The company claims this allows them to more efficiently track the availability of their aircraft and mitigates the risk of unexpected costs, thanks to more accurate calculation of flight time and fuel burn. “This milestone of Stratajet generating 2 million quotes proves how effective our system can be at giving a wider range of travelers access to the private jet industry,” said Stratajet founder and CEO Jonny Nicol. “Unlike other online brokers, we can provide all customers with accurate prices without wasting the time of the operators who work with us. —S.C.
WEB MANUALS DEMOS PART-NCC VERSION Web Manuals (Booth S132) is here at EBACE offering demonstrations to promote the newly launched basic version of its regulatory compliance application, specifically designed for Part-NCC operators. Developed with partner AeroEx, it is said to have many of the core features of Web Manuals' professional and enterprise editions, but at a significantly lower price. The package also includes a Part-NCC operations manual template to meet the requirements of the new EASA rules for private operators “This launch ensures Web Manuals is now available to the smallest teams, or even individuals tasked with updating manuals,” Martin Lidgard, CEO and founder of the Sweden-based company, said. It comes with web document authoring and publishing, document revision control, document distribution and email support. The package will be available with monthly invoicing. The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) has selected Web Manuals' authoring and publishing tool. The IS-BAO and IS-BAH standards (respectively covering aircraft operations and ground handling) are available to Web Manuals' customers as integrated compliance libraries. This feature will alert subscribers to the sections of their manuals that require amendments to maintain compliance. —T.D.
Daher offers SET-IMC mx package in Europe French manufacturer Daher is launching a dedicated operators’ support package here at EBACE in anticipation of imminent EASA approval for commercial passenger operations under IFR (instrument flight rules) with single-engine turboprops (socalled SET-IMC, for instrument meteorological conditions), The TBM 930 is the latest upgrade to the company’s legacy line of turboprop singles, which dates back to the original TBM 700. The latest version features aerodynamic enhancements and new touchscreen Garmin avionics. Daher continues to build 900s and 930s concurrently, and has stopped producing the previous model, the 850. The manufacturer is planning on around 50 TBM 900/930 deliveries this year from its Tarbes factory in southwest France. “The Charter Pack is based on [support services] we offer operators in the regions where
SET-IMC is already authorized,” said Nicolas Chabbert, Daher’s airplane business unit v-p. Most future operators under the hoped-for European regulation do not have a sophisticated support infrastructure, and the TBM Charter Pack helps fill in some needed support functionality, including supplying continuing airworthiness monitoring and making available a dedicated TBM maintenance hotline. An extended version of Daher’s maintenance plan, the TBM Care Program, is also part of the offer, to cover commercial operators’ expected higher utilization rates. Pilot training will include mentoring. It will also address specific requirements of the new charter rules, such as specific training regimes for engine failure at takeoff, Chabbert said. One operator, Vol Direct, received SET-IMC approval from French civil aviation
Daher is now offering a special support services package for TBM 900 and 930 that will be operated under SET-IMC in Europe.
authorities in 2013 and has logged nearly 1,000 flights since. The average flight duration has been 1.5 hours, with an average of two passengers on board. Vol Direct has operated mainly in the western part of France. The operator’s model is based on 50- to 60-minute flights, which translates into a cost of $300to-$400 per passenger, according to Chabbert. At the wider European level, EASA issued a favorable formal Opinion on allowing SETIMC in November 2015. “The decision is on the side of the
DAVID McINTOSH
NetJets Europe brought its latest addition to EBACE, the Cessna Citation Latitude.
NetJets Europe shows new Latitude by Ian Sheppard NetJets Europe (Booth N098) flew its first Cessna Citation Latitude to the EBACE static display on Sunday afternoon, as it aims to highlight this new, highlycapable midsize aircraft. “Our key focus at EBACE this year is unveiling the Citation Latitude,” Mark Wilson, president, NetJets Europe, told AIN in an interview last week. “We will be very active over the next few months with sales trips and demo flights,” he added.
AIN flew the $16.25 (list price) Latitude for a pilot report just over a year ago. Its long-range-cruise capability is around 5,186 kilometers (2,800 nautical miles–enough for U.S. coast-to-coast), or around 4,260 km (2,300 nm) with nine passengers. It is powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW306 turbofans, has excellent performance off a 3,000-foot (914-meter) runway, and has the latest Garmin G5000 avionics. It also has WiFi in the cabin.
“It’s an impressive aircraft. It’s nice when you see the smile of crew members when they see it for the first time. I think it’s going to do very well for us.” Wilson said that the aircraft follows the Challenger 350, Global 6000 and Phenom 300 as new introductions to the fractional operator’s fleet over the past couple of years as part of a fleet-wide modernization (it has a total of around 500 aircraft, with some 100 now in the European fleet). The company
DAVID McINTOSH
by Thierry Dubois
ministers of transportation to give a go-ahead to an EU OPS modification,” Chabbert said. However, authorities such as the CAA are treating this as a formality and advising operators to apply now ready to start operations later this year. As of May 20, the TBM 900/TBM 930 product line had logged a total 143 orders and 118 deliveries. Daher hopes to match last year’s 55 deliveries this year. Daher said it is pressing ahead with its new strategy to offer a family of aircraft, and executives have been hinting at
a further expansion of the product line. CEO Didier Kayat, however, would not comment on what the next addition might be. The company is striving to understand the future needs of its clients and is “exploring all directions,” he said. The latest retrofitable improvements to the current TBMs include ADS-B out, a flight data recorder and Bluetooth connection between the G1000 avionics and Garmin’s Pilot app for portable devices such as the Apple iPad and iPhone. o
placed a firm order for 25 Latitudes in 2012, along with options for 125, and it took delivery of the first U.S.-based aircraft in January this year. Wilson said that NetJets Europe saw “a small increase in overall flying last year,” and has experienced a particularly strong uptick over the past six months. “We’re looking at a 5 percent increase year-on-year, which is quite different from the overall [European] market.” He added, “We’ve found that the fractional model has been strengthened during the downturn,” as owners look for more cost-effective ways to get the same experience they had when owning their own aircraft, along with those looking to the fractional model as their first continuous use of business aviation. “People who buy in to private aviation want confidence in who is operating and maintaining the aircraft, and in the service quality,” said Wilson. “Service is incredibly improtant to them, rather than relying on a series of [charter] providers.” Wilson said that NetJets Europe has “about 1,250 customers in Europe, and the average size of their share is around 75 hours [per year]–it varies a little from fleet-to-fleet.” Customer hours vary from around 50 hours to “several hundred,” he added. He also told AIN that “no
particular segment” or aircraft size was doing better or worse than the others. Each of the aircraft types it has introduced over the past few years has done very well, with “great customer acceptance,” Wilson claimed. Giving the global perspective to the NetJets business, he said that the company is “going more international–we are seeing larger aircraft become more important, the ability to connect all parts of the globe as quickly as possible, and less just North America to Europe. We’re keen to support that with partnerships around the world. “We’ve always seen private aviation used correctly as an economic wealth generator, something that tends to lead activity.” He also said, “From NetJets’ point of view, we see standard growth [going forward] rather than the 2002-07 style…so a more robust, slow-style growth.” He also noted, particlularly in Europe but also elsewhere in the world, the importance of opening up more airfields, with new satellite-based approaches being a key enabler. “We need to increase the overall network, and most local airports are anxious to have safer allweather approaches.” (Also see Page 84 for article about NetJets’ recent agreement with the London Heliport.) o
www.ainonline.com • May 24, 2016 • EBACE Convention News 79
Euro Jet strengthens its roots in Eastern Europe
The Airbus Corporate Jets ACJ350 XWB, officially launched yesterday here at EBACE, can fly 10,800 nm with up to 25 passengers. It also boasts a spacious 2,190-sq-ft cabin.
by Charles Alcock
Now launched, ACJ350 really goes the distance by Samantha Cartaino “One of Airbus’ greatest strengths is to offer customers the world’s most modern and efficient aircraft family, and the ACJ350 with Easyfit expands its corporate jet offering, giving customers a new way to take their business to the world. Our customers want the best and most modern aircraft that money can buy, and the ACJ350 exemplifies that,” commented Airbus chief operating officer John Leahy. The ACJ350 XWB, which stands for Xtra Widebody,
DAVID McINTOSH
Airbus this week is launching a corporate/VIP version of its A350XWB widebody airliner, known as the ACJ350 XWB. The new long-range bizliner will be able to fly 25 passengers up to 10,800 nm. The -900 version of the aircraft offers 2,910 sq ft of cabin space. Airbus is introducing a new Easyfit process for outfitting the cabin interior in a more straightforward way, involving the use of attachment points along the cabin walls. (See ACJ350 cabin rendering on page 18.)
features an onboard airport navigation system and a runway overrun prevention system. It also features fly-by-wire controls and centralized maintenance processes. Deliveries for the A350900 started in December 2014. Along with the A350-1000, which is currently in development and will enter airline service in 2017, the aircraft have garnered 800 orders from more than 40 customers. Today at the EBACE show, Airbus is flying in an A350 flight test aircraft to Geneva. It features a generic airline cabin but has been decorated for this week’s event with illustrations of possible cabin interior schemes, Airbus marketing & communications director David Velupillai told AIN. o
FALCONS FORM FLOCK AT GENEVA Here at the EBACE static display, Dassault Falcon’s 2000LXS, 900LX and 7X lead the path to the company’s new flagship 8X, which is expected to be certified next month.
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New lounges opening later this year in Czech Republic (Karlovy Vary), Croatia (Dubrovnik) and Ukraine (Kiev Boryspil) are the latest evidence of the strong commitment of Euro Jet Intercontinental to providing flight and group support across Eastern Europe. The Praguebased company also has new handling supervision licenses in Serbia and Ukraine–both of which are hard to get–and recently expanded its presence in Central Asia with new offices in Turkey and Pakistan.
really been active for the past 20 years or so. Most Euro Jet staff have worked supporting business aviation in their locations for several years. The expansion of private aviation in Eastern Europe and Central Asia has been because of a growth in business in this region as economies have continuously expanded since most countries became independent in 1989 and throughout the 1990s,” Danker told AIN. “Some of the major industries include manufacturing, especially in the automobile
Euro Jet Intercontinental’s 250 employees across Eastern Europe and Central Asia include a strong team at its FBO in the Czech capital Prague, as well as at Dubrovnik in Croatia.
The focus of the Euro Jet presence at the EBACE show (Booth J065) is a photographic display of the company’s 250-strong team of employees. The eight-year-old company is emphasizing the fact that its staff now support operations at more than 200 airports in 30 countries. “We are the only company with a geographic span of Eastern Europe and central Asia with our own team on the ground,” said Gareth Danker, Euro Jet’s director of global sales and marketing, who claimed that rival trip support companies do not have their own staff in these regions. Over the past five years, Euro Jet has achieved over 300 percent growth in the amount of traffic it supports. In its first year in business, it supported a couple of thousand flights and this has now risen to over 7,000. A prime example of the experience levels among the Euro Jet team is Petr Pazurk, its country manager for Hungary. He was the first manager of the general aviation terminal at Budapest Airport, which is now one of the busiest gateways in a region where business aviation has only
industry, filming moves, tourism, especially in the Balkan countries of Croatia, Montenegro, and Bulgaria, and rich minerals, especially in Central Asia.” But, for the most part, the strong growth in the east of Europe and into Asia over the past two decades has yet to be matched by the development of suitable infrastructure for business aviation. “The biggest challenge in this part of the world is that in general there are no FBOs,” said Danker. “There are some exceptions like Prague [where Euro Jet is an FBO] or Riga [Latvia], where there are multiple FBOs. But for the most part, airports do not have the Western European or American style FBOs and passengers have to rely upon airport employees whose focus is not necessarily on customer service or even on expedited service.” “They also do not provide multiple services like transportation, catering, accommodation, and fueling. Nor do they give credit. Euro Jet recognizes this and we have worked to make ourselves a one-stop shop network that can solve all these problems with a single e-mail or phone call.” o
Welcome home.
Discover how flying time becomes quality time! Visit us at booth L089
Lufthansa Technik’s A350 VIP design enables you to set personal standards in the way you fly. A masterpiece from front to back, the cabin provides luxuriant space for you to enjoy quality time with family and friends. Expect to arrive more relaxed than when you started your trip. And just as you embrace every moment on board of your A350, we welcome your precious plane in our world of uncompromising and meticulous support. Lufthansa Technik AG, marketing.sales@lht.dlh.de Call us: +49-40-5070-5553
www.lufthansa-technik.com/vip-services
FDS developing a 3D worldwide moving map
The “do CAPSULE” is FDS’s wireless streaming media platform for private aircraft. It is the core of the do Experience, a full spectrum of in-flight entertainment options including DRM compliant movies, TV shows, music, photos, books, games, business productivity, moving map, and more.
by Matt Thurber Flight Display Systems (FDS) plans to release the latest version of its Worldwide Moving Map–the 3D map–in the third quarter of this year. The current 2D moving map is included in the FDS “do Capsule,” the Alpharetta, Georgia-based company’s wireless streaming platform, which streams entertainment content and the moving map to passengers’ mobile devices and bulkhead monitors such as FDS’s Edge 4K and HD displays. EBACE visitors can compare the 3D and 2D maps at the FDS booth (R107). The 2D and 3D maps use a 15-square-meter per pixel resolution terrain database, but customers can opt for 1.5-sq-m resolution for areas surrounding frequently-flown-to airports, according to FDS marketing director Dave Dodson. The previous moving-map resolution was 90 square meters per pixel. The big change with the 3D moving map is that it includes an exocentric (from outside the aircraft) view, and FDS can customize that imagery to depict the customer’s specific aircraft, including the model and its paint scheme. The aircraft shown in the 3D map also replicates the movements of the real aircraft, including climbing and banking, by connecting the do Capsule to GPS information from the aircraft’s FMS. Both 2D and 3D systems feature an exploration mode, where passengers can touch
pre-programmed spots on the moving map and learn more about those areas. This can include popular tourist destinations, for example, or anything else that customers want on their system. “The exploration mode is cooler in 3D,” said Dodson. When viewing the moving maps on a tablet computer, the
Flight Display Systems’s new “do 2D” display has a resolution of 15 square meters per pixel, compared with its previous standard map at 90 square meters per pixel. The new map will be included with FDS’s “do Capsule” wireless media streaming platform.
passenger can pinch and zoom the view, and when zooming out to a view of the entire globe, the sun and moon are depicted in their actual positions in space. Moving the globe around also moves the Sun and Moon in their actual pathways. A “head-up display” view shows the landscape, either 2D or 3D, with aircraft instruments overlaid on the terrain and pitching and banking to match the aircraft’s movements. The do Capsule can be
FDS claims it has the industry’s thinnest high-definition monitor with its Edge Series, available in HD and 4K. A customized bezel enhances the screen’s look.
used in two ways for streaming DRM-compliant entertainment content (movies, music, photos, digital magazines, books, etc.) or passenger content (business presentations, safety videos, etc.): FDS works with Global Eagle Entertainment to offer the do 360 service, where Global Eagle provides content sent monthly to customers on a solid-state drive (SSD) that plugs into the do Capsule. Or customers can provide their own content, using one of the do Capsule’s two one-terabyte SSDs. When a customer provides the content, FDS can add metadata about movies on the SSD
Taking its Worldwide Moving Map a step further, FDS’s “do 3D” platform provides an even more detailed 3D moving map experience. Passengers can use their tablets or laptops to follow the flight’s progress.
when the customer’s computer is connected to the Internet and downloading content, using data provided by IMDB (Internet Movie Database). The FDS do Capsule retails for $40,000 with the 2D map, and the new 3D moving map will cost an additional $15,000. FDS also offers 4K and HD monitors. The new Edge 4K monitors, available in 26and 32-inch sizes, can run in a four-window mode, with a button box for selecting
what displays in each window. This can include entertainment content or external camera feeds, with up to 100 feeds possible, according to Dodson. The HD monitors come in 17-, 21.5and 32-inch sizes. Monitors can be installed flush-mounted on bulkheads, and they include a removable bezel held in place by strong rare-earth magnets. The aluminum bezel can be coated with custom hydro-dipped graphics to match the airplane’s interior decor. o
GREENPOINT PREPS OPERATORS FOR FANS 1/A MANDATE Greenpoint Aerospace is in the race to get aircraft that will operate in Europe ready to comply with the requirement to be FANS 1/A (future air navigation)-capable by 2020. The U.S. company is now providing the FANS 1/A upgrade for Bombardier’s Challenger 604, as well as the 601 model. FANS 1/A is a safety protocol designed to allow direct datalink communications between pilots and air traffic controllers via controller pilot datalink communications (CPDLC) systems that work beyond the range of very high frequency radio systems. Beginning in 2020, non-compliant aircraft will not be able to operate in the remote European airspace for which the requirement applies, resulting in longer trips and additional operating costs. “The FANS 1/A system is one of the most beneficial upgrades being offered on Challenger 604 aircraft,” said Greenpoint Aerospace president Trey Bryson. “The upgrade will drastically improve communication and safety, and will prevent compliance issues in the future. Installations are completed quickly at Greenpoint, and will save you an abundance of time, money, and training in the long run.” Meanwhile, sister company Greenpoint Technologies, which is a specialist in private aircraft cabin completions, renewed its AS9100 quality certification after an audit conducted at its Washington and Texas facilities. The auditor specified six strengths at the facilities including manufacturing, lean processes, engineering and training activities. This is the first year Greenpoint’s Washington and Texas sites were incorporated into one AS9100 cer–S.C. tification. Both Greenpoint companies (Booth I051) are part of the Zodiac Aerospace group.
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Oxford ops looking up
London Oxford’s ramp is increasingly playing host to larger aircraft as business aviation traffic grows.
by David Donald London Oxford Airport (LOA) reports that its traffic has risen 8.3 percent in the last quarter, an encouraging sign following the European business aviation peak in 2012 and a figure that places it in the top 10 of recent growth across European airports over the same period. Until the recent uptick, traffic at Oxford had remained steady, even though UK business aviation flights slumped 2.5 percent after 2012, and by 2 percent across Europe as a whole. The increase in traffic was recorded despite the unfortunate demise of Oxford-based Air Med, an air ambulance operator. Handling more than 8,000 passengers per year, London Oxford has also seen an increase in the number of large jets operating into the airfield. While Citation Excels and Hawker jets still lead the movements table, those by Challengers, Globals and Falcons are on the rise. LOA’s business destinations are dominated by UK domestic airports (40 percent) and other EU airports (55 percent), but those in the Middle East and North America are showing an increase. Oxford has recently welcomed several new tenants to the airfield, including Excellence Aviation, a Bombardier MRO specialist; Volare Aviation (aircraft sales); Take Flight (private pilot training and GA fractional); and Oxford Aviation Club, a jet membership service expected to begin operations with Embraer Legacys.
On April 1, training company Airways Aviation also opened a new global headquarters at Oxford, as well as a training academy operating Diamond DA42 twin-engine piston aircraft for career pilot training, with the initial single-engine portion of training being undertaken on Diamond DA20s at Huesca in Spain. The airfield is also home to CAE’s Oxford Aviation Academy. Among Oxford’s other major tenants is Gama Aviation, which merged with Oxford-based Hangar 8, adding significant large-jet maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capability. The business blending process began at the start of last year, and is now complete. The enlarged Gama continues on both organic and acquisitive growth strategies, seeking to add more aircraft types to its authorized MRO portfolio and to expand its AOG (aircraft on ground) response capability. The Oxford base figures prominently in these plans. London Oxford Airport (Booth S131, with Air BP) is also home to Airbus Helicopters UK, which performs a wide range of installation and maintenance work for Airbus rotarywing products throughout the country, serving private, commercial and government customers. A major task is to support 75 percent of the UK’s police helicopters, as well as those doing powerline survey and EMS work. The Oxford facility includes a
30-strong design team handling special installations and customization requests. Significant investment has been made in airport infrastructure in recent times, including the installation of a state-of-the-art Thales radar three years ago that has extended its operations to provide a radar service seven days per week. The Oxfordjet FBO is one of the first in the UK to receive IS-BAH accreditation, and it has also been trained, audited and accredited by Gulfstream for ground handling and servicing. The departures area now has the latest in X-ray screening systems, and the airport has acquired a deicing system that can handle 737/ A320-size aircraft. Planned for implementation over 2016/17 are the installation of a GPS-based LPV200 performance-based navigation system at both ends of the runway, and full LED airfield lighting for reduced operating minimums. The airfield intends to become fully EASA-compliant in terms of safety-management and quality systems, and plans to extend
An EC155 on display in Airbus Helicopters UK’s Oxford installation center.
its operating hours from the current 06:30/22:30 to 06:00/midnight. Another initiative being examined is to introduce a backup reciprocal radar feed from nearby RAF Brize Norton, and wide-area multilateration. Two current developments could offer further opportunities for London Oxford and other small regional airports. The advent of the Bombardier C Series, able to operate from 4,000-foot runways, opens up Oxford’s 5,223-foot fully grooved runway to airline
Bizav shuttle flights boost London Heliport by David Donald Last October, London Heliport recorded its 500,000th movement since the riverside facility was established in Battersea. It opened for business in 1959, and was originally owned by helicopter manufacturer Westland. At the end of March this year, the heliport reported 10,500 movements for the previous 12 months, its highest annual activity since 2008. Increases in both business and private use were recorded, and the number of sightseeing trips from the heliport has also grown. Around 20 percent of the flights are connecting services with business jets operating from London’s
business airports. A number of operators fly interlining shuttles, including Castle Air from Biggin Hill, and Capital Air Services from London Oxford, an airport owned by Reuben Brothers. The same company owns the heliport, and is thus able to offer incentives to clients traveling between the two. London Heliport has an annual 12,000-movement capacity through its two hardstands, which can accommodate aircraft up to the size of a Sikorsky S-92. There is also parking available for two helicopters. AirBP recently completed a thorough overhaul of the airside fuel facilities.
London Heliport is located on the south bank of the River Thames at Battersea.
The heliport operates between 07:00 and 23:00 seven days a week, and during busy events such as the Cheltenham and Ascot race meetings, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Farnborough International and the British
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Grand Prix can see up to 100 movements a day. The daily record stands at 130, achieved during a Grand Prix weekend. Since February, the Heliport has brought its VFR local-area traffic control in house, having
operations by jets, which could include non-stop London-New York all-business class flights. The most recent effort to launch commercial flights from Oxford with turboprops foundered for external reasons, although it recorded encouragingly high load factors. A more prosaic opportunity will come with the European approval to fly single-engine aircraft in commercial operations in instrument meteorological conditions, expected to begin next year. Air taxi and business shuttle operations using aircraft such as the Cessna Caravan and Pilatus PC-12 are expected to increase significantly as a result. Using single-engine aircraft offers a significant cost reduction over twins, and allows access to a much wider range of airfields. Given the UK’s congested roads and heavily London-centric rail network, air taxi services from airfields such as Oxford to other UK destinations could offer considerable time-savings for businesses, as well as cost-savings over rail travel. o
previously contracted this service out. The tower coordinates closely with NATS, which provides the wider-area radar coverage over the city. Of ongoing concern to the heliport is the encroachment of development, not just by high-rise buildings but also by the cranes used during construction. Heliport officials keep a close watch on local planning applications to safeguard approaches, not only out of self-interest but also in the interests of public-service and military operators, for whom the heliport is a strategic incity landing location. The heliport provides a quicker way into central London, for example using Castle Helicopters from London Biggin Hill Airport or even from sites further afield, such as Oxford Airport. o
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Marenco steps up flight testing of its all-composite SKYe SH09 by Mark Phelps Unfortunately, you won’t see either of Marenco Swisshelicopter’s two SH09 flying prototypes here at the EBACE show. But the good news is, that’s because they’re too busy flying missions in support of Phase A2 of an aggressive certification-test regime. Marenco has been accepting letters of intent (LOI) for its composite SH09, the first model for the start-up company, which is based at Mollis near Zurich. As of shortly before EBACE, the number of LOIs was “about 90” according to CEO Martin Stucki. Earlier this year at U.S. HeliExpo show in Louisville, Kentucky, Marenco announced orders and LOIs for 15 SH09s, including Canadian operator Horizon Helicopters (1) and another follow-on order for a second machine from Costa Rican operator Rotorworld. Three orders came from South Africa, two from local operator Saphire Blue and one from businessman David Gold. Brazil’s Helisul Táxi Aéreo signed LOIs for 10 aircraft. The SH09 is a 5,843-poundmtow single-engine helicopter with an all-composite airframe and a 1,020-shp Honeywell HTS900 turboshaft powerplant. It is expected to have a highspeed cruise speed of 140 knots (259 kilometers per hour) and
range of 430 nautical miles (796 km) or five hours’ endurance. It is designed to compete with Bell’s Model 407 and LeonardoFinmeccanica’s AW119, as well as the Airbus H125 and H130. Its dual-redundant electrical and hydraulic systems are expected to be an advantage in the single-engine market, especially for instrument flying. Another plus is on-condition maintenance capability for its engine, gearbox and rotor blades. Sling-load capacity is targeted at 3,300 pounds (1,497 kg). The aerodynamic configuration is essentially set, Stucki said, with some minor modifications possible to the horizontal stabilizer. “We made it long,
deliberately, because it’s easier to trim it to reduce drag than it is to add to it,” he told AIN, with a smile, adding, “And as you can see in the most recent photos, they’ve surprised me with some exciting red stripes added to the paint scheme. I came back from lunch one day to find the new colors.” Stucki reported good financial support for the program that is currently about midway through its second phase of flight testing. Phase One began in October 2014 and consisted of some 40 hours aloft. Stucki anticipates a total of five test-flying phases, with most of the certification work accomplished in the early segments. “Phases B, C and D will
be for refinements,” he said. For example, the company plans on initial certification to 15,000 feet (4,572 meters) maximum altitude, with later expansion of the envelope to 25,000 feet (7,620 m) after a high-altitude testing series in Leadville, Colorado, where the airport elevation is just less than 10,000 feet (3,048 m). “You can do hover-out ofground-effect [HOGE] testing with just a little space, so we can do them here,” said Stucki, “but for the advanced tests at high altitude, you need a runway.” Initial certification is expected around midway through next year. Stucki said the geographical distribution of LOI holders is around 50 percent North America, 20 percent European and the remainder scattered throughout the rest of the world. He said the primary target market is for utility operators, though Marenco sees good possibilities within the corporate VIP market as well.
Competing with other single-engine utility helicopters, the Marenco Swisshelicopter SKYe SH09 has a large cabin and five hours’ endurance, making it also attractive in the VIP role. The second prototype’s striking paint scheme is a recent addition.
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“We think we bring some strong capabilities to the table [for executive operators],” Stucki added. “For example, we’ve explored a seven-seat layout. With two pilots and five passengers, there’s still lots of legroom and baggage capacity for passengers. There is also plenty of window area for a good outside view.” The helicopter could also be configured with three businessclass passenger seats. Marenco has already explored partnerships with interior design companies, though Stucki said, “A VIP interior is usually tailored, perhaps to match the interior of a company jet. But we have laid out preliminary plans for a basic VIP interior concept that can be customized to meet buyers’ needs.” Another advantage he sees for his helicopter in the executive transport role is its fuel capacity. “With 750 liters [198 U.S. gallons], an operator can plan most trips without needing to refuel before returning to home base, where he might have a better price on fuel. It certainly saves time, as well.” Another possibility Marenco envisions is a quick-change “combi” configuration that could perform utility work one day–transporting tools and workers, perhaps–and VIP executives the next. Finally, Stucki said that most of the long-lead-time components for the third prototype, P3, have been ordered, and it’s scheduled for first flight before yearend. “We’re going ahead ‘full steam’ on P3,” he concluded. o
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ALL PHOTOS BY MATT THURBER EXCEPT WHERE INDICATATED
Textron Aviation’s Longitude is much more than a stretched Latitude, and it will be assembled “across town” at a freshly reconfigured Plant IV in Wichita.
Citation Longitude development picking up pace by Matt Thurber
Textron Aviation’s next Citation model–the Longitude–is newer than might be apparent. While the Longitude might seem as though it is a simple stretch of the Latitude, these are two entirely different jets, and their type certification reflects that. The Latitude’s type certificate derives from the Sovereign, and these two jets share the same Model 680 designation and engine types, Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW306. One advantage of this is that pilots don’t need a new type rating when moving from the Sovereign to the Latitude, just differences training. The Longitude is the Model 700 and will have a new type certificate and new pilot type rating requirement. The Longitude and Latitude cockpits are similar, sharing the same Garmin G5000based avionics suite, but some Longitude systems and the engines are new. The Longitude’s wing is new, but it adapts some features from the Hawker 4000 wing, including the loft profile and basic configuration. The Longitude production line is also completely new and being set up in Plant IV at Textron Aviation’s East Campus on Beech Field, the former Beechcraft facility that became part of the Textron family in May 2014.
The Latitude is built at Textron Aviation’s Citation assembly lines at the company’s West Campus next to Wichita’s Eisenhower National Airport. One of the new techniques that Textron Aviation has developed on the Latitude line is vertical assembly fixtures for large fuselage components. These fixtures help improve efficiency by allowing technicians to work standing up instead of hunched underneath or kneeling next to a horizontally placed component. Optimizing Ergonomics
For the Longitude production line, Textron Aviation is adding even more vertical assembly fixtures to manufacture more of the major structures, including wings and fuselage tailcones and other elements. The fixtures are mounted on moveable platforms that ride up and down to put the worker at the right place, improving assembly ergonomics and reducing health problems caused by awkward positioning. Plant III was most recently used as a warehouse, and previously was the
initial development facility for Beechcraft Premier jets. Engineering, manufacturing and tooling development team members are located in Plant III for close proximity to the activities that they oversee. Every morning, team members meet to discuss the day’s activities and any problems that need to be addressed. “When this tooling is done,” said Draper, “we’ll then switch to rate tooling [for the Plant IV production line]. Much of the refined prototype tooling will be moved to Plant IV for production. Textron Aviation designs and builds its own tooling and fixtures. “That for us is a competitive advantage,” he added. “We start building [these materials] while we’re still in the design phase. The tooling is part of how we build airplanes faster.” While Textron Aviation does build wings in vertical fixtures for the Sovereign+ and X+, the Longitude’s wing structure has been refined for more efficient production. Most drill-out will be done robotically. And some of the structural components are built at the West Campus using robotic riveting
Production Lines
The first Longitude test articles are now under construction in Plant III, and as the assembly tooling and processes are finalized, the tooling will move over to Plant IV, where space has already been assigned for Longitude production. “This will be the first example of production launched on the east side,” said Ron Draper, senior vice president, integrated supply chain at a media briefing in early May. “We’re bringing jets back to the east side.”
The Citation Longitude is to be powered by a pair of Honeywell HTF7700L turbofans, and the first two were delivered and awaiting installation when AIN visited Textron Aviation’s Plant IV.
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machines. A change that resulted from discussions by assembly technicians and mechanics with the design-for-manufacturing team was to enlarge access panels in the bottom wing skin, to make it easier to gain access for assembly and maintenance. When the upper skin is riveted in place, technicians need to be able to reach inside the wing through the access panels, and the larger holes make this easier, especially for the “maximumsize worker.” To prove this change, a test panel was built to see how people fit through the newly sized holes. “The best solution was getting all of our people in the room to talk,” said Bill Rhinesmith, senior project engineer, Longitude program. The result has been fewer hours spent in manufacturing and assembly, lower component weight and improved efficiency. These lessons learned will be incorporated into other Textron Aviation programs. Another factor that helps improve efficiency is the addition of graphical work instructions to the assembly process. These provide explicit instructions and photographs and diagrams to show assembly technicians exactly how to do each task, and they were first incorporated on the Latitude assembly line. “The idea is to keep the guy or gal working [efficiently],” he said. The instructions also facilitate cross-training so technicians can more effectively learn different tasks. Five Longitudes
Five Longitude airframes were under construction in Plant III during my visit in late April. The first airframe built was the one that Textron Aviation unveiled at last year’s NBAA Convention, with a full interior installed. This was TA1 (test article 1), the initial concept airframe used for some ground testing, and it was built on the West Campus. TA3 (there is no TA2) is the first Longitude on the Plant III line and will be used for extensive structural testing over at the West Campus, then the first prototype (Proto) will fly sometime this summer, followed by P1 through P4, for a total of five flight-test airplanes. Flight testing will be done at Beech Field. “We want the airplane flying out of where the mechanics are located,” said Rhinesmith. Proto will be equipped with escape hatches, multiple strain gauges and flight test instrumentation and wiring. “We take a lot of readings to make sure it’s behaving the same way we expect it to be,” said Rhinesmith. The first two Honeywell HTF7700L engines had been delivered and were awaiting installation on Proto. Meanwhile, work is underway to prepare Plant IV for Longitude production. The King Air assembly line was moved to the west bay of Plant IV so that the Longitude line could be placed in the center of the building, which has higher ceilings that can accommodate
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the tall vertical wing assembly tooling. Some foundation strengthening also had to be done to allow for heavier tooling. The doors at the end of Plant IV also needed to be enlarged by about two feet (in height) to allow the assembled Longitudes to exit the facility. From there, the new Longitudes will move to the paint shop, be test flown and then fly to the West Campus for interior installation and delivery.
Above, the Longitude assembly line being prepared in Plant IV. Left, the author preparing to fly the Longitude flight deck simulator. This is a test article and not necessarily representative of the final design. Below, the Plant III prototype assembly line and vertical tooling fixtures.
Human Factors Lab
In a nondescript building well apart from Textron Aviation’s more visible West Campus facilities near Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita, a team of human factors engineers and test pilots is busy wringing out various iterations of the Citation Longitude cockpit and flight control systems. The work is done in both Flight Deck Simulator 1, a fixed-base simulator that replicates the Longitude cockpit in the TA-62 lab, and in the TA-59 autopilot iron bird, which uses actual systems hardware to test flight controls, autopilot and other systems. AIN was given a rare opportunity to visit Building L-22, where the iron birds are housed, and also to fly the Longitude simulator. Iron birds for the Latitude, Sovereign+ and X+ are also located in L-22, along with highly accelerated life testing, environmental, vibration and HIRF/EMI test chambers. “Our job is to make sure that the human interface with the aircraft makes sense,” explained Matt Archer, manager, human factors. Bringing pilots into the process makes more sense when done early in the development program, instead of trying to fix problems after most architectural and design decisions have been made. Textron Aviation test pilots, delivery and demo pilots and noncompany pilots cycle through the simulator, and normally they are familiar with flying Citations and with the Longitude’s G5000 avionics. Pilots usually spend a day in the lab, reviewing procedures and new features in the morning, then in the afternoon flying a line-oriented flighttype (LOFT) scenario, later providing feedback to the human factors engineers. While feedback is important, the simulator is also equipped with seven cameras that monitor the pilots. One wide-angle camera can see the whole cockpit, while other cameras look at both pilots, including what each pilots’ hands are doing with the controls and the G5000 touchscreen controllers. The cameras all feed into human factors engineer Leslie Roper’s observer station, where she looks for facial features, hesitations and other indications of what the pilots are experiencing while manipulating the simulator’s controls. This includes checking to see if a pilot is overwhelmed and thus losing situational awareness. Even though the Longitude cockpit is similar to the Latitude’s, this work remains important for each airplane, she explained, “to make sure we’re
building on what we’re doing and making it that much better and safer.” With her observer’s perspective, Roper can see pilots do things that even another human factors team member in the copilot’s seat might not see, such as a pilot reaching up to the guidance panel, then hesitating and trying to decide which knob to turn or button to push. “We’ve noticed that already,” she said. “We’re trying to manage errors as much as possible.” She is also not looking at what just one pilot does but for trends among the group who flies the simulator. “If we notice five pilots [making an incorrect move], we know something is wrong.” The human factors team also looks at how changes affect pilot actions, because the Longitude is a new airplane. “We’re going to take everything into account,” said Archer, “so that if there is a change, it doesn’t affect something else.” Ed Wenninger is the flight test manager and chief pilot for Textron Aviation engineering flight test, and he manages the flight test process. “We’re all working together on checklist and procedure development,” he said. “We make sure the information that we give to the crew is not overwhelming.” The idea is to help the crew solve problems without giving them unnecessary information. There is also a rule change in Part 25 that affects the certification basis of the Longitude, having to do with error management and
related human factors aspects. This is part of EASA rules that have been harmonized with the FAA. In a practical sense, what all this work means for Longitude pilots is that the team of human factors engineers and 30 or so pilots will have evaluated the Longitude cockpit in all phases of flight to make it as safe and ergonomically efficient as possible. This might include crafting crew alerting system (CAS) messages so that they make sense in the circumstances in which they are needed, robust checklist procedures and also that a pilot moving from another Garmin-equipped Citation finds a familiar home in the Longitude. “Here we can vet the procedures under much more controlled scenarios than in the airplane,” Wenninger said. Pilots don’t want to see a lot of differences, Archer explained, and there shouldn’t be radical changes. Any changes should be consistent from cockpit to cockpit and meet pilots’ expectations. Two-phase Process
Modular assembly improves efficiency, while the “vertical” production process minimizes awkward positioning for workers.
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The human factors process takes place in two phases. The first is to verify the systems architecture, including CAS messages, ergonomics, panel placement, switchology, etc. In the second phase, the focus is on software and checklists. The Longitude simulator was in the middle of phase one when I visited the L-22 facility. Essentially what the simulator does
is inform the final product. “We’ll get feedback that we can replay and see what went on in the cockpit,” said Pat Winter, senior engineer specialist, aircraft systems engineering. The results may dictate a software change, clearing up confusing switch nomenclature or other changes. When I saw the simulator, it wasn’t yet fully set up for final testing, with some interior trim, systems and avionics details remaining to be installed so it is representative of the production Longitude. Control forces are replicated using linear inductors, which use massive magnets to fairly accurately simulate the feel of the airplane. It isn’t quite necessary to duplicate exactly how the airplane flies, although the lab does work with sister company TRU Simulation & Training on some of the systems simulations. The G5000 avionics are the real thing and fully flightworthy, according to Wenninger. Ultimately, much of the flying is done on autopilot, so the test subjects can focus on the procedures that need to be observed by Roper and the human factors experts. With Wenninger in the right seat, I flew an extended pattern out of simulated Eisenhower National, taking off and climbing to 3,000 feet, then flying a long downwind before shooting an ILS approach. The autopilot and autothrottles weren’t yet programmed, so it was all hand flying and raw data. The simulated Longitude handles much like the real Latitude and Sovereign, and that is somewhat heavy on the controls but well harmonized and with pleasing handling at low speeds. The linear inductors did an amazing job of replicating a real airplane. The avionics and the visual display made it seem fairly realistic, and I didn’t even notice the cameras locked onto my every movement in the cockpit as we traversed the simulated Kansas skies. Some of the differences between the Latitude and Longitude are apparent in the simulator. The GTC 570 touchscreen controllers are in the same place as in the Latitude, two in the center and one each on the outboard walls for each pilot. The Longitude electrical system is a little different, so there are some new switches, and the jet’s center pedestal is slightly wider but shorter. The G5000 will be able to pull in Sirius XM Weather to calculate takeoff and landing performance data. A consistency monitor checks to see if the flap setting matches the input data and won’t allow takeoff if the flaps aren’t set correctly. Another new feature of the updated G5000 software is an easier method to switch the big Garmin displays into 60/40 mode by touching one button on the GTC. The human factors team will continue using the TA-62 lab and the simulator for several iterations of the Longitude software, according to Winter. “We’ll keep it as long as it’s needed.” The original simulator used for development of the Sovereign is still flying; it was used subsequently for the G5000-equipped Sovereign+, then for the G5000-equipped X+, then the Latitude.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE EBACE 2016 08:00 – 09:00 Continental Breakfast
Brian Pearce, Chief Analyst, IATA; Charles Schlumberger, World Bank
09:00 – 10:00 EBACE Opening General Session Location: Congress Centre, Palexpo Speakers: Bassim Haidar, Group CEO, Channel IT Group; Bernard Kouchner, Co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Médecins du Monde, Ex French Minister of Foreign and European Affairs; Patrick Ky, Executive Director, European Aviation Safety Agency
15:15 – 16:15 Session Climate Change: Is Business Aviation on its Way to Keeping its Promises? Location: Hall 3 Room Q, Palexpo Moderator: Rick Adams, AeroPrespectives Panelists: Kurt Edwards, IBAC; Charles Etter, Gulfstream; Michael Gill, ATAG; Merel Laroy, Sky NR’G; Sybille Rexer, Dabelstein & Passehl Rechtsanwälte PartGmbB
14:00 – 15:00 Session State of the Industry: Business as Usual is Not Good Enough Location: Hall 3 Room Q, Palexpo Moderator: Richard Koe WINGX Advance Panelists: Richard Aboulafia, Teal Group; Jean-Christophe Gallagher, Bombardier; Claire Leleu, Eurocontrol;
16:00 – 17:00 Session Capacity and Connectivity: Satellite-Based Technologies to the Rescue Location: Hall 5 Inspiration Zone, Palexpo Moderator: Brian Humphries, EBAA
DAVIED MCINTOSH(3)
TUESDAY, 24 MAY 2016
Panelists: Aline Bovier, Sion Airport; Laurent Delétraz, Skyguide; Gian Gherardo Calini, GSA; Pascal Lhoest, NetJets
17:00 – 18:00 Session IBAC New Design Presentation Location: Hall 5 Inspiration Zone, Palexpo
Location: Hall 3 Room Q, Palexpo Moderator: Cees Jan Meeuwis, Griffith University Speakers: Giancarlo Buono, IATA; John Franklin, EASA; Marco Merens, ICAO; Kate Lang, FAA EMEA; Razvan Prunean, EBAA
15:30 – 17:00 Session Women in Aviation Networking Event Location: Hall 5 Inspiration Zone, Palexpo
WEDNESDAY, 25 MAY 2016
10:00 – 11:45 Pop-up Session on the Zika Virus Location: Hall 5 Inspiration Zone, Palexpo Keynote Speaker: Michael Braida, MedAire 11:00 – 12:00 Session Just Culture, Unjust Application: What is Currently Being Done to Deploy It?
11:00 – 11:30 Announcement Project Ideas Challenge Location: Hall 5 Inspiration Zone, Palexpo 14:15 – 15:15 Session Shortage of Skills in Aviation in Europe: Myth or Reality? Location: Hall 5 Inspiration Zone, Palexpo Moderator: Christian Weiss, Hay Group Speakers: Marc Bailey, BBGA; Sheryl Barden, President and CEO, Aviation Personnel International; Rosalind Azouzi, Royal Aeroanutical Society; Dimitrios Sanos, IATA; Jonathan Nicol, Stratajet
THURSDAY, 26 MAY 2016 10:00 – 11:00 Session Skills & Careers Location: Hall 5 Inspiration Zone, Palexpo Moderator: Christian Weiss, Hay Group Speakers: Margriet Bredewold,
Co-Guard GmbH; Nikki Heath, Resource Group; Peter Korns, National Business Aviation Association; Carole Leach, Aviation Quality Management Services Ltd; Hélène Niedhart, CAT Aviation
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Introduction & Welcome Speech Brian Humphries, EBAA; Karin Muller, WCA; Lisa Piccione IAWA Tables of Discussion: • Entrepreneurship in Business Aviation, Gabriella Somerville, MD of ConnectJets • Careers & Management, Catherine Lang, FAA • Public Affairs, Coordinated by: Regula Dettling-Ott, Lufthansa Group • Shortage of Skills & Future Workforce, Lisa Piccione • Conclusion & Wrap-Up Giulia Mauri, Verhaegen Walravens; Martine Wellens, EBAA
16:00 – 17:00 Session Industry Standards Location: Hall 3 Room Q, Palexpo Moderator: Kurt Edwards, IBAC Speakers: Helena Azevedo, NetJets; Bernhard Fragner, GlobeAir AG; Nicole Gut, ExecuJet Aviation Group; Thomas Vrancken, PrivatAir; Terry Yeomans, Sonnie Bates, IBAC 17:15 – 19:00 Session YoPro Session & Networking Location: Event Hall 5 Inspiration Zone, Palexpo Moderator: Kristopher Akana, EBAA Speakers: Rohan Mark Jayawardene, Diamonté Jets, CEO; David G. Shannon, Partner/Chair, Business Aviation Practice; Lewis Brisbois; Diana Zuluaga, JET D’OR, Inc. Co-Founder
MARK WAGNER
10:00 – 11:00 Session Big is Beautiful: Will Consolidation in Bizav Accelerate and, if so, with what Consequences? Location: Hall 3 Room Q, Palexpo Moderator: William Garvey, Aviation Week Speakers: Patrick Hansen, Luxaviation Group; Joe McDermott, Global FBO Consult; Amir Parasta, epitop medical GmbH; Laura Pierallini, Studio Pierallini; Greg Thomas, PrivatAir
uContinued from page 1
MARK WAGNER
European country. Silvestro ruled out Malta, where several other leading European charter operators are based. The remanufactured Nextant light jets were chosen for their good intra-European range
Raymond Jones has been tapped to lead Flexjet’s expansion into the European market. He is based in London.
and comfortable cabins, Silvestro said. They will each have a complete refreshment center, fully enclosed aft lavatory, a three-place divan and Wi-Fi connectivity. “This is just the starting point for Flexjet in Europe. We will have more, larger aircraft based in the region at some point,” Silvestro told AIN, without elaborating on which models he meant or when they will be added. “We see a lot of opportunity in Europe, so we expect our operations to quickly grow there.” Flexjet chairman Kenneth Ricci commented, “We will serve the global marketplace with programs and services that are tailored to the needs of private jet travelers, while also offering our North American base of shared aircraft owners the ability to travel internationally without ever having to leave the Flexjet family.”. Both Flexjet and Nextant Aerospace are part of Ricci’s Directional Aviation group. o
Flexjet will start on-demand and membership service in Europe later this year with a fleet of eight 400XTi light jets from sister company Nextant Aviation. The airplanes will be based in London, Paris and two other cities in central and/or eastern Europe. More types are expected to be added later.
DAVID McINTOSH
Flexjet flies into European market
Embraer Legacy 500 now approved for operations at London City Airport by Chad Trautvetter The recent approval for the Legacy 500 into London City follows a comprehensive flight-test campaign, which included takeoffs and steep approach landings at the airport to meet strict technical and environmental performance standards. Friday’s flight was the types first into London City carrying passengers. London City’s short runway, steep approach and departure angle, as well as other operational controls, requires a special certification for every aircraft and, separately, flight crewmembers that operate there.
“The Legacy 500…is now able to fly in and out of London City Airport, reaching destinations as far as Riyadh, Saudi Arabia or Gander, Canada,” said Embraer Executive Jets president and CEO Marco Tulio Pellegrini. “This new operational capability for London’s financial district, one of Europe’s major business aviation hubs, will offer our customers additional flexibility.” Flexjet CEO Michael Silvestro said that London City “is an important destination for Flexjet owners and clients.” o
MARK WAGNER
An Embraer Legacy 500 demonstrated the aircraft’s steep approach capability to operate at London City Airport on Friday, following approval in March for the type to fly the required 5.5-degree approach profile into the airfield. The Legacy 500 that performed this demonstration is Embraer’s 1,000th delivered business jet, which was handed over to Flexjet last month. This is the fourth Legacy 500 to join the Flexjet fleet and is part of a firm order from the fractional provider for Legacy 450s and 500s.
A Flexjet-operated Embraer Legacy 500 demonstrated the aircraft’s ability to fly the steep approach into London City Airport on Friday. The midsize jet recently received the OK to fly into the airport, which requires a 5.5-degree approach angle.
DASSAULT’S EVS/SVS FALCONEYE NEARS CERTIFICATION Dassault Aviation is anticipating certification shortly for its combined enhanced- and synthetic-vision system, dubbed the “FalconEye,” on the Falcon 2000S/LXS. The system is to be qualified on the aircraft by midyear and also will be available on the Falcon 8X, which is expected to enter service later this year. It combines synthetic, database-driven terrain mapping and thermal and low-light camera images in a single view. According to Dassault, nearly four out of five 8X customers have opted for the technology. Certification will culminate a two-year test and development program that has involved more than 250 approaches designed to prove capabilities in a range of operating environments. The system also has undergone simulation tests. FalconEye incorporates a fourth-generation multi-sensor camera that provides high-definition images close to the quality found on a military FLIR. The camera will provide a 30-by-40 degree field of view full coverage without tunnel-vision effects. The system is designed to add on future capabilities, such as EVS to land with lower minimums. Dassault (Booth Z091) expects to make FalconEye available in both single- and dual-HUD configuration on the 8X. Dual-HUD approval is anticipated late this year. Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier called the technology a “big breakthrough for pilots” and said it will be an important advancement in human factors safety. Olivier Villa, senior v-p, civil aircraft for Dassault Aviation, said the company has first been concentrating on bringing the technology to market on the 2000 and 8X models. FalconEye is among a number of upgrades Dassault has begun to offer for both its new and legacy aircraft. During EBACE, the manufacturer announced a suite of Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics upgrades for the Falcon 50EX, 2000 and 2000EX. Previously available only through Rockwell Collins, the customized Pro Line 21 packages now under a Dassault supplemental type certificate (STC) provide both hardware and software upgrades that will comply with new air traffic management requirements such as FANS 1/A, ADS-B and WAAS/SBAS (see also story on page 66). The upgrades will include navigation capabilities such as LPV and improved situational awareness features such as synthetic vision, electronic charts/maps and XM weather overlay. The package can be installed at any Dassault Aircraft Services, Dassault Falcon service facility or Falcon authorized service center. –K.L.
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BBJ thinks big, shows VIP 787 uContinued from page 1
Since this VIP-configured Boeing 787 was completed without a buyer contract, Greenpoint Technologies outfitted the bizliner in a palette of neutral colors so that it would appeal to more buyers. A potential customer is now in final negotiations to buy the spacious and finely appointed airplane.
“This airplane is all about range–you can get just about anywhere, from just about anywhere in this–the range is basically unlimited,” said Longridge. The 787 is also designed to ensure passengers arrive refreshed after journeys that may last as long as 16 hours, maintaining a 6,500-ft cabin at its 43,100-foot maximum altitude. The 40-passenger interior, featuring a palette of neutral brown and gray tones, was designed by Pierrejean Design Studio of Paris, and includes a forward master suite with bedroom, an expansive lounge area and, in the rear, a guest cabin with first-class passenger seating. FAA certification will be completed by the end of next month, according to Stephen Vella, Kestrel’s chief executive, and it’s expected the Dreamliner will retain its U.S. registry. With the aircraft completed, a purchase deal with an undisclosed prospective buyer is near conclusion, Vella said. Under the terms of the deal, the aircraft is to be operated by Beijing-based Deer Jet (Booth M073) and will be available for charter. A Deer Jet executive said the aircraft will have no permanent base. In highlighting this latest milestone, Longridge recounted BBJ’s long-term and recent successes. “If you told the people who built this company that in 20 years they’d be landing an airplane that hadn’t been invented at an airshow that didn’t exist, they wouldn’t have believed it,” he said, noting that initial projections for BBJ sales estimated a total market demand for 40 executive-configured Boeing airliners. Since last year’s EBACE, alone, nine BBJs have been ordered, eight have been delivered and 10 have entered service, bringing totals for the brand to 238 orders, 215 deliveries, and 191 in service. Two other BBJ 787s are currently in operation, one owned by a Middle East airline and the other by the government of Mexico, but neither have an all-VIP interior, and both were among the first fifty 787s built, before specifications for the allcomposite aircraft were standardized. As such, they have less range than current Dreamliners (8,760 nm/16,224 km with 25 passengers). o
94 EBACE Convention News • May 24, 2016 • www.ainonline.com