NBAA Convention News 11-1-12 Issue

NBAA Convention News

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Thursday 11.1.12 ORLANDO

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Vol. 45 No. 29

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OEMs see need for speed

by Kirby J. Harrison

MARIANO ROSALES

In an ever-shrinking world of instant gratification in which going fast is good, then going faster must be even better.

Honeywell didn’t come right out and say it, but the company’s 2012 market forecast introduced a new category devoted to the concept of farther and

faster. The forecast calls it the “very high speed/ultra-long range” category and notes the first use of that category in 2010 with the Gulfstream G650.

The G650 was originally projected to have a range of 5,000 nm at Mach 0.90, but here at NBAA’12 Gulfstream

announced the airplane has exceeded expectations and will now fly 6,000 nautical miles at that speed.

While there has been talk about which airplane will be the fastest business jet–Cessna’s revamped Citation X or Gulfstream’s G650, both with an Mmo in the 0.93 range– the discussion is now moot from Gulfstream’s perspective. The company notes that while the Citation X is a pretty fast machine with a high-speed cruise of about Mach 0.90, the G650 will fly three times

Continued on page 46 u

From the ground it is easy to lose sight of the sheer size of the static display. AIN photographer Mariano Rosales and the AINtv crew flew over the site in an AirOrlando Robinson R44 with pilot Otto Braithwaite to capture the display of larger business aircraft on the ramp at Showalter Flying Service.

Talent shortage:

Industry eyes next generation of leadership

by Amy Laboda Opening to a packed room at the NBAA Convention on Halloween eve is a feat in itself; to keep attendees’ attention for a full hour on such a busy day takes some meat. Sheryl Barden, president and CEO of Aviation Personnel International (API), moderated a panel of industry leaders who postulated their own theories for why we are currently forced to recruit aggressively to increase the pool of talented people from which to choose our next generation of aviators and aviation support staff throughout the world.

The panel was composed of Kevin Hiatt, COO of the Flight Safety Foundation; Guy Smith, past president of the University Aviation Association; Mark Malkosky, assistant director for maintenance business development with FlightSafety International; Dan Woodard, chief pilot for Conoco Phillips; Lonnie Robinson, chairman of Aviation Career Enrichment and a captain with US Airways; and Cassandra Shelby, past president of Women in Corporate Aviation and an international captain with Coca-Cola.

Barden opened the session with a quote from the chair of the Flight Safety Foundation.

She said, “The future shortage of Continued on page 46 u

Industry

Aircraft Interiors

Bizav Gives Back

Avionics and ATC

Aircraft

Bizjet Activity To Dip Slightly in 2013

Virtual Reality Brings Cabins to Life

Volunteers Needed: Citation Airlift 2014

ForeFlight Enhances Moving Map App

Eclipse Improves E550 Twinjet

Operators in both the U.S. and Europe will fly slightly less next year than they flew this year, according to an Avinode forecast, released yesterday at the NBAA Convention. Page 12

Aircraft owners are eager to see the cabin of their new aircraft long before it is ready, and one company’s virtual reality system lets them ‘walk through’ long before the cabin is complete. Page 38

Cessna is seeking volunteers to participate in its 2014 Special Olympics Citation Airlift, to bring some 1,000 Special Olympians and their coaches to the national event. Page 10

Business aviation pilots will find much to like about the new features of the iPad moving map app, including synching to flight sims to show aircraft position for practice. Page 15

The manufacturer recently announced anti-skid brakes as an option for its newbuild Eclipse 550 and placed a production order with IS&S for the Avio avionics suite for the twinjet. Page 8, 30

Thank You 12_12103_AINNBAA_Strip3_V01R03.indd 1

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Carville and Matalin call election at NBAA

Metalcraft Technologies.

The new avionics will include Honeywell’s SmartView synthetic vision with HUD symbology in a heads down presentation on the primary flight display, dual FMS, and INAV moving map. The suite features up to four 12-inch displays, charts/ maps, Taws-A, dual Waas GPS/LPV, graphical flight planning, onboard weather radar, e­lectronic checklists, DME and ADS-B out. The system will support Fans-1A and RVSM operations. Available options include controller pilot datalink communications, high frequency radio, satcom, ADS-B in, enhanced vision, XM WX, flight data recorder, cockpit voice recorder, dual charts/maps, a second MFD and other customer-specified options. o

WCA looks to women as future of aviation

by Amy Laboda Scholarship awards may have been the headliner for the annual Women in Corporate Aviation (WCA) NBAA luncheon, but networking was definitely the theme of what is becoming one of the more prominent little meetings taking place within this one big meeting of some of the best minds and creative energy in business aviation today.

The awards, now totaling nearly $50,000, were for

airline dispatcher license training, aviation management, professional careers, aviation maintenance technology, management of in-flight illness and injury, an Aircare Facts training program and corporate flight attendant training. Because of the storm in the northeast, only one scholarship winner was present, Asela Calvert, who was awarded the aviation management scholarship of $3,000 by

Aviation Legends Honored

The General Session also honored the Tuskegee Airmen and featured Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), one of the staunchest advocates for general aviation in Washington.

The Tuskegee Airmen received the NBAA Meritorious Service Award, accepted

by Lt. Col. Leo R. Gray, USAF, and Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, USAF, combat veterans and former members of the famed unit.

Following the award Home Depot chief pilot Joe Coates. Calvert is president of Worldwide Simulator Training Center, located in Las Vegas, a Part 142 operation she and her husband founded in 2009.

Calvert personifies the typical WCA member–self-made and determined to rise to the top. Among the people in the room were management from Fortune 100 flight departments, professional flight attendants, high-end in-flight caterers, association presidents and corporate top management from Home Depot, Gulfstream, Med-Aire, AirCare Facts, Universal Weather and Coca-Cola.

They are today’s aviation professionals who know that

4 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

S

Legislative Issues

Rep. Sam Graves told attendees, “We have been on offense,” noting this year’s passage of the FAA Reauthorization legislation and the Pilots Bill of Rights. “[But] we are on defense on a lot of issues,” he continued, citing avgas, TFRs, regulations for UAVs “and the biggest issue: user fees.”

Graves said the government will continue to push for user fees regardless of the administration, and urged the business aviation community to remain vigilant and united in its opposition. Graves, co-chairman of the House’s General Aviation Caucus, noted the caucus would have to re-establish its rolls when the next session of Congress is seated in January.

Graves also offered his offices to assist aviators in regulatory distress. “I try to be that person in Washington who can help,” said Graves.

“Please call my office and I will try. If it’s a certification issue, medical issue, FSDO issue, don’t hesitate to call.” o

Editor-in-chief – Charles Alcock editor - domestic show editions – Matt Thurber PRODUCTION DIRECTOR – Mary E. Mahoney PRODUCTION EDITOR – Jane Campbell PRess room administrator – Annmarie Yannaco PRess room managing editor – Nigel Moll the editorial team Jeff Burger Kirby J. Harrison Kim Rosenlof Bill Carey Mark Huber Mary F. Silitch Thierry Dubois Amy Laboda Dale Smith Curt Epstein David A. Lombardo Ian Sheppard Rob Finfrock Paul Lowe Harry Weisberger Ian Goold Robert P. Mark James Wynbrandt the production team R A T E B I N Mona L. Brown L John Manfredo Lysbeth McAleer Colleen Redmond Photographers O R R T Y Y E A Cy Cyr Mariano Rosales E

presentation, airshow aerobatic ace Sean Tucker moderated a discussion with the Tuskegee Airmen about their experiences and legacy.

Also at the session, the National Aviation Hall of Fame presented its annual Combs Gates Award to Regina Wirtanen Buker for her as yet unpublished book, A Sky Trained Pilot, about the C-47 pilots of World War II.

Wilson S. Leach, Managing Director R. RANDALL PADFIELD, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

C

Attendees interested in next Tuesday’s Presidential election–and that means everyone– received insightful thoughts on the outcome from James Carville and his wife (and political polar opposite) Mary Matalin at the Second Day General Session at NBAA’12 yesterday.

“If Romney were to win Pennsylvania, he would be your next president,” Carville told the audience, “but if Obama wins either Virginia or Florida, it’s over.”

Matalin, who preceded her husband to the podium, boldly called the winner outright. “I think it’s going to be a 21st century blowout–three to five points” in Romney’s favor, Matalin said. Each of the returning NBAA speakers also regaled the audience with amusing anecdotes, but both began their remarks by noting the privilege of appearing here in the year the convention honors the late Neil Armstrong.

online editor – Chad Trautvetter web developer – Mike Giaimo online videographer – Joseph W. Darlington AINtv EDITOR – Charles Alcock EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & ONLINE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT – John F. McCarthy Jr. Publisher – Anthony T. Romano associate Publisher – Nancy O’Brien Advertising Sales – north america Melissa Murphy – Midwest (830) 608-9888 Nancy O’Brien – West (530) 241-3534 Anthony T. Romano – East/International Philip Scarano III – Southeast Victoria Tod – Great Lakes/UK Advertising Sales – International – Daniel Solnica – Paris production/MANUFACTURING manageR – Tom Hurley AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER – Jeff Hartford group brand manager – Jennifer Leach English sales/production administrator – Susan Amisson Advertising/sales Secretary STAFF Patty Hayes; Cindy Nesline director of finance & new product development – David M. Leach Human ResourceS Manager – Jane Webb accounting/Administration manager – Irene L. Flannagan accounting/AdministratiON Staff Mary Avella; Rosa Ramirez U.S. EDITORIAL OFFICE: 214 Franklin Ave., Midland Park, NJ 07432 Tel: (201) 444-5075; Fax: (201) 444-4647 Washington, D.C. EDITORIAL OFFICE: Bill Carey; bcarey@ainonline.com Tel: (202) 560-5672; Mobile: (202) 531-7566 Paul Lowe; paulloweain@aol.com Tel: (301) 230-4520; Fax: (301) 881-1982 EUROPEAN EDITORIAL OFFICE: Charles Alcock; calcock@ainonline.com 8 Stephendale Road, Farnham, Surrey GU9 9QP UK Tel: 44 1 252 727 758 U.S. advertising OFFICE: 81 Kenosia Ave., Danbury, CT 06810 Tel: (203) 798-2400; Fax: (203) 798-2104 EUROPEAN ADVERTISING OFFICE: Daniel Solnica 78, rue de Richelieu, Paris, France Tel: 33-1-42-46-95-71 Fax: 33-1-42-46-85-08 dsolnica@club-internet.fr RUSSIAN ADVERTISING OFFICE: Yuri Laskin, Gen. Dir., Laguk Co. Ltd. Russia, 115172, Moscow Krasnokholmskaya Nab., 11/15 - 132 Tel: +7-05-912-1346, 911-2762; Fax: +7-095-912-1260 ylarm-lml@mtu-net.ru

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SyberJet Aircraft plans to resume production of the SJ30 light twinjet in 2014 with a new glass panel ­cockpit called ­SyberVision, with core avionics supplied

by Honeywell. SyberJet hopes to have the new avionics certified in the third quarter of 2014, with first delivery of the jet in the fourth quarter of 2014. The company announced that it is not taking orders for new aircraft deliveries at this time, but should begin doing so shortly.

The SJ30 was designed

by Ed Swearingen in the late 1980s. Production ceased after eight aircraft were built and the then-design owner, Emivest Aerospace, filed bankruptcy in 2010. Last year the program’s assets were acquired

by MT LLC, a company affiliated with airframe supplier

FOUNDED IN 1972

G

by Mark Huber

TM

F

Refreshed SJ30 jet to feature glass panel

Convention News James Holahan, Founding Editor

by James Wynbrandt

L to r: Chuck Taylor, SyberJet v-p; Ken Snodgrass, Honeywell v-p for integrated platform systems; John Todd, Honeywell v-p for Bombardier and Apex; David Grant, SyberJet president; Mark Fairchild, SyberJet general manager; and Rich Reisberg, SyberJet director of engineering were on hand for the announcement of the planned production restart of the SJ30 twinjet.

NBAA

Asela Calvert was awarded the WCA Aviation Management Scholarship by Home Depot chief pilot Joe Coates.

networking and mentoring are key to their businesses and this industry’s tomorrow. For information about the organization, go to www.wca-intl.org. o

The Convention News Company, Inc. – AIN Publications President – Wilson S. Leach Executive Vice President – John F. McCarthy, Jr. Vice President of Operations – R. Randall Padfield Treasurer – Jane L. Webb Secretary – Jennifer L. English NBAA Convention News is a publication of The Convention News Co., Inc., 214 Franklin Ave., Midland Park, NJ 07432; Tel.: (201) 444-5075. Copyright © 2012.

All rights ­reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part ­without permission of The Convention News Co., Inc. is strictly prohibited. The Convention News Co., Inc. also publishes Aviation International News, AINalerts, AIN Defense Perspective, AIN Air Transport Perspective, AINmx Reports, AINsafety, Business Jet Traveler, ABACE Convention News, EBACE C­ onvention News, HAI Convention News, MEBA Convention News, NBAA Convention News, Dubai Airshow News, Paris Airshow News, Singapore Airshow News.

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Eclipse offers anti-skid brakes

by Rob Finfrock Further refining the original Eclipse 500 very light jet, Eclipse Aerospace recently announced the availability of an anti-skid braking system (ABS) for new-build Eclipse

550s and existing aircraft.

Anti-skid brakes aren’t typically found on aircraft of comparable size and weight to the 6,000-pound Eclipse, though similar anti-skid systems are

available in heavier competitors like the Cessna Citation Mustang and Embraer Phenom 100.

The lack of anti-skid braking proved somewhat problematic for early Eclipse 500 owners,

with locked brakes contributing to several blown-tire incidents.

ABS includes the addition of brake-control and wheel-speed sensors, a dedicated control computer and software updates to the avionics. The components add approximately 17 pounds to the airframe, though Eclipse noted that some of that gain may be mitigated through a planned Eclipse Aerospace is offering an anti-skid brake system on Eclipse 500s and 550s.

weight-reduction package.

Cary Winter, senior vice president of engineering at Eclipse (Booth No. 2954), said the new braking system has exceeded expectations in testing, stopping the aircraft from normal landing speeds in less than 750 feet under aggressive braking.

Certification is expected in early 2013, with the system available in time for delivery of the first production Eclipse 550. Pricing has not been finalized. ABS will also be available as a retrofit for existing Eclipse 500s that have been upgraded to the Avio integrated flight management system. o

Piper delivers 500th Meridian Piper Aircraft shipped its 500th Meridian turboprop pressurized single-engine aircraft at the end of September to SouthEast Piper for delivery to the airplane’s undisclosed Floridabased owner.

“The milestone delivery emphasizes [the Meridian’s] enduring value proposition even during recent periods of economic uncertainty around the world,” said Piper president and CEO Simon Caldecott. “Single-engine Piper turboprops are growing in popularity as replacements for less economical twin-engine jets and turboprops.”

Flightline Group/SouthEast Piper chairman Paul Langston said, “The Meridian is very popular with aircraft owners and operators in the southeastern U.S. due to its flexibility, utility and performance for the dollar.

Our customers buy and fly the Meridian because it has versatile takeoff, landing and climb capabilities through the extreme summer conditions in the Southeast and, of course, its speed, comfort and competitive price make it ideal for both business and personal missions.”

The Meridian combines Garmin avionics with the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42A turboprop engine.

–H.W.

TM

8 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com 975-64928_Ascent_AIN.indd 1

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President Bombardier Customer Services

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Bombardier and You. First. are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. Š 2012 Bombardier Inc. All rights reserved.

Jayhawk Aviation’s Citation X, outfitted with winglets from Winglet Technology, set an unofficial speed record on a recent flight from Anchorage to Miami.

CESSNA SEEKING VOLUNTEERS FOR 2014 special Olympics airlift

Wingletted Citation X sets record

by Mark Huber

by Al Larson and Chuck Feaga.

Takeoff weight was 36,000 pounds with three passengers aboard, including Winglet Technology president Bob Kiser.

“The flight illustrates the capability and performance of a Citation X equipped with our elliptical winglet design,” he said. “We were able to climb direct to FL450 and then step climb to FL470 for the balance of the flight. A Citation X without the elliptical winglets would not have been able to make this

trip without a fuel stop.”

Winglet Technology has sold more than 60 elliptical winglet kits since receiving STC approval in 2009.

The wingletted jet, owned by Jayhawk Aviation, is on exhibit here at the static display (space 260). The flight was co-sponsored by the Appearance Group (Booth No. 4440), which used Permagard reactive polymer coating on the record-setting aircraft.

Permagard (Booth No. 3280) is a paint sealer that reduces drag. o

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A Cessna Citation X equipped with Winglet Technology (Booth No. 1743) elliptical winglets set an unofficial speed record October 28 by flying 3,479 nm nonstop from Anchorage to Miami in seven hours and 13 minutes at an average speed of 482 knots. Details of the flight have been submitted to the National Aeronautic Association for review and certification for jet aircraft in the 35,274 to 44,092 pounds mtow category. The aircraft was flown

Industry waits to see which way wind blows This year’s NBAA Convention, like others over the past few years, has generated little in the way of blockbuster announcements of large orders, as buyers keep their powder dry for more secure times. Nonetheless, forecasters are seeing some causes for optimism, and manufacturers have committed to new programs to be ready when the market turns around.

10 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

In a press conference on Monday, Cessna once again launched its signature community event, the Citation Special Olympics Airlift (CSOA). The games, which are held every four years, are scheduled to take place in two years, and the airframer has once again issued the call to Citation owners to participate in the airlift, which first began in 1987.

“Along with our many volunteer partners, we are extremely proud to kick off our seventh CSOA in support of bringing athletes and coaches to the 2014 Special Olympics USA games,” said Roxanne Bernstein, the OEM’s senior vice president of marketing.

In the first airlift, more than 130 Citation owners carried athletes to and from South Bend, Ind. The most recent airlift in 2010 saw 165 Citations transport 830 athletes to and from the event in Lincoln, Neb. The venue for the next games will be New Jersey’s Princeton/Mercer County area, and Cessna is looking to recruit at least 175 Citation owners who will donate their jets, pilots and fuel to carry approximately 1,000 Special Olympics athletes from their home airports to the games and back home. “The generosity of Cessna, its industry partners and the Citation owners not only provides our programs with a much-needed solution to the costs associated with transporting delegations, but it also gives our athletes a once-in-a-lifetime aviation experience,” said Bob Gobrecht, president and managing director of Special Olympics North America.

–C.E.

African bizav group expands membership

by James Wynbrandt The recently formed African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA, Booth No. 2516) announced at NBAA’12 the launch of new membership categories and a leadership group. “Our vision is to make sure business aviation is recognized as an asset to Africa,” said Tarek Ragheb, founder and chairman of AfBAA. The association already has fully funded commitment from 18 founding members, including African and international businesses, and is now finalizing selection of the last two founding members. AfBAA has created a launch member category to complement the founding members. “We noted that a number of companies we would have welcomed as founding members were unable to apply originally for a variety of reasons,” said Ragheb. “As we value their input and potential support they can offer, AfBAA will now encourage them to apply for launch member status.” At a later date the organization will create regular and affiliate memberships for aviation companies that have an interest in operating in Africa.

AfBAA has also formed a leadership group, composed of leaders of the African business aviation community nominated by founding members. Ragheb

will head the group, joined by Ivor Ichikowitz of South Africa’s Paramount Group, who will serve as vice chairman and treasurer. The leadership group will have four subcommittees, each headed by an elected chairperson. Rady Fahmy will oversee the association’s operations as AfBAA’s executive director, and Jack Olcott will remain in his advisory role supporting the organization’s development. “We are confident that the elected board and committee chairpersons reflect the complete spectrum of interests of the association,” said Fahmy.

Here at the NBAA show AfBAA plans to build new relationships and develop existing ones with U.S. companies that have interests in operating on the African continent. “We are keen to showcase AfBAA, the only Pan-African aviation association, as a well-funded, professional and active association with a genuine commitment to supporting the development of the future of business aviation in Africa,” said Ragheb. o AINonline iPhone App NOW AVAILABLE

More and more business jets and turboprops are being Garminized as we speak.

We’re building a growing portfolio of business aircraft that can be upgraded with a complete Garmin glass flight deck system. Moreover, we’re committed to adding even more turbine airframes to our list of certified installations. Our current G1000®/G950® upgrade packages can be enhanced with Garmin’s SVT™ synthetic vision flight displays for the Available today: King Air series CitationJet Citation 501 TBM 700

ultimate in 3-D situational awareness. Other top-level assets – available on select packages – include: Full FMS integration through Garmin’s GFC 700 series digital autopilot (G1000 only). WAAS/SBAS LPV approach capability. Electronic charts and SafeTaxi® diagrams. Class A or B TAWS terrain alerting. Engine Indication System (EIS) monitoring. Solid-state AHRS. Doppler-enhanced digital onboard radar. TAS/TCAS traffic systems.

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from virtually anywhere on the planet. To learn more about the upgrade

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options for your aircraft3, stop by our NBAA Booth (#2758). Or check out our website: Garmin.com Follow the leader.

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Subscription required for optional XM weather (sold separately).

Uses optional GSR 56 Iridium network transceiver (subscription required).

Some features may not be available on certain upgrade installations.

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by Curt Epstein Avfuel has bolstered its network of more than 600 branded FBOs with the addition of four new dealers: London City Airport Centre at London City Airport; Minot Aero Center in Minot, N.D.; Million Air Burbank in California; and CYHU H-18 in Montreal will now all offer the full range of Avfuel products, including contract fuel, the Avtrip rewards program and Avfuel’s Avplan flight support and trip planning services.

The fuel distributor has made technology a priority this year with the introduction of an iPad app that will help users find Avfuel locations, view contract fuel

pricing, make fuel authorizations, view account information, invoices and transactions and even collect Avtrip bonus points for arranging fuel through the application.

Michigan-based Avfuel is also completely overhauling its website with the goal of improving the user experience. The company has developed a new web-based point-of-sale system for FBO customers called the Avfuel Hub, which simplifies the purchasing process for quicker processing. Integration with the company’s contract fuel program allows fuel pre-authorizations to be sent directly to the system, and customers can

EJM supports flight depts NetJets aircraft charter and management arm Executive Jet Management launched a new program that provides flight departments and aircraft owners with a “comprehensive suite” of services that offer cost savings on fuel and crew training and VIP access to FBOs. Dubbed Support Services, the program’s core benefits include discounted rates on jet fuel through EJM’s network of more than 400 FBO partners across the U.S.; preferred rates on crew

training through EJM’s network of training facilities, including FlightSafety International, CAE SimuFlite and Bombardier; and VIP access to FBOs in key cities. In addition, Support Services customers will also have access to other services at preferred rates, including crew recruiting, crew training classes, aircraft brokerage, aircraft quality evaluations and maintenance at EJM’s repair station at Cincinnati Municipal AirportLunken Field. –C.T.

Aviation Partners Tests New Winglet on BBJ Aviation Partners has flight-tested its new split scimitar blended winglet on a Boeing Business Jet. The new design adds a blended ventral fin and scimitar winglet tips to the original blended winglet design, and the company says the tests confirmed a “measurable speed increase and drag decrease.” However, the company does not have current plans to make the new winglet available for any specific aircraft. Aviation Partners is displaying a full-scale mockup of its split scimitar blended winglet here at its NBAA booth (No. 5035). –M.H.

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Avfuel boosts network, enhances tech support

easily access their Avtrip loyalty rewards program status.

Since its inception in 1991, Avtrip has awarded more than $25 million in rewards to its more than 47,000 members.

Points are awarded via fuel purchases but can also be earned through use of the company’s other products. For every 5,000 Avtrip points accumulated, members earn a cash reward.

Guests at the company’s booth (No. 4500) who are Avtrip members can enter a giveaway to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Shanghai, São Paulo or Geneva (coinciding with the ABACE, LABACE or EBACE show).

Those who are not Avtrip members can enroll in the free program on the spot. Visitors will receive a game piece from each Avfuel dealer they speak with.

“The more FBOs you visit in the Avfuel booth, the more chances you collect to win, while at the same time becoming more familiar with the Avfuel branded dealer network and its offerings,” said Marci Ammerman, the company’s director of marketing. To get a taste of the destinations, guests will be treated to tasty tidbits from the destination regions while they tour the booth.

Avfuel also announced it has awarded its annual $2,000 Avtrip scholarship to Taylor Ratliff, an aerospace administration and operations and professional pilot major at Oklahoma State University. Ratliff, whose father was a pilot, plans to use her funds to ease the financial burden of flight training. o

Avinode 2013 forecast: slight dip in bizjet flights

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by James Wynbrandt

That should be my ride home Juan Marroquin, an air traffic controller from Guatemala who has attended the NBAA Convention for more than a decade, views the line of Airbus Corporate Jets on the show floor. At this week's show Airbus announced the ACJ318 ‘Enhanced,’ which features significant cabin improvements and has sharklet winglets as an option.

12 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

Business jet activity in the U.S. will decline by 0.1 percent in 2013, according to a forecast presented at NBAA ’12

by Avinode (Booth No. 2120).

On a regional level, the forecast projects the south and west will experience a 0.4 percent and 1.3 percent growth rate respectively, buoyed by leisure travel, while the northeast and midwest will see a decrease in business jet activity of 1.2 percent and 3.9 percent respectively. “The more business-travel focused northeast and midwest continue to struggle,” said Magnus Henriksson, business unit director, Avinode Business Intelligence.

For Europe, the forecast predicts a 3.2 percent decline in business jet activity in the coming year. Southern Europe is expected to see a 4.3 percent decline, while the continent’s north, with a less wounded economy, is projected to decline by 1.3 percent.

The forecast breaks down

flight activity by category of jet and predicts light jets, the dominant category, will lose market share to entry level jets in the U.S., with a decrease of 2.2 percent in the former category and a gain of 4.4 percent in the latter.

By the end of 2013 Avinode projects entry-level jets will capture 10 percent of all business jet flight activity. The midsize jet category, which holds second place in market share, is expected to grow by 0.1 percent next year.

At a panel discussion following the forecast presentation, charter providers were generally in agreement with the projections.

Panelists included moderator David McCown, senior consultant, Air Partner; Veriar CollinsJenkins, director of charter, Clay Lacy Aviation; Bjorn Naf, CEO, Metrojet; Marc Drobny, senior v-p, charter and vendor services, Executive Jet Management; and Paul Travis, operations manager, Acropolis Aviation. o

Tamarack will supply active winglets for CJ

by Matt Thurber Tamarack Aerospace (Booth No. 4171) has unveiled the first of what it promises will be a series of active winglet systems designed to relieve wing-bending loads caused by winglets. The company’s active technology load alleviation system (Atlas) should be certified and available for installation on Cirrus SR-22 piston singles early next year, but Tamarack is also testing Atlas, which includes new winglets, on a Cessna CitationJet. It has brought the Atlas-equipped CitationJet to NBAA’12 and is giving demonstration rides during the show at Orlando Executive Airport.

According to Tamarack, ordinary passive winglets come with a penalty, shifting the center of pressure of the wing outboard and thus increasing the bending moment on the wing. To counteract this effect, the wing needs to be strengthened. On an Airbus

A330, 440 pounds of reinforcement had to be added, according to Brian Willett, vice president of sales and marketing. “That [bending moment] has an impact on the service life and required structural modifications,” he said. “What if you could get the benefits of winglets without the weight penalties?”

Tamarack, an aerospace engineering firm based in Sandpoint, Idaho, has been developing Atlas for more than two years and has patented the technology. The initial Atlas testing was done in a Vans RV-6. The entire wing was instrumented with stress gauges.

The main feature of an Atlas is the Tamarack active control surface (Tacs) actuator mounted near the winglet. The Tacs actuator drives small moveable surfaces mounted outboard on the wing trailing edge, near the winglets. Tacs don’t take up any

space occupied by the existing ailerons. When Atlas’s sensors detect a load (change in g) they instruct the Tacs actuators to move to counteract and alleviate the load. This happens in milliseconds and the result is that Atlas, Tamarack said, “prevents an increase in the bending moment on the wing.” The ultimate benefit is the ability to incorporate winglets without having to reinforce wing structure, lengthening wing life and as a side benefit, “this smoothes out turbulence,” Willett said.

During testing, Tamarack engineers flew with Atlas configured in the worst-case scenario, with the Tacs deployed asymmetrically, fully deflected opposite to each other. Takeoffs and landings were accomplished safely in this configuration, according to Willett.

On the CitationJet, the Atlas winglets add two feet of length to each wing. Tamarack plans to offer Atlas on the entire CitationJet family, then on Hawker and Embraer jets.

An Atlas system could be added to an airplane that already has winglets, but the full benefits aren’t available unless the winglet

is large enough, Willett said.

In evaluating the CitationJet wing before and after the Atlas modification, Tamarack found that, according to Willett, “some of the improvements are better than the OEM wing.” At a peak gust load of 4.4 g, the wing bending moment without a winglet (standard wing) is about 190,000

Tamarack Aerospace expects FAA certification of an active winglet system for the Cirrus SR-22 early next year.

inch-pounds, and with a standard winglet climbs to 230,000 inch-pounds. “With the active winglet,” he added, “we’re better than the standard wing. We’re down to 170,000 to 180,000 inchpounds, so it’s a reduced load. We expect to see an increase in wing service life due to less stress on the wing.”

The CitationJet Atlas winglets add less than 50 pounds to the airframe, Willett said. “The benefit

in improved aerodynamic performance is such that with a plainJane CJ, you could put a full load of fuel and put one extra passenger with bags, because the wing is more efficient.” In one example flight, Tamarack showed that a baseline CitationJet carrying a 1,300-pound payload flying 863 nm from Seattle to Palm Springs could fly only 850 nm, which means needing to make one stop.

The Atlas-equipped CJ could carry the same load and fly 1,100 nm, and thus able to fly nonstop.

The FAA has imposed special conditions on certification of the Atlas winglets for the SR-22. The conditions mostly involve testing of failure modes of the load-alleviation system, including aerodynamic and structural implications. In the Cirrus SR-22 system, failure of Atlas causes power to be removed from the system, and the Tacs move automatically to a neutral trail position, according to Tamarack.

Willett said that Tamarack has had discussions about Atlas with several aircraft manufacturers. “[We’d like] to partner with an OEM to help make their product better,” he said. o

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www.ainonline.com • November 1, 2012 • NBAA Convention News 13

ForeFlight adds enhanced features to moving-map app

by Matt Thurber The developers of the ForeFlight Mobile iPad moving-map app have added some features in version 4.7 that will likely be popular with business aviation pilots. These include a runway proximity advisor, support for displaying simulated position on X-Plane 10, RedBird FMX and Elite flight simulators and support for the new iOS 6 operating system and the new iPhone 5’s taller screen.

The runway proximity advisor works when using ForeFlight to monitor ownship position while taxiing. As the aircraft nears a runway, such as when taxiing onto a runway for takeoff or approaching a crossing runway, ForeFlight delivers an audio alert that announces the runway that the pilot is approaching, entering or crossing and pops up a visual amber warning on the airport diagram: “Approaching Runway XX.” Once the aircraft enters the runway, the ForeFlight warning turns red (the audio alert also sounds) and tells the pilot, “Entering Runway XX.” To use the audio feature, pilots will need a Bluetooth-capable headset or one with an “auxiliary in” port that can fit a 3.5-mm audio cable, according to the company.

ForeFlight (Booth No. 3012) has also improved the scratch-pad note-taking feature, which now allows users to adjust stroke width (small, medium and large).

Re-drawing is now fixed, according to the company, “meaning no more waiting for your scratch pad to redraw the last notes you jotted.”

For business aviation users, ForeFlight also offers flight department or IT managers access to manage multiple accounts.

This feature is available for business accounts and allows adding and removing users and viewing of device information.

The integration of ForeFlight with flight simulators enables display of the

simulator’s “aircraft position” on the app’s moving map. This is a significant improvement that allows pilots to practice using the ForeFlight app while flying with simulator software like X-Plane or with Redbird and Elite simulators, instead of trying to learn how to use the app in the air when they should be looking outside.

The X-Plane simulation on ForeFlight works on X-Plane (versions 10.10r3 and later). The latest version is a free download for X-Plane 10 users. The latest version of ForeFlight (4.7.1) supports the X-Plane integration feature.

Once X-Plane 10.10 is installed, it’s easy to go to the settings menu in X-Plane, click the Internet options link, then click the iPhone tab and choose ForeFlight. In the ForeFlight app, the “More” tab on the bottom has a “Devices” choice. Select X-Plane, and then turn on the switch in the ForeFlight X-Plane device so that ForeFlight and X-Plane can communicate. The two programs communicate over Wi-Fi, so both the computer running X-Plane and the iPad running ForeFlight must be on the same Wi-Fi network.

Where this ForeFlight/X-Plane setup really shines is not only allowing pilots to practice getting intimately familiar with flying ForeFlight safely on the ground, but also practicing unfamiliar approaches while enjoying the situational awareness available from a moving-map iPad app. Nothing brings this home like practicing an intersection holding pattern on the simulator, where it’s easy to pause and think about how to enter and set up the inbound course, while also being able to monitor progress on the moving map.

Add some wind, and you can really see the benefit of practicing this way.

Once you get hooked on own-ship display on a moving map iPad app, you’ll never want to fly without it. And this

G ar r e t t Leather

ForeFlight has upgraded its Mobile iPad app, adding a runway proximity advisor feature that delivers audio and video alerts when the pilot is approaching, entering or crossing a runway.

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10/1/12 3:11 PM

14 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

goes for your simulator training, too.

The X-Plane/ForeFlight system isn’t the only way to hook iPads to simulators. GPS maker Bad Elf has developed a cable that hooks PCs running X-Plane and Microsoft Flight Simulator together, so the iPad can show own-ship position on moving-map apps.

Bad Elf’s Cygnus device, which is a special cable, costs $199 for the non-GPS Home Direct version or $599 for the Pro Connect version with a wireless Bluetooth external GPS that can also be used in flight. The advantage of the Cygnus device is that it works with a variety of iPad moving-map apps, not just ForeFlight, so users can learn how to fly with Garmin Pilot, Jeppesen Mobile Flite­Deck and other apps.

Other app makers also realize the benefit of working with X-Plane over WiFi; Hilton Software’s WingX now works with X-Plane as well, and it is likely other appmakers will follow shortly. There is no better method than flying with an app in the comfort and safety of your home to figure out which one works best and is safest for the type of flying that you do.

X-Plane 10 costs $69.99, and runs on PC, Apple Macintosh and Linux computers. ForeFlight costs $149.99 per year for the Pro version, which includes geo-referenced approach plates and airport charts that show own-ship position on the charts. For existing ForeFlight subscribers, the 4.7 update is free. o

Internet pioneer introduces sales analysis tool Jeff Carrithers, president and CEO of Globalair.com, is back at the NBAA show (Booth No. 5311) with a new program providing real-time analytics of aircraft sale histories. Globalair.com delivers a wide range of aviationrelated data and services, including aircraft for sale, FBOs, aircraft parts and maintenance center information, weather, fuel prices, aviation financing and insurance.

Carrithers, an Internet pioneer, started Globalair.com in 1995 after leaving the aircraft resale business and seeing the opportunities for aviation information in the burgeoning Internet. One of few comprehensive business aviation Internet information sites, and, according to Carrithers, the only Internet search engine in the field, Globalair also sells the FBO Fuel Price Locator app for iPhone/iPad, which shows on a map the best prices en route within a corridor from Point A to Point B. Globalair’s Max-Trax fuel route mapping program is available on the company’s website.

Globalair’s new aircraft sale analytics program is designed for aircraft brokers and dealers. “Real-time analytics tracks the return on investment for advertising on Globalair,” Carrithers explained, “for instance, how long it takes an aircraft to sell after it goes onto our site, historical information on previous advertising results, graphics and data. And most important, it will include the total number of inquiries for a particular aircraft. One of the highlights is market trend analysis. Brokers are just beginning to use that information.”

Globalair employs nine people who constantly gather and update data, including the current fuel prices. “The FBOs participate with us and log in at least once a month,” Carrithers said. “The largest chains update at least once a week.”

Today, he added, Globalair’s main thrust is aircraft sales. Other listing services, he pointed out, may show aircraft not actually for sale. “Ours are all for sale. Since the sellers pay to have them listed, you can bet they are.” On prospects for an upswing in aircraft sales, Carrithers predicted that as the large number of aging aircraft retire, this will stimulate the market for new aircraft.

–H.W.

Cessna opens first UK Citation service center The first Cessna-owned Citation Service Center in the UK has been opened on Robin Hood Airport in Doncaster, Sheffield. The 50,000-sq-ft facility, branded as the Doncaster Citation Service Center, offers services from maintenance to modernization and paint. The UK operation becomes the fourth Cessnaoperated Citation Service Center in Europe and complements facilities in Paris, Prague and Valencia, Spain. It brings to 13 the number of factory-operated Citation Service Centers across Europe, the U.S. and Singapore. The network includes the ServiceDirect initiative through which the company operates 22 mobile service units in the U.S., Canada and Europe, and provides further field support through Cessna’s AOG Go Teams, Air Response Team, HomeService and Temporary Personnel Support. Joe Hepburn, Cessna senior vice president for customer service, said, “Our European customers have been asking for modernization and paint capabilities. Our announcement [last] month of new Citation Service Centers in Spain and now the UK means we can offer these services for the more than 1,070 Citations currently operating in the region. ” –D.A.L.

www.ainonline.com • November 1, 2012 • NBAA Convention News 15

Universal revamps FBOs, ground handling facilities

by Charles Alcock Flight planning and support group Universal Weather & Aviation (Booth No. 2516) has largely built its reputation on its 50 years of experience and harnessing technology to make life easier for business

aircraft operators. But now the U.S.-based group is looking to upgrade the quality of its ground handling facilities in some 20 countries around the world, starting at London Stansted Airport, where it last

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Universal Weather & Aviation has begun upgrading its FBOs worldwide with crew and passenger lounges, business centers and flight planning centers. The company’s Luton facility, above, features a spacious lounge.

month took the wraps off a comprehensively refurbished FBO. The impetus to spend just over $1 million on a facelift for a 28-year-old facility that until now would not have won any beauty contests appears to have been inspired by the recent arrival of two new competitors at Stansted. These are Mohammed Al Fayed’s new Fayair FBO and the Diamond Hangar facility trading under the Aero Toy Store brand. Universal Aviation already competes with Harrods Aviation and Inflite Jet Centre at the London airport.

Universal Aviation’s 10,712-sq-ft facility features crew and passenger lounges, as well as a business center with video conferencing capability, two meeting rooms, a flight planning center, as well as showers and changing rooms.

The FBO features interiors developed by internationally-recognized designer Adriana Hoyos, whose previous clients include Donald Trump.

Universal Weather & Aviation chairman Greg Evans told AIN that similar investments will be made at other handling operations around the world. The most recent additions to its FBO network are Venice in Italy and Girona in Spain, bringing its total bases in Europe to 11.

But bricks and mortar and interior designers apart, Evans argued that what sets Universal Aviation apart as an ally for its globe-trotting clients is the almost 2,000 employees it has stationed around the world and the strength of their local

expertise. “But getting our customers to where they are going is only part of it, we also want to have the right amenities in place when they get there,” he said.

Like other handling companies, Universal isn’t in a position to operate a fullblown FBO in many of the locations where it has support staff, but it does find ways to deliver handling using whatever facilities are at its disposal. Shanghai Hongqiao Airport is a case in point, and here it operates from the Hawker Pacific FBO. The same is true at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, from the new business aviation terminal there. Other Universal Aviation bases around the world include Singapore, Mexico City’s Toluca Airport, Milan and Rome in Italy, Paris and Nice in France, Dublin and Shannon in Ireland, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai in India, Sydney and Perth in Australia and China’s capital Beijing.

Overall, Evans concluded that 2012 has so far proved to be a “mixed bag” in terms of trading conditions.

“Asia has seen some growth but it has become a bit softer in the last three months,” he told AIN. “Europe has had its problems and is still down, but the Latin American and Middle East markets have been as robust as they were in 2011. The U.S. is hot and cold–some companies are flying more than ever and others aren’t flying at all but overall it’s good, even though there are no patterns [worldwide] that you could convert into trends.” o

Vision Systems shows support arm for tablets

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Vision Systems is here at NBAA’12 with two new cabin products: Smart Up, a tablet support arm, and VisiConnect, for in-flight Internet connectivity. Both are available for all types of business jets.

The Lyon, France-based company has designed a motorized-deployment arm, integrated in the passenger’s armrest. Smart Up can accommodate any type of tablet in portrait or landscape position. The arm weighs 3.3 pounds, according to Vision Systems. Embraer has adopted the new arm for its Phenom 300 light business jet.

VisiConnect offers satcom connectivity. Depending on the kind of antenna the customer chooses, various Internet speeds are available, from 332 to 864 kbps. “Our customers mainly want access to their email, social networks and voice communications,” a company spokesperson told AIN. At the Vision Systems booth (No. 1626), visitors can download an iPod, iPad or Android app to control various window devices. There is the conventional “comfort shade” rollertype and two more modern electronic window-dimming systems, dubbed Noctis and Nuance. The former is pricier but faster and capable of higher opacity. The company is producing both for an unnamed business jet customer.

Vision Systems is also developing a new transparent material for windows, with glass-like optic qualities but certified for aviation applications. “It is very thin, scratch resistant, lighter than today’s Plexiglas and more durable,” the spokesperson said. Nuance and Noctis will be integrated into the new material.

Vision Systems plans to establish a factory in the U.S. next year, to produce polarizing window shades, namely the Nuance and Noctis product line.

–T.D.

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On-demand entertainment available through Skybox

by Matt Thurber Business jet passengers want to experience a seamless transition between their high-tech home entertainment systems and the inflight entertainment (IFE) systems installed on the jets that they fly, but there is an impediment that needs fixing; how to bring the content on their home systems to the aircraft. Rockwell Collins has developed a solution, Skybox, that brings sophisticated airliner audio-video on-demand (AVOD) to business jets.

A problem with delivering movies and music to passengers is how to make that content available, simply and legally.

Airlines pay thousands of dollars to movie studios and music publishers for the rights to offer that content to passengers. The owner of a jet, technically, could load movies and music from a home collection into a server on their airplane, but this causes all

sorts of headaches, such as having to rip music into a format like MP3 or copy movies that are protected with copy-protection schemes. And what if this content isn’t what the passengers care to consume? “Before Skybox,” said Duc Huy Tran, Rockwell Collins director of cabin systems marketing, “you couldn’t do AVOD legally.”

‘Onboard Apple TV’

Skybox neatly solves this problem, allowing the passenger to bring their own content on their Apple devices and share it with other passengers.

Skybox, in effect, is like the Apple TV device but designed for a business jet. Apple allows up to five devices to be authorized to share content, so Skybox becomes one of those devices. According to Rockwell Collins, “With one terabyte of onboard storage capacity,

Skybox is the first airworthy solution to securely stream digital rights management Hollywood-protected content both to cabin displays and to Apple devices brought on board.”

Skybox isn’t just about entertainment content but can also be used to mirror a presentation, photos, documents, etc. from an iPad to cabin monitors during an onboard meeting. By hooking up an iPad, iPhone or iPod to Skybox, up to 10 people can then watch content from those devices on their own devices, all at the same time. “This has never been done for business jets,” said Huy Tran.

Skybox includes two HDMI outputs, which can drive two external HD monitors, or Skybox can wirelessly stream 10 movies to 10 Apple devices.

When the content-containing device is hooked up to Skybox and playing, say, a movie, the user can access other apps on that iPad. Rockwell Collins’s Airshow is one example of an app that a passenger might want to view while fellow passengers are watching a movie.

The Rockwell Collins Airshow app went live on the

Rockwell Collins Skybox allows up to 10 users to select and view TV shows and movies on their personal devices. Demos are available at Booth No. 1896.

App Store on September 10, 30 years after Airshow’s first installation in a Falcon jet. The Airshow Interactive app works with Rockwell Collins Airshow 4000 and Venue Cabin HD systems. A unique feature of the app is that users can use the iPad to see a panoramic view–sort of synthetic vision for passengers– where the moving map of the outside world rotates as the iPad is moved. The view changes based on FMS data and the

iPad’s internal gyros.

Skybox weighs about five pounds. A wireless access point is required to get the full functionality from Skybox.

Dassault Falcon has selected Skybox for Falcon 7X, 900LX and 2000LX models equipped with Rockwell Collins FalconCabin HD+ systems.

Demonstrations of Airshow Interactive and Skybox are available at the Rockwell Collins booth (No. 1896). o

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Side-facing seats ideal for airbag restraints

by Harry Weisberger Amsafe is highlighting the advantages of the Phoenix company’s new side-facing divan airbag restraints and lightweight conventional three-point lap belts, which weigh 20 percent less than those currently installed. The company is targeting a new market for airbag restraint systems in airliners and business jets following recent FAA issuance of a policy statement updating technical criteria for side-facing seats. It is also exploring the helicopter market’s unique injury profiles and restraint requirements, primarily for military applications.

Amsafe is showing a video at its NBAA booth (No. 4680) demonstrating deployment of the new side-facing shoulder beltmounted airbag restraint.

Amsafe sales and marketing director Chris Muklevicz said there are about 80,000 Amsafe lapbelt airbag restraints in use; 50,000 on front- and rear-facing airliner seats on 80 airlines and 30,000 in general aviation aircraft, primarily on pilot and copilot seats.

Two key differences between Amsafe aircraft airbag restraint systems and the airbags in cars are that the Amsafe system deploys outward from the occupant rather than inward as in automobiles, and the helium gas in the Amsafe airbag, contained in a 6,000-psi cylinder beneath the seat, is cold rather than hot.

The Amsafe airbags for sidefacing seats and divans are shoulder-belt-mounted rather than attached to the lapbelt, as with presently installed systems, to minimize neck whip and flailing leg injuries. Muklevicz said Amsafe intends to offer the side-facing systems to airframe manufacturers as well as the completions and retrofit market now that new FAA criteria for approving and certifying such seats have been issued.

years ago began to address the leg flail problem. So we were already putting ourselves in position to

meet the special conditions when they were issued.”

The leg flail case contained challenges not present in the front-and-rear-facing seat environment, particularly that of preventing a passenger’s legs from rotating outward beyond the normal limits of human body flexibility. Such movement, the FAA policy statement explains,

is likely to cause fracture of the femur (thigh bone) as well as damage to the lower abdomen.

Amsafe engineers addressed this problem by designing inflatable leg restraints to prevent extreme lateral movement of the limbs.

The policy statement updates existing certification policy for single and multiple-place sidefacing seats and addresses both

technical criteria and their implementation. It incorporates findings from research conducted after a policy statement regarding side-facing seats on transport category airplanes was issued in 2005. The conditions in the statement specify dynamic requirements intended to be in lieu of regulations that apply to specific products. o

FAA Conditions

The FAA’s June 8 policy statement indicates how seats are to be certified under special conditions. Added to previous airbag seat certification criteria are the neck injury and leg flail technical criteria. Amsafe has worked closely with the FAA in researching neck and lower body injury dynamics. “We had already developed solutions for the neck injury scenario,” Muklevicz said, “and www.ainonline.com • November 1, 2012 • NBAA Convention News 19

z TWC Offers Free Management for Jet Buyers Aircraft management, brokerage, charter and jet card provider TWC Aviation (Booth No. 5334) announced a new program providing six months of aircraft management at no charge for clients who purchase an aircraft through TWC. The Van Nuys, Calif. company noted that aircraft buyers face a wide range of entry-into-service responsibilities, from warranty transfers to crew recruitment and training, and the six months of free management will relieve buyers of many of the hassles and start up costs associated with placing a recently purchased aircraft into operation. TWC anticipates the value added service will also encourage more sellers to list their aircraft with TWC, to capture the attention of qualified buyers.

This is the third new program that TWC Aviation has introduced this year. TWC previously unveiled a guaranteed charter revenue program for aircraft owners seeking to optimize charter revenue, and the Debonair Jet Card for air charter clients.

z Jet-Care Expands Engine Programs UK-based provider of engine condition monitoring services Jet-Care has introduced three new engine trend programs as part of its gas path analysis (GPA) engine portfolio.

“Following a recent customer satisfaction survey, we received a significant number of inquiries from operators who have recently acquired Falcon 7X aircraft, asking if they could continue trend monitoring with Jet-Care for their new engines,” said David Glass, managing director of Jet-Care (Booth No. 4742). “With this in mind we have developed these new programs as part of the GPA service and will continue to strengthen our portfolio in the future.”

The new programs cover Pratt & Whitney Canada PW305 and PW307 and Honeywell CFE738 engines. The GPA service detects engine core deterioration and associated faults by analyzing and trending engine data, effectively monitoring the health of aircraft engines. The Jet-Care service also provides 24/7 technical support to assist in the diagnosis of anomalies and interpretation of engine data.

z Push Continues for Upset Prevention Training CAE (Booth No. 364) and Aviation Performance Solutions (APS) are now working together to provide academic and inflight upset prevention and recovery training (UPRT) to flight instructors and student cadets (ab initio pilots) attending CAE Oxford Aviation Academy flight school programs. Student pilots will receive basic UPRT training with options for an upgrade program, while instructors will go through the professional pilot UPRT program.

The UPRT teaches pilots to recognize, avoid and effectively recover from stalls, airplane upsets and a range of other unusual-attitude situations, as well as enhance overall manual flying skills to improve safety of flight. The goal is to continually build the skills a pilot needs to recover from an upset from the first flight in an aircraft. Those skills will be enhanced over the years through recurrent UPRT training.

z ClearSpan Shows Hangar Construction Options Those seeking hangar build options may wish to visit ClearSpan Fabric Structures at Booth No. 2925. The Connecticut-based company’s Hercules Truss Arch Buildings offer high clearances without support posts, allowing aircraft to easily be maneuvered inside. The multi-purpose custom structures, which can be built up to 300 feet wide and any length, are constructed of triple galvanized structural steel tubing with a ripstop polyethylene cover that allows natural light to shine through. Each of the company’s buildings is constructed to meet the requirements of a specific location such as snow and wind loading and foundation type.

They can be either permanent or temporary and are easily moveable. Options include lighting, flooring, shutters and doors as well as heating systems and fans. According to ClearSpan, benefits over traditional wood or steel structures include lower initial investment, reduced installation/ construction costs and rapid deployment. ClearSpan offers a 15-year warranty on building frames and coverings.

Avinode upgrades portal for improved quote search

Oliver King, Avinodee

by Charles Alcock Online charter portal Avinode (Booth No. 2120) has introduced an improved search engine to allow operators to generate price quotes more accurately and quickly. With new pricing and aircraft performance profiles built into the company’s Marketplace software, operators can run multiple pricing profiles for each aircraft by selecting variable factors specific to a charter request.

“We now allow operators to completely tailor Avinode to deliver the pricing that they need,” said managing director Oliver King. The improved search engine can be run in conjunction with whatever fleet management software an operator uses.

The Avinode search engine is based on aircraft price and performance data and sample itineraries provided by operators. But the new profiles give operators greater control over all the parameters needed to generate accurate pricing for any requested trip. The website handles around 200,000

flight requests each month. The new aircraft performance profiles have been part of Avinode Marketplace since September and the new pricing profiles will be fully available by year-end.

Improved Accounting

Meanwhile, Avinode subsidiary SchedAero has introduced a new accounting support module to its online operations management system. The new QuickBooks feature allows users to create charter invoices based on trip and quote data, without having to leave the SchedAero system. It also offers full integration with the online and desktop versions of QuickBooks accounting software so that clients can link invoice data and customer databases between the two programs.

“With the new SchedAero accounting module and systems integration, our clients can increase the effectiveness of their electronic workflow by creating invoices in SchedAero and pushing them out to external

Safe Flight autothrottles achieve new approvals

by Robert P. Mark West Star Aviation has received a supplemental type certificate (STC) to install Safe Flight’s AutoPower automatic throttle ­ system on the Hawker Beechcraft 750/800/850/900 business jet series, Safe Flight Instrument announced.

The AutoPower system features throttles that move in response to power changes to keep the pilots in the situational awareness loop. In addition to reducing cockpit workload, AutoPower’s improved throttle management has been proven to reduce fuel burn. “We’ve seen a 10 percent fuel savings on a four-hour flight and 6 percent savings on a two-hour flight,” said Thomas Grunbeck, Safe Flight’s senior vice president of sales and marketing.

The total weight penalty to install the Safe Flight system is just 25 pounds, while the list price is $180,000. West Star Aviation will handle all of the Hawker installations for

20 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

Safe Flight from its locations in Alton, Ill, Grand Junction, Colo. and Dallas, Texas.

Also newly certified is Safe Flight’s AutoPower system as

Johan Sjoberg, SchedAero

accounting programs without having to re-enter information,” said SchedAero managing director Johan Sjoberg. He has just taken over from Niklas Berg, who has become CEO for SchedAero, as well as Avinode and its other subsidiary Wyvern. o a retrofit for the Gulfstream G150 and G200. AutoPower is an option on all new G150s.

Still in development is Safe Flight’s AutoPower system for the Citation X, expected to be certified in the first quarter of 2013. While Hawker AutoPower installations will be handled by a third party, the Gulfstream and Citation upgrades will be handled by the individual aircraft manufacturers. o

MARIANO ROSALES

news clips

Situational awareness Steve Maynard from John Deere gets a hands-on look at the new displays on show at the Garmin exhibit (Booth No. 2758). John Deere makes good use of business aviation, and at last year’s NBAA Convention Dave Everitt, agricultural and turf division president, told attendees what they already know: “Business aviation is critical to operating successfully.”

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FLYHT installs data system on Hawkers FLYHT Aerospace Solutions (Booth No. 2893) is installing its automated flight information reporting system AFIRS 228 on Hawker 750 through 900XP

models operating in Europe.

Fractional ownership provider NetJets Europe will be the first to benefit from the new supplemental type certificate (STC).

EASA has granted the Calgary, Canada-based firm an “activation STC,” as a followon to a “provisions-only STC.” The provisions systems, already installed on 10 of NetJets Europe’s Hawkers, include the tray, wiring and antenna. NetJets Europe has ordered 30 AFIRS 228 complete kits.

“It has taken us two and a half

years to reach this point,” said FLYHT president and CEO Bill Tempany. The equipment allows operators to monitor and manage aircraft operations in real time. If an aircraft encounters an emergency, FLYHT’s data streaming mode, FLYHTStream, triggers and automatically streams vital data, normally secured in the flight recorders, to designated

Aircraft Maintenance Doesn’t Have To Be Scary!

sites on the ground in real time.

The communications system provides the crew with voice and data services, using Iridium’s global satellite network. Services available through the AFIRS 228 include flight following, engine trending, live flight operational quality assurance (FOQA), exceedance reporting and fuel management. In addition, AFIRS 228 records the time the airplane leaves the FBO, takes off, etc.

AFIRS 228 offers two Iridium channels. One transceiver provides global voice and data communications. The second provides redundant data messaging, should the voice channel be busy. Two wired or eight cordless handsets can be added in the cabin to ease communication. o

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Only an MRO like West Star Aviation, that applies an unrelenting pursuit of quality and unmatched service can

eliminate these worries. Trained and experienced on your specific make and model of aircraft, you can be sure that all work performed at West Star will not only be up to their stringent standards, but will meet or exceed your expectations each and every time.

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Polycast UV-SC is the latest addition that Spartech has made to its growing product line of structural transparencies targeting the aircraft, mass transit, automobile and architectural markets. Polycast embodies the technology to produce cast acrylic sheet in a variety of colors that block significant amounts of ultraviolet (UV) light and the near-infrared solar energy’s heat radiation while maintaining high visible light transmission.

Spartech (Booth No. 2895), based in Stamford, Conn., claims that Polycast UV-SC is “the most practical and cost-effective optical grade monolithic glazing product in the marketplace.”

The product, which is made of UV-blocking and solar heatcontrol, cell-cast acrylic, is said to be ideal for windshields, cabin, door and side windows, skylights, eyebrows and chin bubbles on fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, in all aviation segments.

The aircraft-quality acrylic material is suitable for thermoforming and can be supplied in a variety of color shades, from near-colorless to standard colors traditionally used for aircraft, including night vision-compatible colors. It has a U.S. patent pending.

Polycast material provides full UV protection for pilots and cooler, more comfortable interiors. o

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NAA celebrates record-setting OEMs The National Aeronautic Association has been certifying aviation records since 1905, and here at the NBAA Convention honors Dassault Falcon, Gulfstream and Hawker Beechcraft for recent

record-setting feats. The top speed reached among the group was 599.63 mph, captured by a Gulfstream G150.

This is a far cry from the first record c­ertified–25 mph!–on an Oct. 23, 1906 flight by Alberto

Santos-Dumont, the Brazilian aviation pioneer, in his 14-Bis, or Oiseau de proie (French for “bird of prey”), o ­ ne-of-a-kind biplane.

Certifying the awards for the NBAA presentation was Art Greenfield, NAA director of

contest and records. He joined NAA more than 20 years ago and has been certifying records ever since. Jonathan Gaffney, president of NAA, who will present the records at NBAA, told AIN, “Art is really the records expert in the world, and not just in aviation. If other countries have a question about record setting, they come to Art.”

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Art Greenfield, NAA director of contest and records

These days, Greenfield jokes that he now “flies just a desk,” but he became interested in aviation after a flight in a British Aircraft BAC-111 from New York to Los Angeles in the mid-1970s. He said his most interesting flight was in a paraglider in Carson City, Nev., and he subsequently got his paraglider rating from the U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (an NAA member). He learned to fly at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., and was assistant chief flight instructor at an FBO at the Leesburg, Va. Airport. Then for several years he was chief pilot and general manager of the Navy Academy Training Program, in Fort Meade, Md., instructing Naval midshipmen in Piper Warriors. He learned of the opening for a director of records at NAA and joined the staff.

International Records

When we talked, Greenfield had just been to Spain for the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) World Flying Rally Championship at Castellon Airport near Valencia, in which 16 countries and 45 teams participated. FAI is the international organization that coordinates all air sports, competitions and certification of all aviation and space records. NAA is the U.S. representative of FAI and one of its founding members and not only certifies records, but also administers some of the U.S.’s most prestigious aviation awards, including the Collier Trophy and the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy.

We’ve come a long way since that first record of 25 mph.

Greenfield said the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, the U.S. Air Force supersonic surveillance aircraft, logged the fastest speed record ever set–2,193 mph–in 1976. –M.F.S. AINonline iPhone App NOW AVAILABLE

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NATA’s Coyne files new flight plan

by Paul Lowe It was on a severe clear flight from Philadelphia to an island in Long Island Sound just off the Connecticut coast in the early 1970s that retiring National Air Transportation Association (NATA) president and CEO Jim Coyne got hooked on general aviation.

Coyne, his new wife Holly and a friend had chartered the single-engine, four-seat Grumman American for the trip that took them over New York City to the tiny airstrip on Fisher’s Island. Then and there the Coynes decided to become pilots. Soon they were renting airplanes and eventually bought an old Piper Arrow.

After serving as a Pennsylvania congressman for one term, and working in the Reagan White House, Coyne entered association work and eventually founded the American Tort Reform Association in 1986. As serendipity would have it, the general aviation industry was engaged in its own battle for tort

stepping down as president and reform around that same time.

Under the leadership of Ed CEO of NATA, Coyne plans to Stimpson, then-president of the remain in the aviation industry.

General Aviation Manufactur- The day that AIN talked with ers Association, and Cessna’s Coyne, he had flown his Beech Russ Meyer, who was the chair- Baron from Leesburg (Va.) man of GAMA at the time, the Executive Airport to Teterboro, GA industry began proselytizing N.J. Although he has had the Baron since 1978, he about federal tort reform also has been flying a to stem the bleeding CitationJet on NATA from lawsuits that were business for five years. strangling the GA manufacturing industry.

Safety First At about the same time, NATA had begun a Over the ensusearch to find a new presing years, Coyne has ident. As Coyne told the become one of the association’s Aviation strongest, most outspoBusiness Journal, “I had James Coyne ken and perhaps most a very unusual combinaarticulate of advocates tion of qualifications: I was an for general aviation. Looking enthusiastic and passionate pilot, back at his tenure at NATA, he I had a lot of experience in poli- lists the organization’s Safety 1st tics and I was a real proponent of Online Professional Line Sertort reform,” he recalled. “I think vice Training program as one that combination is what eventu- of the most important innovaally brought me before the search tions that NATA has accomfirm, and the rest is history.” plished during his watch. “But Eighteen years of history, to it’s not just me,” he hastened to be exact. And, although he is add. “It was the whole staff, our

members and the board who recognized the opportunity for NATA to help out.”

One of the driving forces for Safety 1st was the growing cost of repairing an airplane, especially if it was damaged on the ramp or in the hangar. The second driving force was the inconsistency of safety and service around the country when flying into an unfamiliar FBO. “On a scale of one to 10, you were just as likely to find a one as you were lucky to find a 10,” said Coyne.

“We felt that if ever there was a time to raise the bar on aviation safety, it was under NATA’s leadership. No one else was concerned about it, and we felt there was a real opportunity.”

A third driving force was the training technologies that evolved in in the 1990s, with videotapes, DVDs and Internet-based training. “We were working with people who are really good at that,” he remembered. “We were trying to create a standard across the country.”

Coyne also was the mover for the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF), having gotten the idea during a long flight back from a Flight Safety Foundation

convention. While ACSF began as part of NATA, the idea all along was that it would become autonomous. “I was just the catalyst that got it started,” he said. “Charter, I think, is a tougher type of aviation than the airlines. You’re going into different airports, you have a very unscheduled type of environment, sometimes you are asked to fly when the airlines aren’t flying because of bad weather or something.”

Coyne also was instrumental in organizing the general aviation caucuses in the House and Senate. “I guess one of my 15 seconds of fame came when I wrote a letter to President Obama criticizing him for his attacks on general aviation right after he came into office in 2009,” he noted. “It’s something I feel passionate about. NATA, day in and day out, will always have a job, making sure that our elected officials understand [all facets of general aviation].”

Like the seasoned politician that he is, Coyne would say only, “We are looking forward to staying active in aviation.

Holly and I are both pilots and we will be working with aviation companies.” o

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Nexa study shows bizav’s value during tough economic times

by Chad Trautvetter NBAA released a new study here showing that even during the worst economic times since the Great Depression, companies that relied on business aviation outperformed those that did not.

According to NBAA, the companies that use business aircraft have better shareholder value and recovered from the recession more quickly than their peers.

The study, “Business Aviation: Maintaining Shareholder Value Through Turbulent Times,” is the fourth in the business aviation users study series to be completed by Nexa Advisors. It concludes that companies in the S&P 500 that use business aviation achieved superior financial performance in a number of key measures and also displayed superior ability to respond to the severe downturn.

“This answers the question as to why so many American enterprises continue to depend upon business aviation, even in–and perhaps, especially in–tough economic times,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen.

The study found that generally speaking, companies not using business aviation during the recession lost profitability, employees and even dropped off the

S&P 500 rankings at far higher rates than companies using business aviation, revealing that use of an airplane for business has a positive impact on enterprise resiliency following what Nexa termed “the Great Recession” period of 2007 to 2011.

For example, the analysis found that jobs at a diverse range of companies that use business aircraft–from consumer to energy, health care and industrials–not only recovered, but also have grown beyond pre-recession levels, while non-user companies have recovered at much slower rates. Comparisons of employment matched the better performance of business aviation users in financial measures of shareholder value, including revenues, earnings and profit growth and market capitalization.

The three previous Nexa studies analyzed S&P 500 companies, S&P 600 small-cap companies and government use of business aircraft at the federal, state and local levels. “All concluded that business aviation contributes to private and public enterprises’ ability to deliver greater value to shareholders and taxpayers,” NBAA said.

The four studies make a

convincing case that use of a business airplane is the sign of a well-managed enterprise, NBAA contends. “These studies make clear that business aviation delivers value, boosting efficiency, productivity and flexibility, enabling organizations to excel in good times and especially in a turbulent economic environment,” Bolen concluded. o

NEWS NOTE Duncan Aviation has announced the promotion of Rodolfo Rodriguez to regional manager of its Mexico facility. Rodriguez, a retired Mexican Navy officer, is authorized as an engineer for piston and turbine engines. “We knew that Rodolfo would transition well into this new role,” said John Slieter, vice president of aircraft service sales for Duncan. “Mexico has long been an important market for us and we see opportunities for additional customer support in the region.”

Duncan Aviation’s services include major and minor airframe inspections, engine maintenance, major retrofits for cabin and cockpit systems, full paint, interior and modification services and pre-owned aircraft sales and acquisitions. n

news clips z Legacy Has Twin Commander SB Fix Legacy Aviation (Booth No. 5385) of Yukon, Okla. is showcasing its turboprop and jet repair and refurbishment capabilities here at NBAA’12, including its readiness to handle Service Bulletin 241 for inspection of Twin Commander aft pressure bulkheads. “Legacy Aviation is a fairly new company, but we have a professional staff with more than a hundred years of accumulated aircraft experience,” said Legacy president R.J. Gomez. “We have many loyal customers, the key being we are customer-oriented, fair and honest.” Company personnel have traveled as far as Saudi Arabia to resolve AOG issues.

The recent service bulletin, prompted by cracks in the aft pressure bulkhead area, calls for inspection and modification of the bulkhead on Twin Commander 690, 690A and 690B turboprop twins. “We’re glad to be part of analyzing the safest and most cost-effective way to address [the bulletin],” said Gomez. “Special training on the fix is a must, and our shop has the expertise to handle it and see that owners and operators are flying safely.”

z ADS-B Trial begins in Oakland ARTCC Airspace The FAA released details of a new ADS-B-based oceanic airspace trial that began October 26 to reduce longitudinal separation between participating aircraft in Oakland Air Route Traffic Control Center’s oceanic control area. The current trial applies to aircraft climbing and descending and is designed to prove that more aircraft will be able to fly at their requested altitudes using the ADS-B-enabled reduced separation standards.

A number of conditions must be satisfied for controllers to apply reduced separation standards during the trial period, however. Once an aircraft has been identified as participating in the trial, it must be in contact with ATC via controller-pilot datalink communications (CPDLC). The speed differential between participating aircraft cannot exceed Mach 0.06, and altitude differential cannot exceed 2,000 feet.

Trial aircraft must both be traveling in the same direction, already maintaining an assigned altitude and not cleared for any sort of route deviation. If the trial is successful, the FAA might use the ADS-B in-trail program as an enhancement to the standard Ocean 21 software Oakland Center currently uses in oceanic airspace.

CY CYR

z Garmin Adds Features to G600/G500

‘time is money’ meets ‘time to reacquaint’ There was plenty of activity on the show floor at the Orange County Convention Center yesterday as exhibitors met up with clients and potential clients and showed off what’s new. At the same time, there was plenty of opportunity for people to take a breather and catch up with old friends, without even leaving the show floor.

Garmin (Booth No. 2758) has added new features and equipment for its G600 and G500 flight display systems. New software and a new GAD 43e adaptor enable both systems to display and control altitude preselect and vertical speed as well as display DME distance, analog radar altitude and analog navigation data.

“By integrating this data into the G600 and G500 digital displays, aircraft owners have an opportunity to clean up their panels and enhance the reliability of their instruments by removing older equipment,” said Garmin vice president Carl Wolf.

The GAD 43e is an enhanced version of the GAD 43 adapter. It not only allows Garmin’s digital attitude and heading reference system (AHRS) to provide analog attitude information for use with select third-party autopilot systems in place of the attitude direction indicator or remote vertical gyro, but it also provides more accurate AHRS data for attitude, heading and yaw input information.

Other display outputs include marker-beacon lamps, DME indications, synchro ADF bearing pointers and analog radar altimeter readout.

The GAD 43e is standard on the G600 and a $4,995 option on the G500. Customers who already own a GAD 43 adapter can upgrade to the 43e through a Garmin authorized dealer.

www.ainonline.com • November 1, 2012 • NBAA Convention News 29

news clips

Embraer’s new Legacy 500, scheduled to fly in the near future, sports a distinctive paint scheme.

z ENSCO Avionics Intros Technical Website

z Latitude Offers IONode Flight Data Management Latitude Technologies announced that its Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) system is now available on a subscription basis, which gives fleet operators the opportunity to reduce upfront capital costs dramatically. Latitude Technologies President Mark Insley explained the reason for the move away from the purchase-only option. “We want to make it simple for operators to get FDM embedded in their fleet operations so they see how the data captured by the IONode can help improve flight safety and operating efficiencies.”

The subscription version of the Latitude system includes use of the IONode Base Station software, Analytics service, View service and multi-mode antenna. Post-flight data offload accomplished by Wi-Fi or USB transfer is managed by Latitude’s IONode base Station software.

Latitude subscriptions offer users the same customization flexibility as traditional purchasers, such as the option to capture data points not included in the standard predetermined array like data feeds from other data acquisition units, flight data recorders and air data computers.

Latitude offers the new subscription service on a risk-free basis. Customers may cancel their subscription at any time and return the IONode hardware with only a single month’s notice.

z Strom Aviation Optimistic on Aviation Staffing Strom Aviation (Booth No. 892) places aviation industry staff all over the world, searching out qualified people and matching them to the job requirements of open positions as aircraft crew, executives and operations personnel. The company has experienced its share of ups and downs over its 20-year lifespan, but today president Dan Wrolson would classify business as growing solidly. He sees opportunities emerging in the staffing market as a whole, and a high demand for skilled and qualified maintenance personnel who can work in completions, aircraft engineering and sales.

z Airbus Offering iPad EFBs Airbus (Booth No. 2128) is offering iPad-based electronic flight bags (EFBs) for Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) aircraft.

ACJ chief pilot Robin Pursey said the new EFB delivers more accurate V-speeds and better takeoff weight calculations.

“The EFB is essential in today’s world,” Pursey said. “Paper charts are no longer of any value.”

Pursey said the iPad was the ideal platform for EFB data because of its compact size and superior graphics compared to a traditional laptop EFB. Data for the ACJ EFB can be loaded through the Airbus Flight Smart system.

The ACJ EFB makes calculations based on real-time parameters, minimum equipment lists, configuration deviation lists and Airbus algorithms that are guaranteed accurate.

More precise calculations from the EFB can deliver significant operational cost and time savings, Pursey said. The EFB can also be used to provide load and trim sheet calculations and display complete aircraft systems diagrams and information from aircraft manuals. An Airbus spokesman declined to reveal the price of the EFB.

First flight imminent for Embraer Legacy 500 Embraer’s Legacy 500 program is gathering pace as the new midsize business jet is prepared for its maiden flight.

During a press conference here, Embraer Executive Jets president Ernie Edwards and COO Marco Túlio Pellegrini unveiled a Legacy 500 model with the new exterior paint scheme. In stark black and white, it represents the morphing of ideas into reality in an age of technology.

“While we focus on the first flight and the certification process,” said Edwards, “we are already preparing for entry into service.”

That includes ­having worldwide product support in place before the airplane enters service.

“This is part of our effort to offer a high level of support to our customers, [and] one of our goals is to have Embraer-owned and authorized service centers prepared to receive the Legacy

Eclipse places order for IS&S Avio cockpit Eclipse Aerospace took an important and large step toward resuming new production of its light twinjet here at the convention. The company placed a production order with Innovative Solutions & Support (Booth No. 4331) for the initial 50 of 300 shipsets ordered of the Eclipse 550 Avio integrated flight management system (IFMS), which includes dual FMS, autothrottles, synthetic vision, integrated Taws and enhanced vision system (EVS).

The IS&S suite also features electronic circuit breakers, radios, transponders and radar.

The new IS&S panel features a larger MFD to display checklists,

tall charts and systems synoptics and a dedicated standby display unit (standard at the pilot position and optional for the copilot) with built-in AHRS, attitude, airspeed, altitude and other ­information that also is displayed on the MFD. The new IS&S panel can be retrofitted on remanufactured Total Eclipses. Eclipse Aerospace was scheduled to make the last test flight of the new autothrottle system earlier this week.

Eclipse CEO Mason Holland said the first new production aircraft, badged the 550, will roll out in July and be priced at $2.695 million for 2013 deliveries. –M.H.

MARIANO ROSALES

At this year’s NBAA show Ensco Avionics (Booth No. 2964) announced the availability of its online technical support center for customers, using the company’s iData Tool Suite and IGL graphics environment. “The website is dedicated to the technical aspects of our tools,” said Ryan Chapman, business development manager at Ensco.

The iData suite includes a tightly integrated digital moving-map generator and a 3-D scene manager that enables applications, such as inflight entertainment, navigation systems and synthetic vision displays, all of which require geo-registered information for implementation. With iData, a single application can be hosted on a variety of target systems, ranging from small smartphones to war room displays and avionics cockpit displays.

IS&S will supply the primary flight and multifunction displays the integrated, flight management system and electronic flight bag system for the Eclipse 550 and the new IS&S standby display (top right) for the Eclipse 500.

30 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

500 on its first day in service,” said Edson Carlos Mallaco, vice president of customer support and services. At the same time, Embraer Executive Jets has begun signing letters of intent for authorized service centers around the world.

Here at NBAA’12, Embraer Executive Jets is displaying for the first time a complete Legacy 450 cabin and cockpit mockup.

The Legacy 450 is the slightly smaller sister of the Legacy 500 and is expected to go into service in 2015. The interior on display, designed in partnership with DesignworksUSA, features a standup flat-floor cabin. –K.J.H.

Satcom1 Offers System to control internet costs In a world of accelerating Internet and Wi-Fi costs, Satcom1 is putting on the brakes. For a long time, said the Danish satellite systems provider (Booth No. 1891), owners and operators have been “immensely bothered” by the fact that they have to spend an excessive amount of additional man-hours tracking months of SwiftBroadband Internet usage on board the aircraft in order to bill the charter customer. The process, the company added, has led to additional expenses for both the financial as well as operations departments.

Satcom1 has unveiled its Satcom1 Flight Billing solution, “an independent tool that enables the aircraft owner or charter operator to eliminate any unplanned SwiftBroadband costs as the charter customer is billed directly while in the air by use of a credit card or by voucher cards from the charter operator.” According to international sales manager Jimmy Larsen, voucher cards and Web pages can be customized to match corporate branding and support marn keting efforts.

Universal Weather adds subscription SMS service

Conklin highlights achievements

by Matt Thurber

by Amy Laboda Aviation research, consulting and education company Conklin & de Decker (Booth No. 4620) has been busy during this year’s NBAA Convention. The 25-year-old company released its 2012 Aircraft Cost Evaluator, Volume II at the show, which includes 10 additional aircraft, and introduced the AircraftPedia online reference tool, available to the company’s ACE subscribers as a free add-on. AircraftPedia contains more than 2,800 drawings and historical biographies of various aircraft. ACE subscribers now can access ACE–On the Go!, a software-independent Web-based interface that can be accessed through any browser or Internet-enabled device.

While at the convention Conklin & de Decker celebrated the awarding of the 5th annual Alan H. Conklin Business Aviation Management Scholarship to Kansas State University airport management major Nicole Lordemann. The dean’s list senior is the vice president of her Women in Aviation International

Nicole Lordemann, a Kansas State University airport management major, received a Conklin & de Decker scholarship at NBAA.

chapter, a Girl Scout volunteer and a pilot. “Nicole has an impressive business aviation spirit and hunger to succeed,” said Bill de Decker, president and co-founder of Conklin & de Decker and longtime friend of Alan Conklin, for whom the scholarship was named.

Finally, the company has received Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) accreditation for its upcoming 13th Annual Aircraft Acquisition and Planning Seminar, to be held in Scottsdale, Ariz., on December 5 and 6. The seminar is currently submitted for NBAA approval that would allow attendees to receive Professional Development Program credit from the organization, as well. o

Avjet equipping for Aircell’s Gogo Biz

Universal Weather and Aviation’s new Safety Management & Integration (SM&I) program makes it easier for clients to manage a safety management system (SMS). The SM&I program is designed for any size of Part 91 or 135 operator and includes a software component called SMS Manager. Demonstrations of SM&I are available at the Universal Weather and Aviation booth (No. 2516).

Unlike some SMS programs that bill per-aircraft or per-user, Universal charges a one-time licensing fee and monthly fee for its SMS program, with unlimited users and aircraft. And the SM&I program is available in a limited or a full-service version, with email support for the

basic and ­ telephone support for the full-service subscription.

The SM&I program is accessible from any web-enabled device, the same as other Universal Weather products.

Customized Program

“The important thing is that we’re scaling this to what the operator needs,” said Universal Weather SMS operations manager Jason Starke. Customers can access only the portions of SMS Manager that they need for their operation.

The company’s approach to delivering an SMS solution begins with educating the operator, and to that end, Universal Weather is offering twoday “SMS for the real world”

SkyAngels focus on safety and service SkyAngels, a flight attendant staffing provider, was born when Steffany Kisling began her career as a corporate flight attendant. She soon realized that while a trained flight attendant was needed and required, the client expectations were for something more. “I recognized that the job is not about the flight attendant, but the client,” she explained. “The longer I flew, the more I began to

realize that the services I was providing, from child care to hotel reservations to serving as a fourth at bridge, were appreciated. And more and more clients were asking for me by name. At that point, the idea of SkyAngels began to form.”

Today, SkyAngels operates out of more than 20 FBOs around the world, and its employees are the product of a week-long training program at the company’s

Lefever. “It’s actually becoming increasingly difficult to book charter aircraft without it.”

Avjet (Booth No. 2120) expects to have most of its fleet equipped with Gogo Biz by late next year, including all the largecabin Gulfstreams, but excluding a handful of the smaller aircraft.

A few of the larger business jets are also equipped with Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband, which permits global Internet connectivity.

Aircell plans to begin ground-based cell site construction in Canada in the fourth quarter of this year. The company expects the Canadian network covering the southern, more populated areas of the country to be in operation by the end of next year. o

MARIANO ROSALES

by Kirby J. Harrison Inflight connectivity and services provider Aircell (Booth No. 510) announced that charter and management provider Avjet has passed the mid-point in a program to equip its charter fleet with Aircell’s Gogo Biz inflight Internet service.

Gogo Biz offers coverage over the continental U.S. and most of southeast Alaska above 10,000 feet. Data transfer rates of up to 3.1 mbps allow passengers and crew to access the Internet through personal Wi-Fi-enabled laptops, tablets, smartphones, electronic flight bags and other mobile devices.

“Inflight Internet service has quickly become an expected amenity in the charter industry,” said Avjet president Mark

training courses. The first was held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. in mid-October. “Our classes are devoid of any mention of any of our offerings,” he said.

“This is about resolving SMS with tools they have available to them. Later we will do classes on how to use our tools.”

The Universal Weather SM&I program can be part of an IS-BAO program, and SM&I includes a customizable flightrisk assessment tool (Frat), which is part of the basic subscription. A filled-out Frat before every flight doesn’t meet all the requirements of an SMS, Starke pointed out. “There are other components that are needed.”

Universal’s SMS has been demonstrated to the Bermudan DCA regulatory authority, which has accepted the program as compliant with ICAO Annex 6, Part II. So far Bermuda is the only country with a mandatory SMS, although more are expected to add this requirement. o

NEAT Trick Fuel service provider Epic attracted some traffic to its booth (No. 4093) with the pool ball wizardry of Chef Anton, the U.S. trick shot champion.

He puts on a show at the booth every hour, so stop by and check it out.

32 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

SkyAngels founder Steffany Kisling

San Francisco headquarters. SkyAngels also has partnerships with three of the top private operators in the U.S. “For those partners, we are even occasionally asked to train their in-house staff to the same service and safety standards,” she said.

Being a SkyAngel is not simply a matter of walking in, paying a fee and going through the training. “We interview every candidate as a first step, and we have very strict requirements,” explained Kisling. “We look for personal and professional pride, a certain creativity and resourcefulness and a personality that we can match with those of our customers.” All candidates must complete a rigorous course in the principles of customer service, part of what Kisling refers to it as a “boot camp” process that is overseen by SkyAngels director Nicole Santiago. –K.J.H.

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Becker offers digital audio retrofits

DVCS6100 provides improved audio quality and clarity, as well as much greater system functionality and flexibility for aircraft operators.”

Schmitz said there are numerous benefits to adopting digital audio in aircraft. “The reasons have nothing to do with fidelity but everything to do with how the signal is handled and processed.

by Mark Huber Becker Avionics (Booth No. 3232) is offering a digital audio retrofit solution for Part 25 jets and turboprops. Becker’s DVCS 6100 system is available with audio control units in both

horizontal and vertical formats to ease installations.

“Today, a significant number of aircraft are flying with aging intercommunication systems that have reached the end

of their product life cycle and need to be replaced to meet current and future communication requirements,” said Markus Schmitz, Becker Avionics president and general manager. “The

O N LY A I R F O R C E O N E

Digital audio can be stored digitally, a simple process that can be free of degradation. In addition, digital audio can be processed as a digital bit stream. This can be a compelling feature for the transmission and rejection of many types of interference, which is why it is particularly useful in noisy aircraft environments.”

Modern digital communications systems have the ability to integrate an aircraft’s diverse and often complex web of device inputs and outputs, according to Schmitz. “Our systems can accommodate a significant number of transceivers, receivers, direct/fixed inputs, audio control units, cabin headsets and warning tone generator functionality with multiple levels of priority, while providing safety features including backup and emergency operating modes, and ensuring safe operation when it matters in case of power or system failure.”

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Besides improved, static-free audio quality, digital audio systems weigh less and are easier and more economical to maintain because of the substantially reduced wire count and fewer line replaceable units, Schmitz added.

The DVCS6100 was designed for both rotary- and fixed-wing applications. The main system components of the DVCS6100 system are the remote electronic unit (REU) 6100, the audio control unit (ACU) 6100 and the optional IC3100 intercom amplifier.

This system is software-configurable and offers up to eight communication transmit and up to eight receiver channels, an integrated warning tone generator for up to eight different signals, an amplifier for two cockpit speakers, as well as interface capability for two cockpit voice recorders and a public address amplifier.

Up to six ACUs can be operated together with one REU. Each unit can be configured with the included software to give adjustments across different on-board systems. The system also meets standards for night flight using night-vision goggles and military operations.

“Aircraft audio and intercom systems are critical but frequently under appreciated,” Schmitz said. “Although they’re often overlooked, every aircraft– fixed or rotary, commercial or military–needs one to function effectively. Audio and intercom systems enable crews and passenger to send and receive clear voice communications in noisy environments.” o

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Stallion 51’s upset prevention and recovery program is conducted in an Aero L-39 Albatros updated with Garmin G500 avionics in the front and rear cockpits. It was developed by company president Lee Lauderback.

Stallion 51 provides hands-on upset and recovery training

by Dale Smith In the upcoming movie Flight, star- “A lot of false sensations end up creating ring Denzel Washington, the only way the an unusual attitude situation that may captain can save everyone aboard his crip- not exist or may lead to an inappropriate pled airliner is to complete an aileron roll recovery. Pilots need to understand the just before bellying it in. Sure, the story is ramifications. In addition, understandpure Hollywood hokum, but there have ing the aerodynamics of unusual attitude been a number of accidents where pilots, recoveries is very important.”

The UPRT’s IFR program is done in a faced with unusual attitude or control situations, reacted either incorrectly or too customized Aero L-39 Albatros updated with Garmin G500 avionslowly to save their aircraft. ics in the front and rear cock“The average corporate pits. While the G500 is meant pilot’s comfort level is 30 to deliver familiar visuals to degrees nose up, 20 degrees pilots used to flying with modnose down and 60 degrees of ern glass cockpits, the training bank. Anything outside those regimen is anything but. Laudboundaries can be totally new erback can close a curtain that territory for them,” explained totally obscures the rear cockStallion 51 president Lee pit, with no way to see out.

Lauderback. “Allowing pilots The aircraft is also to experience unusual attitudes equipped with two in-cockpit and control situations while cameras and one on the veridentifying the proper recovery tical stabilizer. “There’s a real techniques is something we’ve training value to letting a guy been doing with our TF-51 do it wrong and then going Mustang for a long time.” back and reviewing the video Lauderback knows what and saying, ‘Okay, here’s what he’s talking about. His you did and this is what you 40-year career includes 17 should have done,’” he said. years of flying jets and heli“Put a guy in there with the copters for Arnold Palmer nose 30 degrees down and the and another 8,000-plus hours airplane mostly on its back in the Mustang at Stallion 51.

Lee Lauderback and see what he does. They That, along with seeing corporate pilots get flummoxed in the back usually pull the airplane into a vertical dive.

“You are going to lose 6,000 feet of of his Mustang, led him to develop Stallion 51’s new upset prevention and recov- altitude and pull four to five g. That will ery training (UPRT) program and branch make an everlasting impression on the rest of his flying career of what not to out with the new company, UAT. “UPRT is what our new program is all do,” Lauderback said. “We don’t cut any about,” he said. “It’s a blending of ground corners. We don’t stop at the first sign of school and actual flight training. Outside a stall. We go all the way through norof our program, only military pilots get this mal, deep and accelerated stalls. That’s type and depth of training in all the differ- the kind of experience and reinforceent aspects of unusual attitudes and upsets. ment pilots need to stay safe.”

Unusual Altitude Training is at “Dr. William Busch, senior AME and retired Navy flight surgeon, teaches our NBAA in Booth No. 3731 to discuss o aeromedical course,” Lauderback said. its programs.

2 01/10/2012 17:20:37 3619870-SNN-Tech-Stops-AIN-124x318.indd NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

LJ Aviation King Air set for Blackhawk mods

by Mark Huber A comprehensive deal was signed here at NBAA for the first Blackhawk XP52 replacement engine modification of a Hawker Beechcraft King Air B200 equipped with Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics. The 3,500hour aircraft is owned by LJ Aviation of Latrobe, Pa. The twin turboprop will also receive Raisbeck Engineering’s

(Booth No. 2266) Epic Gold performance package, BLR winglets and LED lighting. The modifications will be performed

by Hawker Beechcraft Services (Booth No. 2598) in Wichita.

“Hawker Beechcraft negotiated with Collins to let us go into their box, update their box and change the range marking of the engine gages. That’s what was

L to r: Bill Cadow, Hawker Beechcraft sales; James Raisbeck, Raisbeck CEO; Brian Howell, Hawker Beechcraft v-p of business development; Ed Kilkeary, president, LJ Aviation; Dave Marone, v-p, BLR Aerospace; and Jim Allmon, Blackhawk Modifications president and CEO, celebrate the companies’ deal for a King Air B200 engine mod.

required for us to add this to our existing STC,” said Blackhawk Modifications (Booth No. 4112) president Jim Allmon.

The Raisbeck package includes the ram-air recovery system, enhanced-performance wing leading edges, dual aft body strakes and enclosed high float gear doors. Ed Kilkeary, LJ Aviation president, estimates he will see improved safety margins and a 30- to 35-knot increase in max speed with the modifications installed.

Kilkeary estimates cost of the mods to be $1.3 million. o

NEWS NOTE British Columbia, Canadabased avionics manufacturer Latitude Technologies has secured a distribution arrangement with Navicom Aviation, an avionics reseller in Japan. Under the deal, Latitude will provide Navicom with a custom version of its WebSentinel flight-following system with all on-screen and user information presented in Japanese. In addition, Latitude will broaden its partnership with Navicom for the supply of the avionics manufacturer’s SkyNode data and voice satcom systems. n

Comlux signs on to refit two of Boeing’s BBJs

by Charles Alcock Boeing has contracted Comlux America to provide maintenance and a cabin upgrade for a pair of its own Boeing Business Jets. The work will include removing the existing interiors and refitting them after modification, as well as a comprehensive upgrade to the inflight entertainment and cabin management systems.

The first of the two BBJs will arrive at Comlux America’s facility in Indianapolis in early 2013 and the second will follow next summer. The facility works on both BBJs and the Airbus Corporate Jets family.

“We are extremely proud to be selected by The Boeing Company,” said Comlux America president and CEO David Edinger. “It was a tough competition and we have managed to demonstrate that our full in-house capabilities–engineering, certification, design, maintenance and production

shops–make the difference versus several other centers.”

Comlux group president and CEO Richard Gaona told AIN that winning Boeing’s business will boost its plans to expand its BBJ client base. Though the Swiss-based group (Booth No. 1108) is known for its strong links to Airbus, the largest aircraft in its Fly Comlux charter/management fleet is a Boeing 767.

This year has seen the Fly Comlux division expanding into Asia. It now has two ACJs operating in China–one based in Shanghai and the other in Macau–and it has opened an office in Hong Kong. Earlier this year, Hyundai contracted Comlux America to do the completion for its BBJ. o

www.ainonline.com • November 1, 2012 • NBAA Convention News 37

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38 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

While most of the aircraft builders at NBAA build their products out of tons of aluminum or increasingly carbon fiber, one new exhibitor here builds them out of thin air. 3DVisualization Service is demonstrating its technology (Booth No. 2885), which allows customers to create a virtual aircraft and enables people to walk through it, long before the first metal is ever cut.

Once you place the virtual reality headset over your face, you are transported into a surprisingly realistic virtual environment.

The level of detail is stunning, right down to the weave of the carpet. A newspaper rests on a table along with a pen and a smartphone. Across the aisle another table is set for meal service. A glance out a cabin window reveals clouds slowly drifting past in a blue sky. As you walk over and sit in a real chair, your virtual perspective changes as if you were settling into a plush leather club seat. Indeed a full cabin could be laid out with actual furniture acting as place holders for what the user is experiencing as he strolls through the cabin.

The experience is immersive. A glance at the virtual large-screen flat-panel television shows it is playing a scene from The Avengers; the movie’s soundtrack volume even increases in the headset’s speakers as you walk toward it. “The more things you can put in it, the better the experience for the user,” said company president J.P. Mangano.

High-profile Projects

3DVisualization began a decade ago creating interior renderings for customers including heads of state and the Saudi royal family. It has even done Air Force One. To create the virtual wizardry, the Miami-based company–which is making its NBAA exhibitor debut– uses CAD design files provided by the aircraft manufacturer as a starting point.

To achieve the incredible level of realism, the ­company requests actual samples of the interior materials, which it then scans into its virtual world. The company then creates the detailed renderings from which it will develop the virtual reality

walk-through. The entire fairly laborintensive process can take one to two months, and depending on the size of the aircraft can cost more than $30,000.

Mangano said he believes that price will decrease as technology advances.

The approximately $20,000 system is fully portable, consisting of a laptop computer, a Microsoft Kinect camera (as used on that company’s Xbox gaming system) and a custom 3-D headset produced by Sensics. Among its clients, 3DVisualization counts airframers such as Embraer, Dassault, Piaggio, Pilatus and Piper, as well as completions specialists Gore Design Completions, StandardAero, Associated Jet Center, Jet Aviation and Lufthansa Technik.

Given the transportability of the system, those companies can take it to principals or designers for a “walk-through” to get their final seal of approval before costly purchases are made. The company introduced the new virtual reality product a year ago and since then it has done large-cabin aircraft such as the Boeing BBJ, Embraer’s Lineage 1000 and an Airbus A320. According to Mangano, the company could even theoretically create a virtual mammoth A380.

The company also produces threedimensional animation so sharp, one could be forgiven for mistaking it for high-definition video. The animation can be used for a variety of purposes from demonstrating operational scenarios to depicting manufacturing techniques. o

NEWS NOTE Bombardier signed an engine service agreement with Rolls-Royce that authorizes the airframer’s service centers in Dallas, Tucson, Ariz., Hartford, Conn. and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to perform maintenance on the BR710 engine that powers the Global Express/ XRS/5000/6000. Under the agreement, Bombardier’s service centers can perform line maintenance and engine removals on the engines, which will be sent to Rolls-Royce for heavy maintenance. n

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Atlantic Aviation plans multiple renovations Atlantic Aviation has launched a multimillion-dollar program to upgrade its facilities at a dozen airports, including major additions at five of its FBOs. At Houston Hobby Airport the company will construct a 17,000-sq-ft two-story environmentally friendly executive terminal with 5,400 sq ft of office space and two additional hangars totaling 80,000 sq ft of space.

The project, slated for completion by the end of 2015, will see the site’s ramp space more than triple to 6.7 acres. In New Mexico at Four Corners Regional Airport, the company is about to begin renovations on its 3,600sq-ft terminal and hangars and install a new fuel farm. The company’s Reno/Tahoe location is set to undergo a nearly year-long transformation that will include a new two-story 11,500-sq-ft executive terminal and a 40,000sq-ft hangar. At Elmira Corning Regional Airport in New York, Atlantic has concluded work on a new 7,800-sq-ft executive hangar and 12,000-sq-ft hangar as well as an additional 125,000 sq ft ramp space. In the Windy City, the services provider has completed renovations of the interior of its Chicago Executive Airport terminal, which opened

in September. A new 26,000sq-ft hangar will go online in December.

The FBO chain is now offering a high-performance Wi-Fi system at all 60 of its locations that will provide coverage inside the terminal, on the ramp or in the hangars. “With more and more wireless-only devices, it is essential that Atlantic has reliable, consistent Wi-Fi coverage for our customers and guests as well as our own operations,” said Joel Collins, Atlantic’s project management office manager. “Our new smart Wi-Fi delivers outstanding coverage and presents customers a ­consistent look, feel and experience no matter which location they are visiting.” o

NEWS NOTE Lord (Booth No. 5337) has been selected to supply the vibration isolator mounts for the Honeywell TPE331-14GR on the Kestrel single-engine turboprop, which is expected to fly in 2014. At NBAA’12 the privately held company, based in Cary, N.C., is displaying its electromechanical anti-vibration solutions, including engine attachment mechanisms, tangential engine mounts, equipment isolators and interior isolators for fixed-wing aircraft. n

Hawker Signs $34 Million in Aircraft Orders Hawker Beechcraft signed orders for nine aircraft–one King Air 350i, two King Air 250s, two King Air C90GTx and four Baron G58s–worth more than $34 million yesterday here at NBAA’12. The orders were placed by four Beechcraft distributors in Latin America–Aerolineas in Mexico; Aviaservice in Colombia, Caribbean and Venezuela; Aviasur in Chile and Beechcraft de Guatemala. Business aircraft financier AirFinance is providing funding for the orders. Deliveries will begin in second quarter 2013 and will continue through the end of the year. At the signing event were (l-r): Chris Morales, Hawker Beechcraft regional sales director; Richard Emery, Hawker Beechcraft president for the Americas; Marcos Nogueria, Hawker Beechcraft regional sales director; James Smith, Aerobaries president; Christian Matetic, Aviasur president; Daniel Romero, Aviaservice regional sales manager; Anthony Schieber, Hawker Beechcraft global sales finance; Keith Nadolski, Beechcraft Americas president; and Evan n McCorry, Hawker Beechcraft vice president of Latin America sales.

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Decision, Decisions The Boeing Business Jet booth (No. 1499) attracted plenty of visitors, who no doubt have plenty of ideas about how they would outfit their own aircraft. At the show this week Boeing reconfirmed plans for a BBJ Max, based on the re-engined 737 Max. First delivers of the BBJ Max are expected in the 2017 to 2018 time frame.

NewJETz eVolution re-engines Citation

by R. Randall Padfield Sierra Industries and Clifford Development have formed a joint venture called NewJETz to develop a Williams International FJ44-4 engine (3,600 lbs. of thrust) retrofit program. The retrofit will power legacy Cessna Citation 550 and 560 series jets, including the Citation V, Bravo, Ultra and Encore. The new modification is called eVolution, and NewJETz will also offer owners of these aircraft avionics and other upgrades.

Sierra Industries brought the Hawker Beechcraft Hawker 400XPR development aircraft to NBAA’12, and it is parked in the Hawker Beechcraft static display area. Sierra CEO Mark Huffstutler flew the modified jet from Uvalde to Orlando.

First flight of the aircraft, powered by Williams FJ444A-32 turbofans, took place on May 3 and “demonstrated some amazing performance,” according to Sierra’s Jim Gerrish.

“They pegged 6,000 fpm climb rate at one point,” he said. After takeoff, the 400XPR climbed to 5,000 feet in one minute and eventually reached 14,000 feet and 320 knots during the maiden flight. “This thing just performed flawlessly,” Huffstutler said after the flight.

At its NBAA booth, Sierra is showing a fully functional demonstrator of its Sierra/Garmin G501SP glass panel. This is a G1000-based STC for the Cessna Citation 501, Gerrish said, adding that Sierra recently

IWG Wins Legacy Approval International Water-Guard (IWG) has announced a supplemental type certificate from Brazil’s ANAC aviation authority for installation of its IWG-A4 potable water treatment unit on the Embraer Legacy 600 and Legacy 650. “Achieving certification of the IWG on Embraer aircraft is an important milestone for both IWG and Embraer,” said IWG president Bruce McCoubrey.

The IWG-A4 approval opens the market for the Canadian water treatment specialist to offer its unit on the growing Legacy fleet in Brazil. Plans to obtain FAA and EASA approvals would further open the Legacy market for aircraft registered in Europe and the U.S. The installation for ANAC approval was designed by IWG (Booth No. 5340) and its Brazilian partner, Avionics Services of São Paulo.

–K.J.H.

40 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

completed its fifth G501SP installation. Sierra also uses the demonstrator for training.

Sierra’s $284,000 G1000 package features two 10.4-inch PFDs and a centrally-located MFD. Optional upgrades include a 12-inch MFD, dual LCD engine instrument displays, Jeppesen charts, XM WX, RVSM, TawsB, pedestal-mounted alphanumeric keypad, L-3 Avionics back-up digital standby instrument and synthetic vision.

Sierra Industries is perhaps best known for its FJ44 re-engining programs for Citations. Gerrish said that, to date, the company has completed 49 FJ44-2A mods (Citation 500 and 501SP models) and 13 mods with the FJ44-3A (Citation 550 and S550 models). “We expect to begin our 50th FJ44-2A reengining modification before the end of the year,” he said. Williams recently appointed Sierra as an authorized service center for the FJ44.

In spite of the challenging economy, Sierra continues to grow. “We presently employ a little over 100 people in our Uvalde location, plus another 40 to 50 in San Antonio and Austin,” Gerrish told AIN. “We have an aircraft management/charter operation in each city, and San Antonio also hosts our technology development group, Skyway Aerospace Technology.”

Skyway Aerospace Technology designed and engineered the retrofit of the Hawker 400XPR, while the modification work was done by Sierra Industries. o

B/E has streamlined its lightweight waste system On the list of private jet cabin items, the vacuum waste system rarely gets top billing. Designers find it a slightly embarrassing topic of conversation, fraught with smirks and potty humor.

The engineers just want to get it over with as quickly as possible so they can get on to grander projects. And all the owner wants is one that works. At B/E Aerospace’s Ecosystems division, the waste disposal system gets more attention–a lot more, as can be seen at the company’s exhibit here (Booth No. 2059).

The company introduced its new vacuum waste system in

2009, emphasizing the modular design, an all-composite and easily removed bowl, a singlecontrol assembly, a vortex separator to minimize the number

of inlets and outlets need for the vacuum waste tank and an improved tank sensor.

The new system, according to B/E, weighs up to 50 percent less than older systems, is 20 percent more reliable and uses just five ounces of water per flush. No special tools are required, simplifying maintenance, and full servicing or replacement can be accomplished

during 15-minute turnarounds.

B/E has reported selection of the system by Bombardier for the Learjet 85, by Dassault for its Falcon 7X and by Embraer for the Legacy 450 and 500. The total contract value, according to B/E, is in excess of $150 million, and deliveries have already begun.

B/E Aerospace Ecosystems designs and produces vacuum

waste and water systems, along with components, including vacuum toilets, tanks and vacuum generators. The vacuum waste systems are being built by the Ecosystems division at a new plant at Rockford Logistics Park in Rockford, Ill., where some 75 workers are employed, most of them engineers. B/E Aerospace’s main offices are in Miami. –K.J.H.

Please visit us in booth 1098

Honeywell wins Inmarsat distribution Global mobile satellite communications provider Inmarsat has signed a master distribution agreement with Honeywell for Inmarsat’s Global Xpress (GX) satellite service that includes a long-term joint marketing deal to bring the product to business aviation.

According to Inmarsat (Booth No. 1608), the agreement includes a “significant five-year capacity purchase by Honeywell” and reserve capacity up to 2021.

Inmarsat’s global Ka-band satellite system enabling Global Xpress is scheduled to begin airline service in 2014 and provide the service to business aviation customers beginning in the first quarter 2015. The Ka-band network is expected to offer “unprecedented data rates of up to 50 mbps” as well as global coverage for high-speed Internet connectivity.

According to Inmarsat Global Xpress program managing director Leo Mondale, “Our on-going partnership with Honeywell will enable us to develop a worldleading capability in business aviation.” Combining the assets of both companies, he added, will help customers seeking new-generation connectivity.

Carl Esposito, v-p of marketing, strategy and product management for Honeywell (Booth No. 4494) noted that the deal “set the stage for a step change in business aviation connectivity services.” –K.J.H.

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www.ainonline.com • November 1, 2012 • NBAA Convention News 41

FlightSafety International is incorporating scenario-based training in the classroom, giving students the chance to practice realistic flight operations before setting foot in the sim.

FSI ground school adds hands-on instruction

by Mark Huber FlightSafety International is revamping its classroom curricula to be more participatory and less pedagogical. The company says students learn more and faster by doing as opposed to listening to a traditional lecture. The theory is not new, but its application to typical ground school instruction, combined with high-tech training devices, is. “It’s a new approach to the way we deliver training,” said Greg McGowan, FlightSafety International (FSI) senior vice president of operations.

Under FSI’s “operational day flow” (ODF) concept, students get scenario-based training–once reserved for simulators–in the classroom blended with hightech instructional aids such as FSI’s Matrix devices, graphical flight simulators (GFS) and large electronic instruction displays.

The Matrix system uses a three-screen display in front of each student and one or two larger displays in the front of the classroom that also can display video. Students can interact with the screens at their desktops, the instructor can walk around and monitor progress and, if there is a problem, operate the system from the front of the classroom. The Matrix system is being delivered with all new aircraft programs. The GFS replicates a cockpit layout using flat-panel touch screens that can be configured to approximate the instrument panels and switches of specific aircraft.

With Matrix, FSI ground school instructors can “operate

systems in the cockpit, they can see diagrammatic flows, they can induce malfunctions,” said McGowan. “This gives them the chance to modify the facilitated scenario-based instruction and become much more effective.

Over the course of the last yearand-a-half we put together some prototypes of different ways of integrating Matrix into more realistic training for both initial and recurrent students. We call this ‘operational day flow.’”

No longer are students left bleary-eyed by endless hours of lectures on aircraft systems and weight and balance. Under ODF, according to McGowan, “We look at a flight the way a pilot approaches it and [use] Matrix to the maximum extent possible.

We cover all the aircraft systems by running into them and dealing with them as the flight progresses, similar to the way you would encounter them in the simulator.” There is one big difference: instructors can pause the “flight” to discuss systems and answer student questions, they can pull up system slides, review them and discuss standard operating procedures–such as safety management systems or risk analysis–during the flight.

Customers Love It

“The customers love it and the instructors love it,” said McGowan. “People don’t talk a lot about the enjoyment aspect of training, but it is very important. I believe if someone enjoys the training, they learn and retain more. With ODF, our

clients enjoy the training more.”

McGowan said ODF also promotes greater student participation during classroom instruction. “Pilots enjoy interaction with their peers and that activity increases as decisions are made and lessons continue. We know that is one of the things they like–talking about their standard operating procedures, the decision chain and how mistakes are made. ODF promotes that sort of thing.”

The classroom courses still cover all of the lesson plan materials and meet regulatory scrutiny. Tests are still administered to verify comprehension.

But McGowan thinks ODF provides a “much more realistic approach to training” and makes pilots more familiar with new and more sophisticated cockpits before they get in front of a GFS or into the simulator.

“We don’t spend as much time familiarizing people with the [aircraft] systems in the simulator because we have already covered that in the classroom,” he said. “Not only do we save time, but we increase performance in the simulator.

You no longer have to spend time on the simple things, now you have more time to work on the things the clients and the regulators want us to work on.”

Simplified Sim Training

McGowan said that, in the past, classroom training overemphasized the minutiae of aircraft systems. “As early as the Gulfstream GIV, we didn’t know how much we needed to teach people about the aircraft’s advanced systems, so we ended up teaching them way too much.

By having the ability to load the flight plan in the classroom and see it progress, clients quickly realize what they need to operate the airplane from Point A to Point B. It reduces the stress level when they recognize what they need to fly the airplane 90 percent of the time.”

FSI has 14 ODF programs and expects to complete another nine by the end of this year. The company plans to add 34 more programs next year.

In-class and after-class time in front of the touchscreen GFS also builds students’ confidence and familiarizes them with the aircraft before they get in the simulator, according to Jeff Froehlich, Cessna Citation CJ program manager at FSI’s Orlando Learning Center. “Remember that old instrument panel poster at the front of the classroom? This allows us to take that poster and make

42 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

it come alive. Pilots’ minds are visual. We can demonstrate how an in-flight fire would look; they would see what the fire-extinguishing system actually does. The other nice thing is the FMS. It is fully integrated into the MFD.” The schematics and the FMS are the two main strengths of the GFS, in Froehlich’s opinion.

GFSs can be loaded to execute an actual flight from start to finish. While there is no representation of a control yoke– guaranteeing perfect takeoffs and landings–the switches, lights and memory items are all there.

“Everything is in the right position,” said Froehlich. “Everything the instructor can do in the sim he can do in here.”

GFSs are used in FSI’s Citation CJ courses from four to eight hours, but students have

access to them after class for “free play.” Students can also use the Matrix displays to study during their own time.

“Pilots doing very well [in their training] spend more time in here [with the GFS],” Froehlich said.

“You will see them in [the GFS] with their partner calling out things from the checklist. Sometimes it’s things they haven’t heard of before so they will ask about them in class the next day.

You can sit in here and free play and flight plan and make all the mistakes you want in a nonintimidating environment.”

GFSs can rapidly be converted to display different aircraft models. Froehlich demonstrated a GFS set up to mimic a CJ3.

“You can hook track balls into the device and it morphs into a [Citation] Sovereign in a couple of minutes,” he said. o

FSI Orlando: The Disney World of Training FlightSafety International’s Orlando Learning Center caters to the full range of Cessna Citation clients. Many return to the center for recurrent training while their aircraft undergo maintenance across the street at ­Cessna’s factory-owned and -operated regional service center.

The FlightSafety International (FSI) Orlando center has 24 classrooms and 12 simulator bays; 11 of those are devoted to Citations, while one handles training for the Beechcraft 1900D. Andy Johnson, a 27-year Navy veteran, runs the center and recently discussed its recent accomplishments. “We’ve trained 88 Part 135 operators here,” he said. “I’m really proud of that.” He also pointed out that Orlando was the only center last year to receive FSI’s top awards for technicians, customer support representatives and instructors.

While Johnson thinks the economy is responsible for Orlando having fewer full-service clients, he points to an array of flexible options available to maintain proficiency, including hourly simulator leasing. However, he said full-service contracts have inherent advantages, including FSI’s pilot proficiency protection program. Pilots on a full-service contract get free recurrent training if they switch employers. “Essentially, the [new employer] gets free training time,” Johnson explained. Full-service clients can also drop in any time for proficiency training if simulator time is available. “This is useful in particular for clients who want to fly simulated approaches to places they have never been before,” he said, adding that this flexibility is popular with owner-operator pilots.

Class sizes vary by aircraft type, but none are larger than 10. Technology is continually being added to the classroom. On the Citation Mustang, FSI’s flight training device (FTD) is used as the recurrent training classroom.

“Anything you can do to bring the cockpit closer to the classroom environment is just better for learning,” Johnson said, “especially with the number of low-time owner-operators making that jump from turbine transition to a jet environment. You need this tool.”

All Citation Mustang simulators come with a corresponding FTD. They are built at FSI Tulsa, a new 375,000-sq-ft building for manufacturing simulators for FSI and third-party providers, including for the military and major airlines for aircraft as diverse as the Bell-Boeing V-22 tiltrotor and the Airbus A320.

The Tulsa facility can build as many as 19 simulators simultaneously. –M.H.

FlightSafety International’s Orlando training center houses 11 simulator bays dedicated to providing instruction for the line of Citation-series aircraft.

Smyrna Air Center, a full-service FBO based at Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport near Nashville, Tenn., is showcasing its new GE H80 engine conversion option here at NBAA’12. While Smyrna (Booth No. 4304) has offered the Walter/ GE M601E-11A turboprop engine as part of its Power90 conversion program since 2006, company representatives say that GE’s new H80–a redesigned version of the M601 series certified earlier this year–will provide even greater performance benefits to King Air 90 series owners.

“We’ve done some flight tests with an H80 on right side and [M601E] -11A on left side,” said Smyrna’s director of business development, Dan Sigl, who has been involved with King Air engine upgrades since 2001. “At 34 degrees Celsius, the

guide vanes of both the gas generator and power turbine. In addition to boosting horsepower, these improvements over the original 1975 M601 design result in increased fuel efficiency indicated by the H80’s specific fuel consumption of 0.585 lb/shp/hr compared with the M601E11A’s 0.65 lb/shp/hr.

The M601 and H80 engines share key characteristics that reduce maintenance costs compared with those of the PT6.

The GE engines run fuel through diffuser “sling” rings on the center shaft, eliminating the need for recurrent fuel-nozzle maintenance and reducing susceptibility to flameout during flights in heavy moisture. Auto start and electronic limiter systems work together to eliminate hot starts, which means these engines do

Smyrna Air Center is showcasing its GE H80 engine conversion option for King Air 90 series aircraft.

King Air C90 climbed from 532 feet field elevation to 28,000 feet in 21 minutes and was still capable of climbing at 800 feet per minute at that altitude.” According to Sigl, a typical King Air C90 with the original Pratt & Whitney PT6A-20 or -21 engines climbs about 50 fpm at 26,000 feet.

More power at altitude translates to better hot-and-high performance. While the PT6A-20/21 will produce its rated 550 shp near standard conditions, the 800shp H80 can produce 550 shp at 10,000 feet at 105 deg F, allowing the pilot to take off with full power even in hot-andhigh conditions.

The M601E-11A is rated at 705 shp.

According to GE marketing materials, the difference in shaft horsepower between the M601 and H80 comes from a variety of new designs and materials, such as incorporating 3-D aerodynamic design and advanced materials into the compressor stages and turbine of the engine’s gas generator. The H80 replaces individually bladed compressor disks with an integrated blisk design in the axial compressor stages, and materials with higher temperature capabilities have been incorporated into the turbine nozzle

not require hot-section inspections during overhaul cycles.

“When you start a GE engine, you go: master on, boost pumps momentary on/ off switch, put fuel selector in the detent and then it’s hands-off,” said Sigl. “The engine starts itself. The engine limiter is engaged when you hit the start switch.

If it detects a spike in ITT [inter-turbine temperature], it will shut the fuel off, continue motoring to cool off and then shut the engine down. So you eliminate hot starts. There’s no more trying to get the fuel in at the right time and you don’t have to worry about the thing going up to 1,090 degrees. These engines will start at 560 or 570 degrees. [Normally] in a turbine, that’s making ice.”

A Conklin & de Decker financial analysis of the Power90 GE M601E-11A engine conversion prepared for GE Aviation in 2010 estimated nearly $300,000 in savings at overhaul compared with the PT6 based on no mid-life, nozzle or hotsection inspections required. The H80 would likely result in even more overhaul savings when calculated per hour since its TBO is 3,600 hours versus the M601E-11A TBO of 3,000 hours.

EDELMAN LEATHER

by Kim Rosenlof

much as $350,000. PT6A-28s with some hours on them could fetch $300,000. So that reduces the actual outlay.”

Because the H80 is about four inches longer than the PT6, the conversion requires some cowl modification. Other modifications must be made to the fire shields, engine mounts, certain cockpit switches and the addition of the limiter annunciator.

Sigl predicts the H80 engine conversion will be popular with twin owners trading up from a Piper Cheyenne or Cessna 340 to the faster, roomier King Air. o

®

Smyrna Air Center offers GE H80 engine conversion

Smyrna holds the STCs to perform the M601 or H80 engine conversions on King Air A90, B90, C90 and E90 models. Initial cost of the twin-engine conversion is approximately $995,000 for H80 engines and $695,000 for M601 engines, but Sigl is quick to point out that this conversion list price doesn’t include rebates for current equipment. “The conversion kit includes two new engines with twoyear warranty and five-bladed propellers,” said Sigl. “We will rebate the value of the replacement equipment, such as the engines and props, which could be as

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Swiss firm to provide funding for Solar Impulse project The Solar Impulse project recently received a burst of sunshine in the form of financial support from a commercial insurance firm, bolstering the team’s plans to complete the world’s first global circumnavigation by a piloted, solar-powered aircraft.

Swiss Re Corporate Solutions (Booth

Swiss Re Corporate Solutions joined the Solar Impulse program as an official sponsor, providing financial support and insurance for the piloted, solar-powered aircraft.

No. 3517) announced in mid-September it had joined the Solar Impulse project as an official partner. In addition to financial support, the Zurich-based firm will also be the sole insurer for the Solar Impulse aircraft. That addresses what has historically been a sticking point for similarly ambitious projects: Solar Impulse

co-founder Bertrand Piccard noted that his grandfather had difficulties finding a company to insure his 1931 high-altitude balloon flight.

Agostino Galvagni, CEO of the insurance provider, termed the partnership with Solar Impulse “an excellent fit

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between two organizations that share a belief that innovation can flourish when knowledge and expertise is combined across industries.”

The original single-seat Solar Impulse prototype completed a successful 26-hour day-and-night flight in July 2010.

Development and construction work continues on a second, larger prototype, the Solar Impulse HB-SIB, intended to complete a round-the-world flight sometime in 2015. –R.F.

Start Pac is introducing its newest ground power unit (GPU) at this year’s NBAA convention (Booth No. 5074). The new diesel-powered Ranger, which uses lithium-ion batteries, is a more economical alternative to the company’s Hi-Brd 2.

The Ranger is the only diesel-powered GPU on the market to use Start Pac’s lithium-ion batteries for aircraft engine starting, according to director of operations Mark Marar. The Ranger’s specs show it at half the weight and approximately half the price of the Hi-Brd 2. It is equipped with a Perkins two-cylinder, 14-hp diesel engine that will provide 150 amps of continuous power for running aircraft systems. For engine starting, the Ranger offers 2,400 peak amps using the onboard lithium-ion batteries.

Start Pac also has its Super Pac GPU on hand at its NBAA booth. “We designed Super Pac specifically to be one of the smallest GPUs in the aviation industry,” Marar said. “Super Pac is a modular system that is configured to meet customer requirements. Options available include the customer’s choice of either lithium-ion or a lead-acid battery in 24-, 26- or 28-volt configuration. Depending upon configuration, the Super Pac is capable of delivering up to 2,400 amps for engine start. All configurations are equipped with a 50-amp power supply, when plugged into an AC current source, to power up avionics.

Depending upon the configuration, including the trolley to wheel it around, the weight varies from 70 to 90 pounds and dimensions are about 18 by 16 by seven inches. Price for the basic 24-volt model starts at $2,998 and tops out $4,510 for the 28-volt lithium-ion system.

Marar said Start Pac also is displaying a 2300QC Super Pac with a 24-volt leadacid battery and a LI2800QC Super Pac with a 28-volt lithium battery. –D.A.L.

NBAA TODAY Thursday 11•1•12 Bizav’s Biggest Gathering The NBAA 65th Annual Meeting & Convention offers an array of educational and maintenance and operations sessions and special events in addition to a multitude of exhibits at the Orange County Convention Center. In addition, dozens of aircraft are on display at Orlando Executive Airport, and a smaller display graces the convention center’s parking lot. Shuttle buses are operating between the convention center and the static display. For up to the minute show information, including an interactive exhibitor directory, download NBAA’s show app.

8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Attendee, Exhibitor & Press Registration Open Orlando Executive Airport

9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

NBAA Static Display Open Orlando Executive Airport

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Attendee, Exhibitor & Press Registration Open North & South Concourses

9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

NBAA Exhibit Halls and Light Business Airplane Static Display Open Orange County Convention Center

8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Friends & Partners of Aviation Weather Room: S331 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

FAA SE U.S./Caribbean/South America Customer Forum Room S320F 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Domestic Operations Committee Meeting Room S310B Aircraft Management Companies: What is Subject to FET? Room S320GH

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

NBAA Careers in Business Aviation General Session Exhibit Floor 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The Professional Imperative: A Cross Generational Challenge* Room S320EF 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

NBAA/UAA Career Seminar for College Students Room S210E

Shuttle Bus Schedules Shuttle Bus service to the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) will be provided from most NBAA’12 hotels. Shuttle Buses will start one and a half hours prior to the Show opening and continue until one hour after show closing.

Shuttle buses to the Static Display at Orlando Executive Airport will be available from the OCCC on show days. Static Display Shuttle Buses will start one hour prior to Static Display opening and continue until one hour after closing.

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All NBAA’12 Shuttle Buses arrive and depart from the Main Entrances at both the North and South Halls of the Orange County Convention Center. You can then transfer to a Static Display shuttle bus that will take you to the Static Display at Orlando Executive Airport.

Static Display Shuttle Schedules Thursday, November 1

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Static Display Shuttle Buses arrive and depart from the Main Entrances at both the North and the South Halls.

The last bus from the Orange County Convention Center to the Static Display departs at 1:15 p.m.

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Argus data reflects down market Expect an uptick in business aviation flight activity next March, according to the Argus Market Intelligence report. The report analyzes the last three years of the company’s TraqPak flight activity data, FlightView aircraft movement and JetNet ownership information. Argus found “no clear pattern, in either the upward or downward direction of total flight hours,” but found a consistent year-after-year cyclical peak in activity during the March timeframe. Results validate anecdotal evidence of a shift to the use of smaller aircraft.

During the past year flight hours declined

0.8 percent, compared to a 1.7-percent increase seen in the prior year, according to the report. Over the past two years, only the light jet category saw year-over-year increases.

In the last 12 months, Part 91 flight hours increased (1.2 percent), with large cabin jets the only category declining (-4.8 percent).

Charter and fractional flight hours both declined in the same period (-1.9 percent and -5.3 percent respectively), with only turboprops showing an uptick (+1.6 percent). Yet in the fractional arena, light jet use showed the largest decline (-8.7 percent) followed by mid-size aircraft (-6.9 percent).

–J.W.

MARIANO ROSALES

When Gulfstream launched its G650, the airplane was advertised as the industry’s fastest, displacing Cessna’s Citation X. Now the two are locked in a heat, with manufacturers now highlighting range.

Manufacturers locked in a race for speed title uContinued from page 1

farther at the same speed, with more passengers, in a larger cabin. Enter a new competitor for the faster and further crown.

At NBAA 2010, with the G650 certification program well under way, Bombardier revealed it would build two new members of the Global series–the Global 7000 and the Global 8000.

They will be big. The larger Global 7000 cabin will be 59.6 feet long by 6.92 feet wide and providing 6.25 feet of headroom. By contrast, the G650 cabin is 46 feet 10 inches long and 8 feet 6 inches wide, with 6 feet 5 inches of headroom.

The Global 7000 has the edge in cabin volume with 2,637 cubic feet, compared with 2,138 cubic feet in the G650.

Powered by new GE Passport turbofans, the Global 7000 and Global 8000 will fly approximately 4,850 nautical miles and 5,400 nautical miles, respectively, at Mach 0.90–less than the RollsRoyce BR725-powered G650. Both the

Global 7000 and Gulfstream G650 are priced in the $65 million range “typically equipped.”

So as we head for the mid-point of the decade, competition heats up in the VHS/ ULR category with closely matched rivals.

The competition is likely to be lively, recalling those heady days in the mid1990s when Bombardier and Gulfstream went head to head with the Global Express and GV, running full-page ads in The Wall Street Journal, each not only promoting its own product but also taking any opportunity to point out perceived flaws in its competitor’s aircraft.

Is there a market? Honeywell thinks so. Its forecast estimates that market segment will be the fastest-growing in business aviation in the coming decade, based on its survey of operator purchase plans. The Gulfstream order book is a pretty good indicator: the greater part of the company’s hefty $16 billion backlog relates to orders for the G650.

Observers might be forgiven if the competition conjures visions of Maverick and Goose as they passed by a line of F-14 Tomcats in the movie Top Gun, announcing “I feel the need–the need for speed!” o

inventory locator service goes mobile Tennessee-based Inventory Locator Service (Booth No. 1594) has released a mobile-friendly version of its website to enhance its services and create more value for its clients. “Mobile devices play an ever-increasing role in business as we know it today,” said ILS president Eric Anderson. “The new mobile version of ILSmart provides something no one else offers, the ability to quickly perform several types of aviation marketplace transactions from a smartphone.”

The mobile site offers parts search, RFQ and quotes sending and receiving and it helps operators quickly locate parts and vendors. The new mobile site is free for ILSmart subscribers. –C.E.

46 NBAA Convention News • November 1, 2012 • www.ainonline.com

Nagoya Rolls out a friendly welcome For the eighth year in a row, officials from Japan’s Nagoya Airport are here at NBAA (Booth No. 3094) to highlight business aviation in the region.

Second only to the greater Tokyo area in terms of bizav volume in the country, Nagoya is home to 50 percent of the nation’s aerospace industry and has been designated as an international strategic zone, with manufacturers such as Mitsubishi Regional Jets located at Nagoya Airport. Centrally located between Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo, the airport, which is owned and operated by the local prefectural government, is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and features a business aviation terminal with separate discrete customs, immigration and quarantine facilities for private jet passengers.

The terminal offers nine business jet stands, which jets can taxi to under their own power, and passengers can deplane less than 300 feet from the terminal exit doors.

According to the Nagoya officials, the facility usage charges at the airport are up to one-tenth of those at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, which is approximately an hour and a half away by bullet train. The landing permit window has recently shrunk to three days, but according to the authorities, requests can usually be processed in 24 hours.

–C.E.

Talent shortage uContinued from page 1

trained aviation professionals will be the greatest threat to aviation safety.

But many say, after this recent downturn, ‘We’ve been hearing about this for years–it’s like Chicken Little.’” Yet competition for recruiting and selecting well-qualified aviation professionals is heating up, according to Barden.

That stated, Barden picked her panelists’ brains with who, what, where, why and how questions on crafting solutions for flight and maintenance departments that are searching to replace experienced and soon-to-retire employees.

The industry experts on the panel each postulated on the reasons why there is currently an imbalance in supply and demand. Kevin Hiatt pointed out that the typical pilot graduating from a university aviation program has 300 to 500 hours of flight experience, whereas the typical 21-year-old college-educated male has an average of 17,000 hours of video/computer gaming experience by the end of his college career. And those are the students with the hand-eye coordination for the jobs in our industry. Airline pilots who would have retired at 60 are now reaching their “life limit” five years after the rule was enacted, and first officers with regional airlines will need an ATP beginning next year, so demand for qualified pilots is set to increase soon.

Guy Smith explained how students are being educated for and recruited into aviation by a team of 105 different colleges and universities, but he admitted to the group that these graduates are not typically qualified for the careers that are opening up. Worse, the ones who backed up their aviation aspirations with technical degrees, such as in computers or engineering or IT, are more likely to get high-paying jobs in those fields than in aviation–at least for the time being.

Mark Malkosky backed him up about the issues that companies have recruiting talented, ethical and experienced maintenance personnel.

Conoco-Phillips’s Dan Woodard said his company is addressing its need for qualified relief pilots by creating an internship program. To date, the company has brought on one type-rated,

low-time pilot for a test, and took him along as a “cruise pilot” on an aroundthe-world trip. Though he never took off or landed the airplane, he logged a whole lot of Gulfstream G550 time as second-in-command, and that, at his level of experience, is priceless. Woodard hopes that the internship program will become an affordable way for the flight department to “grow” new pilots for the company.

Lonnie Robinson and Cassandra Shelby touched on the benefits and, in this day and age, necessity of reaching out to populations that haven’t typically aspired to aviation careers, pointing out that raising awareness of the opportunities in aviation is key to increasing diversity in the industry. o

Learjet 35/36 Gets Garmin GTN 750 STC Updating older aircraft to “better than new” has become big business, and Butler National Corporation’s (Booth No. 3196) just announced STC for the installation of the Garmin GTN 750 into Learjet 35 and 36 series aircraft should make a few NBAA’12 Convention attendees sit up and listen.

The GTN 750 is a fully integrated GPS/ NavCom/MFD solution with Waas GPS capability. The six-inch tall system’s touchscreen controls and large display give the pilot access to high-resolution terrain mapping, graphical flight planning, geo-referenced charting, traffic display and multiple weather options. The Butler STC includes GPS roll-steering for turnanticipation and waypoint sequencing interfaced to the aircraft’s autopilot.

“The STC for the new Garmin GTN series allows us to tap into a sizeable upgrade market for retrofit of flight management systems,” said Craig Stewart, president and CEO of Butler National Aerospace. “The installation is cost-effective for various Learjet operator requirements,” he continued.

The STC will be offered through Butler National’s avionics facility, Kings Avionics, located at Salt Lake City International Airport in Utah. It is expected to cost less than $100,000. –A.L.

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