THE CITATION LONGITUDE. With its 4,000 nm range, the new Citation Longitude will pull your world together – and pull out all the stops. The Longitude carries you from continent to continent without refueling. New York to Paris with miles to spare. London to Dubai. Beijing to Moscow. It’s a small world, after all. Meet the unparalleled Citation Longitude and find out more at www.citationlongitude.com.
Our Customers are at the center of everything we do. We listen to their needs and respond in ways that not only meet, but exceed expectations. Over the years, that’s led to a relationship that’s, well, more like family. Take Advantage of Our New Customer Care Program The new Customer Care program* exemplifies our commitment to provide outstanding customer service. It includes ongoing access to FlightSafety’s industry-leading Proficiency Protection program, designed to help our Customers maintain their skills even when they’re between jobs. Jet Professionals, the well-respected industry leader in staffing services, provides our Customers with preferred access to job placement support. They can also benefit from interactive online customer service and job interview skills training offered by ServiceElements. In addition, FlightSafety ProCard recipients receive a life insurance policy at no cost. *Conditions apply. Please see our website for details. Book Your Own Training With Online Convenience FlightSafety is introducing a revolutionary new service early next year that will enable our Customers to schedule their training online, confirm their simulator times, manage their training agreements, and enable most to get their training records immediately upon completion of training. Fly the Way You Train; Train the Way You Fly Our new, innovative, highly customized Operational DayFlow training methodology transforms ground school training by presenting critical procedures and tasks according to phase of flight. Available for 17 aircraft programs this year and more to come in the future. Benefit From Our Investments In Your Training Our ongoing investment gives our Customers the widest and most complete range of training services, equipment and locations available. We have, or soon will add, 28 new training programs that offer full flight simulators for current and next generation fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters at locations worldwide.
New Programs in 2012
Coming in 2013
Bombardier Challenger 605 London Farnborough, UK
Embraer Lineage 1000 St. Louis, MO; Paris, FR
AgustaWestland AW139 Lafayette, LA
Eurocopter EC135 London Farnborough, UK
Sikorsky S-76D West Palm Beach, FL
Dassault Falcon 900LX Dallas, TX
Eurocopter EC135 Dallas, TX
Bombardier Global 5000/6000 Columbus, OH
Gulfstream G650 Third simulator, location TBD
Sikorsky S-92 Stavanger, Norway
Dassault Falcon 7X Dallas, TX; Paris, FR
Gulfstream G280 Dallas, TX
Cessna Citation M2 Wichita, KS
HondaJet Greensboro, NC
Embraer Legacy 600 Houston, TX; St. Louis, MO; Paris, FR
Gulfstream G450/G550 Dallas, TX; Hong Kong
Cessna Citation TEN Wichita, KS
Pilatus PC-12 NG Dallas, TX
Embraer Legacy 650 St. Louis, MO
Gulfstream G650 Savannah, GA
Embraer Legacy 500 St. Louis, MO
Sikorsky S-70i West Palm Beach, FL
For information, contact Scott Fera, Senior Vice President, Marketing • 718.565.4774 sales@flightsafety.com
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From the Editor
REVOLUTION not EVOLUTION IT ALL STARTED IN 1947 when some vendors feeling the opportunity started bringing tables and display units to the first annual meeting of the National Business Aviation Association (née Corporation Aircraft Owners Association) held on September 24 of that year. Eighteen Voting Members and one Associate Member were in attendance at the New York s Biltmore Hotel. It would take several years before this meagre meeting grew up into the world s biggest civil aviation exhibition that the NBAA Convention is today. Nowadays over 1,000 exhibitors share space in imposing Convention Centers where more than 1 billion dollars worth of the world s most cuttingedge aluminum business tools on display and thousands of visitors from around come from around the globe arrive to evaluate the wide spectrum of international manufacturing production. Sixty five years of positive evolution and you would think I d be happy! Unfortunately, I regret that for some years now the OEMs have adopted an evolutionary tradition instead of embracing a revolutionary attitude. Of course our aircraft have better engines, new avionics and more bells and whistles than fifty years ago, but with the exception of the addition of an S, an X or even an XM, they are all based on the same conventional designs I ve been seeing show after show. Let s just say that adding winglets does not equate to creating a new plane. What I want to see is real revolutionary projects. Remember when Beechcraft and Gates-Piaggio blew us away in 1983 and opened the way to a new generation of futuristic airplanes at the 37th Annual NBAA Convention in Dallas, Texas? Beech arrived with the Starship that incorporated a number of
distinctive features, including a Canard wing, a swept wing with winglets and two aft-mounted engines. Even if only 11 Starships were sold in the three years following certification, the project gave Hawker Beechcraft a priceless experience in the manufacturing of fiber composite airframes that is still utilized for the production of the Premier and Hawker 4000 business jets. Gates-Piaggio came with the Avanti, a turboprop with engines in pusher configuration developed in collaboration between Piaggio Aero and Learjet. Piaggio continued the development on its own and today the Avanti is a successful program. What are we waiting for before we decide to open the road to a real future? The logical followon to the new ultra-long-range jets is a supersonic jet capable of reducing travel time on longer trips, especially transoceanic flights, in a truly revolutionary way. In 1987 Allen E. Paulson, chairman emeritus of Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, investigated a joint venture with the Sukhoi Design Bureau to build a supersonic business jet (SSBJ), a project he believed must happen as current jets had hit the wall on speed. Today, Aerion Vice Chairman Brian Barents leads the efforts of Aerion Supersonic Business Jet in trying to secure a partner. Once an OEM partner commits to funding and supporting full-scale development of the supersonic business jet, Aerion foresees a six-year development program. Granted, I most likely will not live to see a Business Spaceship, but I am sure looking forward to seeing an SSBJ exhibited at a not too distant NBAA Convention.
If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got. Albert Einstein
Editor and Publisher Fernand M. Francois Senior Editor Marc Grangier Managing Editor Paul Walsh Editor-at-Large Nicholas J. Klenske Senior Writers Liz Moscrop, Jack Carroll Contributors Brian Humphries, Fabio Gamba, Michel R. Grüninger, Capt. Giancarlo Buono, Markus Kohler, Aoife O'Sullivan, Giulia Mauri, LeRoy Cook, Louis Smyth, Derek A. Bloom, Steve Nichols, Eugene Gordon Business Aviation Consultants Walter Scharff, Guy Visele Director Marketing & Advertising Kathy Ann Francois +32 472 333 636 e-mail advertising@bartintl.com Administration and Circulation Carolyn Berteau cberteau@bartintl.com Production Manager Tanguy Francois Photographer: Michel Coryn, Pascal Strube Circulation and Editorial Office: BART International, 20 rue de l'Industrie, BE1400 Nivelles, Europe Phone +326 788 3603 Fax +326 788 3623, e-mail info@bartintl.com BART International Business Aviation Real Tool (USPS #016707), ISSN 0776-7596 Governed by international copyright laws. Free subscription obtainable for qualified individuals. Bank account: Fortis 271-0061004-23. Printed in Belgium. Bimestreil. Bureau de depot B-1380 Lasne. Responsible editor Fernand M. Francois, 38 rue de Braine 7110 La Louviere. Periodicals postage paid at Champlain, N.Y., and additional mailing offices. Address changes should be sent to IMS of N.Y., 100 Walnut St. #3, PO Box 1518, Champlain, N.Y. 12919-1518. For details call IMS at 1 (800) 428 3003
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OCT - NOV - 2012 Volume XXIII - No 5 BART No 141 WWW.BARTINTL.COM
CONTENTS
PREMIER TRANSATLANTIC BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE IN EUROPE
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SUNNY SKIES FOR NBAA NBAA’s 65th annual meeting and convention is quickly shaping up to be a stellar event. This year will put the spotlight on the role Business Aviation plays in ushering in an era of economic recovery. Jack Carroll and Nick Klenske preview the show.
MAINTENANCE MATTERS AND AUTOMATION IN THE COCKPIT Bernard Fitzsimons looks at the challenges of maintenance for fractional operators, resident pilot LeRoy Cook analyzes automation issues in the cockpit and looks at how owner operators can fly safe while conducting successful business.
54 ELECTIONS, LONG RANGE AND EUROPEAN VAT It’s election time in the US –and Business Aviation is supporting both campaigns, Nick Klenske reports. Meanwhile Marc Grangier analyzes some heated competition in the long range arena. Then our legal experts Giulia Mauri and Bart Boury report on changing European VAT regulations for Business Aviation.
81 REPORTS AND PROFILES Paul Walsh reports on a Russian revival and bags of optimism at Jet Expo Moscow. Then we profile Cessna Customer Service who are investing and moving forward with a new service center at Valencia, Spain.
LAUNCH The recently launched Cessna Citation Longitude is the first business jet to be powered by Snecma s new generation Silvercrest engines. OUR COVER The US President knows the advantages of Business Aviation, so why is he so hard on our industry? See our report page 54.
AGENDA NBAA 2012 Oct. 30 Nov. 1 Orlando FL, USA MEBA 2012 December 11-13 Dubai, UAE SCHEDULERS & DISPATCHERS CONFERENCE 2013 January 22-25, San Antonio TX, USA HELI-EXPO 2013 March 4-7 Las-Vegas Nevada, USA
GULFSTREAM G650 RECEIVES TYPE CERTIFICATE
PHENOM 300 ADDED TO MELBOURNE ASSEMBLY LINE With the arrival of the first wing and fuselage in late August, Embraer Executive Jets’ assembly facility in Melbourne Florida has added production of the Phenom 300 light aircraft to the two-shift assembly operation. Full development of the assembly line, including the addition of the Phenom 300, will be completed in the first quarter 2013. “We have added the Phenom 300 to bring production closer to our customers,” said Phil Krull, managing director of the facility. “Customers have been benefiting from the delivery of the entry-level Phenom 100 produced in Melbourne since last year and we are now ready to expand these operations.” Since its recent arrival, the fuselage and wing of the Phenom 300 have been readied for the commencement of assembly. Workers have been preparing all work instructions and tooling and have completed training at Embraer Executive Jets’ production facility in Gavião Peixoto, Brazil. The Melbourne assembly facility has also completed hiring the necessary personnel to accommodate the addition of the Phenom 300. The current complement of assembly personnel now stands at 160. The employee complement for both the assembly and customer centers is now 233.
Gulfstream’s ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range Gulfstream G650 business-jet aircraft received a type certificate today from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The certification verifies the airworthiness of the aircraft’s design. Gulfstream expects to deliver the first fully outfitted G650 business jets to customers before year-end. The company has received more than 200 orders for the aircraft. “The G650 is a superlative aircraft with the most technologically advanced flight deck in business aviation and the largest, most comfortable cabin in its class. In short, the G650 speaks to all that is good about business aviation: safety, security, flexibility, comfort, and capability,
ROCKWELL COLLINS AIRSHOW® MOVING MAP GOES MOBILE Rockwell Collins’ market-leading Airshow® 3D moving map is now available for download in the Apple iTunes® App Store. The iPad® app delivers a unique, interactive way for business jet passengers to view the world around them and stay informed during their journey. With a simple system upgrade from a Rockwell Collins authorized dealer, existing Airshow 4000 or Venue™ HD cabin management system users can take advantage of the new app, which leverages over 30 years of moving map expertise with iPad technology to create a new dynamic experience. Highlights include: • An industry-first panoramic view that allows passengers to see a moving map of the outside world from any direction the iPad is pointed – as if the aircraft were transparent. • Intuitive, touch-enabled interaction with multiple maps and information displays, and the ability to control the Airshow ticker, which scrolls key information related to the flight such as estimated time of arrival.
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this is
not
an aircraft.
it’s my handshake in Shanghai. it’s my deal in Dallas. it’s a hardworking factory back home counting on me to make it happen. We get it:
Your business aircraft is how you stay ahead in an unforgiving world and help your company succeed. We are dedicated to keeping it flying, increasing your aircraft availability and reducing your operating costs. Discover how our comprehensive approach to Business Aviation Services can help you attain a higher level of success. Visit us at www.standardaero.com/we_get_it. AVIONICS | PAINT | ENGINES | AIRFRAME | COMPLETIONS
© Copyright StandardAero 2012. All Rights Reserved.
CITATION JET PILOTS OWNER- PILOT ASSOCIATION WELCOMES JSSI AS PLATINUM PARTNER The Citation Jet Pilots, Owner- Pilots Association (CJP), recently announced that Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI) has become a Platinum partner/sponsor of the CJP 2012 Convention, as well as a year-round corporate supporter. JSSI, along with the Cessna Aircraft Company, will serve as co-host for the convention, support various CJP Regional Events and provide valuable Citation maintenance expertise through its global team of technical advisors. CJP President Ed Turley welcomed JSSI stating, “CJP members own and fly one of the world’s premier aircraft, the Cessna Citation. Safe flight operations and setting high maintenance standards are our primary goals. JSSI will assume an important role in accomplishing these goals by providing valuable support and information regarding Citation maintenance.”
ASSOCIATED AIR CENTER TO REFURBISH BBJ Associated Air Center, StandardAero’s Large Transport Category VIP Completions Center in Dallas, Texas, has signed an agreement for the maintenance and interior refurbishment of a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) for a West African Head of State. The work will take place over the next several months. The customer is a repeat customer of AAC’s, delivering the aircraft new back in 2006. At that time, the aircraft represented AAC’s 14th BBJ completion since 1998, when becoming a BBJ Authorized Completion and Service Center. “The return of the is aircraft to AAC, for this first major work-scope since initially entering into service, was possible due to the reliable interior and interior systems installed by AAC and the support that AAC has provided this customer for the last six years,” said Chris Schechter, Vice President & General Manager, Associated Air Center. “This repeat business confirms customer confidence in our dedicated people, experience and skills to support their elegant interiors and complex systems.”
CESSNA CITATION TEN: THE FASTEST CIVIL AIRCRAFT IN THE WORLD
Cessna’s Citation Ten regains prominence as the fastest civil aircraft in the world with an increase of its maximum speed to Mach .935. Cessna announced the speed record with partner, Chip Ganassi Racing Teams (CGRT) and their owner Chip Ganassi at the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma in Sonoma, Calif.” As our founder Clyde Cessna said, ‘speed is the only reason for flying,’ so at Cessna we design, engineer, manufacture and fly the fastest civil aircraft in the world – not for us, but for our customers so they can work faster, more efficiently and get the job done,” said Scott Ernest, Cessna President and CEO. “Through innovation, creativity and a desire to exceed our customers’ expectations, the Cessna team took the already powerful Citation Ten and made it that much better.”
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The Genetics of Agility. With its optimized aerodynamics and high-lift devices, a Falcon delivers the short-field, multi-hop agility of much smaller aircraft. This should come as no surprise. After all, our Rafale fighter jets land on aircraft carriers. Designed by the same engineers. Defined by the same DNA. Nothing flies like a Falcon.
DNA. It Matters.
DUNCAN AVIATION NAMED GE ASC GE Aviation has named Duncan Aviation as an authorized service center for GE’s CF34-3 engines that power the Bombardier Challenger series. Under this agreement, Duncan Aviation can perform line maintenance and engine maintenance, including front-end and hot-end entry, as well as provide OnPointSM solution agreement and warranty support and facilitate access to both GE parts and technical support.“Duncan Aviation has more than 50 years of experience in the maintenance, repair and overhaul of business aircraft, and we are pleased to welcome the company to GE’s CF34-3 network of authorized service centers,” said Brad Mottier, vice president and general manager of GE Aviation’s Business & General Aviation organization. “In the last few years, GE Aviation has expanded its network of authorized service centers to ensure we can meet the needs of our growing customer base.”
EMBRAER-CAE TRAINING SERVICES LAUNCHES PHENOM TRAINING IN BRAZIL
Embraer-CAE Training Services (ECTS), a joint venture of Embraer and CAE, has launched Phenom aircraft pilot and maintenance technician training in Brazil at CAE’s training centre near Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo. This is the third ECTS training location, including Dallas in the United States, and Burgess Hill, near London, in the United Kingdom, and the fourth Phenom full-flight simulator (FFS). The Phenom FFS is the first advanced technology flight simulator for business aircraft in South America. “This new facility provides our executive jet customers in Brazil with world-class aviation training,” said Edson Carlos Mallaco, Vice President, Customer Support and Services, Embraer Executive Jets. “This latest addition to our Phenom platform training program reinforces Embraer’s commitment to its growing fleet here in Latin America. It also confirms our continuous efforts to provide the best possible customer experience.” “This new Phenom training capability in Sao Paulo reflects our commitment to deliver world-class training services in locations which are easily accessible to our clients’ operating bases,” said Jeff Roberts, CAE Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services. “The Phenom aircraft serves a unique market in Business Aviation, and CAE is pleased to provide in partnership with Embraer a unique training program, tailored to the specific needs of corporate operators and owner-operators.”
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GULFSTREAM SERVICE CENTER IN WESTFIELD, MASS., EXTENDS OPERATING HOURS Gulfstream’s company-owned service center in Westfield, Mass., recently extended its hours of operation. The facility at Barnes Regional Airport now has an overnight shift from 10 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. Gulfstream Westfield, located approximately 97 miles from Boston and 130 miles from the New York metro area, offers a full range of services, including aircrafton-ground (AOG) support, airframe inspections, avionics installations and interior refurbishments. Facility technicians are certified to work on large- and mid-cabin Gulfstream aircraft along with Hawker Beechcraft, Dassault Falcon and Bombardier Challenger business jets. The new shift’s eight technicians are available to perform maintenance at Westfield’s facility or be dispatched for AOG situations within a four-hour drive. Westfield’s extended hours will ensure that our customers receive the best support possible while traveling in the Northeast U.S., the busiest corridor in the world for Gulfstream aircraft,” said Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream Product Support. “Our Westfield staff is certified to work on nearly 500 aircraft based within approximately 150 miles of the facility, including more than 200 Gulfstream jets. Adding to the demand for service is a significant amount of transient Gulfstream and non-Gulfstream traffic.”
BLACKHAWK UNVEILS NEW CESSNA 208 CARAVAN XP42A UPGRADE PACKAGE Blackhawk Modifications is in the final stages of completing its flight testing to earn a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for Cessna 208 Caravan utility aircraft operators worldwide to install the same XP42A Upgrade Package that has increased the flight capabilities of the Cessna 208B Caravan since June 2011.According to Blackhawk President and CEO Jim Allmon, two Caravan customers already have completed contracts for the new upgrade package. Beginning at NBAA, Blackhawk will be accepting pre-certification orders and offering a limited number of special pricing packages. Visitors may discuss the XP42A Upgrade Package and other Blackhawk programs at the company exhibit, Booth No. 4112, Hall SB, at the Orange County Convention Center, Oct. 30 - Nov. 1. The FAA is expected to approve the new STC during the fourth quarter of 2012. In addition, approvals from international certification agencies are under way. "The remarkable success of our XP42A Upgrade Package has prompted Blackhawk to invest in the marketplace and again expand our products and services," Allmon said.
AIRCELL SELECTED BY NETJETS FOR IN-FLIGHT INTERNET EXPANSION
LONDON OXFORD AIRPORT ENHANCES MRO SUPPORT CAPABILITIES
Already operating Business Aviation’s largest fleet of connected aircraft, NetJets is adding Aircell’s Gogo Biz Service to nearly 100 additional aircraft in its fleet. In 2010, NetJets made history when it elected to offer inflight Internet service aboard more than 250 aircraft – representing what Aircell believes to be Business Aviation’s largest-ever in-flight connectivity order. The announcement for 100 additional systems will expand NetJets’ connected fleet by approximately 40%. With the service, NetJets passengers and flight crews can enjoy high-speed Internet capabilities above 10,000 feet in the continental U.S. and portions of Alaska, using their own Wi-Fi enabled laptops, tablets, smartphones, electronic flight bags and other mobile devices. “For both business and pleasure, our Owners value the ability to stay connected while they travel,” said Chuck Suma, NetJets’ Senior Vice President, Aircraft Management. “Connectivity is an integral part of our Owner experience, and the decision to expand was driven by the needs of Owners of our fractional share and card products.” London Oxford Airport-based aircraft management and engineering company Hangar8 plc, has further enhanced its third party support capabilities at its Oxford, UK, MRO facility, covering a broader range of bizjet types. Within less than a year of acquiring EASA 145 approval, the company now provides CAMO – Part M support and line support for all Hawker types including the 4000, the Beechjet/Hawker 400, the Dassault Falcon 2000, Citationjet (525) family and the Embraer Phenom 100. Recently added accreditations were for the Bombardier 601, 604 and 605 models, with Global 5000, 6000 and Falcon 50EX expected shortly. The company also plans to add Learjet 45/31A approvals and expand into support for Boeing and Airbus ACJ families by the middle of the fourth quarter, having already secured CAMO approval for the Embraer 170/190 (Lineage) and Citation Excel (560). Hangar8 now employs a team of 22 staff involved with the new MRO operation.
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GE Aviation Business & General Aviation
The power to go where you want to go Introducing the GE Passport™ Integrated Propulsion System The GE Passport is the world’s first integrated propulsion system (engine, nacelle and thrust reverser) specifically designed for ultra-long range, large-cabin business jets. Incorporating advanced technologies, the GE Passport offers longer range from reduced fuel consumption, fewer emissions and enhanced cabin comfort created from reduced noise and vibrations.* With the GE Passport, you have the power to fly powerfully, more quietly and efficiently – anywhere you want to go. To learn more, visit GE at Booth 3900. geaviation.com/bga
*Compared to current ultra-long range business jet propulsion systems.
LUFTHANSA TECHNIK COMPLETES PRIVATE BOEING 747-8 Lufthansa Technik AG has begun work on the customized completion of a VIP version of the latest-generation jumbo jet, the Boeing 747-8 VIP. The aircraft belonging to an undisclosed customer landed in Hamburg on 30 August and the engineers now begin with the installation of a cabin interior that incorporates the ultimate in interior design. This makes Lufthansa Technik the first company in the world to fit out for a private customer what is currently the longest commercial aircraft The contract was signed back in 2011 and in the intervening period Lufthansa Technik has been preparing for this first completion with intensive engineering planning, qualification programs, assembly of all the production resour-ces and implementation of the necessary modifications in the aircraft hangar. The aircraft is expected to be delivered in the summer of 2014.
COMLUX AMERICA REVEALS NEW VIP COMPLETION CENTER Comlux The Aviation Group is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the new completion hangar of Comlux America. With its new facilities located on the Indianapolis International Airport airfield, Comlux America has established itself as one of the most modern completion centers Instituted solely for the cabin outfitting of Airbus Corporate Jets and Boeing Business Jets. With a total size of 129,000 sq ft/ 12000 sq.m, the new hangar facility, fully integrated with all supporting back shops, can accommodate up to 4 narrow body aircraft at the same time. This modern facility is fully equipped to outfit the most luxurious, state-of-the-art aircraft interiors and carries EASA, FAA, Bermuda, GACA (Saudi Arabia) and Aruban Part 145 Repair Stations to readily support a worldwide clientele.
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GAINJET SETS ITS SIGHTS ON THE EUROPEAN BUSINESS AWARDS Online voting has now begun for the next round of The European Business Awards (EBAs), Europe’s most prestigious business awards, and GainJet Aviation is set to represent the Business aviation industry as one of the only executive jet operators nominated. GainJet had been elected as a National Finalist for this year’s EBAs, after progressing in the first round of the awards in May 2012, despite tough competition. GainJet operates a wide selection of executive aircraft available for private charter based throughout Europe and the Middle-East, ranging from corporate airliners like their VIP Boeing 757 and VIP Boeing 737s to long range, large cabin business jets like their Gulfstream G550, G450, and Bombardier Global Express XRS.
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CESSNA OPENS STATE-OFTHE-ART CITATION SERVICE CENTER IN VALENCIA, SPAIN Cessna Aircraft Company, is celebrating the grand opening of its new regional Citation Service Center in Valencia, Spain. The 100,400-square foot (9,328-square meter), state-of-the-art facility is located at Valencia Airport (ICAO: LEVC) in eastern Spain, convenient for Citation customers across Western Europe and North Africa. The Center offers a onestop shop for comprehensive repair, completion, fulfillment, maintenance and customization services. Cessna now operates three factoryowned Citation Service Centers in Europe, with Valencia complementing facilities in Paris, France, and Prague, Czech Republic. Joe Hepburn, Cessna’s senior vice president, Customer Service, says: “Cessna has long provided extensive customer support to our European customers, but the rapid growth of the region’s Citation fleet to more than 1,000 aircraft prompted us to step up our support network. The new Citation Service Center at Valencia has been developed in close cooperation with our customers and is a showcase for Cessna’s latest service standards and innovations.” The Valencia Service Center comprises 62,400 square feet (5,800 square meters) of hangar space and 38,000 square feet (3,500 square meters) of office space and well-appointed crew facilities. The facility will provide around-the-clock customer support services as well as scheduled maintenance, with capabilities including hydraulic and battery services, parts support and avionics modifications.
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EMBRAER OPENS TWO NEW CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN PORTUGAL Embraer has opened two new Portugal-based Centers of Excellence in the city of Évora, Embraer Metálicas and Embraer Compósitos. The two facilities will manufacture complex airframe structures and components in their specific areas of expertise: metallic materials and composites materials. Embraer Metálicas represents an investment of 100 million Euro and Embraer Compósitos represents an investment of 77 million Euro. The inauguration ceremony, which took place at Embraer Compósitos, was attended by the President of the Portuguese Republic, Prof. Aníbal Cavaco Silva and other members of the Portuguese government. Representatives from the government of Brazil and from the European Commission, who supported the projects through Portugal’s QREN framework program, were also present at the event, as well as several Embraer executives and all Embraer Evora employees.
UNIVERSAL AVIATION UK CELEBRATES COMPLETE REFURBISHMENT OF FBO Universal Aviation UK, located at London Stansted Airport (EGSS) has officially inaugurated its completely renovated, 10,712 square foot FBO. The refurbishment includes all-new crew and passenger lounges, a state-of-the-art business center and video conferencing facility, two client meeting rooms, private screening facilities, and ultra-modern showers and changing rooms. “Unlike other European cities, operators traveling to London have many airport options, and while our customers were always delighted with the quality of our services at Universal Aviation Stansted, we felt it was important to upgrade our facilities to meet the changing profile of our customers, many of whom make quick short-haul flights to the London area and require more amenities for both crew and passengers,” said Jonathan Howells, Regional Vice President, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. “Having an enhanced facility at London Stansted is fundamental to meeting the needs of our customers in the region and globally, as it is not only home to our ground-support business, but also to our 24/7 European Operations Centre, which offers trip facilitation within Europe and globally.”
RIZON JET CONTINUES TO GROW MAINTENANCE BUSINESS IN DOHA AND LONDON
GAMA ENGINEERING CELEBRATES 1ST ANNIVERSARY WITH MAJOR ACHIEVEMENT
The civil aviation authorities for Aruba and UAE have accepted Rizon Jet Doha as an approved aircraft maintenance organisation, further extending the Qatari-based Business Aviation company’s international capabilities. Rizon Jet Chief Executive Officer Captain Hassan Al-Mousawi said: “This adds to our global suite of approvals at our MRO bases in Doha and London Biggin Hill and demonstrates our commitment to providing our clients with comprehensive service and support offerings.” Approvals at both bases currently include EASA Part 145, Qatar CAA Part 145, Aruba Part 145, Bermuda Part 145, and Cayman Part 145. In Doha, this also includes UAE Part 145, with Saudi Arabia Part 145 pending. Earlier this year, Rizon Jet UK added the Lear Jet 45 to its base maintenance capability and over the summer completed several inputs, including its first 2,400 hr A/B/C/D maintenance inspection.
Gama Group, the global Business Aviation service provider, announced the completion of the 50th EASA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) by Gama Engineering Ltd. Gama Engineering Ltd, a Gama Group company, held a special flyin event for existing and prospective customers at its Fairoaks Airport, UK base on Saturday, 15 September, to celebrate the first anniversary of the coming together of Lees Avionics Ltd and the engineering teams from Mann Aviation Group (Engineering) Ltd. Their combining at Fairoaks has created one of the most experienced and respected fixed wing, helicopter and avionics specialists in Europe. Gama Engineering announces it recently completed its 50th EASA STC – a significant milestone for the design office. The work entailed design and certification of a Garmin G600 EFIS system into a BN Islander aircraft used by the Belgian Coastguard. Gama carried out the design work on behalf of ASP Avionics from Belgium, one of many mainland-Europe customers taking advantage of Gama’s proven design and certification experience.
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Meet the team who understands the needs of business travelers. At Jet Aviation, we make your trip to Zurich easy. With in-house immigration facilities, valet parking and transportation assistance, our experienced FBO staff makes your passage in and out of the airport a pleasant one for passengers and crews. Just 15 minutes from the heart of Zurich, our FBO is a convenient entry point for those attending the many international events held in Switzerland. Our Zurich team delivers the best in local service; our global network assists you everywhere else. Personalized to Perfection.
PIPER DELIVERS 500TH SINGLE ENGINE TURBOPROP MERIDIAN Piper Aircraft Inc. recently rolled out the landmark 500th pressurized single-engine turboprop M-Class Meridian to SouthEast Piper for delivery to the aircraft’s new Florida-based owner. “The milestone delivery of the 500th Piper Meridian, since first delivery in the year 2000, emphasizes its 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 “Mac” 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 SouthEast Piper team is proud to be selling and delivering the 500th Piper Meridian and in Piper’s 75th and Flightline’s 30th anniversary year.”
API BLENDED WINGLETS CERTIFIED FOR FALCON 50 SERIES
BLUE GREEN TECHNOLOGY DEVELOP VIGIPLANE SECURITY SYSTEM
Aviation Partners, Inc. (API)has announced that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Supplemental Type Certificate approval for its High Mach Blended Winglets on the Falcon 50 series aircraft. European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval is expected to follow shortly. Certification of the Winglets represents the culmination of an 18-month development program and exhaustive flight testing, and comes on the heels of similar certifications for the Falcon 2000 series in April 2009 and Falcon 900 series in September 2011. “Issuance of this STC means our High Mach Blended Winglets are now available for all aircraft in the Falcon 50, 900 and 2000 families,” said Gary Dunn, API Vice President of Sales & Marketing, “The Winglet-equipped Falcon 50 displayed at EBACE in May, and used for certification flight tests, will return to service shortly; and the addition of Winglets to the first customer Falcon 50EX is already underway at one of our authorized installation facilities.” Blue Green Technology has developed and patented the Vigiplane security system for aircraft on ground. Ensuring a recurring demand for protection and monitoring of the aircraft, the device benefits from state-of-the-art detection, visualization, wireless and satellite telecommunication. Aside from the obvious threat of terrorism, they are also subject to vandalism, fuel theft, collisions with unidentified traffic movements on airfield, etc. Installed and started in less than two minutes on any type of aircraft and completely self-sufficient, the system records pictures and videos and broadcasts them as encrypted alerts to a remote tele-monitoring server. Pilots and security staff are thereby automatically warned via email of any suspicious activity.
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GULFSTREAM G550 RECEIVES TYPE CERTIFICATE FROM SOUTH AFRICAN CAA
NBAA WELCOMES PASSAGE OF SENATE BILL PROHIBITING COMPLIANCE WITH EU-ETS
Gulfstream Aerospace has received a Type Certificate for the large-cabin, ultra-long-range G550 from the South African Civil Aviation Authority. The approval allows operators to register their business jet in South Africa.“Gulfstream’s presence in Africa has grown dramatically, particularly in South Africa which accounts for 24 percent of the entire Gulfstream fleet in Africa,” said Scott Neal, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Gulfstream. “Having this certification is important to our growing customer base because it streamlines the registration process for our South African operators.” In addition to South Africa, nearly 30 other countries and regions have certified the G550, including Argentina, Aruba, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Barbados, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, China, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, India, Israel, Korea, Kuwait, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Monaco, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Russia, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and Uganda. The aircraft has also received Type Certificate Validation from the European Safety Agency, which means it can be registered in any European Union country.
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has applauded final passage of Senate legislation prohibiting operators of U.S. aircraft from participating in a European scheme to regulate aviation emissions.The Senate approved the bill, S.1956, the “European Union Emissions Trading Scheme Prohibition Act,” which directs the transportation secretary to prevent all U.S. aircraft operators from taking part in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS). Similar legislation was passed by the U.S. House earlier this year, and the two bills must now be reconciled into a single measure for a final vote from both chambers. NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen specifically pointed to the leadership of Senators John Thune (R-SD), Claire McCaskill (D-MO) and others for supporting the bill. “NBAA thanks Senators Thune, McCaskill and others on both sides of the aisle who supported this legislation,” Bolen said. Bolen has repeatedly pointed out the industry’s concerns about the scheme, and has supported both the House and Senate versions of the legislation opposing the plan. In June, Bolen testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, calling the scheme “fatally flawed,” adding that, “as badly as the airlines are treated, general aviation is treated even worse” under the EU-ETS.
Jet Aviation Geneva Enjoy our local hospitality; experience our global FBO network
Jet Aviation Geneva Tel. +41 58 158 1111 | AOG 24/ 7 +41 58 158 4848 jgva@jetaviation.ch | www.jetaviation.com /geneva
Visit our global FBO locations: Boston/Bedford
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Meet the team who understands the needs of business travelers. As a gateway to Switzerland and France, Geneva is one of the busiest business aviation airports in Europe – also due to the fact that the city is home of international headquarters for several global companies, the United Nations, the Red Cross and other international organizations. Our attentive and caring FBO staff makes it easy for you to travel in and out of the airport with quick and easy arrival and departure. Our Geneva team delivers the best in local service; our global network assists you everywhere else. Personalized to Perfection.
JET BROKERS EUROPE ENJOYS GROWING DEMAND The last few weeks have seen JetBrokers Europe enjoying their busiest ever sale period with a total of four deal completions in as many weeks. A further 2 completions are expected within days and one more sale will close in October. The summer transactions include Citation Sovereign 680-216 which was delivered to a US buyer, King Air 350 FL-0477 also headed to the US, whilst a TBM700B stayed in the UK. Completing the sale line up was Premier 1 RB048 which has relocated to Thailand. With this level of sales activity it has been necessary to maintain some focus on gaining new listings and a 2009 Citation Sovereign sn 680-276 and a 1998 Falcon 50EX sn 0268 have already been secured. A number of other aircraft are currently in the pipeline but the team are keen to hear from aircraft owners who are looking for support. Having sold two Citation Sovereigns within the last year, 0268 is the third such aircraft listed by JetBrokers Europe, reflecting the level of expertise that they have with this sector. One of the key differentiators for JetBrokers Europe is the support of JetBrokers Inc, their US based partner. Together the two companies share a sales inventory of around 40 aircraft at any one time and are able to offer a truly global contact network. “It’s this global network that enables us to achieve results for our clients, usually considerably quicker than the average sales period for similar aircraft. It’s a shame to see so many sales heading out of Europe but sadly that’s the state of the market today. Our structure and our marketing process enables us to exploit what potential exists in what continues to be a challenging market,” commented Managing Director, Tim Barber.
CESSNA ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH AIRSPRINT FOR THE PURCHASE OF NINE CITATION BUSINESS JETS Cessna Aircraft Company in conjunction with Innotech-Execaire, Cessna’s authorized sales representative in Canada, today announced an agreement with AirSprint Private Aviation, based in Calgary, Alberta, for a minimum of nine Citation CJ2+ aircraft. At a current retail price of $6.695 million per unit, this agreement represents a total retail value of approximately $60.255 million. The addition of the CJ2+ is positioned to support AirSprint’s focus on boutique customer service and regional private air travel. “The CJ2+ is a the right blend of efficiency, performance, comfort and reliability to fulfill AirSprint’s mission of providing a flying experience for their clients that is exceptionally safe and convenient for both work and leisure,” said John Young, Cessna vice president of regional sales. “Of all the business jets purchased by the fractional/charter industry, nearly half are Cessna aircraft.” AirSprint is the largest fractional provider in Canada and has been in operation since 1999. They will use their CJ2+ aircraft to grow their fractional services in North America.
BOMBARDIER SECURES ORDERS FOR FIVE GLOBAL BUSINESS JETS Bombardier Aerospace announced today that it has received orders for a total of five Global business jets from an undisclosed customer. The firm orders consist of four Global 6000 aircraft and one Global 8000 aircraft. The customer has requested to remain unidentified at this time. The transaction is valued at approximately $300 million US based on the 2012 list price for typically equipped aircraft. “There is strong momentum for our entire Global aircraft product line”, said Steve Ridolfi, President, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “This order reinforces, once again, the leadership of our products in terms of range, cabin volume and comfort, as well as stateof-the-art technology,” he added.
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HAWKER BEECHCRAFT OPENS NEW MEXICO SERVICE CENTER
ASSOCIATED AIR CENTER AWARDED BOEING 747 FULL AIRCRAFT COMPLETION CONTRACT
Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support (GCS) has opened its newest company-owned factory service center at the Aeropuerto Internacional del Norte (MMAN) in Monterrey, Mexico. “Expanded capabilities and additional service locations are essential to supporting the current Hawker and Beechcraft fleet, as well as the delivery trends we are forecasting in Mexico and Central America,” said Christi Tannahill, Hawker Beechcraft senior vice president, Global Customer Support. “Our Monterrey facility offers the first dedicated paint facility in Mexico for general aviation and is a great option for owners looking to update and refurbish their aircraft. With this newest location, HBS hangar space now surpasses 600,000 square feet (55,750 square meters) worldwide.” In addition to offering maintenance, repair and modification of airframes, powerplants and avionics systems, the new HBS facility, which is certified by the DGAC (Dirección General de Aeronáutica Civil), also provides interior modification services and exterior paint capabilities. The state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly paint shop provides services ranging from minor paint repair to complete re-paint options. Customers have the ability to choose from custom designs or the latest factory paint designs.
Associated Air Center (AAC), StandardAero’s Large Transport Category VIP Completions Center in Dallas, Texas, has signed a contract for the VVIP interior completion of a wide body aircraft for a Middle-Eastern country. Today’s announcement represents the first Boeing 747-8i series completion for AAC and marks its sixth wide-body completion project. To date, Associated Air Center has also successfully performed 81 narrow-body/single aisle aircraft completions. “The announcement is a major win for the AAC team,” said Chris Schechter, Vice President & General Manager, Associated Air Center. “It offers an excellent, long-term work scope and demonstrates that we are in the wide body business to stay, and in a big way, with two large interior completion projects in our hangars.” Jack Lawless, StandardAero’s Chief Operating Officer and President of Associated Air Center also commented on the team’s victory adding that the occasion, “demonstrates AAC’s credibility within the industry to effectively manage and execute the large and complex interior modification, as well as underscores AAC strong and long-standing cooperative partnership with Boeing.”
Jet Aviation Dubai Enjoy our local hospitality; experience our global FBO network
Jet Aviation Dubai Tel. +971 4 207 3411 | AOG 24/7 +41 58 158 4848 pah@jetaviation.ae | www.jetaviation.com/dubai
Visit our global FBO locations: Boston/Bedford
London Biggin Hill
Dallas
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Dubai
Riyadh
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Meet the team who understands the needs of business travelers. Our award-winning FBO team has a can-do attitude and provides efficient, friendly service for which we are consistently rated the number one FBO in the Middle East and Africa. Enjoy the comfort of our VIP customer and pilot lounges, conference and prayer rooms, as well as our in-house immigration and customs clearance services. And take advantage of our limousine and car services or our cleaning crew ready to ensure your aircraft is spotless prior to departure. Our Dubai team delivers the best in local service, our global network serves you everywhere else. Personalized to Perfection.
PEOPLE Luke Chiang has joined BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaul (ERO) as Regional Sales Manager. Chiang will be responsible for sales of Business and General Aviation (B&GA) engine services throughout Asia Pacific and for non-B&GA markets such as Government/Business services for the Southern Asia Pacific region.
Luke Chiang “Luke has a dynamic background in engineering, sales, and marketing,” commented Michael Stubington, BBA Aviation ERO Territorial Director for Asia Pacific. “He brings a unique combination of skills to the position and a deep knowledge of the region.” Chiang joins ERO after a sixyear career with Jet Aviation Singapore where he started as a sales manager and advanced to his most recent position of Director of Regional Sales. Prior to this, Chiang spent seven years with Singapore Technologies Aerospace as an avionics engineer with a broad scope of responsibilities. Also Grant Boast has been appointed Regional Sales Manager for BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaul (ERO) and will provide sales
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coverage for Sub-Saharan Africa where he has worked as a Field Service Engineer with ERO for the past three years. FlightSafety International has announced that David Davenport will join the company’s senior management team at its corporate offices in New York. David was recently promoted to Vice President. He previously served as Manager of FlightSafety’s Savannah Learning Center and Regional Operations Manager. “We look forward to having David join us in New York,” said Bruce Whitman, President & CEO. “His experience, insight, and leadership abilities will contribute to our ongoing efforts to enhance the training products and services we provide, deliver the highest level of Customer service, and help to ensure the continued effective and efficient management of the company.” FlightSafety International has also announced that Chip White has been appointed Manager of its Gulfstream Learning Center in Savannah, Georgia. David Davenport, who served as Manager of the Center since 2005, was recently promoted to Vice President and will be relocating to FlightSafety’s corporate offices in New York. And it has promoted Daniel MacLellan to Regional Operations Manager. He will continue to serve as Manager of FlightSafety’s Dallas/Fort Worth Learning Center. “We congratulate Dan on his well-deserved promotion,” said Greg McGowan, Senior Vice President, Operations. “He is a valuable and highly regarded member of our management team. With Dan’s assistance and leadership, the FlightSafety Centers he oversees will continue to go above and beyond to ensure our Customers receive
outstanding service and the highest quality training available.” Peter Gatz, Chairman of the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) has announced the appointment of Mr. Kurt Edwards as the Council’s new Director General. IBAC is the International NonGovernment Organization (INGO) that represents the interests of Business Aviation operators from around the world. IBAC’s Members consist of national and regional associations from their respective areas, and together they work as a Council to coordinate global policies and positions for the Business Aviation community and to represent the community in rule making and policy making forums. IBAC’s principal office is located in Montreal, Canada, in the headquarters building of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).Mr. Gatz advises that “Mr. Edwards brings to the organization substantial experience in international aviation issues. Previous to coming to IBAC, Mr. Edwards served in high-level capacities with the International Affairs and Environment Offices of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He also led FAA outreach efforts while based in Brussels and Paris, as well as at ICAO on environmental matters. We welcome Mr. Edwards to the Business Aviation family.” Million Air Interlink has appointed Mrs. Dolores Johnson as director of sales and marketing. As a key member of the management team, Johnson will be responsible for collaborating with current and future customers while working with the individual FBOs to support growth and business development.
U n i v e r s a l A v i o n i c s has appointed J o h n B u l l i s as Regional Sales Manager of Northern Europe. Mr. Bullis is based out of London, U.K. and responsible for the overall growth and development of Universal Avionics’ product sales in the Northern European region. Mr. Bullis began his career with Universal Avionics in 1998 in the position of Avionics Technician, later moving into his most recent position as Field Service Engineer. Prior to joining Universal, his passion for aviation drew Mr. Bullis to join the Royal Air Force at the age of sixteen. After ten years of service, Mr. Bullis resigned from the Royal Air Force and moved into civil aviation, relocating to the United States to gain more experience and further his career in the field. Mr. Bullis has over 30 years of experience in the industry.
John Bullis “Mr. Bullis’ broad experience as well as his technical knowledge of the product line will benefit Universal as we expand sales coverage in support of our growing clientele in Europe,” said Mr. Clare.
DASSAULT FALCON AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER TO OPEN IN MOSCOW IN 2013
RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS BRINGS NEW LEVEL OF SERVICE TO CIS AND EUROPE
Dassault Falcon and Avia Group are working together on an agreement to establish an Authorized Service Center (ASC) at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in 2013. The ASC would enable Dassault Falcon to significantly expand its maintenance footprint in Moscow, a major hub for Russian-based and transient executive aircraft. It would also provide a solid presence at the city’s largest airport, which is projected to experience rapid growth in the coming years. Falcon jets in Moscow are currently serviced by Dassault Falcon’s Satellite Service Center at Vnukovo Airport, which handles most of the city’s business jet traffic. This satellite service station has been in operation for seven years and will shortly move into a new facility at the Vnukovo-3 executive aviation terminal. Initially, the 3 million Euro (U.S. $4 million) Sheremetyevo facility, projected to open in 2013, would serve Falcon 7X and Falcon 900 EASy Series aircraft. It would be capable of line maintenance services up to A check, along with troubleshooting and AOG services. In 2014, Falcon 2000 EASy Series (EX/DX/LX) models are expected to be incorporated. Ultimately, the installation would offer a full line of maintenance services up to C check.
Russian Helicopters, part of state defense holding Oboronprom and a leading global designer and manufacturer helicopters, is offering customers in the CIS and Europe an advanced after-sales service system built on integrated logistical support throughout the helicopter life cycle. After-sales support is offered through a single center, Helicopter Service Company, a Russian Helicopters company. Russian Helicopters plans to expand the range of services it offers in repairing, upgrading and modifying helicopters and helicopter components. Maintenance and after-sales service of Russian-made helicopters will be easier and more efficient thanks to the broad-based introduction of IT into customer service. Helicopter operators or authorized service companies will be able to order spare parts over the Internet. The introduction of electronic documentation for various helicopter models will also make life easier for operators of Russian-built helicopters. The CIS and Europe are not the only regions where Russian Helicopters is diversifying its service support. At the recent Africa Aerospace and Defense exhibition in South Africa, Russian Helicopters signed a Teaming Agreement with Denel Aviation to create a servicing hub for Russian-made military and commercial helicopters in Sub-Saharan Africa (similar centers are already operational in the EU, CIS, Asia and South America).
Jet Aviation Singapore Enjoy our local hospitality; experience our global FBO network
Jet Aviation Singapore Tel: +65 9118 8365 | AOG 24/7 +41 58 158 4848 jsin.pah@jetaviation.com.sg | www.jetaviation.com/singapore
Visit our global FBO locations: Boston/Bedford
London Biggin Hill
Dallas
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Houston
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N Vis B i N AA t us o. b a 37 oo t 97 th
Meet the team who understands the needs of business travelers. Located at Singapore’s dedicated Seletar business aviation airport, we facilitate your safe, easy and relaxed entry to this dynamic and dazzling city-state in South East Asia, including arrivals at the nearby Changi International airport. Our highly qualified, multilingual FBO staff provides premier handling services to ensure that your arrival goes smoothly. We personally cater to your every need, while the aircraft is professionally maintained and cleaned. Our Singapore team delivers the best in local service; our global network assists you everywhere else. Personalized to Perfection.
GAMA SEES STABILITY IN SHIPMENTS AND BILLINGS REPORT The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) has released the results of the first six months of general aviation industry shipments and billings. Airplane shipments increased 5.9 percent in the first six months of 2012 compared to 2011 while the accompanying value of the airplane deliveries rose 13.2 percent. “We are starting to see positive signs in the 2012 shipment data,” said GAMA’s president and CEO, Pete Bunce. “When coupled with the positive trend we are seeing in the used market, we may finally be witnessing the start of our recovery. However, significant impediments remain in our member companies’ ability to bring new, innovative and safety enhancing products to our customers. While we have seen positive steps by FAA’s leadership to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the certification process, much work remains to be done to take full advantage of the opportunities offered by improving and emerging markets.” Business jet deliveries increased 13.1 percent to 294 airplanes in the first half of 2012 compared to the same period last year. Turboprop airplane deliveries also improved to 243 units from the 2011 shipment level of 220 units. The piston engine airplane segment was basically flat at 381 deliveries or a 1.6 percent decline compared to the first six months of 2011.
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BIZJET RECOVERY DEPENDS ON U.S. SAYS ANALYST It’s been tough going for the general avia-
tion industry, with worldwide business jet deliveries plunging to half their 2008 peak. “It could have been worse if it weren’t for a few pockets of strength in some developing parts of the world”, notes industry analyst and advisor Brian Foley. “But by now those ‘mercy sales’ have largely run their course, so the industry must once again rely on its 28 - BART: OCT - NOV - 2012
traditional primary market, the United States, as the mainstay of its recovery. Fortunately for both jet makers and their supply chains, that seems to be exactly what’s happening — right on cue.” Industry observers will remember that much of the initial business jet delivery falloff was laid to the abrupt and nearly complete cessation of sales in economically battered North America (representing some 50% of worldwide sales) and Europe (representing 25%). “So the two largest markets became partners in pain, shadows of their former selves for almost four years now as buyers postpone purchases amidst economic uncertainty.” Foley notes that other markets, most notably China, provided some relief during this difficult period. “The country was flush with cash and desirous of the industry’s biggest, most expensive offerings. It was a conveniently timedmini-rescue, a nice shot in the arm at a critical moment, but now it’s starting to slow down. Chinese GDP is almost halved from 2010 and its stock market is at its lowest in three and a half years. Jet manufacturers have now shifted from sales mode to order preservation.” Latin America and the Middle East also helped take up the slack for North America and Europe, but not in sufficient volume. Accordingly, some jet makers have had to reduce their workforces; in the worst case, by roughly half. At a time like this, asks Foley, wouldn’t it be great for some white knight to come along and prevent the industry from sliding further backwards? Now the greater North American market seems neatly poised to save the day. As evidence, AMSTAT reports North American new business jet deliveries in the first half of 2012 rose 20% over the same period last year. An even bigger surprise is the apparent resurgence of sales in economically-torn Western Europe which surged 34% in the same time frame, albeit from a smaller unit base. Some of this upsurge, Foley says, comes from pent-up demand that’s been building since 2008. “It’s finally starting to manifest itself as real buyer action as confidence improves, just in time to reinforce the recovery and keep it from faltering.”
LATIN AMERICAN PROMISE And with the European general aviation markets essentially stagnant and the Asian markets evidently running out of steam, hopeful eyes turn toward Latin America. “We believe this region will continue to play a key role in sustaining what has been a very troubled industry, hopefully until the US market regains its strength,” says Foley. Comparing recent trends in non-US markets, Foley points out that traditionally strong markets in Europe and the Middle East have seen consistent yearly decreases in their business jet fleets while those in South and Central America have steadily gained. According to JetNet, that region’s fleet has grown by 10% in the last year (almost 200 units), bringing its total fleet size up to 2100. Whatmade up this increase? Interestingly, it was the smallest and the largest jets that gained the most. The under-10,000-pound models like Cessna’sMustang and Embraer’s Phenom 100 increased their numbers by 20%. And the over-35,000-pound jets, including the larger Falcons, Gulfstreams, Bombardiers and converted airliners, almostmatched this with 17% growth. Historically, light and medium jets have dominated the Latin American market and currently comprise three-quarters of the region’s business jet fleet. However, they recorded much slower growth last year; actually under 10%. “This is in line with what we’ve been hearing from manufacturers,” Foley said. “New-aircraft sales in these classes seem tepid everywhere. It’s a classic case of muddle in the middle, with all the action happening here at the top and bottom ends.” Aircraft imported into Latin America represent a healthy mix of new and pre-owned, Foley said. As for regional market shifts, his field sources see Brazil moderating somewhat while Mexico is coming back following elections. “This is a strong professional community with a lot of savvy buyers. If buying pre-owned, they have the foresight to act when prices are low.”
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EUROPEAN UPDATE
IT S OFFICIAL: BUSINESS AVIATION IS AIDING EUROPE S RECOVERY
EASA PROPOSES NEW RULES ON FLIGHT CREW FATIGUE
Oxford Economics, one of Europe’s foremost global forecasting and research consultancies, has just released a report that provides a wealth of statistical analysis and case studies, demonstrating how business aviation delivers substantial benefits to not only its clients, but also to local governments and communities. Commissioned by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the study outlines the significance of Business Aviation in Europe and quantifies how the sector’s activities directly and indirectly contribute to European economies. The report confirms the fact that business aircraft primarily carry key corporate decision-makers on high value-added trips. Moreover, Oxford Economics has deduced that each additional passenger flown on a Business Aviation flight generates the same GDP as nine business passengers on a scheduled flight. Contrary to popular belief, business aircraft are not solely reserved for wealthy individuals for private use. Instead, as one major aircraft operator estimated, 80% of these aircraft are used by corporations, including a quarter of the firms in the Eurostoxx-50 (the Eurozone’s 50 leading companies), and 20% of those in the DAX (the German equivalent). Europe’s economic recovery is very much dependent on the region’s ability to remain competitive in the global marketplace and stimulate investment. “It has been shown that two-thirds of executives declare face-to-face contact to be crucial in deal-making. Business aviation facilitates such meetings like no other form of transport, thanks to the flexibility of its service,” says Brian Humphries, EBAA President. “If you consider Oxford’s finding that 98% of city pairs served by Business Aviation in 2011 had no scheduled connection, it is little wonder that business aircraft passengers place a value on business aviation flights that is between eight to fifteen times higher than those made on scheduled airlines.” The Oxford Economic Study also underlines the importance of Business Aviation to the local economy. It finds, for example, at Farnborough Airport in the UK, direct on-site employment is estimated at around 1,000, but an additional 4,000 jobs in the local area are part of the airport’s wider supply chain. Elsewhere NetJets’ recent order for new planes will help sustain 5,000 jobs in Belfast into the medium term. Business Aviation’s contribution to physical investment in the local economy is also noted. For example, looking ahead, Paris-Le Bourget airport expects to spend around EUR 70m in the coming decade upgrading its facilities. “What this study clearly points out is that Business Aviation is playing a key role in facilitating Europe’s recovery,” says Fabio Gamba, EBAA CEO. “This importance should be recognized in policy formulation, with legislators developing regulations and mechanisms that bolster Business Aviation activity in order to further stimulate the growth of our region, rather than ignore it as it was evidenced with the European Commission’s proposed recast on slot allocation, or penalize it as the Italian government has done by introducing a double tax on owners and passengers, resulting in dismal traffic figures in the country.”
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has published its proposal to amend the current EU rules on flight and duty time limitations and rest requirements (FTL) for commercial air transport. Released in a final proposal known as an Opinion, the proposed rules contain more than 30 safety improvements compared to current requirements and introduce new limitations to the way crews can be scheduled. The Opinion takes full account of the fact that fatigue is one of the main factors affecting human performance and makes no provision for increased pilot flight hours. On the contrary, allowed duty periods at night are reduced, rest for flights with time zone crossings is significantly increased, and new rules are introduced for limiting crew standby. These FTL rules are the final step in a fully transparent rulemaking process, with unprecedented scientific input and public consultation. More than 50 scientific studies were analyzed, while all concerned stakeholder groups including flight and cabin crew organizations, airlines, and Member State representatives were consulted throughout the process. Commenting on the release of the Opinion, EASA’s Executive Director, Patrick Goudou, said: “These harmonized flight crew duty time rules are based on scientific evidence, risk assessment and best practice. With this Opinion, EASA proves once again its commitment to make no compromise with the safety of air passengers in Europe and throughout the world.” The Opinion will now enter the legislative process. It will be finalized by the European Commission and must be approved by Member States, with Parliamentary scrutiny. The new rules are expected to be adopted into EU law after mid-2013 and fully implemented by the end of 2015.
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CEO s CORNER
A CHALLENGING AUTUMN AWAITS BUSINESS AVIATION
By Fabio Gamba
ways of coordinated airports. In Europe, there are just over 100 Level3 fully coordinated airports (around 75% of the coordinated airports in the world). By 2020, that number might well exceed 200. The current proposal, still in its draft form, aims at ringfencing these airports for the sole use of large commercial carriers. The European Parliament, which is currently reviewing the proposal, will probably submit its own version by November this year. The Cypriot presidency has made it clear it is keen to seal a deal under the co-decision procedure by then. Amendments from
THERE ARE ONLY RARE defining moments in one’s life, but we think there is one coming this autumn for Business Aviation, although we’ll let you be the judge. The “Better Airport” package campaign is reaching a climax. In particular, the revision of the old Regulation 95/93 on slot allocation is in the homestretch. At stake is no less than the continued access by non-scheduled carriers to the congested run-
both Member States and the European Parliament will have considerably altered the initial proposal, although it remains to be seen whether the final form will be more Business Aviation sector-friendly than the initial proposal. Rest assured, however, that the EBAA has met, discussed, explained, and hopefully convinced, MEPs and Transport Attachés of the necessity to inject some degree of flexibility, not only for the benefit of
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our industry, but also for the dispersed regions of Europe which will be seriously disadvantaged by the EC recommendations as drafted. If you have not made representations along similar lines to your National Authority, it is not too late! Turning next to the Environment, as elaborated on in a previous article, the world is holding its breath a propos the implementation of the EU ETS. Strict application of the law would mean all airlines having to pay for their 2012 emissions by April 2013. At the current market price for carbon credits, European airlines would have to pay around $250m, whilst Business Aviation alone would have to disburse around $ 4m. This is far from being insignificant, all the more so when considering the fragile state of both world economies and the aviation industry. But it could get much worse if the measure was boycotted by non-EU countries, as measures of retaliation and/or unfair distortions of competition would further dent European operators’ bottom lines. To avoid such a disaster, the aviation industry is banking on a sudden volte-face from the Commission in recognition of the progress being made by ICAO in the development of international Market-Based Measures (MBMs). However this can hold water only if 1) the coalition of the unwilling remains intact, 2) tangible progress is seen to be made at ICAO, and 3) the industry can convince the Commission that abandoning, or postponing its initial plans are not signs of defeat. Here again, EBAA and its partners within IBAC are doing their utmost to deliver a good result for our sector, at least with respect to number 2 and 3. EASA will kick off its long-awaited Rulemaking Task on Flight Time Limitations (FTL) for the Business Aviation sector in the coming weeks. This is good news considering the amount of work the EBAA has put into
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S U T AA 09 SI B 3 VI N # AT oth Bo
the matter. It took around three years, a detailed position paper and a study covering an unheard of number of pilots (more than 700) to eventually convince EASA that Business Aviation warranted its own FTL rules. So the announcement of RMT.0429 earlier this year was taken with a certain relief by the industry. But the story doesn’t end here, on the contrary. Firstly, Business Aviation will need to ensure that it is represented in a satisfactory way at the forthcoming working groups. Secondly, the sector will need to monitor the progress of the group to ensure its output properly reflects the needs of the industry, both in safety and economic terms. Recognition of our specific modus operandi is fine, but it must lead to tangible and practical outcomes. And thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, this public recognition should pave the way for a much wider one, equivalent to the status General Aviation was granted a few months ago. Imagine an OPS rule tailormade to the needs of Business Aviation! We are still far from it, but RMT.0429 should be considered as a first step in that direction. Just four years after an eye-opening study was published by PricewaterhouseCoopers on the Business Aviation sector and its vital importance in Europe, EBAA and one of our leading operator members have commissioned another study about the enabling role of the sector and its impact on local, national and the wider European economies. Oxford Economics published in midSeptember “The Role of Business Aviation in the European Economy”, a 30-page analysis describing the reasons why around 2.1m business (wo)men decide each year to use business aircraft to facilitate the conduct of business. A few findings are, frankly, mind-blowing, and the study has been widely distributed in Brussels and amongst the EU27. The challenge now for EBAA will be how best to take advantage of the political momentum the study has created because, of course, the study is not an end per se. However, if used appropriately, it can help us put in perspective and connect the dots of seemingly unrelated dossiers, including the above-mentioned ones. Moreover, there are many more which could indirectly benefit from the publication of this study. As the late President R. Reagan would say, what matters is whether we are better off now than we were before publication. EBAA is convinced that as an industry we can be, provided we can transpose the general findings of the study into specific conclusions and actions, adapting them as needed to the issues in contention. Indeed, there are many important open items that deserve more and careful attention from the decision-makers. Take the Italian tax for example; or security; or State aids at regional airports; or DG TRADE’s investigation into the EU-U.S. air transport agreement… The list is endless, yet all could have a potential impact on our future ability to do business. But sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, and these other items will provide themes for another column in this editorial. For the time being, your Association is mustering its strength around these four vital topics so as to ensure a positive outcome for our sector. The result won’t take long and we shall soon know if we have been successful. This is indeed, a defining moment!
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PREVIEW
OPTIMISM
NBAA President and CEO, Ed Bolen (left) and GAMA President and CEO, Pete Bunce (right) fighting for growth
NBAA 2012
GOING FOR GROWTH By Jack Carroll
SH
-s-s-s-s. Don’t you dare utter that word “turnaround” lest we be jinxed. Better to whisper it privately and cross your fingers or knock on wood. But in reality there are stronger signs and encouraging hints that the industry is stabilizing if not gaining momentum. As various soothsayers are wont to say, “We told you so.” Now it is a bit soon to go off making definitive statements, but nonetheless there may be good reasons. The best example is the second quarter business aircraft delivery results as reported by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). Overall, general aviation shipments increased by 5.9 percent in the first six months of 2012, compared to 2011. The total billings increased by a respectable 13.2 percent. “Increased” is indeed a nice word to hear, finally. Business jet deliveries increased by 13.1 percent to 294 aircraft in the first half, compared to the same period last
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PREVIEW
BOOST
NBAA expect a boosted attendance at this year s Meeting and Convention.
year. Turboprop deliveries rose by 10.5 percent , while piston engine airplanes remained flat, posting a minus 1.6 percent delivery count. That might be expected at this time, since a large number of piston-powered aircraft are owner flown, who may simply be holding on to their prides and joy longer than normal. You can be sure it’s a matter of money, for the most part. Here’s some other positive numbers: Total aircraft shipments in 2011 amounted to 867, as opposed to 918 deliveries in the first half of 2012. Are we seeing a trend here or an aberration? Total billings increased by $1 billion, from $7.2 billion in 2011 to $8.2 billion in the same period this year. The large cabin, long range jets accounted for much of the billing, such as Bombardier’s Global 5000/6000, Challenger 300/60; Dassault Falcon’s 900LX/2000LX/7X; and Gulfstream’s 350/450/500/550. (Deliveries of the Gulfstream G650, at about $65 million a copy, are scheduled to start before year end, should add significantly to the revenue stream.) And what does GAMA’s president and CEO, Pete Bunce, think of all this? “We are starting to see positive signs in the 2012 shipment data. When coupled with the positive trend we see in the used aircraft market, we may finally be witnessing the start of the industry’s recovery.” However, Bunce still sees problems with the FAA certification process. “While we have seen positive steps by the FAA’s leaders to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the certification process, much work remains to be done to take full advantage of the many opportunities offered by improving and emerging markets.” In other words, let’s speed up the certification process people, so aircraft OEMs can get their products to market faster and make some more sales. That’s what it’s all about, no? (By the way, as defined by GAMA, a shipment occurs when a general aviation airplane is shipped from its production facility to a customer located anywhere in the world. This includes deliveries to a fractional operator owned by the aircraft OEM, such as Bombardier’s Flexjet program, or an aircraft dealer.)
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NBAA 2012
The View From The NBAA The National Business Aviation Association, headed to their 2012 Convention, October 30 through November, recently announced that it has reached a membership milestone of 9,000 members. I would say that’s a vote of confidence for NBAA and its always impressive representation and dogged defense of anything happening to affect general/business avation. An excellent reminder is the NBAA’s revived “No Plane, No Gain” advertising/promotion program featuring Warren Buffett (No need to explain who he is.) which succinctly tells the
readers why businesses fly on business aircraft: To grow more efficiently. Another positive indicator is the consistently large attendances posted each year at the NBAA Conventon. Says Dan Hubbard, NBAA’s Senior VP, Communciatons, “Traditionally we don’t provide specific forecasts, but looking at how things are coming together at this point, we believe the attendance at this year’s show will be as large or larger than 2011’s count.”
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PREVIEW
NBAA 2012
A SUNSHINE STATE OF MIND By Nick Klenske
Looking back at the NBAA preview articles from the past five years, it seems a common theme runs through them all: it s a tough time for Business Aviation . As we approach the 65th edition and the show returns to sunny Orlando, BART takes a look at the brighter side of the sector which will be well on display October 30th November 1st.
T GLOWING
Commentators say this year s show will mark the beginning of a brighter period for Business Aviation.
he National Business Aviation Association’s 65th annual meeting and convention is quickly shaping up to be a stellar show and is set to put the spotlight on the important role the sector plays in ushering in an era of economic recovery. Being an election year, expect the focus to be on many of the themes being pushed by the candidates: economic growth, job creation and supporting small businesses. And judging by what the
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NBAA is saying, Business Aviation is the best candidate we have! For instance, the industry supports highly skilled, well-paying jobs for engineers and manufacturing line workers who design and build aircraft in places like Savannah, Wichita, and Little Rock and for hundreds of component manufacturers such as GE, Honeywell and Pratt and Whitney that supply them with parts, including many small businesses. According to the NBAA, Business Aviation is an important national industry that contributes greatly to the local economy and to local tax bases, while also contributing extensively to aircraft produced by foreign companies like Dassault, Embraer, and Bombardier. If the sector was to be a talking head on a political talk show, its sound bites would include: Business Aviation means more than 1.2 million manufacturing and service jobs in the United States. It is part of a general aviation industry that contributes more than $150 billion to our economy each year and contributes positively to our nation’s balance of trade.
Business Aviation is an economic lifeline for thousands of communities. There are more than 5,000 public use airports in the United States, and fewer than 500 have a commercial airline server, making Business Aviation vital. Business Aviation serves communities with declining airline service. In 2008, over 100 communities in the United States lost some or all scheduled airline service. Business Aviation helps businesses of all sizes be efficient and productive. Business Aviation helps respond to emergencies and provide humanitarian relief. Needless to say, one cannot ignore the backdrop to this talk: the ongoing recession and the severe hit the sector has taken as a result of it. For example, in the US the industry has seen 12,155 people laid off, with thousands of more among suppliers and several companies declare bankruptcy and/or ceasing production altogether… But we said we were going to focus on the bright spots – which brings us to the OEMs.
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PREVIEW
NBAA 2012
TEST
Embrear Legacy 500 (top) is completing its pre-flight testing program. The first metal has been cut for the Legacy 450. Embraer
DEAL
Hawker Beechcraft Chairman, Bill Boisture says that the agreement with Superior Aviation will save jobs and production.
Expect the Brazilians to arrive in Orlando with a focus on the midsize – an area that Embraer expects to grow as the economy moves into recovery mode. In 2011 the company threw its hat into the quasi-midsize ring with the introduction of what, at first glance, appeared to be two versions of the same thing. Both the Legacy 450 and 500 share the same fly-by-wire mechanics, the same wings, the same empennage and the same cabin cross-section. The difference is the 500’s fuselage is six feet longer than the 450, making it the long-distance jet of the pair. The company recently passed a major milestone in the 450 program when the first part was milled for the business jet, ushering in the beginning of fabrication. “Even as we have been making progress on the Legacy 500, we have been anticipating this event for the Legacy 450,” said Ernest Edwards, President, Embraer Executive Jets. “The first metal cut for the Legacy 450 is a landmark event for the program and is the latest step in bringing this, the second of our revolutionary jets, to reality.” On the 500 side, prototype production advances with Serial Number 001 continues the completion of its pre-flight testing program having completed taxi tests and ground vibration tests, as well as the fuel system tests. The aircraft is on track for first flight in 2012.
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Hawker Beechcraft There are a lot of questions surrounding Hawker Beechcraft (HBC) after it first filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and then entered into an exclusivity agreement with Chinese company Superior Aviation Beijing Co. Ltd. As of press time the company was allegedly “closing in on a purchase agreement for its civil aviation business” with Superior. In one interview, company chairman Bill Boisture is cited as expecting the purchase agreement “in the next few days”, acknowledging that other bidders could still emerge as part of the court-ordered public auction that will take place as part of the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. It is well-known that HBC has been working with Superior on a potential $1.79 billion sale of both its business
PREVIEW
NBAA 2012 “The G280 will lead its category in every significant aspect of performance and comfort,” said Larry Flynn, president, Gulfstream. “It offers the largest cabin, flies farther and uses less runway.”
RANGE
Flying farther than any traditional business jet the G650 is set to become Gulfstream s flagship says President, Larry Flynn (center).
and general aviation operations. Of course what is not known is what will happen post-sale. The only information available is a previously announced exclusivity agreement between HBC and Superior, stating that Superior intends to maintain Hawker Beechcraft’s existing operations while also investing substantial capital in the company and its business and general aviation product line, saving thousands of American jobs, including in Wichita and Little Rock. According to Boisture: “The decision to move forward with Superior was based on two key factors: the bid for the company was the most attractive we received during the strategic review process and the going-forward plan offered the most continuity for our business, allowing us to preserve jobs, product lines and our ability to maintain our commitments to our customers. Superior is committed to maintaining Hawker Beechcraft’s strong presence in the United States and retaining its current employee base and experienced management team, while positioning the company for future growth at home and abroad.”
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Gulfstream Gulfstream will be talking numbers: 280 and 650 to be exact. Originally launched as the G250, Gulfstream renamed its super-midsize jet the G280 due to cultural sensitivities surrounding the number 250 in Asia. The main focus of this G200 upgrade is to create more cabin space – and to do this, Gulfstream moved the fuel to the wings, creating more usable cabin space, plus in-flight access to the baggage compartment.
Launched at the same time, the G650 is the G280’s ultra-large-cabin, high-speed cousin. This aircraft will become the company’s flagship jet and, according to Flynn, “flies farther than any traditional business aircraft and envelops its privileged passengers in a level of comfort far greater than any other aircraft in its class.” That’s quite a statement, but the jet backs it with the ability to carry eight passengers and crew non-stop from Dubai to New York or London to Buenos Aires. And the cabin design oozes customization – allowing customers to choose from 12 floor plans and outfitting the interior with state-ofthe art design and technology. The last couple of months have been big for both jets, as certifications begin to roll in. The G280 aircraft earned type certificates from both the FAA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI). The certificates verify the airworthiness of the aircraft’s design and are among the final steps required before Gulfstream delivers the first fully outfitted G280 to a customer. The G280 is a joint effort between Gulfstream and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). “Gulfstream is excited to bring this aircraft to its customers, especially since we’re able to provide a plane that does more than we originally announced,” said Flynn. “The G280 has a range of 3,600 nautical miles (6,667 km) at Mach 0.80. This increase of 200 nm (370 km) over our original projections results in increased fuel efficiency and lower operating costs for our customers. It’s the only mid-sized aircraft that can reliably fly nonstop between London and New York. Additionally, our customers will find that the newly designed G280 has a great deal in common with large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft in terms of safety, reliability, handling, styling and cabin management. The G280 is an all-around fantastic plane.”
NEWCOMER
The Falcon 2000S offers very large safety margins, flying so smoothly that many pilots will want to operate it manually. Likewise, the G650 also received FAA certification. At the same time the company announced it expects to deliver the first fully outfitted G650 business jets to customers before year-end. The company has received more than 200 orders for the aircraft. “The G650 is a superlative aircraft with the most technologically advanced flight deck in Business Aviation and the largest, most comfortable cabin in its class. In short, the G650 speaks to all that is good about Business Aviation: safety, security, flexibility, comfort, and capability,” said Flynn. “We designed the G650 with significant input from our Advanced Technology Customer Advisory Team, and we’re extremely proud of what our entire organization has accomplished with this aircraft.” Dassault Expect the news coming from Dassault to be focusing on several inthe-works programs. The new Falcon 2000S is set to be certified by the end of 2012, and EASy II will be certified for the Falcon 7X, Falcon 2000LX and Falcon 2000S in the last quarter of 2012. More so, the Falcon Data broadcast offer, a very advanced maintenance solution, will be introduced in the coming weeks. All this being said, despite program development moving full-speed ahead, do not expect an announcement on the Falcon SMS this year. “All of our future aircraft share the same DNA: efficiency, flexibility, robustness and quality,” says Vadim Feldzer, Falcon Communications. “For example, the SMS will feature such advanced new technologies as the Digital Flight Control system.”
On the 2000S side, we expect some news at NBAA as Dassault has been rather quiet lately. The last we heard was in the spring, when Dassault announced that the Falcon had completed its first year of flight testing. The first part of the test campaign included numerous maneuvers to demonstrate handling qualities, including stability, stalls, pitch, roll rates and failure mode tests, as well as takeoff with engine failure. Future portions of the campaign will evaluate VMCG (minimum control speed on ground) and VMU (take off at minimum speed), as well as air inlet distortion around the engines and maximum crosswind demonstration. The Falcon 2000S will also undergo trials to allow it to be certified for steep approaches such as London City Airport. “The Falcon 2000S flies so smoothly that many pilots will want to operate it manually,” said Jean-Louis Dumas, Dassault Flight test pilot. “We’ve found that the aircraft handles well in all aspects of the flight envelop while offering very large safety margins.”
in the world’ with an increase of its maximum speed to Mach .935. “As our founder Clyde Cessna said, ‘speed is the only reason for flying,’ so at Cessna we design, engineer, manufacture and fly the fastest civil aircraft in the world – not for us, but for our customers so they can work faster, more efficiently and get the job done,” said Scott Ernest, Cessna President and CEO. “Through innovation, cre-
Scott Ernst Cessna As of late, Cessna has been all about new product launches. At NBAA 2010, Cessna announced a major change to its midsize Citation X – introducing it as the Citation Ten. Unlike its predecessor, the Ten comes equipped with winglets, more efficient engines, the glass-panel Garmin G5000 avionics suite, a state-of-the art cabin management system and a chic-looking interior. The new jet is set to enter service in 2014 and has a price tag of around $21.495 million. Most recently, the jet regained its prominence as the ‘fastest civil aircraft
ativity and a desire to exceed our customers’ expectations, the Cessna team took the already powerful Citation Ten and made it that much better.” Building on the Citation Ten’s momentum, last fall Cessna made waves with the announcement of two all-new ‘game changing’ aircraft. The Citation Latitude is its new mid-size business jet set to be positioned between the Citation XLS+ and Citation Sovereign. The aircraft is priced at $14.9 million, and first flight is expected mid-year 2014, with certification and entry into service in 2015. BART: OCT - NOV - 2012 - 43
PREVIEW
NBAA 2012
ADVANCES
The Grand Caravan EX (left) offers increased horsepower. Bombardier s Learjet 85 (right) is the first business jet with a primarily composite frame.
PLEASED
Bombardier Business Aircraft President, Steve Ridolfi has plenty to smile about as the Bombardier Global family continues to grow.
The M2 is the company’s new light business jet, filling the gap between the Citation Mustang and the Citation CJ family. First flight of the new Citation M2 will be in the first half of 2012, with certification expected in the first half of 2013, followed by deliveries beginning in the second half of 2013. Not to let the turboprop be forgotten, just this last summer Cessna announced yet another new project: the Cessna Grand Caravan EX. The Grand Caravan EX offers increased horsepower, which improves the aircraft’s performance in current mission profiles and allows for missions to extend into regions of the world with higher altitudes and higher temperatures. Powered by the new Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-140 engine, the available power in the Grand Caravan EX has increased almost 25 percent, from 675 HP to 867 HP. This improvement boosts the aircraft’s performance, including a 350 foot reduction in takeoff roll, a 20 percent improvement in the rate of climb, and a 10-12 knot cruise speed improvement on average. “We listened carefully to our customers when designing the EX, and we think they will be pleased with the outcome,” said Lannie O’Bannion, Cessna business leader for the Caravan. “The Grand Caravan EX will climb faster, and have the power and capacity to take on missions in parts of the world with higher elevations and higher temperatures while still delivering on utility. It’s what the Caravan has always been about, and the new enhancements make the Grand Caravan EX an indispensable tool for customers who operate in diverse areas of the world.”
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Bombardier With three new jets in the pipeline, expect Bombardier to arrive in Orlando with lots of updates. As for the Learjet 85, we can expect to hear about more progress this year, as the program moves towards entry into service in 2013. This aircraft will be the first business jet to
feature a primarily composite airframe. The carbon fiber fuselage and wing structure provide an ultrasmooth surface that minimizes drag and improves aerodynamic performance, and the composite airframe also means less maintenance as it’s less vulnerable to corrosion and fatigue than metal.
On the Global side, the Global 8000 will feature unparalleled range, connecting Toluca-Cape Town, São PauloPerth, Los Angeles-Sydney and MiamiDelhi non-stop. The Global 7000, on the other hand, will connect such city pairs such as New York-Mumbai, London-Singapore and BeijingWashington. “Efficiency and environmental impact were crucial factors in the development of the Global 7000 and Global 8000 jets,” notes Annie Cossette, Senior Advisor and Spokesperson, PR and Communications, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “Both aircraft will offer fuel efficiency 14-18% lower than the current large category leader.”
In terms of new news, we’ll put our money on some purchase announcements, building from a significant order taken last July when the company announced it has received firm orders for a total of eight Global business aircraft from an undisclosed customer. The orders consist of three Global 6000 and five Global 8000 jets.
HondaJet The HondaJet is a prime example of what research and development means for Business Aviation. An outcome of a research initiative that began in 1986, the HondaJet looks set for certification in the second half of 2012 – with deliveries beginning in mid-2013. What makes the HondaJet stand out is its
The transaction is valued at approximately $507 million US based on the 2012 list price for typically equipped aircraft. “Bombardier’s Global aircraft portfolio is unique to our industry. Together, the Global aircraft family offers range, cabin volume and Vision Flight Deck commonality that is unmatched by any competitive product,” said Steve Ridolfi, President, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “Sales momentum for the Global product line is strong and we are experiencing tremendous success with the new Global 7000 and Global 8000 jets.”
unique design, which features dragreducing pylons set over the wing. As a result, the aircraft benefits from more cabin volume and more baggage space – along with a quieter ride. Pilatus Despite the predominant focus on jets, Pilatus stands firm in its confidence in the continued viability of the turboprop. “The key differentiator is that the PC-12 is very economical, it offers a big, flexible cabin and it can fly into destinations that are inaccessible to jets,” says Ignaz Gretener, Vice President, Business Unit General Aviation.
This belief in the turboprop does not, however, preclude Pilatus from continuing to eye the jet market. “Yes, we have a jet program and it’s called the PC-24,” says Gretener. “At this point, all I can say is that it is going to be a very exciting airplane.” But it’s not only Pilatus that believes in its aircraft. In the 2012 Corporate Aircraft Product Support Survey of business aircraft operators, conducted annually by Professional Pilot magazine, Pilatus earned the top ranking in the turboprop division for the 11th year in a row. In the very same week, readers of Aviation International News magazine gave top honors to Pilatus in their annual Product Support Survey, Newer Turboprops category. “It really is an honor for our global service team to win this award for the 11th consecutive year,” said Piotr “Pete” Wolak, Vice President of Customer Service for Pilatus Business Aircraft. “We know that the company’s overall success can only be assured if we take care of our customers after
the sale. We have a great group of dedicated people who are eager to get up every day and work extremely hard to solve customers’ problems.” Rewriting the Headlines So, despite the static of the ongoing recession surrounding yet another edition of NBAA, Business Aviation looks set to rewrite the headlines – demonstrating how our sector is set to use a little innovation and a lot of stamina to navigate any economic storm safely. See you in Orlando.
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R&D
The Honda Jet (top) is a prime example of research and development. The popularity of Pilatus PC-12 (center) continues to grow.
BART: OCT - NOV - 2012 - 45
PREVIEW
NBAA 2012
By Jack Carroll
First they build the absolutely, positively best engine. Then make it better. Then raise the bar even higher, and better themselves again. And just when we think they re reached their limit, they do to them a simple sounding trick, tweak and, Eureka! More performance. Less fuel. Lighter weight. And green as a shamrock on St. Patrick s Day.
W
GREEN
Engine manufacturers are looking at all engine components to reduce engine size, weight, emissions and fuel burn.
hat more could an aircraft OEM or its customers want? Answer: There’s no end to what customers want and no end to what the aircraft OEMs will design. As we all know, through thick and thin and cuts to the bone, R& D is the last thing they’ll cut. And the same holds true for the engine makers. So keep raising that bar. Improve. Innovate. Engineer. Create. Compete. And do it all again. We say, more power to them! Starting out at GE Aviation whose Business and General Aviation organization was formed in 2008 and continues to grow at a steady pace, according to Sean O’Day, GE Aviation’s Marketing Manager for Business and General Aviation. “Since 2008 we’ve made great strides in growing our footprint in this important market segment and we look forward to continuing our expansion and contribution to business and general aviation.” That said, what can NBAA visitors expect to see from GE? Deborah Case, GE Media Relations, reveals that, “We’re showcasing our H80 turboprop at NBAA, which is made at our facility in the Czech Republic and was certified by EASA last December and by the FAA earlier this year. That engine will be one of our shining stars at our NBAA display.” According to Case, in addition to the H80, GE has launched two derivatives announced in July, the H75 and H85, now in development. The H80 was selected to power the Thrush 510, an agricultural aircraft, aka “crop duster.” It will also re-engine the LET 410 (Aircraft Industries) turboprop twin to replace its M601 and Techno Avio, a Russian company, has also selected the
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ENGINE MAKERS GOING GREEN IN ORLANDO H80 for its new twin turboprop commuter now in development. GE’s latest business jet engine, dubbed the “Passport” will not be on display as its development process has certainly accelerated since the design was frozen last April and management has obviously decided to keep the momentum going. Says Case, “We’re now making final design adjustments and preparing to build the first engine which should begin testing in the first quarter next year.” Most notably, GE’s 16,500 lbs thrust Passport won the competition to power Bombardier’s ultralong range Global 7000 and 8000 models. Not to be overlooked, Case points out that the new GE-Honda HF120 turbofan, the result of a joint venture of GE and Honda, will be on display at the GEHonda Aero Engines booth, #3906. Designed by GE and Honda, it will of course power the distinctively designed, engine-over-wing HondaJet and has proven to be an outstanding performer during the light jet’s flight testing program, which is on schedule to certification. The two engines for the HondaJet have a combined thrust of 4,100 lbs. But they’re not only for the Honda Jet. GE-Honda Aero’s outside sales prospects would include any OEM looking for a dependable, fuel efficient and “green” engine–in the 1,000 to 3,500 lbs thrust category— to power its
light or entry-level aircraft would be advised to take a close look at the HF120. As Case remarks, “There is a great deal of interest out there, but no commitments yet.” After all, it’s a new engine and one would expect a certain amount of “wait and see.” But I would think it a safe bets that the commitments and contracts will come; sooner than later most likely. Oh yes, will GE making any announcements at NBAA? Says Case, cagily, “We don‘t know yet but we just may be announcing a new product or service at the show.” Turboprop or jet? “Could be either; we’ve had a lot of interest in the derivative turboprops we announced in July.” You can find out at GE Aviation’s booth # 3900. Moving quickly to Honeywell, Mike Rowley, Honeywell’s Vice President, Business & General Aviation Sales, notes, regarding the company’s focus at NBAA, “One of the things we do at NBAA is to try and influence end-user customers who have airplanes already. We either add additional functionality by replacing a unit or upgrading a unit on the aircraft. It’s what we call the “Aftermarket Repairs, Modifications and Upgrades” part of Honeywell. On the OEM side, we’re at NBAA to support their programs. For example, they might bring an operator by our booth to get some answers to questions
or just go over details. The third piece of our presence at NBAA is to highlight our services. For example, our Maintenance Service Plan is a mainstay of our engine business, so our booth staff can handle customers in that area.” If one were to sum up the key competitive advantage of tubofan engines made by Pratt & Whitney Canada would be: With engines ranging from 900 lbs to 16,000 lbs thrust, it has the widest range of choices for any business aircraft OEM. That figure includes the latest additions to the families, which are the PurePower™ PW 800 series, in the 9,000 to 16,000 lbs thrust range, intended for both business and commercial aircraft use, and the PurePower PW1000G series selected for Bombardier’s C Series aircraft. It may also be seen on executive VIP versions of the Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) series; the ACJ 318, 319 or 320, in the future. The rest of the PWC engine families would seem to have a near monopoly in the midsize to entry-level market and that might be an apt description of its current status. First we have the PWC 300, that covers the 4,500 to 7,500 lbs thrust range, powering Bombardier’s Learjet 60 and forthcoming Learjet 85, the Citation Sovereign, the Falcon 2000 DX, Falcon 7X trijet and the Gulfstream G200. Over 2,700 have been produced and logged nearly 7 million flight hours. The PWC 500 family covers the 2,700 to 4,500 lbs thrust range, which includes members of the Cessna Citation family; the Bravo, Excel, XLS+, Ultra Encore and Encore+, as well as Embraer’s Phenom 300. Seven models of the PWC 500 series have been produced, resulting in a total of 2,500 air-
craft, accumulating some 6 million flight hours. The PWC 600 series takes the thrust range all the way down to 900 lbs from 3,000 lbs. Primarily engines in this series power entry-level aircraft, including the Citation Mustang, Eclipse 500 and Embraer’s Phenom 100. Eclipse Aerospace, which bought the assets of the original Eclipse Aviation, has recently started production on the Eclipse 550 and chose the PWC610-A , at 900 lbs thrust, to power the new aircraft, feeling the engine had been demonstrated to satisfaction on the original fleet of 261 Eclipse 500s, which are currently in operation. And here we must mention the fabled PT6 series, now some 48 years young, first powered the KingAir C90 and since then has produced over 85 models and 43,000 of the “good old reliable” engines, which have accumulated a rather remarkable 325 million flight hours. The power ranges from 540 to 1940 shaft horsepower; the latter engine—a little giant—weighing in at a svelte 460 lbs. It shows now sign of slowing down, as they say, “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.” But airplanes have a habit of sometimes breaking and should this happen, it’s good to know hat P&WC have a formidable Global Support System of over 30 company owned and authorized Service Centers, 100 Field Support Representatives worldwide, and a 24/7 “Customer First” center. And what might they be displaying in their NBAA booth? The foremost PWC engine family members that can fit in. And they just might give updates on the PW600 and 1000 Series and anything else that comes to mind. See for your-
self at Booth #3160. And do give the venerable PT6 a little “well done” pat of affection and appreciation. Even if you don’t operate one. It’s simply a great example of the engine maker’s art. Gulfstream and Rolls-Royce Engines have bonded tightly over the last 50 years and during that half century Rolls-Royce has been Gulfstream’s exclusive engine supplier for its large-cabin long-range business jet family. Which has to say volumes about Rolls-Royce’s traditional quality, dependability, fuel economy and, of course, an increased emphasis on built-in “green” characteristics. The company’s base business aircraft engines are part of the Tay 611, which have also found their way into the regional/short-haul commercial market. According to company data, the Tay fleet has logged over 30 million flight hours, with nearly 2,000 Tays in operation worldwide. In fact, according to a spokesman, the Tay model had the most reliable entry into service of any aircraft engine. As to Gulfstream, the Tay 611-8C, rated at 13,850 lbs, powers the Gulstream G350 and G450. It features an advanced wide-chord fan with a service-proven core and a new digital electronic engine control system that allows it the engine to be integrated in the systems architecture of the G350 and G450 as well as reducing fuel consumption compared to earlier versions of the engine. In 2011, the Tay 611-8C engine received CAEP6 certification. Its predecessor, the Tay 611-8, powered over 450 Gulfstream IV business jets, which long production run earned it the title of the world’s most successful large-cabin business jet.
SHOW
PurePower series Pratt and Whitney Canada (left). Honeywell (right) will use NBAA to influence end user customers.
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Best-in-class Snecma Silvercrest (left) will power the Citation Longitude. Rolls Royce Tay fleet has logged 30 million flight hours (right) .
BR710 variants, with thrust ranging from 14,750 to 15,500 lbs, power the Gulfstream G500 and 550, as well as Bombardier’s XRS Global Express, which was renamed the Global 6000, and Global 5000. As one would expect the more powerful BR725 was selected to power Gulfstream’s new flagship, which is scheduled to enter service by year end 2012. Just routine, true, but still a coup for Rolls-Royce engines. In the Super-Midsize business jet category, the forthcoming Citation Ten is powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce AE3007-C1 engines, each with 6,764 lbs of thrust. (It will be interesting to see which Rolls-Royce powered aircraft, the G650 or Citation Ten, emerges victorious in the race to win the title “World’s Fastest Business Jet.”) In the large-cabin category, a pair of Rolls-Royce AW3007-A1E engines @ 8,100 lbs thrust each, power the Embraer 600, while AE3007-A2 engines @ 9,020 lbs thrust each push the Legacy 650 along at just under 500 ktas. As for the large-cabin Gulfstreams, we’re talking here about Rolls-Royce territory, which they’re determined to protect for the next 50 years at least. Expect the company to announce certain product improvements—perhaps “upgrades” would be a better term, as it can be rather difficult to improve a Rolls-Royce engine, one would think. Oh, what the heck, go ahead and announce a new engine! You can learn lots more about how Rolls-Royce is keeping “on a roll” at Booth #320. Introduced back in 2006, Snecma’s first engine specifically designed for large, long-range business jets had a couple of problems from the start: Satisfied business aircraft OEMs—their
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customers likewise—and a wide range of engines on the market occupying the same slots Snecma was targeting, along with new engines in development to meet future large-cabin, long-range aircraft needs. It would be a tough slog and uphill all the way. And you can be sure that few at Snecma realized it would be quite the rough road it turned out to be. But with the backing of its deep pocketed parent, the Safran Group, with 2011 sales of $15.186 billion USD, Snecma could well afford to be patient while, investing well over $100 million USD in development. The people at Snecma also had a great deal of confidence in the Silvercrest, having delivered nearly 24 million engines, including the hugely successful CFM56 commercial jet series, in production for over 40 years and still counting. (The CFM56 series engines are produced and marketed by CFM International, a 50/50 joint venture between Snecma and GE.) Along the way, the Silvercrest’s core engine demonstrator was tested to the limit—up to the temperature red line— for nearly 100 hours and then dismantled for inspection and test data analysis on the combustion chamber, compressor and high-pressure turbine. The results were impressive beyond expectations: A fuel burn reduction greater than the 15 percent originally projected over in-service engines with similar thrust ranges to those of the Silvercrest’s 9,500 to 12,000 lbs. Along with its stingy fuel burn, the Silvercrest is also a very green machine. For the technical-minded, its purposedesigned environmental technology results in up to a 20 EPNdB margin versus stage 4 requirements and a 50 per-
cent margin over CAEP/6 emission standards. The Silvercrest core features a fourstage axial compressor and a singlestage centrifugal compressor. According to a spokesman, this configuration is optimized for the targeted thrust class and has been rig-tested to demonstrate and validate performance. Further, fewer stages mean a simpler, much lighter engine. But—surprising to Snecma engineers, there were still no takers for their magnificent machine. That all changed on May 14, 2012, when Cessna Aircraft Company introduced the Super-midsize 4,000 nm Citation Longitude, now the largest aircraft in its long line of Citations. It also turned out that is was a perfect fit for the Silvercrest, as Scott Ernest, Cessna’s President & CEO explained: “Our Citation Longitude will be powered by two Snecma Silvercrest engines, each with 11,000 pounds of thrust. We are extremely pleased to bring the Silvercrest engine to Cessna’s customers because of its best-in-class fuel efficiency, reliability and quality.” Which is what the long-suffering engineers at Snecma were saying all along. And finally, just like that, the over-long wait was over; a launch customer committed, contracts signed, and the best is yet to come. Equipped with an on-condition maintenance plan, the Longitude’s engines will have significantly extended maintenance intervals, resulting in reduced operating costs. The Citation Longitude is expected to enter customer service in 2017, giving Snecma plenty of time to upport Centers in the U.S. and Europe with a third in Asia.
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NBAA s AVIONICS ARTISANS Cessna Caravan, Grand Caravan and TBM 850, to name a few. “Our latest touch screen integrated flight decks are the G3000 and G5000. The G3000 is certified for Part 23 turbine aircraft and has been selected for installation on the HondaJet and Cessna Citation M2. The G5000 is designed for larger crew-flown turbine aircraft and will be certified under Part 25. The G5000 has been selected by Cessna Aircraft for its new Citation Ten, Citation Latitude and Citation Longitude. It is also Bombardier’s choice for its new Learjet 70 and Learjet 75. “Both the G3000 and G5000 have large, high resolution wide screen displays with touch screen controllers. By Jack Carroll
Short of plugging the pilot into the panel, what else can the wizards of avionics conjure for their admirers who gather with bated breath for the next best thing; not exactly like the hordes swarming stores for the latest iPad, but you get the idea.
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ike the engine makers, the avionics technicians don’t have much time to rest on their laurels; they don’t even lean on them. As they continue to seek perfection glowing on a flat panel 14-inch screen; an ever more intuitive interface; less pilot workload; more accurate synthetic vision; evermore simplified touch screen controlled flight decks, et.al. There’s no lack of projects and no lack of inquiring minds in this fastmoving sector of the industry. Come to think of it, just as you’re getting comfortable with your nifty new do-itall flight deck, some avionics team is out there on the brink of making it even better. Or creating something really revolutionary. No doubt, but the feeling here is that if that something increases safety while assisting the pilot, well bring it on! Here are some excellent examples.
Garmin has a lot going for it as NBAA approaches and Mika Cohn is only too happy to tell our readers about it. “For openers, we’re continuing to expand our lineup of G1000 upgrade platforms, which is opening the door for more operators to revitalize their aircraft with our state-of-the art technology and integrated flight deck. For example, we’ve recently certified the system as an upgrade to the KingAir 300 and 350, which means we can now offer the G1000 for installation on a wide range of models in their line including the C90, 200, B200 and now the 300 and 350. In fact we now offer the most comprehensive avionics coverage available for the KingAir line. The original Citation Jet is also eligible for the G1000 upgrade. The G1000 has also been selected as standard equipment on aircraft in production, such as the Citation Mustang,
The number of displays and the number of touch screen controllers depends on the aircraft model and configuration selected by the manufacturer.” The G3000 and G5000 will be featured at Garmin’s booth, where demonstrations will be conducted and all questions answered. According to Cohn, Garmin also recently introduced a new solid-state Doppler Capable Weather Radar, called the GWX70. “It features turbulence detection and ground clutter suppression and is available in a choice of 10, 12 or 18-inch antennas. The GWX70 will also be on display at NBAA. “Finally, we’ll have some of our aftermarket equipment on display, including the G600 Flight Display and GTN series touchscreen avionics.” Cohn also makes the point that the star of Garmin’s stable, the G5000, has been selected by a number of OEMs,
INTUIT
The G5000 (top) and G3000 (center) have large high resolution wide screen displays with touch screen controllers.
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Gulfstream s G650 will offer Honeywell s IntuVue windshear detection radar. Mike Rowley, Honeywell s VP Business Sales (center).
has made test flights, and is expected to enter service in 2013. From October 30 to November 1, Garmin’s booth will certainly have something to please everyone and certainly not bore anyone. So go join the crowd that’s bound to gather at booth #2758. Moving then to Honeywell, where much of the excitement is about Gulfstream’s new products As Mike Rowley, Honeywell’s Vice President, Business & General Aviation Sales, notes, “We’re very proud that the G650 will appear at NBAA equipped with the PlaneView II as part of the evolution of the the Primus Epic Integrated Avionics system. To me, it represents the most advanced avionics on any aircraft; absolutely state-of-the art. I should also mention that the G650 offers our IntuVue ™ windshear detection radar as an option; the first application on a business aircraft.” Gulfstream 650 deliveries will begin this year and the recently certified Gulfstream 280, which has the new generation of our HTF 7000 engines aboard, should be in service by year end. Rowley also notes that the Ovation Select ™ Cabin Management System attracts more customer interest than any product in its line. The Ovation Select was certified earlier this year by Embraer and is standard on the Embraer 650 as well as the Lineage 1000 and the forthcoming Legacy 450 and 500. Obviously, Embraer has embraced the Ovation Select with a great deal of affection and applause. Embraer has also chosen the Honeywell’s HTF 7500E to power the Legacy 500 which is on schedule to first flight and certification with the 7500E. Has the Primus Epic avionics suite had much of an impact on the marketplace? Rowley responds emphatically that, “One of the things that stands out with this system is that it has been accepted across the board in Business Aviation. For example, in addition to Embraer, it has been applied to three aircraft models at Dassault Falcon Jet, four Gulfstream models and recently one Hawker Beechcraft airframe. So there’s no question in my mind that this is the premier system in our integrated avionics cockpit line.
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We’ve brought out another system for a smaller airframe, the Primus Apex, which was selected for the Pilatus PC12 as well as the floatequipped Viking utility aircraft, a rebuild of the deHavilland twin Otter. Having evolved both the Primus Epic and Primus Apex, we ’re working with OEMs on a number of future derivative aircraft with both systems.” Sorry, he can’t reveal their identities at this time. But he can reveal that Honeywell was the very first company to certify a synthetic vision system (SVS) and the company is still working with OEMs to create a system that will allow a lower minimum height for landing, without the use of external aids, such as infra-red or FLIR. Rowley can hint at some announcements that may or may not be made at NBAA, but Rowley notes that there will be “discussions” concerning an agreement with Immarsat for Honeywell to develop a KA Band Satellite Communications System,
designed for larger aircraft, such as the Gulfstream and Global aircraft lines. When the system becomes available there’s no doubt there’s a built-in customer base for retrofits as well as new aircraft owners. (For more revelations visit booth #4494.) Since last NBAA, Rockwell Collins has hit some pretty significant milestones, in particular Pro Line Fusion, its integrated avionics system. It was first certified and entered service on the Global 5000 last Spring, followed closely by the Global 6000, so it’s out there flying in the real world now and it was recently certified on the Gulfstream G280 as part of their PlaneView 280 flight deck. It’s expected to enter service very soon. (Might there be an NBAA announcement waiting in the wings?) At Rockwell Collins Josh Baynes, Corporate Communications notes, “This is the first of many milestones to come for Fusion, which was originally announced in 2007. It has a significant presence in the marketplace and has been chosen to equip upwards of fifteen aircraft models at last count. Not only in Business Aviation but on up to the air transport category, such as Bombardier’s new C Series, and it’s been selected for a military platform as well; the KC390. That says a lot about the flexibility of the company’s open architecture system. The Pro Line Fusion system will also be making first flights on other new aircraft platforms shortly. According to Baynes, the system has the versatility to meet any mission a customer may have. Rockwell Collins will conduct daily demonstrations at NBAA, including its latest Pro Line
Fusion configuration with touch screens. As an option, this can be retrofitted as a display upgrade to the Pro Line 21 system on KingAir series aircraft and is expected to receive initial in late 2013. In addition, Rockwell will be showing off its compact headup display now in development (Official name the HGS—head-up guidance system—3500). As Baynes notes, “We’ve been very successful in the air transport market with head-up displays and this compact model is designed to fit a smaller aircraft, such as a KingAir, and will integrate with Pro Line Fusion.” Pro Line 21 operators take note: Rockwell Collins has no intention of abandoning this system, as there is still significant demand for its capabilities, and will continue to develop enhancements while providing full support services. Other gear in the now-crowded booth will include Ascend Flight Information Solutions, which consolidates flight planning, scheduling and dispatch into a single system. Rockwell Collins acquired Air Routing a few years ago and combined it with CTA FOS, a software company well established in scheduling and dispatch services (FOS), which it also acquired. Add in the overall capabilities of Rockwell Collins and you have a very powerful triumvirate in the flight planning arena. The company also expects to announce a number of enhancements to its Flight Manager online web portal and showcase its new iPad app, which is designed to meet the needs of a wide range of customers. In short, whatever the needs of a flight operation, Ascend is standing by to supply the solutions, from pre-flight to post-flight and everywhere in between. You can meet the Ascend Team at NBAA for all the details and of course play with the iPads and the new app. But that’s not all. As Baynes explains, “We’ve developed a new, FAA-approved solution for the cabin, which focuses on sharing content and addresses digital rights management (DRM). The system will bring the home digital entertainment sharing experience to any aircraft cabin.” And it happens to be the latest enhancement to Rockwell Collins’ proprietary Venue System. To sum up, Rockwell Collins’ finds customer solutions in avionics, via the Pro Line 21 and Pro Line Fusion sys-
tems, flight planning with Ascend Flight Information Solutions, and Venue Cabin Systems. (If for some reason they can’t find an immediate solution to a customer’s specific mission needs, not to worry; they’ll invent one.) And here’s a bit of a treat for Formula 1 (F1) fans and another reason to visit Booth # 1896: Rockwell Collins has a technology arrangement with the Caterham F1 Team from the UK. Object: Help them win the F1 championship. In return, Rockwell Collins gets valuable international exposure. Thus the booth will feature a Caterham F1 show car as well as a team driver. Gentlemen, start your engines! (And no, the car will not be raffled off.) Universal Avionics has quite a lot to talk about at NBAA and who better to give us a “heads-up” than Universal’s Director of Sales, Robert Clare. According to Clare, there is still a great deal of opportunity in the new CNS/ATM (Communication, Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management) environment. “We’re addressing that with new products and improvements to existing products. There are a number of mandates that have emerged recently and of course more that are going to be coming out within the next five years, so we’re paying close attention and preparing well in advance for such eventualities as FANS; Future Air Navigation System. “We’ve recently released our new UniLink 800 series CMU and will be putting a great deal of emphasis on it at NBAA. The system was certified this year and we’ve started delivering products. The previous product, the UniLink 700 is a basic Communications Management Unit (CMU) that can perform many of the functions of the UniLink 800, which takes it to another level, such as providing direct data link communication between the pilot and air traffic control. And it can be used with radio or satellite technology to enable digital transmissions. To simplify, it’s sort of like text messaging between the pilot and air traffic control. It can automate such things as routing and clearances for example.” As Clare points out, Universal’s core product has always been Navigation Flight Management systems. “We’re still seeing a lot of activity with our
WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System)—used in the U.S.—SBAS (Satellite Based Augmentation System) Flight Management Systems. With the development and expansion of LPV (Localizer Precision Vertical) approaches—and there are more of those in the U.S. now than ILS systems—you can get down to very close minimums. Or, as we say around here, “ILS-like minimums.” At NBAA, Universal will be showing and demonstrating its WAAS-SBAS Flight Management System, flat panel backlit LED display, which according to Clare is a best-seller, as “It is more reliable than earlier displays and lowers power consumption.” And an array of ‘stock’ products, such as the bestselling UNS-1EW system. (In case you haven’t translated that acronym, it stands for Universal Navigation System-1EW. The ’W’ is for WAAS of course.
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Rockwell Collins Proline Fusion (top). Universal Avionics Unilink 800-801 provides direct data link communication between pilot and ATC.
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AROUND THE EXHIBITION
non-OEM buyer of new Pratt & Whitney (P&W) turboprop engines. One of its engine upgrade packages will boost the power and capabilities of hard-working Cessna Caravan aircraft, expanding mission profiles and dramatically improving productivity for thousands of operators around the world. BLR Aerospace (Booth# 3566) BLR Aerospace focuses on developing the highest performance aerodynamic solutions in the industry. The company holds patented technologies for improving flight performance of fixed and rotary wing aircraft, and has certified over 60 Supplemental Type Certificates. BLR’s Winglet System increases overall wingspan by 3 feet 5 inches, providing an increase in wing aspect ratio and a valuable reduction in induced drag, allowing Beechcraft King Air to fly faster on less fuel.
Air BP (Booth# 309) Air BP, a division of BP, is one of the world’s largest suppliers of both aviation fuels (both Jet Kerosene & Aviation Gasoline) and lubricants (for both turbine and piston-engined aircraft). It currently supplies over 26 million tones (around 8 billion gallons) of aviation fuels and lubricants to its customers across the globe per annum. And it’s got an impressive international spread with services at over 600 airports in some 50 countries, and with local offices in almost half of these countries. The company offers two fuel cards, the Sterling card and Flight card, providing a convenient way to purchase Jet Fuel and Avgas globally. Aircell (Booth# 510)
ARRAY
There will be a range of exhibitors at Orlando, but don t forget to visit our partners.
Aircell provides in-flight connectivity and is a single-source, turnkey provider of equipment, service, and technical support. With a global sales and support presence, its products are offered by virtually every fixedand rotor-wing airframe manufacturer in Business Aviation, and are installed aboard the world’s four largest fractional ownership fleets.
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As winner of an exclusive FCC frequency license in 2006, Aircell has built a new mobile broadband network for commercial and Business Aviation. Baldwin Aviation Safety & Compliance (Booth# 1066) Founded in 2004, Baldwin Aviation was developed on the premise that smaller flight departments need and deserve the same level of quality resources, services and safety management as their multinational counterparts. By developing flexible proprietary software, Baldwin Safety and Compliance is able to deliver a quality safety management program tailored to each flight department while overcoming budget and employee constraints. Their safety management program and proprietary Safety Barometer® are tools that can be used in any size flight department to monitor its safety culture. Blackhawk Modifications Inc. (Booth# 4112) Blackhawk Modifications is a recognized leader in providing engine performance solutions to the global turboprop fleet. It has the largest installed fleet of STC twin-engine turboprop upgrades, and is the world’s largest
CAE (Booth# 364) CAE is a global leader in modeling, simulation and training for civil aviation and defense. With annual revenues exceeding C$1.6 billion, the company employs more than 7,500 people at more than 100 sites and training locations in more than 20 countries. Through CAE’s global network of 32 civil aviation, military and helicopter training centers, the company trains more than 80,000 crewmembers yearly. CAE’s business is diversified, ranging from the sale of simulation products to providing comprehensive services such as training and aviation services, professional services and in-service support. CRS Jet Spares (Booth# 3916) The goal of the Corporate Rotable & Supply’s team has been to provide business jet customers with a cost effective, high-quality alternative to OEM spares and rotable parts. Today CRS has grown to be the preferred supplier to Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 corporate flight departments worldwide. They have achieved their goal by offering a unique balance of technical expertise, quality products and a total dedication to customer satisfaction, all while maintaining costs that are significantly below their competitors.
Duncan Aviation, Inc (Booth# 5580) Duncan Aviation, Inc. is an independent business aircraft support organization, providing complete service and technical support for most popular business aircraft including: aircraft consignment and acquisition; airframe maintenance; avionics installation; engine and apu; government and special programs; interior and paint; and parts, accessory, avionics, instruments and propeller overhaul and repair services. FlightSafety International (Booth# 937) FlightSafety International is the world’s leading aviation training company, and delivers more than a million hours of professional instruction each year. Thousands of pilots train to proficiency with them at 40 Learning Centers in the United States, Canada, France and the United Kingdom. Training locations include their newest comprehensive center at historic Farnborough Airport just outside London and their rotorcraft Learning Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. This year the company announced that it will increase its concentration on providing training programs for current and next generation aircraft. This includes the ongoing expansion of FlightSafety’s worldwide Learning Center network, and the addition of new Level D qualified full flight simulators, training programs and services. Jet Aviation (Booth# 3797) Jet Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) was founded in Switzerland in 1967 and has grown to become one of the leading Business Aviation services companies in the world. Close to 5,600 employees cater to client’s needs from 25 airport facilities throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North and South America. Jet Support Services, Inc. - JSSI® - (Booth# 3711) Founded in 1989, Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI®) is the world’s largest independent provider of hourly cost maintenance programs for aircraft engines and airframes. JSSI® provides its clients with comprehensive, flexible and affordable financial tools for managing the often
unpredictable costs of operating and maintaining nearly all types of turbinepowered aircraft, including jets, turboprops and helicopters. JSSI® serves clients around the world by managing maintenance services through its international network of Technical Advisors. Lufthansa Technik (Booth# 2529) Lufthansa Technik is one of the leading independent providers of maintenance, repair, overhaul and modification services for civil aircraft. With tailored maintenance programs and state-of-the-art repair methods, Lufthansa Technik ensures the unbroken reliability and availability of its customers’ fleets. Lufthansa Technik is an internationally licensed maintenance, production and development organization. Shannon Airport (Booth# 4642) Shannon is a corporate aviation technical stop between Europe and the Americas. Full airport service, including handling and fueling (Shannon Aviation Fuels), is available 24-hours. Shannon Airport has welcomed a procedural change for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that clears a significant hurdle with regard to capitalizing on Business Aviation opportunities for the airport. Welcoming the revised procedures by U.S. authorities, which will enable much faster turn-around for business jets, Shannon Airport Director Mary Considine said this is a very important development for the airport. StandardAero/Associated Air Center (Booth# 2000) StandardAero is one of the world’s largest independent providers of services including engine and airframe repair and overhaul, engine component repair, engineering services, interior completions and paint applications. StandardAero serves a diverse array of customers in business and general aviation, airline, military, energy and VIP completions markets. A Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE) company, StandardAero provides a global service network of 12 primary facilities in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Singapore and Australia, along with an additional 14 regionally located service
and support locations. The company is celebrating its 100th year of industry leadership in 2011. Universal Avionics (Booth# 2500) Universal Avionics manufactures and markets an extensive line of advanced avionics. Product lines include the EFI-890R Flat Panel Display; a line of LCD Integrated Cockpit Displays; Vision-1® Synthetic Vision Systems; Terrain Awareness and Warning Systems; Cockpit Voice and Digital Flight Recorders; Radio Control Units; and the Application Server Unit which integrates charts, electronic documents and checklists with displays systems. Universal Weather and Aviation (Booth# 2516, 2914) Since 1959, Universal has seen clients face incredible challenges, and delivered the solutions they need to prevail. To do this, they leverage what makes them unique: providing the complete global resources their customers need, all coordinated and executed by their team members around the world. With a broad array of services and capabilities, Universal can help you overcome the unexpected – and the everyday challenges you face. The company offers knowledge, experience, and resources that come from more than 50 years in business, in which they’ve facilitated more than 2.5 million global trip legs. Yankee Pacific Aerospace, Inc. (Booth# 1766) Yankee Pacific Aerospace companies provide engineered products and services to aircraft OEMs, major subcontractors, modification centers and aircraft owners and operators in the corporate, commercial, and government aviation markets. Their product companies design, engineer, manufacture, certify and support proprietary components and systems for aircraft. Their services companies use proprietary processes and procedures to provide design, engineering, analysis, certification and program management services to the aviation industry.
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POLITICAL AFFAIRS
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
PUTTING THE EXECUTIVE I IN EXECUTIVE AVIATION
started thinking about this while attending a campaign event this past summer. Coming from what we Americans call a ‘Swing State’, in the months leading up to the election we have the pleasure of welcoming candidates and celebrities from both parties. Standing out under an Iowa summer sun waiting for, in this case, the arrival of the President and the First Lady, I look up and see the distinct blue and white of Air Force One fly overhead – carrying President Obama to our local regional airport. “Interesting,” I thought, recalling that just four years ago it was the President who was lambasting the use of Business Aviation as being a blatant example of the kind of corporate greed that spiraled us into the current economic mess. Since then, our association leaders in the NBAA and EBAA have been vigilant in pointing out the key role that our sector plays in making
By Nick Klenske
It s that time again in the US the Presidential Elections. As always, the two camps are out of the gates and fighting. But as they crisscross the country and in some cases the globe giving their soapbox speeches and campaign promises, one cannot help but wonder about the logistics of coordinating a national campaign.
RESOURCE
Business Aviation makes is also an important asset for political affairs. 54 - BART: OCT - NOV - 2012
business happen. As I watch the President fly overhead I realized that our sector also makes politics possible – particularly during an election year. “Numerous studies have shown how Business Aviation benefits companies and organizations of all types and sizes because it helps people optimize efficiency, flexibility and productivity during travel,” says Dan Hubbard, Vice President of Communications, NBAA. “These same benefits accrue to presidential campaigns, which are often characterized by very demanding travel schedules and workloads, and the need to be as effective as possible with the use of time. With Business Aviation, campaign travel can be optimally coor-
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Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Centre on Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
WWW.ABACE.AERO In Partnership With Shanghai Airport Authority and Co-hosted by NBAA, the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA) and the Shanghai Exhibition Center
POLITICAL AFFAIRS
U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
dinated, flying time can be turned into work time and changing circumstances can be quickly addressed.” To learn more, BART takes a look at the jets and the issues from both candidate’s campaigns… The Romney Camp With Mitt Romney officially accepting the Republican nomination for president at the Republication National Convention in Tampa, Florida, his campaign took to the skies on August 31st. Both Romney and Paul Ryan, his vice president nominee, received two brand-new sets of wings following the convention. The two held a campaign event at Lakeland Linder Regional
SPACE
The President enjoys 4,000 sq. ft. of floor space inside Air Force One. Mitt Romney s campaign uses a McDonnellDouglas 83.
Airport in Lakeland, Florida where, for the first time, they left via their own official campaign planes. The campaign is using a customized McDonnell-Douglas 83 emblazoned with the Romney-Ryan logo. In addition, Ryan will get a DC-93 to use between now and the November election. Both planes are operated by USA Jet Airlines, a private charter company based out of Belleville, Michigan. Prior to the unveiling of the official campaign jets, Romney has been utilizing a variety of private jet charter companies to carry him from campaign event to campaign event. However, Romney’s use of Business Aviation isn’t new. During the primary campaign his wife Ann made national headlines after dubbing their charter plane ‘Hair Force One’ after the candidate’s famous well-groomed coiffure.
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The Obama Campaign Of course the President has the advantage of being in use of perhaps the world’s most famous business jet: Air Force One. It should be noted, however, that federal election laws require the President’s campaign to pay for the use – although at a fraction of the costs (typically the equivalent of a commercial airline ticket) whenever he or other administration officials use it for political activity. Air Force One is actually one of two highly customized Boeing 747-200B series aircraft (depending on which one is carrying the President). Emblazoned with the words “United States of America,” the American flag, and the Seal of the President of the United States, it is an undeniable presence wherever it flies.
Capable of refueling midair, Air Force One has unlimited range and can carry the President wherever he needs to travel. The onboard electronics are hardened to protect against an electromagnetic pulse, and Air Force One is equipped with advanced secure communications equipment, allowing the aircraft to function as a mobile command center in the event of an attack on the United States. Inside, the President and his travel companions enjoy 4,000 square feet of floor space on three levels, including an extensive suite for the President that features a large office, lavatory, and conference room. Air Force One includes a medical suite that can function as an operating room, and a doctor is permanently on board. The plane’s two food preparation galleys can feed 100 people at a time. The aircraft is maintained and operated by the Presidential Airlift Group, part of the White House Military Office. The Airlift Group was founded in 1944 as the Presidential Pilot Office at the direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. For the next 20 years, various propeller driven aircraft served the President. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy became the first President to fly in his own jet aircraft, a modified Boeing 707. Over the years, several other jet aircraft have been used, with the first of the current aircraft being delivered in 1990 during the administration of President George H. W. Bush.
In addition to Air Force One, the President and administration officials can also rely on a fleet of Gulfstream jets and specialized aircraft and crews based at Andrews Air Force Base, as well as two expeditionary airlift squadrons set up specifically to deal with the campaign surge in the president’s and other administration officials’ travel. According to an April 2nd Air Force press release, the White House will have at its disposal three C130s, seven aircrews, 60 maintenance and 10 to 12 operations personnel out of New Castle Air National Guard Base in Delaware, as well as four C17s, six aircrews, 60 maintenance personnel and 10 to 12 operations personnel out of another base in Charleston, S.C. Although some may question the size of available fleet, a former George W. Bush White House official familiar with presidential military aircraft operations said the regular fleet, as well as the standby aircraft, are similar to the number and type Bush utilized during his time in office. The Politics But enough about how the candidates are campaigning, let’s focus on what they are campaigning about – particularly as it relates to Business Aviation. Although the Romney camp has said little about the use of private aviation, judging from his background as a business executive it is assumed he is well versed on the many advantages our sector offers. It’s the President’s views, however, that have once again raised eyebrows – if not alarm. In reaction to the Obama administration’s ongoing attacks on the industry, the NBAA is pushing back: “The president has inexplicably chosen to vilify and mischaracterize Business Aviation – an industry that is critical for citizens, companies and communities across the US, and one that can play a central role in the economic recovery he says he wants to promote,” says NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. Specifically, the NBAA is concerned about the President’s remarks concerning tax policies for general aviation (GA) airplanes. The President repeatedly denigrated business airplane owners and operators, apparently to make a case that current tax “depreciation schedules” for GA air-
planes are too short and should be lengthened. Bolen said the president’s words fly in the face of previous comments he made when he championed his own proposal to accelerate depreciation schedules – something the president said at the time was intended, “to allow businesses and investors to deduct immediately the full cost of most investments [that] will help businesses expand and hire.” “Not long ago the President extolled the virtues of shortening depreciation schedules to stimulate jobs,” Bolen said. “Now he seems to want to reverse course and push ahead with punitive treatment for general aviation, an industry that creates jobs, helps companies succeed and serves communities all around America.
“Furthermore,” Bolen said, “The idea that, in the current job environment, we would meddle with a proven formula for incentivizing the purchase of American products is unthinkable, and flies in the face of policies he and other elected officials on both sides of the aisle agreed to just months ago. “Equally alarming, the President’s disparaging remarks reflect a total lack of understanding – or a complete disregard – for general aviation in the U.S.,” Bolen added. “The fact is general aviation is an industry that employs 1.2 million people and generates $150 billion in revenues each year. It’s one of the remaining few industries that produces much-needed exports and contributes positively to the nation’s balance of trade. Additionally, most companies relying on a business airplane are small and mid-size companies, and they’re flying into towns with little or no airline service.” “Simply put, these companies are using their aircraft to reach for opportunities to keep their businesses alive in an unforgiving economic marketplace. In the process, they’re bringing jobs, investment and hope to towns across the country.” So, that’s how the candidates are flying and what they are saying. To paraphrase from one US news station: “BART reports, now you decide”.
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JAB
Though benefiting from Business Aviation, Barack Obama chooses to vilify it, says NBAA President and CEO, Ed Bolen.
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SPECIAL REPORT By Marc Grangier
On a remote parking lot at Geneva airport there is an old rusted four-engine Lockheed JetStar II desperately looking at a runway that, in all honestly, it will probably never use again. This aircraft used to belong to late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. When it was initially delivered, at the end of the 60s, it was one of the premier if not the only - in long-range business jets models. Just imagine, its typical range was 2,500 nm which, some 45 years ago, was considered very impressive. The other most popular business jets of time, for example the Learjet 24, Dassault Falcon 20, HawkerSiddeley 125, and Sabreliner 40, had a range of between 1,400 and 1,800 nm.
LONG RANGE JETS
THE LONG RANGE FRENZY HOW LONG WILL WE GO
C
GLOBAL
Long range missions are the heart of international business. Bombardier Global 6000 (top), Dassault Falcon 7X, (bottom). 58 - BART: OCT - NOV - 2012
learly the market has evolved as the trend is for manufacturers to increase the range of their existing fleet. Today there are even several medium size jets with a longer range than the JetStar. There are many reasons explaining this trend, one being that the changing face of global commerce is rerouting flight plans. “Many companies are now using large-cabin, long-range business jets to provide nonstop access to overseas markets, especially Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa,” says Ed Bolen, president and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association. “These airplanes can deliver business people to long-distance destinations within hours, greatly increasing the efficiency of travel and optimizing the work schedule.” Many CEOs of international companies have to be where the decisions are made, so very often they are required to travel from Hong-Kong to Paris on one day, and to New York or Rio de Janeiro the next. Clearly, a 2,500 nm aircraft is no longer able to perform such missions with all the required efficiency, which is exactly the reason the distance race has gotten so much fiercer among business jet manufacturers.
If we except modified airliners, which we decided not to mention here as we estimate they belong in a different category, three manufacturers – Gulfstream, Bombardier and Dassault – now dominate the market. However, it is very likely that in the near future other OEMs like Cessna or Embraer – all of whom already have the technical capabilities required – will announce they too are joining the race. Sales on this market have been increasing regularly year after year, and the last economic crisis had little effect on orders. For instance, Bombardier indicates the longer range aircraft category has been the most resilient during the downturn, with an increase in deliveries of 13% from 2008 to 2010. Further, the Canadian manufacturer expects deliveries in this category to expand faster than any other category postdownturn. According to Honeywell, sustained interest in the ultra-longrange segment has been present for several years and reflects an increased need for aircraft capable of transPacific flights, as well as the growth in demand in other regions requiring more long-range operations. Worldwide, deliveries and transactions for ultra-long-range aircraft now average some 75 aircraft per year, representing a total turnover in excess of US$ 4.5 billion (compared to some 1,100 transactions for all other aircraft, representing a turn-over only five times superior, for a number of transactions 15 times bigger). Marius Breitenbach, Manager, Aircraft Sourcing and Acquisitions for ExecuJet, told BART that, in his opinion, “the ultra-long-range business aircraft is here to stay. The more than 200 orders already received by Gulfstream for its G650 clearly shows this. More so, last June NetJets announced it had already placed orders for up to 120 Bombardier Global 5000 and Express aircraft, as well as 20 firm orders for Global 7000 and 8000.” “Concerning ExecuJet, the company has customers at the four corners of the world, as far as New Zealand and Australia,” continues Breitenbach.” “They are eagerly looking for direct city pairings with Western or even Central USA regions and therefore appreciate using ultra-long-range business jets that allow them to avoid timeconsuming stopovers in remote places where security is not the best.”
Bombardier Aerospace A lot of water has passed under the bridge since the production of the first CL-600 Challengers that, although they could certainly fly from Paris to Montreal, they did so with practically a zero payload. Since then the Canadian manufacturer has made tremendous progress in terms of payload and range. Thanks to its Global series, it is now seriously challenging Gulfstream for the top spot. Its Global 6000 has a range of 6,390 nm (11,834 km) and a long-range cruise speed of 471 kts. With eight passengers and three-to-four crew, it can link DelhiMelbourne non-stop. To compete with the future G650 in the distance race, Bombardier is now developing the Global 7000 and 8000. Featuring a four-zone cabin, the 7000 has a volume of 2,637 cu. ft. (74.67 cu. m.), and its passengers will enjoy 20% more living space than in the 6000. The aircraft will have a high-speed cruise of M 0.90 and a range of 7,300 nm (13,520 km) at M 0.85. It will be able to fly Sydney-Dubai, LondonSingapore or Beijing-Washington nonstop with 10 passengers. Entry-intoservice is scheduled for 2016.
Concerning the Global 8000, Bombardier says it will fly farther than any other business jet, existing or in development, with its range being estimated at 7,900 nm (14,630 km) at M 0,85. It will be able to connect Sydney-Los Angeles, Hong Kong-New York and Mumbai-New York non-stop with eight passengers. It will reach a high-speed cruise of M 0.90. Entry-into-service is scheduled for 2017. Bombardier recently revealed more information about the selection of seven suppliers on major packages. Rockwell Collins has been selected for the avionics system and primary flight control computer; Parker Aerospace for the hydraulics system and fly-by-wire flight control technology; Messier-Bugatti-Dowty for the main and nose landing gear system; Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems (MABS) for the wheels and braking system; Liebherr-Aerospace for the air management system; Apparatebau Gauting GmbH for the water and waste system; and Arrowhead Products for the ducting system.
COMPETE
Contender in the distance race, Bombardier developed the Global 7000 (top) and 8000 (center) with ranges of 7,300 and 7,900 nm respectively.
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SPECIAL REPORT
LONG RANGE JETS
Dassault Aviation
BOOST
Dassault s Falcon 7X s three engine configuration allows more direct transoceanic routes.
Dassault Aviation offers the Falcon 7X, the only three-engine aircraft in the ultra-long-range business jet list. Its range of 5,950 nm (11,019 km) obviously puts it slightly below the other aircraft. However, John Rosanvallon, CEO Dassault Falcon, mentions that although some competitors may indicate a higher maximum range, they do not always state that this range is only possible in certain operating conditions, and that enroute winds, traffic or weather conditions may considerably limit the stated max range. A big advantage of the 7X is that its three-engine configuration allows it to fly more direct transoceanic routes than the twinengine aircraft limited by Part 135 Extended Operations/ETOPS restrictions (when aircraft, at approved oneengine inoperative cruise speed, is at more than 180 minutes from an airport). Furthermore, taking into account the fact that for any passenger or crew a 10 to 12 hour trip is the maximum they can comfortably endure, Rosanvallon believes the 7X range is fully acceptable for most business trips. He also insists upon the fact that the 7X, though tri-jet, burns less fuel than its competitors, offering 15-30% greater fuel efficiency than aircraft in the large cabin, long-range class. It is also the only jet in its class to be qualified to operate at London City Airport (landing distance available 4,327 ft – 1,319 m). Last summer, Dassault announced that the assembly of the 200th Falcon 7X had been completed at its Bordeaux-Merignac facility. The 7X fleet has accumulated over 130,000 flight hours since the first aircraft went into service in 2007. Furthermore, during the last five years, Dassault has developed several options that increase its cabin comfort. Most recently it introduced a shower option now available as a standard option for all 7X customers. It can be used both in flight and on the ground and offers up to 30 minutes showering time with a maximum temperature of 48°C (118°F). To accommodate the shower unit, the lavatory of the Falcon 7X was completely redesigned and enlarged.
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Further, a new cabin entertainment system equipped with Business Aviation’s first interactive 3D moving map is now standard for Falcon 7X customers. Known as FalconCabin HD+, this system features a Rockwell Collins Airshow 3D Moving Map and a touch-screen programmable panel that allow passengers to easily access cabin controls and entertainment content. As if this wasn’t enough, EASy II, the next version of Dassault’s EASy Flight Deck, will be available on the Falcon 7X at the end of 2012, bringing a number of new options, including synthetic vision, automatic descent mode, XM graphical Weather and ADS-B Out. The suite also includes two novel communications features, FANS 1A and CPDLC, which are compliant with Europe’s new data link mandate. An Enhanced Flight Vision System (EVS) option, certified in 2010, features a real time head up terrain
display that increases pilot situational awareness, especially in low visibility approaches. The EVS allows the Falcon 7X to perform approaches below standard published minimums, down to a 100-foot decision height. Gulfstream Aerospace For many years, Gulfstream was synonym of long-range business aircraft, with the G III, IV and V series. The last GV SP has given birth to the G550. Priced at US$56M, this aircraft has a max range of 6,750 nm. Impressive by itself, in 2003, less than two weeks after it entered into service, the jet pushed the boundary flying nonstop from Seoul, South Korea, to Orlando, Fla., covering the 7,301nautical-mile (13,521 km) distance in 14.5 hours and setting a city pair record. In fact, it would go on to establish 40 city-pair records in its first five years of service.
MAIN ULTRA LONG-RANGE BUSINESS JETS IN PRODUCTION OR IN DEVELOPMENT Manufacturer Bombardier
Dassault Gulfstream
Model
Engines
Global 6000
RR 2xBR700710A2 Global 7000 GE Next Gen. Global 8000 GE Next Gen. Falcon 7X P&W 3xPW307A G550 RR BR700-710C4 G650 RR BR725
Thrust (lb) 2x14,750
MTOW (lb) 99500
Max fuel High speed Max range Cabin length Price (lb) cruise (Mach) (nm) (ft) (US$M) 44,716 0.89 6,390 43.2 52
2x16,500 106,250
47,450
0.90
7,300
56.9
68.9
2x16,500 104,800
48,950
0.90
7,900
50.6
66.3
3x6,402
70,000
31,940
0.90
5,950
39.1
52
2x15,385
91,000
40,994
0.88
6,820
42.6
56
2x16,100
99,600
44,200
0.985
7,000
46.8
64.5
Powered by enhanced Rolls-Royce BR710 turbofan engines, the G550 has a high-speed cruise capability of Mach 0.87. It is equipped with the Gulfstream PlaneView cockpit. Based on the Honeywell Primus Epic architecture and display system, this cockpit presents critical flight information on 14-inch (36 cm) LCDs. It also has the Enhanced Vision System II, which captures pictures of the environment and presents the pilot with a clear picture of runway markings, taxiways and surrounding terrain at night or in the worst weather conditions. Estimating that its G550 needed an even longer legged brother, Gulfstream has been developing the G650, which was closing in on certification at the time of writing. In midAugust, FAA pilots had completed all the scheduled flying required for the certification program. In addition, the EASA test team had finished the flight tests required for its validation of the FAA’s type certification. The test fleet had flown more than 3,800 hours during more than 1,160 flights. The final certification tests included completing the field performance tests, evaluating the aircraft’s performance in natural icing conditions and conducting function and reliability testing. “These aircraft are accumulating considerable flight time and are returning with minimum aircraft issues,” said Pres Henne, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. The aircraft already has set two city-pair speed records, flying from Burbank, to Savannah in just three hours and 26 minutes. The aircraft accomplished this at speeds
SPEED
Gulfstream s G550 cruises at Mach 0.87: its longer legged brother, the G650 gets to speeds of Mach 0.91 and 0.92.
BART: OCT - NOV - 2012 - 61
SPECIAL REPORT between Mach 0.91 and 0.92, with a brief segment at the aircraft’s maximum operating Mach number of 0.925. The second city-pair record took place last May when the aircraft, coming to EBACE, made its first transAtlantic crossing, flying from Washington, D.C., to Geneva at speeds of Mach 0.90 to Mach 0.92. The aircraft made the journey in six hours and 55 minutes. The G650 received its type certificate from the FAA on September. 7th, 2012, and Gulfstream expects to deliver the first fully outfitted aircraft to customers before year-end.
GOAL
Business Aviation s aim: making the journey as short and productive as possible.
How Far Will We Go? When the Bombardier Global is delivered in 2017, the 7,900 nm mark will have been reached – an impressive figure if one considers it will represent more than 15 hours flying time. And ExecuJet’s Breitenbach thinks, like other insiders, that by the end of the present decade, Gulfstream and Bombardier will go beyond their G650 and Global 7000 and 8000 and develop business jets that will be able to virtually link any city in the world without refueling. Being airborne for such extended periods of time will certainly create new challenges in various fields, one of them, and not the least, being in terms of crews. Joking, a pilot used to say that he could fly as long as the fuel and coffee supplies lasted. More seriously, the dangers of pilot fatigue are clear, and the FAA has specific rules and regulations aimed at minimizing any chance that fatigue could lead to any potential pilot error. The particular regulations regarding Flight Time Limitations that apply to unscheduled one- and two-pilot crews are found in FAR Part 135, specifically section 135.267. Regarding day-to-day flight limits, the rules state that during any 24 consecutive hours the total flight time may not exceed 10 hours for a flight crew consisting of two pilots, or 12 hours for three pilots, with a proper crew rest area adjacent to the cockpit. So in the case of a 15-hour flight, four pilots will definitely be required. Their rest area will undeniably reduce passenger cabin volume and also total usable aircraft payload. Also, carrying
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eight to 10 passengers on a 7,900 nm leg will necessitate larger galleys than on a 2,500 nm leg, with sufficient stored water supply and drink reserves to avoid dehydration (a single passenger can lose approximately 1.5 liters of water during a three-hour flight) and also enough meals to be stored and served. In the adjacent table we mention the cabin length – from the cockpit partition to the end of the pressurized compartment – of the various ultra-longrange business aircraft in production or in development. It is interesting to note that these lengths will vary from 39.1 to 56.9 ft, and the longest range aircraft, the Global 7000 and 8000, will fortunately have the longest cabins. This will allow their passengers to practice some gymnastics exercise during the flight – an important feature as medically speaking, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), when blood clots form in veins due to prolonged sitting, is an illness that has to be acutely considered by passengers and crews, especially in smaller cabins. Questioned about the possible inconveniences of ultra-long flights aboard the new G650, Pres Henne indicates that thanks to a cabin altitude of 4,850 feet at FL510 and 3,300 feet at FL410, the G650 offers a comfortable and productive cabin environment that reduces fatigue and increases mental alertness. Henne also notes that the G650’s new 16 cabin Windows, the largest in the industry, provide for even more natural light and visually expand the aircraft’s interior. In this respect, Jeremy Cox, Vice President, JetBrokers, Inc. is fully convinced that ultra-long-range business jets have a bright future: “The ability
to step on board a private jet aircraft and then step off a little over 12 hours later, having traveled a full quarter of the way around the globe, is attractive to many companies, individuals and government agencies”. Even if most aircraft now cost more than US$ 50M and have hourly operating costs between US$ 4,000 and 5,500, excluding the annual fixed charges and the crew expenses, that’s apparently the price to pay for people who want to fly farther and faster, and reach virtually any destination in the world in less than one day. All above-mentioned ultra-long-range business aircraft have and will have standard or on option flat beds, enclosed lavatories, showers, conference/dining areas and, of course, offices with the latest communication systems, high-speed data systems, WiFi connectivity and the most sophisticated cabin entertainment systems. For instance, the G650 can be equipped with a 26in pop-up LCD monitor and its cabin management system allows for digital control of the cabin systems, including high-definition audio and video components. The passenger control units are loaded onto an iPod Touch and provide the floor plan of the aircraft. Intuitive controls are provided for lighting, temperature, entertainment equipment, attendant call and other cabin functions. For Dassault’s John Rosanvallon, “the final aim is to make the journey as short or as productive as possible, working, eating, sleeping or entertaining in the air as you would at home. Our customers are people who often work day and night but want to arrive fresh and ready for business”.
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THE DOCKET
TAX AFFAIRS
VAT EXEMPTION IN THE EU By Bart Boury, Chairman of the EBAA AMAC Tax and VAT Focus Group, and Giulia Mauri, Partner Aviation & Transport at Verhaegen & Walravens
CONTROVERSY
Value Added Tax (VAT) is a contentious issue for business jet operators.
On July 19 2012, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) made a decision on a case that s of great importance to the whole Business Aviation community: the A Oy case (Case C-33/11). It touches on an issue that s often kept under the radar by business jet operators, owners and lessors: value added tax (VAT).
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The Sixth Directive The so-called ‘Sixth Directive’ (Directive 77/388/ECC of 17 May 1977, as amended) outlines the VAT exemptions related to international transport. More specifically it states that a VAT exemption applies to the supply, modification, repair, maintenance, chartering and hiring of aircraft used by airlines operating for reward chiefly on international routes, and the supply, hiring, repair and maintenance of equipment incorporated or used therein, the supply of goods for the fuelling and provisioning of referenced aircraft and the supply of services to meet the direct needs of such aircraft.
As a directive requires national legislation to be implemented, several different national interpretations of this provision exist within the EU. There are countries, such as Belgium and Ireland, which apply a ‘look-through’ approach whereby the sale of an aircraft to a lessor which then leases it to airlines ‘operating for reward chiefly on international routes’ is treated as a zero rated sale or exempted for VAT purposes. Such provisions may be coupled with rules stipulating that the purchase of the aircraft must be concluded in view of the leasing of the aircraft to an international ‘airline’. In Ireland, for example, lessors may be asked to give evi-
dence that the lessee uses the aircraft chiefly on international routes. In financing transactions, lessees may therefore be asked to guarantee that this is the case. Other countries, such as Finland, see things differently, and judge that only direct sales to airlines operating for reward on international routes should be VAT exempt. If the aircraft had been bought by an intermediary which is not itself an airline (e.g. a financing company), VAT must be paid. Within the EU there are a range of different interpretations of these
issues. This is in spite of the fact – as pointed out in the A Oy decision, - that the concept of ‘airline operating for reward chiefly on international routes’ is a concept of European law i.e. the interpretation is not left to each European Member State, should be consistently applied through Europe, quod non. The A Oy case Let’s look at the facts of the A Oy case. The Finnish (special purpose) company A Oy bought two business aircraft from a French manufacturer. The seller declared the acquisition as an intracommunity delivery, but A Oy did not make the same declaration, and consequently, A Oy was to be charged VAT on the transaction. A Oy then invoked the exemption that applies under the Sixth Directive on the purchase of aircraft, as the air-
craft have been dry leased-out to B Oy, holder of an operating license and air operator certificate, so - as vindicated - an airline operating for reward chiefly on international routes in accordance with the Sixth Directive. The Finnish tax authorities views that the sale should be subject to VAT as the direct purchaser was not an ‘airline’ in the sense of the Sixth Directive. Moreover, the Finnish tax authorities considered that B Oy did not qualify as an ‘airline,’ they were simply an operator. Indeed the dry leaseout from A Oy and B Oy, was solely to take care of the personal transportation needs of an A Oy shareholder. Hence, B Oy as ‘airline’ recharged the maintenance costs and other costs related to the aircraft to A Oy, who in turn recharged costs to the shareholder using the aircraft.
A Oy appealed against the decision of the Finnish tax authorities and the competent court (Korkein HallintoOikeus, Finland) decided to stay proceedings and to submit following preliminary questions to the ECJ: 1. Is an international charter operator (i.e. business jet operator) also an ‘airline operating for reward chiefly on international routes’ in accordance with the Sixth Directive? 2. Does the exemption under article 15 of the Sixth Directive also apply to the supply of an aircraft to a party which is not an ‘airline’ and which in turn supplies the aircraft for the use of an ‘airline operating for reward chiefly on international routes’? 3. Does the exemption under article 15 of the Sixth Directive also apply in the event that the (beneficial) owner of the aircraft uses the aircraft for his own business and private needs, and contributes as such in the costs of the aircraft (own-use)? The Decisions and Comments In its judgment, the ECJ followed the reasoning of the advocate-general, which is mainly based on the principles of (a) fiscal neutrality in the context of competition of taxable goods and services and (b) The teleological explanation of the exemption: the purpose or the aim of the delivery of goods and services prevails; 1. As regards the first question, the ECJ concluded that the notion of ‘airline operating for reward chiefly on international routes’ is a notion of European law and it concluded that it is irrelevant whether the international air transport is made on scheduled flights or on non-scheduled flights (including charter flights operated for companies or private persons).
EVEN
Harmonizing VAT regulation across the EU could benefit Business Aviation.
BART: OCT - NOV - 2012 - 65
THE DOCKET
TAX AFFAIRS
Here the ECJ’s reasoning is quite simple. Indeed, the ECJ clearly indicated that transport services offered by scheduled airlines and charter airlines are manifestly in competition with one another. Therefore different VAT treatments for companies operating regular international flights and companies operating international charter flights would give rise to the risk of distortions in competition between those operators. We believe that, even if this part of the decision is not the main part, the reasoning followed by the ECJ recognizes that Business Aviation is an industry and not a mere luxury and as an industry, its services compete with similar services offered by scheduled airlines. Some even tend now to broaden the extensive interpretation of ‘airline’ to the applicability of the exemption to non-commercial operators, i.e. operators that don’t hold an operating licence and air operator certificate. This argument can’t stand for operators established in the EU as Regulation (EC) 1008/2008 on common rules for the operation of air services in the Community imposes that no undertaking established in the Community shall be permitted to carry by air passengers, mail and/or cargo for remuneration and/or hire unless it has been granted the appropriate operating license. In accordance with this regulation, an operating license will only be granted by the competent licensing authority of a Member State provided that, amongst others, it holds a valid air operator certificate. As such, the requirement of operating license and consequently an air operator certificate stands for the applicability of the VAT exemption.
CONFLICTING
Many different interpretations of VAT legislation mean big financial differences for operators.
2. On knowing whether an indirect sale to an ‘airline operating for reward chiefly on international routes’ could benefit of the VAT exemption granted by the Sixth Directive, the ECJ answered positively. Indeed the ECJ considered that the exemption applied to all sales of aircraft purchased ‘for the purpose’ of supplying them to airlines operating chiefly on international routes.
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The ECJ’s conclusion is consistent with the approach taken in several European countries, including the UK, Ireland and Belgium where the tax authorities adopt a ‘look-through’ approach. Here evaluating whether or not VAT applies is determined by looking at how the aircraft is finally used. This part of the ECJ judgment is therefore in line with what is already implemented in many jurisdictions. It could be argued that such interpretation goes against other judgments by the ECJ, in particular in the Velker (C-185/89) and the Elmeka (C-181/04) cases, where it is stated that the exemption that exists in shipping (in casu delivery of fuel to vessels), can not apply in the whole chain of supply of goods, but only in the direct supply to the commercial operator of the sea-going vessel for the direct need of that vessel. In shipping, the destination is difficult to verify in practice, whereas in aviation, as argued by the ECJ in the A Oy case, the final delivery of the supply of goods and services is easily verified due to the licensing requirement (as ‘airline’) applicable in aviation, so that the exemption can apply in chain or
cascade and not only to the latest delivery, in casu to the ‘airline’, operator of the aircraft. 3. On the third question, the ECJ judged that the own use of the aircraft – when operated by an airline in the meaning of the Sixth Directive - does not jeopardize the exemption, provided that the aircraft is not solely or exclusively used by the owner of the aircraft. In any case, the facts must indicate evidence of the real purpose of the setup, to be evaluated by the national courts in the event of discussion with the local tax authorities. Conclusion For the past number of years there has been a tendency in political lobbying to limit and even to eliminate the VAT exemption for aviation, the A Oy case, on the contrary, broadens the aviation VAT exemption to a quite extensive interpretation and applicability, pushing to harmonize the different co-existing national implementations of the Sixth Directive to a uniform interpretation, most beneficial for Business Aviation. Some EU Member States will have to amend their national legislation accordingly.
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MAINTENANCE MATTERS
FRACTIONAL PROGRAMS to 650 aircraft with 3,500 owners of more than 5,000 shares. To regulate the operation of the growing fractional fleet, the Federal Aviation Administration developed Subpart K to the Part 91 regulations governing general and corporate aviation. The fractional operators, though, tend to follow the Part 135 commercial air carrier rules that govern charter and air taxi operations. Bombardier’s Richardson, Texasbased Flexjet division operates Learjet and Challenger jets on behalf of fractional owners. As VP operations David Gross explains, from a maintenance perspective the rules allow a fractional provider to maintain its aircraft either under Part 91 subpart K or under the Part 135. In fact, the maintenance programs are virtually identical, he says, and the choice is largely a consequence of the fact that some owners prefer to have their aircraft operated under part 135. “That’s a choice the owners make when they get into the fractional program,” he explains. “They own the airplane under the fractional rule, so they’re a fractional owner, but they may opt to have their flight operated pursuant to Part 135.” Where Part 91 Subpart K allows aircraft to be maintained under either regime, however, if they are operated under Part 135 they have to be maintained in line with Part 135. Owners might opt for Part 135 because the operator assumes the responsibility for safe operations, where under 91K the owner remains responsible. There may also be tax advantage to choosing the Part 135
MAINTAINING THE FRACTIONALS PREPARED
Flexjet performs most maintenance overnight so that owners aircraft are ready to fly in the morning.
There is a choice of maintenance regimes for fractionally owned aircraft, but most operators opt to follow a Part 135 program rather than the Part 91 Subpart K rules, reports Bernard Fitzsimons
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T
he first ownership shares in business jets were offered by Executive Jet Aviation under its NetJets brand in 1986. By the end of the last century NetJets and other US fractional programs were managing more than 450 aircraft, and by the end of 2001 the fractional fleet had grown
option. To give its owners the flexibility to choose, Flexjet partnered with Jet Solutions, a US Part 135 commercial air carrier in which Flexjet is a minority partner, which maintains the aircraft under its Part 135 maintenance program. Being a wholly owned subsidiary of Bombardier, Flexjet is a Canadian company. “As a Canadian company we can operate under Part 91 subpart K,” Gross says. “So the aircraft are listed on both our management specs and the Jet Solutions operations specifications, and we maintain them under Part 135 commercial air carrier rules.” Flexjet itself owns and operates two FAA Part 145 repair stations, he says, while Bombardier has its own Bombardier Aircraft Service Part 145 centers: “We maintain our airplanes at both of the Flexjet facilities.” Each of the Flexjet repair stations – at Addison in Texas and Teterboro in New Jersey – has around 40 maintenance technicians. Any Part 145 repair station is required to follow the rules set up in the operator’s maintenance program, he adds, “so in this case, no matter where we have the airplanes maintained, they follow the Jet Solutions Part 135 repair program, the rules that are outlined in their manuals. You can go to any Part 145 repair station, but whichever one you’re at they need to follow the Jet Solutions maintenance program.” Fractional operations pose some particular challenges, Gross says: “It’s a bit challenging because it’s typically a short call out and our owners may only give us 10 hours’ notice for a flight.” To make sure the aircraft are available when needed, “we maintain them much like an airline might maintain its airplanes.” That means work is done primarily overnight: “We try to do most of our maintenance on an overnight turn so that most of the fleet is up and ready to serve our owners first thing in the morning, a lot like an airline would do. An airline would typically do the majority of its work on overnight turns and we do the same thing. We have all our maintenance packages broken up so that we can accomplish the majority of our maintenance on those overnight turns, making the fleet available for those last minute calls when the owners need to go somewhere.” Maintaining a fractionally owned fleet is challenging, says Gross, because it’s so unpredictable: “The challenge for us every day is to take the unpredictable nature of the schedule and turn it into predictable maintenance events so that we can plan accordingly and keep our owners satisfied. And it’s really about our people, at every level of the organization our people make it possible to meet the challenges of operating a world class, world wide, unscheduled corporate aircraft organization.” To help manage the activity, Flexjets created its own software in house to track each aircraft, its next scheduled inspection and the time remaining on life-limited components. The high level of automation means only a small team is needed to track the maintenance requirements. Many owners take an interest in how their aircraft are maintained, Gross says. “When they’re looking at the program they want to know and understand how we maintain the fleet, because obviously they want to make sure they’re with a safe, well run organization.” And Flexjet is very proud of its maintenance organization, he observes. “We’ve received 13 consecutive FAA Diamond awards for excellence in maintenance, and when the owners see that it gives them a level of confidence that we certainly know what we’re doing.”
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MAINTENANCE MATTERS
FRACTIONAL PROGRAMS Technician training is carried out in association with FlightSafety, which has a training facility located near NetJets’ own training department in Columbus, Ohio. All newly hired technicians attend a two week initial maintenance course. As well as using manufacturerapproved service centers, the European subsidiary of NetJets has its own 24-hour maintenance centre at RAF Northolt near London Heathrow, with 45 full-time technicians and engineers. NetJets Europe operates more than 150 aircraft, including Citations, Hawkers, Gulfstreams and Falcons.
ORDERS
NetJets ordered 75 Challenger 300s and 25 604s in June, with options on 150 more.
NetJets Maintenance The original fractional ownership company and still the biggest, NetJets has developed a comprehensive maintenance program and has around 800 employees engaged in maintenancerelated activities, including more than 400 federally licensed maintenance technicians. The scheduled maintenance group works with the aircraft manufacturers and their authorized service centers to ensure that the maintenance schedule for each aircraft in the fleet is met or exceeded. The scheduled maintenance planning group works to maximize the efficiency of the maintenance schedule and minimize aircraft down time. The line and recovery maintenance group, made up of the maintenance control centre (MCC), materials and NetJets line stations continuously monitors all aircraft in conjunction with the line maintenance planning group. The MCC is organized into specialist-led fleet teams for each type. Line stations are strategically positioned to align with flight patterns and supervised directly by the MCC. The materials department is responsible for monitoring, stocking, ordering, shipping and confirming the airworthiness of all parts and materials used on NetJets aircraft. It also works with OEMs to develop and maintain a critical parts list, monitor
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, and dispose of parts that are no longer airworthy. The quality assurance (QA) department supports the quality of the maintenance program and ensures that the latest and most effective systems are being used. It also monitors, conducts and approves the auditing processes of all maintenance vendors and suppliers. The quality control department manages all certifications, registrations, and records for each aircraft in compliance with FAA regulations and works with the aircraft manufacturers to develop maintenance manuals and write special inspection programs. Quality control also constitutes the company’s primary liaison with FAA inspectors. The return to service department handles the record keeping and other paperwork requirements involved in the maintenance process. The technical services department works with the aircraft manufacturers to enhance existing maintenance processes and develop new processes to enhance fleet reliability. Maintenance finance and warranty is the department that administers warranty contracts and manages warranty and cost recovery programs. It also prepares, monitors and controls maintenance budgets and provides financial analysis services to the maintenance departments.
Flight Options Flight Options operates more than 100 aircraft, ranging from the Hawker 400XP and Nextant 400XT to the Legacy via the Phenom 300, Hawker 800 XP and Citation X. The company aims to carry out all scheduled aircraft maintenance internally and has what it claims is the largest dedicated maintenance network in the private aviation industry, with maintenance centers in Las Vegas, Teterboro, West Palm Beach, Sacramento and Cleveland to support that goal. Last year Flight Options reopened the Sacramento centre, which had been closed in 2008, to serve primarily as a heavy check facility to support West Coast traffic. PlaneSense The 30-plus fractionally owned Pilatus PC-12s operated under subpart K by PlaneSense are maintained by sister company Atlas Aircraft Center, whose 3,700 square meter hangar is co-located with the company’s headquarters at Pease International Airport in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Atlas carries out all annual inspections and 150-hour inspections, avionics installation and repairs, airframe modifications and repairs, interior upgrades, propeller balancing and borescope inspections as well as routine maintenance, cleaning and other upkeep. Hot section inspections and overhauls of the PC12’s PT6 turboprop engine are conducted by OEM Pratt & Whitney.
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VIEWPOINT
COCKPIT TECHNOLOGY
HAS HIGH TECHNOLOGY IN THE COCKPIT GONE TOO FAR?
By LeRoy Cook
Analysts of accidents and nearaccidents have finally discovered something instructors and check pilots have known for years that many of the latest crop of upand-coming pilots are woefully deficient in basic flying skills, and some of the older ones have gotten sloppy. The fingerpointing seems to be aimed at the time and training needed to cope with advanced cockpits. Are pilots becoming more systems managers than airplane drivers?
T
he predictable response from an older generation of aviators is “Those kids can’t fly”, as if the preferred option would be to return to four-course range orientation and thunderstorm penetration below the freezing level. “Real pilots don’t need all this stuff,” opines the grizzled flyer. But, do we really want to give up our weather display, moving map and autoloaded charts? Are we ready to return to pre-GPS navigation, when establishing a firm fix of position wasn’t all that simple?
If there’s a contributing factor to mistakes wrought by the technological revolution that is being force-fed to pilots, it’s probably the workload generated by loading data and managing the equipment. One veteran compared the tasks of older airplanes versus his new ride: “When cleared to a fix, told to descend and reduce speed, all I used to do was bank the aircraft, point it down and pull off the power, simultaneously. Now, I have to dial the heading bug, change the altitude preselect and input an airspeed to hold—three things to do and double-check.” As pilots, we always need to maintain an overview of the big picture—where the aircraft is and where it’s headed, in relation to other traffic, terrain and a desired procedural track. While EFIS suites have simplified this task, it’s hard to maintain orientation, even in a two-crew cockpit, when the aircraft’s technology demands attention—or is suddenly unavailable. Stick and rudder skills notwithstanding, it’s important to know how the systems work when one or more layers of redundancy fails. As a nearly all-electric jet, the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner is equipped with 1.4 gigawatts of electrical generating power, just to keep everything supplied with a vital flow of electrons. As with all new-generation ultra-efficient airliners, it’s a flying computer
room; 17 servers are linked by a Common Core Resources system that must be booted up as the first order of business after settling into the cockpit. Automation is the order of the day when a failure is detected by the 787, as the aircraft takes care of shifting power loads, deploying the last-straw Ram Air Turbine if needed and discharging the first fire extinguishers. There aren’t even any circuit breakers in the cockpit; the ones the crew is allowed to reset have to be brought up in virtual form on the MFD for selection and closing. The purpose of this automation, of course, is to simplify the task of operating the aircraft, especially if an emergency arises. So, when is too much technology a hindrance, instead of a help? When its operation is not understood, thereby becoming a distraction, and also when the pilot is not prepared for the moment it’s suddenly taken away, after hours and hours of routine operation. If a crew isn’t fully trained in the options it has available, or can’t manipulate the equipment to make it do what’s needed, the aircraft is headed for trouble. Basic skills are needed to cope until technology is brought back on line or under control. As one upgrading veteran put it, “We no longer need to know how to fly, but we do have to be able to type 60 words a minute”.
EVOLUTION
Digital cockpits have come a long way from their old analogue counterparts.
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VIEWPOINT
COCKPIT TECHNOLOGY
Seeing The Problem As with any problem, recognizing that it does or can exist is a first step toward resolution. Comfortable reliance on the automation is not piloting; one must be continually in touch with the big picture and be ready to take a system off-line if it isn’t performing as desired. The two most dreaded phrases in a high-technology cockpit are “what’s it doing now?” and “where’s this thing taking us?”, neither of which we want to hear.
TRUST
We shouldn t reject the technological advances that make our lives much easier.
There is no substitute for regularly participating in ordinary stick-and-rudder manual flying. If you haven’t practiced uncoupled or flight-director-only flying lately, how do you propose to be ready to do it if needed? To practice hand-flying, take advantage of a swathe of non-RVSM, non-RNP airspace whenever it’s available; you’ll probably need the extra tolerance. A positioning flight without passengers in the back would be a very desirable time to turn off the autopilot and make a manually-flown approach. An airline captain friend says his policy is to hand-fly the aircraft until reaching 10,000 feet on departure, and then
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return to manual flying when descending through 10,000 feet on arrival, as a means of maintaining skills. Some flight departments schedule periodic proficiency training in basic aircraft that demand rudimentary piloting skills, just to maintain a primary level of dexterity. This doesn’t have to involve full-inverted aerobatics or tailwheel qualification, just an airplane that is being flown, not observed from the pilot seat. Yesterday, I flew a Cessna Turbo Centurion into a one-wheel-at-atime landing in a 20-knot crosswind. I hadn’t done that for a while, and it was a wrestling match, to be sure, but I’ll be ready when the next one comes.
The Benefits Of Technology We can’t, and shouldn’t, reject the technological advances that have made our lives so much easier. As one training center spokesman reminded me, “We don’t have a body count on the lives that have been saved by having cockpit technology available.” Perhaps we’re focusing too much on the tragic accidents in which technology might have been involved. As another manager put it, “In such a case, it may be presumed that the crew was overly reliant on automation, when in fact they simply were not situationally aware of how the aircraft was being flown by the automation and therefore they were ‘behind the aircraft’ when they had to hand fly.” Most emphatically, we must get the training required to understand the systems. All equipment has limitations, but we must make sure we’re not the source of the limitations. Do not be capable of only “making the equipment work”; know enough about it to truly “work the equipment”. To comfortably co-exist with technology, retain your position as master, not vassal. This takes training and willingness to experiment with different modes, in both normal and emergency scenarios. Sad history reveals that a subtle, undetected failure over a dark ocean at high altitude can overwhelm a crew accustomed to flawless automated flight. And an exhausted pilot and copilot on an ice-laden approach at the end of a long day might institute the wrong reaction when the autopilot trips off. Studying accidents like Air France 447 and Colgan Air 3407 can reveal lessons for us all. Expecting that everything will continue to go well is flirting with disaster. Train for situa-
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VIEWPOINT tions in which things haven’t gone well, and be prepared to replace the technology with basic flying technique. When does technology become a threat? When it increases, rather than decreases, the crew’s workload. In this age, we’re in danger of falling for the classic engineering temptation— ”Because it’s possible to do this, we ought to be putting it in the cockpit”. Making a feature an integral part of the equipment just because it can be done is the wrong way to engineer; it must always be possible to de-clutter, revert to default settings, or obtain a basic display, at the touch of a button. Burying a pilot in layers of pages and options leads to head-down overload, with no time to act as a pilot in command. If our new pilots are deficient in basic flying skills, whose fault is it? In some cases, they were trained by flight instructors who were themselves taught by instructors who avoided full stalls, steep turns and edge-of-theenvelope flying. One generation begets another, and so it goes. We have to concentrate on learning to handle all the equipment in the cockpit, just to complete the type rating course. But, when three weeks are spent at the training center just to learn the keyboard skills, there’s little time left to review one’s basic flying.
PREPARATION
In training, be ready to replace technology with basic flying technique.
Training Center Tips Greg McGown, Vice President of Operations at FlightSafety International, sees self-discipline as critical to avoid deterioration of skills from over-dependence, whether it’s constant use of the autopilot or having a co-pilot take care of routine chores. “The important point,” McGowan says, “is for the situational awareness of the crew to include the level of automation currently being used and to anticipate what might happen if the automation was eliminated.” It’s important to stay situationally aware of how the aircraft is being flown by the automation at all times. While McGowan believes FSI’s recurrent training programs do provide a proper balance relating to basic flying skills and automation, he says they want their instructors to query
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COCKPIT TECHNOLOGY
the pilots they train to insure they are given an opportunity to work on areas in which the pilot would like to improve. This means those pilots need to self-evaluate, letting the instructor know if an occurrence or chain of occurrences might cause them difficulty. Situations can then be set up in the simulator in a realistic fashion to hone their skills and decision making. Jim Meyers at SimCom says training is adapted on a case-by-case basis, tailoring the training to the needs of the individual. While constant autopilot use is discouraged in training, because it can lead to a weak instrument scan, it’s a special concern when training Citation pilots rated for single-pilot operation, in which use of the autopilot has to be encouraged. SimCom’s Ed Taylor has encountered many pilots who were deficient in basic instrument flying skills, perhaps because they were never taught old-fashioned attitude instrument flying technique or have become deficient in it. He doesn’t see it as an entirely low-time pilot problem; some high-time pilots have grown lax by over-reliance on the gear. “If they are transitioning to a new plane”, Taylor
says, “we have to teach them how to use it, but then we must turn right around and take it away, so they can learn to cope without it.” He adds that SimCom’s expectations are that pilots come to training knowing the basic flying skills, and therefore the courses are not set up to teach the basics. However, they sometimes have to go back and teach some basic skills. If the pilot initially had it, but has lost it, hand-flying skill is generally recoverable. Taylor does give much credit to technology’s ability to save pilots in critical situations, if they had taken the time to learn the autopilot and turn it on. In Summation In the broad sense, automation is neither good nor bad, whether it’s the flight control system, flight management system or digital powerplant operation. All of these tools are just that—tools, to be used, not blindly relied on. We must always evaluate our ability to do without any equipment or work through a fault in its operation.
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FROM THE COCKPIT
EXECUTIVE/OWNER PILOTS
CHARGING HARD
By LeRoy Cook
M
PRIORITY
Owner-operators need to put safety first and their business second.
ost owners of fast, long-ranging aircraft want to keep on the move a lot. Their airplanes serve a purpose, and that purpose is to pack more nautical miles and hours into a day than would otherwise be possible with conventional transport. Any lost time is a lost opportunity. For that reason, we can often see a disregard for safety in the rush to make the schedule. As we all know, a capable airplane can be a tremendously productive tool. The trick is for operators to be able to shift gears from their ground-related decision making to the serious responsibility of taking flight in a high-performance aircraft. Charging hard may have made it possible to afford the airplane, but keeping the flight safe when faced with an unexpected turn of events requires putting all of the crew’s resources to work on the solution, without the distraction of unrelated diversions. I see a lot of these conflicts when giving refresher instruction to executive owner/pilots. Dealing out recurrent training to a hard-charging entrepreneurial type can be like grabbing smoke. The ground school has to be worked in between phone messages and the flying takes place with several
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false starts while the client puts out fires at work. I truly enjoy the challenge of bringing some thought-provoking input to such an individual’s flying, but it can often be hard to get focused and stay on track. One of my clients had several scattered business locations vying for his attention, causing him to use his aircraft as if it were a company vehicle, a traveling office that got him there and back with speed and style. I had to vie for his attention when he was up for a scheduled proficiency check. I knew he was a reasonably sharp pilot, as current as this morning’s newspaper because he did a lot of flying. However, his lifestyle made him a candidate for short-cutting safety. I’d seen him taxi fast enough to lift the airspeed needle, and he was famous for whipping the landing gear into the wells almost as soon as the struts extended. His departure turnout onto course could be started as early as 100 feet AGL. What my patron suffered from was a major need to get the job done. Hard work and more of it had gotten him where he was. He believed himself equal to any task, and in fact, he enjoyed overcoming a challenge; squeezing one more meeting into a day was a mark of pride. The issue with his flying was not his ability,
knowledge or skills, but whether he was cutting corners and rushing too much to get it all done. Oddly enough, this hard charging individual didn’t cut corners with his equipment. He had the latest avionics in his panel, and he kept his airplane up to date with any mods he deemed useful. He just didn’t perceive that his flying style was a problem that needed fixing. If the airplane were broken, he would get someone right on it. However, his broken approach to piloting was just as important, if not more so, but he hadn’t put himself in the shop yet, in spite of my needling. Had he enlarged his enterprise to include a crewed aircraft, it would be logical to imagine him rushing his pilots to get underway in a hurry and short-cutting safety procedures. Flying for an individual recently moving aft from the cockpit to the cabin sometimes encounters conflict. What s So Important? What makes us succumb to urgent pressure and depart without running a checklist? Why do we skip refueling when we return to home base, and then depart on the next flight with half tanks, because we’re too rushed to call for the truck? Did we really need to make the trip despite reports of moderate to severe turbulence? Perhaps it’s an ego thing. We may think that the world won’t turn if we’re not out there giving it a push—or maybe we’re afraid that it will keep turning, after all. We don’t want society to discover that it can function without us, so we dare not take a day off. If we don’t fly the trip, maybe the boss will challenge our competence. Airplanes are not just another jumpin-and-go mode of transportation, because there’s a lot more at stake. In return for the ability to leap over traffic and ignore airline security, we have to be willing to restrain our activities and keep safety uppermost in our mind. I rather doubt that my aforementioned client had canceled a trip in years. It sometimes takes a scare to bring us back to reality. Late one fine afternoon, I rushed off to make a short positioning flight so the airplane I was ferrying would be handy for a long trip the next day. I departed my usual one hour late, found the airplane wasn’t
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FROM THE COCKPIT
EXECUTIVE/OWNER PILOTS
ready for tomorrow’s mission, and finally got airborne at sunset. In the thickening gloom, I suddenly realized I had no idea where the instrument light switches were in the strange cockpit, nor had I tossed a flashlight into my flight bag. Panic stricken, I fumbled over the dark panel, until I finally recalled where the rheostats were hidden. I learned my lesson; the next time I picked up an unfamiliar airplane, you can bet I was prepared.
APPRAISAL
Back To Basics With regard to the recurrent check flight, I asked my hard-charging client to show me his flight planning procedures. Naturally, he was highly-dependent on onboard databases and an unofficial EFB; he knew all the local frequencies and could set up most of the approaches by rote, relying on the airport data in his GPS for the rest. But, I knew of a recent change and asked him to verify the update and, sure enough, his revision was behind a couple of cycles. Instead of berating him, I told him a war story about the time I got caught in a similar circumstance, which made me more diligent about having current data in the cockpit.
Getting your flying style evaluated is a The hard-charger’s departure contingood idea for all pilots. ued to demonstrate his well-polished,
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yet unconcerned, flight procedures. Not only was the gear retracted prematurely, he pulled the power back to cruise-climb settings before we even reached the end of the runway, snapped off the boost pumps in one swoop, and took his feet off the rudder pedals while settling into a shallow climb. He was simply taking care of business in his airborne office, clearing the “desk” of details as quickly as possible. I suggested that a few seconds of max-effort climb, followed by a power reduction at a decent altitude, would increase safety and spread a smaller noise footprint over the surrounding neighborhood. Cutting off the boost pumps sequentially, while staying alert for any resulting power change, would be better technique than just rushing through the checklist.
As we proceeded with the flight, I noted that he didn’t check the identifier of the approach NAVAID, even though he had plenty of time while en route to the IAF. Yes, I know the needles were alive and the flags were pulled, and the ID showed up on the NAV system display, but what if he had misread the frequency or had the wrong procedure selected? We also know that displays can fail and tuners can jump out of calibration, so what you see may not be what you get. The only sure way to know you’re following the right course is to verify the dots and dashes. Granted, we’ll probably catch the false guidance when something doesn’t look right, but by then we may be too far into the procedure to get back on track. One of the tasks I had planned was an RNAV/GPS letdown that required maneuvering to line up with the runway. Circling minimums were around 600 feet AGL; when he acquired the airport about a mile and a half out, he dialed the power back, dropped final flaps and made a descending, decelerating series of turns that left him at an unsafe altitude and losing speed well before he was in a position to land. He wasn’t saving any time, he was just letting the airplane get ahead of him by reducing power prematurely. It’s hard to reform a hard-charging individual, but with constant expressions of concern, and hints at the penalty for hurrying, an instructor might make a dent in the armor covering his or her personality. If you carry the dominant hard-charging gene yourself, get an independent evaluation of your flying style once in a while, and don’t take it personally.
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SAFETY SENSE
RULES AND REGULATIONS
PAYING THE PRICE OF NOT PAYING ATTENTION
Critical Phase In the early 1980s the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) introduced the concept of ‘critical phase of flight’. The Joint Aviation Authorities (JAA) adapted the concept in JAR-OPS 1.192 (h) and prescribed that a crew member shall not perform any activities during critical phases of flight other than those required for the safe operation of the airplane in JAR-OPS 1.210. The European Community has transposed these requirements in EUOPS which are applicable today. Taxiing is not defined in such requirements as a critical phase of flight, and yet, with hindsight, taxiing should be regarded as a critical phase of flight, in particular when complex aircraft need to be prepared for take-off. How then could the experienced crew of flight JK5022 forget such a basic and vital item after having performed so many take-offs correctly?
By Michael R. Grüninger and Capt. Carl C. Norgren of Great Circle Services AG (GCS)
20. August 2008 Spanair Flight JK5022 was taxiing towards runway 36L at Madrid-Barajas airport for a flight to Gran Canaria. The MD82 was behind schedule. An overheat condition of the Ram Air Temperature (RAT probe) had caused it to abort an earlier take-off and return to the ramp for maintenance assistance. The RAT overheat condition was confirmed by maintenance and the aircraft was dispatched according to the Minimum Equipment List (MEL). By the time the MD82 arrived at the holding point for its second take-off, the flight was more than an hour behind schedule. The temperature in the cabin had increased while the aircraft was parked on the ramp during the technical troubleshooting and passengers had complained of the heat. The pilots were eager to get airborne. Flight JK5022 was cleared for takeoff. Just after lift-off, the stall warning system activated. The aircraft banked to the right and impacted the ground within the airport perimeter. Of the 172 occupants of flight JK5022 a total of 154 were killed, including all 6 crew
members, and 18 were seriously injured. The Spanish Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (Comisión de Investigación de Accidentes e Incidentes de Aviación Civil, CIAIAC) established the cause of the accident to be the loss of control of the aircraft as a consequence of entering a stall immediately after take-off due to the omission of setting flaps and slats for take-off.
The crew had to return to a remote position after a first attempted departure after having identified a RAT probe malfunction, interrupting the typical operational routine. Passengers were not disembarked, and after a while, started to complain about the hot temperature in the cabin battered by the sun without cooling. The crew started to be stressed and wished to facilitate minimizing the delay. A third person was seated in the jump seat. Crew and jump seater discussed the
CARELESS
A poorly completed checklist contributed to the Spanair Flight JK5022 crash.
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SAFETY SENSE
RULES AND REGULATIONS
issue while maintenance was active. It is understandable that the captain tried to speed up departure. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) disclosed that the crew continued to discuss the malfunction during taxi-
ing. The captain asked the co-pilot to contact ATC to ask for the clearance, while he was working through checklists. The crew omitted to select the flaps and slats. They omitted to crosscheck their position although it was a separate item of the ‘After Start’ checklist. The crew did not check the position of the flaps and slats during the take-off briefing in the ‘Taxi’ checklist. Shortly before take-off the crew omitted to check the configuration although it was an item in the ‘Take-off Imminent’ checklist. The cockpit voice recorder revealed that the crew did not adhere to standard procedures during their checklist work and were pre-occupied with nonsafety-relevant activities during the taxi, including the use of personal mobile phones to inform friends of their delay. In fact, the take-off briefing was never performed, although the dispatch with the RAT inoperative had operational implications on the thrust setting and the use of auto-thrust for LUCIDITY take-off. A sterile cockpit period can start Sterile Cockpit Before departure the crew was worwhen the Fasten Seat Belt sign ried about speeding up departure and comes on, but violated sterile cockpit procedures in be clear on the multiple ways. Spanair’s Operations Manual defined activities prohibited, or the the sterile cockpit period as that time results may be between the turning ‘on’ and ‘off’ of tragic. the “Fasten Seat Belt”-sign. The manu-
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al did not specify what activities were prohibited during this time. During critical phases of flight, pilots should maintain a sterile cockpit. In a sterile cockpit pilots should refrain from carrying out any activities not relevant to the safety of the flight. The definitions of critical phases of flight vary between operators and regulatory environments, but most define critical phases as all movements on the ground and climb, descent and approach phases in the air. Some operators apply sterile cockpit procedures below FL100 or transition altitude, whichever is higher. Qantas for instance links restricted communications to sterile flight deck periods. For the period between doors closed and start of take-off roll, only safety related issues are to be communicated among crew members. Personal conversations, non-safety related logbook items, company related transmissions, and passenger related items are not part of such communications. The commander is responsible for creating a flight deck atmosphere conducive to concentrated and relevant work. In the case of flight JK5022, the commander did not succeed in creating such an atmosphere. Chatter with the person on the jump seat, impatience to depart and a rushed flight preparation and taxi eliminated the safety barrier intended by the requirement to maintain a sterile cockpit.
What Can Pilots Do? Although all pilots have heard and read about the sterile cockpit procedures, frequent violations of this basic component of good airmanship still occur. Most such violations do not have serious consequences. Yet every breach of the sterile cockpit has the potential to cause substantial harm. Company internal Safety Management Systems (SMS) reporting systems continue to yield insights into noncompliance with the sterile cockpit and the hazards caused by such noncompliance. Essentially, a sterile cockpit is designed to let pilots focus on their work. It is about avoiding distractions and focusing on the task in hand, and also letting the other pilot focus on his work. The sterile cockpit creates an environment in which attention is focused on controlling the aircraft and operating the flight safely. The sterile cockpit was essentially designed to assist the crew maintain a professional attitude towards their work. The sterile flight deck does not guarantee that no mistakes will be made by the flight crew, but it minimizes the probability of mistakes and creates the right atmosphere for mistakes to be detected and rectified before they cause any harm.
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Michael R. Grüninger is Managing Director and Capt. Carl C. Norgren is Head of Business Development of Great Circle Services (GCS) Safety Solutions. GCS assists in the whole range of planning and management issues, offering customized solutions to strengthen the position of a business in the aviation market. Its services include training and auditing (IS-BAO, IOSA), consultancy, manual development and process engineering. GCS can be reached at www.gcs-safety.com and +41-41 460 46 60. The column Safety Sense appears regularly in BART International.
REPORT By Paul Walsh
The crowds didn t exactly storm through the gates of Jet Expo 2012, but that s probably because the show s strict admissions policy kept window shoppers out, letting in only those who were serious about doing business and buying aircraft.
JET EXPO 2012
RENEWED OPTIMISM AT JET EXPO MOSCOW
M
ore so, there was something different about this year’s show – dare we say it: optimism. Unlike years gone by, people weren’t complaining about Russia’s antiquated infrastructure, or moaning about suffocating regulations. Rather, visitors commented that Russia’s airports and ground handling facilities are getting better. Even more surprising was the view that Russian policy makers are starting to support Russian Business Aviation instead of stamping it out.
Improving the Infrastructure Improvement won’t just come from the inside - foreign OEMs are doing their bit too, particularly in the area of customer service, where they are making sure that aircraft in Russia are served just as well as they are in the US and Western Europe. As the show began, Dassault set the tone by announcing plans to partner with Avia Group in launching an Authorized Service Center (ASC) at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport in 2013. The ASC not only means
Dassault is expanding its maintenance footprint in Moscow, but also provides a solid presence at the city’s largest airport, which is projected to experience rapid growth in the coming years. Initially, the 3 million Euro (U.S. $4 million) Sheremetyevo facility would start by serving Falcon 7X and Falcon 900 EASy Series aircraft, along with being capable of line maintenance services up to A check, troubleshooting and AOG services. In 2014, Falcon 2000 EASy Series (EX/DX/LX) mod-
els are expected to be incorporated. Ultimately, the installation would offer a full line of maintenance services up to C check. “Avia Group is investing heavily to become a premium bizjet maintenance provider,” said Jacques Chauvet, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Customer Service for Dassault Falcon. “Our company is providing technical and training assistance to help them reach this objective next year.” The proposed agreement with Avia Group is part of a strong push by Dassault Falcon to broaden and deepen its presence in the fast-growing Russian market. More than 50 Falcon business jets are currently in operation in Russia, representing a significant share of the large cabin market segment. It’s well known that Dassault’s brand is strong in Russia, dating back to 1993 when it sold the first two foreign made business jets to a Russian buyer – Gazprom, as it turned out. But why is Dassault’s brand so particularly appealing? Dassault Falcon President Jean Rosanavallon lists off two reasons: military heritage and the three engine design of the 7X and 900EX models. And he adds that Dassault’s prestigious Russian cus-
CROWDS
Crowded halls at Jet Expo indicate a Russian revival in Business Aviation. Dassault Falcon 2000 LX on static.
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REPORT
JET EXPO 2012
tomers create a snowball effect encouraging more buyers to come on board. Rosanavallon says that Dassault has worked hard over the past ten years promoting the value of its customer service offerings. “And it’s not just in Europe and the US. Across all of the BRIC countries we are very strong in customer service - we now have an owned service center outside San Paulo, Brazil, our spare parts inventory is growing in Russia and our latest agreement with Avia Group is going to help us greatly.”
More Regional Support for Bombardier
SHARE
OEMS want a bigger slice of the Russian market. Bombardier Global 6000 (top), Gulfstream G550 (center).
Keeping up the pace on customer service, Bombardier announced the opening of a Moscow Regional Support Office (RSO) to serve as a regional support hub for the growing number of business aircraft customers in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). When fully staffed in the coming months, the office will also grow to include support resources for operators of Bombardier business aircraft and be home to as many as 15 customer services managers, liaison pilots, field service representatives and mobile response technicians. This local presence provides customers with an additional level of support in conjunction with Bombardier’s extensive parts and maintenance networks as well as its expert in-service engineering teams and 24/7 Customer Response Centers.
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“Russia is an extremely important region for Bombardier,” said Éric Martel, President, Bombardier Customer Services & Specialized and Amphibious Aircraft. “This location will strengthen the support presence on the ground. We are signaling to our existing and potential customers our commitment to building lasting relationships. Operators of Bombardier aircraft in the region will be able to count on local responsive assistance to address their specific aftermarket priorities. The G650 Almost There At Gulfstream’s booth President Larry Flynn proudly declared that Russian customers can get their hands on the new G650 by early 2013. In many ways the G650 is just the right fit for the Russian market, where customers salivate at the opportunity to own a big iron with legs capable of getting them nonstop from Moscow to all of the main international business centers.
“The G650 is a superlative aircraft with the most technologically advanced flight deck in Business Aviation and the largest, most comfortable cabin in its class. In short, the G650 speaks to all that is good about Business Aviation: safety, security, flexibility, comfort, and capability,” continues Flynn. “We designed the G650 with significant input from our Advanced Technology Customer Advisory Team, and we’re extremely proud of what our entire organization has accomplished with this aircraft.” As Flynn notes the aircraft has its FAA type certificate, and the simulator has been certified. “We’re training pilots and preparing to start delivering aircraft in the fourth quarter of this year - we’ll get EASA approval in the next 30 days. Then with the G280 it’s almost the same story, and it’s set to deliver in the fourth quarter also.” Now that the G650 and G280 will soon be delivered: what’s next for Gulfstream? “I’ve been with the company for over 18 years and I can say that we’re always thinking about the next product. Our approach is keep the engineers employed and look out into the next decade. “But when you look at our products you’ll see that we believe in practical technology - not technology just for its own sake.” Before we get carried away dreaming about Gulfstream’s future we should remember the existing line of aircraft such as the G550, which can fly nonstop from Moscow to nearly every major city thanks to its 12,500-km range. For example, the G550 can fly from Moscow to São Paulo or from Moscow to Perth, Australia, nonstop.
REPORT
JET EXPO 2012
Indeed Gulfstream’s aircraft are perfect for all those homesick Russian émigrés in London who might consider moving back home. With a G150, which flies 5,500 km at Mach 0.75 you can fly into London City from Moscow in the morning, conduct business in the city, and be home for dinner that night. According to Flynn, the number of Gulfstream aircraft in Russia has grown considerably over the past several years. Since 2007, the Gulfstream fleet
CENTERPIECES
Hawker 4000 part of HBC s exhibit (top). Embraer Executive Jets President, Ernest Edwards in discussion with BART on board of the Lineage 1000 (center).
in the country has grown six times over. “All of our aircraft are well-represented and ideally suited to the diverse needs of the Russian market,” he concludes. Moving on to Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC), which displayed three aircraft at Jet Expo 2012, showcasing its super-midsize Hawker 4000 business jet, Hawker 900XP midsize business jet and Beechcraft King Air 250 turboprop. Recent JETNET data shows that nearly half of all business jets registered in Russia and the CIS in the segments in which HBC competes are Hawker or Beechcraft products, as well as 35 percent of all business turboprops. “The leadership of the entire HBC product line is evident in this region as our products deliver the perfect balance of performance, reliability and value for the Russian and CIS markets,” said Sean McGeough, HBC president, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. “With such a strong reputation already established here, we see great potential for growth as the benefits of flying privately become more established and accessible.”
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From Legacy to Lineage In an exclusive interview with BART, Ernest Edwards, President, Embraer Executive Jets, told us that he is seeing a revival in Russian activity. “From May last year the approach was: ‘let’s wait and see how the elections work out.’ But it seems that the business community was happy with the election results and we’ve been encouraged by the activity we’ve seen since then.” To date, Embraer has had great success in Russia with 34 Legacy 600/650 being operated there. So what’s the big attraction? According to Colin Steven, Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Europe, Middle-East and Africa: “The Legacy 650 is the most valued large aircraft for the Russian market, with our market share continuing to grow, which is good testimony of the acceptance of the Legacy 600.” In an effort to entice even more buyers, Embraer highlighted the new 2012 edition of the Legacy 650 at the show. “This will be the first appearance of the Legacy 650 with the new interior,” said Steven. “The changes are the leading edge of what is to come from
Embraer Executive Jets when it comes to interiors and sets a new standard of comfort and efficiency at all levels of the executive jet market. The Russian market for our aircraft continues to grow steadily and we expect to continue to grow market share as the result of the enhancements we are making across the product line that provide unmatched value for operators.” Nonetheless, a big part of Embraer’s Jet Expo was the Lineage 1000, which formed the centerpiece of their section of the static display. The question on everybody’s lips was ‘can they emulate their Legacy success with the ultralarge Lineage?’ Edwards notes that the Lineage is just what the Russian buyer is looking for. It slots neatly into an important niche, offering more comfort and space than the large Business Jets, but for a price that’s considerably more affordable than the bigger Bizliner models. “What we’re selling in the Lineage 1000 is cabin size and comfort. This is a home away from home. You’re looking at a large cabin, privacy, the ability to carry up to 19 passenger in style without been overly ostentatious.” Speaking about the upcoming Legacy 450 and 500, Edwards says that the 500 will fly at the end of this year, and that the first metal has been cut for the 450. But with launch of the Cessna Citation Latitude, isn’t the Legacy’s 450’s midlight segment getting a little crowded Edwards responds, “You never like competition still the Legacy 450 stands head and shoulders above aircraft in the mid-light category. It’s got a wider taller cabin. And the fact that there’s a new entrant just validates what we said back in 2008, namely that there’s a market for a larger sized cabin in that category.
“We always do our home work before launching a new program. Before we launched the Legacy 450/500 you’re talking about at least 18 months of market research, as well as consulting with advisory councils, pilots, engineers and so on. It’s why we always launch the type of aircraft that customers want to see.” Maturing Market Cessna also had a significant presence at the show, and the company is seeing a refreshing change of approach among Russian buyers. According to Cessna, Russians now see that a business jet is a tool for doing business, not a luxury item. As a result they’re more interested in such small and medium sized airplanes such as the Citation Sovereign, which Cessna displayed at the show. This year Cessna celebrated an order for 15 Grand Caravans from Russian state transport leasing company Gosudarstvennaya Transportnaya Lizingovaya Kompaniya (GTLK). Seven Grand Caravans will be delivered this year and eight will be delivered in 2013, with options for 15 more Grand Caravans to be delivered in the future. GTLK will be leasing the aircraft on a subsidized basis to local operators as part of a government initiative announced on January 1 this year to improve local aviation services. Pana Poulios, Cessna’s European sales director for propeller aircraft, said: “We’re delighted to have GTLK as a customer. Grand Caravans are ideal for Russia – reliable, fast, versatile and very economical, with low maintenance requirements. This order is a very important step forward for the Grand Caravan in Russia.” He continued: “We are seeing a large, and growing, demand for Caravans across the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). We have delivered three Grand Caravans to the region and are in the process of delivering three to Siberia, plus one to Kazakhstan. Inquiries are picking up on a daily basis throughout the CIS. Some operators are looking to expand while other operators need to replace an aging fleet. Economically, the situation in the CIS is improving all the time. We’re very pleased the Russian government is supporting aviation with subsidized leasing and Cessna Finance Corporation is assisting by offering
lease contracts and/or financing to CIS operators.” Swiss company Pilatus are also profiting from the growing Russian pragmatism. For instance, Russian operator Dexter currently operates eight Swiss Pilatus PC-12s and has plans to lease another ten this year. Of course in many ways the PC-12 works well for Russian flyers, it’s versatile, boasts low operating costs and, with its short-field performance, it can get into many of those tricky, remote Russian airports. And now with its new Honeywell, SmartView avionics option on the PC-12 NG, there’s just one more reason for Russian buyers to think Pilatus. SmartView will provide PC-12 NG pilots with a real-time view of the location of the aircraft relative to surrounding terrain and a compelling 3-D virtual view outside the cockpit that is unencumbered by visual impediments such as fog, bad weather or darkness Jet Aviation Expands Its Footprint Moving away for the OEMs – many of the service and suppliers also partook of the opportunities that Jet Expo offered. Jet Aviation is a case in point. Its Moscow Vnuckovo center provides technical maintenance services, including line maintenance, defect rectification and AOG services to Bombardier, Gulfstream, Embraer and Hawker aircraft operators. Further, the center will continue to grow as EASA has just given the green light to pursue further EASA 145 aircraft approvals from its Moscow base. Moreover, the company’s charter division recently added a Moscow-based Global 5000 to its fleet of managed air-
craft. With delivery expected in December, the Global 5000 aircraft will be managed by Jet Aviation and available for charter services as soon as approval for commercial transport is secured. “We are thrilled to make this Global 5000 available to our charter customers in Moscow, where long-distance, widebody business jets are preferred,” said Claudio Peer, vice president of sales for aircraft management and charter, EMEA and Asia. In the same vein Gama Aviation announced the addition of two brand new aircraft, a Bombardier Challenger 850 and a Boeing BBJ2 to its established portfolio of aircraft managed on behalf of Russia-based customers. Gama Aviation’s worldwide portfolio now exceeds 80 aircraft and includes a number of Boeing, Bombardier, Falcon and Gulfstream aircraft based in Moscow. Indeed, Gama was one of the first Business Aviation service providers to support Russian customers in the 1990’s and the market today remains key to Gama’s continued development. “We have been supporting the needs of our Russian clients for over 15 years,” said Tom Wells, General Manager Gama Aviation. “Our clients respect our knowledge of the Russian market, our hands-on experience of all major business aircraft types and the global coverage of Gama’s operations. I am proud that the Gama team is able to deliver to Russia’s continuously growing Business Aviation community, our ACCESS tailored solutions in a safe, service-dri- The PC-12 gets ven and cost efficient manner.” into many of those tricky and remote Russian ✈ airports.
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PROFILE By Paul Walsh
V
PLEDGE
Cessna s new Citation service center in Valencia underlines a commitment to invest and move forward.
alencia, Spain is still feeling the effects of the 2008 recession, so when Cessna announced they were launching a new service center there, some commentators did a double take. ‘Isn’t this a bit of a risky move?’ they murmured. Then again, you should never underestimate Cessna’s commitment to investing and moving forward – which has always remained strong, even in times of recession. When you speak to Cessna executives you’ll hear that investing in Valencia isn’t as wild of an idea as it sounds. The number of Citations based in the city’s vicinity is growing. And while the lion’s share of Europe’s Citation fleet isn’t exactly at Valencia’s doorstep, many Citation owners will fly into Valencia at least once a year, making it the ideal point for a service stop. Nonetheless, the scale of Cessna’s new facility is still significant. The 100,400-square foot center includes hangar and office space, as well as crew facilities. It’s equipped for around-the-clock customer support services, along with scheduled maintenance, with capabilities that include hydraulic and battery services and parts support. In the near future the center will have engineering support for modifications, retrofits and refurbishments. “When we looked at our European customers, we saw we had excellent service coverage on most of the continent, but there were some gaps in the Spanish region,” says Joe Hepburn,
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CITATION SERVICE CENTER VALENCIA
EXPANDING THE NETWORK
Cessna’s Senior Vice President for Customer Service. And there’s another reason for building the center: Cessna wants to ensure that owners and operators have easy access to a factory owned center – and the quality and consistency that goes with that. “Customer service sells aircraft, and we want to use our factory owned centers to play a vital role in building and growing our customer relationships,” notes Hepburn. But above all, the center is about Cessna’s confidence in the European market. “We’re spending dollars at the right time, and we’ll be well positioned when the European market comes back,” says Hepburn. “I’ll admit, the economy is not where we want it to be, but there are many signs of growth – corporate profits are coming back and our new aircraft are set to drive the industry forward.” We should note that the facility’s 17 technicians trained for six months on Citation models to get their certifications. But this was just the beginning, they also spent a whole year of on-thejob training at Cessna-owned service centers in the United States. So we couldn’t help wondering: when you’ve got all your certifications – is there so much more to learn? “Oh there’s a lot,” laughs Hepburn, pointing out that the new Valenciabased employees learned about processes, interacting with customers, decision-making and generally just becoming comfortable with Cessna’s culture of quality and safety.
Growth Strategy Looking beyond Europe, it’s clear that the Valencia facility is not just a flash in the pan. Rather, it’s part of Cessna’s aggressive strategy to increase its global service and support. This year, the company has signed two agreements with facilities in China for increased support in the Asia Pacific market. The first agreement, announced in March, was with Beijing DINGSHI GA Tech Service Center (CFIC) to serve as a Citation authorized service facility. The second agreement, signed shortly thereafter, was with Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Centre (SHPBASC) to work towards appointing them as an authorized service facility. In partnership with its sister company, Bell Helicopter, the company celebrated the grand opening of its Asia Pacific Service Center in Singapore at the end of July. Plans for the new facility include performing maintenance, repair and overhaul, labor and parts sales. Bell Helicopter and Cessna envision the center as a regional hub for response to customer needs in Asia Pacific. “Cessna is committed to delivering exceptional end-to-end customer service worldwide,” says Hepburn. “We are investing not only in facilities, but also in the training and development of our talented team of service professionals, ensuring the Citation ownership experience continues to be unsurpassed.”
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