EST. 1988
134 SEPT 2011
EUROPE'S PREMIER BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE
FACING A PILOT SHORTAGE FLIGHT TRAINING IS GOING GLOBAL Second Marriage for JETEXPO Page 28 Focus On Russia Page 33 Import Duties and VAT Exemption Page 42
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EDITORIAL
FROM THE DESK OFÂ…
A Copilot Limerick
Fernand Francois
ARE WE REALLY ON THE WAY to a looming pilot shortage? Marc Grangier attempts to answer the question on page 57, focusing on whether or not the scarcity in pilots can strike Business Aviation? The IBAC definition of Business Aviation suggests that business aircraft pilots must have, at a minimum, a valid commercial license with an instrument rating. However, some manufacturers have to offer business aircraft with a single pilot certification, and this definition does not mention the number of individuals running the front office, which could be 'one' in the case of a non-commercial flight. Personally, I consider the presence of a copilot in the cockpit to be a crucial part of the definition. Copilots come in just as much variety in terms of size, shape and temperament as captains - with the exception that captains are grayer and heavier. The word 'copilot' should have the same meaning as co-director, co-owner and cooperate, but in Business Aviation, the word's meaning can cover an even broader range, from switch pulling skivvy to an individual with four stripe equal skills. This type of team would be ideal in a business aircraft, but is unfortunately as rare as a nun in a bikini. Having an equal plateau of skill and experience in both seats is certainly the greatest assurance of safety that money can buy. Unfortunately, not every operation has this capability. Some of the good ones do, but it's not for them that this masterpiece is written. Archetypal in the 'weak link metaphor' is Captain Lardass, who logged 45,698.7 hours. He arrives at the airport sometimes as much as 15 minutes ahead of his passengers. He looks neither to the right nor the left, but goes directly to the left front seat and is belted in during the passenger embarkation (unless Mr. Bossman is part of the trip, in which case he is outside the airplane making with the obsequiousness to the point of nausea). First the passengers board, then Captain Lardass, and finally the copilot who closes the door, which is about the most important function he will perform over the next two hours. Upon arrival at the destination, the wheels touch-down in chorus with the unbuckling click of Lardass' seat belt. When the copilot opens the door, Captain Lardass is out and gone. This pattern of events has gradually been phased out, thanks to smarter and educated management. Simultaneous to this evolvement, however, is an improvement in the level of copilot quality and a lessening in availability. But let me emphasize that there are far less truly qualified corporate copilots than jobs to fill. Obsolete is the notion that flight time and instrument ratings are the sole criteria for employment. Today, more companies are spending time and money on psychological tests, extensive interviews and something more than a cursory check of a man's true background and references. So there you are young man. There are night classes available everywhere at bargain rates, so if your educational background is a tad short, you had best get on with it. There are opportunities in Business Aviation, but the incentive is on you to act. After all, there is nothing more depressing than the sound of the door slamming shut in your face.
BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 3
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, Michel R. Gr端ninger, Capt. Giancarlo Buono, Markus Kohler, Aoife O'Sullivan, 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 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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EDITORIAL
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FAST TRACK
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BUSINESS NEWS
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EUROPEAN UPDATE
OUR ADVERTISERS AND THEIR AGENCIES 51 17 2 23 15 29 27 11 57 84 7 19 21 41 47 25 79 13 9 83 31 35
AMSTAT ARINC Blackhawk Modifications, Inc. Bombardier Customer Services Cessna Service Centers, HomeService (COPP MEDIA SERVICES, INC.) CRS Jet Spares EBACE 2012 FlightSafety International (GRETEMAN GROUP) Future Business Jets Conference Hawker Beechcraft Corporation HondaJet (ROUND2 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC) Jet Aviation Zurich Jet Aviation Dusseldorf JetExpo 2011 JetNet LLC Jet Support Services Inc. (JSSI) NBAA 2011 RUAG Aviation StandardAero Universal Avionics Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. Wyvern
81
INSIGHT
SEPTEMBER - 2011 Volume XXII - No 4 BART No 134 WWW.BARTINTL.COM
MATURITY A forthcoming "business" version of the SSJ100 will mark a new dawn for Russia's Business Aviation industry
B USINESS A VIATION R EAL T OOL Member
OUR COVER Today, every large training center has expanded its activities abroad. Read our report "Flight training is going global" on page 61. Photo: Flightglobal
CONTENTS 28
56
LOOKING EAST A new location and a new lease on life, Jet Expo is set to be a winner in Moscow. Liz Moscrop previews the show and reviews the Russian market. She also looks at what Russian airports are doing to accomodate Business Aviation's growth in the country.
FLIGHT TRAINING GOES GLOBAL Marc Grangier separates fact from fiction on the impending pilot shortage, he also examines the globalized world of pilot training. LeRoy Cook looks at five fatal pilot flaws and advises on dealing with the hazards of fog. The experts at Great Circle Services ask whether crash-resistant flight recorder systems should be made mandatory.
42 RUSSIAN REVIVAL Continuing the Russian theme, Derek Bloom opens the docket on non-commercial flights in Russia and Paul Walsh details the Russian experience with the IS-BAO. Meanwhile, Jack Carroll catches NetJets Europe on the rebound and Universal Weather and Aviation looks at US pre-clearance at Shannon and planning for the Olympics.
72
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER LeRoy Cook reports from EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, while Paul Walsh reports from a rain-soaked but record breaking Paris Air Show. We also profile StandardAero and interview Paul Flament, Program Manager for EGNOS and Galileo.
JET AVIATION ZURICH PERFORMS CJ4 MAINTENANCE
AGENDA JETEXPO 14-16 September 2011 Moscow, Russia NBAA CONVENTION 10-12 October 2011 Las Vegas, USA 5th ANNUAL FUTURE OF BUSINESS JETS 2-3 November 2011 London, UK
Jet Aviation Zurich has received authorization from Cessna Aircraft Company to perform base and line maintenance on Citation CJ4 aircraft. With this approval, the company supports the entire Cessna Jet family. “This new authorization is testament to our continued commitment to safety, quality and security,” says Jakob Straub, Vice President and General Manager of Jet Aviation Zurich, “while CJ4 aircraft operators benefit directly from the expanded service offering.” Jet Aviation Zurich consists of 5,000 square meters (53,820 square feet) of hangar space and provides aircraft maintenance support to small and mediumsized business jets and turboprops.
G150 APPROVED FOR BRAZILIAN REGISTRATION
EMBRAER SHOWS LEGACY 500 MOCKUP AT LABACE At this year’s LABACE Embraer showed the midsize Legacy 500 mockup with a near-production interior, alongside the entry level Phenom 100, light Phenom 300, and large Legacy 650 executive jets. “LABACE offers a significant opportunity to bring the rapidly growing Latin American market up to speed on our executive jets and their award winning design and technologies,” said Breno Corrêa, Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Latin America - Embraer Executive Jets. The Gulfstream G150 has received a Type Certificate Validation, from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency. The authorization means Gulfstream operators can register the wide-cabin, high-speed G150 in the country. “This Type Certificate Validation, along with the approved maintenance organization designation our Dallas maintenance facility received, makes the G150 an especially appealing choice for Brazilian operators,” said Larry Flynn, President, Gulfstream. “Now, every production Gulfstream model is certified in Brazil, including the ultra-long-range G550.” The G150 can travel the 2,417 nautical miles between São Paulo and Caracas in 5 hours and 26 minutes, up to 1 hour and 24 minutes faster than other aircraft in its class. The aircraft can travel nonstop from São Paulo to Bogota at Mach 0.80 or São Paulo to Cape Verde at Mach 0.75. 6 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
CRS JET SPARES ENTERS AGREEMENT WITH AEROSS CRS Jet Spares, has entered an agreement with Repair Group Aeross to provide support for the Brazilian Business Aviation Community. The joint venture between CRS Jet Spares, a US based parts solution supplier, and Aeross, a Brazilian Company which has a primary focus on repairs and overhauls (MRO). “This partnership is exciting for CRS and allows us an opportunity to provide local support within Brazil, which boasts the second largest Business Aviation country in the world”, explains CRS CEO Armando Leighton, Jr.
AIRCELL BRINGS SWIFTBROADBAND CONNECTIVITY TO BRAZIL Aircell, the world’s leading provider of in-flight connectivity for Business Aviation, has announced that two members of its global dealer network have received separate installation certifications for AVIATOR 300 and AVIATOR 350 systems from Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC). A significant milestone in the worldwide proliferation of inflight connectivity for Business Aviation, these new certifications represent the first-ever approvals of SwiftBroadbandbased communications systems in Brazil. Aircell’s AVIATORseries products, powered by Thrane & Thrane, enable global email, light Internet and voice capabilities via Inmarsat’s satellite-based SwiftBroadband service.
G650 COMPLETES TESTING MILESTONES Gulfstream’s ultra-large-cabin, ultra-long-range G650 recently completed several flight-testing milestones en route to its anticipated type certification later this year by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). As of July 16, the four aircraft in the flight-test program had accumulated more than 1,760 hours over more than 535 flights. “We’re on track and moving steadily toward certification later this year,” said Pres Henne, Senior Vice President, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. “We’ve accomplished a great deal in the past two months. The aircraft continue to perform extremely well.”
UNIVERSAL AVIATION OPENS FBO IN PERTH Universal Aviation in Australia, headquartered at Sydney Airport (YSSY), has opened its second location in Australia at Perth Airport (YPPH) and is now the only ground handler capable of providing full ground support services in—house at Perth. Previously, Universal Aviation Australia, provided supervisory services only at Perth. “Although we have been providing full aircraft ground handling services in Sydney and coordination throughout the rest of the country for many years, we are excited too now be able to offer full-service capabilities at a second destination in Australia at Perth,” said Adolfo Aragon, Senior Vice President, Universal Aviation. “Our 20,200 square-foot facility has the latest in modern amenities and security. The facility offers operators total privacy, with easy landside access, including car parking, privacy screening and complete electronic security.”
8 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
WEST STAR STREAMLINES EXPERIENCE ON CALL APP West Star Aviation has announced that by utilizing a QR code, their iPhone app, “Experience On Call” is now even easier. In addition to being available to download free from the Apple App store, the “Experience On Call” app can be accessed by scanning the QR code, which will be displayed on West Star Aviation literature. “Experience On Call” is an app designed to provide direct contact to a full directory of professionals at West Star Aviation, whenever assistance is required.
THIS IS NOT AN AIRCRAFT.
It’s my handshake in Helsinki. It’s my deal in Dublin. It’s a hardworking factory back home counting on me to make it happen. 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 our website at www.standardaero.com. AVIONICS
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LÍDER SIGNATURE BECOMES DISTRIBUTOR FOR BLR AEROSPACE BLR Aerospace has named Líder Signature, SA of Brazil as a Dealer for its value- and performance-enhancing Winglet Systems. Under the terms of the agreement, Líder Signature, SA may sell and install BLR’s complete line of ANAC-certified Winglet Systems for Beechcraft King Air 90, 200 and 300 Series aircraft. “We are proud to be affiliated with Líder Signature, SA, a pioneer and global leader in the Business Aviation industry,” said Dave Marone, BLR Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “This partnership significantly expands our reach in Brazil, where many King Air operators stand to benefit from Winglet installation.”
In order to maintain a leading position and further develop the North Asia market, Hawker Beechcraft has announced the establishment of its new regional headquarters office in Beijing for the North Asia region, which covers mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. Furthermore, it has increased its investment in the fast-growing Chinese market by adding local employees and strengthening its sales and marketing network in the region.
JET AVIATION HONG KONG GAINS GLOBAL EXPRESS MAINTENANCE APPROVAL
WEST STAR AVIATION RECEIVES STC FOR FALCON 50B
Jet Aviation Hong Kong recently received approval from the Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department (CAD) to perform maintenance on Global Express aircraft. With the recent approval from the Hong Kong CAD, Jet Aviation Hong Kong is now authorized to support scheduled and unscheduled maintenance on Global Express aircraft.
West Star Aviation recently received FAA STC for the Falcon 50B Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 to include Engine Indication Systems (EIS). In addition, the amended STC also allows installation to existing Falcon 50B operators with existing Proline 21 major retrofit installations.
GULFSTREAM PlaneParts ENROLLS 50th CUSTOMER Gulfstream has announced that the 50th customer has enrolled in the company’s cost-per-hour maintenance program known as PlaneParts. The Brazilian customer will operate a Gulfstream G550 upon delivery in September. PlaneParts provides Gulfstream operators with no-charge replacement components for parts removed due to failure, life limit or wear, in exchange for monthly payments based on the aircraft’s model and age. “PlaneParts has been well-received by our operators since we launched the program last year at NBAA in Atlanta,” said Mark Burns, President, Gulfstream Product Support. “Particularly in these economic times, controlling costs is critical for any company, big or small. PlaneParts gives our operators a tool to accurately forecast the cost of component replacements for their aircraft. Our operators benefit from single-source component ordering and can take advantage of our worldwide product support network, which includes 24/7 AOG assistance.”
10 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
HAWKER BEECHCRAFT DEVELOPS NORTH ASIA MARKET
FLIGHTSAFETY INCREASES CONCENTRATION ON TRAINING PROGRAMS FlightSafety International has 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. “Concentrating our efforts and resources on providing high quality training for current and next generation aircraft using FlightSafety’s advanced technology simulation equipment at state-of-the-art facilities will enhance the service and support we provide our Customers,” said Bruce Whitman, President & CEO.
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EMBRAER EXPANDS SERVICE CENTER IN BRAZIL
HAWKER 800XPR RECEIVES FAA APPROVAL
Embraer continues to expand the operations of its factory-owned service center in Brazil, to better care for its growing fleet of executive aviation customers. Located at the Company’s headquarters, in São José dos Campos, the center has been operational for two years to service its business jets in Brazil. The operational expansion plan includes new services and certifications along with a substantial increase in maintenance equipment, and larger facilities.
Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support (GCS) today announced Federal Aviation Administration approval and supplemental type certification of the Hawker 800XPR powered by the Honeywell TFE731-50R engines. This upgrade package, available exclusively through factory-owned Hawker Beechcraft Services (HBS) facilities, offers significant performance and capability improvements by replacing the aircraft’s original engines with new technology TFE731-50R powerplants and improved aerodynamics with genuine Hawker winglets. The first customer delivery is scheduled to occur in early September.
BLR AEROSPACE CERTIFIES KING AIR 200GT PERFORMANCE PACKAGE PremiAir REPORTS UPTURN BLR Aerospace, an industry-leading provider of performance enhancement systems for OEMs including Hawker Beechcraft and Bell Helicopter, has earned Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification for its new Ultimate Performance PackageTM (UPP) for the King Air 200GT twin turboprop aircraft. The Ultimate Performance Package was developed in partnership with Hawker Beechcraft and includes the BLR Winglet System, Hartzell’s latest 4-blade composite propeller, and the Raisbeck Ram Air Recovery System.
FLIGHTSAFETY TO OFFER TRAINING FOR G450 AND G550 FlightSafety International has announced that it will offer training for Gulfstream G450 and G550 aircraft at its Learning Center in Dallas, Texas. The new Gulfstream G450/G550 interchangeable simulator is scheduled to be shipped to FlightSafety’s Learning Center in Dallas, Texas next year. Training will begin following Level D qualification of the simulator. “This demonstrates FlightSafety’s continuing commitment to provide our customers with high quality Gulfstream G450 and G550 training using advanced technology simulators and comprehensive courseware, at conveniently located Learning Centers,” said Bruce Whitman, President & CEO.
12 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
PremiAir, the award-winning UK-based executive helicopter and private jet charter operator, has reported a steady growth in its aircraft management activities, generating confidence that the industry may be seeing some recovery from the economic downturn. With a growing managed private jet fleet and maintenance bases at Oxford and Biggin Hill, PremiAir is strategically positioning itself to grow its private jet operations to a scale reflective of its current leading position in the executive helicopter market.
Ensuring aircraft availability. Maintenance services at its best. As a provider of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services we know that your aircraft’s availability on the highest level of safety is key. Through focus on short turn-around-time, high quality servicing and partner reliability we continuously strive to exceed customer expectations. Our specialized and experienced staff is ready to address your needs at our service centers in Munich, Geneva, Lugano and Berne. Contact us and let us convince you. RUAG Business Aviation is official OEM Partner and Authorized Service Center for Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer, Hawker Beechcraft, Piaggio and Pilatus.
RUAG Aviation Seetalstrasse 175 · P.O. Box 301 · 6032 Emmen · Switzerland Legal domicile: RUAG Switzerland Ltd · Seetalstrasse 175 · P.O. Box 301 · 6032 Emmen · Switzerland Tel. +41 41 268 41 11 · Fax +41 41 260 25 88 · info.aviation@ruag.com · www.ruag.com
PIPER INCREASES TOP-OF-THE-LINE DELIVERIES
StandardAero RAMP UP LINE LEVEL SERVICE StandardAero Business Aviation announced today that its Omaha, Neb., regional service center completed its first line level inspection of a Honeywell TFE731 engine since acquiring the Honeywell Line level Service Authorization this past June. Technicians at StandardAero’s Omaha facility completed 150/250 hour and 300/400 hour engine inspections on all three engines on Falcon 50 for an Eppley Field-based corporate customer. “It’s only been a little over a month since we acquired TFE731 Line Service Authorization from Honeywell and we’re already starting to see a rapid ramp up in our line level service work,” said Scott Taylor, Business Development Manager, Business Aviation.
Piper Aircraft grew its overall billings, and total deliveries of its banner Meridian, Matrix and Mirage single-engine aircraft series, during the first six months of 2011, ended June 30. The company recorded $57,300,885 in new aircraft billings over the first six months of the year, up nearly 16 percent from the first six months in 2010, when billings were $49,497,851. In the first six months of 2011, Piper delivered 38 M-Class aircraft: 14 turboprop Meridians and 24 piston-powered Matrixes and Mirages, compared with 36 total M-Class aircraft during the first six months of 2010.
ECLIPSE SALES TAKE OFF Eclipse Aerospace, has announced the sale of five Total Eclipse Twin-Engine Jet Aircraft during the 2011 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. All five of these Total Eclipse Jets will be delivered to individual customers within 45 days.”Enthusiasm is really building for our Eclipse Jet. With the return of the 41,000 foot certified service ceiling, interest here at AirVenture has really been overwhelming,” stated Mason Holland, Chairman and CEO of Eclipse Aerospace. Eclipse Aerospace will continue to deliver the limited edition Total Eclipse aircraft at a scheduled pace throughout the balance of this year. Aircraft delivery times from date of order are currently 4560 days.
14 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
GLOBALS 5000 AND 6000 EQUIPPED WITH INCREASED CONNECTIVITY Bombardier Aerospace have announced that it has selected EMS Aviation to provide new increased high-speed internet connectivity as an option for Global 5000 and Global 6000 business jets. The new system features ViaSat Ku-band communication system and EMS router equipment, with typical download speeds as experienced on the ground; and complements the aircraft’s standard L-band SwiftBroadband system. Designed to operate with the ViaSat Yonder® highspeed Internet service and available through service partners, the system offers increased connectivity and multi-regional service coverage.
BOMBARDIER ANNOUNCES $4.7BN IN ORDERS AT PARIS AIR SHOW
CESSNA LAUNCHES ONLINE INSTRUMENT PILOT COURSE Cessna in partnership with King Schools, has developed a new instrument pilot course as the next element of its innovative Cessna Flight Training System designed to enhance safety and increase pilot proficiency while making the learning process easier to manage. The Web-based instrument training course and updated learning management system, the Cessna Course Tracking Application, will be available through Cessna Pilot Centers later this quarter. Cessna also expects to expand the flight training system to include a commercial pilot course.
FLYING COLOURS SEES GROWING DEMAND
Bombardier confirmed firm orders for its newest business aircraft during the Paris Air Show. Vistajet, an industry leader, which exclusively purchases and operates Bombardier business aircraft, placed a firm order for 10 Global 8000 jets. This latest order raises VistaJet’s order backlog value to approximately $2 billion US. AVWest, a large Australian corporate jet operator, placed overall firm orders for four Global 7000 and two Global 8000 jets, two of which were placed earlier this year. The total value for these multiple Global aircraft orders is over $1.0 billion US, based on the 2011 list price for typically equipped aircraft.
ROCKWELL COLLINS UNVEILS TOUCH-CONTROL DISPLAYS Rockwell Collins have unveiled the industry’s first touch-control primary flight displays for business jets and turboprop aircraft, which will be available on future applications of the company’s Pro Line Fusion® avionics system. The announcement was made at the 59th Annual Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) AirVenture in Oshkosh. “These displays demonstrate our focus on empowering pilots with natural head-up, eyes-forward interfaces,” said Colin Mahoney, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Rockwell Collins. “Touchcontrolled, icon-based controls on the main displays help keep pilots’ attention focused up and forward for safer and more efficient flying.”
16 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
Flying Colours Corp., is experiencing an increased demand for mid-size business jet refurbishments. The Ontario-based company has experienced a steady growth in orders since the beginning of the first quarter 2011 with particular demand focused on the Challenger 300, Challenger 604, Falcon 900 and Hawker 800 models. “We have seen a big increase in mid-size refurbishments from both corporate and private owners who are looking to re-enter the aviation market. Other clients are completing refurbishments that have been planned but put on hold over the recession,” says Sean Gillespie, Director of Completion Sales and Management.
JSSI DEVELOPS PISTON PROGRAM Jet Support Services, Inc. (“JSSI”®), and Brown Aviation Lease, LLC, have announced they are working together to develop a new Piston Engine Maintenance Program. Targeting flight school fleets throughout the US to launch the program, the joint venture will provide hourly cost maintenance programs for Continental and Lycoming piston engines.
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BANYAN AIR SERVICE AND EMS AVIATION PURSUE STCs ON GII/GIII AIRCRAFT Banyan Air Service have announced that it and EMS Aviation, a division of mobile connectivity leader EMS Technologies, Inc. have entered into an agreement to work together to obtain STC certifications on Gulfstream® models GII/GIII aircraft for the EMS AspireTM 200 LG and eNfusion® systems and products. In addition, Banyan Air Services will be certifying the CNX® Cabin Gateway series WiFi® solution for the GIV aircraft. "We are excited to team with EMS Aviation to provide Gulfstream operators with airborne connectivity," said Brian Wilson, Banyan's Director of Avionics. "The flexibility and scalable architecture of the Aspire system, when combined with data acceleration and Wi-Fi capabilities, provides the versatility to meet the needs of our clients. Our customer's aircraft are currently being outfitted with the Aspire 200 LG broadband system and augmented with a dual channel Iridium Satcom and we anticipate that we will receive STC approval through the Federal Aviation Authority early in the fourth quarter of 2011.
CESSNA CITATION CJ4 EARNS BRAZILIAN TYPE CERTIFICATION Cessna now has type certification for the Citation CJ4 from the Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil and expects to make first deliveries of the newest and largest member of the popular CJ family of business jets in Brazil by year's end. The CJ4 gained US Federal Aviation Administration certification in March 2010, followed quickly by first deliveries, and also gained certification froxxxm the European Aviation Safety Agency as well as Isle of Man this year. The company is working to obtain certification in Canada and South Africa by the end of the year.
AIR SERVICE BASEL RECEIVES ADDITIONAL TYPE RATINGS The Swiss Aviation Authority (FOCA) has granted AIR SERVICE BASEL's Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization (CAMO+) several additional aircraft type ratings. The company is now authorized to provide Continuing Airworthiness Management for all Gulfstream series, Bombardier Challenger & Global series, and Dassault Falcon series aircraft.
INDUSTRY MOURNS THE PASSING OF JAMES HOBLYN James Hoblyn, President, Bombardier Customer Services & Specialized and Amphibious Aircraft passed away on Sunday, July 3, 2011. James' boundless passion for the aviation industry, and his unrelenting focus on customer experience have left a lasting imprint at Bombardier. "This devastating news has shaken all of us," said Guy Hachey President and Chief Operating Officer Bombardier Aerospace. "Our thoughts and prayers are with James' wife Josée and their three daughters and we are providing them with our support." Hachey added that under James' leadership these past years, the Customer Services team had evolved significantly.
DALLAS AIRMOTIVE SIGNS THREE CONTRACTS DURING LABACE 2011 This year's LABACE turned out to be a busy one for Dallas Airmotive do Brasil with the signing of three contracts with Brazilian aircraft operators. "The show was an overwhelming success for us," commented Hugh McElroy, President of the BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaul Group who was on hand for each of the signings involving TFE731, PW100 and PT6A turbine engines. "Our team in Brazil has done an outstanding job of creating a robust and highly integrated field and shop operations organization that is intensely customer focused and closely attuned to the needs of a broad spectrum of operators. While the three contract signings and the large volume of discussions with operators during the show are success indicators, the greater significance to us is the growing demand for what we can provide across many locations in South America. This increasing demand speaks loudly to us as to what services we can provide and where they are needed."
18 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
CORDNER AVIATION GROUP MINES FOR GOLD Following extensive research, Cordner Aviation Group (CAG) has announced it will enter the growing worldwide mining, exploration and energy market sectors, offering aircraft with conversions based on proven Bae 146 and Avro RJ platforms. These are purpose-outfitted for the mining industry's unique requirements. According to Stewart Cordner, the company's President, "You might say we found a golden opportunity in this often overlooked market and the initial reactions to the surveyor and our range of design concepts-resulting from many candid conversations with prospects in the mining industry-have been totally positive." The Surveyors will come from CAG's growing remarketing portfolio of BAe 146s and Avros in a range of models/variants. The selection process is owner-driven and the aircraft selected for conversion depends on the specific requirements, such as average number of passengers, operational locations, distances, cargo capabilities and landing/takeoff conditions.
BOMBARDIER'S M&O CONFERENCE TO TAKE PLACE, FRANKFURT SEPTEMBER 20-22 2011 It's official, Frankfurt, Germany is the next stop in Bombardier's Maintenance and Operations conference tour. From September 20 - 22, 2011, Bombardier's Customer Services Leadership Team will be onsite at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Frankfurt, offering operational sessions, online services and technical updates for Bombardier's various aircraft platforms. Newly-appointed President of Bombardier Customer Services & Specialized and Amphibious Aircraft, Eric Martel will be at the conference and is eager to meet customers, suppliers and media. At Bombardier's M&Os, Pilots, Flight Department Heads, Aircraft Technicians and Directors of Maintenance fly in from all over the world to get the information they need to maximize the operation and safety of their aircraft. As Andy Nureddin, Vice President, Bombardier Customer Services & Support, Business Aircraft states, "M&Os are a great way to meet with fellow customers face-to-face, learn from them and gather feedback on Bombardier's products and services. A friendly and informal atmosphere encourages attendees to voice their opinion and share ideas." At the Frankfurt M&O Bombardier's customers are sure to hear plenty about the OEM's Frankfurt-based parts warehouse as well as its wholly-owned service centre at Schiphol International Airport (near Amsterdam, the Netherlands). The center recently boosted staffing levels by 30 per cent to offer greater flexibility for scheduling light to heavy maintenance tasks.
Jet Aviation Zurich
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Meet the team who can do it all. As a factory authorized service center for all Cessna turboprop and Citation series aircraft including the Citation X, as well as Hawker Beechcraft’s King Air and Hawker series, we have been providing base and line maintenance, modifications and structural and avionics engineering since 1969. We are also experts in aircraft painting and refurbishment, and have a dedicated on-call 24/7 AOG team that can help should your aircraft be grounded unexpectedly. Our Zurich team takes care of you here while you benefit from our global network everywhere else. Personalized to Perfection.
Visit our global MRO locations:
Jet Aviation Zurich Tel. +41 58 158 8111 | AOG 24/ 7 +41 58 158 4848 jzrh@jetaviation.ch | www.jetaviation.com /zurich
Basel
London Biggin Hill
Boston/Bedford
Moscow Vnukovo
Dubai
Paris Le Bourget
Dusseldorf
Riyadh
Geneva
Singapore
Hannover
Sorocaba
Hong Kong
St. Louis
Jeddah
Teterboro
Kuala Lumpur
Zurich
PEOPLE CRS Jet Spares CRS Jet Spares, has named Larry Dean, Western Regional Sales Manager. The region includes 12 Western states and stretches from C alifornia to Western Canada. Meanwhile CRS Jet Spares has welcomed Scotia Powell to their accounting team as Accounts Receivable Specialist. Powell’s role is to process the organization’s accounts receivables and as a member of the company’s Customer Advocacy Team, she will be assisting customers with their account status. Dassault Aviation Dassault Aviation has appointed Guillaume Landrivon, Vice President of Worldwide Spares, replacing Jean Kayanakis who has taken on a new assignment as General Manager of Dassault Falcon Service. Landrivon will report to Jacques Chauvet, Sr. Vice President of Worldwide Falcon Customer Service. EBAA EBAA is pleased to announce the appointment of Fabio Gamba as CEO of the Association, effective 1 September. He will take over from Brian Humphries who will remain in the role of EBAA President. Fabio was most recently the Deputy Secretary General of the Association of European Airlines (AEA). Appointed in 2006, he primarily focused on promoting the interests of legacy carriers and established strong ties with the European Institutions and EU Member States. ExecuJet As of July 1 Christy Fendell has taken over the role of European Marketing Manager, at ExecuJet. Juliane von Heimendahl will take on the role as Group Public Relations Manager. 20 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
FlightSafety International FlightSafety International has announced that Kelly Allender has been promoted to Manager of the company’s Learning Center in Tucson, Arizona. “Kelly consistently goes above and beyond to respond to the needs of our customers and to ensure they receive the high quality training and value FlightSafety is known for,” said Greg McGowan, Vice President Operations. Also, FlightSafety International has announced t h a t J erry Mobley h a s b e e n named Assistant Manager of its Learning Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. The company has promoted Mitch Alexander to Manager of the company’s Learning Center in Daleville, Alabama, Gary Porterfield to Manager of the company’s Learjet Learning Center in Wichita, Kansas, and Jeff Rose to Assistant Manager of its Learning Center in Savannah, Georgia. Meanwhile Damon Cram has joined FlightSafety as Director of Marketing for Simulation products and services.
tinuing to maintain and develop the service offering to Gama Aviation’s client base. Great Circle Servic e s (GCS Safety Solutions) Carl C. Norgren has joined GCS Safety Solutions as Head of Business Development. “Carl’s experience as an airline captain with Swiss and his extensive business and consulting experience will be a valuable addition to our team” said Michael Grüninger, MD of GCS Safety Solutions. Gulfstream General Dynamics has appointed Larry R. Flynn, 59, President of Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, effective September 1. Flynn will report to Joseph T. Lombardo, who has served as both Executive Vice President of General Dynamics’ Aerospace Group and President of Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. since 2007. Lombardo will continue in his role as Executive Vice President.
Hawker Beechcraft Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) has announced the appointment of Neil Kunycky as Beechcraft Sales Director for the Northeastern United States.
Gama Aviation Gama Aviation Ltd has appointed Trevor Jones as Director of Client Relations with immediate effect. Working closely with Gama’s CEO Marwan Khalek, Trevor will be responsible for con-
Larry Flynn
Christy Fendell
In announcing Flynn’s appointment Lombardo said, “Larry Flynn has a broad base of operational and customer-focused experience that will serve him well as he leads Gulfstream into the future. His direction of Gulfstream’s marketing and sales organization has given Larry exceptional insight into the needs of our increasingly international customer base. I’m confident that he will capitalize on that knowledge to enhance the company’s positioning as a global leader in Business Aviation.” Meanwhile Gulfstream has Mike Quaid named as Operations Manager for the company’s newly formed Western US field service region. The company has also recently named Franz Gilbert, Director, Human Resources Technologies. He reports to Jennifer Giffen, Vice President, Human Resources. In his new role, Gilbert is responsible for human resources systems and metrics, learning development systems and employee records.
Flynn has been Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Gulfstream Aerospace since 2008. From 2001 until 2008 he was President of Gulfstream Product Support. He became a Vice President of General Dynamics Corp. in October 2001.
Jet Aviation Jet Aviation announced that Peter G. Edwards, President of the Jet Aviation group, is leaving the company after four years in the role of President. “I want to express my sincere thanks to Peter Edwards for leading the Jet Aviation group over the past four years. Since the acquisition by General Dynamics in late 2008, Peter diligently maintained Jet Aviation’s position as the leading independent service provider in the market to all OEM’s,” said Joe Lombardo Executive Vice President, General Dynamics. “I wish him the very best in his future endeavors.”
“As we transition to new leadership, Jet Aviation remains committed to its strong customer focus in all lines of business, and to providing premier Business Aviation services to its discriminating global clientele and the entire OEM community. The company is positioned to expand its aviation services in key markets around the world, and we look forward to continuing to provide the highest levels of service to our customers,” said Lombardo. Jet Aviation have also restructured its top management in EMEA & Asia, appointing Johannes Turzer, formerly Vice President and General Manager at Jet Aviation Dusseldorf, as the new Vice President and Accountable Manager of maintenance services at Jet Aviation Basel. S e b a s t i a n G r o e g e r , V ice President and General Manager at Jet Aviation Singapore, will succeed Turzer as the new Vice President and
General Manager at Jet Aviation Dusseldorf. The company has further appointed Philippe Crevier a s V i c e President and General Manager at Jet Aviation Singapore. Meanwhile, Jet Aviation has appointed Charles F. Krugh as the new Senior Vice President and General Manager at Jet Aviation St. Louis. In this role, he will be responsible for the company’s completions and maintenance business at the facility and reports directly to Dan Clare, President of Jet Aviation. A 23-year Business Aviation industry veteran, Krugh previously worked for Dassault Falcon Jet Corp and several independent service centers. He is an airframe and powerplant technician, and he holds a BSBA degree in computer and information systems technology. He also earned an MBA from Webster University in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Pilatus Thomas Bosshard, President and CEO of Pilatus Business Aircraft, Ltd. has announced the appointment of two senior Business Aviation leaders to the company’s executive staff. Mike Rector has been tapped to be Vice President of Production, and Tom Aniello has been named Vice President of Marketing. Both Rector and Aniello return to Pilatus Business Aircraft , Ltd. after stints with other industry firms.
quality. Lummus’ operational oversight will focus on all of the site’s maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services and maintaining Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and other governing global aviation agency authorizations and certifications. In addition, he will ensure LAX continues to meet and exceed all OEM, local, state and national regulatory requirements.
StandardAero StandardAero has announced that Robert Lummus has been named Vice President and General Manager of StandardAero Business Aviation’s Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) facility. Lummus had been serving as the facility’s VP/GM in an acting capacity since April. As the site’s lead executive, Lummus’ top priority will be on customer satisfaction and service
Universal Avionics Universal Avionics has announced the appointment of Greg Potter as Western Region Marketing Manager. Mr. Potter will be responsible for the overall growth and development of Universal Avionics product sales in the Western US region, which includes California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. Mr. Carroll will be based in the Los Angeles vicinity.
Jet Aviation Dusseldorf
Count on our local expertise; benefit from our global MRO network
Meet the team who can do it all. Providing the full range of maintenance, repair and overhaul services, airframe modifications and avionics installations, we service the Citation series, Hawker Beechcraft, Hawker 400 and 800 XP and Premier I, the Embraer EMB 135 BJ Legacy, as well as the Piaggio P180 Avanti. We also perform maintenance work on Learjet, Challenger and Gulfstream aircraft, have full refurbishment capabilities and provide 24 /7 AOG support. Our Dusseldorf team takes care of you here while you benefit from our global network everywhere else. Personalized to Perfection.
Visit our global MRO locations:
Jet Aviation Dusseldorf Tel. +49 211 454 970 | AOG 24/7 +41 58 158 4848 jdus@jetaviation.de | www.jetaviation.com /dusseldorf
Basel
London Biggin Hill
Boston/Bedford
Moscow Vnukovo
Dubai
Paris Le Bourget
Dusseldorf
Riyadh
Geneva
Singapore
Hannover
Sorocaba
Hong Kong
St. Louis
Jeddah
Teterboro
Kuala Lumpur
Zurich
DASSAULT AVIATION PRESENTS RESULTS FOR H-1 2011
1st half year 2011 order intake for brand new aircraft, minus cancellations, was positive by 22 FALCON. In the 1st half year 2010, it was slightly positive by 2 FALCON. Euro amount of FALCON order intake was up by 14% between the two periods.
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GAMA RELEASE SHIPMENT AND BILLINGS FIGURES FOR H1 2011
At a press conference on July 28 th 2011 Dassault Aviation’s Chairman and CEO, Charles Edelstenne presented Dassault Aviation’s 1st half-year 2011 results. According to Edelstenne, when it comes to business jets: “the situation is recovering slowly. This activity is growing, although it remains far from 2008 levels.” “The one-off number of orders cancellations seems to be behind us. The pre-owned business jets market slightly re-starts: a little increase of sales has reduced the number of available-for-sale pre-owned aircraft and has stabilized prices. This trend has to emphasize before new aircraft orders take off again, considering sales are often financed by prior preowned aircraft resales. Moreover, American and European markets are cautious, as too many uncertainties remain before growth earnings being transformed into new investments. Latin America and India show significant dynamism. China is becoming our first market since the beginning of the year. Middle East was sending positive signals but recent unrest clearly affects short term international trade adversely.” 22 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) have released the shipment and billings figures for the first half of the year. In the first six months of 2011, total general aviation (GA) airplane shipments worldwide fell 15.5 percent, from 936 in 2010 to 791 this year. Billings for General Aviation airplanes totaled $7.3 billion, down 22.3%. Piston-powered airplane shipments totaled 387 units compared to 424 units delivered in the first six months of 2010, an 8.7 % decrease. Turboprop shipments declined 8.9 % to 143 units in 2011, compared to 157 units during this same period in 2010. Business jet shipments totaled 261 units, a 26.5 % decrease as compared to the 355 units delivered in the first six months of 2010. “These negative shipment numbers demonstrate precisely how ill-timed and potentially destructive the Obama Administration’s rhetoric and policies toward corporate jets are for General Aviation,” said GAMA’s President and CEO Pete Bunce. “This Administration has singled out business aircraft owners with political demagoguery. It is simply astonishing that they cannot connect the dots back to manufacturing jobs and realize they are doing more damage to an industry that has obviously not yet clawed its way out of this recession. Instead of demonizing our industry, President Obama should stand up for General Aviation manufacturing jobs.” Tom Buffenbarger, International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, added, “If President Obama ever becomes interested in creating General Aviation jobs rather than using the industry as a punch-
ing bag, we are ready to work with him to advance these job and business opportunities.” Owners of business aircraft can depreciate their investment over five years. President Obama has proposed changing the depreciation schedule for General Aviation aircraft to seven years calling the current five year schedule an “egregious” tax loophole. The depreciation schedule for General Aviation aircraft has been in existence since the early 1980s. Business aircraft are treated similarly to other assets such as cars, buses, trucks, and construction equipment, which can be depreciated over a five year period when purchased for business use. Many observers have criticized the Obama Administration’s focus on this provision because of its minimal impact on reducing the federal deficit.
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EMBRAER DELIVERS 23 EXECUTIVE JETS IN 2Q11 Embraer delivered 23 executive jets in the
second quarter of 2011 (2Q11), closing out the first six months of the year with 31 executive jets delivered. In 2Q11, the executive aviation unit delivered ten Phenom 100 and ten Phenom 300 aircraft, totaling 20 light jets. In the first half of the year, this segment accumulated 12 Phenom 100s and 14 Phenom 300s delivered. In the large jet segment, 2Q11 saw the delivery of three Legacy 600 and Legacy 650 aircraft, for a total of five of these models delivered in the first six months. Also in 2Q11, Embraer announced that India has certified the largest executive jet in its portfolio, the Lineage 1000, as well as the 200th delivery of the Phenom 100 airplane, which was received by Swift, of the U.S. During the 11th European Business Aviation Convention and Exposition (EBACE), held in May in Switzerland, Everjets, a subsidiary of Portugal’s Ricon Group, signed for the sale of a Phenom 300, and Comlux The Aviation Group ordered three Legacy 650s to be operated by Fly Comlux Division, of Kazakhstan.
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schiphol service centre Amsterdam, Netherlands
After A yeAr of service excellence, we’ve only just stArted. After its first year in operation, the schiphol service centre has only just begun raising the bar. throughout the year we invested in more technical experts to expand our maintenance package expertise and deliver what you need when you need it. we enhanced our interior capabilities and completed certification for all current production model learjet*, challenger* and Global* aircraft. And, we will continue to grow for you with certification of the challenger 850* later this year. For more information on Bombardier’s OEM service and maintenance support or to schedule your aircraft at the Schiphol Service Centre, please call +31 (0) 20 7544200. To learn more about how Bombardier can put you first today, please visit http://customerservices.aero.bombardier.com *Bombardier, learjet, challenger, challenger 850, Global and you. first. are trademarks of Bombardier inc. or its subsidiaries. © 2011 Bombardier inc. All rights reserved.
EUROPEAN UPDATE
EUROPEAN COMMISSION TO RAISE THE ETS MONITORING AND REPORTING THRESHOLD The European Commission has produced a new draft of the ETS Monitoring and Reporting regulation, which raises the threshold for small emitters from 10,000 tones of CO2/year to 25,000 tones of CO2/year. This means that many more Business Aviation commercial and non-commercial operators will be able to report their emissions through the simplified procedure or use Eurocontrol’s ETS Support Facility as EBAA has strongly been calling for and making the case for the last 3 years. The EBAA notes that this does not raise the threshold at which operators have to comply with ETS. This remains at 10,000 tones for commercial operators and 1 tone for non-commercial, although the EBAA shall continue to lobby for the non-commercial threshold to be brought in line with the commercial threshold. However, because this will require a change in the underlying Directive, such a change cannot practically be implemented before 2014 or even 2020. Contrary to what has been reported in the Press, this regulation has not yet been adopted and the new threshold is not yet in application. The EBAA managed to speak to the European Commission who estimate that the new 25,000 tones of CO2/year should be adopted without problems at the next Committee as most Member States also support the new higher threshold. The Commission also mentioned that they have not gone to a higher threshold as was requested by EBAA as there is already a 25,000 tones of CO2 per year threshold for fixed installations and they wanted to remain consistent. It is expected that the Committee will adopt this proposal in late September/early October.
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NEW EGNOS-BASED LANDING PROCEDURE FOR LE BOURGET AIRPORT Representatives of ESA, the European Commission, EUROCONTROL and the French Transport Ministry celebrated the publication of a new EGNOS landing procedure at the ESA pavilion at this year’s Paris Air Show. By augmenting existing GPS signals, European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) offers enhanced vertical precision and integrity, allowing pilots to rely on it for safer approach to less easily accessible airstrips or under difficult meteorological conditions. The EGNOS Safety-of-Life service was made available on 2 March 2011, a milestone for this groundbreaking European program, but airports still need EGNOS-specific landing procedures for their runways in order for it to be used in real flight operations. The new EGNOS landing procedure published for Le Bourget airfield in Paris is the third such procedure published in Europe, after Pau and Clermont-Ferrand. Speaking at a celebration of the publication of the new EGNOS landing procedure, ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain said, “The publication of the Le Bourget landing procedure is a remarkable result. It has been accomplished through the co-operation of a number of actors and it gives us a powerful new tool, the equivalent of the WAAS augmentation system in the United States.”
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About the Airport Located just 11 km from Paris, le Bourget Airport is well known as the site of the famous Paris Air Show, but it is also a functioning airport and one of the most important business airports in Europe. In 1977, le Bourget was closed to international traffic, and in 1980 to regional traffic. Today, only business jets operate out of the airport. Le Bourget Airport is also the site of the French Air and Space Museum. WAAS is the Wide Area Augmentation System. Operating in the USA, WAAS augments existing satellite navigation signals such as GPS and makes them suitable for safety-critical applications such as flying aircraft, just as EGNOS now does in Europe. Experts say the WAAS system has already delivered tremendous benefits for aviation in the United States and there is no reason to believe that EGNOS will not have a similar impact in Europe. It s There, Use it! Also speaking at the Paris Air Show, the European Commission’s Paul Flament said, “EGNOS is providing a useful service for civil aviation in Europe. It is real, it is effective and it is safe.” He called EGNOS the result of the “stubborn effort” of many men and women who worked on a program that has had doubters and detractors. “EGNOS is a clear demonstration of Europe’s maturity and know-how,” he affirmed. EUROCONTROL Director General David McMillan stressed EGNOS’ contribution to the larger air transport system. “EGNOS is a key technological solution to help increase safety at airports, allowing precision landings under difficult conditions, reducing flight cancellations and delays and ultimately helping to increase our existing air traffic capacity.” EUROCONTROL is now working closely with air navigation service providers in Europe, including France’s Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC), to promote the use of EGNOS. Thierry Mariani, French Secretary of State for Transport expressed his country’s support for the initiative. “It is difficult to gauge the full impact that satellite navigation will ultimately have on aviation, from increasing safety and capacity to noise reduction in areas near airports. And a very important element is that it requires no investment in new ground infrastructure, a big question for smaller airports like Le Bourget.” Once you Try it One thing is clear – pilots who try EGNOS are quickly sold on its merits. Small aircraft pilot Sven Girsperger has tested EGNOS in flight, using a handheld receiver to assess the EGNOS signal (in no way a handheld device may be used for an operational approach). He reports, “The improvement in accuracy is enormous. There is no practical difference between landing with EGNOS and landing with a conventional ILS procedure.” The main question for Girsperger and other pilots who have tried EGNOS is when more airports will be ready to use it. A key initiative now for the GSA, the European Agency charged with promoting EGNOS uptake in the aviation industry, is the ‘Accepta’ project, which is providing airports, airlines and operators with funding for the development and publication of EGNOS approach procedures. For more information about EGNOS check out our “Insight” interview with EGNOS Program Manager, Paul Flament, page 81.
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EBAA
CEOÂ’S CORNER
EBAA INCREASES CAPACITY TO MATCH INDUSTRY CHALLENGES By Brian Humphries
T
he latest figures from Eurocontrol show that, whilst traffic in June continued to grow, it did so at a lower rate than at the same time last year, reflecting the continuing fluctuations we have seen since the recovery began in 2010. So whilst Business Aviation activity has grown by some 5% in the last 12 months, individual monthly results have varied from almost 9% growth in one month, to a fall of almost 2% in another. This underlines that, like the European economy, growth prospects remain weak for our sector, with market conditions very tough and profitability low. It is therefore all the more important that the framework in which we operate continues to be favorable to our needs.
Unfortunately, due to the continued economic crises and government funding difficulties, Business Aviation is seen by some National Governments as a cash cow ready for milking. We
are ready of course to play our part in supporting the European economic recovery from the continuing economic crisis, but our job in EBAA is to ensure that any increased burden we bear is fair and equitable and does not damage a sector, which is now recognized as a vital part of the European aviation infrastructure. It is, therefore, very disappointing that the UK government seems to be leading the charge to introduce unfair new taxes, including treatment of our managed aircraft operations in respect of VAT, in a manner that is very disadvantageous compared with the airlines, and the extension of APD to all aircraft above 5.7 tones. Meanwhile, the consultant engaged by the European Commission to review the slot regulation seems fixated on maximum passengers throughput as the be-all and end-all of every airport
EBAA
CAPACITY
Running the Association from Brussels, Fabio Gamba will increase EBAA's capacity in protecting Member's interests.
in the community, instead of recognizing that sustainability is all about balancing the economic benefits to ALL stakeholders – not just the airlines and airports- versus environmental impact. Dealing firstly with new taxes, as I noted in my last column, the now recently closed consultation by the UK Government on the extension of Air Passenger Duty (APD) to the Business Aviation sector revealed serious misperceptions by officials about Business Aviation, both fixed and rotary wing operations, and our roles and purpose within the economy. This resulted in proposals to apply a flat fee - regardless of distance flown - at the highest standard rate on every passenger on any aircraft above 5.7 tones (including on helicopters, which were also classified as business jets!!) Fortunately, working in close collaboration with our colleagues in the British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) and the British Helicopter Association (BHA), we have, albeit belatedly, enjoyed a good dialogue with UK Officials in helping them better to understand our roles and responsibilities. Whilst much work remains to be done, we are at least satisfied now that, whatever the final outcome, the findings from the consultation will at least reflect the realities of our sectors, in place of the severely distorted perceptions painted by the airlines and other bodies, in the pre-consultation discussions from which we were excluded. In particular, officials now appreciate Business Aviation’s purpose and value, as well as our exceptionally good environmental performance, including our formal commitment to continuous improvement. We have been able to explain not only our role in connecting communities and businesses not served by the airlines, but also a notable difference from the airlines in respect of our environmental responsibilities, in that Business Aviation will have to buy virtually all our ETS carbon offsets. This means that we shall already be meeting our “responsibility for preserving the global environment”, without the need for yet more taxes. Moving to VAT, until January 2011 the UK allowed importation and provision
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CEO S CORNER
of services to aircraft above 8 tones to be zero rated. However the UK was required to change its rules in line with EU directives so that now the criteria for zero rating is that a qualifying aircraft is one used by an airline, operating for reward chiefly on international routes. Unfortunately, the definition of this is proving controversial for managed aircraft in respect of what is an airline; the definition of operating for reward; and what is operating chiefly on international routes. Currently we seem to be having trouble convincing the UK Authorities that the operation of managed aircraft meets any or all of these criteria and, under BBGA lead, specialist advice is being sought. Naturally we desperately hope for a favorable outcome as the application of VAT to business aircraft and services is precisely what is not needed to aid a sector that continues to fight its way out of recession. Indeed, were this to happen, it would almost certainly result in the rapid decline in the sixth largest business fleet in the world, with associated job losses and lost revenue for the UK economy. Turning next to the challenge of airport access, we have made a formal submission to the European Commission expressing our concerns about the Steer Davies Gleave Steer report on the functioning of EEC95/93 and the impact of various options for change. Whilst the report is extremely comprehensive and conducts a detailed assessment of the various
issues and options based on airport capacity optimization, we have drawn attention to what we believe is a fundamental flaw in the logic of the assessment. In current form, it is blind to the full impact of the entire aviation industry on local and regional economies. In particular, the consultant bases all its arguments on the premise that maximum passenger throughput is its only goal, regardless of the economic impact on sectors other than airports and airlines. Yet, as various EC and European Parliamentary reports have highlighted in recent years, all sectors of aviation have an important role to play in the economic well-being and growth of European and national economies, the success of which will not depend solely on maximizing the number of passengers at every airport. We have therefore asked that this point - which has already been formally recognized by both the Parliament and the Commission and is especially important for the Business Aviation sector – is kept firmly in mind when drawing their conclusions from the report and determining the way ahead. Otherwise there is a grave risk that the needs and continued successful economic development of many communities and regions throughout Europe will be put at riskparticularly those close to secondary airports or in remote locations. So, to increase our capacity to meet these growing challenges, the EBAA is appointing Fabio Gamba as CEO of the Association from September 1. He will take over from me in this role, although I will remain as EBAA President. As a full-time incumbent, Fabio will run the EBAA business from our Brussels office and will considerably increase both our skill set and capacity, thereby making us even more effective in protecting member interests. Fabio comes to us from the Association of European Airlines (AEA), where he was Deputy Secretary General. Having spent the last five years fighting the airline corner, it will be great for EBAA to capitalize on his expertise to help Business Aviation continue grow and develop its vital role in Europe despite all these on-going challenges.
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MAY 14, 15, 16, 2012 GENEVA PALEXPO AND GENEVA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
PREVIEW
JETEXPO
JET EXPO S SECOND MARRIAGE GIVES IT NEW LEASE ON LIFE
Moscow s Jet Group, organizers of the Jet Expo exhibition, have found a new home for the prestigious Russian event. How will it affect the show? Liz Moscrop gets the scoop on the separation from Crocus.
B
TOGETHER
Static display and exhibition hall side by side at Vnukovo-3 for JetExpo 2011. Chairman RUBAA Leonid Koshelev asks for a dialogue between the industry and regulators (opposite).
reaking up is hard to do, but can be the catalyst to a whole new life. Two months after the UK’s biggest divorce settlement worth “hundreds of millions of pounds” was granted to the ex-wife of billionaire Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky, Moscow’s Jet Expo shows just how much wealth is floating around Russia with its own “divorce” and new alliance for the sixth edition of the annual private aviation event. Taking place between 14-16 September 2011, this year’s show and static display will be situated at Vnukovo-3 Business Aviation Center, a move away from the Crocus Exhibition Center, some several miles away from the airport. Vnukovo-3 is ideal for the event. The airport is the largest center for Business Aviation in Russia and Eastern Europe with two VIP terminals on site, car parking and a landscaped protected area. There is a large apron and hangar complex, allowing for maintenance and parking for more than 250 aircraft of various types simultaneously.
28 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
Alexander Evdokimov President of Jet Group, which organizes the event, said his initial hunch to hold the show at all has paid off, “The reason why we believed in the project was many Russians were coming to Geneva to EBACE. In 2006, the time of the inaugural show there was no real forum for Business Aviation where Russians could get together on their own territory. There were only small forums and conferences.” So Jet Group spotted a gap in the market. There are many aircraft owners in Moscow, as well as a great deal of aircraft manufacturers, plus several operators. This mix is key to the thinking behind Jet Expo. Evdokimov explained, “Even though there are many brokers and operators in Russia, you couldn’t really say that we have a Business Aviation market in the classical sense where people produce something and sell it. In Russia, Business Aviation is just used as a service. Of course the activity is huge and there’s a lot of selling going on.” Consequently the bulk of exhibitors are aircraft manufacturers, operators, and brokers, rather than suppliers. Exhibitors are a mix of Russian operators and service suppliers, and foreign manufacturers and operators. RusJet Aircompany for example, operates domestic and international VIP flights,
and management services, as well as help with buying and registering aircraft. RusJet has a fleet of more than 20 aircraft of different types and says it is negotiating with clients on the management of a Gulfstream 200, a Gulfstream 550 and a Bombardier Challenger 605. Moscow’s Capital Jets management and charter company is also exhibiting. The company operates Cessna and Bombardier aircraft, as well as a Yak 42-D. Vadim Giner, President of the Capital group of companies said, “Jet Expo became the most representative and professional forum for Russian Business Aviation in general, and for our company in particular. Capital Jets has actively participated in the exhibition for years. As the exhibition shows, Russian Business Aviation has gone through a very difficult stage. Of course, there were losses but the sure thing is that it does not intend to give up without a fight. We are sure that for many companies the next Jet Expo will become a key for success and will give an impulse to their further business development.” Charter and concierge services provider Insat Aero company, which has been based in Vnukovo for more than 19 years, has also taken booth space. Moscow’s JetStar will also be there, promoting its charter and management services.
New Suitors Proving Evdokimov’s point, the exhibitor list comprises mostly service suppliers. Foreign brokers with business in Russia who have taken booths include British company Air Partner Private Jets, and Germany’s Aviation Broker, as well as Challenge Aero from the Ukraine, Delta Aero Taxi from Italy. Exklusiv Aviation from Switzerland, which offers charter and ground handling services will also rock up. German company Flight Ambulance International will be displaying its wares. The company recently opened a new hangar to support its maintenance division and has expanded into Dubai. Switzerland’s Global Jet will be there – the company has an office in Moscow, as well as Monaco, Beijing and Paris. MixJet Flight Support from Syria will be along for the show, as will Austrian management and sales firm MJet. Turkey’s MNG Jet will be promoting its maintenance services. The company is a Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft authorized service center. It also offers AOG, spare parts and consultancy services. Stuttgart, Germany headquartered Pro Air has a booth. The firm also has a base in Moscow and offers management and charter services.
Qatar Airways’ VIP division Qatar Executive is on hand, as is America’s Universal Jet Aviation charter broker. Local suppliers exhibiting include Russian’s only aircraft interiors specialists, Tulpar Interior, a division of Tulpar Airlines. The outfitter specializes in Yak 40 types and will be displaying photographs of its projects. Other companies like Vnukovo-based Aeroservice, which provides cleaning services for passenger terminals, and airplanes will be promoting their services. Caterers Aeropit Vnukovo have also taken a booth, as has Capital Transfers vehicles. Aerotrans will hope to gain more customers at the show. The ground handling and flight support outfit also offers charter and management services. The company is able to arrange flights at short notice into and throughout Russia. Visitors will also get to see first hand the ‘VIPPORT’ FBO, which holds its own among the world’s leading VIP executive aviation terminals. The FBO also serves all the companies based at Vnukovo-3 airport and offers ground and passenger handling services. Switzerland’s Jet Aviation has a partnership agreement with Vnukovo and offers maintenance services onsite. It has also taken a booth.
Getting the Lawyers in The Russian Business Aviation Association, (RUBAA), which promotes the cause of Business Aviation in Russia, will also be present at the show. Leonid Koshelev, Chairman of the board of RUBAA said, “Development of Business Aviation in Russia asks for a dialogue between market participants, industry associations and regulatory bodies. The industry grows and with it there grows the importance of an event like Jet
PREVIEW
JETEXPO education. We made presentations in Russia at a time when very few people in Russia spoke English.” Dassault sold its first two Falcon 900s into Russia in 1993 to state company Gazprom. Rosanvallon said, “it was a breakthrough for us. We were the first Western company to sell a business jet to Russia.” Embraer, also, is bringing aircraft from across its fleet and AgustaWestland distributor Exclases Holdings is bringing samples of the Agusta product range, and Eurocopter is also on hand to show off its wares. Hawker Beechcraft has also taken a booth.
Expo that is not only a plain trade show, but also a playground for this dialogue.” Although Jet Expo is a long way off becoming an NBAA or EBACE type of show, RUBAA will be on hand to discuss the development of the Business Aviation sector in Russia. To that end Jet Group is also arranging a round table, as well as the Operator & Broker Project, which is a large booth where participants can congregate in a communal area in order to maximize their exposure to potential clients. Gulfstream is also arranging a regional operators’ forum. OEMS taking part include the Bell Helicopter Company, which is set to host several conferences on the development of the Russian helicopter mar-
MARKERS
Alexander Evdokimov started JetExpo to create an authentic Russian Business Aviation forum. Dassault sold its first two Falcon 900s into Russia in 1993 to state company Gazprom.
ket. Evdokimov said, “The participation of Bell Helicopter in JET EXPO 2011 will strengthen the company’s positions on the light and middle helicopter market of Russia.” Bell is due to deliver more than ten helicopters to Russia over the next couple of years. Cessna’s Trevor Esling VP of International Sales said, “We view Jet Expo as a great venue for meeting potential Russian business jet buyers in a Russian environment and therefore familiarizing them with our products.” Christophe Degoumois, Chief Sales Officer Bombardier Business Aircraft in the Russian Federation and CIS countries backed Esling up. He said, “Jet Expo is the only show in
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Russia that is exclusive to business aircraft. When we talk about what we hope to achieve in a show like Jet Expo, the ultimate goal is sales. However, ours is an industry of relationships and events like Jet Expo give us the opportunity to show existing and potential customers our aircraft, spend additional time with them to strengthen and renew relationships as well as develop new relationships.” Dassault’s CEO John Rosanvallon said, “We have been involved in Russia since the early 1990’s. The political situation was very different then. Today Dassault has lots of employees of Russian origin and we have maintained our Russian cultural
Standing on Ceremony Evdokimov is keen to keep the caliber of visitors high and would prefer to charge Euro 200 per head to attend, than reduce the price and attract many more visitors. He affirmed, “What do you want, a line of 100 people with children with ice cream coming to your jet – or just two principals who come to just look at aircraft?” He continued, “What do you prefer? I know the answer.” There are only around 6,000 attendees at Jet Expo, however Evdokimov pointed out that everyone is there by invitation and the show is a vital part of the industry’s development for today. Another key point of the show is the demonstration that customers in Russia truly value the finer things in life. Austrian block charter company VistaJet’s chief Thomas Flohr explained, “Russians appreciate luxury. They are also brand loyal.” Despite several offers to buy Jet Expo, Evdokimov enjoys the autonomy of controlling the show and said that since he understands the way the market works there he is best placed to ensure it operates smoothly, and is suited to Russia’s culture. He added, “You have to be in Russia 20 years to understand.” He explained, “Jet Expo is just for principals, customers. Jet Expo is a nice format for the business market here.” However, he is sanguine. He said, “I’m happy. We have a nice cooperation with Vknuovo-3. It’s a nice step.” It looks like the new partnership could be a match made in heaven.
PREVIEW
JETEXPO
STATIC DISPLAY
entry into service of the new Global Vision flight deck, Bombardier recently renamed its leading Global Express XRS jet the Global 6000, which will be at the show. All Global 6000 jets will feature the Global Vision flight deck, which is on track for entry into service in 2012. The OEM is also demonstrating the midsize Learjet 60 XR aircraft, widebody Challenger 605 jet, and large cabin regional CRJ200 airliner derivative the Challenger 850. Its current flagship Global 6000 can link Moscow and New York non-stop with eight passengers and three-tofour crew. Gulfstream is bringing its current flagship G550, plus a G150, and a G450. The G550, has a range that is
Given the distances that Russian travelers are likely to fly, most OEMs are fielding their longer-range larger cabin aircraft. For example typical trips would be Moscow to Ekaterinburg (765nm), Moscow to Sochi (734nm), Moscow to Omsk (1,207nm) and Moscow to London (1,349nm). Therefore the manufacturers have wheeled out their big guns. Aircraft on the static include: Embraer s Legacy 650, based on the airframer s ERJ 1 regional jet 35 model with the updated Mark I cockpit of the EMB-145.
PLUS
Static display and exhibition hall will be for the first time located at the same place.
The Legacy 650 has a range capability of 7,223km (3,900nm), nonstop with four passengers. Colin Steven, Embraer s Vice-President, Marketing, and Sales Europe, Africa and Middle East said, Russia is a prominent markets for us. Its infrastructure lends itself to the whole range of our aircraft. We are presenting them at the show. While the last 12 months were tough, the Legacy is proving popular in the region. We feel it is widely accepted because of its cabin size and baggage volume. He added, Russians value three cabins and zones. The majority of owners here are private the split is approximately 60:40%. The company is also offering its Lineage 1000, a derivative of its successful Embraer 190 passenger jet. The greatest change in the Lineage 1000 is the added fuel tanks in the lower deck cargo hold space, nearly doubling the jet s range, which also boasts a spacious five-zone interior, which includes an optional bedroom, washroom with running water, and a walk-in cargo area at the rear. Embraer is also bringing its smaller Phenom family and likely a mock up of its Legacy 500. Bombardier, meanwhile, is showing off four of its aircraft. Learjet, Challenger, and Global business jets types will be on static display at the show. To coincide with the
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increased to 6,750 nautical miles, which will fly passengers from Moscow to Singapore very comfortably. The Gulfstream 550 comes with a PlaneView cockpit, which includes an Enhanced Vision System, which permits the aircraft to land in lower-visibility instrument meteorological conditions than a non-EVS-equipped aircraft. Gulfstream is also bringing the G450, which comes with the PlaneView cockpit and its smallest offering the G150. French airframer Dassault will be showing off its Falcon 7X. The first fully fly-by-wire business jet is also equipped with the same avionics suite, the Honeywell Primus EPIC Enhanced Avionics System (EASy), that was used on the Falcon 900EX and later on the Falcon 2000EX. The 7X is one of only two trijets currently in production, the other being the Dassault Falcon 900 (the Russian Tupolev Tu-154 is on a limited production run since 1998 as the Tu-154M). Dassault is also showing a Falcon 2000LX. Other aircraft on show include a Cessna Caravan, a Daher Socata TBM 850, a Piaggio P 180 Avanti II and two Fokker-100s belonging to MJet. The medium size twin-turbofan airliners offer low operational costs and a spacious cabin.
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REGIONAL FOCUS
RUSSIA
COLORFUL CLIMATE GROWTH
Air Partner CEO, David MacDonald sees growing charter demand in Russia (top). Grossman Jet Services does a lot of business in Eastern Countries says CEO Dagmar Grossman (below).
The formerly red marketplace is grey in parts, but balance sheets are turning black as foreign investors rush to join Russian entrepreneurs to develop the once blue sector. Liz Moscrop reports.
V
isitors to Russia should be extremely cautious when booking a private flight through a broker. So says veteran British charter broker Air Partner’s CEO David MacDonald. He said, “It is a major concern, 50% of charter flights in Russia are on the grey market. There are lots of glossy websites springing up with nothing behind them. People don’t know what they’re getting into, and aircraft are not maintained up to commercial standards, and operated by unregulated companies.” He spoke of an instance where a US flight department had booked a flight that cost USD 10,000 less than one he had sourced for them. Their executives had subsequently flown on the aircraft and only found out afterwards that it was an illegal flight. He said, “It is important to make sure your procurement people know what they’re doing, and the time to do that is before arriving in Russia.” He was quick to point out that there are also
many highly professional operators in the country, who are running safe and regulated flights, but that it is vital to research a trip thoroughly before arranging a trip. He knows the market well and said, “We have been using operators flying into Russia for 15 years, since Perestroika meant the expansion of Western multinationals operating flights into the country.” According to Russian legislation, any private flight that is not registered on a Russian AOC is deemed to be a foreign flight. Dagmar Grossman CEO of Grossman Jet Services in Prague, Czech Republic added that the culture in Russia may affect the charter market. She said, “The owners have a huge impact on many Russian operators and want lots of control over who flies on their aircraft.” She reckoned that her company has seen a massive dip in requests from Russia over the last few years since the global economic downturn. She said, “We did 70% of our flights out of Russia in the winter. Now the market is down to nearly 0%. Operators in Russia feed the market internally. We do lots of business in Czech Republic and Slovakia, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.” However, there are indications of improvement and Grossman said that BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 33
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she is trying to find travel agents to work with since many Russians like to have their entire trip arranged. She said, “We are going to offer the full package, flying plus the hotels.” This winter Grossman plans to position an aircraft in Switzerland to access its Russian clients. MacDonald agreed and added, “There is a definite increase in business in Russia. Charter operators are all busy. There is less tax, so importation is not as bad as it was and there are more modern Western aircraft going onto the Russian register.” Strengthening Market
OPERATORS
Jetalliance East operates two Yak-42s in Russia (top). VistaJet, CEO, Thomas Flohr says the Russian market is almost at pre-crisis levels.
This growth in charter activity is a good barometer of Business Aviation’s strength in Russia. A key player on the scene is Russian-Austrian air carrier Jetalliance East, which has entered into a groundbreaking partnership with Flag carrier Aeroflot Plus – Russian Airlines. The company now operates four Soviet-Russian aircraft: two Tupolev Tu-134s, two Yakovlev Yak-42s, and two Cessna Citations - a CJ3 and Sovereign. Jetalliance’s HQ is in Sheremetyevo, where it also established a line maintenance station. The company is providing the Cessnas for the term of three years at no charge. The Western jets are registered on the airline’s air operator’s certificate (AOC), which means Jetalliance can operate flights between destinations within Russia legally. Flight crews hold Russian citizenship in accordance with Russia’s Air Code, however the aircraft are registered in Austria. Jetalliance can therefore offer legal domestic flight procedures.
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That is a key selling point, since many Russian operators use Russianbuilt aircraft, which are older. Jetalliance’s array of Cessna jets means clients can fly at an appropriate price point to destinations within Russia. Former director of Aeroflot-Plus Sergey Koltovich is in charge of the Russian part of Jetalliance, which will operate 30 aircraft registered in Russia on Russian domestic routes. This is the largest registered fleet of Business Aviation aircraft in the country. Around 30-35% of the company’s orders come from Russia and CIS countries. Another operator with a great deal of business in Russia is Austrian jet card provider VistaJet. CEO Thomas Flohr has observed the rise in new
activity recently. He said, “The last six to nine months in Russia has seen a strengthening of demand again. It is a very strong market, almost as good as pre-crisis.” He added that the market had dipped severely at the end of last year, but levels of activity were rising and that VistaJet was flying “five to seven times per day” into Russia, which accounts for 27-28% of its business. He also said that Russians are extremely brand loyal. There are some differences, however. Flohr said, “The type of client has changed since the crisis. There are slightly different needs. There is a lot more business flying, not so much pleasure. People are flying to business destinations in Russia, China and the Middle East.”
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RUSSIA
He said that major companies with their own fleets are using charter rather than adding to their fleets, and that others are hiring flights for their lift and asking whether they really need to buy an aircraft at the moment. He said, “Globally people are not loading up their assets.” Manufacturing To date there is not a great deal of manufacturing specifically dedicated to Business Aviation, although Sukhoi Civil Aircraft and Italy’s Alenia Aeronautica announced at the Paris Air Show that they would jointly develop a business jet based on the Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliner. SuperJet International is to develop the SBJ, which will be offered in
PRODUCTION
Diamond Aircraft will soon manufacturer this DA42 in Kazan, Russia (top). A business version SBJ of the Italo-Russian SSJ100 will be revealed in autumn (center).
three configurations: VIP, corporate and government. Chairman Mikhail Pogosyan said at the show, ”In the nearest future we will take a decision on the creation of the business jet version on the platform of the SJ100.” He promised that the new type was being considered because of approaches from potential customers. Additional fuel tanks in the cargo hold would give a range of almost 8,000km (4,300nm), more than double the Superjet’s standard range of 3,000km. It will carry passengers on fairly long distances, for example
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from Paris to New York. Aeroflot has already ordered 30 Sukhoi SuperJet 100 aircraft and is planning to order 10 more, so it is not beyond the boundaries of imagination to think the SBJ may appear on the Jetalliance fleet. The airliner version entered revenue service in February. There were some signs of relaxation in the arena of licensed GA foreign manufacturing. Germany’s Diamond Aircraft is due to set up a manufacturing plant for its DA40 and DA42 types at the Gorbunov aviation production association in Kazan.
Foreign Aircraft Foreign OEMs are not building aircraft in Russia yet, but are selling plenty of business jets to clients there. Dassault Falcon Jet has been active in Russia for many years. John Rosanvallon, CEO said, “Russia is one of the famous BRIC countries. There has been powerful development of the market. China was not really on the radar until three years ago, but Brazil, India and Russia are very active.” He added, “We have around 50 large cabin airplanes in the territory, which is comparable to Brazil.” Rosanvallon believes that the Russians like the
three engines concept; therefore the OEM’s Falcon 7X and 900 have proved popular. To cater for the fleet Dassault has added more service centers and spare parts. Rosanvallon said, “Russia is now a mature sophisticated and organized market.” Embraer’s Colin Stevens reckons that Russia and the Middle East are the two most prominent markets for the Brazilian airframer. He said, “We are seeing interest in the whole range of our aircraft now.” He said that there are around five or six Legacies on the Russian registry and expects to see the Lineage make an appearance in the country soon. He added, “We are bringing a Lineage to Jet Expo.” He believes there will be a market for the Phenoms eventually, but for now they are too small to make much of an impact. He said, “The Legacy 450 and 500 will be popular. Russians like the latest technology and are up to speed with concepts like fly by wire.” Embraer has placed an authorized sales representative in Moscow and is “in talks” with Jet Aviation to see how the company can support its installed Russian fleet. For the time being, owners can get their Embraer aircraft serviced in Prague or in Le Bourget. Bell Helicopter also has high hopes for the BizAv sector in Russia. Larry Roberts SVP, Commercial Business said, “We feel a lot of appetite in Russia as it expands. There is a sense of strong growth. It is important to
keep nurturing the sector. We are expanding an awful lot in the region, a great deal more than five years ago when we focused on other areas.” Roberts said that the 407 and 429 in particular fit the growth needs of the VIP sector. He added, “There is more affluence and more appetite for convenient transportation. We will send a 429 to Russia and plan to deploy another for prospects in Russia and Europe, especially during Jet Expo. There seems to be a commitment to grow the helicopter market in Russia and we expect to see more heliports in time.” Piaggio Aero has also entered the market with an agreement with Aviacharter to distribute the P.180 Avanti II in Russia. The aircraft is likely to prove popular in industrial developed cities such as Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, and Sochi. Rosy Horizon David MacDonald believes that Russia is opening. He said, “There is a definite increase in how business works. There is a growing new big business group, which is critical for growth in the charter market.” He also foresees that the Russian registry will gradually become populated with more Western jets. He said, “There is less caution as owners see that the resale value of their aircraft is not affected by being registered on the Russian registry.” Until recently high taxes and
import duties have mean that most of the 410-450 Russian-owned executive aircraft were registered on foreign tickets. It is difficult, but not impossible to register Western-built business aircraft in Russia, and there are some signs of regulations thawing. Foreign jets that can carry up to 19 passengers were recently relieved of the steep 20% “luxury tax,” which had been a major block to market development. MacDonald also said that in terms of operations, Russia is becoming much easier to fly to. He said, “There are growing permissions and it is not so necessary to hire a navigator.” Dassault’s Rosanvallon echoed his sentiments. He said, “2005 was the year when the US market became less than 50% of our business. Today it accounts for more like 25%. The BRIC countries remain our highest growth areas.” There are definite signs business is taking off again. At Vnukovo airport, Russia’s main hub for private aviation, traffic is already back to pre-crisis levels. Artem Pastukhov, Commercial Director for the business terminal, told the BBC recently that he “expects a 10% growth in flight movements over the course of 2011.” The government is also now aiming to bring legislation in line with international standards. From last November onwards, helicopters and smaller jets no longer had to wait up to three days for flight permissions. The fact the market is growing exponentially at the moment was reflected in the strong attendance at the fourth edition of the recent Business Aviation Forum Russia & CIS. The conference brought together local operators, legislators, handling and MRO providers, and their international counterparts, to discuss whatever outstanding issues the industry is faced with. Conclusions were positive, since modernization of ground infrastructure for air transport and Business Aviation will be driven by forthcoming international public events to be held in Russia including the APEC Summit 2012 in Vladivostok, the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. So despite the prevalence of the grey market, and recent red balance sheets, it certainly looks like blue skies are on the horizon for Russian Business Aviation.
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REVAMP
The 2014 Olympic Winter Games is driving Business Aviation infrastructure improvements in Russia.
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SOFT LANDINGS IN THE FSU maintenance hangar. There are over 120 employees on site, who provide flight operations support, ground handling, maintenance, completions and refurbishment, engineering, fixed base operations, along with aircraft management, charter services, aircraft sales and concierge services both in Domodedovo airport and all over Russia. The Business Aviation Center has a spacious apron with ramp and parking area that can accommodate up to 55 business jets, ranging from small Cessna Citation up to Boeing Business Jets size. There is an airport stationary
Russian Business Aviation is developing apace in Former Soviet Union. In order to keep up, airport operators are pulling out more stops to accommodate it. Liz Moscrop reports.
T
VOLUME
Vnukovo-3 receives 80% of Russia s BizAv flights (top). Domodedovo is home of AvcomD and several other FBOs (center).
his year Moscow scored fourth most expensive city in the world for expats to live in, according to the annual Mercer Cost of Living Survey. This will come as no surprise to visitors to Russia, since from oligarchs to oil tycoons, the country’s elite dominate the world stage. This has a major impact on Business Aviation, since as Russia becomes wealthier, it is operating an increasing level of private flights. And these flights require better standards than most commercial airports offer. Moscow accounts for the greatest Russian growth in Business Aviation activity. Vnukovo-3, for example, receives and serves some 80% of Russian Business Aviation flights. Opened in 2004, Russia’s flagship VIPPORT terminal is the onsite FBO, offering hangarage, a VIP lounge, line maintenance in conjunction with Jet Aviation, concierge services and is home to several ground handling agents. These include ABS Aero Business Service, EVO Jet Services, Hadid International Services, Vnukovo Handling and Russia’s two main players RusAero and Streamline OPS.
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The other two main Business Aviation airports in the capital are Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo. Domodedovo is home to the Avcom-D (FBO), and several handlers and agents. These include Domodedovo Airport Handling, EVO Jet Services, Hadid International Services, RusAero and Streamline OPS. Some 30 operators have set up shop there, including big international names, such as Comlux, Ocean Sky, VistaJet and ExecuJet. Local players in residence include Jet Alliance, MJet and the State Transport Company of Russia. Avcom D Domodedovo Business Aviation Center was founded as a handling company to serve Business Aviation flights in 1995. The company now operates a full scale FBO at Domodedovo, which includes a luxury business-terminal, wide ramp and
deicing system attached to the FBO and a helicopter pad. In December 2010 Avkom D earned an EASA Part 145 Certificate for Hawker jets in Russia. The center is also authorized to carry out maintenance of other aircraft. According to Avkom, Russian-based maintenance is “at least 40-45% cheaper” (including the ferry flight expenses). Over at Sheremetyevo. Premier Avia operates the only VIP General Aviation terminal with apron access and handling and supervision teams. The company offers 24/7 landing permits, slots, parking, and catering. The same main handling companies are on site, and there are at least ten operators on site, including: Elit’Avia, Jet-2000 Business Jets, Jetalliance East, Premier Avia and RusAir.
The lack of airports dedicated to Business Aviation is a serious issue in and around Moscow. Vnukovo, Domodedovo, and Sheremetyevo are focused on regular commercial flights, offering only terminals or lounges for Business Aviation. Vnukovo services up to 90% of business flights, which means it is hugely expensive. Suburban Moscow airport Ostafyevo – where Gazprom’s own operator, Gazpromavia, is based could be a major alternative. The international airport is Russia’s first and only airport solely dedicated to Business Aviation. Under the auspices of Director General of Gazpromavia Aviation Company Andrei S. Ovcharenko, Ostafyevo offers fixed & rotor wing maintenance centers, as well as regular concierge services. The company is now building hangar complexes,
bosses, politicians and show-business stars to St Petersburg International Economic Forum. JetPort also provides a VIP lounge, customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) services, flight planning, apron transportation, transfers to the city, accommodation, fuel, and visa services. The lounge is a prototype of the future Business Aviation center at the airport, which is slated for construction in the near future. The100,000 sq.m. terminal will be able to offer parking for 20 aircraft, and will house aircraft hangars, a 4,000 sq.m. passenger terminal, and office space. Streamline OPS (with a network of local representative offices) will start building a Business Aviation center at Tolmachevo, Siberia. Ground handlers EVO Jet Services are expected to break into this segment.
refurbishing and extending the runway and starting its marketing efforts in earnest. Elsewhere in Russia Northern Capital Gateway, a consortium of investors comprising Moscow investors VTB Capital, Germany’s Fraport and Greek investment group Copelouzos took over St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport in 2010. The company revamped the old terminals, and gave JetPort exclusive ground handling rights for ground handling for private jets, governmental, ambulance and other non-scheduled flights. All JetPort’s employees are English speaking, and most speak other foreign languages, such as German, French, and Italian. The company provides round-the-clock services for its clients, and in June 2011 handled 276 aircraft containing 1,004 business
Olympics The grand opening of the new terminal complex at Sochi Airport kicked off the Sochi International Investment Forum earlier this year. The new terminal complex is a major step in the preparations for the 2014 Olympic Games, which will take place in the city. Costing north of $200 million the new International airport will also cater for the host of Business Aviation aircraft due to descend on the town. According to General Director of airport management group Basel Aero, Sergey Likharov, refurbishing the airport was straightforward. He said, “First of all we didn’t construct the building itself, which means we didn’t need to move the concrete and the cement.” Sochi offers VIP rooms, offices and concierge services for its executive aviation visitors.
Handling Agents Many crews and passengers that fly deep into the old Soviet Union report that FBOs are non-existent. Passengers are hurried through airline terminals by their handling agents. RusAero and Streamline aim to provide a better service. The pair are major players in Russia and on site at all three Moscow airports. RusAero supports approximately 4,500 flights a month, providing a wide range of ground handling services and flight support for Business Aviation. It has a wide net of offices and has representatives in the several C.I.S. and Russian airports. The firm partners with several of the main Russian players including VIPPORT, and JetPort South, a ground handling agency, which also has a presence in: Sochi, Krasnodar, Anapa and Gelendzhik. Streamline Ops also has a network of handlers and representatives throughout Russia, the CIS and Baltic States. The company offers dispatch and flight-following services, including overflight and landing permits, flight planning, handling arrangements and on-spot coordination, plus a credit facility for flight related services en route. According to Streamline’s website, English is not widely spoken at most airports, however it trains all its employees to speak English. The company also points out that most of Russia has a Northern climate, which is often severe and unpredictable. In autumn and spring it is often necessary to plan alternate landings due to bad weather. Most Russian airports do not accept credit cards, but Streamline can arrange fuel uplift, landing slots and crew rest. This April Russian state newsgroup Novosti reported that Russia’s government had pledged to restructure its airports, in a bid to slash ground operations charges on aircraft operators. The move was driven by the Russian United Business Aviation Association (RUBAA), which lobbies for the interests of Business Aviation in Russia. RUBAA chairman Leonid Koshelev, who is also President of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, a General Aviation lobby group told the paper, “The effect of this, if it happens, will be as big as that of the introduction of new rules for flight in uncon-
LEADER
Russia s flagship VIPPORT terminal is the primary VIP gateway into Moscow.
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REGIONAL FOCUS trolled airspace introduced last November.” According to Novosti, Koshelev claimed that ground operations charges at Russian airports are monopolized, consequently users pay charges “up to five times in Moscow airports what they would pay in Paris, for example.” RUBAA would like to see a US-style system, where all airports have to have competition for airport services. Operators recently appealed to Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service, and to the government to change the legislation (accounting for the needs of Business and General Aviation), and introduce measures to eliminate the monopoly of FBOs. The Transport Ministry says it will state its position on the proposed new bill in the designated period after it officially receives it. The government is now working with RUBAA on new certification rules for small commercial aviation operators. Koshelev added, “We hope that in three to six months those will be in place.”
UNIQUE
Home of Gazpromavia, Ostafyevo is the only dedicated BizAv Moscow Airport.
Flying into Russia RUBAA also says that Russia may soon also sign up to the Istanbul Convention on temporary admission rules for aircraft, which would mean foreign aircraft entering the country would not have to undergo time-consuming and bureaucratic customs procedures. For outsiders flying in privately the simplest way to rack up the costs on a trip into Russia is not to do their homework in advance. The biggest issue to consider is that of visas. There are steep penalties for passengers arriving without Russian visas. An aircraft operator will be fined between $2,000$4,000 per passenger for a non-visa arrival. Operators should also be aware that filling out the proper customs paperwork before operating a domestic flight leg in Russia is essential. The paperwork must be signed by a customs officer before departure. If this paperwork is not completed properly there is a chance that an aircraft owner could be fined by Russian customs. Drew Barnes Master Trip Planner for Universal Weather and Aviation
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RUSSIA
(UV) said, “We treat Russia like a different country every time. It is essential to make sure you have the right paperwork before you enter. If not you can have a big problem. Expect delays, especially if you arrive early. Airports will accept you not taking a landing slot if you are in genuine difficulty, but it is usually better to arrive later rather than earlier.” Fellow UV Master Trip Planner Keith Foreman added, “You need a landing clearance a day or two before, or at least six to eight hours prior to flying in exceptional circumstances, but really you should allow several days. A complex trip can take 10 days plus to arrange. It also seems like East and West Russia are two different countries as visa requirements can differ so much. You may need a visa to get into Moscow, for example, but not an Eastern airport.” Obtaining a visa is not always straightforward. There are visa consuls at only three of Russia’s major cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg and Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East. The facility is also available at Moscow’s three main airports. However, the Moscow airports visa consul offices are not open 24 hours, rather they open at 08.00 and close at 20.00. An aircraft arriving at 22.00 would have to wait until 08.00 before it could depart. Some immigration departments will insist on a transit visa even for a tech stop. Foreman said, “The way to get around this is to forward copies of passports for those requiring visas to the ground handling agent and they
can secure the visas during the opening hours and ‘before’ the aircraft arrives thus preventing any delay.” There are several places that are more accustomed to business aircraft transiting, for example at Novosibirsk in Central Southern Russia. However, it is important to ensure that operators have sufficient visas for each tech stop. Foreman added, “Generally speaking, one technical refueling stop within Russia does not require a visa and stays of more than three hours at any one airport within Russia will typically require a visa. Rule of thumb, secure a visa whether required or not in case of mechanical problems, etc.” It is also worth remembering that your visa must also be closed prior to your departure from Russia - and this can take as long as setting it up in the first place. Foreign players have also noticed a difference in traveling in Russia over the last couple of years. Speaking at the recent ATO Events’ organized Business Aviation Forum in June this year Emily Williams, Sales Director, NetJets Europe (NJE), said that NJE had experienced approximately a 120% increase in full year flight movements in Russia between 2004 and 2010 and had flown to 40 airports in Russia in that time. The top five airports are Vnukovo-3, Sheremetyevo, Pulkovo, Domodedovo, and Balandino Airport, located 18 km north of Chelyabinsk near the Urals. She said, “Russia is a priority market for NJE. The company sees a great growth potential in the region.”
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INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AVIATION EXHIBITION
For the first time EVER! Jet Expo 2011 will be held at a unified site – Vnukovo-3 airport
WE DEVELOP THE SHOW. WE THINK ABOUT OUR CUSTOMERS. WE DON’T STOP.
WELCOME ONBOARD
September 14 – 16
2011 www.jetexpo.ru
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RUSSIA
NEW RULES FOR FOREIGN PRIVATE FLIGHTS By Derek Bloom, Partner Capital Legal Services
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he Russian Customs Service is currently developing new rules and forms that will impact all owners of foreign-registered business aircraft wanting to fly within Russia on non-commercial flights. It appears the new regulatory regime will be advantageous for owners honestly seeking to fly their aircraft in Russia for non-commercial purposes. At the same time, the new regime may provide Customs Service with a new mechanism to identify commercial flights and thus crack down on cabotage flights within Russia. The new rules and forms will put into practice a previous decision by the Commission, which administers the Customs Code of the Customs
REGULATION
A new Russian customs regime may bring a host of advantages to non-commercial flights. 42 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
Union of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. The Commission’s decision provides that, as of July 16, 2011, most foreign-registered business aircraft will be exempted from Russian import duties and import VAT if the aircraft is used for non-commercial flights within Russia. As of press time, no aircraft owners have applied to take advantage of the new regulatory regime, and the Russian Customs Service has not decided on a procedure to implement the Commission’s decision. Customs officials in ch arge of implementing the Commission’s decision prefer to take a cooperative approach and develop a new rule and forms for implementing the decision and, at the same time, allowing the Customs Service to more closely monitor how foreign registered aircraft are being used in Russia. Strict Requirements The Commission’s decision exempts from import duties and import VAT the use of foreign-registered aircraft if: - The maximum seating capacity of the aircraft does not exceed 19 passengers; - The aircraft is owned by foreign legal entities or individuals; - The aircraft is used in the customs territory of the Customs Union for occasional flights (i.e., for flights not included in a schedule of commercial flights); and - Use of the aircraft is not aimed at deriving income. Aircraft satisfying these criteria may be cleared for use in Russia under the temporary import customs procedure for a period not exceeding 30 days. The total period of time the aircraft may be in the customs territory of the Customs Union may not exceed 180 calendar days within a calendar year. The Representation Letter For now, it appears the Russian Customs Service will require operators of foreign-registered aircraft seeking to fly non-commercial flights within Russia to provide a Representation Letter setting out key facts and representations about how the aircraft will be used. The Representation Letter will be submit-
ted by the operator of the aircraft and must provide: - Identify the legal entity that owns the aircraft; - A statement on why the aircraft was acquired by its owner for business and/or personal purposes and explicitly not for scheduled commercial flights; - An extract of a corporate approval for the owner to acquire the aircraft and lease it to the operator; - Information about the foreign company operating the aircraft; - Information about where the aircraft is normally based and where it may be located at all times it is within Russia; - A representation that the aircraft is owned primarily for non-commercial personal and business purposes of the owner, and while the aircraft is leased to an operator for commercial flights between non-commercial personal and business purposes of the owner, the particular flights to occur on particular dates are for non-commercial personal and business purposes of the owner and are not commercial flights; - A representation that the particular planned flights, which must be identified in the corresponding flight permit issued by Rosaviatsia, are each for non-commercial purposes; - A representation that the aircraft will not be used on any other flights within Russia, and an obligation for the Customs Service to be informed of any changes to the flight plan for the aircraft within Russia; - Information about the passengers on the aircraft while it is within Russia, with such persons to be limited to officers and employees of the company that owns the aircraft (directly or indirectly), business partners, relatives and friends (although the Customs Service is concerned about what constitutes a bona fide ‘friends’), with all such relations being subject to investigation and administrative penalties in the event of any misrepresentations; and - Indicate how many days the aircraft will be within Russia, and how many days, not to exceed 180 days in a calendar year, the aircraft has already been in Russia. What Do You Think? Procedurally, the Customs Service is considering a draft Representation
Letter and is accepting comments from interested parties. It will likely issue its requirements in September or October, clarifying how aircraft owners may utilize the new exemption for use of foreign-registered aircraft within Russia. Going forward, the Customs Service intends to share information more closely with Rosaviatsia so it may independently determine the accuracy of information. For assistance in voicing concerns during the course of development of the new rules and forms by the Russian Customs Service, please contact Derek Bloom, Partner Capital Legal Services. Telephone: +7 495 970 1090 E-mail: dbloom@cls.ru / www.cls.ru EXEMPT ✈ On meeting certain Capital Legal Services is a full-service conditions, law firm based in Moscow and St. foreignPetersburg, which maintains close rela- registered tions with aircraft brokers, management aircraft in Russia companies and legal co-counsel on avia- may be free from tion matters in Europe and the United import duties States. and import VAT.
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REGIONAL REPORT
RUSSIA
RAISING THE SAFETY BAR
Petroff Air had wanted to get the International Standard for Business Aviation Operations (ISBAO) registration for some time. When the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands made safety management systems mandatory in January 2011, it gave them just the push they needed Paul Walsh explains.
T RECOGNIZED
IBAC and RUBAA have done a stellar job ensuring straightforward and painless ISBAO registration in Russia.
he Vnukovo-based operator wanted to add a Cayman Islands registered aircraft to its fleet, and when the new rules were implemented, they had either to procure compliance or become IS-BAO registered. “Getting compliance for the Cayman Islands would have been expensive,” says Dina Tkacheva, Development Director at Petroff Air. “Eventually, we’d also need to demonstrate compliance for the Bermuda, the Isle of Man, and perhaps later for the whole of Europe. The IS-BAO, which would
44 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
cover compliance for all of these jurisdictions and more, was the obvious choice. We saved money and avoided a lot of paperwork.” Petroff Air’s first step was to get hold of the International Business Aviation Council’s (IBAC) IS-BAO document package, which costs $1,250. It describes the IS-BAO program in full and includes a checklist so operators can determine how close they already are to satisfying the requirements for compliance.
Some operators will find they’re practically compliant already, while others will face the challenge of a long and dreary road to registration stretching out before them. Consultants can be of great support to those in the second category. Although Petroff Air didn’t find it necessary, consultants will guide operators to the registration summit for a fee of around $5000.00 and in a fraction of the time it takes when going solo. “When I was a Director of Flight Operations for a large multinational, it took us two years to become IS-BAO registered,” says Donald Baldwin of Baldwin Aviation, a US based Aviation Safety and Support Services Company. “Now we can typically help our clients get it done in four to six months. Sometimes it’s even faster than that.” Usually consultants and support companies are hands on - they’ll help the operator update its programs, processes and procedures. Consultants can also play a key role with re-writing the operations manual, which should detail the IS-BAO requirements and outline the duties of operations staff. Once that work is completed, it’s time to bring in the auditor, a fully independent third party who will verify that the operator conforms to the standard. If the auditor sees fit, he or she will submit the request to the ISBAO audit manager, who will then coordinate a review of the audit and grant or deny registration. A Culture of Participation In spite of the countless hours of paperwork that IS-BAO entails, becoming registered about more than just about ticking boxes and meeting formal requirements. An operator must create a ‘positive safety culture’ where everyone is aware of his or her role and actively committed to achieving safety goals. Getting to this point can be a hard slog and each operator will face its own challenges. In the case of Petroff Air, it was contending with the Russian mentality. Says Dina: “Pilots weren’t used to informing colleagues about certain issues, and many weren’t interested in filing reports.” But participation is non-negotiable and the auditor will speak with all personnel, check who submits the
reports, and who participates in the risk assessments. The bottom line: if employees don’t pull their weight, registration won’t be granted. Proactive Safety Management Primarily, the auditor will evaluate an operator’s safety management system. This is an outgrowth of traditional flight safety programs, but with one key difference: where in the past people were encouraged to learn from mishaps, people are now encouraged to identify potential mishaps before they occur. “Now that there are fewer accidents, there are fewer opportunities to learn anything significant,” says Baldwin. “So we’re pulling out the magnifying glass and actively looking for potential problems. I use the example of a pothole. Most people won’t report it until it gets big and causes an accident. But nowadays, in aviation, as soon you see a small problem, you report it.” Processes and procedures alone won’t create this degree of vigilance a change in attitude needs to take place. Safety must be promoted internally and management has to encourage staff to report problems. “Whatever the employee’s concern, it needs to be taken seriously, investigated and, if necessary, corrected,” says Baldwin. The long days and nights needed to build up this culture and achieve ISBAO registration usually pays off for the operator. IS-BAO raises the confidence of the regulators while reassuring employees and customers about an operation’s safety. More so, the benefits extend well beyond the realm of safety. IS-BAO registered operators are more efficient as they enjoy lower insurance premiums and find it easier to get financial backing. Petroff Air raised their game to the international standard and hasn’t looked back since. “It’s not always easy to work in Russia, but the ISBAO widened our horizons and put us on the path to international recognition,” says Tkacheva. Baldwin backs up the sentiment: “ISBAO is an excellent benchmark and it’s accepted worldwide. Don’t forget, the standard is designed by the industry for the industry. More and more regulators are accepting it, which is a very welcome development.”
Gradual Recognition Aside from Petroff Air, three Russian operators have become ISBAO registered and six more are taking the necessary steps towards the goal. IBAC and the Russian United Business Aviation Association (RUBAA) have done a stellar job in ensuring that IS-BAO registration in Russia is painless and straightforward. At the core of these organizations’ strategy are a series of IS-BAO and SMS Toolkit workshops. The IS-BAO workshop is a one-day event, starting out in the morning with a session on the basics of IS-BAO and continuing on to outline the various standards, as well as what the operator must do to meet them. It also gives guidance on developing business procedures and documents. The SMS Toolkit workshop is a little more in-depth. “Explaining a Safety Management System sometimes feels like telling people how to build a
COMMEND
Baldwin Aviation s Donald Baldwin praises IS-BAO: the standard designed by the industry for the industry.
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REGIONAL REPORT
rocket,” says Ray Rohr, IBAC’s Director of Regulatory Affairs. “People’s reaction is ‘it’s probably a good idea, but I haven’t got a clue where to start!’ That’s why we stage a 2 ½ day workshop, which gets right down to the basics of developing and maintaining a safety management system. Once you break it down into pieces, it isn’t terribly complex.”
MOTIVATED
Major Russian operator Petroff Air wanted to get ISBAO registration.
Means of Compliance Rohr, a former Transport Canada Civil Aviation Inspector and Senior Executive, has been working on ISBAO since 2000 when IBAC’s Governing Board conceived the standard as a ‘bottom-up’ way to harmonize global safety standards. The Board was concerned about the emergence of a fragmented regulatory landscape and the prospect that aircraft travelling to multiple destinations would need multiple rule-books for all of the jurisdictions they passed through. They also worried about the disparate operations within the world of Business Aviation, which range from single pilot owners to corporate fleets. IBAC was growing steadily, yet there was no baseline of safety standards to bind its members together. Formulating a standard that was flexible enough to accommodate operations of different sizes but rigorous enough to meet safety objectives was a gargantuan task, but thanks to the work of people like Ray Rohr and former NBAA Vice-President Bob Blouin, IBAC was able to launch IS-BAO in May of 2002.
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RUSSIA
Nowadays, some 408 flight departments and operators worldwide are IS-BAO registered. Partially in response to this success, some aviation authorities have moved to make safety management systems mandatory, and many are accepting IS-BAO as a means of compliance. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) led the way in 2008 by updating Annex 6 Operations of Aircraft, Part II International General Aviation (GA) – standards and recommended practices (SARPs) for international GA operators. The amendment, which came into effect in November 2010, requires an operator to establish and maintain a safety management system appropriate to the size and complexity of the operation. The amendment also requires that an operator maintain operational control procedures, a flight crew training program, an aircraft maintenance program, a fatigue management system, a MEL and an operations manual. An operator need not be IS-BAO registered to comply with this regulation, but having one makes life easier. “With the IS-BAO registration you show the regulator that you are compliant with the SMS and other requirements,” says Baldwin. “You also show that you are meeting a higher standard - you’ve been audited by a third party and you meet an industry standard. The regulator can be assured that you have addressed all the critical factors within a flight operation.”
Growing Influence Many Civil Aviation Authorities are following ICAO’s lead. As of November last year, Bermuda has required all foreign business aircraft with an mtow of more than 12,500 pounds to meet the requirements of ICAO Annex 6 Part 2 section 3. And like ICAO, they accept IS-BAO as a means of compliance. EASA’s new rules for operations in Europe (EASA-OPS) are due to take effect in April 2012, and many are confident that they will make safety management systems mandatory for European based operations. “EASA has already taken steps forward and they’ve acknowledged that IS-BAO is a good standard,” notes Baldwin. “I believe the regulatory environment is going to support any operator that has implemented it.” The Russian authorities are further behind. They accept IS-BAO as a means of compliance, but an apparent lack of resources means that it will be a while before a safety management system is mandatory in the country. But IBAC and the RUBAA will continue to nudge the Russian Civil Aviation Authority in this direction. For what it’s worth, RUBAA Chairman Lenoid Koshelev is very upbeat about the standard’s success. “In a country where 95% of business aircraft are registered off-shore, IS-BAO is an excellent tool for promoting safety and professionalism,” he says. “IS-BAO is becoming more and more popular, it’s probably the most important thing that we are doing on the safety front.”
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OPERATIONS
NETJETS By Jack Carroll
NETJETS EUROPE ON THE REBOUND
NetJets Europe s lineage can be traced back to 1984, when Executive Jet Aviation, a charter/aircraft management company based in Columbus, Ohio, was acquired by Richard Santulli, a former Goldman Sachs Executive. He also just happened to be a gifted mathematician, whose avocation would become critically important over the next couple of years.
W
ith many more fish to fry in many more locations, he and a few friends purchased their own aircraft under a “time sharing” scheme. Guess what? With continual scheduling conflicts among the partners–it seemed all wanted to fly at the same time-they shook hands, admitted defeat and dissolved the fledgling partnership. There had to be a better way and Santulli was determined to solve the problem. And, eureka! He found the solution and single mindedly came up with the concept of aircraft fractional ownership in 1986, which would prove to be a revolution in Business Aviation. He called his new program NetJets. It sounds simple, as many complex ideas do; of course it was anything but. As Adam Johnson, President of Sales, Marketing & Service at NetJets N.A., explains: “Richard was a true visionary, but it was a real struggle in the early years just to get the concept of owning a share of an aircraft across to often-puzzled prospects. Am I buying a wing, part of the fuselage, what exactly am I getting for my money? But he persevered through difficult times, often covering operating expenses out of his own pocket.” In 1987, his plan was firmly in place and Executive Jet Aviation (The name was changed to NetJets, Inc. in 2006.) purchased eight new Citation SII light jets, officially launching the NetJets fractional ownership program. As they say, “the rest is history.” 48 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
Coast to Coast Says Johnson, “In the early 90s, the program really took hold and the company was on a roll, growing faster than anyone could have imagined. I think a major turning point was the purchase of Hawker 1000s, which gave us coastto-coast capability and allowed us to significantly expand our owner base. The next big step was starting the NetJets Gulfstream Shares program in 1995. This gave us international longrange capabilities. In fact, today we serve about 170 countries. At about the same time we ordered 25 Citation V Ultras, with options for an additional 25, to handle a steady flow of new NetJets shareholders. And, as everyone in the business knows, we’ve never stopped ordering.” According to Johnson, another turning point was NetJets’ alliance with Marquis Jet Partners in 2001; the first premium private jet card program. “It was very successful, offering a way to fly with NetJets for 25 hours at a time with no long-term commitment. So it provided more individuals and businesses ready access to private aviation. I think it changed the way people fly.” (NetJets, Inc. acquired Marquis Jet Partners in 2010.) “But above all was our acquisition by Warren Buffett’s company, Berkshire Hathaway, in 1998. That gave us the strong financial foundation we needed to grow this company and acquire new aircraft to meet our owners’ needs worldwide.”
Upswing in Activity As to the present, Johnson says, “Business Aviation has gone through a difficult period, as many other businesses have, but we’re now seeing an upswing in activity. Our customers are flying more now and a significant number of new shareholders are coming aboard. This will mean more orders for new aircraft.” Addressing that subject, Johnson notes, “We have a separate fleet planning department, looking ahead well into the next decade. Chuck Suma, our Senior Vice President, Aircraft Management, leads this organization and works closely with the OEMs to make sure the aircraft we buy are tailored to the needs of our owners. For example, Chuck and his team are spending a great deal of time working with Embraer in Brazil to arrive at a final configuration for our special ‘NetJets Platinum Edition’ Phenom 300, including the integrated Inflight Entertainment System, cabin layout and completion.” It will be a NetJets exclusive when it enters service early in 2013, with NetJets Europe also taking a share of the 125-aircraft order. According to Johnson, the company has nearly $8 billion worth of aircraft enroute to its fleet. In addition to the Phenom 300s, NetJets selected Bombardier’s Global Series–the 5000, 6000, 7000 and 8000 to meet its long range and ultra-long range needs well into the future. Initial deliveries are expected to start in 4Q 2012.
“Light and midsize aircraft have about a ten-year service life at NetJets; large cabin models around 15 years. Of course we moved our Citation SIIs out years ago and we’re currently cycling out the Cessna Citation V Ultras. On the other hand, as conditions continue to improve, we’re looking at a potential midsize and super midsize cabin purchase. All told, counting 180 jets under management or charter contracts with Executive Jet Management, we have access to some 800 aircraft worldwide.” The NetJets US operations center in Columbus, Ohio works closely with NetJets Transportes Aèreos in Lisbon, Portugal, which has a similar operations center, controlling all the movements of aircraft operated by NetJets Europe. So what next for NetJets? Johnson is quite clear on that. “We have a dedicated team taking a very close look at China. Historically, there were challenges with infrastructure, ATC and handling/FBO facilities for servicing business aircraft and the like, but these concerns are being allayed as the need for Business Aviation expands. We are excited about the opportunity to establish a strong presence in this area of the world and continuing to meeting the ever-evolving needs of our owners.” I wonder if they’ve started offering Mandarin lessons to their employees yet? Which brings us to the main subject of this story, NetJets Europe, which is on a rebound of its own.
THRIFTY
NetJets offers the benefits of owning an aircraft, without the supplementary costs.
BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 49
OPERATIONS
NETJETS
NetJets Europe: Unbridled Optimism.
REBOUND
NetJets Europe is bouncing back as the European approach towards Business Aviation is changing.
“NetJets Europe was originally set up in 1996 to primarily serve US customers who wished to fly within Europe on occasion, using NetJets aircraft under their contracts’ interchange provisions,” says Emily Williams, Director of Sales, NetJets Europe. It wasn’t long though before the company’s marketing machine went to work with two objectives. First, explaining to skeptics how aircraft fractional ownership worked, pointing to its success in the US, and second, convincing conservative Europeans, who were not at all prone to purchasing aircraft—let alone buying shares of one—and relied heavily on charter, the better to fly “under the radar.” Here it was a case of not letting on that the company actually owned a business jet, generally perceived, they thought, as a “royal barge” and not a vital business tool. Add to that the fact that unlike the US operation, NetJets Europe was operating across a wide range of cultures. As Williams notes, “When I joined NetJets Europe about eight years ago, the fleet consisted of 36 aircraft. But there were positive signs that the European mindset was changing. There seemed to be a better understanding in general about the true role of the business aircraft and its many benefits to any company.” “We also see a growing number of customers who use their shares as insurance policies. That is, not flying every day but on those occasions that a business aircraft is absolutely necessary to reach a number of locations in a single day, for example, or move quickly to close a deal or respond to a call for a face-to-face negotiation at the last minute. That’s where a business aircraft can really save the day, as well as an important contract. So, yes, it took quite a while but the climate for Business Aviation in Europe has definitely changed for the better.” To support that contention, witness the success of EBACE, now in its 11th year and attracting record numbers of attendees. The show drew 12,751 in 2011, from 108 countries, as opposed to only 3,600 attendees in its first year. In addition, the show attracted a
50 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
record 511 exhibitors and 62 aircraft on static display. It appears that most business aircraft OEMs, if not all, are beginning to view EBACE as more important for European Business Aviation than Farnborough or The Paris Air Show. NetJets Europe’s fleet has grown to over 150 aircraft and some 1,600 customers. The company has coped with the recession quite ably and, in fact, showed an operating profit in 2010. (It first reported a profit in 2006. After ten years of operation, it had turned the corner.) “Every company was affected and certainly we were not immune,” says Williams. “We took a number of steps to dampen the downturn and attract new customers. We began selling what we called ‘pre-owned shares’ which referred to aircraft from our core group that were sitting on our books, or whose owners had reduced their share amounts. These tended to be 3-4 years older than the rest of our fleet. Pre-owned shares are a great investment from any viewpoint.” “For instance, you’d normally pay $400,000 for a 1/16 th share of a Hawker 400, whereas the same preowned share would cost just $200,000. That plan helped us quite a bit as it proved to be irresistible to people who had to have a business aircraft despite the tough time. At the same time we realized that some prospects simply couldn’t afford to fly as much, so we introduced the 1/32nd share that would at least give the operator 25 flight hours per year.” This no doubt would allow an operator, with very little investment, to sample the NetJets fractional ownership
scheme, with a good chance of increasing the share amount when the 25 hours were up; the case for Business Aviation and its many benefits having been proven. But what of larger companies in Europe who were used to operating and depending on business aircraft for many years? They too were feeling the pinch to the point of looking more closely at their flight operations. Enter NetJets Europe with the solution. Says Williams, “For some it made good sense to sell a company aircraft and add, say, $10 million to its bottom line by flying with NetJets instead. So all these things helped us get through the past three years. In fact, our numbers have been pretty steady as far as holding on to our core customers, though flying hours were down during that time by about 20 percent.” “But we are seeing solid increases now across the board. For example, we noticed a strong traffic increase to the Davos World Economic Forum this year; up to about 2007-2008 levels. And we’re seeing renewed interest from a number of prospects who may have been holding back on a share purchase and are now feeling more financially confident.” According to Williams, the reduction in customers’ flight hours over the past few years resulted in surplus aircraft in the fleet. “We had about 15 percent more than we needed, so to cut costs, we started our “Aircraft Clear” program to take an appropriate number of aircraft out of service temporarily, but maintained to a level that would allow quick activation as flying
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OPERATIONS
CHOICE
From the Cessna Citation Bravo to the Gulfstream G550, NetJets offers a jet for every journey.
hours picked up again, which they are starting to do. However, Williams emphasizes that, “While top management understandably insists on cost-cutting measures throughout the company, the exceptions are two things that are never touched: Safety and Customer Service. Those are key parts of the NetJets corporate culture and form our very foundation.” NetJets’ Fleet Plan is totally customer driven and looks far into future needs and aircraft missions. “We are always looking for ways to deliver more savings to our customers. But in the end it’s not so much the savings but what our customers need to get their jobs done. That is what determines the composition of our fleet. For example, the large order placed by NetJets for 125 Phenom 300 light jets is especially important to NetJets Europe in terms of reducing operating expenses as well as the fact that they can operate into more airports than our existing light and midsize jets.” “NetJets will begin taking deliveries of its Phenom 300s in early 2013 and ours will arrive a little later. I’d not be surprised if the 300s replace the light jets in the NetJets Europe fleet as they are cycled out normally. But we are constantly evaluating aircraft against customers’ needs and missions. We look at range—-which is more important than ever in the global economy— passenger capacity, cabin size, comfort, baggage capacity, avionics, operating costs and all the things that go into an ideal NetJets aircraft. And all along in the process, we continually seek input and advice from our customers.” NetJets Europe can’t please everyone all of the time, of course. But they certainly try above and beyond the norm. NetJets Europe will share in NetJets record-breaking purchase of Bombardier Global Series aircraft, to handle long and ultra-long range needs well into the next decade. Williams is especially enthusiastic about the forthcoming Global 6000 with its 6,000 nm range. “It will be a great addition to our fleet. It’s very fuel efficient with a fantastic cabin and we’ll be using it alongside our Gulfstream 550s and Falcon 7Xs, so we’re well
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NETJETS
covered in the long range and ultralong range sector.” And where are the areas of greatest potential for NetJets Europe? Says Sales Director Williams, “We’ve all been expending a great deal of time and energy over the past six months to improve service in Russia for our customers and solve more than a few problems. NetJets Europe flies to many airports in Russia and we recently opened our latest customer lounge at Vnukovo Airport and others are in the plans. We are starting to see our efforts paying off in Russia as the numbers of flights there are growing steadily. There are also good possibilities in North Africa, especially Casablanca and Morocco, West Africa to a degree, and India. And for more immediate growth prospects, it would definitely be Central Europe and the Balkans.” Generally speaking NetJets Europe’s usual operational area—at least on paper—ranges North to the Scandanavian Countries, East to Moscow and South to North and West Africa; well within range of NetJets Europe’s light and midsize jets. But of course with a Global 9000 and its 7,900 nm range, one can go anywhere one pleases. Says Williams, “Many owners in our long-range programs with the Gulfstream 550 and Falcon 7X operate globally, so we see a lot of trips to the Far East, we go to India frequently and we’re back and forth to the US on a daily basis. So we’re really not operationally limited or focused on any particular area. If our customer wants to go, we go.”
It all sounds good to me. So how does one “pitch” the wonders of NetJets Europe to a prospect. As Williams explains, “We are quite lucky inasmuch as we’re the only real fractional player in Europe. We now own and operate 150 aircraft as I mentioned, with many more on the way, as opposed to some small operators who are fractional in name only and may operate ten or so aircraft. In any event a number of those fell by the wayside during the downturn. We stress our unsurpassed safety credentials, our own training facility, our strong infrastructure. For instance, we bought the Frankfurt Egelsbach airport in 2009 to ensure accessibility to this key financial center for our customers where there is potential congestion. We’ve leased others and will continue to do so. And everything I’ve mentioned is under the control of a single entity; NetJets Europe.” “But what’s become quite important in the past few years has been our financial backing by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Corporation. To a prospect that makes it clear that we have unmatched financial stability, so if he has a fractional share backed by Warren Buffett’s company, that’s certainly a better place to put his money rather than with a small local charter operation, for example.” And with that Emily Williams was off to pre-sell share positions in a whole lot of Phenom 300s and Bombardier Globals, coming faster than anyone realizes. Because time really flies, as we well know.
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OPERATIONS
SHANNON AND THE 2012 OLYMPICS
PLANNING AHEAD
In todayÂ’s Business Aviation environment, operating efficiently and gaining the most value for an aircraft investment is more critical than ever. That means identifying cost efficient tech stops and planning for special events well in advance is vital. BART International recently sat down with some of the experts at Business Aviation solutions provider Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. to discuss the latest news and ascertain tips on two hot industry items: the new pre-clearance process at Shannon, and the 2012 London Olympics. Pre-clearance to the United States via Shannon Now Easier While new and changing regulatory requirements may make operating to some locations more difficult, the process of clearing US Customs and Immigration in Shannon, Ireland just became easier. Already a popular tech stop for US, European and Middle Eastern operators traveling to the US, Shannon is expected to receive even more traffic thanks to new streamlined pre-clearance requirements recently announced by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
EXPERTS
Universal Weather and Aviation investigate Shannon preclearance to the US and planning ahead for the Olympics. BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 53
OPERATIONS
EASE
Clearing U.S. Customs and Immigration at Shannon just got easier, says our expert at Universal Weather and Aviation.
Effective June 15, 2011, CBP announced that it will no longer require the full shut down of certain aircraft systems. The new pre-clearance procedures are determined by the height of the aircraft’s auxiliary power unit (APU) exhaust and intake port from the ground. Derek Collins, General Manager, Universal Aviation in Shannon said the new requirements are already proving to be popular among operators by significantly reducing the time it takes to pre-clear. “We handled the very first aircraft to pre-clear at Shannon under the new process and the entire process – blocks on to blocks off – was completed in 45 minutes,” said Collins. “This includes everything, such as refuelling, and going through CBP. Feedback from the crew was that the new process was ‘flawless’ and that it took them longer to re-fuel than to preclear.” Shannon is currently the only European airport to offer US customs pre-clearance to private aircraft. This means that on arrival at one of more than 200 airports within the US, crew and passengers are classed as domestic travelers, and are not subject to potentially lengthy customs and immigration checks. “We continue to work closely with CBP and the airport authority to identify opportunities to further streamline the pre-clearance process and improve operators’ experience at Shannon,” said Collins. “While this is just one step of the pre-clearance process, it has already proven to significantly
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SHANNON AND THE 2012 OLYMPICS
decrease the time it takes to pre-clear. Other changes like the newly reconfigured terminal building, which allows passengers to move quickly and discreetly from their plane to a private VIP screening area, have also helped speed up the process.” Full Pre-clearance Process at Shannon: ❍ To clear CBP in Shannon, Part 91 operators need to give 24 hours’ notice to CBP, and Charter (Part 135) operators need to give 48 hours’ notice. ❍ CBP is available between 0700 and 1900 local times. Saturday opening times are from 0700–1500. Extensions are not available. ❍ CBP clearance times are allocated based on ETA. CBP slots have some flexibility, but by and large operators should report to CBP at their allotted time. ❍ Average times from chocks on to chocks off including CBP clearance is about 60 minutes. ❍ Recent changes in the use of auxiliary power units (APUs) will save time, as previously the aircraft and all flight systems had to be powered down for CBP RIID Scan Process. ❍ Aircraft equipped with an (APU) exhaust and intake port located on the fuselage eight feet or higher from the ground may remain powered and any electrical systems served by the APU (navigational, comfort, safety, etc.) may remain powered as well. ❍ Small to mid-size aircraft with an APU exhaust and intake port configured less than eight feet off the
ground must be powered down. For these aircraft a ground power unit (GPU) will be accessible. ❍ All passengers, crew (one crew member will remain onboard) and all baggage will come off the aircraft to be processed/screened. ❍ Passengers and crew will be asked to identify their baggage which will then be tagged. ❍ CBP reserves the right to hand search baggage. ❍ Passengers and crew will be escorted to CBP for processing. ❍ When complete, the passengers and crew will be escorted by Universal Aviation personnel and CBP back to the aircraft. ❍ The final crew member will be fasttracked to CBP for processing. ❍ The aircraft will undergo a full security check by CBP staff for radiation and will also be physically searched. ❍ When complete, the passengers and crew can board. ❍ The aircraft will have been fueled and serviced by the crew member who had remained with aircraft while the passengers and other crew were being processed through CBP. ❍ The aircraft can depart to one of over 200 domestic US locations. The limitation on destinations is due to the requirement for international trash disposal. Not too Early to Begin Planning for 2012 London Olympics Although they won’t begin for almost a year, it’s not too early to begin thinking about preparations for the 2012 London Olympics, according to Universal Aviation UK General Manager Jason Hayward. The games, which will run from July 27, 2012 to August 12, 201 2, are anticipated to bring in approximately 10,000 – 12,000 corporate aircraft movements, which will put a tremendous strain on the area’s aviation infrastructure. “We’re expecting unprecedented levels of Business Aviation traffic to the London area,” said Hayward. “The summer months of 2012 will witness some of the busiest periods of air travel ever experienced across London and Southeast England. Some estimates put the number of additional
flights in the 31-day peak period of the games at around 3,000.” The additional traffic and sheer volume of attendees, including an estimated 70,000 members of the “Olympic Family” and sponsors combined with more than 600,000 spectators will make securing runway and airway slots as well as parking nearly impossible if operators do not plan ahead. To accommodate that influx of traffic, all London airports as well as regional airports as far as 95 miles away will have to use the ACL runway slot system. Flight plans and runway slots will be linked and monitored and if an operator’s airway slot does not match their runway slot, then their airway slot may be automatically cancelled. “Because of the immense turnout expected for the games, advanced bookings are strongly advised to secure runway slots and ramp parking,” advised Hayward. “Slots for the 2012 games at London Stansted will become available in November 2011. Stansted will not require any deposits or upfront payments, but operators should check the process for the individual airport they are operating to.” Although there are several airport options available for operators traveling to the games, Hayward recommended that operators carefully review their objectives to determine which airport best fit their needs. “In some instances, a drop-and-go may make more sense, depending on how long the passengers plan on staying,” said Hayward. “You also need to
be cognizant of the airports distance to the games and hours of operations. Not all Olympic events are taking place in the London area. For example, all of the yachting and sailing events will be held on the South Coast in Weymouth and Portland. If an operator or passenger is primarily interested in attending those events, then it makes much more sense to use an airport in those areas, as they are several hours by car or train away from London. A second example is soccer. The soccer events will be held in Cardiff in Wales, which again is several hours away from London.” One of the biggest challenges of operating to the Olympics could be finding adequate hotel accommodations. “The London area’s hotel rooms will be at a premium. For example, we anticipate that we will need to secure approximately 2,500-4,000 hotel rooms just for aircraft crews,” said Hayward.
“It’s vitally important that operators begin identifying hotel options and begin making bookings as soon as possible to ensure availability. Some hotels will want pre-payment in the next few months, and crews need a place to put their heads. The bottom line is that this is not a trip that can be planned overnight or at the last minute. Begin doing your research now and avoid the potential headaches of scrambling at the last minute.” More information on planning for the Olympics and airway changes can be found at http://olympics.airspacesafety.com/.
✈
Article provided by Universal Weather and Aviation. For more information and urgent operational updates, operators can visit www.univ-wea.com/operationalupdates/ or contact Universal’s Global Regulatory Services team at 713378-2734.
EARLY
Slots for the 2012 Olympics at London Stansted are available from November this year.
BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 55
TRAINING By Marc Grangier
Every five to ten years, a slew of press reports appear about an impending pilot shortage. I won t make the final verdict on this, but I d like to highlight that since I first started in Aviation back in 1970 - there has been talk of an impending pilot shortage.
PILOT ISSUES
CAN AVIATION FACE A PILOT SHORTAGE?
B
ut, one never knows what the future holds, and it’s true that the situation has changed a lot over the last 10 years. Generally aviation companies are inundated with requests for employment from pilots. Many of these pilots have been searching for a position for weeks, months or even years. But isn’t this hard to believe when you consider the number of aircraft flying today, whether in Business Aviation, in non scheduled or scheduled airlines or with regional or international transporters?
DEMAND
IATA estimates the need for 17,000 new pilots with the expected industry growth.
At this year’s Paris Air Show, Airbus announced that it had won about US$72.2 billion worth of business for a total of 730 aircraft, while Boeing mentioned that it had received orders for a total of 625 aircraft. And earlier this year, NetJets announced that it completed a purchase agreement with Bombardier for 120 new Global 7000
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and 8000, with options for an additional 70 aircraft. At a total retail price exceeding $6.7B, this is the largest aircraft purchase agreement in the history of private aviation. At last year’s NBAA, NetJets had already announced a purchase agreement for up to 125 Embraer Phenom 300 Platinum Edition aircraft.
Once delivered, these 1,600 new aircraft alone will need a minimum of 12,800 new pilots (a minimum of eight captains/co-pilots per aircraft is required, taking into account their training, vacations, leave and illnesses). And many more pilots will be needed in the years to come. At EBACE11, Bombardier predicted 10,000 aircraft deliveries for the period spanning 2011 to 2020 in all sections in which it competes. One can now better understand why the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has issued a warning that there will be a severe pilot shortage unless governments and the industrial sector work together to change training and qualification practices. According to a new IATA estimate, the industry may need 17,000 new pilots annually due to expected industry growth and retirements. The organization also said that increasing the retirement age to 65 will help, but just doing this will not solve the problem. In this respect, Giovanni Bisignani, IATA ex Director General and CEO, stressed that pilot training and qualification must be reconsidered to further improve safety and increase training capacity.
The future of
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Speakers Include: Brian Humphries CBE, President & CEO, EBAA Phil Dykins OBE, Department for Transport Bo Redeborn, Principal Director ATM, Eurocontrol Charlie Bodnar MBA, Managing Director, Euro Jet Rod Arnold, British Antarctic Survey Edwin Brennikmeyer, Oriens James Dillon Godfrey, Oxford Airport Mike Skinner, Chief Executive, AMS Aircraft
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TRAINING
OUT-PACE
Business Aviation is set to grow faster than the scheduled/charter passenger market.
Traffic is Up According to Eurocontrol, aviation has been one of the strongest market segments in 2010, with flights growing by 5.5%. The big three European countries - France, Germany and the UK - all grew, with Germany growing at 8.1%. Turkish internal traffic was the individual flow that added most new business flights. The 19-seaters remained the busiest group of aircraft, but the 6seaters added the most flights. In 2010, aviation in Europe pulled out of the economic downturn and began to climb again. The total number of flights in Europe in 2010 was 9.5 million, an increase of 0.8% compared to 2009. But this annual average masks a wide monthly variation, from -11% in the April ash-cloud crisis to +4% in October, at the end of a strong summer and the start of a weaker winter. Growth was driven mainly by low-cost carriers, which saw an increase of 6.9% compared to 2009. Though their growth slowed markedly at the end of the year, their market share climbed 1.3 points compared to 2009, to 22.1% of all flights. Business Aviation also contributed strongly to growth, bouncing back from 2009 with an increase of 5.5%; in particular they showed their flexibility during the ash crisis, being the least affected market segment.
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PILOT ISSUES
Overall, Business Aviation’s share of IFR flights climbed from 6.9% in 2009 to 7.3% in 2010. As with last year, Eurocontrol sees Business Aviation continuing to grow more quickly than the main scheduled/charter passenger market, particularly for the next couple of years as the market rebuilds itself after the financial crisis. Demand is Up The British Bureau of Labor Statistics (LBS) BLS anticipates 12% growth in employment for aircraft pilots and flight engineers by the year 2018. Growth is expected to be higher at regional airlines and low-cost carriers. The growth is unpredictable, however, and cyclical downturns can lead to pilot furloughs (these happened on a large scale after 9/11). Since the airlines always have such a large pool of candidates for a small number of positions, they prefer to hire pilots with the largest number of hours of flight experience, and with more experience working on high-tech equipment. Due to these preferences, pilots transitioning out of the military often have the greatest advantage. Civilian aircraft pilots and flight engineers held about 116,000 jobs in 2008. About 76,800 worked as airline pilots, co-pilots, and flight engineers.
The rest were commercial pilots who worked as flight instructors at local airports or for large businesses that fly company cargo and executives in their own airplanes or helicopters. Some commercial pilots flew small planes for air taxi companies, usually to or from lightly traveled airports not served by major airlines. Others worked for a variety of businesses, performing tasks such as dusting crops, inspecting pipelines, or conducting sightseeing trips. For CAE Global Academy, the aviation industry is growing and there is an increasing demand for qualified pilots worldwide. Aviation experts state that over the next two decades, airline traffic will almost triple. Some 29,000 new airplanes will be delivered worldwide by 2030. CAE experts are even more optimistic than the IATA and predict the overall global pilot demand for the next 20 years is about 20,000 pilots per year. Though the demand is worldwide, high-growth regions include Asia, the Middle East, and South America. John Allen, Director Flight Standard Services at FAA, believes that “within the next five years, the aviation industry will suffer a shortage of pilots and mechanics. Airlines can no longer rely on the military to provide well-trained
airmen, in part because the advent of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) is changing the face of military aviation. New rules enacted by the US Congress will require anyone seeking a career in aviation to acquire more flight time and, in some cases, the analytic training and communication education provided by an accredited college degree program. It is no surprise that many are now deterred from an industry in which the pay potential cannot offset the enormous cost of education and certification”. Based on recent data, over the next ten years, airlines will need to hire 120,000 pilots. Outside North America and Europe, the demand is also expected to grow. For example in India, where the middle class continues to prosper, traffic should grow 15 30% a year over the next five years. “India is estimated to need more than 7,000 new commercial pilots over the next seven years,” said Jeff Roberts, CAE Group President, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services. With China’s growing economy, surging consumer demand and a growing middle class, China is expected to need 3,000 - 6,000 more pilots by the end of 2012. And based on current trends, Chinese demand for pilots is expected to continue for many years. As the Middle East has developed economically, and business and leisure travel has grown, those countries have experienced increased demand for aircraft and new pilots. This hiring demand for pilots is expected to continue at least for the next decade. But Some Pilot Salaries are Not It’s hard to accept that there will be a future pilot shortage, given that so many pilots have been put out of work since 2008. More recently, in January 2010, NetJets furloughed 495 of its pilots. However, Clint White, a US pilot actively promoting the pilot job, believes that if nothing changes, a looming shortage of qualified pilots may soon be real. During the past three years, at least four major flight schools closed down just in the Central Florida area. A combination of increasing costs, decreasing availability of credit and a lack of domestic students who can truly afford flight training, means that the pool of available pilots may “dry up from below”.
TOUGH
The all-glass panels on this Cirrus SR22 (top) make learning to fly easier, but the basics remain and training is a long way to a four stripe licence.
BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 59
TRAINING
CHOICE
How lucrative it is to attract new entrants will clearly influence a pilot shortage.
At the same time, the number of registered pilots has continued to shrink in the last 20 years despite the best efforts of the industry. With so many pilots struggling to find work it’s hard to envisage this future. But when business picks up (and there is some evidence that this is happening), there are simply not going to be enough new pilots to fill the seats. Many young people believe that there is no future in an aviation career. Increasing salaries for pilots is just one of the answers, but Clint White believes there are generational differences too. The new generation of future pilots may not want to “pay their dues” to get ahead in their career. In addition, younger people want more of a work/life balance and all pilots know how difficult that can be for many years in the career. Other pilots are more virulent: "Top managements at airlines are totally disconnected from the people they manage. To them, the airplanes and flight crews are tools to be used and abused to keep the bottom line looking good. For this, most of them garner multi-million dollar salaries. To even suggest to one of these that just maybe, the people in the trenches should make a living wage is heresy. They always blame other peoples wages for the airline's economic woes, when in truth, less management and higher flight crew salaries would be a far better investment. It is right that in the past, pilots flew because they loved flying and could, after putting in the requisite number of years, hope for a living wage. Starting a trained pilot out in an airline job where they have millions in assets and hundreds of lives in their hands, for less than a job at McDonalds pays, is ludicrous." However, we must add the caveat that the situation may vary according to the employers. For example, and thanks to the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP), the starting yearly salary for NetJets pilots is now €96,500 for captains and €56,000 for first officers. But candidates must have an ATP certificate, a 2,500 hours total time, 500 hours fixed-wing multi-engine time and 250 hours IFR time, excluding simulator time.
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PILOT ISSUES
Another fact which might add to the worry about a potential pilot shortage is the Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act, signed into law last year. In the wake of a 2009 airline accident near Buffalo, N.Y., lawmakers revised the minimum requirement for commercial pilot certifications. Effective 2012, the legislation raised the experience required to be a commercial airline pilot from 250 hours to 1,500 hours. The increase is expected to particularly affect regional airlines, where most young pilots begin their careers. Roger Cohen, President of the Regional Airline Association, said setting such a high bar could discourage people from pursuing careers as pilots. “It’s like saying don’t even pick up a basketball unless you can be an NBA All-Star,” Cohen said. “It’s sending a message to young people today who are considering a piloting career—particularly with the cost of flying, the cost of training, and the capital of it that this is impossible.” Last but not least, rules proposed by the FAA concerning fatigue in aviation, which has been on the NTSB’s Most Wanted Listof Transportation Safety Improvements since 1990, could also increase the pilot shortage threat. For example, American Airlines says these rules would require it to hire an additional 2,325 pilots at a cost of $514 million annually, and would effectively decrease maximum time on duty for pilots. Last November, American Airlines offered public comments on the rules, saying: “if American Airlines needs
2,300 more pilots to meet the proposed rules, other airlines will need many additional pilots, too.” Stakeholders also claim that the regulation’s cost will be substantially higher than the FAA’s estimate of $1.25 billion over 10 years. The Air Transport Association says the rule would cost more than 15 times that figure. As for the total number of pilots needed to meet the requirements of the bill, American Airlines said: “The industry figure will be so large as to raise the question of from where they all will come.” Could aviation face a pilot shortage threat in the near future? It seems hard to believe, but if there is a risk, it is certainly greater now than it has ever been, for the simple reason that the golden age of the aviation profession is over. Pilots have lost out big-time in the past 10-20 years, in terms of salary and general respect from the public. How lucrative it is to attract new entrants into the industry will clearly influence a future pilot shortage. As one observer told BART: “Consumers demand cheap cars, clothes, fast food, cheap flights and … great service, but they do not want to pay for it. It is a shame”. One thing is sure, experienced, professional pilots will always be in demand. Therefore, it is imperative that experience, and professionalism is passed to the next generation to avoid an influx of "less experienced" and especially "less ethical" pilots in the future. And let's hope that employers will finally pay professional wages to attract professionals, otherwise passengers may have to pay with their life.
✈
FLIGHT TRAINING IS GOING GLOBAL By Marc Grangier
FlightSafety International expands in Asia with a Gulfstream G450 & G550 full flight simulator ŠWarren Linham
Flight training started out as a national business, students were often trained in aero-clubs up to their private license and then went to specialized training schools, others took the military option. But twenty years ago as operators became less willing to send their students overseas, the globalization of flight training began in earnest.
REPORT
TRAINING CENTERS
T
training center in Morristown, NJ, the HATSOFF center in Bengalore/India, Rotorsim, at Sesto Calende/Italy, and Emirates-CAE in Dubai/UAE.
oday, every large training center has expanded its activities abroad, or is attracting foreign students to compensate for a lack of national students. In the US, the number of American students is steadily decreasing: one major US flight academy with an annual capacity of 450 has currently 350 students, of which only nine are American. Another major academy claims that it has similar numbers.
INTERNATIONAL
CAE s global reach gives pilots convenient local access to training schools.
CAE CAE is one major flight training organization that is certainly going global. Its subsidiary CAE Global Academy has now a network of 11 flight schools in Australia, Belgium, Cameroon, Canada, India, Malaysia, Netherlands, Portugal and United States, operating a total fleet of about 300 aircraft to train about 1,800 pilot cadets per year. Training and simulation is the bread and butter of parent company, CAE, which is headquartered in Canada. At EBACE11, it announced that it will double its number of locations. These will go from four to eight over the next 24 months. The new CAE Business Aviation training locations will be located in Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Toluca, Mexico; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and a location to be announced in Asia. CAE also operates Business Aviation training programs in Dubai, UAE; Burgess Hill, U.K.; Morristown, New Jersey, and Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. In addition to the new training locations, Emirates-CAE Flight Training (ECFT), a joint venture of Emirates and CAE, will add a Bombardier Challenger 605 training capability in the spring of 2012. Also at EBACE, the Canadian company announced that it had signed agreements with a number of Europeanbased business aircraft operators for pilot training services at its training centers in Europe, Middle East and North America. Operators include ABS Jets/Czech Republic, Carre Aviation/Malta, Cukurova Aviation/Turkey, International Jet Management/Austria, Ocean Sky/U.K. and VistaJet, London/U.K. Another way of going global is to sign a training agreement with an aircraft manufacturer. This is what CAE
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did with Bombardier at EBACE. CAE has been designated as the Authorized Training Provider (ATP) for the Challenger 605 in Dubai. The two companies will also be boosting training capabilities for Challenger 605 pilots and maintenance technicians at Emirates-CAE Flight Training (ECFT) in Dubai, UAE, as well as new Learjet 45 aircraft training at a future location in Toluca, Mexico. Training will start in the spring of 2012. Earlier this year, training capability was implemented for Challenger 300 and 604 operators at the CAE training center in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The ATP agreement between CAE and Bombardier concerns Burgess Hill, U.K.; Morristown, USA; Dubai, U.A.E.; and Amsterdam, the, Netherlands. On helicopter training, Bill Dolny, CAE Vice-President Development and Sales for Business Aviation, told BART: “The helicopter market is of strategic importance to CAE. We intend to continue growing our helicopter training network, leverage our experience in the training of fixed wing pilots and continue to invest in research and development.” At the beginning of 2011, the company expanded its international activities with the acquisition of CHC Helicopter’s helicopter flight training operations, thus becoming CHC’s long-term training partner, responsible for training more than 2,000 helicopter pilots and maintenance engineers of CHC’s global fleet. CHC Helicopter’s simulators and two training centers located in Stavanger/ Norway and Aberdeen/UK, are now part of the CAE global helicopter training network, which includes, apart from the company’s Northeast
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University/ERAU Founded in 1925, Embry-Riddle began with a simple plan to train airplane pilots. In the mid-1970s, the university, was certainly a forerunner in globalization development, when it decided to open its first four foreign teaching centers at US military bases in order to offer its degree programs to servicemen and women who couldn't take classes at its US campus, Daytona Beach, Florida and Prescott. Now, ERAU has more than 150 worldwide campus locations in Europe, Asia, Canada, and the Middle East, the majority being located at or near major aviation industry installations, both military and civilian. FlightSafety International Today FlightSafety International has a worldwide network of 42 learning centers, providing support to Bell, Bombardier, Cessna, Dassault, Embraer, Gulfstream, Hawker, Beechcraft, Piaggio and Sikorsky business aircraft. Each year, the company trains more than 75,000 aviation professionals, and delivers more than a million hours of training. Many of its centers, located in Asia, Europe, North and South America, the Pacific Rim and South Africa, are strategically located near airframe manufacturing plants or major service centers. As Steve Phillips, Director, Communications, FlightSafety, told BART, "Since we have 40 locations, most of our customers can travel to them fairly easily. However, we continuously evaluate where we are located based on feedback from our customers." He adds that US training demand has increased slightly on last year and that the company continues to explore new opportunities based on customer needs. But he's quick to note: "No matter the location or area of the world, our goal is to provide the highest quality training. While the core curriculum training doesn't change, we use examples or scenarios that are tai-
lored to the specific needs or requirements of the pilots and technicians." FlightSafety's Asian presence has grown considerably over the past number of years. The company currently offers training in Asia for operators of aircraft built by Bombardier and Embraer at the Tokyo International Airport in Japan and in Singapore. And the growth is set to continue. From early 2012, FlightSafety will offer training for the Gulfstream G450 and G550 in Hong Kong using a new state-of-the-art Gulfstream simulator. The simulator will feature electric motion and control loading and new improvements to the VITAL X visual system designed specifically to enhance Business Aviation training. The company also plans to build a permanent Learning Center and Regional Corporate Office in Asia, which should accommodate up to 10 full flight simulators and serve upwards of 3,000 pilots, technicians, flight attendants and dispatchers per year. "This significant investment further demonstrates our commitment to serve the growing aviation industry in Asia and our ability to respond rapidly to the needs of our customers" said Eric Hinson, Executive Vice President FlightSafety International. And FlightSafety's London Farnborough center will offer training for the Bombardier Challenger 605 aircraft in Europe from early 2012, using a new FlightSafety full flight simulator. The simulator will feature FlightSafety's industry leading VITAL X Visual System and advanced electric motion and control loading technology. "We look forward to welcoming the growing number of Challenger 605 operators to the Farnborough Center," said Paul Hewett, Manager, Farnborough Training Center. "Our highly experienced, well qualified instructors will provide comprehensive training tailored to their specific needs and designed to ensure they are trained to the highest level of proficiency." FlightSafety's London Farnborough Training Center can accommodate up to 15 full flight simulators and has the capacity to train 3,800 aviation professionals annually. It offers 27 interactive classrooms, facilities for advanced
technology training devices, 30 briefing rooms and customer service areas. The center provides training programs for business and regional aircraft manufactured by Bombardier, Cessna, Gulfstream, Hawker Beechcraft and Sikorsky. Oxford Aviation Academy/OAA Initially based at Oxford, UK, Oxford Aviation Academy (OAA) quickly felt the need to export its knowledge, and little by little it has created training centers in Beijing, Copenhagen, Dublin, Hong Kong, Gatwick, Heathrow, Manchester, Oslo, Oxford, Phoenix, Shannon, Stockholm and Tokyo. The idea was to provide integrated “Total Training Solutions” tailored to meet the particular needs of any customer worldwide. OAA, which is now operating 105 training aircraft and 64 simulators, recently announced that it was “taking off” for Melbourne, Australia, after the European approval of the OAA Australian training center. OAA Australia plans to double from the current level of 150 full-time students to more than 300 students per year, in order to support a rapidly growing global pilot training market, according to Anthony Petteford, Managing Director of OAA’s ab initio training centers. Flexible Training Programs but Rigid Flying Procedures Training centers are definitely going global, but does this mean that training methods are now similar all over the world? On the training differences between the various continents, CAE Bill Dolny told BART that: “Though an aircraft is still an aircraft and has to be flown according to the same strict procedures, training methods can vary according to the part of the world where the aircraft are operated. This is why training centers have to be flexible and offer programs specifically tailored to the different customers. For example, last year, when Icelandic volcano ashes invaded the European skies, CAE set up special procedures for its European customers on how to deal with this phenomenon. Airport familiarization courses have also to be adapted to the customer and to its location”.
Dolny also stressed that: “As aircraft sales outside North America are increasing, it is now more and more important to offer customers opportunities to locally train their pilots and get them immediately accustomed to their national aviation regulations. And because of that, the manner in which the training is done in North America is slightly different than in Europe, Africa or Asia”. But because aircraft are basically the same, Dassault have designed a training program to ensure that Falcon operators from all over the world receive training in accordance with the Falcon Training Policy Manual. FlightSafety International recently received the first Dassault Authorized Training Provider Certificate. Such a certificate concerns training for the whole range of Falcons up to the 7X. A specific technical audit of the F7X training is about to be completed and will be shortly followed by the audits of other EASy aircraft. FlightSafety provides professional training for the Falcon 10/100, Falcon 20/20-5, Falcon 50 and 50 EX, Falcon 200, Falcon 2000, 2000DX, 2000LX, 2000EX and 2000EX EASy, Falcon 900, 900B, 900C, 900DX, 900EX, 900EX EASy, 900LX and 7X aircraft. Training is available at FlightSafety’s Learning Centers in Columbus, Ohio; Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas; the Greater Philadelphia Wilmington area; Teterboro, New Jersey; and at the Paris-Le Bourget airport. Concerning ab initio training, Cessna, which has 17 international affiliates through its worldwide Cessna Pilot Center (CPC) network, apart of its domestic affiliates, has tried to offer modular training levels. In partnership with King Schools, it has developed a web-based pilot training curriculum. One of the key improvements in the CPC network is the use of scenario-based learning versus maneuver-based learning. Students who learn to fly at one of the CPCs using Cessna’s curriculum accomplish their ratings in 28 percent fewer hours compared to other training programs. Since 2000, CPCs have gone global and delivered private and instrument pilot training to more than 100,000 pilots around the world.
✈ BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 63
PILOT TALK
SAFETY
THE FIVE FATAL FLAWS
By LeRoy Cook
I
A Good Pilot has to live with Regulations
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n the process of analyzing Business Aviation accidents, there’s a tendency to neatly compartmentalize the probable cause, frequently labeled, owing to a lack of conflicting testimony, “pilot error”. Even though there’s an element of pilot error in nearly all mishaps, even those with a mechanical origin or environmental explanation, students of flight safety realize that blaming the pilot is not enough. If our analysis is to be productive, we want to find a fixable flaw that we can identify and ward off, to benefit our own flying safety. Is there a “fatal flaw” gene in some persons’ make-up, putting them at greater risk? Their reputation often having preceded them, there are daredevil pilots that seem to stand out of the crowd, the sort that seem to be asking for trouble. You’ve probably got one at your home airport, or you’ve observed one dominating the scene at a pilot lounge somewhere. Every so often, we come across a pilot who fits the mold of a person who’s lined up for an accident. “It’s just a matter of time,” say the locals who observe his comings and goings, and after the crunch they’ll be the first to say “I knew it was going to happen someday.” Did it really have to happen? Or are we, as a community, able to do something to prevent the tragedy from being reported on the evening news, leaving a black stain on our industry? I cast my vote for the effectiveness of intervention and education. There are, one supposes, some uneducable individuals who will never learn except by the hard way, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try to apply compresses of safety to their selfinflicted wounds, to keep the infection from spreading. A good bit of the time, it works. What persuades pilots to pursue a dangerous lifestyle, ignoring the obvious and unambiguous so visible to others? The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has identified five human traits that seem to enable accident-prone behavior: Macho, AntiAuthority, Invulnerability, Resignation and Impulsiveness. I call them the Five Fatal Flaws. Arguably, there are proba-
bly others, and we all have a certain level of these facilitators in our makeup—the resulting mix simply makes us who we are. The key is to keep them balanced by good old common sense, the leveling ingredient missing in those folks I described in the opening paragraphs. One of my perennial teaching statements is “Airplanes Bite Fools”, meaning that you can’t keep getting away with foolish acts in aviation. Lie to everyone else, if you must, but don’t ever tell lies to your airplane. The aircraft will judge your self-pronounced prowess for exactly what it’s worth. Bragging about being able to carry 500 pounds more than the certificated maximum takeoff weight won’t generate any more lift, or add any strength to the structure. Most importantly, there is no required-distance available from the FMS or flight manual to guide overweight takeoff or landing operations. Amazingly enough, there are people who’ve successfully lied to the plane— thanks to the tolerance inherent in a good design, or a particularly suitable day, or a light load, they’ve gotten away with exceeding various operating limitations. The bad part about that is, they’ll think they are just super pilots, or consider that their airplane is exceptional, and will take the credit for their success. So, they repeat their excursion outside the approved operating envelope, and do it again and again...until it finally catches up with them. The Macho Man Some pilots are emboldened by cockiness, unwilling to demonstrate reticence by backing away from a threat. Losing face (or the respect needed for employment) looms larger than any
regard for danger, so they will make a risky decision, no matter the circumstances. A triumphal accomplishment feeds their ego, stoking the fires for the next time. The Anti-Authority Accomplice A willingness to challenge authority can originate in unpleasant experiences with pointless bureaucracy, encountered all too often in our strongly-bound industry. However, a true anti-authority streak leans more toward sociopathic disregard for any rule the anti-authoritarian finds distasteful, and that means most of them. “Regulations were made for others,” he feels. “It makes more sense to do it my way.” And there are times when he’s right...but once we begin tossing aside the rulebook, it becomes easier to just ignore it entirely. Cloaked In Invulnerability When you’re a great pilot, flying one of the best airplanes ever built, it’s hard to be humble. It becomes difficult to admit there’s any airport, any trip, any weather you can’t handle. Superiority, even when self-promoted, breeds contempt, even charitable pity, for the lesser operators who can’t do what you can. This bullet-proof mentality results in “missionitis”, when one loses sight of the risk and focuses on the end result exclusively. Pursuit of the mission should never be sacrosanct, at least not in civilian flying, and we need to remember that our invulnerability is not impervious. Resign From Resignation Resignation results from realism stretched into fatalism. If a situation appears to be beyond our ability to alter it, it’s usually because we haven’t realis-
tically examined all aspects of the problem. Giving up early in the game to just “ride it through” might originate with poor training, or a lack of experience, or just an unwillingness to take part when there seems to be no point. In any event, we must not abandon participation when we can still make a difference, and in almost every case studied post-mortem, action would have altered the outcome. Impulsively Impulsive Rushing headlong into a flight decision, poorly prepared and not thought through, is a recipe for disaster. Yes, airplanes do move fast, and we do have to keep up with a fluid situation, but that doesn’t mean acting without thinking. Going off half-cocked, as with an ancient firearm, results in a misfire, or a discharge in the wrong direction. Fast hands in the cockpit, disconnected from controlling thought, are equally dangerous. The counterbalance is to prioritize when overloaded, keeping the most important elements of the flight at the forefront, and to get around to the lesser items when there’s time to think before acting. All five of these Fatal Flaws are probably present in each of us. That we’ve not succumbed to their siren call is because we’ve learned to balance them with training and wisdom. They are still there, and if we’re to have a successful career we must continue to watch out for them. In Whom Do You Trust? To live long and prosper in aviation, learn to place your trust in the correct application of hard data, including ADVICE things picked up from your own experi- Never lie ence. Do not exceed limitations, to your aircraft. BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 65
PILOT TALK
RELIANCE
Confidence is based on reason and facts.
whether published or learned; the aft center of gravity limit of the old Cessna 401 piston twin that I once crewed could be easily overstepped if my portly passengers tossed a 75-pound cooler of iced beverages in the baggage bin. I found that out the hard way, after the nosewheel came off the ground while still parked. Not long ago, a local corporate turboprop crashed in poor weather, taking off 700 pounds too heavy and with the C.G. well out of the aft limits. Don’t try exceeding the limitations; you’re not a test pilot and you don’t need to go where the factory never ventured. Confidence is a properly useful tool, in that it allays pointless concern over matters of inconsequence. For instance, we’ve all learned that ordinary turbulence is transitory and harmless, and we simply take action to lessen its annoyance. Similarly, we know a runway looming ahead is long enough for our landing, so long as we have the aircraft appropriately configured as we cross the hedge, and we have the option of going around for another try if we don’t have the height and numbers in hand. Holding or being vectored for traffic or weather gives us only slight pause, because we’re carrying contingency fuel and there’s a solid alternate close by. Such confidence is based on reason and facts. Overconfidence is another matter. This is the irrational audacity that leads us to continue with only hope
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SAFETY
backing up our actions, to tell ourselves “it worked out last time”, when, in reality, it was luck that aided our lack of judgment. I have an acquaintance that preferred to take off for his next day’s work site in the wee hours of the night, so as to arrive at dawn for his business activity. Weather and his physical condition didn’t interfere with the schedule, because he was supremely confident. He now knows better, after a few narrow escapes. Which of the FAA’s Five Fatal Flaws led him on into overconfidence? Invulnerability perhaps, the belief that bad things couldn’t overwhelm someone as capable as he. His level of machismo had served him well in other aspects of his life, so he assumed flying could be handled with similar swagger. And he also exhibited an impulsive streak, in that he might decide to go at midnight, with little preparation. Looking Out The warning signs of an accidentgoing-somewhere-to-happen are a noticeable display of one or more of the enabling traits we’ve mentioned. When we see a pilot hurrying to depart, heedless of the duties required, we should speak to him and say “Slow down, friend, make sure you’ve gotten everything ready.” If his anti-authority streak runs strong enough to flout not only trifling rules but, with the encouragement of successful law-breaking, significant ones that directly affect other pilots,
take the time to let him know the rest of us have to live with the regulations, and so should he. If It s Broken, Get It Fixed Deferring maintenance can certainly be an enabling source of accident potential. Naturally, we all accumulate minor glitches for the next inspection. At some point, however, a line is crossed. I have a friend who flies around with a generator-failed light glowing, waiting for a better opportunity to get it repaired. It started as an intermittent problem, then became less so, until it now remains lit all the time. Thus, a minor fault gradually worked itself into a true no-go item, taking advantage of his tendency toward resignation. I have spoken to him about it. Giving counsel isn’t easy, even among friends. However, funerals aren’t easy either, so speak up to your fellow pilot who exhibits accidentprone behavior. Judgment is often a combination of knowledge (lessons learned), respect (obeying limitations) and, lastly, gaining the approval of others. By ignoring unsafe conduct, you’re giving tacit approval. DISCLAIMER The pilots pictured are unrelated with the behaviors described in the article.
✈
FROM THE COCKPIT
WEATHER CONDITIONS
DEALING WITH THE HAZARDS OF FOG By LeRoy Cook
A
great deal of expense goes toward equipping our airplanses and training crew members to cope with operating in low-visibility fog, even though we may not often encounter actual conditions requiring the preparation. Because business aircraft are expected to be equal to any task required to deliver their human freight, it makes sense to carry the finest gear available. However, safety and dependability requires not only the best equipment, but understanding of the phenomena. We also have to prepare for times when conditions are too low for even well-equipped aircraft, due to the local landing minimums.
Unlike booming thunderstorms, or the rapid performance deterioration caused by ice, fog is a stealthy, quiet trap. It waits while you’re making that last-second grope for the runway, then springs the “gotcha” surprise, concealing your touchdown zone behind a gray curtain. You may be the sharpest instrument pilot in the world and have the best equipment, but if you can’t see the runway environment at minimums, all your work is for naught. Synthetic vision and enhanced vision displays are wonderful tools, adding a measure of safety to the difficult lowweather landing, yet their presentation has to be based on reality. In the absence of it, you’ll be going missed, and scrambling to see if that alternate airport’s weather is holding up.
SEASONAL
Fog and hazy conditions are stealthy, quiet traps this time of year.
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FROM THE COCKPIT
ZERO
All your work is for naught if you cannot see the runway environment.
Adding to your fog troubles will be the problem of useful slant range visibility from the cockpit, versus the horizontal visual range reported from the ground. You’ll be looking through a good deal more water droplets when peering downward over the nose, toward the approach lights two or three hundred feet below and a halfmile ahead. It may be possible to see useless runway lights sliding past directly underneath your window, but not those straight ahead, outlining the touchdown zone. Unfortunately, predicting fog’s appearance and duration does not follow hard-and-fast rules. It’s not difficult to forecast the conditions favoring fog formation, but discerning whether or not it will actually develop, when it will lift, and which airports it will affect, is less easy. The micro-meteorology of determining if landing minima for a particular runway will be available upon arrival is a lot tougher than the RAIM prediction for a GPS-guided approach. First, what is fog? The usual definition given for the phenomena is a cloud in contact with the ground, or more specifically, within 50 feet of the surface, reducing visibility to a mile or less. Strictly speaking, though, fog is not a cloud, which is a lifted parcel of air con-
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WEATHER CONDITIONS
taining water vapor that has condensed as it loses heat aloft. True fog is a cooled parcel of moist, warmer air that has lost heat while remaining in contact with a colder surface. Both are formed of liquid water droplets, their condensation resulting from a parcel of air that was either holding considerable water vapor and then cooled, or cooled air to which moisture has been added. The degree to which visibility is restricted depends on the amount of moisture the air contains, or its droplet size. Unlike a low cloud layer, real fog has no well-defined base. Visibility does not improve as the ground is neared; at best, you’ll have to deal with a murky runway and fuzzy lights, even at the surface. Instead of “breaking out” to acquire the runway, you’ll simply see it looming out of the fog, if at all. What is often reported as fog is more properly defined as a low cloud base, with some attendant visibility restriction that worsens near the bases. In any event, as far as you, the pilot, are concerned, the bedevilment is the same—given that you will need to see the runway environment early enough to make the landing from the published decision height, negotiating the definition is futile. Low weather is low weather, whether or not the cloud is touching the ground.
Whence Cometh Fog? The key precursor of fog is the spread between the actual air temperature and the dew point, a lower temperature value at which condensation will occur if there’s water vapor available. In general, a spread of three degrees or less spells trouble, but more important for flight planning is the trend. Is the spread narrowing, and is the visibility dropping? Timing is everything; I’ve seen ground fog spread across an airport from one end of the runway to the other in a matter of minutes—or stop with half the airport open and half covered. You’ve no doubt seen the haze thicken and ground lights become obscured as the evening wears on. The chances of making it in after midnight, when the air at ground level cools off from radiation of its heat and is no longer able to hold moisture in a vapor state, may depend on how closely the airport lies to water. Consider how many of your favorite fields are located in river flood plains, on lake shores, in the bottom of valleys or next to an ocean bay, all damp, cool locales. Whether the fog forms from radiation cooling or from moisture-laden air moving onto a cool surface, the difficulty is the same.
A tight temperature/dew point spread alone won’t always mean fog; moisture also has to be present. If the airport isn’t located right on the water it can still become thoroughly fogged in, as long as there’s a means to transport the moisture. Calm winds aren’t as fog-enhancing as a few knots leading from a moisture source. A strong wind, on the other hand, is likely to break up and disperse the fog. I recently had an airport closed to me when the wind at 500 feet AGL picked up; the surface wind was nil, but the moisture from a large body of water was added to the ground-level air, which had been cooled overnight by radiation into clear skies. Adding moisture increases the fog risk. Always be ready to revise your plan to arrive or depart just at dawn; after a clear night, the transition from a starry pre-dawn sky to a hazy, then foggy, obscuration at the surface will occur most often just as the sun edges over the horizon. The presence of a middle layer of clouds acts as a blanket to inhibit the cooling of air near the surface , because the heat of the day doesn’t radiate into the upper atmosphere, thereby lessening the formation of radiation fog overnight. Conversely, if the morning sun can reach the top of the fog and begin warming the cool air, the air’s ability to hold moisture is enhanced and the night’s fog will start to disperse. A higher cloud layer delays such burnoff, because the sun’s heat is reduced. For this reason, do not depend on a forecast of improvement until it actually starts to happen. The forecaster may
not be aware of an intervening cloud layer above the fog. Be especially disbelieving of TAF predictions at airports located in a valley floor. Cool air trapped in the basin surrounded by high ground can hold fog until late in the day, and maybe not burn off at all, because there’s less time for the sunlight to warm the shaded fog. Non-homogeneous ground fog is a fancy term for low-lying fog that forms in strips under calm wind conditions, perhaps following the lowest ground where cooling was deeper. You’ll roll in and out of the fog on the runway, and from above you’ll be able to see parts of the airport, while other portions are blanketed in white. The accident potential is high when taking off or landing under these conditions, because you’ll be tempted to give it a try, only to lose all forward vision at a critical juncture. These strings of fog can coalesce into a solid layer when a few knots of wind begins to stir, mixing the stagnate air parcels, or if the sun initiates mini-thermals that move moisture around. Where To Go? Handling fog requires careful planning for its potential. Fuel is your friend, because you’ll need time to either hold for improvement to landing minimums, or to divert to a fogfree alternate. Never assume an alternate won’t be needed, just because it was clear when you checked the weather. Factor in your arrival time and the airport’s history of generating fog. Don’t settle for one alternative; your real alternate
could be one in that clear air you overflew, 100 miles away from the moisture-laden weather system. A high and dry hilltop aerodrome is worth a lot more than a river-bottoms airport with an ILS. Should you depart in heavy fog? In some cases, you might have the legal right to take off in reported conditions of zero-zero ceiling and visibility, but I would want some comfort factors added. There should be at least a few hundred feet of visibility prevailing over the whole runway; you don’t want to start the roll with the centerline visible and then lose all forward visibility at 1 00 knots. Don’t try a restricted-visibility takeoff unless the runway is at least 100 feet wide, just in case you need some room for error management. When you’re leaving from an airport that doesn’t have existing weather good enough to permit an immediate return, contemplate what nearby airports are available, places where you can go if an after-takeoff diversion is necessary. You may not be legally required to have a close-by airport designated as a takeoff alternate, but twin-engine airliners do, and it’s a valid point for anyone to consider. Suppose you find your pitot/static system has a problem, or you can’t pressurize, or a service port was left open? Know where you can land within a relatively short time, or don’t go. The keys to surviving fog threats are to (1) understand the nature of the problem, so you won’t be surprised, (2) carry plenty of fuel with which to do battle and (3) have comfortable alternates available. Never get caught in a situation without options, when you’re forced to make the approach out of desperation. The accident record is filled with pilots who descended into terrain short of or beside the runway, because they were out of alternatives and could not give up. Fog won’t swat the airplane out of the air, nor will it degrade its ability to sustain flight. But, it will unnerve the ill-prepared, trap the unwary and stop a too-bold pilot who refuses to plan ahead. Stay aware and stay alive.
✈
SAFEGUARD
Don't try a restricted visibility takeoff unless the runway is at least 100 feet wide.
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SAFETY SENSE
RULES AND REGULATIONS
WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?
By Michael R. Grüninger and Markus Kohler of Great Circle Services AG (GCS)
DATA
A crash-resistant flight recorder system might have explained the mystery behind this PC-12 accident.
What Were They Thinking? It was a particularly tragic event when the aircraft crashed near a cemetery in Butte, Montana, USA, on March 22, 2009*. In addition to the sole pilot and six adult passengers, the aircraft carried six children aged three to seven years and one child under the age of two. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact and all occupants perished. The NTSB launched a full investigation. The investigation in this particular event found no technical aspects about the Pilatus PC-12 single engine turboprop aircraft, but a number of piloting issues from which valuable lessons can be learned. The extensive investigation report and associated Board meeting raised several important issues, which we want to review in this article, including pilot decision making, on board data recording and storage and compliance with AFM requirements.
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In spite of the substantial damage to the airframe, the investigators were able to retrieve data from the Central Advisory and Warning System (CAWS) non-volatile memory. The data showed numerous activations of the auxiliary fuel pumps. The fuel pumps are normally not in operation during flight. Further investigation ultimately determined that the pumps were activated automatically due to a loss of fuel pressure to the engine because of impeded fuel flow as a result of fuel icing. Eventually, fuel could not be drawn from the left wing tank anymore and all of the fuel was supplied from the right tank, resulting in an increasing fuel imbalance. The situation was further aggravated by the fact that part of the fuel supplied from the right tank was supplied back equally to each tank to serve as suction (motive) flow of the delivery ejector pumps. The result was that the unavailable left tank was being filled, and the fuel imbalance developed even quicker. It reached a point at the end of the flight where the low
fuel caution illuminated for the right tank, and the left tank was full. In steady flight and at higher speeds, the aircraft was still controllable. But when maneuvering to land the pilot lost control. The reason for the formation of ice crystals in the fuel and the subsequent abnormal behavior of the fuel system was that the pilot did not use a Fuel System Icing Inhibitor (FSII). He was aware of the requirement: The AFM requires use of FSII for all flights in ambient temperatures of less than 0°C (the accident flight was cruising at FL 250 in an average outside air temperature of -40°C), and use of FSII was a topic in his recurrent PC-12 training. He was very experienced (more than 8840 hours of flying experience of which over 1700 hours were on the PC-12) and described to have a “very high level” of competence and “superb” professional judgment. So, what was he thinking when he did not comply with the AFM and did not request FSII to be added by fuel providers or add it himself when he fuelled the aircraft? The investigation showed that he had performed other flights at below freezing temperatures, with no FSII added to the fuel, and experienced automatic activations of the fuel boost pumps. The NTSB finds that “he had likely downplayed the seriousness of the initial warnings because no adverse outcomes resulted from ignoring the warnings during the first flight of the day and during the [earlier] flight”.
The first indication that something was wrong occurred about one hour and 15 minutes into the flight when the left and right fuel boost pumps began cycling, which is indicative of low fuel pressure. A few minutes later, the left fuel boost pump was on continuously and the right pump was off, which is indicative of the automatic fuel balancing system trying to rectify a fuel imbalance. Eventually, the fuel gauges must have indicated a difference in the fuel content of the wing tanks of more than three bars**. This indicates that the automatic fuel balancing is not able to maintain level fuel distribution. If the imbalance cannot be corrected by manual operation of the auxiliary fuel pumps (which he evidently did) then, in accordance with the AFM, the pilot must land as soon as practicable. Instead, the pilot flew past at least three suitable alternate airports and continued on his course to his destination. What was he thinking? Thirty minutes later, the imbalance had increased to an indicated fuel content difference of 15 bars on the fuel indicators. At this time the pilot decided to change course by about 25° away from his original destination (Bozeman, MT – BZN) to an alternate airport (Butte, MT – BTM). By now it was very apparent that the fuel in the right tank was getting low, while the left tank contained more fuel than at an earlier point in time of the flight. A suitable airport was a mere 22 miles or six minutes of flight time away, but the pilot flew on towards his alternate, which was still 97 miles or 24 minutes away. What was he thinking? By the time the aircraft was in the vicinity of the alternate airport (BTM) the CAWS annunciated the R FUEL LOW caution. The left tank was filled to capacity and the right tank contained 66 pounds of fuel, as indicated by a 27 bar difference on the fuel gauge. By now the pilot must have been aware of the seriousness of the situation. Although he had experienced situations of fuel pump behavior, which were indicative of low fuel pressure, “the pilot found himself in a situation that he had not previously experienced.” By this stage in the sequence of events, the workload for the pilot must have been increasing dramatically. When he finally decided to divert to an
alternate airfield it was not the closest and most suitable, but one from which his passengers could more easily obtain ground transportation to their ultimate destination. He changed the airplane’s route of flight towards his new destination without requesting or obtaining ATC clearance. He was eventually cleared for his new destination, and was instructed to maintain FL 250. Only two minutes later, the pilot initiated the descent from FL 250, without clearance. He was later instructed to advise receipt of Butte Montana weather and notams. The pilot replied wilco, but did not report receipt of weather information. Data from the CAWS indicate that at this time the pilot attempted to resolve the fuel imbalance by manually activating the fuel boost pumps. Simulations and calculations show that the aircraft was still controllable in steady flight conditions, but was being operated outside its design limits. This condition did not develop abruptly but gradually. It illustrates the fact that strict adherence to the limitations stipulated in the AFM is important. Not only because non-compliance with the AFM is also a legal violation of 14 CFR 91.9 or EU-OPS 1.005, but because pushing the envelope reduces the safety margin. And no matter how often everything goes well, someday it will not. Big Brother or Essential Data in the Interest of Safety? For the NTSBA, a core issue of this accident is the fact that the sequence of events could be reconstructed based on data download from nonvolatile memory of a piece of avionics that was not intended to be some sort of crash recorder. The CAWS is not a crash resistant system. Had it been destroyed by impact or fire then the complex interplay of technical and human factors could not have been uncovered. What remains open and will never be determined are questions regarding the thought and decision making process of the pilot. How, when and by whom were his actions influenced? The effects of the (in-)action of not adding a FSII to the fuel could have been easily mitigated, but the sequence of pilot decisions afterwards resulted in a situation where
the margin of safety as well as the number of options continually decreased to a point with tragic consequences. Safety investigation would greatly benefit from not only knowing technical information (what the airplane did) but also knowing about factors that influence the behavior and decision making of the pilot. The NTSB therefore reiterated its earlier safety recommendations, which asked the FAA to require crash-resistant flight recorder systems aboard existing turbine-powered aircraft that are not equipped with a CVR and an FDR. The NTSB states that “although the download of nonvolatile memory data provided key information in determining the circumstances that led to this accident, a flight recorder system that captured cockpit audio, images, and parametric data would have provided additional information about the accident that was not possible to determine from the downloaded non-volatile memory data”. Audio and image capturing is a very sensitive issue for flight crew and operators, but in the interest of safety and prevention it could provide important insights in trying to determine “what they were thinking”. * The full NTSB investigation report can be found at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports_aviation.html. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-11-05. ** The fuel quantity for each tank is indicated on a display which is graduated with 28 segments or bars
✈ Michael R. Grüninger is the Managing Director of Great Circle Services (GCS) Aviation Safety Advisors. 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) consultancy (IS-BAO, IOSA), manual development and process engineering. He can be reached at michael.grueninger@gcs-safety.com or +41-79 442 44 89. His column, Safety Sense appears regularly in BART International.
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REPORT
OSHKOSH
AIRVENTURE 2011 HIGHLIGHTS By LeRoy Cook
As we pulled the nose up to arch away from KOSH s runway 18, we allowed ourselves one last look at Lake Winnebago s summer face, before it disappeared behind the broken cloud deck. Goodbye until next year we thought, reflecting on the next time the annual rite of aviation s solstice would bring us back to the shore of this glistening lake in America s heartland.
EAA EVOLUTION
EAA AirVenture now attracts industry heavyweights like Hawker Beechcraft (top), Pilatus (centerleft) and HondaJet (center-right).
AirVenture, a.k.a. the Oshkosh airshow, has evolved in recent years, from a sprawling picnic for fun flyers into an industry-wide exposition. Business aircraft manufacturers like Bombardier, Cessna, Daher-Socata, Embraer, Hawker Beechcraft, Honda and Pilatus are taking the time to exhibit their wares to the half-million AirVenture attendees. The reason? They’ve learned that aviation enthusiasts often own companies and FBOs, and they buy large airplanes as well as small ones. Everyone now comes to exhibit at Oshkosh. The AirVenture site covers 1,400 acres of privately-held land, in addition to much of the Wittman Regional airport, an underutilized facility with multiple runways up to 8,000 feet long. To
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see it all requires days of kilometerslong walking; most wiser heads limit themselves to a single area of interest, such as the International Aerobatic Club, the Warbirds of America camp, the Vintage Aircraft’s Red Barn or the central plaza. Why is AirVenture located in an outof-the-way spot like Oshkosh? The show settled there in 1970 because it had outgrown earlier venues. Its patron, the Experimental Aircraft Association, had constructed its headquarters on adjacent property, including an impressive aviation museum. The welcoming city of 50,000 looks forward to increasing its population by an order of magnitude each summer. No metropolitan airport could absorb the chaos and confusion of such an influx. AirVenture’s traffic flow neatly bypasses hub cities like Chicago,
Milwaukee and Minneapolis and the various organizing entities have gotten the logistics down to a fine art. Upwards of 6,000 volunteers step forward to help with the show. There are very few such massive gatherings of like-minded people comparing to the annual migration of aviation enthusiasts to Oshkosh, Wisconsin in the north-central U.S. Similar to a religious pilgrimage, with overtones of rock music festival, country fair, vintage car rally and military reenactment mixed in, it is, quite simply, an aviation extravaganza. Too commonly written off as a sport aircraft gathering, the Experimental Aircraft Association’s mid-summer AirVenture event has become a venue for all aspects of aviation. For example, this year’s AirVenture featured the first-ever public showing
of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner. The new composite-construction airliner was landed at Oshkosh for a one-day stopover, allowing the assembled enthusiasts to troop aboard and engage in a walk-around. In previous years, the show has been visited by the Airbus A380, Concorde SST, Guppy cargo haulers and various Boeing 747 iterations. Military attractions have included the C-5B, An-124 and C-17 transports, SR-71 and U-2 spyplanes, and tankers, fighters, bombers and trainers of all types. AirVenture remains, however, an enthusiast’s show. Not dominated by commercial competition or military thunder, it is a showcase for all things aviation. Antique restorations and warbird formations, homebuilt completions and microlight aircraft, seaplanes and gyroplanes—each has its area and following. But, there’s no denying the
chairmanship reins to Rod Hightower, who had been the organization’s president. For the first time in the EAA’s 60-year history, there will no longer be a Poberezny at its head. Special celebrations were given to aviation figures R.A. “Bob” Hoover, Burt Rutan and Chris Heintz. Also, the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Air Mail service was featured, including replicas and restorations of the seminal aircraft. The 2011 show was favored by benign weather conditions at its outset and at its conclusion, with some rainy spells at mid-week to enhance attendance at the interior exhibits. The temporary city constructed for AirVenture takes such minor difficulties in stride.
marketing opportunity that the Oshkosh show presents, given its attendance of over a half-million. That is precisely the reason many business aircraft makers take booth space on the grounds, to expose their wares to a large audience in hopes of finding a prospect. Not every AirVenture attendee is a mere lightplane pilot and, as we said earlier, some own business and company aircraft in addition to their personal plane.
stopoff. This year, the Farmers Insurance advertising dirigible, a Zeppelin NT, cast its 246-foot shadow over the show. Dirigible rides were offered, for those not satisfied with hops in the antique Ford TriMotors or sightseeing from M*A*S*H-type helicopters. The Commerative Air Force’s Boeing B-29 bomber, “Fifi”, returned after a 16-year absence, given new engines under the sponsorship of the Cavanaugh Flight Museum. As the only flyable World War II Superfortress in existence, it filled the ConocoPhillips Plaza parking apron with style. A rare Mitsubishi Zero fighter, a fullscale faithful replica of a Focke-Wulf FW-190 fighter and the only flyable SB2C Curtiss Helldiver torpedo bomber attracted an appreciative warbird-lover crowd. In smaller scale,
Notable Events Of AirVenture 2011 As usual, there were noteworthy happenings taking place at this year’s Oshkosh airshow. On Day Two, we witnessed the retirement announcement of Tom Poberezny, long-time President and Chairman of EAA and son of its founder, Paul Poberezny. Effective August 1, he handed over the
Noteworthy Aircraft Seen There are always significant aircraft making an appearance at Oshkosh, as was demonstrated by the Dreamliner
Supermarine Aircraft showed its 90percent scale Spitfire kit aircraft. The Vintage Wings of Canada museum brought its Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bomber from World War II. Because 2011 marked the 100th Anniversary of the US Navy’s entry into aviation, it was proclaimed that the airport would be called “Naval Air Station Oshkosh” for the week, and numerous events and aircraft centered on a nautical theme, including showings of practically every aircraft type in the Navy’s inventory. Sikorsky Innovations showed its 250knot X-2 coaxial research helicopter, soon to be installed in a museum. Pioneering homebuilt aircraft designers Chris Heintz of Zenith Aircraft and Burt Rutan from Scaled Composites had many examples of their designs flown in by builders for display.
INCLUSIVE
Embraer Executive Jets President, Ernest Edwards (top), Learjet 65 (center). AirVenture s famous Brown Arch , historic flight line entryway (right).
BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 73
REPORT
EXTRA
Epic LT Experimental Amateur-built single-engine turboprop.
On The Business Side In the business aircraft arena, Kestrel Aircraft announced the selection of Honeywell’s TPE331-14GR turboprop engine for the production version of Kestrel’s single-engine composite airplane, currently flying in test-bed form with a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6A. Blackhawk Modifications proclaimed certification for its 850-shp XP42A conversion of the Cessna Caravan 208B, boosting horsepower by 175 to 250 shp and vastly improving high-and-hot, known icing and high-gross operation for Caravan operators. Meanwhile, Evektor Aircraft of the Czech Republic announced its twin-PT6A turboprop EV55 Outback utility plane, and GripsAero division of Mahindra Aerospace announced the selection of the Rolls Royce M250 turboprop engine for its GA10 utility single, an expanded version of the GripsAero GA8 pistonengine bushplane. Also seen at the show were Bombardier’s Learjet 65, Hawker Beechcraft’s King Air 90GT, 250 and 350 models, the Hawker 200, Cessna’s Mustang and Caravan, Piper’s Altair single-engine jet and Cirrus Aircraft’s Vision SF50 jet. Embraer proudly showed its Phenom 100 and 300 light jets and announced record sales for the entire Embraer line. The reborn Total Eclipse twinjet was repeatedly flown and HondaJet demonstrated its overwing-engines light business jet prototype and announced flights of the conforming certification test aircraft. Daher-Socata marked its 100th Anniversary as a company, dating from the Morane Saulnier origins in 1911; strong demand for the TBM850 Very Fast Turboprop fuels speculation of a follow-on NTx twin jet, perhaps based on the Grob SPn. Pilatus Aircraft, which always pursues a unique thematic for the Oshkosh event, presented its PC12NG as the centerpiece at a retro1950s “Pilatusville” bistro. As always, many developmental aircraft were shown, including a fanjetequipped conversion of an Aerostar piston twin, shown by Aerostar Aircraft. Boosted to nearly 400 knots by Pratt & Whitney 615F-A engines of 1460 pounds thrust, it fulfills designer Ted Smith’s dream of an ultimate Aerostar. Quest Aircraft’s well-established Kodiak utility
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OSHKOSH
turboprop will be available with an executive interior, it was announced at the show. Nearly all of the production light sport aircraft (LSA) were on display, mostly from central Europe. The LSA arena continues to hold promise for revitalizing general aviation with simpler, lesscostly aircraft. In addition to production LSA’s, many of the amateur-built experimental kit designs can fit into LSA requirements, which allow flying suitable aircraft with (in the U.S.) no medical certification and less training. As always, a few mishaps marred the Oshkosh airshow’s week. A Piper Cub went down in the adjacent Lake Winnebago, claiming two lives, and a Cessna pilot crossing the larger Lake Huron, farther to the east, suffered engine failure and had to tread water for 18 hours until he was rescued by a passing boat. A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon over-ran the runway end on Day Four and suffered a collapsed nosegear and damaged engine inlet. Considering the 10,000 aircraft and thousands of operations taking place during the event, the overall AirVenture safety record is quite good, thanks to measures taken. Even with a prolonged economic recession casting a pall, the AirVenture event defied the trend of doom-and-gloom and attracted a strong showing of 541,000 attendees, up 1.3% over 2010. Of the estimated 10,000 aircraft flown in, 2522 were registered as “showplanes”, including 974 homebuilts, 899 of vintage category and 367 warbirds. There were 803 exhibitors taking part, up by 33 from 2010. The general mood of the show was one of survivorship and belief in aviation as a life-style.
A total of 2098 international visitors were recorded, with many more no doubt arriving without visiting the official pavilion. While the greatest numbers came from Canada, Australia and Brazil, some 68 countries were represented. Even the Chinese Peoples Republic sent a delegation to observe and take notes, promising in carefullycouched terms that airspace was about to be opened to private aviation in Red China. Other developing regions with a stronger record of encouraging aviation included India, Africa and Latin America. Eventually, everyone comes to Oshkosh, to see what can be done with innovation and enthusiasm. Getting There Most long-distance visitors arrive via airline through Chicago or Milwaukee, driving the final few hours to Oshkosh. Flying in and out privately is best done under Visual Flight Rules, there being no possibility of radar separation in the Oshkosh area. IFR reservations are limited, as is paved-ramp parking. Special procedures abound for the show; a NOTAM booklet is available at airventure.org. While those who’ve been flying into the show for decades find it “old hat”, less-bold individuals take refuge at outlying Fond du Lac and Appleton airports and ride shuttles to the grounds. Make housing arrangements and auto hires months in advance; supplies of both can be exhausted long before the event. The 60th anniversary AirVenture gathering will take place July 23 through July 29, 2012. Already on the agenda are events honoring the 75th Anniversary of the Piper Cub.
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BLACKHAWK AERO WINS CERTIFICATION FOR CARAVAN UPGRADE
ability to hold up to 170 knots with 5 inches of accumulation in icing conditions. The latter was verified in natural icing tests required to obtain the STC. Spin testing was also necessary, so 115 spins were conducted in various configurations. In all, some 35,000 man-hours, 210 flight hours and $3-million were expended over three years, solving cooling, exhaust, cowling and inlet design and noise requirements. Because the U.S. XP42A generates only 81 dB(A), the tougher 78 dB(A) European standard was easily met with a slight reduction in prop RPM. Going to what is essentially a King Air 200 engine paid big dividends in high-and-hot or high payload operations. A smaller altitude-enhanced engine wouldn t have done the job, since the Caravan is a down-in-the-bush utility plane, for the most part.
By LeRoy Cook WACO, TEXAS-BASED BLACKHAWK MODIFICATIONS, Inc. has a well-established reputation for delivering STC d turboprop engine upgrades, most notably for more than 300 King Air, Conquest and Cheyenne airplanes. Exchanging standard PT6A powerplants for a more capable version can bring older aircraft into an entirely different performance category, particularly at cruise altitudes. Now, Blackhawk s expertise has been applied to the ubiquitous Cessna Caravan 208B, a rugged, hard-working airplane that can, when loaded, use quite a bit more power. We sat down with Jim Allmon, Company President, to speak about their lengthy quest for certification of a PT6A-42A 850-shp upgrade for the Caravan. As might have been expected, it was a longer, more-difficult path than originally envisioned, but it s now possible to place an order for an STC d modification. At the time of our interview in mid-July, 20 orders were already on the books, representing all available slots through the end of 2011. We were sitting beside the nose of the test-bed aircraft, where the engine change was most evident. Instead of the large single underslung exhaust of the -114 engine, the Blackhawk conversion uses twin Frakes stacks, clocked slightly down and outward to preclude CO or exhaust fumes from entering the cabin during flight. A four-blade Hartzell 100-inchdiameter propeller replaces the 106-inch three-blade unit and there s an efficient carbon-fiber cowling replacing Cessna s aluminum enclosure. Blackhawk has its own carbon composite facility to produce the cowls, located in Morgantown, Kentucky. The conversion entails much more than hanging a bigger engine on the airframe. While the power quadrant in the cockpit remains the same, the engine gauges are changed to Blackhawk s new Hawkeye DigiLog units. There is a 50-lb. increase in empty weight, neatly absorbed by boosting takeoff weight to 9,000 lbs., netting a 200-lb. gain. Even so, a 12% increase in inlet efficiency, increased propeller thrust and just plain raw horsepower results in a doubling of climb rate, 20 to 40% better takeoff performance, and a 15% improvement in cruise speed. Most significantly for FIKI operators, the XP42A Caravan has the
Skydive centers, for instance, can get four loads of parachutists per hour to 12,000 feet, rather than three, while carrying an extra three passengers per trip. When departing from high altitude or difficult airstrips, the standard-powered Caravan might only be able to take four passengers, whereas the XP42A conversion could carry eight. Where is the market? , we asked. Nearly half of the first deposits have come from skydiving centers, and three of the rest are Alaska operators, an obvious opportunity. About half of the interest is from the export market, Allmon said. Blackhawk expects to pursue float certification for the 208B, which had not been possible with the standard powerplant, and is working with Wipaire, Inc. in this regard. Allmon also said Blackhawk has offered the STC to Cessna to be installed on the production line, giving the manufacturer all the data generated from the STC program. The price for the mod is currently $605,000, exchange. Production rate is to be two per month through year s end, upping to three per month by January, 2012. Cessna made a great airplane, Allmon said. We just made it better.
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UPGRADE
Blackhawk Aero s recently STC d XP42A 850 shp upgrade for the Cessna Caravan 208B.
BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 75
REPORT By Paul Walsh
The rain poured and the traffic barely moved, but from day one people were doing business at the Paris Air Show on a scale never seen before.
PARIS AIR SHOW
A WATERSHED IN PARIS
J
ust take a look at the figures: 150,000 professional visitors, 2,100 exhibitors, 290 official delegations from some 100 countries, and 150 aircraft. The total value of contracts signed at the show was approximately $8 7 billion, with Airbus’s order tally totalling $72.2 billion alone.
GREEN
Filling the tanks for the G450 s bio-fuelled Atlantic crossing (top). Dassault celebrated its recent EASyII FAA approval (center).
Business Aviation wasn’t immune from the action either - Bombardier’s team chalked up business jet deals worth $1.0 billion, thanks to an AVWest order for four Global 7000s and two Global 8000s, and a VistaJet order for 10 Global 8000s. Bombardier Business Aircraft President, Steve Ridolfi could barely contain his excitement: “We had an excellent show....the reception of the new Global 7000 and Global 8000 jets has been phenomenal. The expanded Global aircraft family has resonated extremely well in the market place, and we’ve seen tremendous growth in the entire Global aircraft product line as a result of our strategy.” “The Paris Air Show has been a resounding success for Bombardier,” confirmed Guy C. Hachey, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bombardier Aerospace. “Apart from strong sales on both sides of the business, we’ve enjoyed the opportunity to showcase our products and engage in productive meetings with all of our stakeholders.”
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Success for Dassault In Dassault’s chalet there were reasons to be cheerful too. EASA had just cleared the Falcon 7X for passenger operations after a pitch trim issue on May 26th grounded the entire fleet. The incident tested Dassault’s customer service and engineering capacities, but ultimately the French manufacturer came through - producing a modification kit that adds additional layers of protection to the Falcon 7X horizontal stabilizer pitch trim system. EASA approved the modification on June 15 th, and the following day it released a new Airworthiness Directive (AD) allowing the aircraft to resume flights with passengers. The timing was just right for the Paris Air Show, where the 7X’s demonstration flight received a rapturous applause. In other news, Dassault Aviation’s Chairman and CEO Charles Edelstenne confirmed that the French manufacturer’s Super Mid-Size (SMS) program is continuing on pace. Work on Phase A/project feasibility, with wind-tunnel validation of the aircraft
configuration at high and low speeds, was completed last summer. “All main system suppliers have been selected. We therefore kicked off Phase B, concerning the general design, right on schedule. The ‘technical platform’ started operation on September 1, 2010, bringing together staff from Dassault and the partners who had already been selected at the time, and focusing on the overall design of systems and their installation in the airframe,” he says. “Last December we were joined by partners chosen for the structure and for other systems.” Finally, Dassault Falcon celebrated its recent FAA approval for the EASy II, the next generation of its award winning flight deck (EASA approval was granted June 10th). EASy II will offer a number of new options and enhancements, including: a Synthetic Vision System (SVS), improved display symbology, Flight Management System (7.1) enhancements, improved Take Off and Go Around capability, a Runway Awareness and Advisory System (RAAS), RNP SAAR approaches capability, and an enhanced navigation package with WAAS and EGNOS LPV functions. Environmental Efficiency The theme of green was in evidence at the show, although high winds meant that the Solar Impluse – the world’s first solar powered aircraft and the show’s star attraction rarely flew. Environmentalists could
at least celebrate that a Gulfstream G450 had become the first business jet to cross the Atlantic using biofuels. The Honeywell-operated aircraft flew from North America to Europe with a 50/50 blend of Honeywell Green Jet Fuel and petroleum-based jet fuel powering one of its RollsRoyce Tay Mk 611-8C engines. “This flight demonstrates the tremendous advances being made as this industry moves toward enhanced environmental efficiency and responsibility,” said Pres Henne, Senior Vice President. “We want our operators to know that Gulfstream aircraft are capable of using alternative fuels.” The biofuel used in the aircraft is derived from camelina, an inedible crop, and Gulfstream has worked
closely with Honeywell to ensure its viability. The manufacturer says it is committed to achieving the Business Aviation industry’s goals on emissions reductions, including carbon neutral growth by 2020 and a reduction in total carbon emissions of 50 percent by 2050 (relative to 2005 levels). BizAv OEM s Hawker Beechcraft came to Paris primarily to promote their special mission turboprops, and on the static, prospective buyers examined a special mission King Air 350ER equipped with belly search radome and electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR). The aircraft’s interior was fitted with AvFab Traveler style chairs that allow quick reconfiguration of the cabin for missions ranging from full troop seating to air ambulance and cargo. “This aircraft represents our commitment to the worldwide special mission market,” said Jay Gibson,
Vice President, Special Missions. “The unique configuration is designed to showcase its outstanding flexibility and versatility.” The King Air 350ER boasts extended range, long endurance and flexibility. It can be configured for a variety of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and maritime surveillance missions, as well as air ambulance, utility transport and other special mission roles. As usual, BizAv’s presence was muted in Paris, although there were plenty of Business Aviation announcements to write home about. Sukhoi Civil Aircraft and Alenia Aeronautica announced a new Business Jet version of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional jet (SBJ). The new jet will have a range of almost 4,300 nm - or more than double the SSJ100’s standard range of 1,645 nm - enabling passengers to fly non-stop from Paris to New York. Certification is scheduled for the beginning of 2014.
Meanwhile, fledgling British manufacturer HyperMach unveiled the concept for the SonicStar, a newly proposed supersonic business jet with a first flight scheduled for 2021. HyperMach claims that the SonicStar will achieve the speed of Mach 3.5, while meeting requirements for high thrust to weight ratio engine designs, reduced emissions and a dramatic reduction of sonic boom overland. They also say it will be able to fly from New York to Sydney in five hours. The Paris Air Show 2011 offered orders aplenty, new technologies and exciting product announcements. Basically, it had everything you could expect from a good air show - minus the weather. But, at the very least, we can confirm the storm clouds are clearing. Where EBACE 2011 heralded the end of Business Aviation’s recession, Paris has now done the same for the entire aerospace industry.
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UNLIKE
Hawker Beechcraft displayed a multi-mission King Air 350ER with a bellysearch radome (top). HyperMach unveiled the SonicStar (center).
BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 77
PROFILE
StandardAero
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER By Paul Walsh
O
ver the past four years, StandardAero has been trying something new. Instead of offering services across numerous locations, StandardAero has been concentrating their services at single locations. What they learned was that it works – and customers haven’t stopped coming back for business. To the outsider, this shift in setup may not sound groundbreaking, but in the services sector, it was. In fact, the change was partly the result of trial and error. Prior to its move towards single locations, StandardAero was actually moving the other way. When it moved its Honeywell TFE-731 engine license from Springfield, Illinois to Little Rock, Arkansas, the idea was to make the Springfield plant a dedicated airframes and avionics center, while supporting other market requirements - but the result was a decline in business. “All employees and customers kept saying was ‘I wish you hadn’t done that’,” says Scott Taylor, Business Aviation, Business Development Manager. “Many operators getting engine overhauls at the plant would also get some airframe or avionics work done as well. But without the license, business dropped alarmingly.”
EXPERTISE
StandardAero is a leader in TFE731 engine maintenance and repair. 78 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
Taylor joined StandardAero in August 2009 and one the first things he did was move the TFE-731 license right back to where it was. As a result the plant recouped its losses and senior management had what is called an ‘a-ha’ moment. Nowadays, operating centers with multiple services has become the company’s trademark – differentiating it from the competition. You only have to look to StandardAero’s Augusta facility, where a 100 strong team of A&P technicians can perform virtually any maintenance event – scheduled or unscheduled. The facility is also an authorized service center for Bombardier Challenger, Dassault Falcon Jet, the Honeywell TFE-731
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PROFILE and TPE 331 engines, and the Honeywell 36 series APUs. But the service doesn’t stop here. StandardAero tops it all off by a full range of avionics repair and installation capabilities – meaning that if operators want, they can get a very significant return on their downtime. There’s also the added bonus that during this downtime, maintenance directors get to see the engine and airframe being overhauled at the same location. And last but not least, there’s the savings. “We will bid the broader job. If an operator was to break one of our jobs down between three different companies, they would of course have to pay more,” says Taylor. “And then when you factor in moving an airplane from one spot to the next and the associated downtime and the fuel costs, choosing StandardAero is a pretty efficient way to get things done.”
COMPLETE
StandardAero s CompleteCare program offers a range of upgrade options on specific aircraft.
Nose-to-Tail At the heart of StandardAero’s new direction is a company-wide belief that an aircraft is more than just a series of components. Taylor is quick to note that an operator doesn’t fly an engine, they fly an entire platform: “We don’t look at anything in isolation, you have to see the complete picture.” The philosophy is encapsulated in “CompleteCare” - a program that focuses on specific aircraft models and offers a range of services from engine repair to paint expertise, along with APU, airframe, avionics, parts and interior refurbishments. Under the CompleteCare brand, you can bring in a Challenger 300 or 605 and you’ll be able to choose from an array of upgrade options, including a Primus 880 weather radar, a WAAS LPV’s approach and an Aircell Access high-speed internet installation – just to name a few. There are also options for interior upgrades, a complete strip and repaint, and scheduled and unscheduled engine maintenance - not to mention repair, maintenance and performance modification of the airframe structures. But what about the European operator? No need to fret, StandardAero offers European-wide services too. However, unlike its US centers, in Europe the company has partnered
80 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
StandardAero
with pre-existing European operations. Under this setup, the European partner will handle the airframe work before sending the engine back to one of StandardAero’s US facilities. Even with shipping time, StandardAero claims that they can do an engine overhaul quicker than European MROs. Company Integration StandardAero has been busy on many fronts over the past few years. Aside from channeling services through CompleteCare programs, it has also welcomed three additional companies into its corporate family: Garret Aviation (more recently known as Landmark), a leader in Business Aviation maintenance since 1948; Associated Air Center, a pioneer in the refurbishment and completion of large transport category aircraft; and TSS, a specialist in engine component MRO. Out of these mergers, a ‘new’ StandardAero has emerged. Today, the company can boast 200 degreelevel engineers and authorizations on GE, Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney and Honeywell engines. It has over 500 STC’s for aircraft modifications, upgrades and interiors installations, which are offered from 12 primary facilities in the US, Canada, Europe, Singapore and Australia, along with an additional 14 regionally located service and support locations. And there’s no signs of slowing down! The company continues to report impressive growth figures –by over 14% in 2009 and 2010 respectively - thanks in part to increased flying hours of TFE 731 and HTF 7000
engines. Further, StandardAero’s service network has gone from five mobile service teams in 2009 to 11 in 2011, and it will soon add an avionics team into the mix. “The mobile service teams keep us very close to our customers,” says Taylor. “The idea for an avionics team grew out of discussions with our customer advisory board. We asked them: ‘What area of your airplane do you most frequently need technical support on?’ - the answer was resoundingly ‘avionics’.” But let’s not pretend that merging four companies -with different cultures - has been a walk in the park. StandardAero has worked tirelessly to make sure it’s different competencies complement each other, and that its personnel are signed up to a unified culture. One innovative tool used in this lengthy process is its Leadership Standards program, consisting of 10 leadership and management courses and 90 on-demand self-service products like tool-kits, e-courses and podcasts. “Really, with so many cultures and companies coming together, we need to drive things towards a common culture,” says Taylor. “Having a successful leadership standard is an important piece in accomplishing that.” Nurturing leaders from the ground up is just another thread in StandardAero’s emerging company philosophy. As Taylor says, “Our workers see a future with the company, and we have to do our part to ensure that some of the people we bring in today will develop into the leaders of tomorrow.”
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INSIGHT
PAUL FLAMENT/EUROPEAN COMMISSION
UNDERSTANDING EGNOS In 2009, Antonio Tajani, European Commission (EC) Vice-President for Industry and Entrepreneurship, announced open service for the European Geostationar y Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), signaling the beginning of Europe s first venture into satellite navigation. Since then, Tajani and his team have being tirelessly promoting the project, although some BizAv operators have been slow to absorb the details. BART felt it was time to bring in an expert Paul Flament, Program Manager for EGNOS and Galileo.
BART: How does EGNOS improve upon the existing GPS system? FLAMENT: First of all, EGNOS improves the user position by correcting a GPS satellites’ clock bias, along with providing an ephemeris and a model of the ionosphere. The vertical accuracy is nominally improved from 15 meters to four meters, and the horizontal accuracy from 10 meters to three meters (as per GPS SPS 2008 and EGNOS OS SDD 2009). The observed performances are even better, with the vertical accuracy improved from four or five meters to around two meters and the horizontal accuracy improved from between two or three meters to around one meter. On top of this, EGNOS includes an integrity function, a warning in case of an issue with the system, emitted within six seconds of the malfunction and repeated.
BART: These are significant improvements, but the threat of signal disturbance by terrorists or other unfriendly action is a real safety issue. How will EGNOS be protected against such threats? Will the classic ground-based navigation aid system stay with us as a back-up? FLAMENT: The threat of signal disturbance by terrorist or other unfriendly action exists for any type of navigation system. Regarding GNSS systems, SBAS broadcast signals very similar to the ones provided by GPS. The vulnerabilities are therefore the same. The most likely scenario is jamming, which could result in a loss of service over a given geographical area. The new geostationary satellites that will be used by EGNOS in 2014 will have higher level of power, thus reducing sensitivity to unintentional jamming. However, deliberate jamming will always remain a possibility. It should be noted, however, that most scenarios result in a loss of continuity rather than a loss of integrity. Eurocontrol has conducted several studies demonstrating that the ATM environment would be able to safely manage such localized loss of service. Further, ICAO is currently assessing the need for maintaining a minimum contingency infrastructure on the ground to mitigate such risks as air navigation becomes more and more reliant on GNSS. BART: Will EGNOS really be “free of charge” to aviation operators? Or is part of the ground-based augmentation system accounted for in the air navigation service provider costs, and thus in the route charge? FLAMENT: For the time being, EGNOS is provided free of charge with no impact on the route charges. BART: And how is EGNOS financed? FLAMENT: The funding for system maintenance and operations comes from the European Union. The development of the system was funded partly by the European Space Agency, industry and air services providers, and the European Commission.
BART: EGNOS’s implementation will allow business aircraft to gain access to smaller and larger airports alike. Can you tell me a little about how this works? FLAMENT: Any Air Navigation Service Provider may decide to publish EGNOS procedures in their airports. This does not require any infrastructure on the ground, just the authorization of a procedure. BART: How will EGNOS improve the safety of landing approaches? FLAMENT: EGNOS basically allows an aircraft to have confidence in its location without the need for any ground infrastructure. This allows the development of landing procedures based on EGNOS. The key words here are confidence and integrity. EGNOS not only provides higher accuracy, but if a position cannot be trusted, it warns users within a timeframe compatible with Safety of Life applications (six seconds). This is a major difference from GPS, which does not provide any integrity. Concretely, this means that planes can land safer, with more information about their exact position towards the runway. It also means there will be more stable approaches (hence less accidents) at airports that are not equipped with ground-based navigation aids (typically ILS – Instrument Landing System). BART: Are you happy with the number of airports and aircraft that are currently able to use EGNOS? What is the European Commission doing to stimulate an increase in EGNOS users? FLAMENT: EGNOS was declared useable for Safety of Life applications on March 2nd 2011. And already 3 airports (Pau, Le Bourget, Clermont-Ferrand)
PLAYERS
European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani (top) and EGNOS Program Manager Paul Flament (center)
BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011 - 81
INSIGHT
PAUL FLAMENT/EUROPEAN COMMISSION
ing a snowball effect: as more airlines and airports start using EGNOS, others will follow. A specific workshop is also organized every year in June by the EGNOS Service Provider (ESSP), where EGNOS performances and the status of implementation in Europe are presented. BART: Is EGNOS interoperable with other satellite-based augmentation systems (SBAS)? FLAMENT: Yes it is. An aircraft using WAAS in the US, MSAS in Japan, or GAGAN in India can use EGNOS in Europe.
have EGNOS procedures in place,
EXTENSION and many other procedures and coun-
Future broadening behind European borders is planned in the following year.
tries will follow, including Poland, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden and Norway. In addition to this, European FP7 projects like ACCEPTA aim to identify pairs of regional airports that carriers fly routes to and from, creat-
82 - BART: SEPTEMBER - 2011
BART: Some European airports, flight operators and ANSPs are unsure about what EGNOS will do to improve their operations. What is the European Commission doing to communicate EGNOS’s benefits? FLAMENT: The European Commission is engaging in numerous communication activities in partnerships with the GNSS Agency and the EGNOS operator, a company called ESSP. In 2011, these partners are showcasing EGNOS at no less than eight aviation-related events (such as ATC Global, EBACE, Le Bourget, etc).
The Commission also ran an advertising campaign in the specialized press over the spring and issued a press release for the introduction of the Safety-of-Life Service in March. Publications, videos and a dedicated website (egnos-portal.eu) are also available. In parallel to these broadbased activities, ESSP is also in direct contact with airports, operators and ANSPs on an individual level. BART: Where is EGNOS currently available? Do you have plans to expand EGNOS beyond Europe’s borders? FLAMENT: EGNOS currently covers 19 member states (full coverage (APV1 99%) over eight European member states , [1] and partial coverage in 11 member states [2]). The details can be found in the EGNOS Service Definition Document, available on the EC EGNOS portal and the ESSP website. The coverage will be improved by Q1/2012, with the deployment of a new version. Further versions are planned in the following year. Extensions beyond European borders (such as Africa, Ukraine) are under discussion.
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