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WE FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED

FLY IN LOVE

ALL OVER AGAIN

BI-MONTHLY / JULY - AUGUST / POSTING OFFICE BE 1380 LASNE

Remember how you felt when you took delivery of your brand new CJ? The feel of the throttle in your hand. The rush of the first flight. Now you can have that feeling again with the jet you know and love.

The Alpine Edition from Citation Service is an unprecedented upgrade for your CJ2+ Citation jet.

This upgrade will soon be available for other CJ series Citation jets as well.

And you get it from the industry’s most experienced service technicians. When it comes to the service of your jet, trust the experts. This is aviation authority.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO AVIATION AT CESSNA.COM/ALPINE

GARMIN ® G3000™ AVIONICS

REDESIGNED INTERIOR

ALL-NEW COCKPIT

OUR 26th YEAR

JUL - AUG 2014

THE PREMIER TRANSATLANTIC BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE

Mach 0.935 Citation X+ Pure Speed and Brawn Aerion AS2 Supersonic Venture on Steroids

EXTERIOR PAINT SCHEMES

FARNBOROUGH

PREVIEW 2014

LABACE

OUR FAMILY OF CUStOMeRS | A LetteR SeRIeS

FlightSafety: Enhancing Safety for Generations

Matt Simpson Chief Pilot

Picture Your Aircraft

Universal solutions developed for over 50 aircraft types There’s a Universal solution awaiting you, for your perfect flight deck.

Equip for capability, efficiency or safety - the technology is here.

Avionics solutions for your aircraft, for the way you fly.

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WAAS/SBAS-FMS Family – LP/LPV Monitor, UNS-1Lw, MCDU, -1Fw and -1Ew

Contact an Authorized Dealer or visit www.uasc.com to learn more. to find out about the many benefits of being a FlightSafety Customer, please call Steve Gross, Vice President, Sales, at 314.785.7815. sales@flightsafety.com • flightsafety.com • A Berkshire Hathaway company

www.uasc.com sales@uasc.com (800) 321-5253 (520) 295-2300

From the Editor

THE SUREST TEST OF DISCIPLINE IS ITS ABSENCE REPORTING ON FATAL AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS is always a distressing exercise. It grieves to write about casualties especially when they involve young parents. But conclusions must be drawn and lessons must be learned. Therefore it s appropriate and necessary to learn from other people s mistakes.

Last October, ten skydivers aged between 22 and 71 years old gathered in Belgium at the EBNM Para Club for the occasion of an initiatory flight they were offering as a birthday present to a tenderfoot female companion. They all boarded the Pilatus PC-6 Turbo Porter and ten minutes after take-off, the plane disintegrated at 5,100ft.

As usual the local papers printed the standard, banal eyewitness reports: I heard the engine misfiring followed by a strident bang and I saw the plane falling or I saw a wing hurting the ground during the previous rotation . A lot of comments were also publicized in the press, the majority of them pointing towards the airplane, which had been recently overhauled. They were also speculating about similar previous PC-6 crashes in France and Spain, suggesting a recurrent corrosion problem on the wing of the Porter.

In the meantime, the result on the investigation released by the Air Accident Investigation Unit concluded that the tragedy was the consequence of a brutal rupture of the wing resulting from the pilot having performed a barrel roll with a full load of unattached skydivers, in a plane that is not fit to perform aerobatic maneuvers. There were only 22 seconds

Without discipline, there is no life at all Katherine Hepburn

between the entire movement and the impact.

This conclusion rules all technical flaws. It wasn t due to corrosion or a fatigue, it was just that flight!

Unfortunately, this kind of performance is common at many drop zones where pilots regularly perform 30 rotations per day in an exciting environment. Sometimes the pilots decide to create some extra excitement for the skydivers, which in this case were in festive spirits. Performing aerobatics in an airplane (old or new) that is not approved for such maneuvers is never a good idea, whether it s in general aviation, a business aircraft or an airliner.

In November 23, 1988, a Partenavia P-68 with 300 hours of total time was being flown in an aerobatic demo in Plainview, Texas. The pilot pulled into a loop, intending to do a Cuban eight.

He completed half of it, then in a perfectly straight and level flight at high speed his wings separated so simultaneously that it looked that they had been blown off with explosives.

The aircraft plunged to the ground killing the 24year-pilot instantly.

It s difficult to compare these cases with unalike aircraft, different circumstances and number of fatalities but the lesson should be the same. Both create a distorted, fun-and-game image of aviation, which is ill deserved.

Expensive aircraft are produced for different mode of transportation, not to crash while performing maneuvers for which they are not designed.

Avionics Editor Steve Nichols

PREMIER TRANSATLANTIC BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE

Editor and Publisher Fernand M. Francois Associate Publisher Kathy Ann Francois Executive Editor Paul Walsh Senior Editor Marc Grangier Training Editor Captain LeRoy Cook

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JULY AUGUST - 2014 Volume XVII - No 3 BART No 151 WWW.BARTINTL.COM

MRO Editor Bernard Fitzsimons New-York Editor Kirby J. Harrison CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Fabio Gamba, Nick Klenske, Louis Smyth, Giulia Mauri, Derek A. Bloom, Guy Viselé, Yvan Veretennikov PRODUCTION Tanguy Francois Production Manager ADVERTISING Kathy Ann Francois Advertising Director kafrancois@bartintl.com CIRCULATION Thais Cremer Marketing Assistant tcremer@bartintl.com

CONTENTS

SECTIONS 3 EDITORIAL 6 FAST TRACK 22 EUROPEAN UPDATE 24 BUSINESS NEWS 26 CEO S CORNER

64

LABACE SHOWCASES BIZAV POTENTIAL In this exclusive preview we look at OEMs, MROs, Training Organizations and Operators taking on the Latin American lucrative market.

EBACE REBOUNDS With a healthy number of orders and new aircraft announcements, EBACE showed Europe s potential once again.

40

70

FARNBOROUGH FIGHTS BACK In advance of the Farnborough Airshow, we look at how resilient UK operators are navigating a difficult economy.

RUMBLING IN THE DISTANCE BART Training Editor LeRoy Cook lays out the best practices for avoiding dangerous weather.

50 FULL SPEED AHEAD FOR CABIN ELECTRONICS BART New York Editor Kirby Harrison looks at the latest developments, and Steve Nichols reports from a successful Hamburg Interiors Show.

58 THE SUPERSONIC DREAM LIVES ON Supersonic Business Aviation has inspired numerous aircraft programs. Kirby Harrison looks at Business Aviation s most serious contenders.

72 MAINTENANCE MATTERS Diagnostic maintenance technology is helping Cessna operators across the world.

Our MRO editor Bernard Fitzsimons reports.

78 PILOTS ON THE ALERT Our Safety Experts analyze a dangerous encounter at Zurich Airport when an alert pilot saved the day by avoiding converging traffic.

OUR ADVERTISERS AND THEIR AGENCIES

Member

11 17 84 75 13 9 2 55 63 7 81 37 15 77 21 83 35

ARINC Beechcraft Global Customer Support Cessna Service Centers (COPP MEDIA SERVICES, INC.) CRS Jet Spares Dassault Falcon (PUCK L AGENCE) Duncan Aviation FlightSafety (GRETEMAN GROUP) Garmin GCS Safety Solutions HondaJet (MILNER BUTCHER MEDIA GROUP) Jet Expo 2014 JetNet LLC Jet Support Services Inc. (JSSI) NBAA 2014 NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference 2015 Universal Avionics Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc.

MAGNETIC FlightSafety s Farnborough center attracts pilots from across the world.

OUR COVER The fastest civil aircraft on the planet; Citation X+ can do New York to London in just more than six hours.

BART International. Business Aviation Real Tool is the Premier Transatlantic Business Aviation Magazine. ISSN 07767596 Printed in Belgium and published Bi-Monthly by Société Anonyme Frankie&Lette 20 rue de l Industrie, 1400 Nivelles, Belgium. Phone +326 788 3603; Fax +326 788 3623. With US offices in Texas and Arizona, BART International is governed by international copyright laws. Single copy $12.95 U.S. or 10.00 EUR. Professional Subscription available at 12 issues $31.00 U.S. or 24.00 EUR. Bank account BNP PARIBAS Fortis BE92 2710 0610 0423.

Administration and Circulation Thais Cremer tcremer@bartintl.com. International distribution by ASENDIA. USPS 016707 Periodical postage paid. For details call IMS at 1(800) 428 3003. Belgian posting office: BE1380 Lasne.

Office Coordinator Paul Walsh - Strategic Development Officer. Responsible Publisher - Fernand M. Francois

AGENDA

HONEYWELL MARKS CENTENNIAL OF AEROSPACE

FARNBOROUGH INT’L July 14-20 Farnborough, UK

Honeywell marked 100 years of innovation and leadership in the aerospace and oil and gas industries as Honeywell Chairman and CEO Dave Cote led other company executives in ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. The bell ringing recognized the centennials of Honeywell Aerospace, a pioneer in aviation, and Honeywell’s UOP, which created the basis for the modern refining industry.

Honeywell Aerospace traces its legacy of innovation to June 18, 1914, when Lawrence Sperry did a “wing walk” with no one at the controls of his airplane to demonstrate the first aircraft stabilizer, which became known as the autopilot. Today, Honeywell has one of the largest aerospace products and services portfolios in the industry, having invented hundreds of technologies that have led to safer skies, space exploration and stronger military offerings.

LABACE 2014 August 12-13-14 São Paulo, Brazil JET EXPO 2014 September 4-6 Moscow, Russia

FIRST PRODUCTION HONDAJET TAKES TO THE SKIES Honda Aircraft Company announced that the first production HondaJet achieved its initial flight, marking another milestone toward aircraft certification and entry into service in 2015. The event took place at the company’s world headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina.

“With this first flight, the HondaJet program has entered the next exciting phase as we prepare for delivery,” said Honda Aircraft Company President and CEO Michimasa Fujino. “This celebration is the culmination of extensive engineering and production efforts, and this is an important achievement in bringing the world’s most advanced light jet to market.”

The first production aircraft lifted off from the Piedmont Triad International Airport (KGSO) at 10:18 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. During the 84-minute flight, the aircraft climbed to 15,500 feet and reached a top speed of 348 Knots True Airspeed (KTAS).

Following a smooth landing, the aircraft and its crew were greeted by more than 1,000 Honda Aircraft team members to commemorate the milestone.

The aircraft was flown by test pilot Warren Gould, pilot-in-command. The crew completed several checks during the flight including low and high speed handling characteristics, avionics and system functionality including landing gear, flaps and speed brake operations.

This aircraft is finished in the new signature HondaJet paint scheme in a deep green pearl with a gold stripe. The new color introduction is in addition to four exterior color options available to customers, which also include silver, red, yellow and blue.

Aircraft production continues its steady pace in advance of entry into service. This steady build-up supports the company’s objective to have aircraft ready for delivery immediately after Federal Aviation Administration type certification is achieved. The HondaJet will be single-pilot certified and is currently offered for sale in North America and Europe through the HondaJet dealer network.

ASSEMBLY LINE FLOW BEGINS ON CITATION LATITUDE PROGRAM Cessna Aircraft Company has announced that it has started full assembly line flow on the Citation Latitude midsize business jet at its manufacturing facilities in Wichita, Kan. The assembly of the Latitude features a variety of technological advancements including the use of new automated robotics and ergonomically friendly tooling stations.

“We are not only bringing technological advances to the design of our new products, but also to the way we manufacture these worldclass airplanes,” said Scott Ernest, president and CEO, Textron Aviation. “The Latitude is a perfect example of this, combining a new innovative design with many of the latest advances in manufacturing technology. Beginning production line flow keeps us on target for meeting our commitments to customers who are eager to take delivery of their new Citation Latitude.”

The first production aircraft will serve as the fourth flying prototype as part of the Citation Latitude certification program, which has accumulated 100 flights and nearly 230 hours to date. The Citation Latitude prototype flew for the first time in February and achieved full envelope performance for maximum speed (440 KTAS, 506 mph), Mach speed (0.80) and altitude (45,000 feet) in its third flight. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certification is expected in the second quarter of 2015.

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VECTOR AEROSPACE AND BOND AUSTRALIA EXPAND PARTNERSHIP

BOMBARDIER S CHALLENGER 350 JET RECEIVES TRANSPORT CANADA CERTIFICATION Bombardier Aerospace has announced that the Challenger 350 aircraft has been awarded Transport Canada (TC) Certification. Bombardier expects certification from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to be received shortly.

“With Transport Canada certification of the Challenger 350 aircraft program in-hand, another significant milestone has been achieved,” said Stephane Leblanc, Vice-President and General Manager, Challenger Programs, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “Featuring a groundbreaking cabin design, new range capability and lowest-in-class operating costs, no opportunity has been overlooked to improve on the platform’s segment-leading excellence.

With increased performance, definitive reliability and unmatched value, the Challenger 350 aircraft has a strong future and we are confident that it will earn the appreciation of executives, pilots and operators around the world.”

Vector Financial Services, the leasing division of Vector Aerospace Corporation (“Vector”), a global independent provider of aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) service, is pleased to announce the extension of leasing and support agreements for two (2) Vector-owned AS332L helicopters with Bond Helicopters Australia (Bond).

“The Vector team understands the level of support our operations need and are committed to delivering the quality of service we demand”, states John Boag, Managing Director of Bond Helicopters Australia.

“We have been working with Vector on MRO activities for years and are pleased to extend this to the leasing program”.

The Vector leasing program combined with its full support package is customized to support Bond’s specific requirements in the Australian offshore market.

“Vector is excited to expand its partnership with Bond and the Avincis Group in the continued support of their operations. The Vector Super Puma AS332L aircraft have already been supporting Bond in their Australian operations and we are delighted to continue this relationship”, states Balkiz Sarihan, VP Business Development & Strategy at Vector Aerospace Corporation. “Bond’s outstanding reputation and commitment to service delivery are evident in the quality of their operations and their continued success in the region.

BOUTSEN AVIATION AND KUNAK JET CELEBRATE SECOND SUCCESSFUL DEAL The recent sale of this Dassault Falcon 7X registered VP-BVY marks the second successful transaction with Boutsen Aviation representing the Seller and Kunak Jet Sales representing the Buyer.

With the first collaboration dating back to 2004, the cooperation is today as strong as ever. Sales Manager at Boutsen Aviation, Dominique Trinquet, supports the joint efforts in the transaction: “We are very proud of the work carried out together with O?uz Kunak and know that both Buyer and Seller are extremely satisfied with the way the deal was handled. Kunak Jet Sales is a reputable preowned sales brokerage with long-standing experience in the aviation industry.”

O?uz Kunak, owner of Kunak Jet Sales, has since its creation in 1998 actively sold business aircraft and turbine helicopters to a Turkish and foreign clientele. Representing Embraer Executive Jets in Turkey from 2007 to 2011, Kunak Jet Sales is renowned for focusing on building long-term relationships with its customers and the outcome has led to a series of successes to include the most recent. “We received all the support available from Boutsen Aviation and Jet Aviation Basel who carried out the pre-purchase inspection in order to complete this recent transaction in a timely manner. We are very pleased to have cooperated with Boutsen Aviation and look forward to many more successful transactions in the near future.”

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Allan Orsi Allan started with Duncan Aviation in 2008 as a Sales Representative in Brazil. He took on his current role as a South American Regional Manager in 2012. Prior to Duncan Aviation, Allan worked for Honeywell do Brasil on-site Embraer, Bosch and Aerostation. +55 (19) 99214.1335 Allan.Orsi@ DuncanAviation.com

Business Aircraft Service & Support ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Aircraft Acquisition & Consignment Airframe Maintenance Avionics Installation Engine & APU Government & Special Programs Paint & Interior Parts, Avionics, Instruments & Accessories Emergency Assistance (AOG)

Duncan Aviation, Inc. is an independent business aircraft support organization providing complete service and technical support. The Duncan Aviation name is well-known and respected by manufacturers and service providers around the world. We have a strong reputation for providing premier aircraft services—delivered on time—for a wide variety of business aircraft.

Visit us August 12-14, 2014 at LABACE Stand #1019.

www.DuncanAviation.aero/worldwide Owned and operated by the Duncan family since our founding in 1956.

CITATION SOVEREIGN+ RECEIVES EASA CERTIFICATION Cessna Aircraft Company has announced the completion of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification of Cessna’s Citation Sovereign+ business jet. The Citation Sovereign+ features enhanced climb performance and range, along with Garmin’s G5000 avionics.

The aircraft recently completed a successful demonstration tour in Europe, where it debuted at the 2014 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in Switzerland.

“The Citation Sovereign+ is a great fit for the European market with its non-stop range between London and the United States or the Middle East, and all European city pairs,” said Chris Hearne, vice president, Jets. “We have a number of European customers ready to take delivery of their aircraft, and with EASA certification we can now get the Sovereign+ into the marketplace. Customers are responding positively to the new Garmin avionics and the many other interior and exterior features that allow this aircraft to fly farther, smarter and more comfortably than before.”

HONDAJET, VISION SYSTEMS NORTH AMERICA S LAUNCH CUSTOMER Vision Systems North America has successfully celebrated its grand opening in Florida (Melbourne), a strategic location to assist the leading aerospace companies of the Business Aviation industry. Among those present at the event were Florida State representatives and key industry players in the area, with Christine O’brien, Procurement Senior Manager, HondaJet and Jay Beever, Design & Marketing VP, Embraer, as guest speakers.

The newly established American production unit of Vision Systems is now ready for series production for its launch customer, HondaJet. Vision Systems will produce Electronically Dimmable Windows, the Nuance solution, for the HA-420.

Based on SPD technology (Suspended Particle Device), Nuance dims instantly from clear to dark reducing light, glare and heat entering the aircraft. It can be controlled by simply pushing a button at the window or from a control panel or Personal Electronic Device such as a wireless tablet, and needs less than 5 seconds to reach its darkest state (light transmittance <0.4%).

The Nuance solution is 30% lighter than a window with motorized shade, allowing weight saving and increased fuel efficiency.

DAHER-SOCATA DELIVERS A TBM 900 TO A FRENCH-SINGAPOREAN ENTREPRENEUR DAHER-SOCATA has announced the delivery of a new TBM 900 to Jean-Jacques Bely, the founder and CEO of Franco-Asian Enterprises Singapore Pte Ltd (FAE).

Immediately after the owner completes his aircraft type training at Airways Formation in Agen, France, he flies with DAHER-SOCATA’s ferry pilot the TBM 900 to Singapore, and then to its home base in Australia.

Bely is an active private pilot, and initially selected the TBM 850 as a step-up from the single-piston aircraft he owned, subsequently acting on DAHERSOCATA’s offer to upgrade to the newest TBM 900 version. His choice of the TBM family was based on its speed and range, and based on his knowledge of the TBM very fast turboprop aircraft through an owner in Singapore.

Also influencing Bely’s decision were the maintenance capabilities available in the Asia-Pacific, backed by DAHER-SOCATA’s efficient support network in the region.

“The TBM is fast, comfortable and offers an excellent range – which is perfect for my type of operation, of which 40 percent is performed in Southeast Asia and the other 60 percent in Australia,” Bely added. “I also was very impressed by the TBM 900’s low sound level in the cabin, which allows normal conversation without headsets – as well as its low noise footprint on the ground.”

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FLIGHTSAFETY CELEBRATES RE-OPENING OF TETERBORO LEARNING CENTER FlightSafety International recently celebrated the grand opening of its newly expanded and renovated Learning Center in Teterboro, New Jersey with Customers, FlightSafety Teammates and other special guests.

“The expansion and renovation of FlightSafety’s Teterboro Learning Center is a clear demonstration of our commitment to continuously enhance the training and services we provide.” said Bruce Whitman, President & CEO. “The quality and success of the entire project is due to the efforts and talents of all the FlightSafety Teammates who were involved.”

“Last June we stood here to mark the groundbreaking for this new facility. And one year later we gather to celebrate the completion of this state of the art facility, “said Lt. Governor Guadagno. “FlightSafety is a great example of how businesses that already have a presence in New Jersey can continue to expand and grow. The Christie Administration congratulates FlightSafety on their exciting new Learning Center and we look forward to their continued success.”

The 72,000 square foot facility can accommodate up to eight full flight simulators. It currently offers training programs for business aircraft manufactured by Dassault. They include the Falcon 50EX, Falcon 2000, Falcon 2000EX EASy, Falcon 900EX, and Falcon 900EX EASy. Additional simulators will be added in the future. The timing and aircraft type they represent will be determined by FlightSafety according to Customers needs.

LYON AIRPORT IS OFFERING FIRE FIGHTING TRAINING Lyon Airports is inaugurating its new Aircraft Rescue and Fire fighting Service training ground at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, an area entirely dedicated to training fire fighters in a real fire environment. The program, the only one of its kind in France is available for hire to all SSLIA (Service de sauvetage et lutte contre l’incendie des aéronefs) groups in order to improve operating techniques under real conditions.

The “Lyon Airports SSLIA Fire Training Ground” area covers a surface of 12,000m² designed specifically for fire fighters training. It is made up of different exercise areas including: a life-size A320 mockup, a fire wall, a double flux turbofan engine, a tri-diablo and a an aircraft interior enactment. The airplane mockup is built with 11 separate fire points, allowing fire fighters to carry out maneuvers under 16 different sets of circumstances, such as a general fire at the back of the aircraft, a fire in the cargo space, or a general fire in the front.

ASIC TO INSTALL PT6A-140 ENGINES INTO CARAVAN Aircraft Structures International Corp. (ASIC) announced their plans to install the Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6A-140 turboprop engine (867 HP) into the Cessna Grand Caravan and the original Caravan, with Supplemental Type Certificate’s (STC’s) in place by the end of 2014. The modified Caravan will be called the ULtimate Caravan referring to the blend of power and performance.

The new STC’s will provide Caravan owners similar performance to the Cessna Grand Caravan EX in their existing airframes. ASIC makes available the PT6A-140 engine in the ULtimate Caravan to existing operators letting them enjoy the advanced technology P&WC has built upon with an unmatched legacy of performance, durability, reliability and superior value. This will offer Caravan owners a performance appropriate engine that is matched to the Caravan missions while retaining the single side exhaust.

ROCKWELL COLLINS BRINGS OPTICAL BONDING TO CUSTOMERS Rockwell Collins has entered into a license agreement to provide its patented Direct Dry Film™ optical bonding technology to Digital Innovative Display (D.ID) for use in the production of consumer tablets.

The Direct Dry Film technology, originally developed for aviation primary flight displays, is now being licensed to new markets. D.ID is a global display company, headquartered in Korea, specializing in tablet, computer, television and cell phone display modules.

“As an innovative display company that caters to the consumer market, we were searching for a technology partner to add optical bonding capability to our production process and offer a quality optical bonding laminate,” said Seung-Soo Park, chief executive officer for D.ID. “By adding this capability into our liquid crystal module (LCM) production line we are able to bring more value and savings to our customers.”

The licensing agreement represents Rockwell Collins’ ability to leverage its technology across multiple markets, according to John Fischer, senior director, Commercial Services for Rockwell Collins.

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MEET OUR PROS IN BRAZIL.

While Falcon operators watch the great matches, we’ll be watching over their jets. More than 100 Falcons will arrive in Brazil for the football competition, and we’ll be ready for them—with pre-positioned spare parts and our Sorocaba-based GoTeams ready to dispatch across the country as needed. This is a big moment for our Brazilian team—and you’ll see us at the top of our game.

Falcon Customer Service GoTeams do whatever it takes to turn your AOG into an Airplane On the Go. Learn more at dassaultfalcon.com/go

Left: Alessandro Galera, Customer Service Manager Center: Sergio Ribeiro, Field Technical Representative Right: Gutemberg Silva, Sorocaba DAS Service Center

WEST STAR AVIATION APPROVED FOR C21 FLEET West Star Aviation, Inc. has been named the approved window repair and replacement vendor for the C21 fleet, which consists of Learjet models 35s & 36s being utilized by the United States Air Force.

West Star currently has two window repair locations at their East Alton, IL (ALN) and Grand Junction, CO (GJT) locations, allowing them to dispatch one of their highly trained aircraft window experts to any base worldwide. West Star currently employs five window technicians with a combined experience of 65 years specializing in aircraft windows, allowing them to provide quick response time worldwide to the United States Air Force.

“We are proud to be selected the approved vendor for the C21 fleet,” says Chris Becker, Window Repair Program Manager (GJT), West Star Aviation. “Our years of experience coupled with our extensive window repair and replacement services will allow us to provide high quality craftsmanship and customer service to our military.”

328 MARKS ONE YEAR OF SUPPORT WITH DUNCAN AVIATION 328 Design, part of the 328 Group, the Germanybased refurbishment, completions and maintenance aviation specialist, is marking a year’s anniversary supporting Duncan Aviation of the USA with confirmation of the award of two Supplemental Type Certificates (STC´s) for the Dassault F900EX. They cover all single passenger seat replacement and the replacement of CMS/IFE with the Rockwell Collins Venue cabin management system, plus complete Emteq LED Cabin Lighting. The seat replacement STC includes the replacement of five existing single seats with new UTC Aerospace Systems single seats.

This project was managed by 328 Design, the Design Organisation of 328 Group, founded in 2009, in collaboration with Duncan Aviation‘s Battlecreek, Michigan, USA location –undertaken to a very tight time schedule. The project represents 328 Design’s eighth collaboration with the aircraft support organisation over the past 12 months. “Based on the quality of the documents submitted and the outstanding support from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), 328 Design achieved its goal and received the STC’s on time last month,” said Jörg Gorkenant, Chief Operation Officer, 328 Design.

328 Design has collaborated with Duncan Aviation on EASA STC approvals for a wide variety of aircraft models including the Bombardier Challenger Series, Global Express, Dassault Falcon 900EX and 2000 as well as 7X and one Citation 560XL.

LEA WINS EBAA SILVER SAFETY OF FLIGHT AWARD London Executive Aviation (LEA), a Luxaviation Group company and one of Europe’s largest business jet charter operators, has been honoured by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) with its Silver Safety of Flight Award, in recognition of LEA’s achievement of 60,000 flying hours without an accident.

The award was presented to Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, LEA’s chief executive, and Kimon Daniilidis, LEA’s business development manager, South-East Europe and the Middle East, at the 2014 EBAA Safety of Flight Awards, at the 14th annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) event in Geneva.

The annual EBAA Safety of Flight Awards celebrate the highest standards of aviation maintenance and flight operations in safe hours flown and highlight the European aviation industry’s continuous focus on maintaining and improving safety best practices.

Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, chief executive, LEA, says: “As part of our longstanding dedication to the development and dissemination of safety best practice, which is always of paramount importance for LEA, we are delighted to be recognised for our outstanding record of safe operations throughout the region.”

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BLACKHAWK MODIFICATIONS ACHIEVES 15-YEAR MILESTONE AS ENGINE UPGRADE SPECIALIST Blackhawk Modifications celebrated two major milestones recently — the company’s 15-year anniversary and the upcoming completion of its 500th aircraft upgrade.

“Since May 1999, Blackhawk has been proudly helping turboprop aircraft owners and pilots upgrade their aircraft with new Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6A engines,” said Blackhawk President and Chief Executive Officer Jim Allmon. “Blackhawk was born from the idea that new, more capable engines would provide aircraft performance and value enhancements not possible through overhaul alone.”

“We are proud to be part of this celebration, and Blackhawk’s success is a testament to their talented and hardworking team,” said Denis Parisien, Vice President, General Aviation, Pratt & Whitney Canada. “For 15 years, Pratt & Whitney Canada and Blackhawk have worked side-by-side to provide turboprop operators more power, faster climbs, and higher cruise speeds — and we look forward to continuing this highly productive collaboration.”

JET AVIATION SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH LUXAVIATION GROUP Jet Aviation has signed a Fixed Base Operation (FBO) service agreement with Luxaviation Group, a major European Business Aviation operator, to provide handling services through its network of FBOs in EMEA and Asia.

Under the service agreement, Jet Aviation will provide dedicated handling services to aircraft operated by Luxaviation Group through its network of FBOs in EMEA and Asia. Luxaviation Group is based in Luxembourg from where it manages a fleet of almost 100 business jets “We strive to anticipate the needs of our customers to ensure the comfort and safety of aircraft owners and operators around the world,” said Monica Beusch, general manager of Jet Aviation Zurich and head of FBO Services in EMEA and Asia. “This agreement highlights the quality of our handling services and our experienced personnel. We look forward to welcoming Luxaviation aircraft throughout our FBO facilities in EMEA and Asia.”

SATCOM DIRECT AND TAG GLOBAL TRAINING PARTNERS Together with TAG Global Training in Farnborough and Geneva, Satcom Direct will provide hands-on training at its own lab-based facilities in addition to offering classroom courses covering satellite communications, IP and voice networks.

As of June 2014, Satcom Direct and TAG Global Training will offer basic, intermediate and advanced satellite communications classes for customers, pilots, maintenance personnel and crew members.

“This exclusive partnership expands TAG Global Training’s exceptional portfolio to include satellite communications,” said Chris Moore, vice president, Satcom Direct International. “Courses will include modules ranging from foundation basics within satellite communications to advanced troubleshooting within our labs.”

TAG Global Training was established in 2007 to train TAG’s pilots and cabin crew in EASA approved ground school courses. This successful program expanded beyond TAG’s own needs, with training currently being conducted for more than 70 operators as well.

“At TAG Aviation we are committed to industry-leading training and safety standards. This joint venture builds on an established partnership from which TAG and Satcom Direct clients already benefit,” said Debbie Elliott, training manager, TAG Global Training.

Via the partnership with Satcom Direct, TAG Global Training will have exclusive access to Satcom Direct’s Learning Management System which includes both classroom and on-line training modules.

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Consumable parts for virtually every aircraft make and model, including our competitors’.

Hawker Beechcraft Parts & Distribution. ®

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Proprietary • Aftermarket • Rotables • Tooling • Consumables • Out-of-Production Parts

+1.316.676.3300 | Beechcraft.com/parts ©2014 Beechcraft Corporation. All rights reserved. Beechcraft and Hawker are registered trademarks of Beechcraft Corporation.

AERION S PATH TO A SUPERSONIC RENAISSANCE Aerion Corporation is an aeronautical engineering organization headquartered in Reno, Nevada. The company was established in 2002 to pursue the development of supersonic transport aircraft incorporating supersonic natural laminar flow (SNLF) technology.

The crucial work of developing and patenting SNLF technology began in the 1990s and was conducted by a predecessor company, ASSET Group (Affordable Supersonic Executive Transport), led by Dr. Richard R. Tracy, an expert in hypersonic and supersonic design.

In 1999 and 2000, ASSET performed supersonic test flights in collaboration with NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center (Formerly NASA Dryden) confirming predicted levels of supersonic natural laminar flow—the enabling technology for a new generation of efficient supersonic aircraft.

Recognizing the potential of the SNLF concept, an investor group led by Robert M. Bass formed Aerion in 2002 to acquire ASSET and its team with the aim of commercializing the company’s supersonic technology.

DALLAS AIRMOTIVE ANNOUNCES LOCATION OF NEW, SIX-CELL TEST COMPLEX Dallas Airmotive has announced that it has identified a site at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport as the location for its 30,000 square foot advanced test facility. The proposed development is awaiting approval by the DFW Airport Board of Directors.

The design of the facility includes three turbo shaft and three turbo fan test cells and the company plans to begin construction in late July. It is expected to be completed and operational by the first half of 2015.

“This state-of-the-art test facility represents the future of Dallas Airmotive,” declared Doug Meador, Dallas Airmotive President. “It is part of a business transition we began earlier this year and will provide us the flexibility to meet the needs of a changing industry and expand our service offerings to customers.”

Meador explained that the test cells are designed to accommodate the engines and volume for both near term and future growth. “Our new test cells will have the capability to handle most all of our current authorizations plus the capacity to accommodate the engines and authorizations in our future growth strategy.” When asked if he could elaborate on future engines, Meador commented, “Large cabin business aircraft and helicopters continue to drive the growth in new deliveries and we plan to be there when those customers need us.”

Dallas Airmotive’s Test Facility will feature a centralized state-of-the-art control room and a 15,000 square foot pre- and post-test preparation area. “Our design process included a lot of focus on technology and efficiency,” continued Meador. “We wanted to make sure we are maximizing work flow while still creating an environment that allows our engineers and technicians to deliver the quality and quick turn times our customers demand.”

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PIAGGIO RECEIVES CERTIFICATION FOR FUEL TANK

Piaggio Aero Industries S.p.A., the Italian aircraft manufacturer of the iconic Avanti EVO aircraft, has announced the completion of European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for the auxiliary fuel tank for the P.180 Avanti II and the Avanti EVO series. The extended range capabilities enhance maximum range of the Piaggio Aero twin turboprop, thanks to the installation of a permanent additional fuel tank, which replaces only half of a closet in the toilet and with no changes to the airframe The fuel capacity of the Piaggio Aero’s patented three lifting surfaces (3LS) aircraft increases from 2,826 lb to 3,226 lb - This allows the fastest business turboprop in the world to extend its maximum range by 17% from 1470 nm to 1720+ nm -3185 Km (IFR–FAA reserves, 4 Passengers), enabling a comfortable nonstop flight from Milan to Reykjavik and Samara, Abu Dhabi to Istanbul and Chennai, Beijing to Hainan and Hanoi, Miami to Phoenix and Quito, Los Angeles to Cancun and Detroit.

COLT INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES NEW TRIP VIEW RELEASE Colt International released the latest version of Trip View, their Business Aviation trip management tool, at the 2014 NBAA regional event in Van Nuys, CA. The new release merges Colt’s exclusive aviation databases and the best travel information on the web with their innovative, interactive map technology in one easy-to-use interface. The product upgrade puts more information at the user’s fingertips, so they can better understand and track every detail from trip creation to the return flight home. Flight departments, dispatchers and pilots can manage trips with confidence via this on-demand, cloudbased service. Trip View is free for all Colt customers with an active trip.

“We saw an opportunity to open up access to our data and merge it with some of the incredible resources on the web,” said Jeff Briand, Senior Vice President of International Flight Operations.

“By eliminating information barriers and integrating our innovative mapping technology, we’ve created an incredible user experience. All of our clients will have an easy-to-use free tool at their disposal to not only track trip progress but to understand every detail around the flight, which is especially important on complex international trips.”

GAMA AVIATION OPENS TERMINAL AT SHARJAH AIRPORT Gama Aviation opened its exclusive executive terminal (FBO) at Sharjah International Airport, creating a full service private aviation hub serving Sharjah, Dubai and the Northern Emirates. The new facility, which is the latest stage of development by Gama Aviation, its investors including Crescent Enterprises, Growthgate Capital, and Sharjah’s Department of Civil Aviation, was inaugurated by H.E. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Thani during an evening ceremony held after the Isha prayer.

The facility at Sharjah International Airport is already performing above its target for weekly movements as operators and owners seek to cut the transit time of principals and crew to the Northern Emirates.

H.E. Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah Airport Authority, remarked: “Sharjah is getting increasingly popular for general aviation and business jet operators, given its uncongested ease of operations and speedy processes. Our partnership with Gama Aviation and their initiative in providing a world class executive terminal, at Sharjah International Airport, further enhances this reputation, thereby contributing to fulfilling Sharjah’s aspiration of a premier private aviation hub in the region.”

Marwan Khalek, CEO of Gama Aviation added: “We have long seen the strategic potential of Sharjah as a private aviation hub.

Our new lounge facility complements our dedicated hangars, maintenance facilities and fuel services. Phase two is to commence shortly with the development of a new hangar which will incorporate an expanded maintenance facility as well as a much needed increase in aircraft storage capacity.”

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PEOPLE CRS Jet Spares, a leading Business Aviation aftermarket parts supplier, has promoted Nelson Leal to the position of Sales Manager.

FlightSafety International has appointed Paul Kuchta to Director, Training Operations.

He will manage the implementation of policies and procedures related to the company’s aircraft maintenance technician and cabin safety training programs.

And it has promoted Glenn Hausmann to Manager of the company’s Learning Center at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

He succeeds Ralph Lintelman who has been named Manager of the Center in Wilmington, Delaware. It also promoted Robert Standley to an Assistant Manager at the company’s Learning Center in Dallas, Texas.

Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI), has engaged helicopter industry veteran, Raymond Weiser, Jr., in a newly created position as Helicopter Program Specialist.

As Helicopter Program Specialist, Ray will be responsible for developing and growing JSSI’s presence in the helicopter market by directing and supporting business development initiatives around the world.

Greenpoint Technologies has announced that Paul Arends joins the VIP completion center as its new regional Sales Director for the Middle East.

Arends joins Greenpoint after 16 years with Boeing. While at Boeing he worked in the Boeing Operations 24-hour Support Center as well as Boeing Commercial Aviation Services (CAS) where he worked as an Airline Support Engineer.

Arends also worked as a Customer Engineer and Account Manager for Boeing’s Middle East airline customers for ten years.

Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport (TEB), has announced the promotion of Anthony Banome to Director of Fuel Sales.

Paul Kuchta It has also named Ralph Lintelman Manager of the company’s Learning Center in Wilmington, Delaware. Ralph will succeed Barry Massey when he retires from FlightSafety at the end of July.

Robert Standley 20 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2014

Raymond Weiser, Jr. “Ray’s exceptional knowledge and experience within the helicopter segment of our industry is a perfect match for JSSI as we aggressively expand into this market,” commented Neil Book, President and CEO of JSSI. “We believe there is a wide cross section of industries such as Oil & Gas, Medevac and Law Enforcement that can benefit by enrolling their engines and airframes onto JSSI programs to streamline their maintenance budgets and reduce their overall cost of operation. We are honored to have Ray join us at JSSI and I look forward to working with him to further grow our helicopter business.”

Anthony Banome Raisbeck Engineering has named Keith Anderson Vice President of Engineering.

Reporting directly to CEO and Founder, James Raisbeck, Keith will be responsible for overseeing all engineering projects, certifications and FAA engineering

interactions. In addition, Keith will maintain his role within product integration, product development and sustaining engineering.

“Paul’s Boeing background, engineering foundation and experience in the Middle East makes him an ideal fit for both our customers and Greenpoint,” said Scott Goodey Greenpoint’s President and CEO. “As Greenpoint expands into new markets and adds increasingly complex projects to its portfolio, Paul’s experience and enthusiasm will play a critical role in the organization’s success.”

Universal Avionics has announced that Mr. Ross Dickey has been appointed to the newly created position of Airline and Government Sales Manager for Europe, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Ross joins the company with an extensive background in avionics sales and engineering which included sales and support of Universal Avionics’ products during his time at Northrop Grumman, and later at DAC International. In this newly created role, Ross will be responsible for maintaining Universal Avionics’ existing programs and relationships within Airline and Military market segments, as well as seeking out and developing new programs in Europe, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Ross will be based out of Middlesex, England.

The company has also announced that Mr. Michael Choo has been appointed to the newly created position of Regional Sales Manager for Asia.

In this newly created role, Michael is responsible for Universal Avionics’ sales throughout Asia and Australia, including direct sales to Airline and Government customers. In addition, Michael is responsible for assisting Universal Avionics’ Authorized Dealer Network with sales in Business Aviation.

EUROPEAN UPDATE

NEW REPORT SHOWS EUROPE S ATM PERFORMED WELL IN 2013

EASA PUBLISHES NEW PROPOSALS FOR FLIGHT RECORDERS

The latest Performance Review Report (PRR) of EUROCONTROL’s Performance Review Commission (PRC) has just been published, giving an independent assessment of European Air Traffic Management’s (ATM) performance in 2013.

Safety levels are still high in Europe. There have been no fatal air navigation services (ANS)-related accidents since 2010 and the number of reported ANS-related serious incidents in 2013 was the lowest seen in the past 11 years. “Despite this positive trend, we still need to improve the level of occurrence reporting and the assessment of incidents. The deployment of automatic safety data reporting could further improve trend analysis for the identification of safety risks,” observed Ralph Riedle, PRC Chairman.

Most area control centers provided sufficient en-route capacity in 2013 and as a result, average en-route air traffic flow management (ATFM) delay was reduced to just 0.53 minutes per flight – the lowest level ever recorded in Europe. “We welcome the levels of good performance achieved in 2013, but it is worth pointing out that traffic is still below 2008 levels and it is important to ensure that sufficient capacity be made available to accommodate the demand when traffic increases again,” warned Mr. Riedle.

After the positive trend observed recently, horizontal flight-efficiency in 2013 stayed close to its 2012 level in Europe. All stakeholders need to make a joint effort - effectively coordinated by the Network Manager – in order to improve results in this area.

In 2012, the latest year for which actual cost data are available, enroute ANS costs came to 6.5 billion in Europe. After a progressive decrease seen in 2010 and 2011, real en-route unit costs increased by +2.3% in 2012. This is the result of a -1.2% decrease in en-route service units and a +1.0% increase in actual en-route ANS costs.

Besides giving detailed information on the four key performance areas (safety, capacity, flight-efficiency and cost-efficiency), the PRR 2013 also gives updates on new research, such as the impact of “out of area traffic” on network performance and the impact of weather on en-route ATM.

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has announced new proposals for flight recorders and underwater locating devices which aim at facilitating the recovery of an aircraft and of its flight recorders in the unfortunate eventuality of an accident.

The new EASA requirements include the extension of the transmission time of underwater locating devices (ULD) fitted on flight recorders from 30 days to 90 days. EASA also proposes to equip large airplanes overflying oceans with a new type of ULD that have longer locating range than the current flight recorders ULDs. Alternatively, aircraft may be equipped with a means to determine the location of an accident within 6 Nautical Miles accuracy. In addition, the minimum recording duration of Cockpit Voice Recorders installed on new large airplanes should be increased to 20 hours from two 2 hours today.

Patrick Ky, EASA Executive Director said: “The tragic flight of Malaysia Airlines MH370 demonstrates that safety can never be taken for granted. The proposed changes are expected to increase safety by facilitating the recovery of information by safety investigation authorities”.

These new requirements are included in an EASA Opinion and, when adopted by the European Commission, will apply to the operation of airplanes and helicopters registered in an EASA Member State The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced an agreement on sharing of safety information and joint analysis of safety trends. These analyses primarily will be based on the information derived from the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) program, and the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA).

EASA and IATA expect that this collaboration will provide an excellent basis for better identifying important safety issues and has the potential for further improvements to the auditing process including the Third Country Operators (TCO) assessments and authorization requirements of the European Union. ”Safety is aviation’s highest priority and IOSA is the global benchmark for airline operational safety management. Working together through this information and trend-sharing partnership will contribute to making aviation even safer, while offering the potential to optimize the audit processes,” said Tony Tyler, IATA Director General and CEO. Patrick Ky, EASA Executive Director, said: “Partnering with IATA on data sharing is a major stepping stone towards our common goal to promote the highest possible level of safety in aviation. This close and pragmatic relationship with industry will in particular facilitate the demonstration of compliance to the new rules affecting nonEuropean Union airlines”.

IOSA is a requirement of membership in IATA; additionally some 150 airlines that are not members of IATA participate in IOSA. SAFA ramp inspections are random safety inspections on a given aircraft and its crew, focusing on the flight preparation and the technical condition of the aircraft. Approximately 11,000 inspections are recorded every year.

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EASA CERTIFIES PHENOM 300 FOR STEEP-APPROACH

GNSS signals, which was later replayed to produce hundreds of fixes using a multi-constellation GNSS receiver from STMicroelectronics.

The results showed that using Galileo with one or more other GNSS constellations provides significantly more accurate location fixes compared to GPS alone, when indoors or in urban canyons. As expected, the GPS+Galileo combination did not exceed the performance of GPS+GLONASS, due primarily to there only being four Galileo satellites available at the time of the testing. It is expected that, as more Galileo satellites are launched, the combination of Galileo with GPS will show further improvements in performance.

According to Gian-Gherado Calini, Head of Market Development at the GSA, “Dual-constellation GNSS” designs are the standard for many smartphones and other devices. The combination of GPS and Galileo provides a robust solution and is expected to offer performance that will meet or exceed end-user expectations.”

Adrian Stimpson, Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Rx Networks said, “The results should be encouraging to any GNSS chipset manufacturer who is considering adding Galileo as a competitive differentiator.”

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Embraer Executive Jets has announced that the Phenom 300 has received certification from EASA (European Aviation Safety Agency) for steep-approach operation, which enables increased descent angles of up to 5.5 degrees.

"This certification enhances the Phenom 300's operational flexibility," said Marco Túlio Pellegrini, President and CEO, Embraer Executive Jets. "Our European customers will be particularly pleased to have access to special airports, such as London City."

The new capability, associated with its remarkable field performance, make the Phenom 300 a very versatile business jet to fly in and out of London City, reaching destinations as far as Samara, Russia, or Ankara, Turkey. The steep-approach feature is available as of May 2014 on Phenom 300 to be configured for EASA certification.

The Phenom 300 performs among the top light jets, with a high speed cruise of 453 knots and a six-occupant range of 1,971 nautical miles (3,650 km) with NBAA IFR reserves. This range allows nonstop flights from London City Airport to Samara, Russia, or Ankara, Turkey. With the best climb and field performance in its class, the Phenom 300 costs less to operate and maintain than its peers.

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TEST CONFIRMS GALILEO S ACCURACY Tests conducted by Rx Networks and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) confirm that, when used in addition to GPS and/or GLONASS, Galileo significantly improves the accuracy of locationbased services when used in challenging environments.

Today the GSA and Rx Networks Inc., a leading mobile location technology and services company, announced the results of tests conducted by the company measuring the performance of Galileo when used in various combinations with GPS and GLONASS. Tests were conducted in real-world environments, including urban canyons and indoors. These environments pose significant challenges to location accuracy due to multipath and obstructed views of satellites. Each test consisted of a three-hour data capture of

GBAS MOVES FORWARD IN EUROPE About one hundred participants from twelve nations, international service providers, industry, airlines and aircraft manufacturers attended the 15th international GBAS (Ground Based Augmentation System) working group, hosted at the EUROCONTROL Experimental Center (EEC).

GBAS technology has made significant progress since the first such workshop was held in 2004, also at the EEC. GBAS has gained international support as well as significant operational experience. It is now firmly positioned in the aviation navigation mix as the logical follow-on to Performance Based Navigation in the precision approach phase of flight.

The commitment to GBAS’s development and implementation is impressive. It is being made even more visible, thanks to interest shown by more and more airlines and operators.

This year, GBAS was approved for operations by Air Services Australia in Sydney, and by AENA in Malaga. 15 GBAS locations (of 75 installed) have been flight-checked in Russia and are awaiting publication of the approach charts in the AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication) before regional air carriers begin regular operations.

A seasonal installation on an ice runway in Antarctica successfully completed its fourth summer campaign, increasing regularity of resupply flights to the associated Russian research station by a factor of four and making for excellent cost savings.

GBAS ground station acquisitions are planned at Oslo, London Heathrow, Dubai, and Munich, as well as at several different locations in Australia and India.

Boeing and Airbus remain strongly committed to GLS. They report an increasing GLS customer base, with double the number of GLS aircraft,, compared with 2013.

Lastly, a EUROCONTROL flight-plan analysis shows that over 3% of European traffic is now GBAS-equipped.

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LEASING COMPANY ENTERS THE MARKET

LEA JOINS LUXAVIATION

A new executive jet leasing company – VELING TAYARA LIMITED – will offer innovative leasing structures and “off balance sheet” financing designed to be simple and straightforward.

The new venture was announced during the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Geneva by the Company’s chairman, Ernest Edwards.

According to Edwards, “Our structured finance model provides more than just an operating lease package for a client’s business jet. Instead of tying up an owner’s cash, an operating lease will permit the owner to invest in appreciating assets instead of depreciating capital equipment.”

Veling Tayara will remove the burden of owning the asset and provide inherent options throughout the lease period. It will provide flexible operating leases designed to clients’ individual needs, permitting upgrades to larger, newer aircraft as the business grows.

“Together, my board and I believe there is a service we can provide the business jetfinancing world that places the client in the enviable position of not having to worry about aircraft disposal at the end of the lease. At that time, the operator can have the simple choice of either extending the lease or returning the aircraft. It’s as simple as that,” Edwards said.

Luxaviation the Luxembourgish Business Aviation group, is celebrating a major milestone in its growth strategy with the integration of UK-based London Executive Aviation (‘LEA’), cementing Luxaviation’s position as one of Europe’s largest Business Aviation groups.

In terms of market share and fleet size, London Executive Aviation (www.flylea.com) is the largest Business Aviation charter operator in the United Kingdom, which is one of Europe’s three largest Business Aviation markets. LEA was founded in 1996 by Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, George Galanopoulos and Amanda Galanopoulos. The award-winning company operates a diverse fleet of 26 aircraft, ranging from the Beechcraft KingAir 200 turboprop to the large-cabin, long-range Dassault Falcon 2000LX business jet. LEA is also the largest European operator of the super-midsize Embraer Legacy 600/650 business jet, with a fleet of eight Legacy aircraft.

As part of Luxaviation Group, LEA will continue to be led by chief executive Patrick Margetson-Rushmore and managing director George Galanopoulos, both of whom retain significant shareholdings in the company.

With the addition of LEA, Luxaviation Group offers the expertise and knowhow of 470 employees across five European operating companies: Luxaviaton (Luxembourg), Luxaviation (Germany), Abelag (Belgium), Unijet (France) and now LEA. Luxaviation

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Group is also active in the high-growth markets of Asia-Pacific through a commercial office in Singapore. Luxaviation Group now operates a combined fleet of 90 business aircraft, with particular strengths in the fastgrowing large-cabin business jet market.

In common with other Luxaviation Group companies, LEA will retain its identity, leadership and operational independence while benefiting from valuable synergies within the group. These benefits include economies of scale in the purchasing of fuel, insurance, training and other significant cost areas; increased aircraft availability and utilisation within the group, with a broader range of aircraft types; and collaboration with other group companies to enhance best practice in all operational areas.

Patrick Hansen, co-CEO of Luxaviation Group, says: “The integration of London Executive Aviation into Luxaviation Group represents a further important step in our international growth strategy and superbly complements Luxaviation’s market-leading operations in Germany, France, Belgium and Luxembourg. With economic recovery beginning to take hold across Europe, this is the ideal time to create a new force in European Business Aviation that harnesses the expertise, reputation and combined scale of the region’s most outstanding operators.”

Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, chief executive of LEA, says: “We are delighted to become part of Luxaviation Group, as we share the same corporate culture and philosophy about the market’s future development.

Luxaviation is bringing together strong and trusted brands, with deep local knowledge and long-term customer relationships, and enabling these businesses to thrive through purchasing efficiencies, collaboration and shared best practice.”

George Galanopoulos, managing director of LEA, adds: “There is a superb fit between LEA and our new sister companies within Luxaviation Group. We have all grown and built our reputations through outstanding service and have a shared understanding of the evolving needs of customers. We also face common challenges, such as the increasing regulatory burden on our industry, and by joining forces are achieving the scale needed to continue setting new service standards.”

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CAE REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS

BOUTSEN COMPLETES SUCESSFUL SALES

CAE has reported financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year ended March 31, 2014. Net income attributable to equity holders was $60.0 million ($0.23 per share) this quarter, compared to $43.1 million ($0.17 per share) in the fourth quarter last year. Net income attributable to equity holders for the full year was $190.0 million ($0.73 per share), compared to $137.7 million ($0.53 per share) last year. Revenue for the quarter was $583.4 million, compared to $565.6 million in the fourth quarter last year. For the year, revenue was $2,114.9 million, compared to $2,035.2 million last year.

“I am pleased with our performance in the quarter and to have reached record revenue and order backlog for the year,” said Marc Parent, CAE’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our operational discipline and customer focus continued to drive positive results. Civil is back on track with operating margins in the high teens and Military is proving resilient with continued growth. For the year, our balance sheet became even stronger and we generated free cash flow in excess of net income. Order backlog reached $4.2 billion, including a record 48 Civil fullflight simulator sales and long term Military contracts on new platforms for CAE. We are well positioned for growth and look forward to more success in fiscal year 2015.”

Civil segments Revenue for their combined Civil segments was $323.5 million in the fourth quarter, compared to $319.5 million last year. Fourth quarter operating income was $58.0 million (17.9% of revenue), compared to $50.7 million (15.9% of revenue) last year.

Annual revenue was $1,176.7 million compared to $1,116.6 million the prior year.

Annual operating income was $179.8 million (15.3% of revenue), compared with $188.9 million (16.9% of revenue).

During the quarter they signed long-term training and services agreements with airlines and operators in Europe and the Americas, and we received 8 FFS orders from customers including Southwest Airlines and Lufthansa Flight Training. For the fiscal year, we set a record with 48 FFS sales, and since the start of the new fiscal year we have announced another 4 FFS orders. We received $350.1 million in combined civil segment orders this quarter for a book-to-sales(4) ratio of 1.08x. Book-to-sales ratio for the year was 1.28x. Fourth quarter Civil backlog was $2.2 billion.

The start of the summer has seen a flurry of activity within Boutsen Aviation’s sales team, confirming a positive upturn in interest of corporate jets ranging from Citation to Airbus.

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Founder Thierry Boutsen says, “The latest sales represent a very positive outlook for the months ahead. We have already started the year at high speed, the interest of potential buyers for our aircraft seems to increase even more now.”

The largest aircraft sold this month is the Gulfstream 550 s/n 5142, a 16-seater with forward galley and crew rest, in impeccable condition. This is the second Gulfstream G550 that Boutsen Aviation has succeeded in selling in the last five months and the 11th Gulfstream overall.

Mathieu Pezin in turn announced the sale of the Cessna Citation CJ2 s/n 200 and the Eurocopter AS355N S/N 5603 all in the same week. “Both transactions were concluded in a very short time and signals an upbeat turn in demand.”

Since the beginning of the year, Boutsen Aviation has sold and delivered 12 preowned aircraft representing an increase of 10% when comparing sales in the same period last year.

Thierry Boutsen and his wife Daniela created Boutsen Aviation in 1997 and have firmly positioned themselves at the top of the preowned business jet sales market. Previous to this, Thierry was recognized for his incredible talent behind the wheel of Formula One cars with impressive victories for teams such as Williams - Renault.

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JETNET CREATES MARKET ANALYSIS TOOL JETNET LLC, the world leader in aviation market intelligence, has significantly expanded its unique, aviation-specific customer relationship management tool, JETNET CRM, to include market analysis, market research and prospect management functions. They’ve announced a major new release and branding for the product, designed specifically for aircraft professionals. Improvements include specific aircraft selection and sorting with ownership and sales histories; custom-designed lead generation reports with hundreds of potential buyers; high-probability target list generation; custom notes, action items, and flagged prospects; and easily managed lead/prospect lists and generated reports for importing/merging into scheduled emails. To reflect its new functionality and expanded applications, they’ve branded the new product JETNET Marketplace Manager. Working hand-in-hand with JETNET Evolution Marketplace, the company’s flagship intelligence service, Marketplace Manager accesses a combined database of JETNET’s worldwide data, and a company’s own information.

“When we see a need in the marketplace, we fill it,” said Vincent Esposito, JETNET President. “Our customers love JETNET CRM, and we saw the potential to do more with it for those who buy and sell aircraft.

This was the perfect opportunity to develop a software service that fits uniquely within the aviation marketplace, and be customizable by our users themselves.”

JETNET CRM, designed exclusively for the aviation industry, allowed customers to combine all of JETNET’s extensive customer data with their own, to create custom applications that give users the best of both worlds. In the new Marketplace Manager, JETNET has expanded the product to include broader market functions like market analysis, market research, including sold comparables and market surveys, along with prospect management, enabling each client to create a unique view of the aircraft market tailored to meet their needs.

Clients now have the ability to cost-effectively manage prospects for each of their aircraft through an innovative Prospector tool.

Users can create six different targeted call lists, accounting for hundreds of likely buyers for each aircraft listed for sale.

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CEO S CORNER

By Fabio Gamba

Fabio Gamba, Chief Executive Officer of the European Business Aviation Association.

During a recent presentation at the Isle of Man Aviation conference I took stock of where the EBAA has come from and what its direction is for the future. At the moment the organization boasts 550 members, of which 150 operators representing a bit more than 1,000 BizAv aircraft, i.e. around 1/3 of the total European fleet.

Our membership is increasing on average by around 10% per year, illustrating the greater visibility we’re getting year on year. Business Aviation movements continue to account for 7.2% of all IFR movements in Europe, a percentage that has somewhat stalled in the last 5 years. We had a negative year in 2013, at -3.1% but expect 2014 to be a positive year (between 0.5 and 1%) and we see more green shoots coming. We are clearly on a mend, yet we are far from the growth rate we could enjoy in the 2000-2009 period So was the 2009-2014 period was clearly a blip in the overall picture for Business Aviation? Is the new ‘normal’ is going to be different to the old one?

If I wanted to be provocative, I would summarize the current situation as being characterized by Fragmented industry, over-capacity, high operating costs and with a complex supply structure that necessitates intermediaries.

To make things worse we also have an Ill-suited regulatory framework, poor comprehension of the importance of the sector by authorities and hence no appetite to accommodate its needs.

Obviously if all of this was entirely true it would equate to a RIP epitaph for the sector. So you have obviously understood that I am purposely caricaturing, but I am doing it so that you understand what EBAA is contemplating doing and why it is doing it To summarize, we have a threepronged challenge that dictates the actions of the Association, namely: ❍ Challenging economic times ❍ Business model that is showing some cracks and limitations ❍ External miscomprehension by regulators and authorities People might obviously contest one or the entirety of these challenges, but for the sake of arguments, let’s assume they are true.

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PLANS FOR THE FUTURE So with respect to the (1) challenging economic times, there is unfortunately not much we can do, but perhaps hope that things improve, as it seems to be the case ultimately. But actually, this assertion is not totally true, there ARE things we can do. If times are tough, what do you do? You park your airlines, reduce your frequencies, in other words, you decrease the supply to match a noisediving demand, and increase fares, so that your turnover decreases, but your margins remain.

This is more difficult for BusAv operators, but reaching out to more customers and reducing operating costs is something we can aspire to do.

Getting more new customers is certainly a big ask, but the EBAA is thinking about a spinoff concept of the Travel$ense software that did so much to explicit the rationale of flying BusAv to businessmen; we’ll see if we can bring it to stage 2.0.

Then how do we reduce operating costs? There are many out there.

Starting from the national taxes which, in aggregate, cost air transport around 5bn/year, through admin burdens linked with the EU ETS, and ATC ever growing costs, etc.

The EBAA wants to help to decrease operating costs on all fronts; note that it would be the case even if times were not challenging. High operating costs are also problematic with respect to competitiveness Obviously, the most important operating cost (other than maintenance and training) is related to the cost of fuel; this account for 18% of BusAv operating costs! Not quite as much as for airlines, but close…

I mentioned that our business model might have some inner limitations.

Let’s look for instance at empty legs.

They represent around 40% of all our movements. We can also look at it from the illegal flights perspective.

With respect to the latter, we have commissioned a study; its findings are that around 14% of the total BusAv movements in Europe are “non-compliant” in a way or another. And that they lead to 1.2bn of costs to the

society (i.e. loss of income for Member States through unperceived taxes, to operators of course, but also eventually to passengers, etc.)

What does EBAA do about it? Well, several things such as trying to identify those areas, mostly legislative, that are so obviously ill-suited to the specific needs of Business Aviation that infringing them is easier than respecting them. These include Flight and Duty Time Limitations (FTL) for instance, or the use of runways for part-CAT operators And we have just received the initial results of a study we have commissioned to the Dutch NLR and will pass on its observations and conclusions to EASA; in a nutshell, it suggests that raising the usage of runway from the current 60% to 70% and up to 80% in some cases would not impact safety.

That would seriously reduce the cause for “non-compliant” (I don’t like the term “illegal”) flip-flopping in function of the length of the runway. Similarly with respect to FTL, the current Subpart Q is felt by many part-CAT operators as too narrow in scope and poorly fitting their multiple-legged customary journeys. Hence the idea that BusAv should have its own Rulemaking Task; that was actually approved by EASA. And the idea that this RMT should base its work on evidences that fatigue is felt differently by pilots flying BusAv typical patterns than pilots flying routine scheduled patterns.

Also, we felt we needed to include from day one the unions, to avoid last year’s clash and the subsequent European Parliament embarrassing spat. We’ll see where that brings us, but as I am writing the study is about to be commissioned to an external contractor with well-known credentials. We’ll also see with the entry into force of the new part-NCC legislation; it will be interesting to measure the impact of it on noncompliance, as it will somewhat reduce the total freedom enjoyed today by part-NCC operators.

With respect to empty legs, again there is not much we can do about it.

The market has traditionally tried to

address the issue by providing online and/or live awareness of current supply. But the result is mitigated and despite some very promising attempts the number of empty legs is still firm between 35 and 40%.

It costs the industry an estimated is torn between leaving this to the industry and do nothing – with the result we see – on the pretext that this is a competitive issue, and adopting a more hands-on approach.

I finally mentioned that Business Aviation was by and large grossly misunderstood, and hence overlooked! I think no one will disagree with this statement that Business Aviation is the poor relation of air transport. The consequences of this miscomprehension are visible and I have already alluded to it: this boils down to ill-suited regulation (slots, EU ETS, etc.). More specifically, it tends to make the decision-maker believe that a one-size-fitsall approach is not only acceptable, but that it is desirable; that’s obviously a very dangerous – and reductive – belief. We’ve seen that it doesn’t work for such central aspects as FTL. But now let’s look at another crucial point, i.e. access.

The latest developments have brought in some perverse effects: the new slot Regulation – that the Italian presidency will try to process in the second part of the year – is so cumbersome in its requirements both to get a slot and to keep it once you’ve gotten it that it is virtually impossible for non-scheduled operators to even dream of getting some.

The consequence, although it is nothing new, is that Business Aviation is basically squeezed out of hubs and other coordinated airports, of which the number is growing in Europe.

You could say, all right, we still have other airports to fly to, right? After all, we don’t like to fly to the Heathrow, Charles de Gaulle, or Main of this world. But actually it is not that simple. First, we want to maintain our connection to hubs, as thin as they may be, and second, regional airports are not that easy to access. They are not always equipped in a way that allows all-weather conditions, without mentioning the fact that we have the Damocles sword of State aids hanging over our heads

By this I mean the fact that the Commission is trying to force those airports which are not financially autonomous to close. So in a nutshell, we are squeezed out of hubs, and we might be squeezed out of regional airports as well. But why is it so? And what can we do to combat it?

It’s clearly the result of a poor understanding of the value that Business Aviation can bring. How many times have I, or you, heard that in order to maximize an airport’s value, throughput and public utility, we should give precedence to an A330 rather than to a G-IV? We shouldn’t take it personally, but we should try to do something to combat it.

With respect to communication, we’ve assessed the problem and have lately decided to hire a full-time communication specialist. Her objective is simple: it is to define a way to change over time the perception that people have of Business Aviation, that of a luxury tool only for the rich and famous.

Easier said than done, I know! But we need to take the bull by the horns, and start addressing these issues. So, which people am I talking about?

Basically 3 categories, plus one: a) the government/decision-maker, b) the passenger or potential passenger, and c) the man-on-the-street. I mentioned a fourth category: the operator!

We will adopt clear messages to each of these categories, and will give ourselves the necessary means to tell them until we’re blue in the face that Business Aviation 1) is a necessary element of air transport, that 2) it is a needed complement to scheduled airlines, and 3) that it is a strong economic enabler to the local and the national economy.

We’re also thinking of equipping ourselves with the not-sufficient-but-necessary tools of studies. If you claim you’re important, you need to be able to substantiate that assertion. We have in the past commissioned several studies on the importance of Business Aviation in and for Europe.

This time around, we want to have both a top-down, macro-economic perspective of not only crude numbers of our sector (jobs, turnover, etc.) but also of what BusAv enables (number of companies using Business Aviation in the conduct of their business).

And we want to promote a bottom-up, micro-economic perspective of to what degree Business Aviation is important for single countries, such as the UK, France, Germany, but also Italy, Switzerland and/or Austria.

I mentioned that we wanted to undertake projects. Indeed, projects will be an essential component of our future activities. They actually already are to a certain point. Why are we doing it and what are they all about?

Heaven helps those who help themselves! The first reason behind projects is to prove our statements, to demonstrate that Business Aviation can do it and to help initiate new ways of thinking. For instance, we have several projects underway with respect to Access. We have joined a consortium a few weeks ago whose task is to demonstrate the benefits for BusAv of a wider use of SBAS related procedures when combined with such technologies as EVS and SVS. We are also putting the finishing touch together with GSA (the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency) to an agreement for the deployment of CAT1 like LPV approaches at 100+ regional airports in Europe. On a different front, we have just signed a contract with Vistair to replicate the very successful CASE (Corporate Airlines Safety Executive) example of the UK, and by expanding the model to continental Europe.

Another such project is the newly launched IS-BAH (International Standard for Business Aviation Handling) that will help operators comply with their ISBAO SMS requirements.

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PREVIEW

By Paul Walsh

This year s World Cup brought its fair share of controversy organizers desperately scrambled to have everything prepared in time and locals took to the streets to protest the vast sums of money spent on the event.

LABACE 2014

LABACE BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER

O

n the bright side, it did produce plenty of nail-biting football spectacles. More so, it showcased the important role Business Aviation plays in getting the right people where they need to be at the right time.

Brazil’s Business Aviation fleet almost doubled during the event, with over 700 aircraft coming in from abroad. Indeed, an estimated one in nine people coming to the event travelled via non-commercial aircraft.

DRIVER

Business Aviation drives the Latin American economy forward.

Is Business Aviation Going Mainstream?

Perhaps not just yet, although if you attend Latin America Business Aviation show LABACE this year, you’ll see ample evidence that our industry is a vital driver of economic growth in the region. This year the event takes place at São Paulo’s Congonhas Airport from August 12-14, and organizers are already predicting it will be the biggest and best yet.

Although many of the show’s orders won’t be announced, you can expect some serious wheeling and dealing on the static display. According to Brazilian Business Aviation organizers ABAG, the business that came out of the 2013 show passed the $500 million mark.

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Cessna already has an extremely strong general aviation foothold in the region, and it’s keen to translate this into Business Aviation potential.

“Latin America has traditionally been a strong region for Cessna and we have an enduring relationship with our customers here,” says Kriya Shortt, Cessna senior vice president of Sales.

“In the region, Citation jets outnumber the next three competing brands combined and we are proud to build on our years of experience with our partners at TAM Aviação Executiva. These customers recognize quality and performance, and they will continue to choose Citations. We are committed to retaining our regional leadership through superior products and service.”

Shortt notes that Brazil, in particular, is an important country for the company, with nearly half of all light and midsize jets currently operating in the country being Citations. “In the past five years Cessna has continued to be the most favored business jet import for Brazilians,” she says.

For Latin American business people looking to travel within or outside the region, the Citation M2 can fly six passengers non-stop from São Paulo to Buenos Aires. Another attractive option is the Citation X, which can connect up to eight passengers from Rio de Janeiro to any point on the South American continent, travelling at speeds up to Mach 0.935 (1,224 km per hour). When launched, the supermid size Citation Longitude is expected to have the non-stop range to connect Brasília to Washington D.C. or Cape Town, South Africa.

“The Latitude is a welcome addition to the expanding fleet of Citation aircraft throughout Latin America, and Brazil in particular,” adds Shortt. “We know operators will be impressed with the Latitude’s Garmin G5000 avionics and advanced performance, and passengers will appreciate the enhanced cabin controls and the latest in connectivity capabilities.”

Cessna’s sister company, Beechcraft, will also be at the show.

Beechcraft has a strong base to work from since it already represents 56 percent of the Latin American business turboprop market. Deliveries of King Airs throughout Latin America have increased 37 percent over the past five years compared to 2003-2007.

“We’ve now topped 1,000 King Airs registered across Latin America, with the largest concentrations in Brazil,

in Sorocaba, Brazil, to a more centrally located, larger and more modern hangar at the same airport.

The new 34,768-square-foot/3,230square-meter facility is now fully operational and includes a 1,077-sq-f/100sq-m bonded parts warehouse, seven customer offices, a conference room and secure parking underneath the hangar.

Venezuela and Mexico,” says Keith Nadolski, president, Beechcraft Americas. “With 420 King Airs in Brazil, we have more than 70 percent of the business turboprop market share in what continues to be one of our largest growth areas outside the United States.”

Nadolski notes that LABACE gives the company a great opportunity to visit its growing Latin American customer base while also offering a stage to showcase the durability, reliability and efficiency of its product range to new customers.

Meanwhile, Gulfstream’s fleet continues to grow at a healthy pace.

“Brazil’s economic growth has sparked an increase in trade with countries around the world, most notably China,” says Gulfstream president Larry Flynn. “The growth in the number of customers operating Gulfstream business jets in Brazil goes hand-in-hand with that desire to conduct business worldwide. Whether it’s in China, Europe or Africa, we have efficient, high-performance aircraft that are well-suited for doing business around the world.”

To support this demand, Gulfstream is concentrating on growing its customer service capabilities in Latin America. It recently relocated its maintenance operations at Bertram Luiz Leupolz Airport

“We can better support the demands of our growing fleet in South America with our new Gulfstream Brazil facility,” says Mark Burns, president, Gulfstream Product Support. “It is in a preferable location at the Sorocaba airport, which will make it more accessible to customers. It is also substantially bigger than our previous building, which will allow us to serve more operators while also offering more amenities for employees and customers.”

Gulfstream Brazil, located approximately 60 miles (97 kilometers) from São Paulo, comprises a 24,000-squarefoot (2,230-square-meter) hangar that can accommodate a mix of four to six large- and mid-cabin aircraft – not to mention nearly 8,000 square feet (743 square meters) of offices and a 3,000square-foot (279-square-meter) bonded parts warehouse. The facility’s staff includes nine avionics and mechanical technicians, and it is certified to perform maintenance, repairs and alterations on all Brazil-registered Gulfstream aircraft. Gulfstream technicians certified by the US Federal Aviation Administration can service US-registered company aircraft offsite.

In the last several months, Gulfstream has increased its parts and materials inventory in Brazil to approx-

imately $15 million. Parts are stocked on-site at Gulfstream Brazil and in São Paulo at Morro Vermelho Taxi Aereo LTDA. To prove its commitment, Gulfstream supported operators throughout the World Cup via a G150 aircraft based in Sorocaba and Ribeirão Preto for the duration of the tournament. The aircraft delivered flight-essential parts and technicians to customers in Brazil whose aircraft were under warranty.

Local heroes Embraer will be busy promoting their Legacy 500 and Legacy 450 at LABACE, which are due to enter service this year and next respectively. The 500 is the first midsize jet with full fly-by-wire technology for complete envelope protection and improved comfort, efficiency and reduced pilot workload. The net result: even more safety.

Meanwhile, the Legacy 450, which is also fly-by-wire, is powered by two advanced, fuel-efficient Honeywell HTF 7500E turbofan engines. With four passengers and NBAA IFR Reserves, the Legacy 450 is capable of flying non-stop from Los Angeles to Bston, or Moscow to New Delhi.

Like Gulfstream, Embraer had a robust support plan in place for the World Cup. The additional support measures included broad logistic sup-

GROWTH

Beechcraft has 1,000 King Airs registered in Latin America, while Gulfstream s fleet is growing steadily.

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PREVIEW

LABACE 2014 Canadian manufacturer Bombardier forecasts that the Latin American market will account for some 2,300 business aircraft deliveries over the period of 2013-2032, which is broken down into 1,000 deliveries between 2013 and 2022, and 1,300 deliveries between 2023 and 2032. It is forecasted that the fleet of 1,675 business jets at the end of 2012 will increase to 3,085 aircraft by the end of 2032, equivalent to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of three percent.

As part of its commitment to Latin American customers, Bombardier

SUPPORT

Aircraft owners are covered in Brazil: Embraer s Executive Jet Center Sorocaba (top), Dassault s company owned Sorocaba (center).

port and special procedures for dispatching parts from their distribution center using an exclusive aircraft to shuttle technicians and material.

Embraer strategically positioned field service representatives and worked with both their authorized service centers and contact center, which already operates around the clock at its headquarters in São José dos Campos.

At Bertram Luiz Leupolz Airport (SOD) in Sorocaba, Embraer Executive Jets Service Center, operated by Universal Aviation, provides aircraft handling, hangar and FBO services for all business aircraft makes and models. Within its more than 215,000 square feet, Embraer offers maintenance, repair and overhaul of its executive jets.

For Dassault, Brazil continues to show potential, and the French manufacturer is already the market leader in the Brazilian large cabin business jet segment with nearly 60% market share.

“As a dynamic country with a healthy and diversified economy, Brazil has been at the center of the world stage over the past couple of years,” says John Rosanvallon, president and CEO of Dassault Falcon Jet. “Our commitment to Brazil has steadily progressed since we sold our first new airplane there over 30 years ago.”

Rosanvallon adds: “We continue to have high expectations for the Brazilian market and will keep expanding our investment in the years to come.”

Dassault’s company owned Sorocaba Service Center is authorized to perform line maintenance and airframe inspections on all Falcon models except the Falcon 20 and Falcon 100. In addition, the facility is qualified to provide

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engine maintenance on the CFE-738, Honeywell TFE731 series, as well as Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307A and PW308C models. Specialized nondestructive testing (NDT) services, such as Penetrant and Eddy Current testing, can also be performed. A full service battery shop is available to repair, replace or charge main and emergency batteries on Falcon and other aircraft models.

Following the opening of the Sorocaba Service Center in June 2009, Dassault Falcon Jet has continued to expand the facility with increased manpower, spare parts and tooling.

Sorocaba has an AOG ‘GoTeam’ that can provide rapid mobile response for a Falcon located anywhere in South America, along with the parts and tools necessary to get the aircraft flying again with minimal delay. Dassault Falcon Jet houses over $3 million (US) worth of high usage parts in Sao Paulo.

The 23,000 square foot facility can also be used to hangar up to three Falcons.

opened a business aircraft Regional Support Office (RSO) in São Paulo in 2011, which is staffed by an RSO Manager who oversees two Field Service Representatives. The RSO is complemented by two Customer Support Account Managers (CSAM), a parts depot and Authorized Service Facilities (ASF) for the region.

Last year Bombardier Aerospace expanded its aftermarket service network in South America with the addition of MAGA Aviation as an Authorized Service Facility (ASF).

Located at Aeroporto de Amarais Campinas in Brazil, MAGA Aviation is home to more than 20 technicians who support a wide variety of tasks within a 2,230 sq. meter (24,000 sq. ft.) maintenance hangar. The facility will work in close collaboration with Bombardier’s Regional Support Office in Sao Paulo to provide integrated support to business aircraft customers based in or flying through the region.

“Bombardier is committed to serving our growing business aircraft customer base in South America by providing high-quality maintenance services closer to our customers’ home bases,” says Éric Martel, president, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “MAGA Aviation has built a strong reputation amongst our South American operator base and their passion for our products benefits Learjet aircraft customers on a day-to-day basis.”

Digex of San Jose dos Campos, a Bombardier ASF for business aircraft since 2005, has also been providing consistent support to operators in the region. In the past year, there has been a 35 percent increase in the total volume of maintenance performed at the facility.

In addition, Digex and MAGA Aviation are the only two facilities authorized by Bombardier to repair and overhaul Learjet 40, Learjet 40 XR, Learjet 45 and Learjet 45 XR landing gear.

Digex is the only ASF in South America certified by both by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil to provide maintenance work for Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft. The facility features two maintenance hangars, with a total of 2,972 sq. meters (32,000 sq. ft.) of hangar space and highly trained technicians to provide quality maintenance support to operators in South America.

“Brazil has become an extremely important aviation region for us,” says Moreno. “Our very capable and skilful team has built a reputation for excellence and this, combined with the country’s recent strong economic growth, has underpinned a significant increase in Air BP’s Business Aviation activity.”

The Sterling Card has also been well received, with over 500 card carriers now regularly taking advantage of such benefits as dedicated account managers, easy access to current fuel pricing, paperless invoicing via the eNabler electronic invoicing system, and instant access to account statements.

to understand the needs of their local operations,” says said Michael Clementi, President of World Fuel Services’ Aviation Segment. “We truly believe in this model and its ability to provide our customers the very best service and support. Also, from a sales perspective, there’s just no comparison to this ‘boots on the ground’ approach.”

The São Paulo location focuses on serving FBOs and flight departments alike, with Ascent global fuel brand aviation fuel, Alliance – World Fuel Services contract fuel program – and World Fuel Services entire family of Business Aviation products and services.

MRO and Modifications

Fuelling Latin American Growth Aside from the manufacturers, fuel suppliers will also be making a strong showing at LABACE. For instance, Air BP will be promoting its range of services.

Air BP has noted positive growth since it began operations in Brazil in 2002. It now serves clients across the full spectrum of commercial, general and military aviation at 19 airports.

For their part, W o r l d F u e l S e r v i c e s is showcasing their enhanced South American presence on the heels of the opening of their new São Paulo office.

“We are very excited to have opened the office in São Paulo! One of our greatest keys to success has been our ability to be a global leader, while seeking and maintaining the local professionals our customers can count on

On the maintenance side, Vector Aerospace will be exhibiting its range of Latin American focused services.

“Our participation at LABACE 2014 is important for Vector Aerospace, as it is an excellent venue to present our wide range of fixed-wing and helicopter MRO services to the Latin American and global aviation industry,” says Jeff Poirier, president of Vector Aerospace Engine Services – Atlantic. “Our knowledgeable team of Sales and Customer Support specialists look forward to meeting with current and potential customers during LABACE to discuss how we can support their specific repair, overhaul and fleet maintenance requirements.”

With its partner SECA, Vector Aerospace’s services include: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T, PT6A, JT15D, PW100, PW305, PW307A and PW308A series engines; Rolls-Royce M250; Rolls-Royce T56/501D;Turbomeca Arriel 1 and Arriel 2; General Electric

COMMITTED

Bombardier s President, Business Aviation, Eric Martel is committed to enhancing customer service in Latin America.

Air BP has experienced positive growth in Brazil since 2002.

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PREVIEW

EXHIBITORS

From the top: Raisbeck, BLR Aerospace, Blackhawk Modifications and Vector Aerospace will all be presenting their services at LABACE.

T58 / CT58 and CT-7A / T700 engines; Honeywell TFE731 and Honeywell ALF 502/LF507 (all engine lines include complete test capability).

In addition, the company provides dynamic components, full-service avionics capability – up to and including glass cockpit engineering, development and integration – complete aircraft rewires, as well as airframes and major inspections support for a variety of Eurocopter, Sikorsky, Boeing and AgustaWestland helicopter models.

For modifications, Blackhawk will promote its ‘Blackhawk Strong’ engine upgrade solutions for King Air 90 and 200 Series aircraft. The upgrades improve performance, reduce operating costs and increase resale value – providing a competitive edge and improved performance in every flight regime, from takeoff to landing. A King Air with new engines from Blackhawk will perform 25 percent better and realize a savings of $50,000 in annual operating costs. Blackhawk upgrades are also available for the Cessna Caravan and other turboprops.

BLR Aerospace will promote its FAA-, EASA-, ANAC-certified Winglet Systems and LED Lighting for King Air aircraft. Winglets deliver reduced drag for better fuel economy, increased climb and cruise speeds, more responsive performance and stability, and safer low-speed handling qualities – especially during take-offs and landings in short field operations.

Winglets also increase aircraft resale and, according to the Aircraft Blue Book, deliver a 100 percent return on investment. They are factory-installed on Beechcraft C90GTx and 250 aircraft.

Raisbeck Engineering will showcase its comprehensive family of Raisbeck Performance Systems. The company will feature and display its new Swept Blade Turbofan Propellers for the King Air 200 Series, which are now certified in Brazil. These propellers, when combined with Raisbeck’s EPIC Performance Package, give King Air 200s increased performance in all phases, increased payload, the ability to operate safely into thousands of additional airports, greater dispatch reliability, a modern look, and reduced cabin noise – just to name a few of the benefits.

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LABACE 2014

Operating to LABACE Finally, according to Universal Weather and Aviation’s operational insight blog (http://www.universalweather.com/blog/), people who are operating business aircraft to LABACE need to be particularly careful with airport curfew hours, airport slot requirements and Prior Permission Required (PPR) requirements. Most airports should operate normally during this time period. The exception is SBSP, where, due to demo flights, airfield congestion will be a factor. While aircraft parking is usually available at this location, there are several alternate airports to consider, if necessary.

That being said, there are a few things worth noting according to the blog: ❍ SBSP is not an Airport of Entry (AOE) ❍ Operating hours are 0600-2300 local, with no overtime permitted ❍ Airport slots are required at SBSP and only released (online) 25 hours prior to your Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) or Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) ❍ Airport slots in Brazil are issued by the Department of Airspace Control and are obtained on a first-come-firstserved basis ❍ Operators and exhibitors attending this event don’t enjoy any special slot priority ❍ Slot requests are normally arranged via a ground handler, who will obtain slot reservations via a website ❍ General Aviation (GA) parking is only available at a private ramp/hangar area and should be reserved in advance ❍ As aircraft will be repositioned from time to time, crew should provide local contact numbers or make arrangements with their ground handler to move the aircraft if and when required It may be worth considering Guarulhos, Sao Paulo (SBGR), a 24hour AOE and about a one-hour drive from SBSP. Note that a PPR is necessary for SBGR, with at least 48 hours’ advance notification. Campinas, Sao Paulo (SBKP) is also a 24-hour AOE, located about one hour and 30 minutes from SBSP. PPR is also needed for this airfield, with at least 48 hours’ advance notice. Note that aircraft are subject to being repositioned at both SBGR and SBKP, and tow bars are required.

To clear Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) at SBGR or SBKP, passengers and crew members must go to the main terminal for passport control and bag screening. Customs clearance may take up to 30 minutes.

Be advised that there’s no special line for passengers arriving aboard GA flights. In the case of those exhibiting aircraft at LABACE, the CIQ clearance procedure may take up to one business day, with special procedures required.

Also important to note is that the aircraft’s temporary admission and overflight permit validation may take up to 90 minutes to process.

If you’re planning to do exhibition flights during LABACE, San Jose Dos Campos (SBSJ) is a good option.

Flight time from SBSJ to SBSP is about 25 minutes. Note, however, that you’ll need airport slots for SBSP, and they can only be requested 25 hours prior to ETD or ETA. If an operator needs to do more than one landing and one take-off per day, it may be necessary to file for an ‘opportunity flight plan’ if airport slots aren’t available. With this type of flight plan, you cannot always guarantee ETD/ETA. For CIQ clearance en route to SBSP, consider Manaus (SBEG), Belo Horizonte (SBCF), Porto Alegre (SBPA), Foz de Iguacu (SBFI), Recife (SBRF), Brasilia (SBBR) and Fortaleza (SBFZ). Be aware that a domestic permit is needed for Brazil if you’re making more than one stop – including a tech stop – within the country.

You’ll need a landing permit for all airports in Brazil. Some airports also have PPR mandates. While there’s no fixed lead time for obtaining permits and PPRs, most airports will issue these within 24 hours of a request.

Brazilian Air Traffic Control (ATC) follows International Civil Aviation

Organization (ICAO) rules for flight plan filing. Particular information may be required, but that is always available on NOTAM for the particular airport. Best practice is to always check NOTAMs for preferential routes, preferential flight levels, performancebased navigation (PBN) info, and any other remarks (RMK) info. Note that it’s mandatory for non-Brazilian aircraft to include in the remarks section 18 of the flight plan the landing fee number, landing permit number and a notation of the last airport operated from. For example, if the aircraft is taking off out of SBGR – and came from SBKP – it’s mandatory to add “FROM/SBKP.” For airports with airport slot requirements, it’s also mandatory to add the slot number as follows: CLR SBXX SLOT XXXXX. Universal Weather and Aviation also say that you should have your thirdparty provider or ground handler check your flight plan once it’s on file with ATC. It’s best to do this two hours prior to ETD so that if any information is missing, or something is wrong, you may request a correction ahead of time. If your flight plan filing is not correct, it will be necessary to re-file the full flight plan.

While fueling on arrival may help alleviate delays day of departure, it’s the operator’s choice when to schedule fuel uplifts. Keep in mind that fuel for domestic legs in Brazil is more expensive than international legs due to domestic taxes. Fuel taxes in Brazil, in some cases, may double the posted price of aviation fuel.

There will likely be special NOTAMS, and perhaps airport restrictions/curfews, to consider at Sao Paulo airports during the LABACE time period. At this point, however, we’re not aware of any special or planned restrictions.

✈

PRUDENCE

Universal Weather and Aviation advise caution before operating into Brazilian Airports.

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ANALYSIS

BUSINESS AVIATION IN BRAZIL

DRIVING BUSINESS AVIATION IN BRAZIL

By Kirby Harrison

The economy, on both a national and global scale, is the driver of Business Aviation in Brazil and recent analysis suggests the market in that country may be in for a slow period.

I ROBUST

Brazilian association ABAG is confident of Business Aviation s prospects in Latin America.

n 2013, the country was mired in a period of slow growth in the final quarter, and through the first three months of 2014, the economy grew only 0.2 percent. Worse, the International Monetary Fund, recently singled out Brazil as an economic “weak spot,” in a global economy, marked by high interest rates, high inflation and weak growth. These and other signs suggest a weaker Business Aviation market going forward in what has been on the strongest economies in Latin America in recent years.

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ANALYSIS

BUSINESS AVIATION IN BRAZIL

On the other hand, Brazil’s Finance Minister Guido Montega sees a global recovery going on that will end up helping developing economies.

Ricardo Nogueira, general director of the Associação Brasileira de Aviação Geral (Association of Brazilian General Aviation, or ABAG), said that although Business Aviation growth is down slightly from last year, “it remains strong.”

Embraer Executive Jets, the business and private jet division of Brazilian aircraft manufacturing giant Embraer, saw aircraft deliveries jump from 99 in 2012 to 119 in 2013. And the first quarter 2014 is starting off equally

RESPONSE

A G150 was available for AOG response operations during the Brazilian World Cup.

well, with 20 executive jet deliveries, compared with 12 in the first quarter 2013.

Also a reflection of the importance of the Business Aviation market in Brazil was a decision by Gulfstream Aerospace to augment its service and support in Ribeirão Preto during the World Cup. The city is approximately 200 kilometers north of São Paulo and the Bertram Luiz Leupolz Airport in Sorocaba is home to the Gulfstream parts warehouse and service center.

“We are sending our G150 airborne product support aircraft to Ribeirão Preto with additional technicians and parts in support of Gulfstream owners and operators attending the World Cup,” said Fabio Rebello, regional senior vice president for Florida and Latin America.

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Air BP also announced additional support for Business Aviation owners and operators in Brazil for the World Cup. At all 16 airports where it operates, Air BP promised a “fast-track” fuel service, guaranteeing a refueling truck within 20 minutes of arrival, given three-hours advance notice. The company also teamed with Tri-Star Handling Concierge of Brazil to provide complimentary flight packages with navigation, flight plans, weather forecasts and Notam service, as well as discounts for Air BP customers.

The World Cup, from June 12 through July 13, was expected to add $3.03 billion to the Brazilian economy, as an estimated 3.7 million people traveled throughout the country and spent some $2,488 per person during games.

Prior to the month-long games, global aircraft handler Universal Weather

and Aviation had cautioned business and private jet owners and operators planning to attend that it would be “an especially busy time throughout Brazil.

“It’s important to understand that [as of late May] few options are available for airport slots, aircraft parking, and hotel accommodations,” warned Universal Operations Manager for Brazil Marcia Taue.

Aircraft owners and operators were also warned that the Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (National Civil Aviation Agency, ANAC) will levy fines of up to $40,000, and suspension of pilot certificates for commercial and general aviation flights that do not comply with slot restrictions during the World Cup. Universal estimated more than 1,000 business jets had made requests to fly in for the cup final in Rio de Janeiro.

At the Confederations Cup prelude in Brazil in 2013, Business Aviation quickly discovered the growing need in Brazil for improvements in the aviation infrastructure. The government’s answer to a substantial increase in commercial and private aviation was to simply exclude general aviation from São Paulo’s international airports, and requests for slots were routed to FIFA, the cup’s organizing body.

The logistics challenges presented to Business Aviation by the World Cup aside, Gulfstream Aerospace notes that its order book from Brazil remains strong and Rebello described the market as “performing very well,” despite a slight slowdown at the lower end of the product line, “probably

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ANALYSIS

BUSINESS AVIATION IN BRAZIL aerial surveying, aerial photography, aerial publicity, journalism, air shows, firefighting, aerial inspection and aerial cinematography.

With the World Cup this summer in Brazil, and the Olympics Games scheduled for 2016, there have been a number of ambitious plans for new private Business Aviation airports.

Brazilian President Dilma Rouseff signed a decree in December 2012 permitting private construction and operation of airports, opening the way for an expansion of the aviation infrastructure.

Among those is Aeródromo Privado Rodoanel, about 15 miles from the existing Congonhas Airport in São Paulo. Expectations were that it would open in late 2014. The $1.1 bil-

HUB

Sao Paulo is home to at least 420 helicopters.

Congonhas Airport is undergoing an $86.8 million expansion plan.

GDP driven.” But he added that the company has not seen any slowdown in market interest in larger aircraft.

The current Gulfstream fleet in Brazil totals 40 airplanes, reflecting the quadrupling of that fleet from 2008 to 2013. At the Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition, August 12-14, Gulfstream will have examples of its entire business jet line on static display, including the G650.

Gulfstream’s Canadian competitor Bombardier Aerospace, has a fleet of 120 business jets registered in Brazil, and claims a 25 percent market share.

Without mentioning Brazil specifically, Bombardier’s latest market forecast predicts that by the end of 2032, the total fleet of business jets in Latin America will increase of 3,085 aircraft, and no small number of them will be Gulfstreams.

A highlight of the annual LABACE show will be Bombardier’s 5 th Latin America Safety Standdown. The seminar will be held August 11 and as in past years, standing-room only attendance is expected. This 2014 event will address such “urgent human factors threats” as Attention Control, Runway Excursions/Incursions, Automation Airmanship, Loss of Control In Flight, Upset Recovery, and Controlled Flight Into Terrain.

The most recent 2rd Annual Brazilian General Aviation Yearbook from ABAG came out in mid-2013. It emphasized general aviation as having “an important role in tying the

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country together in social inclusions, given its high capacity to physically connect the cities in Brazil to each other and to cities in other countries.”

Highlighting the role of that aviation industry segment, ABAG estimates the size of the fleet in Brazil at nearly 700 business jets, more than 1,000 turboprop airplanes and close to 1,700 helicopters. General aviation in the country, it pointed out, connects 3,400 airports inside and outside the country, generating 833,000 movements annually.

As of 2013, ANAC had certified more than 180 air taxi companies and 300-plus companies offering specialized aviation services which involve

lion project still faces environmental hurdles.

Catarina Aeróporto Executivo was showing plans for the airport and heliport combination at last year’s LABACE show. The Catarina aviation community would include two runways and would be 45 kilometers from São Paulo. It was initially expected to be completed by mid-2014.

In recent years, the Brazilian government has allowed privatization of a number of the country’s major airports, among them Tancredo Neves International, about 400 kilometers north of Rio de Janeiro, near the city of Belo Horizonte. The master plan includes a 30-year development pro-

gram, including new runways, taxiways and better access for Business Aviation. “This planning project is being done in the context of the fastest growth in aviation demand in Brazil’s history,” according to developers.

A more favorable attitude toward Business Aviation by the government also contributes to growth. At last year’s LABACE show, ABAG chairman Eduardo Marson praised civil aviation minister Moreira Franco for supporting ABAG members’ occupancy of key airport locations. It resulted in a decision to suspend putting already occupied spaces out for public bid.

Also pointing the way to a more robust Business Aviation atmosphere is a relaxation of the squeeze on aircraft financing, with Brazilian banks leading the way. Juan Excalante, v-p of Latin America for AirFinance, described these institutions as cashrich and able to deal in local currencies, leading the way for international banks to slowly re-enter the aircraft financing market.

Among recent expansion in the Brazilian market was the appointment of Quest Aircraft do Brazil as a dealer for Quest Aircraft’s Kodiak, 10-seat, single-engine turboprop aircraft.

Quest has delivered five Kodiaks’ to Latin American customers over the first two months of the year and envisions Brazil with its thousands of unimproved airstrips as an exciting market.

Elsewhere, Boeing and Embraer have agreed to collaborate on a joint biofuels research center near the Brazilian OEM’s headquarters in São Jose dos Campos. Further, there are plans to include other companies and institutions in the program. It is aimed at helping achieve a voluntary commitment by the aerospace industry to be carbon neutral by 2020.

At Sorocabo, Business Aviation growth continues with the opening of the new Embraer Executive Jets service center at Bertram Luiz Leupolz Airport. Built to maintain, overhaul and repair Embraer Business jets, it encompasses 215,000 square feet with two hangars.

Also at the airport, the ground support division of Universal Weather and Aviation has been selected by Embraer to run an FBO at the

Embraer service center and use the second Embraer hangar for aircraft parking. Universal will also offer aircraft ground support services.

In São Paulo, Embraer announced it has plans to open a fourth training center for Embraer’s Phenom light jet lines The helicopter market in Brazil has always been robust. While much of the focus is on business jets in Brazil, helicopters represent a far greater total in terms of sheer aircraft numbers. According to ABAG, there are more than 1,600 helicopters in service throughout Brazil, ranging from off-shore oil exploration roles to charter to fractional share programs.

São Paulo alone is home to an estimated 420 helicopters making some 500 daily flights to and from the city’s astounding collection of nearly 200 heliports. According to the Brazilian

Association of Helicopter Pilots, the helicopter fleet nationwide totals 1,900, and more than 300 operator licenses have been issued a year for the past several years. The helicopter business in Brazil, said the association, has been growing at about 20percent a year in recent years.

The driving force for the growth of helicopter traffic in São Paulo, as well as in come other large Brazilian cities, is the need for security, as well as automobile traffic congestion that makes a dead stop seem fast by comparison.

This coming August will mark the 11th annual LABACE show, scheduled

again at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo. Last year was a sell-out with more than 180 exhibitors and 68 aircraft on static display. ABAG had expected to break the old record of 16,722 attendees but rain and cold weather left the show about 2,900 attendees short. Nevertheless, ABAG estimated business generated by the show would exceed $500 million.

Also a factor contributing to low attendance was increased fees, restrictions on free and discounted student admission and greater emphasis on qualified visitors.

Nogueira said the changes in visitor rules may reduce the total attendee count.

The association expects 2014 will be the biggest show to date, despite a late start signing up companies for exhibit space. ABAG attributed the delay to difficulties with environmental permits and the usual uncertainty regarding available space at the airport venue.

According to Nogueira, while exhibit sales got a late start, ABAG exhibit space is selling fast and the static display space was expected to sell out by the end of June. He added that despite the challenges presented at the current venue, “We think LABACE will be at Congonhas Airport for many years.”

With warm weather this year, more typical of past shows, organizer ABAG expects LABACE will be the biggest show to date.

Based on data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Brazil will be the third largest aviation market in the world by 2017, surpassed only by China and the United States. While many forecasts are positive with regard to the growth of Business Aviation in Brazil, there remains the question of whether the country’s infrastructure can accommodate the rapid growth.

Already, even without the World Cup, airport slots are in short supply, and operators are seeing a growing shortage of trained pilots and technicians. The demand for airplanes continues to grow, said one Brazilian aviation insider. “The question now is where will we put them, who will maintain them, and where are the pilots who will fly them?”

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POTENTIAL

Brazil is a promising market for the Quest Kodiak.

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PREVIEW

FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW

BUSINESS AVIATION GEARS UP FOR FARNBOROUGH or play, while the new Venue Cabin Management System makes flying more productive, entertaining and relaxing. By increasing fuel efficiency without sacrificing payload, the twin–engine King Air 350i’s cost per seat–mile is less than the leading single–engine turboprop on typical 300–600 nautical–mile trips – making it the perfect go–anywhere aircraft. It offers standard seating for nine passengers and storage for their baggage.

At maximum weight, the twin–engine climb rate ascends to an extraordinary 2,730 feet per minute.

As with EBACE, Beechcraft’s presence will be under the Textron Aviation banner, along with the Cessna and Hawker brands. For Cessna, the big news is the recent EASA certification of its Citation

By Nick Klenske

From July 14 20th the entire aviation world will descend onto the Farnborough Airport for the latest edition of the historic airshow. Held every two years, the event showcases the very best in military, commercial, general and, of course, Business Aviation.

A

IMPRESSION

Beechcraft will arrive in style with its KingAir 350iER at this year s Farnborough Airshow.

s in recent years, to further bolster the Business Aviation component of the show, organizers are once again including the Farnborough International Airshow Business Aircraft Park (BAP). In a crowded show, this area, which is completely devoted to business aircraft manufacturers, their products and their services, serves as a ‘show within a show’. Launched several editions ago, the BAP has quickly developed into an integral part of the show, significantly contributing to the billions of dollars of business that is done during the course of the entire Farnborough Air Show.

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The Business Aviation Park So what can you expect to find at the Business Aviation Park?

Beechcraft will be arriving with its KingAir 350iER. The aircraft’s new interior is the most comfortable and capable cabin ever offered in its class.

The 350i’s revolutionary Flexcabin system can be reconfigured for work

Sovereign+ business jet, which debuted in May at EBACE 2014 in Geneva. “The Citation Soverign+ is a great fit for the European market with its non-stop range between London and the United States or the Middle East and all European city pairs,” says Chris Hearne, vice president, Jets.

The jet features winglets and the new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D engines providing 5907 pounds of thrust. The Citation Soverign+ has a range of 3,188 nautical miles, a top speed of 460 knots and a direct climb to 45,000 feet.

Bombardier is planning to have a wide range of its business jets on hand. “Farnborough will be the oppor-

tunity for us to showcase our latest products across all segments,” says Aurélie Sabatié, Senior Advisor at Bombardier. “We’ll have the most advanced of our aircraft portfolio this year on static, including the Learjet 75 and the Challenger 350, as well as the Global 7000 mock-up.”

It is also worthwhile to mention that this will be the first time the Challenger 350 comes to Europe. The aircraft’s redefined cabin experience will offer groundbreaking aesthetic and ergonomic advances, including larger windows, flat floor and a cabin width matching many ultra-long-range aircraft. It boast s 3,200nm at Mach .80 cruise speed with eight passengers and an industry leading time-to-climb.

Its winglet redesign increases aerodynamic efficiency, contributing to a direct operating cost that rivals midsize aircraft.

Coming off an exciting EBACE, the French manufacturer is planning to land two jets at the Farnborough static: the Falcon 7X and Falcon 2000.

Earlier this year, Dassault celebrated the rollout of the 250th 7X, the company’s flagship jet. Over 200 units are

BIG-IRON

currently in service in 34 countries, and the fleet has accumulated more than 250,000 flight hours since its introduction back in 2007. The 5,950 nm Falcon 7X is the first business jet to incorporate a Digital Flight Control System, which provides a greater safety envelope and a smoother flight. The Falcon 7X was the first large cabin jet

to be simultaneously certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on April 27, 2007. It’s powered by three highly reliable and efficient Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307A engines and offers 15-30% greater fuel efficiency than aircraft in the large cabin, long range

The Citation Sovereign (left), the Gulfstream G650 (right) and a mock-up of the Global 7000 (below) will all be on display at Farnborough this year.

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PREVIEW

VOLUME

Gulfstream s Luton facility services more than 100 aircraft per month (top).

Pilatus will focus on promoting the PC-12 at Farnborough.

class. The 7X is also the only jet in its class to be qualified to operate at the challenging London City Airport.

Gulfstream is bringing its G280 and G650 to the show. The company’s presence is interesting to note as it wasn’t so long ago that Gulfstream opted to not have a physical presence at Farnborough. This change in attitude is likely a result of consistently strong sales in Europe. “Traditionally, Europe has been a strong business jet market for us,” says Larry Flynn, President, Gulfstream. “Our fleet has nearly doubled here in in the last five years.”

In fact, the company’s newest facility in Europe is in London. Its 5,500 square foot London sales and design center, opened just over a year ago, is located in central London’s Mayfair District and includes a showroom filled with leather, veneer, fabric and carpet selections – along with conference rooms and customer offices.

“Our London sales and design center has become an invaluable resource for customers,” says Trevor Esling, Gulfstream Regional Senior Vice President, International Sales for EMEA. “It is fully staffed and provides an ideal setting for customers to go through the aircraft selection and cabin-design process with assistance from knowledgeable company personnel.”

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FARNBOROUGH AIRSHOW

Also in the London area, at London Luton Airport, is Gulfstream Luton – the company’s first international service center. In operation for 10 years, last year its operations grew by 10 percent. Today it employs more than 200, with Gulfsteam Luton technicians servicing more than 100 aircraft monthly either here onsite or on location throughout the EMEA region.

And although following an incredible EBACE for the PC-24, it is the reliable PC-12 that will be the focus during

Farnborough. The aircraft has gained a reputation for outstanding versatility, performance, reliability and operational flexibility. As such, it is one of the most popular turbine-powered business aircraft on the market today.

Over 1200 aircraft have been sold.

Specs include: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67P engine, flat-rated at 1,200 SHP;330 cubic foot pressurized passenger cabin with seating for up to 9 passengers; maximum range of 1,560 nautical miles with three passen-

is the show important for global trade and the public, it also makes a valuable contribution to the local economy (estimated at £20 million in 2012), including the recruitment of temporary staff, mostly young people from the Farnborough area, for this event.”

The company’s passenger and crew services include direct ramp access to aircraft via ground transportation, an on-site hotel and customs and immigration clearance and beautifully designed and spacious passenger facilities. It is also conveniently positioned just one hour outside central London with direct motorway and rail connections.

For the aircraft, services include: fuelling, EASA/FAA 145 approved maintenance support, secure aircraft parking, hangar facilities for transient and based aircraft, complete aircraft and passenger arrival and departure services, interior/exterior aircraft cleaning, oxygen refill, de-icing capabilities, catering and push back services.

gers, high speed cruise, NBAA IFR fuel reserve; state-of-the-art Honeywell Primus Apex avionics and single-pilot certification In the Neighborhood Of course the Farnborough Airshow is also an excellent opportunity for the companies located at the airport to showcase their services.

Not only is TAG Aviation positioned as the FBO of choice for the Farnborough Airshow, the

Farnborough-based company bills itself as ‘London’s Business Aviation Oasis’. With its award winning main terminal, control tower and hangar architecture – not to mention worldclass service – they have the credentials to back up such a claim.

“TAG Farnborough Airport is proud to host the FIA, which has been held at Farnborough since 1948 and has become the biggest global event of its kind,” says Brandon O’Reilly, CEO, TAG Farnborough Airport. “Not only

“We have invested in excess of £100 million in infrastructure development in order to offer our customers stateof-the-art facilities and enhanced services at TAG Farnborough Airport,” notes O’Reilly. “Our continued infrastructure development positions us well for the future. With modern, advanced facilities and new services, we are able to cater for increased numbers of aircraft movements and are able to provide our customers with the services they expect from

PREFERENCE

TAG Farnborough is the FBO of choice for people flying into the show.

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PREVIEW TRAINING Europe’s leading Business Aviation

FlightSafety s Training Center at Farnborough covers Hawker, Gulfstream, Cessna, Bombardier and Sikorsky Models.

airport.”

This full service approach to FBO service has led TAG Farnborough Airport to be voted ‘International FBO of the Year’ in a recent FBO Survey 2014. This is the eighth consecutive time it has received this award.

“I am delighted that TAG Farnborough Airport has once again topped these FBO polls,” says O’Reilly. “These results underpin the continued commitment of our airport team to offering tailored customer service.”

Another marquee name that is hard to miss from anywhere at the show is FlightSafety International. Its Farnborough training center offers EASA (JAA) training for corporate fixed and rotary wing aircraft, including Hawker, Gulfstream, Cessna, Bombardier and Sikorsky.

ADVICE

Expect delays if you re booking slots at Farnborough Airport according to Universal Weather and Aviation.

Plan Your Trip Convinced that Farnborough is a notto-be-missed Business Aviation event?

Then it’s time to pack your bags and start planning your trip. The experts at Universal Weather and Aviation remind you that the primary airport for the event is the privately operated Farnborough Airport (EGLF). During the airshow days, in order to access the airport, operators will require inbound/outbound airport slots, as well as PPR. Due to the busy schedule, delays should be expected.

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According to Universal, in normal circumstances only a PPR is required for travel to EGLF, which should always be requested a minimum of 48 hours in advance. However, during the Farnborough Airshow, airport slots will also be necessary for all operations to/from EGLF. Be mindful that EGLF is currently the only airport in Europe that restricts operations to aircraft meeting International Civil Aviation Organization Chapter 4 criteria. Stage 3 operations may in some cases be permitted with prior approval. Stage 2 operations are no longer allowed into EGLF under normal circumstances.

However, during the Farnborough Airshow period, Stage 2 operations may be permitted if the aircraft is participating in the airshow.

Furthermore, UK landing permits are required for all charter (nonscheduled commercial) flights. The

Civil Aviation Authority processes permit requests, and five days’ lead time is required. Note that shortnotice requests may not be accepted, and there’s no longer an after-hours number available to process such requests. For PPR requests, it’s necessary to provide complete crew/passenger information, a copy of the aircraft third-party liability insurance with minimum coverage of 25 million USD, and a noise certificate (including the aircraft tail or serial number). Be aware that your PPR confirmation number will be required for all access to your aircraft while the aircraft is at EGLF. Crew members, in-flight caterers, ground handlers, and any other third-party vendors will not be able to access the aircraft airside without this PPR confirmation number.

If arriving from outside the European Union, you’ll need to provide 24 hours’ notice to arrange Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) clearance (accomplished within the FBO). Short-notice CIQ arrangements may be possible, but it’s at customs’ discretion to approve/disapprove the request. For arrivals from within the EU, four hours’ advance notification is needed.

In addition, you may be required to pay UK Air Passenger Duty (UK APD) for your flight. Finally, flights departing and arriving within the EU are required to comply with the EU Emission Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) monitoring, reporting, and carbon trading requirements.

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UK REGIONAL REPORT UK Business Aviation is booming thanks to an influx of High-Net-Worth-Individuals to Britain, Paul Walsh reports.

OPERATORS, AIRPORTS, MRO AND FBOS

THE UK S MAGNETIC EFFECT ue to benefit from productive, exclusive and hassle-free travel arrangements, wherever their business or leisure activities may take them. I am delighted that we are able to enhance our client service offering with the addition of the G550 complementing our choice of existing small, midsize, large cabin and long haul aircraft options,” said Paul Cr e m er, C o mm er c i a l M a na ge r Gama Aviation.

Did you know that sales of London properties worth £5m or more grew by 28% last year, with the majority going to buyers from abroad?

In many cases these are the type of people who want to buy Business Aircraft, so it shouldn’t be any surprise that Business Aviation in the UK is starting to pick up again.

“London has long been one of the most attractive housing markets in the world, and it’s already home to a large population of high net worth individuals,” says Dustin Dryden, Chief Executive Officer of Hangar8 plc. “As London continues to attract large numbers of the world’s richest and most successful people, demand for private aviation is increasing.”

And Hangar8 is seeing the growth first hand.

“In December last year, we took delivery of four more long range aircraft on behalf of clients, which was our largest ever monthly intake. Also, in March we announced unaudited half-year results that revealed a 13.1% increase in revenue and a 25% increase in gross profit – this is a reflection of our strong and competitive proposition, but also a growing market.”

Hangar8 now manages more than 50 aircraft for clients collectively worth over £1 billion. And all of the private jets under management at Hangar 8 have the range to fly from London to Europe, Russia and the Middle East, with some capable of flying non-stop to India or the US.

Growing Fleets But this is just one example of the many companies profiting from the influx of High Net Worth Individuals to the UK. Already this year GAMA aviation expanded its European based charter fleet with the addition of a Gulfstream G550 to its UK Air Operator Certificate.

Gama Aviation’s European main operating base at Farnborough is host to a number of other corporate jets, including Lear Jet 45’s, Hawker 1000’s, two Challenger 604’s and a Dassault Falcon 2000.

“The addition of a G550 to our charter fleet enables Gama Aviation to ensure that our customers contin-

Gama also recently inaugurated a brand new 2,480 m 2 maintenance hangar, offices and executive aircraft handling facility in Glasgow, Scotland. The center, representing an investment of £3.8 million, creates a number of new flight crew, engineering, operations and customer service jobs.

Gama Aviation will provide full base and line maintenance in the new hangar, to support the Beechcraft King Air 200s operating an essential service for the Scottish Air Ambulance. In addition Gama Aviation anticipates significant third party aircraft maintenance activity coming to Glasgow.

INCREASE

GAMA s Commercial Manager Paul Cremer says its recently added G550 to boost client service.

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UK REGIONAL REPORT

OPERATORS, AIRPORTS, MRO AND FBOS

Outside Investment As Business Aviation continues to grow in the UK certain operators have become targets for outside investors.

Recently Luxaviation purchased LEA, which in terms of market share and fleet size, is the largest Business Aviation charter operator in the United Kingdom.

LEA was founded in 1996 by Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, George Galanopoulos and Amanda Galanopoulos. It operates a diverse fleet of 26 aircraft, ranging from the Beechcraft KingAir 200 turboprop to the large-cabin, long-range Dassault Falcon 2000LX business jet. LEA is

also the largest European operator of the super-midsize Embraer Legacy 600/650 business jet, with a fleet of eight Legacy aircraft. As part of Luxaviation Group, LEA will continue to be led by chief executive Patrick Margetson-Rushmore and managing director George Galanopoulos, both of whom retain significant shareholdings in the company.

Its identity, leadership and operational independence are all retained but at the same time it benefits from valuable synergies within the group such as economies of scale in the purchasing of fuel, insurance, training and other significant cost areas. There’s also increased aircraft availability and ENHANCE utilization within the group, with a broader range of aircraft types; and collaboration with other group companies to enhance best practice in all operational areas.

Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, chief executive of LEA, says: “We are 46 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2014

delighted to become part of Luxaviation Group, as we share the same corporate culture and philosophy about the market’s future development. Luxaviation is bringing together strong and trusted brands, with deep local knowledge and long-term customer relationships, and enabling these businesses to thrive through purchasing efficiencies, collaboration and shared best practice.”

“There is a superb fit between LEA and our new sister companies within Luxaviation Group,” George Galanopoulos, managing director of LEA. “We have all grown and built our reputations through outstanding service and have a shared understanding of the evolving needs of customers.

We also face common challenges, such as the increasing regulatory burden on our industry, and by joining forces are achieving the scale needed to continue setting new service standards.”

MRO in the UK Aircraft maintenance is also experiencing a resurgence in the UK. For instance Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group continues to expand its capabilities in Business Aviation through its newly created Aviation Services Division under the leadership of Managing Director Steve Jones.

Central to this is commitment to expand its MRO capabilities at its Broughton, North Wales and Cambridge facilities by taking on more aircraft types such as the Bombardier Global family and expanding activity in special mission work. In line with these aspirations, James DillonGodfray was appointed early this year to a new role as VP Business Development.

And on anticipation of further work it recently moved its primary maintenance facility from 22 Hangar to 2 Hangar, enabling it to double its capacity for Citation maintenance – to 60,000 sq.ft.) For many years Marshall has worked on Bombardier’s Global Express aircraft, primarily on green completions and special mission aircraft.

Now for the first time, Marshall Aviation Services are offering full spectrum MRO support on the type to the wider retail Business Aviation market from its Cambridge facility.

Meanwhile, the acquisition last September of Beechcraft’s 50-year old flagship European MRO business, Hawker Beechcraft Limited, has significantly bolstered Marshall’s commercial business. It welcomed in 230 additional talented personnel, includ-

ing 28 design staff, to Marshall Aviation Services, taking the Division’s overall workforce to 400. This already puts MAS among the top 10 companies in Europe for Business Aviation support and solutions.

The company says that this has given it critical mass and a widened scope of activity such as aircraft completions and a dedicated state-of-theart paint facility and paint design center which can carry out custom designs to a wide selection of exterior liveries. Marshall Aviation Services Broughton holds the original HBC inventory of £3 million in parts. The site, updated several years ago, includes a modern FBO style environment, including private customer offices, workstations, customer lounge, prayer room and a dedicated customer services team headed by Stuart McNeills. Its hangars and workshops support MRO, aerostructures, avionics, design engineering, modifications and interior refurbishment.

Another MRO success story is JETS which marks ten years of operation this year as it enters a period of strong, stable growth. The company, part of the 328 Group, has enjoyed a positive response to its second UK home at London Biggin Hill Airport since acquiring at the end of 2012.

This saw the company expand into Dassault Falcon maintenance which has resulted in more operators and owners of the Falcon 2000 and 900 turning to JETS, as an Authorized Service Center. Some 40% of its customers at the Biggin Hill facility are ‘new’ customers and Dassault activity alone grew 35% over 2013. Currently, JETS is working on a pre-purchase inspection for a Lebanese customer for the original manufacturer.

“In the next 12 months we hope to further expand our remit with Dassault and undertake additional work on aircraft in the expanding family. We also intend to bolster our work on the Challenger 300 at Biggin Hill, and have recently appointed more engineers dedicated to the type,” says JETS’ Managing Director Alan Barnes.

With an overall increase in business from Continental Europe, Middle East and the UK JETS last month set up a new mobile rapid response team for AOG servicing.

JETS was originally established at Southampton Airport to offer maintenance on the Hawker aircraft and expanded into Challenger and Learjet work following its move to Bournemouth Airport four years ago.

One of the first aircraft the company looked after in its early years was a Hawker 800XP - that same aircraft is now back with JETS. “We are seeing two distinct groups of customers within our UK facilities,” notes Alan Barnes. At Biggin many clients tend to be HNWIs bringing their aircraft in for lengthy, major checks. They appreciate the discreet location of our facility and its close proximity to London, where they can arrive unnoticed and enjoy the comfortable business environment of the

onsite FBO. The FBO was sold to BBA Aviation in March, who continue to run the facility as Signature Aviation.

“Our Bournemouth operation remains focused on supporting heavy base maintenance needs of the Hawker and Challenger fleets, with customers from all over the EMEA region selecting JETS to support their needs. It is frequented more by corporate companies who tend to fly in at short notice for short, regular checks.

Both sites, with an experienced workforce of 30 and 35 respectively, complement each other,” he added.

Airports and FBOs One airport that continues to grow is Biggin Hill and it was recently announced that Linkinjet SA, a Swissregistered company specializing in business and corporate jet charter, is establishing a new aircraft base at the airport.

The company is launching the new charter service with the arrival of a new Bombardier Global 5000 (CSTSL). In addition, one Linkinjet Falcon 7X will be positioned elsewhere in the London area. At Biggin Hill, the service will be using the FBO facilities of Rizonjet and the aircraft will be operated for Linkinjet by Executive Jet Management Services, a subsidiary of Netjets.

While maintaining their Geneva operations, Linkinjet Co-Founder & President Shirley Cervantes recognizes that London continues to develop a dynamic Business Aviation market and that Biggin Hill plays a big part in it.

“Biggin Hill has a vast range of facilities and services for based and visiting aircraft of all types. We see this as being the right time and place to advance our business” she says.

MAGNETIC Shirley Cervantes, Linkinjet s CoFounder and President (top) recently brought her company to Biggin Hill, where JETS already has its second home.

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UK REGIONAL REPORT

FOOTHOLD

Universal Weather and Aviation has a strong presence at Luton with a 10,712 square foot FBO.

Cervantes sees the demand for transatlantic charter from London getting stronger in the foreseeable future.

“City and regional planners are gradually recognizing that smaller, dedicated airports like Biggin Hill can play a vital part in a wider transport system as gateway airports with full facilities. We know that business aircraft fly to more than three times the number of airports that are linked by scheduled services and this is what makes the difference.

Business Aviation has become a global business, new demands are evolving and Biggin Hill has a sharp focus on customer service” says Shirley Cervantes.

And of course it’s impossible to ignore Tag Farnborough located 40 miles from central London, which recently completed more than £100 million investment in state-of-the-art infrastructure, purposebuilt for the requirements of Business Aviation customers. It now features a new, control tower and more than 240,000 sq ft of hangarage space and office accommodation.

There is also a wide range of amenities including concierge service, direct ramp access for customers wanting to drive up to waiting jets and a crew room with ‘snooze’ facilities. And it’s interesting that TAG is an industry leader in managing noise and jet aircraft that do not meet the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) ‘Chapter IV’ standard are banned from using the airport.

“By enforcing the highest existing standard, we have taken an industryleading approach to phasing out all but the most modern and quietest categories of jet aircraft,” said Miles Thomas, Environment Manager at TAG Farnborough Airport. “As outlined in our Master Plan, we are committed to minimizing noise in and around the airport and will continue to work with our neighbors and experts to identify ways of making further improvements.”

Meanwhile at Stansted Airport Universal Weather and Aviation’s 10,712 square foot FBO continues to attract customers. The refurbished FBO includes all-new crew and passenger lounges, a business center and video conferencing facility, two client meeting rooms, private screening facilities, and ultra-modern showers and changing rooms.

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“Unlike other European cities, operators traveling to London have many airport options, and while our customers were always delighted with the quality of our services at Universal Aviation Stansted, we felt it was important to upgrade our facilities to meet the changing profile of our customers, many of whom make quick short-haul flights to the London area and require more amenities for both crew and passengers,” said Jonathan Howells, Regional Vice President, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. “Having an enhanced facility at London Stansted is fundamental to meeting the needs of our customers in the region and globally, as it is not only home to our ground-support business, but also to our 24/7 European Operations Center, which offers trip facilitation within Europe and globally.”

“This facility may have a new look and feel, but we’ve had a presence at Stansted for 28 years and in Europe for almost 40,” said Universal Chairman Greg Evans. “In the last two years, we’ve added two new European Universal Aviation locations in Venice, Italy and Girona, Spain, bringing our total in Europe to 11.”

Finally at London Luton Airport Signature Flight Support location and announced that it is commencing construction of a new, state-of-the-art fixed base operation (FBO) to replace its existing facility.

The new facilities at Signature Luton will be comprised of a 1,572 square meter passenger and FBO facility and 4,500 square meters of hangar space capable of housing two Boeing Business

Jet (BBJ) or Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) sized aircraft. A dedicated ground service equipment garage will also be built.

The new construction will be built to LEED certification standards as set by the U.S. Green Building Council. It will boast the latest in technologies for entertainment, communications, passenger and crew amenities and onward travel solutions. A covered car park and arrival area will protect passengers from inclement weather. With private conference, waiting and catering facilities, passengers will be able to work or relax at the new facility with an expansive view of the airport ramp.

Access to the aircraft ramp for VIP passengers via a dedicated and secured gate for customer vehicles has been incorporated into the design plan. Security systems and screening areas will represent the latest in technology and customer services to minimize the impact on customers’ schedules. The overall design of the facility minimizes transit time in all areas of the FBO for the convenience of passengers and crew.

Maria Sastre, President and Chief Operating Officer noted, “Signature Luton is a keystone location in our global network drawing visitors from all over the globe. This new, contemporary facility is designed to accommodate the needs of our discerning customers, both passengers and crew. Signature is keenly focused on providing a world-class travel experience both in terms of our people and in our facilities. We are committed to investing to ensure that Signature continues to be an industry leader now and long into the future.”

✈

TRAINING

AVIATION TRAINING HUB A

s a global aviation hub the UK is an ideal location for Flight Training Organizations, who profit from the country’s multi-cultural environment.

FlightSafety Intenational’s Farnborough training center is one of the largest in Britain, and offers Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft, Gulfstream and Sikorsky simulators among others.

The center is also a hotbed for new technology and benefits from all of FlightSafety’s latest innovations and training methods. Operational Day Flow training methodology is one recent initiative, which presents critical procedures and tasks according to phase of flight rather than being introduced one system at a time.

The first upgrade is being made to a Gulfstream G550 simulator located at the Farnborough Center. “We have recently installed CPDLC and will complete the integration of FlightSafety’s new VITAL 1100 visual system in July,” says Steve Gross, vice president, sales.

Pilots who train using Operational Day Flow learn tasks and procedures within the context of defined flight plans and city pairs. This new training methodology includes extensive use of Matrix, FlightSafety’s integrated training system. Matrix significantly enhances the instructor’s ability to enrich the pilot’s knowledge by showing how systems work and interact in a real time environment. It also enables the pilots to immediately put into practice the activity being taught by the instructor.

The VITAL 1100 visual system offers mission-specific scenes with vastly improved content, and unprecedented fidelity. Hundreds of millions of scene elements are processed every second and presented along with physicsbased weather models of rain, snow and hail that develop and react as they do in the real world. VITAL 1100 provides resolutions that are over 12 million pixels for a typical three channel out the window field of view of 200 degrees horizontally. This offers a substantial improvement in visual acuity

especially on short final in a fixed wing aircraft.

It’s also worth noting that FlightSafety International’s Dassault Falcon 7X EASy II initial pilot training course was the first to receive Falcon Training Policy Manual certification.

The Falcon Training Policy Manual is designed to ensure that Falcon Jet operators from around the world receive training in accordance with Dassault’s specifications for technical accuracy and content.

“Receiving Falcon Training Policy Manual certification for our Falcon 7X EASy II initial pilot training course shows FlightSafety’s capabilities and our commitment to provide Customers with the highest quality training that meets the exacting standards set by Dassault,” says Greg Wedding, vice president and regional operations manager.

Meanwhile CAE owns a number of training centers in the UK including one at Burgess Hill which houses 13 civil and business full flight simulators, with capacity to grow to 16 full flight simulators.

On the Business Aviation side Burgess Hill offers the Bombardier Lear 40, Lear 45, and Lear 45XR training, and Global Express, Global 5000, and Global XRS programs. It also trains customers on the Dassault Falcon 900 EX EASy, Falcon 2000 EX EASy, and Falcon 7X aircraft platforms.

A Falcon 5X simulator is also likely to be on its way to Burgess Hill as CAE was recently named exclusive Dassault-approved training provider (DATP) for that aircraft. This includes the provision of advanced pilot, maintenance and cabin crew training for the all-new Falcon 5X long-range business jet, which was launched at NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (BACE) show in October 2013.

“We are very pleased with our longstanding partnership with CAE,” said Frederic Leboeuf vice president, Falcon Operational Support, at Dassault Aviation, “and we are delight-

ed to expand our relationship with the addition of the Falcon 5X.” “CAE is very proud to be part of the innovative, new Falcon 5X aircraft program as the approved training partner,” added Nick Leontidis, CAE group president, Civil Simulation Products, Training and Services. “The process was highly competitive and our customer-focused approach, technological leadership and global training center network are what set us apart. We will be ready for training with a complete training program, including the deployment of two fullflight simulators, to support entry-toservice of the 5X.”

✈

CENTER

FlighSafety International's and CAE's presence confirm the UK's status as a global training focal point.

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REPORT

By Kirby Harrison

N

othing in the Business Aviation industry today is moving faster than cabin electronics technology, and keeping up with it is perhaps the biggest challenge facing completion centers and their suppliers.

PROGRESS

The cabinelectronics industry is evolving at a dizzying pace

For example, the DVD (digital video disc) came on the market in 1995, only to be kicked to the trash bin of technology history in 2006 with the advent of the Blu-ray disc which has five times the storage capacity of the original DVD and can now store as much as 500GB. Within a few years, everyone buying a new business jet was demanding Blu-ray players, and then dual Blu-ray players.

Today, the Blu-ray player is rapidly disappearing, to be replaced by audio visual on demand (AVOD). Not that AVOD is particularly new, having had its origins as early as 1994. But with digital servers now holding more than 500 movies in high definition, AVOD is quickly replacing Blu-ray as the entertainment source of choice aboard business jets.

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CABIN ELECTRONICS

CABIN ELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY BOOMING

Throughout the world of cabin electronics, the demand is always for lighter, smaller and more reliable equipment with greater capacity. And suppliers are working overtime to meet that demand.

TrueNorth Avionics is among those. The Canadian company offers what it calls the only applicationsbased connectivity on the market, with TrueNorth Simphon?

OpenCabin as its flagship product. It is, claims TrueNorth, “flexible, scalable and apps-based, installed with an Ethernet backbone.” The Ottawabased firm promotes at is lighter than competing systems, easier to install with modular construction, allowing simple software upgrades, and supporting all satellite-based connections.

Most recently, Simphon?

OpenCabin was selected by Airbus Corporate Jet Center for installation in three executive narrow-body ACJ business jets. According to Bruno Cousin, head of ACJC procurement, a major factor in selecting TrueNorth was that, “The system offers the flexibility to take a single solution and customize it to each client’s distinctive needs.”

The company also announced at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) in May that Simphon? has earned supplemental type certification from EASA for Bombardier’s Global Express and Global 5000 aircraft types. The approval, claims TrueNorth, brings the company’s Elevate kit to the Global line, allowing an upgrade addition of Swift Broadband or Ku-band connectivity.

that allows customers to use their own personal devices to make inflight calls and send text messages.

“This air/ground calling app will work over Inmarsat or Ku/Ka band systems, managed by the ICG eRouter to connect to an active voice account provided primarily by Satcom Direct, Satcom1 or ARINC Direct,” said Brad Smith, ICG executive vice president. ICG believes its eRouter to be the smallest and lightest, the most flexible for future applications, to have have the lowest power consumption of any aeronautical router in its class.

TrueNorth’s latest contribution to the electronic technology boom is Optality, the next generation of products. It has a small footprint and is scalable from telephony up to a full inflight office, said a spokeswoman.

“When we launch it, we will also showcase a passenger touch-screen device with exceptional functionality; envisioned as an ‘electronic companion’ for the passenger.”

SkyTheater of Fort Lauderdale, Florida has a remarkable history of creating very high-end, customized audio and video equipment for some of the entertainment industry’s top executives, including most recently a film screening room in a large-cabin business jet. “It allows the owner to screen raw material from any film currently in production, and see it and hear it exactly as it was meant to be,” said SkyTheater partner Gregg Launer. “For someone accustomed to working with studio-level equipment, it was absolutely necessary that we give him the equivalent, or better.”

One of SkyTheater’s latest products is the SkyPlex movie library; in essence an aircraft entertainment “mega-server.” It permits aircraft owners to go into a specialized Web site at any place in the world, chose a movie and purchase it. When they come back to the airplane and open the Internet connection, those movies they purchased will be automatically downloaded to the SkyPlex library.

In addition, a SkyPlex owner can also load DVDs (including Blu-ray) and CDs directly onto the system. And Launer adds, “SkyPlex, as well as all our new systems, are ‘ultra high-definition’ capable.”

For those who have recently purchased an 1080p HD monitor, this

ultra high-resolution, also known as Ultra HD format, or simply 4K, may come as a shock. Ultra HD displays at least 8 million active pixels and in general, provides four times the resolution of standard 1080p. Welcome to the future.

The company also has a new product called StratoSound, already in service on a Gulfstream and a Global Express. “It creates a virtual audio image, taking realism to a new height.”

In other technological advances, the software application train has long since left the station and continues to gain speed. International Communications Group (ICG) announced in December 2013 development of a new mobile application for both Apple and Android phones

Last year, Heads Up Technologie, introduced its Lumin fiber-optic cabin management system CMS. The system, said president and CEO Rob Harshaw, “incorporates Blu-ray, digital audio libraries, Internet connectivity, seat-to-seat texting and cabin control functions, while simultaneously reducing weight and power consumption. “It is future-proof,” he added, “or as close as can be envisioned today.”

Cessna (now part of Textron Aviation) was the launch customer for Lumin and has its variant branded, with some modifications, as Clairity. The Citation Sovereign+ upgrade was the first Cessna business jet equipped with Clarity and customer deliveries began in December 2013. Clarity is standard now, or will offer Clairity , on the

INNOVATE

The SkyPlex movie library is one of SkyTheater s latest products (top), HAITEC (center) will install Honeywell s Wifi hardware on two ACJ319s.

IN DEMAND

Aircell s Gogo Biz (bottom) surpassed 2,000 installations this year.

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REPORT

QUALITY

Honeywell s Ovation delivers surround sound and high definition audio.

Citation X+, Citation Sovereign, Citation Latitude, Citation M2, Citation CJ2+ and Citation CJ3+, either in full or with some modifications.

Textron Aviation spokeswoman Lindsay Adrian said the Clairity system represents a 75-percent reduction in weight over a conventional copper wired system, or “well over 10 pounds” in larger aircraft models.

Harshaw said Lumin is now being developed by the Carrollton, Texas company as a retrofit item.

Custom Control Concepts in Kent, Washington is expanding its product beyond narrow- and wide-body bizliners with the newly introduced SkyOne CMS and in-flight entertainment systems. Also, the new Sky-Fi wireless Internet connectivity is available for smaller business jets as well as helicopters.

SkyOne features high-definition audio and video on demand as well as CCC’s SkyShow flight information system, public address integration, cabin shades and other CMS controls, as well as camera integration and wireless iPad connectivity for cabin management and inflight entertainment remotes.

Expanding its Internet connectivity presence in business aviation, Honeywell Aerospace has signed a

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CABIN ELECTRONICS

memorandum of understanding with German repair and overhaul specialist HAITEC Aircraft Maintenance. The agreement will allow installation of Honeywell’s JetWave in-flight Wi-Fi hardware on two ACJ319 charter aircraft owned and operated by HAITEC customer Tyrolean Jet Services.

“JetWave represents an important and timely technology that can bring Tyrolean Jet Services passengers highspeed in-flight global connectivity,” explained Brett Dutton, HAITEC vice president of VIP maintenance.

JetWave hardware supports Jet ConnX, the business aviation service powered by Inmarsat’s Global Xpress network and comes online in the first half of 2015. It is capable of delivering downlink speeds to the cabin of up to 33 mbps for business aircraft, allowing video conferencing and download and upload of large files, as well as streaming high-quality television and movies while in flight.

Cabin electronics giants Honeywell and Rockwell Collins have in recent years begun a move into the retrofit market.

At EBACE, Honeywell highlighted the latest retrofits modifications and upgrades “designed to help operators

maximize their aircraft investments [and] extend the life cycle, availability and value of their current fleets.”

Operators of the Phoenix, Arizonabased company’s Ovation C-series cabin management system (CMS) are now able to add many of the digital capabilities of the newer, existing Ovation Selection CMS. And with the upgrade, operators are able to integrate specific components from the current Ovation Select system to enhance entertainment with high-definition video and full-cabin remote control via passenger’s personal electronic devices (PEDs).

Also at EBACE, Rockwell Collins announced expansion of its Tailwind 550 direct broadcast satellite television system and introduction of a Venue HD (high-definition) retrofit for Bombardier’s line of Global business jets.

The Tailwind 500 improvement involves a drop-in replacement of the fuselage-mounted antenna with a new system to improve coverage and reliability. It allows better satellite connectivity over Europe and the Middle East, as well as live streaming of highdefinition MPEG-4 content in those regions.

The Venue-based high definition (Venue HD) cabin system is being offered to Bombardier Global XRS and Global 5000 business jets operators whose aircraft are currently equipped with the original Venue system. The new Venue HD upgrade will be available for the Global business jet line in mid2015. The Venue HD operates on a fiber-optic backbone which is touted as lighter than copper, provides high bandwidth and is scalable.

High-speed Internet connectivity is perhaps the hottest of customer hot buttons in the “must-have” category.

Aircell saw its Gogo Biz Internet connectivity business surpass 2,000 installations in February and in March and announced the first EASA approval for in-flight connectivity and entertainment systems on Bombardier’s Challenger 300. The certifications cover the Aviator 300 and UCS 5000 communications system.

Also in March, Aircell announced the ST 4300, a new in-flight communications system for business aircraft. It combines voice, narrow-band data and cockpit data link services into a single unit. It provides global service coverage, on the ground and in the air and at all altitudes and latitudes, including polar regions.

Just a month later, Aircell revealed that Gogo Biz in-flight Internet and voice service has been extended to business aircraft in throughout most of Canada, now allowing Gogo Biz customers to use the service anywhere it’s available in the Alaska, Canada and the continental United States. Gogo Biz permits passengers and flight crews to enjoy Internet access above 10,000 feet, using their own Wi-Fi enabled laptops, tablets, smartphones, electronic flight bags and other mobile devices. Canadian coverage is included with all Gogo Biz monthly service plans, with no additional roaming or registration fees.

By the time May rolled around and EBACE opened in Geneva, Switzerland, Aircell was ready to unveil “comprehensive SwiftBroadband airtime programs for the business aviation market. (It was not so long ago Aircell was appointed a distribution partner for SwiftBroadband, a near-global in-flight connectivity service of Inmarsat.)

The pay-as-you-go monthly data plan from Aircell has no overage charges, no fixed monthly fees and no minimum usage requirements. There are also single monthly invoices for all

SwiftBroadband, Iridium and Gogo Biz airtime services. And there are multiaircraft discounts, money-saving annual data plans for heavy data users, and Gogo Text & Talk to permit users to call and text with their own personal smartphones and mobile numbers.

ARINC Direct from Rockwell Collins is offering voice services with single-number direct dialing. “From the aircraft,” says ARINC, “simply pick up the handset and dial out to anywhere worldwide, without operator assistance or complex dialing codes.”

The company claims unique telephone numbers are available in most cities throughout the U.S., “and in over 100 countries worldwide via ARINC’s exclusive international Direct Dial service.

Partnerships and alliances among cabin electronics suppliers are growing. One of the most recent involves RUAG Aviation, Satcom1 and EMTEQ, all of which teamed to offer an EASA-approved add-on solution for existing connectivity in all Dassault Falcon 7X business jets.

It is based on Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband high-gain antenna service, permitting data transfer rates of up to 432 kbps. The system secures

APPLICATIONS

Rockwell Collins Venue cabin system is now being offered on the Global XRS and Global 5000 business jets.

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REPORT

FUTURE

The business jet cabin of tomorrow will give travelers a seamless transition from home to aircraft cabin.

innovative and flexible Wi-Fi management through EMTEQ’s Router by eConnect and wirelessly streams media to monitors or personal devices. It also ensures a comfortable cabin environment with Cabin Control by eConnect.

The capacity to receive and send data at enhanced speeds comes via Satcom1’s AviolP software suite.

Other features include AVOD, virtual private network (VPN), user profile management and the seamless inflight use of PEDs. Also at Satcom1, partnerships are further expanding the company’s global scope. Satcom1 recently signed an agreement with Telemar SpA, appointing the managed satellite services provider as a “value-added reseller” for Global Xpress, serving the government market in Europe. In addition, Satcom 1 has been appointed by Inmarsat as a distribution partner for the company’s SwiftBroadband services for global business and the VVIP aviation market.

The eConnect router from EMTEQ is the company’s new effort “to provide a more connected cabin,” explained the U.S. company’s chief marketing officer Rachel Bahr.

It gives passengers and crew direct control of cabin systems, from window shades and lighting to in-flight entertainment from PEDs. And among the advantages is the ability to wirelessly stream videos and other entertainment contact to PEDs. The eConnect suite includes a highspeed Wi-FI router to provide easy access to satellite communication systems throughout the cabin, “with advanced data compression, aggregation and acceleration.” The eConnect technology comes in a box weight only about five pounds.

EMTEQ recently completed installation of its wireless Router by eConnect in an Embraer Legacy 600 and a Bombardier Global Express. It represented the industry’s first-ever installation of 4 Inmarsat SwiftBroadband channels running on Cobham satcom SDU-7330 hardware into the Legacy 600. According to EMTEQ, in a performance test May 5, the engineering team confirmed they were able to achieve a data transfer rate of 1,200

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kbps and 1,500 kbps, the fastest ever on Inmarsat SwiftBroadband.

ViaSat is extending the availability of its cabin and cockpit connectivity solutions for business aircraft through new partnerships. At the EBACE show, the California-based company announced integration of its VMT-1500 satellite connectivity system and Yonder Internet service with ICG’s new cabin router and NxtLink series transceivers to connect aircraft via the Iridium satellite network.

In a separate new alliance, ViaSat and Satcom Direct have agreed to integrate Yonder with Satcom Direct’s new sitcom direct router.

A company spokesman noted that with demand rising for high-performance in-flight connectivity, aircraft users, operators, completion centers and OEMs can find it hard to make sense of the various options and ensure they are delivering the best available technology. “What we are looking to do is to take some of the guesswork out of integrating and installing networks and reducing the risk that once installed it will not work,” explained ViaSat Global Satcom business development lead Steve Sivitz.

Svitz emphasized that the Yonder Internet service uses the compact and light-weight VMT 1500 Ku-band terminal, and that the equipment can also connect on the ground. It is also available through all phases of flight, with no service limits below 10,000 feet.

Flight Display Systems in Alpharetta, Georgia is on the sharp end of the after-market spear in terms of cabin electronics. Its JetJukebox, a wireless hub that, along with a Wi-Fi router, creates a local area network, it is the centerpiece of the product line

and at the core of Flight Display’s Smart Cabin CMS. According to company president David Gray, most of the work now is focused on a growing line of products built around the JetJukebox.

Among them is a system that allows a Bluetooth-enabled device to share a personal play list with the PEDs of other passengers. No matter the quality of speakers installed in an airplane, explained Gray, “All the ambient noise, in even the quietest cabin, doesn’t permit a true sound experience; high quality head phones and ear buds are the best alternative.”

Flight Display is also moving to USB 3.0 to allow faster high-definition downloads. And the company’s moving map resolution has increased from the equivalent of 500 meters down to 90 meters – about the same as observing the ground from 30,000 feet. “It cost a bunch of money, but it was the logical progression.”

As for what the future holds, Airbus Corporate Jet Center in Toulouse, France recently offered an enticing look at what’s around the cabin corner.

According to ACJC marketing manager Caroline Lancien, the electronic technology in tomorrow’s business jet cabin remains driven by a desire on the part of customers for a seamless transition from home or business to the aircraft cabin. For example, she explained, “They want access to highspeed Internet on their laptops, tablets and smartphones, they want high-definition video and audio on their displays, they want satellite-live television streaming and they want in-flight use of their personal cell phones.

✈

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

Yes, we’re building a growing portfolio of business aircraft that can be upgraded with full G1000®/G950® glass flight deck systems – featuring our ultra-smooth GFC 700 series digital autopilot (G1000 only) and optional SVT™ 3-D synthetic vision. Moreover, we’re committed to adding even more turbine airframes to our list. Certified installations available today include the King Air series, Cessna CitationJet, Citation 501, TBM 700, Piper Meridian, Twin Commander, Beech 1900D, Metroliner and Twin Otter.

To learn more, visit our website: Garmin.com\Aviation

©2014 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries

Flight Deck Upgrade

REPORT

HAMBURG INTERIORS EXPO

HAMBURG AIX SHOWCASES BIZJET CONNECTIONS

By Steve Nichols

and Development, Protec Décors, Tapis Corporation, Bucher and Lufthansa Technik.

From the latter, Lufthansa Technik unveiled a brand-new wireless access point (WAP) at AIX that already supports Very High Throughput (VHT) to IEEE 802.11ac – the next-generation Wi-Fi standard that is not yet widely used on the ground, let alone in an aircraft.

This will enable transfer speeds of 1.3 Gigabits per second (Gbps). Because the antennas are fully integrated for the first time, the router is setting new standards when it comes to ultra-simple installation, maintenance and exchangeability. Although primarily aimed at the commercial airline market

The 2014 Aircraft Interiors Expo was held in Hamburg s mega-sized Messe complex from 8-10 April 2014.

A

ORDERS

Airbus confirmed that an A350 in VVIP format was ordered at Hamburg Aircraft Interiors.

lthough aimed fairly and squarely at the commercial aviation market, there are significant overlap areas with the Business Aviation world as some of the exhibitors showed.

The event is headlined as the world’s biggest aircraft interiors exhibition, and the halls were filled with everything the industry has to offer. More than 500 suppliers from at least 256 countries were present with their wares.

The event was prefixed by the unveiling of the interior of the Airbus A350 XWB to the media at the company’s Hamburg facility on Monday morning.

This will one day become a common VVIP purchase so many eyes were on how the aircraft is being perceived by customers and commentators.

Airbus confirmed that at least one A350 has already been ordered in VVIP spec, based on the A350-900 model and now more correctly called the Airbus ACJ350 (formerly the “A350 XWB Prestige”).

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The aircraft interior design is scheduled to be completed at one of Airbus’s recommended cabin outfitters around 2016, with execution time for each interior estimated at about 18 months.

Meanwhile, back at the Hamburg Messe on Tuesday visitors with a bizjet leaning were being attracted by the luxurious interiors and equipment from companies like 328 Support Services, Emteq, Jeff Bonner Research

we can probably expect to see it appear on many business and VVIP aircraft.

The WAP is so innovative that it won a Crystal Cabin Award in the “Passenger Comfort Systems” category.

Staying with connectivity, Honeywell now has a new name for its Ka-band connectivity system, which it is developing for Inmarsat’s upcoming GX Aviation solution.

Honeywell is developing the fuselage-mounted antenna for larger commercial and VVIP aircraft, plus a smaller tail-mounted antenna for bizjets.

The two now make up what it calls its JetWave solution, which promises up to 50 Mbps from the top-mounted antenna and up to 33 Mbps from the tail-mounted variant.

This was the first public showing of the tail-mount antenna, which features a small parabolic dish. John Broughton, Honeywell’s Director Marketing and Product Management, said that the whole solution passed its Critical Design Review (CDR) in January.

It is now on schedule to achieve STCs in the first half of 2015, in time for the in-service launch of the global GX Aviation Ka-band service, which is being delivered from three geostationary satellites.

The tail-mounted Ka-band antenna has been made as light as possible so as not to upset a bizjet’s delicate weight balance. Tipping the scales at just 9lbs (4kg) it can easily be balanced on one hand.

The first I-5 satellite is also in orbit to serve Europe, Africa, the Middle East and India and two further launches are planned for later this year, probably in the summer and autumn. A fourth I-5 satellite has been ordered from Boeing, which will be held in reserve in case of launch failure or, if all goes well, placed into orbit over the region Inmarsat decides has the highest demand for its Ka-band services.

Sticking with bizjet antennas, Cobham was showing its new highpower, low-noise amplifier and diplexer-enhanced low gain antenna (HELGA) antenna for Inmarsat’s SwiftBroadband system.

Designed with Inmarsat’s upcoming safety services certification in mind, the Cobham Aviator S system is designed to work down to five degrees satellite elevation above the horizon.

The current compact SBB and SB200 antennas work down to about 20 degrees, but the lower-angle coverage will be needed when SBB is certified for aviation safety services.

Helga has the RF amplifier built into its base and uses a fourth-generation phased array.

Inmarsat is working with ICAO and the goal is for SBB to be fully approved for safety services next year. This whole issue has been brought into sharp focus with the loss of Malaysia Airlines MH370, which was equipped with Inmarsat’s “Classic Aero” connectivity, but this used a relatively low bit-rate compared with SwiftBroadband and the type and amount of information that could be transferred was minimal.

Miranda Mills confirmed that there are no plans to attempt to get its GX Aviation Ka-band system certified for safety services.

“That’s for our L-band services and satellites,” she said. She also added that there are plans for further Lband satellite launches in the 2022/23 timeframe, which is when the existing I-4s come to the end of their (expected) life. Mills also hinted at future Ka-band I-5 launches too.

Across the rest of Hamburg’s Messe, foot-weary visitors could virtually build their own aircraft interiors from the display materials alone.

“We are really proud of it,” said Broughton. “The low weight has been achieved through the use of lightweight materials, including composites, and a hollow alloy structure.”

Inmarsat confirmed that it now has the European ground infrastructure in place for GX Aviation, with new Kaband networks and terminals (dishes) in Nemea, Greece and Fucino, Italy.

Miranda Mills, Inmarsat’s president aviation, confirmed that testing is still under way for safety services over SwiftBroadband (SBB).

This will allow for ATC information to be passed to aircraft over Inmarsat’s L-band I-4 satellites, plus the new Alphasat satellite, which was launched last year.

Highlights included everything from Tapis’ range of highly-colourful fabrics and carpeting for bespoke interiors, to Oldenburger’s lightweight wooden interiors for VIP- and VVIP-Jets.

Next year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo will be held at Hamburg Messe from 14-16 April 2015.

✈

READY

Miranda Mills, Inmarsat s VP for Aerospace says the infrastructure is in place for GX Aviation.

Honeywell Tail Mount antenna (right).

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SPECIAL FEATURE

SUPERSONIC

BUSINESS AVIATION AND THE NEED FOR SPEED

LEADER

Six knots faster than Gulfstream s G650 (top) the Citation X+ is the fastest civil aircraft.

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I

n December 2013, Gulfstream’s big, new ultra long-range G650 business jet reached Mach 0.925 and was declared the world’s fastest operational jet. It eclipsed the old record held for nearly two decades by Cessna’s Citation X. But it was the opening salvo in a short-lived competition.

By Kirby Harrison

Work was already underway by Cessna on its Citation X+ upgrade and in 2013, it rang the bell at Mach 0.935.

Never mind that the difference only slightly more than 6 knots. It clearly established the Citation X+ as not only fastest civil aircraft in the world again.

Not that this is worrying the folks at Gulfstream. Each airplane has its own market niche.

If you want something with a bit of range the G650 will carry eight passengers and a crew of four from London to Los Angeles nonstop, roughly 5,440 nautical miles, at its high-speed cruise speed of Mach 0.90. And it will do it in a cabin 46 feet 10 inches long and 8 feet 6 inches wide, with 6 feet 5 inches of headroom and a full flat floor. But if you’re willing to settle for a bit less in cabin comfort and a lot less in range, there’s the Citation X+.

They call it the X-plus for good reason. It is the essence of pure speed and brawn, not to mention that even sitting on the ground it looks fast. At Mach 0.935, it will take 12 passengers 3,364 nautical miles nonstop from New York to Lisbon, Portugal. By comparison with the G650, the cabin is small – 25 feet 2 inches long, 5 feett 6 inches wide and 5 feet 8 inches high, with a fulllength drop aisle. On the other hand it is the king of speed.

‘Speed is the reason for flight,” said Cessna CEO Scott Ernest. And he added, “The Citation X+ is the perfect aircraft for customers wanting to move faster, be more efficient and get where they need to be more quickly than ever before.”

Neither the Citation X+ nor the G650 come close the Russian built TU-144 at Mach 2.14 or the British/French Concorde at Mach 2.02. But both of those supersonic airliners are no longer in production and no longer in service.

And while Gulfstream and Dassault both continue to look into the idea of a supersonic business jet, the plans remain on a back burner.

Not to worry, though. The need for speed lives, and three companies are already moving ahead in a new race to develop the first supersonic business jet.

Aerion s AS2 May Be the Frontrunner The front-runner, at least in terms of development, appears to be Aerion Corporation. Its sleek AS2 has most

recently evolved into a three-engine jet that is larger than originally conceived.

In the latest configuration, announced at the European Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (EBACE) in May, the 30-foot long cabin will feature a two-lounge layout, plus galley and two lavatories, one forward and one aft. The cabin also widens from the entryway to the aft seating area where the height is 6 feet 2 inches and the width is 7 feet 3 inches. This gives passengers the supersonic equivalent of a current largecabin, ultra long-range subsonic business jet.

In typical layout, the AS2 cabin would have a two-lounge configuration, including a four-place club grouping forward, with four seats aft placed around a conference/dining table.

With the addition of a side-facing divan, the airplane would accommodate up to 11 passengers, and with all seats reclined to berthing position, would “comfortably sleep four.”

Behind the aft lavatory will be a walkin baggage compartment accessible in flight.

The engine originally selected for the AS2 was the Pratt & Whitney JT8D, a proven design which has been since determined to be “growth-limited.”

With this in mind, “Aerion is in discussions with all leading engine suppliers to determine the optimum core engine for adaptation to supersonic requirements.” The new powerplant is likely to be in the 15,000-pound thrust range, producing considerably more push than the original twin JT8Ds which were rated at 19,600-pounds each.

The maximum projected range is initially 4,750 nautical miles, with the expectation of an additional 250 nautical miles As to the matter of speed, think “sweet spots.” In its latest iteration, the $100 million AS2 is expected to have two of them, emphasizing efficiency. One subsonic sweet spot is around Mach 0.95 for efficiency cruise where supersonic flight is prohibited primarily by sonic boom noise considerations; the other is at about Mach 1.4. “In other words,” claims the company, “the AS2 means being completely at ease while traveling faster than a speeding bullet.”

Aerion expects total operating costs at both speeds will be comparable to today’s large-cabin, ultra long-range business jets. The Mmo is expected to top at Mach 1.6. In pure numbers, Aerion claims that on a flight from Washington, D.C. to Paris, when the AS2 arrives, a subsonic aircraft flying at Mach 0.85 will still be 3 hours out.

And on a nonstop flight from San Francisco to Tokyo the AS2 will land while its subsonic competitor will still be 4.1 hours out.

The sonic boom remains the bête noire of supersonic flight, but Aerion vice chairman Brian Barents said the airplane is being designed to fly operationally to today’s aviation authority requirements. He also noted that emissions and engine noise were driving factors in the reconsideration of the original engine design. “We wanted an engine that will give us the necessary margins for certification.”

Aerion believes one answer is taking advantage of atmospheric conditions that could “push” the supersonic boom upward. Engineers at the company believe this “Mach cutoff” would permit overland supersonic flight as

ALL-NEW

Aerion s Supersonic Business Jet was recently redesigned as the AS2 in a threeengined configuration.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

NEWCOMER

Spike Aerospace s S-512 is predicted to have a cruise speed of Mach 1.6.

fast as Mach 1.2., without the accompanying “boom” reaching the ground. The Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S. currently bans all commercial supersonic flights in United States airspace.

What standards there are for acceptably quiet supersonic operation differ from one country or one regional of the world to another. For example, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) permits supersonic flight over land, so long as no disturbance is created on the ground. It does not define “disturbance.”

While the AS2 itself will exceed the speed of sound, the company on the other hand is proceeding at a more comfortable pace. Aerion is just completing its third market study in 10 years to assess demand for a supersonic business jet, as well as the basic parameters of the most preferable configuration. nd to date has invested more than $100 million in the project.

“We are prepared to do what financing is necessary,” said Barents.

To date the company has invested more than $100 million in the product and estimates that bringing the AS2 to market in 2021 may require a total of $3 billion.

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SUPERSONIC

Spike Plans New York/London In Three Hours While not exhibiting at EBACE, Spike Aerospace made known there its presence in the race to bring a supersonic business jet to market.

With a cruise speed of Mach 1.6 and an Mmo of Mach 1.8. , the twin-engine S-512 is expected to be faster than the Aerion AS2. Approaching Mach 2.0 would require major new technology in terms of materials and engines, according to Spike President Vik Kachoria. “The Concord achieved Mach 2.0, but it was a brute force effort,” he said. So the cruise speed for

the S-512 is expected to be Mach 1.6, and the Mmo Mach 1.8.

Based in Boston, Massachusetts, Spike announced completion of initial design and specifications of the S-512 in February 2013. It is expected to carry 12 to 18 passengers and make the nonstop trip from New York City to London in three hours and Los Angeles to Tokyo in six hours, essentially cutting the fastest current flight times in half.

“I fully understand increasing range, as well as cabin size,” said Kachoria, “but I’m not convinced of the market value. With nonstop supersonic flight time from New York City to London at

just three hours, passengers will give up a little of the comfort in favor of speed.”

Spike is quickly embracing new technology and announced in March this year its S-512 would feature a windowless cabin. In place of windows, entire side panel sections would provide live video images from the outside world with anything from the typical view from a real window to movies and scenery to PowerPoint presentations, “or anything you could think of.”

Speed becomes an issue when you get into a difference of 100 knots or more. “Then you’re saving hours, not minutes,” Kachoria pointed out.

“Shell makes approximately $9.6 million an hour, so if they can save an hour or two getting where they need to go, it’s well worth investing in a supersonic business jet. And if a company has a manufacturing plant or oil rig down in some distant part of the world, it can send a team to fix the problem in half the time and save millions of dollars that might have otherwise been lost.”

Spike expects to see a prototype flying in five to seven years and believes its first customers will be large, multi-national corporations.

However, as the technology matures and is further developed, and research and development costs are recovered, larger, airliner-size airplanes will be built. “Our ultimate goal is to make supersonic flight available to everyone,” said Kachoria.

Spike is a privately held company with origins tracing back to 2006. In Boston, it is just across the river from MIT and in close proximity to General Electronic Aircraft Engines, Draper Labs, Avidyne, Lincoln Labs and a number of other aerospace companies. The staff currently consists of six engineers, and team is expected to grow very quickly, very soon, according to Kachoria. While not yet selling delivery positions, he added that there are already some unofficial commitments and the company plans to begin taking orders in about six months.

HyperMach Pushing the Limits Perhaps the most ambitious supersonic business jet comes from HyperMach Aerospace Industries with its SonicStar.

The company is aiming for speeds up to Mach 3.6, which is well nearly twice the speed of the Concorde and roughly five times faster than the Citation X+. “We see this as a whole new realm of travel for the high net worth individual,” said CEO Richard Lugg. “You will be able to fly from New York to London in one hour.”

In 2013, the company closed the fourth of six financing rounds, but he added that HyperMach is nevertheless still seeking a major investor. The fifth financing round is expected to remain open for 18 to 20 months. Lugg was in Jeddah in March this year in a search for additional funding from potential Gulf region partners.

HyperMach believes the project will require approximately $3 billion in funding by the time the prototype makes its first flight in 2022.

Certification and entry into service is expected in 2025. The company plans to begin taking orders for the $180 million supersonic business jet in early 2015.

A new configuration would seat up to 32 passengers, an increase over the original 20. And “swooped” delta wings will permit additional fuel and a maximum range of about 6,500 nautical miles.

A key to the success of the $208.966 million SonicStar is the 65,000-pound thrust, H-Magjet 4400 hybrid turbofan ramjet engine currently in development by Portland, Maine sister company Sonic Blue. Major patents recently

AMBITIOUS

The HyperMach SonicStar is aiming for speeds of up to Mach 3.6.

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SPECIAL FEATURE

SUPERSONIC

received include not only revolutionary propulsion technology, but a “super-conducting turbo power core ring.”

The first engine stage will produce more than 10 megawatts of power which is the key to an electromagnetically induced plasma envelope starting at the front of the nose, enveloping the aircraft and producing an electromagnetic low pressure area for the plane to fly into. This is expected to reduce or even eliminate the twinjet’s sonic boom footprint.

Small-scale engine testing began in 2005 and HyperMach is looking for partners in development of the engine.

The company is also seeking a manufacturing partner, either in the U.S. or elsewhere.

The company also plans to make use of materials technology, looking into heat tolerant ceramic titanium and carbon metal matrix composites to further reduce the heat load and increase flight performance.

STAGNATE

With the exception of the Concorde we haven t moved far beyond Mach .80 in the past 50 years.

Is The Market Ready For A Supersonic Business Jet? Going back some 50 years, said Aerion’s Barents, some of the British airplanes were certified to Mach 0.80.

“Even though a lot of changes have been made in the civil aircraft arena, with the exception of the Concorde we’re still pretty much stuck at Mach 0.80.

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“Now we’re looking at the speed of sound as the next frontier as we begin traveling further and the advantage of speed is more apparent.”

Spike’s Kachoria sees a broader global impact through introduction of supersonic travel. Since Pan Am’s first commercial transatlantic flight, air travel has contributed to an improved standard of living and economic fortunes for the entire world, he explained. “Similarly, even faster air travel will make even more of the world easier to reach [and supersonic travel] will result in increased direct foreign investment, some of which will be in key infrastructure projects, resulting in improvements in health, education and welfare.”

According to Aerion, an independent market survey conducted by aviation consultants Roland Vincent Associates of Plano, Texas, “confirmed a consistent level of demand for more than 600 supersonic jet units over 20 years, although [they also expressed] a desire for a larger cabin and more range.”

“We interviewed more than 130 operators of large-cabin jets Online and conducted 28 face-to-face interview in the U.S., Europe, Middle East and Asia,” said Vincent. And he added, “The bottom line is that the [market] desire for supersonic transportation is steady and strong. The buyers are there. Their biggest question is, when can we have one?”

In the Citation X+ literature, Cessna offered its own assessment of speed – “Up here, every lane is the fast lane.”

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EBACE

REPORT 2014

BUSINESS AVIATION GROWS CONFIDENT AGAIN

By Marc Grangier

As EBACE 2014 drew to a close in Geneva, the signs suggested that 2014 could be the year of a positive rebound. Marco Tulio Pellegrini, CEO Embraer Executive Jets noted that the European market was starting to pick up again and according to Ed Bolen, NBAA President and CEO, OEMs are growing confident, which was clear by the many new product launches during the show.

The Falcon 8X will be powered by an improved version of the Pratt and Whitney Canada PW307 engine that equips the Falcon 7X. Combined with improvements to wing design, the new powerplants will make the 8X up to 35% more fuel efficient than any other aircraft in the ultra-long range segment, affording a corresponding savings in operating costs.

The 8X is expected to have a balanced field length of about 6,000 ft (1,829 m) and an approach speed of 106 kts (197 km/h) at typical landing weight. First flight is expected in early 2015 with certification in the middle of 2016 and initial deliveries before the end of 2016.

Aircraft

EVENTFUL

Dassault launched the Falcon 8X (top), Pilatus received 84 orders for the PC-24 and Bombardier revealed the Global 7000 mock up.

After having introduced the Falcon 5X at Las Vegas last October, Dassault Aviation launched the Falcon 8X, the newest addition to the Falcon family in the ultra long-range category. The aircraft will offer a range of 6,450 nm (11,945 km) at Mach 0.80 with eight passengers and three crew members and will feature the longest cabin of any Falcon. With two new aircraft in development, the 5X and 8X, Dassault now offers a family of six jets designed to meet operator needs at the upper end of the business jet spectrum,â&#x20AC;? said Eric Trappier, Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO.

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Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. made the news when at the end of the second day of the show, it announced that it had sold all PC-24 production until 2019, corresponding to 84 units for a total amount of approximately US$ 750 million.

Gulfstream Aerospace disclosed its new G650ER, an ultra-long-range aircraft that can travel 7,500 nautical miles/13,890 kilometers at Mach 0.85 flow wing, the key enabling technology behind practical and efficient supersonic and high-subsonic flight. The aircraft has a larger cabin, with crosssection dimensions roughly equivalent to those of today’s long-range business jets. Now, it also has a trijet configuration. According to Aerion CEO Doug Nichols: “Many of today’s long-range business jet operators want a supersonic jet sooner rather than later; a cabin comparable in comfort to today’s long-range jets; a range of 5,000 nm or better; and they are willing to pay more than $100 million for such an air-

and 6,400 nm/11,853 km at Mach 0.90.

This represents an increase of up to 500-nm/926 km over the range of the G650, which entered service in 2012.

For Scott Neal, senior vice president, Worldwide Sales and Marketing, Gulfstream, “It’s the only business aircraft in the world capable of traveling 7,500 nm. This opens up significant nonstop city pairs, including New York to Hong Kong, Dallas to Dubai and San Francisco to Delhi.

At EBACE, Bombardier unveiled the largest mock-up in aviation, the Global 7000. On this occasion, it announced the achievement of key product development milestones on its Global 7000

and Global 8000. The rear fuselage and cockpit are currently being assembled at Bombardier Aerospace’s manufacturing facilities in Querétaro, Mexico, and St-Laurent, Canada, respectively. The centre fuselage is being assembled at Aerolia’s manufacturing facility in Méaulte, France, and the wing is being assembled at Triumph’s facility in Red Oak, Texas.

The new Global 7000 and Global 8000 aircraft are set to enter-into-service in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Meanwhile Aerion Corporation introduced a new version of its supersonic business jet project. The Aerion AS2 retains a supersonic natural laminar

craft. That is the supersonic jet we are working to deliver.”

At the smaller end of the spectrum DAHER-SOCATA showcased its TBM 900. Introduced last March, the new aircraft has attracted significant attention among customers, with 47 already ordered, and as of May 16 th, 12 airplanes had been delivered. It has a max. cruise speed of 330 kts at FL 280 and a max. range of 1,730 NM at 253 kts. With the special Elite package, its price is US$ 3,711,478, which includes a 5-year warranty and training of 2 pilots. On the last day of the Show, the company announced the first sale in Europe to a final customer.

IMPROVEMENTS

Aerion unveiled the AS2 (top), Gulfstream added range to the G650 (below).

UNVEILINGS

Cessna s Citation M2 (left) debuted on the static and Daher-Socata showcased its TBM 900 (right).

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EBACE

COMING-SOON

HondaJet will deliver its first customer aircraft in early 2015 says President Michimasa Fujino (top).

Piaggo Aero unveiled its new Avanti EVO (center) and Nextant (below) showcased its 400XTi.

The strong brands of the Textron Aviation division; Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker – were unified for the first time publicly with a display of nine aircraft at the Show. If you’re looking for proof of the companys’ combined strength, just look to the latest JetNet data, which shows in the past decade, Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker have delivered more than 1,400 new business aircraft in Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“EBACE is the perfect venue for us to debut our strength as a unified company,” said Kriya Shortt, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing.

The Citation M2 light jet and Citation Sovereign+ midsize jet made their EBACE debuts after entering service in late 2013.

“Honda Aircraft’s most important goals are achieving FAA type certification and delivering the first customer aircraft,” Honda Aircraft President and CEO Michimasa Fujino told BART. “Our total effort is focused on reaching these much anticipated milestones

66 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2014

REPORT 2014 in the first quarter of 2015.” The first production aircraft is in final assembly.

More than 100 aircraft have been ordered to date, and Fujino indicated that 50 aircraft will be built in 2015, and 80 in 2016. The company also disclosed at EBACE that Fokker Aerostructures is supplying the empennage structure for its aircraft.

Piaggio Aero Industries announced the launch of its new Avanti EVO twin turboprop aircraft. Based on the Avanti P.180, the EVO will have new winglets, redesigned nacelles and a reshaped front wing. New five-blade

and is on track to start customer deliveries of the Nextant G90XT turboprop by year-end. For Nextant President Sean McGeough: “The G90XT development process has greatly benefited from the strong collaboration with GE to optimize the propulsion system for the G90XT. With a time between overhaul of 4,000 hours or 8000 cycles, the engines are virtually maintenance free for years. The cost savings from reduced maintenance requirements coupled with the H75’s lower fuel burn should mean a significant reduction in the G90XT’s operating costs.»

scimitar propellers will reduce external noise by 68%. The introduction of an increased range option will increase its max. range by 17%, from 1470 nm to 1720 nm.

Nextant Aerospace, the innovators behind the Nextant 400XTi and the forthcoming G90XT turboprop, announced that it has taken delivery of the first shipped set of GE H75 engines

Embraer Executive Jets announced that its Phenom 300 has received certification from EASA for steep-approach operation, which enables increased descent angles of up to 5.5 degrees.

Marco Túlio Pellegrini, President and CEO, Embraer Executive Jets, stated that the new capability associated with its field performance make the Phenom 300 a very versatile business

jet to fly in and out of London City, reaching destinations as far as Samara, Russia, or Ankara, Turkey.

The steep-approach feature is available as of May 2014 on Phenom 300 to be configured for EASA certification.

Gama Aviation’s US subsidiary Gama Charters Inc., Beechcraft and Wheels Up, the membership-based US private aviation company, announced the delivery of the 16th Beechcraft King Air 350i for the Wheels Up program. The backbone of the Wheels Up program is the King Air 350i offering. Wheels Up launched its program last Fall by announcing a deal for 105 King Air 305i

from Beechcraft, the largest turboprop order in business aviation history.

Wheels Up expects to take delivery of 27 aircraft by the end of 2014 with the remaining aircraft to be delivered through 2018. Gama Charters, the US subsidiary of Gama Aviation, dry leases and serves as the sole operator for the Wheels Up King Air aircraft and has hired 100 pilots to-date to service the

private fleet, with an additional 20 infrastructure personnel in operations and maintenance. By 2015, Gama plans to have a base in Europe.

Avionics and maintenance Jet Aviation announced that its St. Louis facility recently completed the industry’s first installation of the Aircell UCS 5000 cabin media server.

The aftermarket installation in a Bombardier Global aircraft completes the industry’s first contract for a UCS 5000. The contract was signed with a customer immediately after Aircell announced the release of the router and media server last October. Jet Aviation St. Louis was the first to sign a customer for the new installation and immediately had additional customers ready to schedule installations. Aircell said the UCS 5000 reinvents the update process and enables licensed content to be played in the cabin on personal tablets or laptops. It also enables Gogo Vision capability for playing on-demand movies, TV and news, as well as flight information and destination weather.

Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI) introduced a new Check-to-Check Airframe Maintenance Program, which enhances the traditional Airframe Program, that the company has offered since 1997, by adding the flexibility of customized contract terms in order to provide coverage

ANNOUNCED

From the top: The Phenom 300 was certified to fly into London City Airport, Beechcraft delivered its 16THKingAir 350i to Wheels Up. Jet Aviation installed its first Aircell UCS 5000 and JSSI introduced its Check to Check maintenance program.

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EBACE through the remaining term of the next major scheduled airframe maintenance inspection. This new program is structured specifically for each aircraft to create a plan around the major maintenance checks. Check-to-Check is fully transferable and assures aircraft buyers that they will have coverage for an upcoming major inspection. The new Check-to-Check Airframe Program is currently available for all Falcon, Challenger and Global Express, the Global 5000 and 6000, Citation Sovereign+, Gulfstream G450 and G550.

paint and back in the air.” Duncan Aviation is an approved installation center for Aviation Partners’ highmach blended winglets and also supports winglet modifications on Falcon 50, Hawker 800 and Gulfstream II. Rockwell Collins indicated it had developed new satellite reception technology which will expand the coverage and reliability of its Tailwind 550 Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) TV system for large business and VIP jets. The new technology, which is part of Tailwind 550’s fuselage-mounted antenna, will provide 25 percent greater pro-

Garmin continues to expand its aviation chart coverage with the release of European terminal charts, including instrument approach charts, SIDs, STARs and airport diagrams. Additional charts such as ground movement charts and airport diagrams are also available as part of its European FliteCharts database. Garmin also announced an updated version of the Garmin Pilot application for the iPad and iPhone featuring synthetic vision.

3D Vision incorporates GPS-derived airspeed, altitude, and vertical speed overlaid on rich 3D topographic landscape.

Duncan Aviation announced it had recently delivered its 62nd pair of Aviation Partners’ winglets on Dassault Falcon 900 and 2000 aircraft.

“Winglets can increase an aircraft’s range 200 or 300 miles - depending on airframe - and that can mean the difference between having to stop or flying straight through,” says Ron Grose, Falcon tech rep. “The customer arrives and it takes us anywhere from three to five weeks to complete the winglets. Then, the aircraft is off to

gramming coverage for all supported regions and improve overall reliability, especially when traveling between regions where satellite coverage may be weak, and flying in hot or humid areas.

Gore Design Completions announced a name change to GDC Technics as it plans to evolve from being known only as a provider of custom VIP and Head-of-State aircraft interiors to a company that can perform a broad range of aircraft modification services. It received its first B787 last February and is scheduled to receive its second in the third quarter of this year.

Lufthansa Technik AG is significantly increasing its efforts in the area of product, service and technological developments by starting an innovation boost program. The investment in this area is to be quadrupled, from 50 million Euros over the past five years, to 200 million Euros over the next four years. At the Show, Lufthansa Technik and LIST introduced INAIRVATION, their new concept for integrated business aircraft cabin interiors, aimed at reducing costs while incorporating the latest technological developments.

Universal Aviation Paris, located at Le Bourget Airport (LFPB), announced it has recently inaugurated its updated FBO. “As part of our ongoing program to further enhance our clients’ experience on the ground at all of our locations, we have updated our historic FBO at Le Bourget with features and amenities our clients told us they wanted,” said Jonathan Howells, Senior Vice President, International, Universal. “Based on that input, we’ve also recently added an additional

ADVANCED

Innovators at EBACE included: Duncan Aviation (top left), Lufthansa Technik s Inairvation Cabin Interior Concept (top right), Rockwell Collins Tailwind Direct Broadcast Satellite (bottom left), Garmin s new 3D vision iPad app (bottom right).

REPORT 2014

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12,094 square meters of parking space to our ramp, bringing our total to 32,000 square meters, to ensure our clients have options and flexibility.”

Honeywell Aerospace has signed a MoU with Germany-based maintenance, repair and overhaul company HAITEC Aircraft Maintenance GmbH to deliver its JetWave in-flight Wi-Fi hardware for two Airbus Corporate Jet 319 owned and operated by HAITEC customer Tyrolean Jet Services. “We are seeing a lot of interest across our air transport and business aviation customer base in what connectivity can deliver,” said Brett Dutton, senior vice president, VIP Maintenance, HAITEC.

Engines GE Aviation’s Passport engine certification program is advancing, with eight total engines set to test by year-end.

Completed certification milestones include engine ice ingestion, altitude and crosswind testing. Passport’s first flight test aboard GE’s new 747 Flying Test Bed will begin this summer. GE has completed engine tests totaling more than 450 hours and 150 cycles.

Before entry-into- service, the Passport engine will accumulate the equivalent of 10 years of flying for an average Bombardier Global 7000 or Global 8000 operator with more than 4000 hours and 8000 cycles. Engine certification is expected in 2015.

Honeywell’s JetWave hardware supports Jet ConneX, the business aviation service powered by Inmarsat’s Global Xpress network. Once it comes online in the first half of 2015, it will deliver passengers and operators fast, global in-flight Wi-Fi across land and sea. JetWave is capable of delivering downlink speeds to the cabin of up to 33 Mbps for business aircraft and up to 50 Mbps for air transport aircraft, allowing passengers to videoconference, send and receive large files, and stream high-quality television and movies while on the move.

As mentioned above, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC), announced that its PW307D turbofan engine has been selected to power the new Dassault Falcon 8X. Building on the capabilities of the PW307A turbofan engine, which already powers the Dassault Falcon 7X business jet, the PW307D’s improved fuel consumption and higher take-off thrust are among the enhancements that will support the Falcon 8X. Snecma Safran was relatively quiet about its Silvercrest engine, which has already been selected to power the

Dassault’s Falcon 5X (two engines rated at 11,450 lb of thrust) and Cessna’s Citation Longitude (two engines rated at 11,000 lb of thrust).

Developments continue according to program. Certification is slated for 2015 and before, twenty engines will be delivered to the OEMs for their own flight tests. The company is actively looking for other business aviation applications, but Safran spokesman didn’t want to make any comments at this stage.

✈

POWER

GE s Passport has completed more than 450 hours of testing.

Pratt and Whitney s PW307A will power the Falcon 8X, while the Snecma Silvercrest is the engine for the 5X.

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FROM THE COCKPIT

THUNDERSTORMM

THE RUMBLE AND THE ROAR

By Leroy Cook

The Weather Hasn t Changed

I

FATAL A close encounter with a cumulonimbus cloud can be deadly.

n many regions of the world, spring and summer overlap with a threat of thunderstorms, the dreaded convective cloud formations that deny us access to our intended airport and block a route we’ve chosen. When our old friend the cumulonimbus cloud comes calling, we need to hide far away. A close relationship can be deadly.

Fortunately, the presence of a thunderstorm is fairly well advertised. A mass of anvil-topped white cloud, reaching up to FL600, visually active in continual roiling motion, speaks of danger. Seen from down-sun, the cloud’s dark shadow speaks of a heavy load of rain inside. Even at night, its associated lightning illumination gives some warning of the need for deviation. Few pilots would willingly plunge into such ominous and foreboding clouds. And yet, accidents occur every season, when an aircraft ventures too close.

This, in spite of the vastly-improved modern tools we have at our disposal to aid in thunderstorm avoidance.

Time was, dauntless pilots of DC-3s had no choice but to keep watch out the windshield, pick what appeared to be the lightest area of weather, and

70 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2014

plunge in to ride it through, depending on the structural integrity of what was then the biggest airliner in the skies.

To lessen the risk, early mono-color CRT radars, with viewing hoods, were developed to find the areas of heaviest precipitation, which had correlation with the strongest storms.

Interpretation was as much art as science.

Today, the latest digital weather radar units display multi-colored levels of precipitation intensity, laid over our chart and route information on an MFD, and some progress has even been made in showing the likelihood of turbulence encounters, although radar must still be primarily relied upon to detect rain and hail, which are the best reflectors of the radar beam. Uplinked composite radar pictures, processed from ground radar sites, are available in some areas, if you have the equipment to receive them and show them on your cockpit suite. Air traffic control also has some convective weather tools at its disposal, shared by asking for it. But, with all this improvement in technology, we must still exercise care when skirting the biggest storms.

Why do pilots fall prey to the thunderstorm’s tentacles? Perhaps our biggest danger is the embedded cell, wreathed in stratus and rain, parked at our twelve o’clock position. In our gray-shrouded cocoon, we progress obliviously toward our fate, until there’s a sudden darkening of the cockpit. We feel a lifting sensation under our seat as we hit the first updraft, and the rivulets of rain moving across the windscreen suddenly turn into an opaque sheet of cascading water. Now, we’re in it.

If we’re lucky, we’re only hitting the margins of an isolated convective cell, or a rainy conclusion to a storm that’s already built up and is now dying. A deviation would be in order—long overdue—if we have any information to guide us. A break into visual conditions would be welcome, and probably awe-inspiring. Until then, it would be well to slow to turbulence penetration speed, turn on ignition and anti-ice, and secure the aircraft for rough running.

The best precaution begins with gathering knowledge of the conditions before launch, knowing that the lifted index is favorable for convective weather along our route. We need to obtain reports from ground observers, automated stations and other aircraft, and verify the forecast’s accuracy.

Keep in mind that an hour-old report is probably of little value, because thunderstorm situations change rapidly. Clues like stronger-than-forecast winds and a windshift that came earlier then predicted can mean a front that’s an overachiever.

Forewarned is forearmed. Keep a check of the conditions ahead, select an altitude free of cloud if possible, and have a good-weather direction in mind, if you need to start diverting. A filed alternate airport is not written in stone; stay fluid and be prepared to rethink your plans.

Your weather radar is an excellent tool, but always bear in mind that it’s revealing the presence of water, not turbulence. Similarly, or conversely, an electrical-discharge detector shows

you where the sparking activity is going on, the result of instability in the atmosphere, but it won’t keep you from getting wet. A radar display’s color gradations can be altered by large storms; use your tilt and gain controls to sniff out the hidden features, but always return them to a base setting afterward. Obviously, you want to steer away from red and magenta areas, and probably yellow as well. Depending on what I see visually, a green depiction may be too risky for my tastes. Deviate to stay clear of large storms by 20 nautical miles; that means you want an essentially-stable 40-mile wide gap in a line of storms if you intend to fly through it.

Always remember that convective weather is highly dynamic, both in the rate and direction of a storm’s movement and in its stage of development.

Three different trends need to be considered; the motion of an individual storm, the outward growth of the storm, and the progress of the front that’s generating the storms. Over the space of a half-hour, your decision about how to proceed might need to be revisited more than once. The lifecycle of individual thunderstorms is

short, but the area along and ahead of a front can keep developing new cells, spreading out and closing gaps in the line. Don’t rely on a time-expired radar snapshot or an old pilot report (a recent report from an old pilot is okay).

Locking The Gate Air traffic control’s worst nightmare is a slow-moving line of thunderstorms sitting on the entry gate and approach lane, with deviation-minded pilots refusing vectors and total chaos taking charge of a neatly-planned traffic flow.

His or her usable airspace is reduced, but separation standards still have to be maintained. Sometimes, the only answer is to hold aircraft at remote fixes or employ ground stops, both of which can play havoc with fuel reserves. Know what you can do, and what you can’t, when faced with delays.

As no controller has yet been lost in a thunderstorm encounter, the final authority for the safe conduct of the flight has to remain in the cockpit. We who are staring the beast in the face understand the options open to us, and if it takes exercising emergency

authority to turn away, do it. Keep the controller informed, so he or she can plan for the disruption; work as team, but don’t stay on a vector that’s unworkable.

And so, the three rules of flying in convective weather are simple; avoid, avoid, and then, avoid. We cannot, and must not, fly through thunderstorms, and we can’t risk landing and taking off with cells nearby or on the approach and departure course. The windshear risk when sharing the airport with a thunderstorm is very hard to predict. The preceding aircraft’s success is no guarantee that you’ll make it in. Only try a run to the runway if you have plenty of fuel to play with. You may have to break it off and go somewhere else to find petrol.

Similarly, deciding to take off, in the face of a line that is rapidly approaching on the horizon, had best be influenced by the speed of the storms’ approach and where you’re going after the wheels tuck up. Tell ATC where you’re heading before you push the power up, and if that’s not acceptable to them, park the aircraft. Climbing into a windshear condition can overcome the aircraft’s performance, and it will certainly alter your ability to meet gradient restrictions for the departure procedure. Study the situation before you go.

We can do battle with the thunderstorms, but only from a discrete distance. This not a time for close, handto-hand combat, but for tactical retreat and having plenty of options. Our airplanes are technical marvels, with plenty of tools at our disposal. That doesn’t make them suitable for flight in ALL types of weather.

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RULES

There are three rules for flying in convective weather: avoid, avoid and avoid.

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MAINTENANCE MATTERS As well as developing a range of aerodynamic, avionic and other upgrades for in-service aircraft, Cessna has refined the fault reporting and recording systems installed on its latest models.

By Bernard Fitzsimons

N

IMPROVED

Citations delivered since 2013 come with state-of-the-art maintenance systems.

ew Citations delivered since late 2013 are equipped with enhanced versions of both the central (formerly Citation) diagnostic and maintenance system (CDMS) and the AReS aircraft recording system.

The aim in both cases, says VP product support Brian Rohloff, is “to help support our customers in the field should they have any issues with their aircraft.”

The CDMS was renamed to reflect the addition of the Beechcraft and Hawker brands to the Textron Aviation stable, Rohloff says: “The CDMS system is now standard on all our newer products – the M2, the Alpine Edition CJ2+, the CJ3+. 680+ Sovereign, 750+.” And development is continuing: “The team continues to

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AIRCRAFT REPORTING SYSTEMS

CESSNA S INNOVATIONS ON THE AFTERMARKET

create enhancements and apply new ways to use that system.”

The CDMS is not ready for retrofit, says product support manager Matt Wild, though versions of the system have been installed on most Cessna aircraft since the mid 2000s: “The Mustang has an earlier version, the original Sovereign has an earlier version and some of the earlier CJs have

routes. “You can do a download through the display,” Wild says.

“Depending on how the aircraft is equipped, we also can also put a WiFi link on the aircraft that will offload the faults whenever you’re at a WiFi hotspot.” Aircraft with the Garmin satellite phone will also offload the fault to the Iridium network if the customer selects that option.

pre-flight, or when the pilots they forget to turn on their pitot static or if they shut their engines down before everything’s shut down.

“Any time you get a CAS message we’ll actually get a fault that comes through,” he says. “But we know which ones to ignore because it tells us what phase of flight the aircraft was in when they got that CAS message.”

the original version,” he says. “As new products have come out we’ve enhanced it and made it better, but we’ve had it on our previous products.” It will also be an option with any Garmin cockpit upgrade applied to earlier models, Rohloff adds.

In the new Garmin 3000 and 5000 systems the CDMS resides on the multifunction display. “It monitors all the crew alerting system (CAS) messages and all the faults,” Wild explains. “It displays them in a format such that if you’ve had a CAS message you can quickly and easily go back and it will tell you what caused that message to turn on. So you can easily go in and replace the part that was causing a problem.”

As well as being displayed on the MFD, the alerts are forwarded to the aircraft’s service centre via one of two

As soon as they are offloaded from the aircraft, the alerts automatically go through the server system. Then, he says, “our system here in Wichita will generate an email and send it to anybody that the customer has set up on the distribution list for that aircraft. So our service product support teams will get an email, the director of maintenance can get an email and the pilots can get an email that says exactly what the fault was and what caused that fault.”

The facility means Cessna can be much more aggressive in tackling faults, Wild says, “especially when we get them offloaded while the airplane’s still flying, we know if there’s a problem and can help them out while they’re still flying.”

Alerts do not invariably indicate a fault, he says. CAS messages can be generated during ground tests during

The Iridium and WiFi integration is new as of the end of 2013. The messages and fault depiction have also been tweaked to improve troubleshooting, Rohloff adds: “Originally it was a very basic system but it’s been enhanced a lot so there’s much more information.”

And customers really like it, he says: “The pilots and directors of maintenance love having that capability. It’s another enhancement to our services that means we can help the customer ensure that the airplane stays flying as much as possible.”

“We first started installing the original AReS back in 2008,” he says. The AReS box is a dedicated diagnostics recorder that records all digital traffic on the aircraft – around 12,000 parameters recorded at a sample rate of rate of up to 80 samples per second in

EQUIPPED

The maintenance system resides in the multi function display on Garmin 3000 and 5000 cockpits.

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MAINTENANCE MATTERS Service Facilities

the case of the CJ4. “The data is recorded onto a compact flash card that we can remove from the aircraft.”

RETROFITS

Various upgrades including the Alpine Edition are now available for the CJ2+.

Upgrade programs At the same time as it introduces the enhanced fault reporting and recording systems on new models, Cessna is working on a raft of upgrades for existing Citations. They include the Citation X Elite, the Alpine Edition avionics upgrade for the CJ2+ and winglets for the CJ and Sovereign.

The Citation X Elite program has been very well received. “We’ve had a lot of enquiries,” Rohloff says. “We take in used a Citation X, go through it completely, and by the time it’s done it ends up being almost a brand new airplane. Avionics upgrades, the winglets and autothrottles are all part of that package.”

It would be feasible to apply the same upgrades to an owner’s aircraft, Wild adds, “but one of the big parts of the Elite program is the warranty. If somebody brings their own aircraft in we’re not going to provide the warranty we do with the Elite airplanes, we’ve built that into the program, but we can definitely do the upgrades.”

Wild, who was program manager for the Alpine Edition, says it is currently in the certification phase: “We are working and flying the aircraft quite a bit, and we’ve finished a lot of the ground testing so we’re getting ready to start flight testing.” Development testing is complete, the autopilot is complete, “it’s just getting paperwork in order with the FAA here and getting the certification flights done.” He expects the work to be completed in the third quarter of this year.

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“Customer response has been great,” he says. “We’ve had a lot of customer enquiries and we’re currently in the process of lining up people to have them start doing the modifications in the third and fourth quarter of this year.” The CJ2+ is the first model to benefit from the upgrade, and subject to market acceptance “we’ll probably do another model or variation.”

The Aircraft BlueBook and Vref Aircraft Value Reference have both been very impressed with the product, Wild says: “They agreed that the retail value of the mod will go in the book as an added value for the program.” The same applies to the Citation X Elite program.

Tamarack Aerospace of Sandpoint, Idaho, is developing the winglet for the CJ with the support of the OEM. “It’s generated a lot of enquiries from our customers,” Rohloff says, “so I think once this program is certified it’s certainly going to be well received out in the marketplace.”

He is reluctant to discuss projected benefits in terms of performance while they are still being verified through the certification program, but he says the schedule calls for certification first of the 525 series, followed by the CJ3 and then the CJ2.

Program completion is anticipated in early to mid 2015.

The Sovereign winglet is a program being developed by Wichita-based Winglet Technology “Again, we continue to support the program as required,” he comments. With all this activity, Rohloff concedes, “We do have our hands full. But we’re always working on other things as well.”

It’s also worth noting that Cessna continues to upgrade and expand its service facilities. several expansions within their network of seven European company-owned service centers.

Cessna and Sister company Beechcraft have opened two new OEM line service support stations in Europe at the London Luton Airport and Cannes Mandelieu Airport, with a third location available this summer in Geneva, Switzerland. These stations will be supported by a team of full-time licensed technicians and provide line maintenance, defect rectification and AOG support in these regions to operators of Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker aircraft. In addition, existing company-owned facilities in Zurich, Switzerland, and Düsseldorf, Germany, now provide maintenance, modification and upgrade services for owners and operators of Beechcraft, Citation and Hawker aircraft.

“Growing our services across Europe is very important in serving our broad customer base, which includes nearly 2,000 aircraft. These strategic locations make factory service and support convenient and cost-effective for our Beechcraft, Citation and Hawker customers living or traveling in Europe,” said Brad Thress, senior vice president, Customer Service.

The Beechcraft, Cessna and Hawker service network includes 23 companyowned service facilities around the globe and access to more than 40 mobile service units stationed throughout North America and Europe that deliver award winning service directly to operators.

Cessna’s company-owned service centers in Paris, France; Doncaster, U.K.; and Düsseldorf, Germany, are authorized as Continuing Airworthiness Management Organizations (CAMO) by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

CAMO approval enables these service centers to issue and extend Airworthiness Review Certificates to EASA aircraft. Aircraft over 12,500 pounds (5,700 kilograms) are mandated to contract with an approved CAMO for their Airworthiness Review

UPGRADE

RAISBECK

LEARJET 60 S AFT FUSELAGE LOCKER PRIMED FOR DELIVERY internal space outside the cabin, which means operators can carry 210 pounds of cargo and luggage. The forward compartment is 8 feet long while the aft compartment is 4 feet long, meaning that passenger luggage and aircraft equipment can be separated. The extra space that is provided adds value and operational flexibility for the Lear 60 owner and operator.

Raisbeck Engineering began the development effort in 2009, with full cooperation from Bombardier LearJet in Wichita Kansas, who lent technical support and documentation crucial to

S

RETROFIT

Raisbeck's new Aft Fuselage Locker adds space and reduces drag.

eattle-based aircraft engineering company Raisbeck Engineering, Inc. has successfully completed all of the FAA certification requirements for an Aft Fuselage Locker (AFL) on the Learjet 60 series business jet. The test aircraft, 60-197, has since being refurbished at West Star Aviation where it received a full paint job and interior update and has been delivered back to its owner.

At just under 30 cubic feet, the all new AFL concept and general shape resembles the earlier Aft Fuselage Lockers designed and certified for the Lear 30-series in the late 1990s. But this time round the internal volume is almost 3 times as large, giving operators’ increased flight planning flexibility and improving the overall usefulness of the airplane.

One of the challenges that separated this design and certification from the earlier Lear-30 series AFL was the need to meet the latest changes of the FAA regulations. When asked about the challenges, Keith Anderson, Vice President – Engineering for Raisbeck Engineering said that he was very proud of the Raisbeck team.

“The new locker is certified to the most current amendments of the FAA regulations for cargo compartments, which means that it had to meet the

76 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2014

latest fire detection and protection requirements. This was a huge undertaking for the Raisbeck team and also means that the new AFL for the Lear 60 far exceeds the requirements that were in place for the existing aircraft cargo hold that is only a few feet away from our locker.”

Not only does the new design enhance safety by protecting against a fire in the compartment, the aerodynamic shape reduces drag, further enhancing operational flexibility. The Aft Fuselage Locker has two separate compartments comprising 12 feet of length and providing 28 cubic feet of

the program’s ultimate success. Initial flight testing with the locker shape was conducted in late 2009, to prove flight characteristics and drag reduction. Raisbeck then gave full program go-ahead in 2010.

Initial installations will be conducted by Authorized Raisbeck Dealers for Lear Jet products throughout the world. First customers are expected to arrive in the coming months, with production rate scheduled to begin at one installation per month, accelerating as supply and demand dictate.

✈

SAFETY SENSE

MINDFULNESS

STAYING AHEAD OF THE GAME

By Michael R. GrĂźninger and Capt. Carl C. Norgren of Great Circle Services AG (GCS)

Z

CLOSE-CALL

The captain of flight 202W noticed converging traffic and rejected take-off.

urich airport seems engaged in routine operations on a beautifully clear day. Both main take-off runways, 16 and 28, are in use. Zurich Tower clears Swiss International Airlines flight 1326, an Airbus A320, for take-off on runway 16. LX1326 switches its landing lights on and begins the take-off run. Forty (40) seconds later, Zurich Tower clears Swiss International Airlines flight 202W, also anhhh Airbus A320, for take-off from runway 28. Runway 28 and 16 are intersecting runways.

As flight 202W reaches V1, at 135 Knots, the commander notices the converging traffic on runway 16 and immediately rejects the take-off. The flight crew of flight 1326 in the meantime continues with a normal take-off without noticing the dramatic moments on Runway 28.

The Swiss Accident Investigation Board (SAIB) investigated this serious incident and classified the risk of collision as high. Had flight 202W not noticed the convergdddding traffic, a catastrophic collision with many fatalities would have ensued.

The investigation concluded that the main cause of this serious incident was the almost simultaneous take-off clearance to two aircraft on intersecting runways. The SAIB focussed their analysis on the role of air traffic control. No doubt the mistake by the tower controller was at the beginning of the chain of events.

78 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2014

The tower controller had not been provided with a monitoring system providing effective electronic collision warning. The controller was not in the position to identify his mistake in a timely manner.

One more safety barrier failed on that day. Both aircrews did not realize the mistake by the tower controller. We might wonder how two experienced crews could not have noticed the clearance issued to the other aircraft? Both aircraft were on the same Tower frequency and both received their take-off clearance within 40 seconds of each other. But neither crew took notice of this situation. They did not notice the hazardous situation which had been created and which was directly threatening them.

Luckily the captain of flight 202W kept a good look-out during the takeoff roll and noticed the converging traffic on the intersecting runway. He reacted immediately and initiated a rejected take-off which saved both aeroplanes.

Mindfulness Almost too late, but still in time, the commander of flight 202W looked out and recognised the conflicting traffic.

He perceived this critical visual clue.

However, he had been expecting a smooth take-off. In fact, expecting a routine take-off, all pilots involved did not perceive how fast the second take-off clearance had been given. Once the take-off run had begun, only a brief interval existed between the initial surprise of dis-

covering conflicting traffic and initiating a procedure to resolve the situation.

Mindfulness obviously played a key role in saving the day. Mindfulness means the combination of ongoing scrutiny of existing expectations and the capability to react to unexpected situations. In an organisational context, this definition will be extended to include the identification of new dimensions of context and ways to deal with it, and to improve foresight and current functioning. In our example though, mindfulness simply meant keeping awareness high of events unfolding outside of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own routines.

Both flight deck crews involved were busy with their respective takeoff and expected no problems, trusting ATC fully. The actual situation was obscured by this blind spot.

Blind Spots on the Flight Deck Blind spots develop when the attention is taken by tasks being performed. All pilots will remember occasions when they did not see a warning light. They were simply too busy to notice and did not expect to be disturbed by a system failure exactly at the very same moment in which they were busily working through checklists.

At Zurich airport runway 28 and runway 16 are the standard departure runways. For both crews it was a departure from their home base and from the standard runway configuration. The increased risk of operations on intersecting runways was their

LX-1326

LX-2026

normal mode of operation and the increased risk of such an operating mode will eventually not be perceived as such.

Transposed to the fast-paced, multistimuli environment of the flight deck mindfulness requires effective task management and ‘making time’. It is evident from numerous case studies of accidents that carrying out tasks associated with the landing checklist (Bournemouth, Buffalo, Schiphol), emergency drills (Everglades, Indonesia, Palmerston North), landing charts (Cali) or handling of the FMS (AF447, Cali) can take priority over monitoring tasks.

Task scheduling (e.g. carrying out normal checklist), sharing (e.g. balancing the monitoring workload and being aware when the PM has limited capacity) and shedding (e.g. prioritising tasks) must be considered as strategies to achieve and maintain mindfulness.

Anticipation Mindfulness allows improved situational awareness. Situation awareness leads to anticipation.

Situation awareness (SA) means appreciating all you need to know about what is going on if the full scope of your task - flying, controlling or maintaining an aircraft - is taken into account.

More specifically, in the context of complex operational environments, SA is concerned with a person’s knowledge of particular task-related events and phenomena.

For example, for a fighter pilot SA means knowing about the threats and intentions of enemy forces as well as the status of his aircraft. For an air traffic controller, SA means (at least partly) knowing about current aircraft positions and flight plans and predicting future states so as to detect possible conflicts.

Therefore, in operational terms, SA means having an understanding of the current state and dynamics of a system and being able to anticipate future changes and developments.

A general definition of SA is that it is the perception of the elements in the environment within a volume of time and space, the comprehension of their meaning and the projection of their status in the near future.

SA needs to include the following four specific pieces of information: ❍ extracting information from the environment; ❍ integrating this information with relevant internal knowledge to create a mental picture of the current situation; ❍ using this picture to direct further perceptual exploration in a continual perceptual cycle; and ❍ anticipating future events.

Taking these four elements into account, SA is defined as the continuous extraction of environmental information, the integration of this information with previous knowledge to form a coherent mental picture, and the use of that picture in directing further perception and anticipating future events.

Expecting the Unexpected On that routine day, both flight crews were expecting to take off smoothly from their home-base aerodrome and nobody really expected to be confronted with the unexpected.

Busy with routine cockpit work, the unusually fast clearance given by the Tower controller to the second aircraft went unnoticed.

Anticipation of potential problems kicked-back in when the commander of flight 202W started looking out to see conflicting traffic. He had not lost the awareness of him and his aircraft taking-off.

His mindfulness saved the day, at the very last minute.

In conclusion, adapting a sentence

by Weick and Sutcliffe, mindfulness and anticipation counteract many of the blind spots that occur when people rely too heavily on expectations of normality.

✈

Michael R. Grüninger is Managing Director and Capt. Carl C. Norgren is a Consultant at Great Circle Services (GCS) Safety Solutions. GCS assists in the whole range of planning and management issues, offering customized solutions to strengthen the position of a business in the aviation market. Its services include training and auditing (IS-BAO, IOSA), consultancy, manual development and process engineering.

GCS can be reached at www.gcs-safety.com and +41-41 460 46 60. The column Safety Sense appears regularly in BART International.

ERROR

A mistake by an Air Traffic Controller meant two aircraft nearly collided at Zurich Airport.

BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2014 - 79

INSIGHT The striking thing about Aruba is that it outsources registry affairs to an independent company.

The result is increased efficiency, improved customer service, and a heightened commitment to safety. We sat down with Jorge Colindres the Registry s CEO and Chairman to see how it all works.

WITH JORGE COLINDRES CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF THE REGISTRY OF ARUBA

ELIMINATING HASSLE AND BUREAUCRACY

BART: Why do some people consider registering their aircraft outside of their home country?

Colindres: It really varies from case to case and registry to registry.

Registries like ours are successful, because they’re micro-states, easy to manage and can adapt very quickly.

You’re talking about less bureaucracy, less paperwork. When a registry is part of a large country, it’s dependent on a large governmental budget.

Micro-states give you an autonomous budget, and give you more control of your assets.

BART: Is it fair to say that you look at aircraft registries as a service industry?

Colindres: You have to look at it as a service industry. Look at the value of airplanes and remember that they cost money if they’re on the ground. A lot of countries don’t appreciate this and consider themselves a public entity rather than a public service. At the end of the day, the tax payer is paying for a service.

WHITE

Jorge Colindres CEO and Chairman of the Registry of Aruba is prepared to crack-down on illegal flights.

BART: We often hear about aircraft on foreign registries being used for illegal flights, particularly in Russia.

What’s your position on this?

Colindres: Aruba is the country that broke ground in Russia. That was back in 1995. We have an agreement with the Russian Authorities which allows them to exercise oversight of Russian planes while in Russian territory. All other foreign registered aircraft can’t fly domestic without permission. So we have an advantage. The agreement has been in place for over ten years.

But I agree that the grey market is an issue; it’s not a good thing for the industry. It’s a safety issue. Private aircraft are supposed to be used for spe-

80 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2014

cific missions; they’re not supposed to fly commercially. If you are going to charter your airplane, get a commercial certificate, follow the commercial guidelines, respect the flight duty limitations and avoid pilot fatigue. We are very direct with people that come to Aruba and we exercise a lot of supervision of the grey market.

So we’re cracking down on illegal activities; which means that for some people, Aruba might be seen as being too white. But we want to be white.

We are an OECD white-listed country and we want it keep that way. People come to us for the right reasons, that’s why many of the top VIPs are on the Aruban Registry and we have very personal relationships with them. We know them by name, by address. We visit them, we talk to them. That makes a difference. And it’s true that we have cracked down on a couple of them for doing illegal charter.

I’ll give you an example. We had a Challenger 604 a few years ago on the registry. It was operated privately, and belonged to a very big Russian bank.

The pilot decided to skip maintenance and they didn’t log certain legs. When we discovered it, we grounded the airplane. We made the airplane go back to the maintenance facility and brought it all the way back to zero, so that we could bring it back to the proper standards.

So we’re very vigilant when it comes to issues like these. On the other hand, some governments try to needlessly penalize aviation. It’s sad to see a lot of European governments doing things for the wrong reasons. They don’t see that they’re killing the aviation market. Look at the data from last year, accidents and fatalities were up a little. Why is that? Because once you start exerting too much pressure on human beings we tend to go the other way. Overregulation is not good.

When you are deprived of your civil rights, you are deprived of the possibility of generating business for your business. So you go the other way.

BART: Safety is a big part of your brand and message. Do you have a higher safety record than some of the other registries?

Colindres: Across the board, it would be unfair for me to say that we have a better safety record. We just have a different way of doing things. Looking at all of the registries, the safety record is more or less the same. We all operate to very high standards. If you don’t do that, you’re going to affect the resale value of the aircraft.

That is why the clients come. We offer a quality product, high safety standards.

And most of the registries share a European heritage. For instance Aruba is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which means we’re under European continental law, which helps a lot. (Continued on page 82)

INSIGHT

KEEN

The Registry of Aruba is eagerly pursuing new business and opportunities.

BART: Is your focus more on private or commercial aircraft?

Colindres: Right now it’s 70% private and 30% commercial. Initially the Cayman Islands and Bermuda were the traditional aircraft registries, and focused on private aviation. So when we started, we were purely commercial, and we quickly found out that there’s a lot of work when you’re dealing with commercial aviation.

So we switched it. To keep the boutique appeal and the personalized service, we put a limit of 90 airplanes on the registry. When that was done we moved the limit to 500 airplanes; we have 150 airplanes at the moment.

We would love to have 500 airplanes, but we would be really happy if we added 40 airplanes each year for the next five years. And for this year we’re adding about two airplanes a week. And now we are going to sign a new agreement with Russia for commercial airliners, which could significantly increase the number of commercial airlines on the registry.

BART: If someone wants to register an aircraft at Aruba, what are the steps they have to take?

Colindres: It’s very straightforward.

With us, clients don’t have to change

82 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2014

WITH JORGE COLINDRES CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF THE REGISTRY OF ARUBA

the aircraft’s ownership structure.

Let’s say you purchase the airplane through an Isle of Man company. In the past you would have had to form an Aruban SPV, just to assert nationality for the registry. We looked at this and we said Aruba is an OECD whitelisted country, so why do we need to look into people’s tax and financial affairs? So we focused on the nationalities that qualify to register an airplane, and this includes any company formed within the European Union member states or the European Union economic zone or the British Commonwealth, the USA, the UAE and any US trustees.

This also helps the leasing companies for their storage programs and so on. You need to have a local presence and you do this by electing domicile. And the fact that Aruba is part of Cape Town makes it very easy for you to register your security interests. So it’s a simple and simultaneous process.

The cost is based on the MTOW of the aircraft. For example a G550 will cost between $15,000 and $16,000 to register, which is not so dissimilar to other registries. Our big selling point is the ease of registering here.

Just the fact that people don’t have to

create an SPV, means the customer will save more than 50% compared to what they will spend in other registries in creating a special purpose company.

BART: You manage a registry, you market it and then you offer oversight services for national authorities. Are you focusing on too many things at the same time?

Colindres: I’ve been doing this for 22 years and I have a philosophy that your work should be fun. If your work becomes tedious, you’ll start overlooking certain things. We do everything from three points of view. One is that you have to understand the nature of the business, two is that you have to be creative, and three is that you have to have fun. And if you don’t have those three elements, it’s not going to work.

And no, we are not spreading ourselves too thin. We are the largest employer of all offshore civil aviation registries. We take in many retirees from Civil Aviation authorities. We get a lot of guys from the UK CAA, THE FAA, ICAO, so we’re very well covered and ready to take on new business and new opportunities.

✈

OUR FAMILY OF CUStOMeRS | A LetteR SeRIeS

FlightSafety: Enhancing Safety for Generations

Matt Simpson Chief Pilot

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151

WE FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED

FLY IN LOVE

ALL OVER AGAIN

BI-MONTHLY / JULY - AUGUST / POSTING OFFICE BE 1380 LASNE

Remember how you felt when you took delivery of your brand new CJ? The feel of the throttle in your hand. The rush of the first flight. Now you can have that feeling again with the jet you know and love.

The Alpine Edition from Citation Service is an unprecedented upgrade for your CJ2+ Citation jet.

This upgrade will soon be available for other CJ series Citation jets as well.

And you get it from the industry’s most experienced service technicians. When it comes to the service of your jet, trust the experts. This is aviation authority.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO AVIATION AT CESSNA.COM/ALPINE

GARMIN ® G3000™ AVIONICS

REDESIGNED INTERIOR

ALL-NEW COCKPIT

OUR 26th YEAR

JUL - AUG 2014

THE PREMIER TRANSATLANTIC BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE

Mach 0.935 Citation X+ Pure Speed and Brawn Aerion AS2 Supersonic Venture on Steroids

EXTERIOR PAINT SCHEMES

FARNBOROUGH

PREVIEW 2014

LABACE