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JUL - AUG 2018 0UR 30th YEAR
PREMIER TRANS-ATLANTIC BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
AT FARNBOROUGH
Pilot Shortage Filling the Bizav Cockpit Gateways to London
EBACE 2018 BUSINESS AVIATION ON THE RISE AGAIN!
CONFIDENCE IS EARNED That’s why our worldwide 4,000-person-strong customer support network is with you every step of the way. How we serve you is just as important as how your aircraft performs. Discover promise in every journey. GULFSTREAM.COM
For your personal consultation, visit gulfstream.com/contacts.
UPFRONT
Our Raison d'ĂŞtre WHEN A CHARTER FLIGHT from Hawaii or Mallorca is landing at a big international airport, the 300 passengers on board, once disembarked, make their way through the airport, stopping at the various kiosks and duty-free shops. Those making a connecting flight might even stop for dinner and drinks. In fact, according to Airport Council International (ACI), retail accounts for almost a fifth of an airport's revenue - a proportion that has grown steadily in the past decade. As one commentator puts it, "airports now are basically shopping malls with runways". In comparison, when a G650 lands at the same airport, a very different scenario unfolds. Once landed, its four passengers disembark and head straight to a limo waiting for them on the tarmac. Although these passengers do not spend a dime at the airport, their landing requires the airport to expend the same amount of time, energy and skilled labor as the commercial flight. Moreover, the landing fee being based on the a/c weight, the Gulfstream will pay much less. Regardless of how those Gulfstream passengers enrich the region and provide jobs, when it comes to allocating those precious slots, guess who gets the spots? The issue of airport access is crucial, as Business Aviation's added value is its flexibility and access is what allows us to be flexible. Without access, the need for Business Aviation drastically diminishes, and so does its raison d'ĂŞtre. One answer to the dilemma of diminishing slots are dedicated Business Aviation airports, such as TAG Farnborough Airport. Like most dedicated
Business Aviation airports, Farnborough boasts no slots and is commercial jet free. It also offers a range of amenities specifically geared towards the bizav traveler - including an onsite hotel and a state-of-the-art crew gymnasium.
Fernand M. Francois Editor and Publisher
Of course, Business Aviation airports like Farnborough and Le Bourget work because they are so close to the cities they serve. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, with many bizav airports being located in the middle of nowhere - great news if you're intent on visiting a ranch or an oil field, not-so-great when you need to get to the city center for an important business meeting! Short of forcing business jet passengers to purchase a set quota of duty free products at an airport, it seems our choices are to either sit back and take what the slot holders dish out or travel to airports where there are no slots (good luck there - the big boss in the back may have a few opinions on the location vs. their meeting place!). There is, however, a third choice, which falls somewhere in the middle. Yes, preserving our industry's slots at the main hubs is essential, both for location and to sustain the possibility of having access to a connecting commercial flight. At the same time, we must continue to build-up and support those airports dedicated to Business Aviation, as they give us options, cater to our unique industry needs and take pressure off the overcrowded hubs. By combining these airports with the slots that remain available to us at the main hubs, Business Aviation will preserve its raison d'ĂŞtre.
"Small things have a way of overmastering the great. This small press can destroy a Kingdom." Sonya Levien
Introducing HondaJet Elite Redefining the light jet class with superior performance born from aerodynamic breakthroughs. With HondaJet Elite, Honda Aircraft Company designed an aircraft with the betterment of humankind in mind. The advanced innovations were created to improve lives and the world. That’s why the HondaJet Elite not only transports passengers further, faster and higher than any aircraft in its category, but also takes care of the planet while doing so. The HondaJet Elite is more than just a technologically advanced aircraft – it is the connection to people and the world around us. Learn more about the innovations at HondaJetElite.com.
© Honda Aircraft Company
1.336.387.0707 • HondaJetElite.com
FEATURES 28 FARNBOROUGH FEELING
60 SHOW REPORT
34 EUROPEAN REPORT
69 CUSTOMER SERVICE
An inside look at Farnborough 2018
Volume XXX N°3 EDITOR and PUBLISHER Fernand M. Francois ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Kathy Ann Francois ASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER Victoria Coffman EDITORS IN CHIEF EUR Volker K. Thomalla USA Nick Klenske EXECUTIVE EDITOR Busra Ozturk
Light at the end of the tunnel
38 UK REGIONAL REPORT A multitude of options
48 OSHKOSH PREVIEW
EAA Air Venture highlights
52 AVIONICS
Universal Avionics/Elbit: the integration deal
56 PILOT SHORTAGE
Filling the bizav cockpit
AIR LAW EDITOR Aoife O’Sullivan CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Laura Garza, Giulia Mauri, Derek Bloom, Richard Koe, Anna Naznarova SENIOR VP DESIGN Tanguy Francois CONTACT US info@bartintl.com ADVERTISING Kathy Ann Francois MARKETING DIRECTOR Contact me kafrancois@bartintl.com BART International Premier Transatlantic Aviation Magazine ISSN 0776-7596. Printed in Belgium is published and owned by SA Frankie&Lette, 20 rue de l’Industrie at B1400 Nivelles. Phone +326 788 3603. Info@bartintl.com. BART Intl is governed by the International copyright laws. Free professional subscription available. International distribution by ASENDIA. USPS O16707 Priodical postage paid. Call IMS I (800) 4283003 Responsible Publisher Fernand M. Francois
EBACE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION
Q&A with Kriya Shortt, Senior VP Customer Service at Textron Aviation
70 BOOKING OPTIONS
Online private jet booking
74 POLICIES PILOTS CAN BUY INTO
Why are go-around policies ineffective?
78 ONE-ON-ONE WITH MICHIMASA FUJINO Founding President of Honda Aircraft Company
80 FROM THE COCKPIT
Disrupting distractions
DEPARTMENTS
SENIOR EDITOR Marc Grangier TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Steve Nichols
EBACE 2018: Bizav on the rise
PREMIER TRANS-ATLANTIC BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE MEMBER OF
3 FROM THE PUBLISHER 8 BRIEFING ROOM 10 QUICK LANE 20 BUSINESS NEWS 22 ON THE MOVE 24 TRANS-ATLANTIC UPDATE
EXPEDIENT AND EXIGENT
London City Airport, located six miles from the center of London, is the most convenient for the passengers travelling to London. With a 4,900ft runway length and a steep approach at 5.5 degree, it's also one of the most challenging for pilots.
OUR COVER
The iconic air traffic control tower at the award-winning TAG Farnborough Airport, designed by 3DReid Ltd.
OUR ADVERTISERS and their Agencies 47 13 51 57 17 65 9 19 77 2 4-5 39 11 43 33 23 15 37 55 84 73 83 31 27
Avfuel Corporation BendixKing (TMP Worldwide) Blackhawk Modifications, Inc. CAE Duncan Aviation EBACE 2019 FlightSafety International (GRETEMAN GROUP) Garmin GCS Safety Solution Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation HondaJet (MILNER BUTCHER MEDIA GROUP) Honeywell Aerospace (TMP Worldwide) Jet Aviation JetNet LLC Jet Support Services Inc. (JSSI) NBAA-BACE 2018 Rockwell Collins ARINCDirect Rolls-Royce RUBAE 2018 Textron Aviation (Copp Media Services, Inc.) The Air Law Firm Universal Avionics Systems, Corp. Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. West Star Aviation Inc.
BRIEFING ROOM Events
Agenda
LUTON AIRPORT IMPOSES AIRCRAFT NOISE RESTRICTIONS THAT IMPACT BUSINESS AVIATION London is a popular destination for general aviation operators, and there are many airports in the region to pick from. One of the destinations that many operators travel to is Luton (EGGW). Though EGGW is a 24-hour airport, authorities have now published upcoming night restrictions that will be imposed June 1 through September 30 and every subsequent summer period until further notice. Furthermore, below you will find the day time noise restrictions that will start for this year’s summer season between June 1 and September 30: ❍ No day time slots will be allotted to aircraft greater than QC1 0600-2159 UTC ❍ No aircraft changes to confirmed slots that would involve replacing an aircraft with a QC value of 1 or less to an aircraft that exceeds that value during 0600-2159 UTC ❍ No non-emergency diversion flights will be permitted 0600-2159 UTC
FARNBOROUGH International July 16 - 22, 2018 Farnborough, UK
RUBAE Sept. 12 - 14, 2018 Vnukovo 3 Moscow, Russia
NBAA-BACE Oct. 16 - 18, 2018 Orlando FL, USA
MEBA Dec. 10 - 12, 2018 Dubai, UAE
HAI HELI -EXPO March. 4 - 7, 2019 Atlanta, USA
IF YOU PLAN ON OPERATING to EGGW between June 1 and September 30 (and any future summer period), you need to be aware of the following: ❍ No ad hoc movements – including general aviation, scheduled commercial, and maintenance flights – will be permitted 2200-0559 UTC ❍ No night slots will be allotted to series flights 2200-0559 UTC ❍ No revisions of existing confirmed slots from day time (0600-2159 UTC) to night time (2200-0559 UTC) ❍ No non-emergency diversion flights will be permitted during 2200-0559 UTC ❍ Effective summer period of 2019 and until further notice, aircraft with a value greater of QC1 will not be permitted to operate during the night time period
Due to the above restrictions, it’s important to consider alternates that will allow you to complete your critical missions. With that in mind, please consider the following recommendations: ❍ Stansted (EGSS) airport – Note: only 10 night slots per week will be allotted between 2200-0559 UTC Be advised that airports throughout the London area are imposing stricter noise restrictions that will affect operators with equipment exceeding the designated noise restrictions. Questions? If you have any questions about this article or would like assistance planning your next trip to the UK,contact SEAN RAFTERY seanraftery@universalaviation.aero at UNIVERSAL WEATHER.
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Aviation professionals from around the world trust us to provide the highest-quality training and outstanding service. More than 1,800 highly experienced professional instructors deliver aircraft- and mission-specific courses, using our comprehensive training systems and advanced-technology flight simulators designed to enhance safety. Trust your training to FlightSafety. You’ll see why so many aviation professionals make the same choice. And have since 1951. For more information, please contact Steve Gross, Senior Vice President, Commercial 314.785.7815 • sales@flightsafety.com • flightsafety.com • A Berkshire Hathaway company
QUICK LANE WINGLET TECHNOLOGY RECEIVES FAA STC APPROVAL FOR CITATION SOVEREIGN Wichita, Kansas-based Winglet Technology has received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approval to increase the Citation Sovereign maximum take-off weight (MTOW) by 475 lbs and the maximum zero fuel weight (MZFW) by 200 lbs with the installation of the Transitional winglet design. FAA STC ST01840WI was amended on February 15, 2018 to permit operations with the Transitional winglets installed at the higher MTOW and MZFW.
SERGE DASSAULT, LEADER OF A FRENCH AVIATION EMPIRE, DIES AT 93 French Business Executive and Aviation Baron Serge Dassault died of heart failure at his Paris office on May 28. His funeral was held on June 1 at "Les Invalides", a complex of monuments related to the military history, containing Napoleon's I Tombstone, in the heart of Paris. "By serving his company, Dassault Aviation, part of Marcel Dassault Group, Serge Dassault never ceased to serve his country," said Prime Minister Edward Philippe delivering an homage.
WORLD FUEL SERVICES RECEIVES GULFSTREAM SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR AWARD Leading fuel and aviation services provider, World Fuel Services (WFS), has received a Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation 2018 Supplier of the Year Award. This achievement was bestowed upon WFS to recognize its continued innovation and investment in Gulfstream’s journey toward environmental sustainability. Since 2016, WFS has provided Gulfstream with more than 375,000 gallons of a renewable fuel blend that has been used to fly the Gulfstream corporate fleet over 500,000 nautical miles.
10 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2018
TAG FARNBOROUGH AIRPORT BECOMES FIRST CARBON NEUTRAL BIZAV AIRPORT TAG Farnborough Airport has been awarded carbon neutral status, the first Business Aviation airport in the world to achieve this under Airport Carbon Accreditation run by Airports Council International Europe. Over the past decade, TAG Farnborough Airport has reduced carbon emissions over which it has direct control by 42 per cent or 2,183 tons and over the past 5 years alone has invested over £1 million into energy efficiency projects.
One Goal:
Exceeding Your Expectations
Our mission is to take care of your every need, no matter where or when you may be traveling. The professional FBO staff at Jet Aviation makes it a priority to accommodate the wishes of both passengers and crew, focusing on convenience, safety and with the greatest attention to detail.
USA & Caribbean – Boston/Bedford l Dallas l Houston l Los Angeles/Van Nuys l Nassau l Palm Beach l St. Louis l San Juan l Teterboro l Washington/Dulles EMEA & Asia – Berlin Schonefeld/Tegel l Dubai DXB/DWC l Dusseldorf l Geneva l Jeddah l Medina l Munich l Riyadh l Singapore l Vienna l Zurich
One Jet Aviation. Many Advantages. Maintenance, Refurbishment, Completions, FBO, Aircraft Management, Flight Support, Charter, Staffing.
www.jetaviation.com/fbo
QUICK LANE ROCKWELL COLLINS, COMLUX NOW PROVIDING COMPLETE SOLUTIONS FOR VIP AIRCRAFT Rockwell Collins and Comlux have signed a general terms agreement in which Rockwell Collins will provide its VIP customers with a comprehensive product portfolio, including avionics, cabin management, content and entertainment options, seating, lighting and galley products, as well as ARINCDirectSM connectivity and flight services. Engineering work on the first two aircraft awarded under this five-year agreement is now underway.
CAE EXPANDS BIZAV TRAINING FOOTPRINT IN EUROPE CAE announced the expansion of its Business Aviation training footprint with the launch of the new Bombardier Global 5000/6000 full-flight simulator (FFS) with Vision flight deck. The new CAE 7000XR Series FFS is equipped with CAE Tropos 6000XR visual system, offering unprecedented realism. Luxaviation, Tag Aviation Europe, along with the pilots of many other business aircraft operators have started training at CAE London Burgess Hill.
BLACKHAWK AND SNC ACQUIRE XP67A KING AIR 350ER
PIAGGIO AEROSPACE ANNOUNCES GROWTH PLANS AND NEW ORDERS
Blackhawk Modifications’ Vector-Hawk Aerospace (VHA), has teamed with Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) to offer the Blackhawk XP67A Engine+ Upgrade Supplemental Type Certificate Kit for the Beechcraft King Air 350ER. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently approved Blackhawk Modifications’ XP67A Engine+ Upgrade for the aircraft at takeoff weights up to 17,500 pounds maximum allowable takeoff weight.
Piaggio Aerospace presented the company’s growth strategy outlined in the five-year industrial plan and announced the Avanti EVO’s increasing orders at EBACE. “We secured four new orders of the Avanti EVO in the first few months of 2018, and the sales momentum is continuing,” said Renato Vaghi, CEO of Piaggio Aerospace. “Reinforced by a new financial stability, we intend to focus on aircraft, leveraging our revamped production and a new commercialization strategy for the P.180 Avanti EVO.”
12 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2018
ADS-B now. Less downtime, stress and cost. Wheels up.
Your passengers rely on you to have your aircraft ready and available to the greatest extent possible, so why settle for an ADS-B mandate solution that requires unnecessary downtime? The MST 70B is a global mandate-compliant ADS-B transponder designed as a direct replacement for your existing MST 67As. By reusing the existing mounting trays and connectors, we’ll save you significant installation time and money. The MST 70B is approved for most popular business aircraft that were originally delivered with BendixKing 67As, including Citations, Gulfstreams, Challengers, Hawkers, Lears and Falcons. An affordable, easy-to-install ADS-B solution for your aircraft is available today. Why wait any longer?
To learn more, call 1.855.250.7027, contact your local BendixKing dealer or visit go.bendixking.com/MST-70B Š2018 Honeywell International
QUICK LANE UAS SIGNIFICANTLY BOOSTS GROUND PRESENCE IN CHINA Global trip support solutions provider UAS International Trip Support (UAS) announced an advanced-level partnership with Deer Jet that significantly expands its presence across China and ensures its clients receive special privileges across the region’s largest FBO network and station manager network. UAS clients will benefit from both preferred pricing and priority of service provision when compared to other operators at Deer Jet’s 11 world-class FBOs located at key commercial and travel hubs in China.
JET AVIATION PARTNERS WITH ‘BIG NAMES’ TO DEVELOP VVIP SOLUTION FOR ACJ380
Jet Aviation is partnering with Sparfell & Partners, Winch Design and DS Aviation to develop a VVIP market solution for the Airbus ACJ380. Under the agreement, Jet Aviation will engineer, manage, manufacture, install and certify (STC) a VVIP cabin interior for the ACJ380. As an approved Airbus completions facility with more than 40 years of completions experience and expertise, Jet Aviation is uniquely qualified to integrate VIP cabins on the largest airframes in the market.
FLIGHTSAFETY INT’L EXPANDS PILATUS PC-12 NG TRAINING TO DENVER
EURO JET CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF GROWTH AT EBACE
FlightSafety International will offer training for the Pilatus PC-12 NG aircraft at its Learning Center in Denver, Colorado. This will be FlightSafety’s third PC-12 simulator and second training location. “This further expansion of our Pilatus PC-12 program clearly demonstrates the need and desire for high quality training using advanced Level D qualified simulators,” said David Davenport, executive vice president.
Euro Jet, the leading provider of ground support services throughout Europe and Asia, celebrated 10 years of continuous growth and development at EBACE. Established in 2008, Euro Jet’s goal was to create a network of ground handling support stations throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Ten years later and with over 200 stations manned by a team of aviation professionals, the company has supported tens of thousands of flights for customers ranging from executive jet operators to commercial and cargo carriers.
14 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2018
Simplifying the business of flight. When your flight operations become complex, Rockwell Collins makes your mission our sole objective. With intuitive end-to-end solutions that make flying more enjoyable, safe and productive, we anticipate your challenges so you can focus on flying.
ARINCDIRECT FLIGHT AND CABIN SOLUTIONS SM
> Cabin connectivity and applications > Flight planning and Data Link > International trip support > FOSÂŽ scheduling > Fuel
rockwellcollins.com/arincdirect Š 2018 Rockwell Collins. All rights reserved.
QUICK LANE FLYING COLOURS RECEIVES EASA APPROVAL FOR ADS-B OUT ON CHALLENGER 300 With the mandatory equipping of ADS-B OUT for aircraft flying in controlled European air space only two years away, Flying Colours Corp. has secured approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to install the tracking technology on Bombardier Challenger 300 airframes operating within its jurisdiction. The announcement follows hard on the heels of gaining the same approval from Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), and complements the existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval issued in 2017.
STANDARDAERO AUTHORIZED AS EXCLUSIVE PROVIDER FOR HONEYWELL TFE731 IN EMEAI StandardAero has been authorized by Honeywell Aerospace as the exclusive provider in the Europe, Middle East, Africa and India (EMEAI) region for MRO services for the Honeywell TFE731 family of turbofan engines. The new agreement authorizes StandardAero to be the only maintenance facility, located in the EMEAI region, licensed to perform both Core Zone Inspections (CZIs) and MSP covered Major Periodic Inspections (MPIs).
AVIAÂ WELCOMES SUPPLIER PARTNERS UVAIR AND SATCOM DIRECT
AVIAÂ, the expanding international group purchasing organization, signed two new partnership agreements. It has ratified deals with UVair, the fuel division of Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc. and Business Aviation connectivity, software and hardware provider Satcom Direct, to deliver savings for its members - on fuel and inflight connectivity. AVIAÂ's partnership with UVair introduces an AVIAÂ branded fuelling card, which brings exclusive rates for its members.
16 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2018
AERO-DIENST CELEBRATES ITS 60TH ANNIVERSARY
JSSI ACQUIRES CONKLIN & DE DECKER
This year, Aero-Dienst is celebrating 60 years of operation. During the past six decades, the Nuremberg company has advanced from a regional maintenance company to become an internationally recognized full-service provider for Business Aviation and Air Ambulance services. With a view to providing maintenance customers with an even more comprehensive range of services, Aero-Dienst has extended the Interior Solutions, Engineering Services and Component Maintenance sections.
In a landmark move in the Business Aviation industry, Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI) has acquired Conklin & de Decker Associates. An industry leader in aviation research, Conklin & de Decker has provided a wide range of aircraft cost and performance data to the Business Aviation industry for nearly 35 years. Conklin & de Decker will now be recognized as a JSSI company, retaining the name that was created by founders William ‘Bill’ de Decker and the late Alan H. Conklin in 1984.
CABIN EXPERIENCE
the possibilities are endless
www.DuncanAviation.aero/CabinExperience Experience. Unlike any other.
Your aircraft cabin should make you feel at home. It should make you comfortable, yet productive, while reflecting your unique sense of style with customized design and a personal touch. At Duncan Aviation, we have led the industry for nearly 30 years with custom completions solutions for a wide variety of business jet cabins. Our aircraft designers are experienced in creating beautiful interiors that satisfy aircraft operators as well as the often stringent restrictions placed on these relatively small interior spaces. Our gorgeous designs are combined with production expertise, innovation and unmatched quality. The result is an aircraft Cabin Experience. Unlike any other.
QUICK LANE HONDA AIRCRAFT COMPANY UNVEILS THE HONDAJET ELITE Honda Aircraft Company revealed a new upgraded aircraft, the “HondaJet Elite,” at a special hangar event ahead of EBACE 2018. The HondaJet Elite has achieved an extended range of an additional 17% (+396km) and is equipped with a newly developed noise attenuating inlet structure that lines each engine and greatly reduces high frequency noise to enhance cabin quietness. Additionally, the new aircraft’s advanced avionics system incorporates additional performance management functions for optimum flight planning and automatic stability and protection functions to enhance safety of flight.
AIR BP ANNOUNCES INNOVATIVE AIRFIELD AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGY
WEST STAR AVIATION RECEIVES PART 145 CERTIFICATION FOR HOUSTON FACILITY
Air BP has developed an innovative new Airfield Automation technology to enhance safety, reliability and compliance in airport fuelling operations. This new digital platform for operators and airports is an integrated, real-time, global solution that strengthens safety barriers and mitigates risks during the fuelling process. It is the first commercially deployed system in the world to provide an engineering barrier to actively help prevent misfuelling.
West Star Aviation announced their satellite location at ConroeNorth Houston Regional Airport (CXO), has received FAA Part 145 Repair Station Certification. In operation since 2016, the facility has provided quality maintenance and support services for aircraft at nearby Houston metropolitan airports. As a satellite location for West Star, this location offers 24/7 on-call AOG mobile service, limited maintenance and troubleshooting, as well as avionics repair.
DUNCAN AVIATION PARTNERS WITH SMARTSKY ON 4G LTE NETWORK Duncan Aviation announced its partnership with SmartSky Networks, as the latter company launches its new 4G LTE-based inflight connectivity network. The air-to-ground (ATG) network delivers a true office-in-the-sky environment with unprecedented speed, reliability, and security. With low latency and high bandwidth, passengers will enjoy the same connectivity capabilities they do on the ground: streaming video, chatting, texting, playing games and video conferencing.
18 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2018
WHO CARES THAT OUR ADS-B SOLUTIONS ARE APPROVED FOR MORE THAN 50 MODELS OF BUSINESS AIRCRAFT?
IF YOU NEED ADS-B INSTALLED IN YOUR AIRCRAFT, YOU DO.
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CAE REPORTS FOURTH QUARTER AND FULL FISCAL YEAR 2018 RESULTS
CAE REPORTED REVENUE of $780.7 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018, up 6% from the fourth quarter last year. Fourth quarter net income attributable to equity holders from continuing operations was $100.1 million ($0.37 per share) compared to $67.4 million ($0.25 per share), or $82.4 million ($0.31 per share) before specific items last year. This represents a 19% EPS increase over the same period last year. Annual fiscal 2018 revenue was $2.8 billion, up 5% from the prior year. Annual net income attributable to equity holders from continuing operations was $347.0 million ($1.29 per share). This includes an income tax recovery related to the US tax reform, and net gains on strategic transactions relating to CAE’s Asian joint ventures: Asian Aviation Centre of Excellence (AACE) and Zhuhai Flight Training Centre (ZFTC). Excluding these elements, annual EPS would have been $1.11 per share. This compares to annual net income before specific items of $278.4 million ($1.03 per share) in fiscal year 2017, and represents an annual EPS increase of 8% over last year. All financial information is in Canadian dollars. “CAE’s training strategy is proving successfull as evidenced by our strong performance in the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2018 and our delivery on our growth out20 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2018
look across all segments. I am especially pleased with our increased momentum to be the recognized global training partner of choice, as underscored by a record $3.9 billion annual order intake and $7.8 billion backlog,” said Marc Parent, CAE’s president and chief executive officer. “We grew earnings per share by 8% this year and increased return on capital to 12.3% on higher training demand and the deployment of accretive growth capital. In Civil, we grew segment operating income by 12% and booked a record $2.3 billion in orders, and in defense, we grew segment operating income by 6% and booked a record $1.4 billion in orders. In Healthcare, we resumed growth with the launch of innovative products and a broader market reach. Our core markets benefit from strong fundamentals and secular tailwinds, and as we look to the year ahead, we expect CAE to exceed the underlying rate of growth in these markets.”
Civil Aviation Training Solutions
Fourth quarter Civil revenue was $455.2 million, up 9% compared to the same quarter last year, and segment operating income was $95.7 million (21.0% of revenue), up 14% compared to the fourth quarter last year. Fourth quarter civil training center utilization was 82%.
Annual civil revenue was $1,629.7 million, up 5% compared to last year, and segment operating income was $324.5 million (19.9% of revenue). Annual segment operating income includes net gains on strategic transactions relating to AACE and ZFTC. Excluding these elements, annual segment operating income would have been $306.2 million (18.8% of revenue), up 12% compared to the prior year. Annual civil training center utilization was 76%. During the quarter, civil signed training solutions contracts valued at $544.5 million, including long-term training services in Europe and the Americas, and the sale of 5 full-flight simulators (FFSs). For the year, civil booked orders for a record $2.3 billion, demonstrating CAE’s increased momentum as training partner of choice. In Business Aviation, civil won long-term training contracts with customers worldwide, including Elit’Avia and Flexjet. The civil book-to-sales ratio was 1.20x for the quarter and 1.44x for the last 12 months. The civil backlog at the end of the year was a record $4.0 billion, which is up 21% from the prior year period.
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ELBIT SYSTEMS REPORTS FIRST QUARTER OF 2018 RESULTS ELBIT SYSTEMS LTD. REPORTED its consolidated results for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. Revenues in the first quarter of 2018 were $818.5 million, as compared to $749.2 million in the first quarter of 2017. The growth in revenues in the first quarter of 2018 was driven by sales from the increased backlog and by the adoption of the ASC 606 revenue recognition standard. Non-GAAP gross profit amounted to $239.8 million (29.3% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2018, as compared to $226.8 million (30.3% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2017. GAAP gross profit in the first quarter of 2018 was $235.4 million (28.8% of revenues), as compared to $221.2 million (29.5% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2017.
(6.9% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2017. GAAP net income in the first quarter of 2018 was $49.6 million (6.1% of revenues), as compared to $45.6 million (6.1% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2017. Non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share attributable to the company’s shareholders were $1.28 for the first quarter of 2018, as compared to $1.21 for the first quarter of 2017. GAAP diluted earnings per share in the first quarter of 2018 were $1.16, as compared to $1.07 for the first quarter of 2017. Research and development expenses, net were $68.2 million (8.3% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2018, as compared to $58.4 million (7.8% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2017. Marketing and selling expenses, net were $68.2 million (8.3% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2018, as compared to $65.8 million (8.8% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2017. General and administrative expenses, net were $35.7 million (4.4% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2018, as compared to $38.7 million (5.2% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2017. Non-GAAP operating income was $69.4 million (8.5% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2018, as compared to $65.5 million (8.7% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2017. GAAP operating income in the first quarter of 2018 was $63.3 million (7.7% of revenues), as compared to $58.2 million (7.8% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2017. Financial expenses, net were $10.2 million in the first quarter of 2018, as compared to $8.6 million in the first quarter of 2017. Taxes on income were $6.4 million (effective tax rate of 12.0%) in the first quarter of 2018, as compared to $5.3 million (effective tax rate of 10.6%) in the first quarter of 2017. The effective tax rate is affected by the mix of the tax rates in the various jurisdictions in which the company’s entities generate taxable income. Equity in net earnings of affiliated companies and partnerships was $3.1 million (0.4% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2018, as compared to $1.6 million (0.2% of revenues) in the first quarter of 2017. Net income attributable to non-controlling interests was $0.2 million in the first quarter of 2018, as compared to $0.3 million in the first quarter of 2017. Non-GAAP net income attributable to the company’s shareholders in the first quarter of 2018 was $54.9 million (6.7% of revenues), as compared to $51.7 million
The company’s backlog of orders for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 totaled $8,046 million, as compared to $7,067 million as of March 31, 2017. Approximately 74% of the current backlog is attributable to orders from outside Israel. Approximately 60% of the current backlog is scheduled to be performed during 2018 and 2019. Operating cash flow used in the quarter ended March 31, 2018 was $147.9 million, as compared to $51.3 million in the quarter ended March 31, 2017.
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JETNET RELEASES FIRST QUARTER 2018 MARKET INFORMATION BUSSINESS JET TRANSACTIONS (BY WEIGHT)
Source: JETNET JETNET LLC, THE LEADING PROVIDER of aviation intelligence, has released first quarter 2018 results for the pre-owned business jet, business turboprop and helicopter, and commercial airliner markets. Generally, inventories are down across the board, except for Piston Helicopters! The Business Jet market showed the largest decrease in sale transactions (-3.8%) of all markets reported. Business Jets showed the largest decrease in for-sale numbers, with 350 fewer jets. Piston helicopters were the only segment to show an increase in for-sale numbers (up 13), from 541 in March 2017 to 554 in March 2018. Across all aircraft sectors, there was a total of 5,675, or 10.7% fewer, aircraft for sale in the quarterly comparison, with Business Jets accounting for 51% of the 680 fewer aircraft for sale. Accordingly, Fleet For Sale Percentages for Business Jets and Business Turboprops are showing the largest decreases of all market sectors in the quarterly comparison, at 9.3% (down 1.9 pts.), and 6.9% (down .9 pt.), respectively. Business Jet full sale transactions showed a 3.8% decrease, and business jets are taking less time to sell than last year (-16 days).
However, Business Turboprops showed a decrease of -0.7% in sale transactions, and are taking more time to sell (+13 days). Turbine Helicopters saw increases in sale transactions in the first quarter comparisons, at 4.7%. They took 8 fewer days to sell. However, Piston Helicopters are taking 104 fewer days, with a decline of 1.7% in sale transactions. In total, there were 24 fewer business jet transactions (-3.8%) in the first quarter of 2018 than the first quarter of 2017. The comparisons reveal where the changes occurred by aircraft weight group. The results were mixed by weight class when comparing the first quarters of 2018 and 2017. While the light jet weight class accounts for 33% (200 out of 605) of the total sale transactions, its change in the quarterly comparison showed a difference of 52 fewer transactions, and it was the only weight class to show a decline. The heavy segment (35,000+ lbs.) showed the largest increase in full retail sale transactions, up by 13 units, or 5.9%. At 233 total sales, this segment accounted for 38% of all pre-owned retail jet transactions in Q1 2018.
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ON THE MOVE PEOPLE Aerion, the leader in supersonic flight, has promoted Peter Sturdza to vice president of Flight Sciences. Also at Aerion, Roger Noble has been appointed as vice president of Sales for the Eastern United States. Avfuel Corporation has welcomed two new members to its dedicated sales teams: Joshua Diggs, district manager, and Jacob Jones, contract fuel inside sales coordinator. As district manager, Diggs is responsible for developing relationships and overseeing partnerships with the airports and FBOs in the mid-America region. As contract fuel inside sales coordinator, Jones is responsible for supporting Avfuel’s key accounts, assisting sales executives in analysis and customer support initiatives. Blackhawk Modifications announced the expansion of their team with the addition of David Parsons in the position of director of Sales Coordination. Parsons will support and coordinate Blackhawk's global support team, from product sales to final flight acceptance of the Blackhawk-powered aircraft. AVIAÂ, the expanding global group purchasing organization for business aircraft owners and operators, has added to its team of experts with the appointment of UK-based Clive Prentice as consultant, specializing in MRO and technical services. In his new role, he will advise on suitable independent maintenance partners
Clive Prentice
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and mentor the global maintenance team as the business evolves. Safran Helicopter Engines has made two senior management appointments: Florent Chauvancy has been appointed executive vice-president, OEM Sales, succeeding Maxime Faribault who is retiring. And Giuseppe Curci is appointed executive vice-president, Finance and Administration. He succeeds Pierre-Jean Flores, who has been appointed to another position within the group. Cutter Aviation announced the promotion of Mark Wilson to the newly created position of Pilatus program director. In this new role, Mark will be the primary contact and direct all business for our new Pilatus Center which is comprised of our repair stations, Pilatus satellite centers, Pilatus fleet operators, and Pilatus wholesale parts and warranty support within the Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Colorado Pilatus territory. Duncan Aviation announced that Leah Lenardic has joined the company’s Aircraft Sales and Acquisitions team. In this new role, Lenardic will supplement the seven-member Aircraft Sales and Acquisitions team. From her office near the Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling, Illinois, Lenardic will work in market research and sales support. Mina Perry has joined Duncan Aviation's Human Resources team and will be working out of the Provo, Utah, office.
Leah Lenardic
Also at Duncan Aviation, Tim Kelly and John Spellmeyer have been promoted to the company’s new regional avionics sales managers. Dave Thompson has accepted the position as team leader for the first dedicated Falcon team at Duncan’s facility in Provo, Utah. Thompson will lead efforts to build the team and gather the necessary tooling and ground-support equipment over the next several months to make sure the team is set for all models and workscopes in the Falcon product line. FlightSafety International announced that Nancy Ritter has been promoted to manager of the FlightSafety Learning Center in Orlando, Florida, and Hector Zarate has been named interim president of FlightSafety Services Corporation. In his new role, Zarate assumes responsibility for all operations of FlightSafety Services which provides
Nancy Ritter turnkey aircrew training systems and contractor logistics support to customers worldwide. Jet Aviation announced that Steve Schrammel is their new director of FBO Services at Washington/Dulles. Schrammel has been in the aviation industry for more than 20 years and has been serving the customers at Washington/Dulles as assis-
tant director of FBO services for nearly four years. Meanwhile, Josh Baynes is no longer serving as a media contact at Rockwell Collins. He started his new role at the company as a senior program manager, Aeronautical Data Services, Business & Regional Systems for Rockwell Collins. West Star Aviation announced Keith Schroeder as regional sales manager for West Star. Schroeder will be responsible for the Midwest territory. Also, H o w a r d Allred has been appointed as the chief financial officer at West Star. He will be responsible for the financial welfare of the company. SmartSky Networks announced that N a n c y Walker has joined the company in the newly created role of chief commercial officer. Walker’s vast knowledge of the inflight connectivity industry, coupled with her wealth of aerospace business development and avionics engineering experience, will position her to make an immediate and valuable contribution to SmartSky. The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced that John D. Witzig, vice president of corporate aviation for Pfizer Inc., has been named to the NBAA Board of Directors. Witzig is a member of Pfizer’s Human Resources Leadership Team and Senior Leadership Council. He also is a member of the Aviation Director’s Roundtable. Thomas Opelt, Manager Maintenance Avionics at Aero-Dienst in Nuremberg, Germany, was recently elected as new Global Customer Committee (GCC) Electrical Vicechair EMEAI. With Opelt's election the GCC gets a second Chair Member from Aero-Dienst. GCC is an independent group of Business Aviation professionals that works jointly with Honeywell.
SAVE THE DATE FOR THE WORLD’S LARGEST BUSINESS AVIATION EVENT Join over 25,000 industry professionals for the most important three days of business aviation, with 1,100 exhibitors, 2 static displays of aircraft – one inside the exhibit hall and the other outside at Orlando Executive Airport, and more than 50 education opportunities. Save the date and visit the NBAA-BACE website to learn more.
www.nbaa.org/2018
TRANS-ATLANTIC EUROPE ON OUR RADAR THIS MONTH EBACE2018 CONCLUDES AS A STRONG, FORWARD-LOOKING SHOW
From the Desk of EBAA COO Robert Baltus AS THE 2018 EDITION of the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE) concluded its third and final day on May 31, organizers reported that by every measure, the event once again served as a powerful and forward-looking showcase for the European Business Aviation industry. EBACE is jointly organized each year by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). “This was a decidedly upbeat, optimistic EBACE week, which highlighted the passion and enthusiasm at the heart of the Business Aviation community,” said EBAA Chairman Juergen Wiese. “The show reflected a reverence for the industry’s history, as well as an embrace of its future.” NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen agreed, adding: “EBACE once again showed that Business Aviation is an industry focused on innovation and investment in the future. The new aircraft models, the new business models, the featured speakers and the trends we discussed all point to an energetic industry looking toward tomorrow.” The EBACE week began with a pre-show Media Luncheon highlighting a new industry initiative to advance the development and adoption of Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuel (SAJF), and introduction of the “Business Aviation Guide to the Use of Sustainable Alternative Fuel (SAJF),” focused on raising awareness and adoption of available and sustainable alternative jet-fuel options. 24 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2018
EBACE2018 began its opening day with a standing-room-only session featuring an awe-inspiring keynote presentation by Yves “Jetman” Rossy. An accomplished military and commercial pilot, Rossy is also the inventor of a series of experimental individual jet packs that have given him the ability to soar like a bird over the English Channel and US Grand Canyon and even fly in formation with an Airbus A380. A packed exhibit floor featured 418 exhibitors, an increase over last year’s event, from across the world. EBACE2018 also welcomed a number of first-time exhibitors to the show, while a host of companies chose EBACE as the ideal venue to announce new aircraft, products and services, with press conferences and media events throughout the week. Attendees at the show represented about 100 countries. The sold-out EBACE2018 static display featured 54 aircraft on the ramp at Geneva Airport, ranging from intercontinental business jets, to turboprop and piston aircraft, to helicopters. The event also hosted introductions of new aircraft making their first appearances at EBACE2018. Another prominent initiative on display throughout EBACE2018 was EBAA’s recently-unveiled Expanding Horizons program, a continent-wide awareness campaign to highlight the value of Business Aviation in the European region. The week included the release of the EBAA study “Expanding Horizons: How Millennials see
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the Future of Business Aviation,” which revealed that young professionals recognize the main benefit of the Business Aviation industry to be its ability to take people where they need, when they need. Returning to EBACE2018 was the event’s second-annual Careers in Business Aviation Day, which introduced more than 250 students from high schools and universities across Europe to the broad range of potential career paths throughout the industry. Also a part of EBACE2018 were the EBAA Awards of Merit, recognizing companies that have established a solid safety culture within their organizations. This year, EBAA recognized five European companies for achieving 100,000 accident-free flying hours. The award presentation kicked off a series of sessions focused on the latest insights for continually enhancing Business Aviation safety, a top industry priority. In addition, the event hosted the wellattended International Aircraft Transactions Seminar, a day-long presentation addressing common questions and concerns with the purchase, importation and operation of business aircraft throughout Europe. EBACE2018 also featured numerous informative education sessions addressing top concerns in the European Business Aviation community, including the implications of Brexit for Business Aviation, improving access to European airspace and airports for Business Aviation operators, promoting career opportunities within the industry and the role of Business Aviation in times of crisis. During the event, organizers took a moment to recognize the life and legacy of Serge Dassault, who passed away on 28 May at age 93. EBACE2018 was dedicated to Dassault, who in 2009 received NBAA’s Meritorious Service to Aviation Award for his contributions to Business Aviation. Review news stories, photos and more in the EBACE2018 online newsroom. Next year’s EBACE will return to Palexpo and Geneva Airport from 21-23 May 2019.
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IN EUROPE, AN ESSENTIAL INDUSTRY REDOUBLES ITS INVESTMENT IN FUELS AND THE FUTURE
ON MAY 28, a coalition of international Business Aviation organizations joined government officials to redouble their focus on advancing the development and adoption of Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuel (SAJF), reflecting the industry’s long-standing commitment to emissions reduction, including, among other aims, carbon neutrality from 2020 forward. At the heart of this initiative is a new product – the “Business Aviation Guide to the Use of Sustainable Alternative Fuel (SAJF)” – focused on raising awareness and adoption of available and emerging sustainable alternative jet-fuel options, and providing a roadmap for the education about, and use of, SAJF. The guide has been produced by a coalition, which includes the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), the International Business Aviation Council, the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), and the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). Valuable technical assistance was provided by the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) and the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG). The Guide makes three points clear: 1. SAJF for Business Aviation are safe, approved, and available today, though in limited quantities, 2. The fuels offer myriad benefits, including those in support of the sustainability of Business Aviation, corporate responsibility and reduced emissions, 3. The fuels are produced from multiple feedstocks, which are sustainable,
renewable resources, and are therefore an environmental “win-win.” “The Business Aviation community has a long and successful history of innovation when it comes to promoting the policies, products and procedures that reduce the industry’s carbon footprint,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “With this initiative, we underscore our effort on what has always been an important priority.” “The EBAA is very proud to have contributed to this project, which will aim to increase the availability of sustainable alternative jet fuel, directly contributing toward our sector goals, and therefore reducing our overall environmental impact,” said EBAA Chairman Juergen Wiese. “Our collective effort as an industry, including the publication of the ‘Business Aviation Guide to the Use of SAJF,’ is a key step forward, which will raise awareness and benefit our stakeholders, our environment and our business,” said David Coleal, Chair of the GAMA’s Environment Committee and President, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “This initiative is not only about fuels; it reflects our sector’s overall commitment to climate change. Civil aviation, including the Business Aviation sector, is the only global industry to have developed clear, concrete and measurable efficiency goals. By expanding the definition of value creation to include environmental and social impact, we are securing returns for years to come, and building a brighter, cleaner future for our next generations.” International Business Aviation Council Director General Kurt H. Edwards commented: “Sustainable alternative jet fuels are a new technology available now for use by our innovative community. Their growing use will be a critical component of Business Aviation’s global commitment to mitigate and reduce carbon emissions and to meet our aspirational goal of carbon-neutral growth from 2020.”
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TRANS-ATLANTIC U.S.A. ON OUR RADAR THIS MONTH AT EBACE2018, INDUSTRY REDOUBLES COMMITMENT TO PROMOTE USE OF SUSTAINABLE FUELS
From the Desk of NBAA President & CEO Ed Bolen TAKING PLACE 29-31 MAY in Geneva, the 2018 edition of the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2018) once again brought together Europe’s top business leaders, manufacturers and suppliers, regulatory officials and others to discuss the most important matters affecting the industry. Among those topics was fuel sustainability. The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and other industry stakeholders took a significant step forward on the matter, joining with four other stakeholder groups in announcing a new initiative focused on raising awareness and adoption of available and emerging alternative jet fuel options, including the introduction of the Business Aviation Guide to the Use of Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuels (SAJF). Business Aviation has long been on the forefront of technological innovation. Advancements in winglets, composites and propulsion systems, as well as technologies such as GPS and ADS-B, have not only made business aircraft more efficient, but have also delivered gains in safety and environmental sustainability. The industry has also long been dedicated to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from aircraft, with a proven record of advances in carbon reduction. Previously, the industry’s commitment to 26 - BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2018
emissions reduction was codified through the Business Aviation Commitment on Climate Change, unveiled in November 2009. Among the aims of that commitment are a 2-percent improvement in efficiency per year from 2010 until 2020, carbon-neutral growth from 2020 onwards, and a 50percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050, relative to 2005. These objectives are expected to be reached through advancements in four areas: more efficient operations, continuing infrastructure improvements, marketbased measures and technology investment, including the development of alternative aircraft fuels. With this in mind, it’s quite fitting that EBACE marked the introduction of this new, concrete step involving the entire value chain, by releasing a guide for the use of sustainable alternative jet fuels. As we’ve seen through numerous announcements and demonstration flights over the past several years, alternative fuels are already a reality; the technology is here, but the limiting factor against widespread adoption has primarily been the lack of production facilities and widespread distribution sources. From a practical standpoint, the aim of this initiative is clear. As an industry, we want to answer questions that aircraft
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MAKE THE
TRANSATLANTIC
CONNECTION MAINTENANCE
operators, FBOs, owners, pilots, fuel providers, airports and others may have about these new fuels, and we want to allay any concerns they may have the performance, safety and appropriateness of using them wherever they are available. For example, you may not realize that when sustainable fuel components are blended with petroleum jet fuel at allowable levels, they can be re-categorized as D1655 fuels – the standard for aviation turbine fuels – and are completely indistinguishable from petroleum-based Jet A. From a global standpoint, our aim is equally certain: Business Aviation is an industry with a past, present and future commitment to emissions reduction. That commitment is shared by the industry globally, in Europe and in the United States, and locally at every airfield and manufacturing facility, and the scope of industry support for this alternative fuels initiative reflects this commitment. In addition to NBAA, other entities involved in this effort include the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), the International Business Aviation Council and National Air Transportation Association (NATA). Through this new initiative, we hope that Business Aviation may advance the proliferation of SAJF at all the logical touchpoints, including manufacturers, ground handlers and the operators, at the national, regional and international levels. I encourage readers of BART International to review the Business Aviation Guide to the Use of Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuels to learn more about availability of these fuels and consider how SAJF may be utilized in your operations.
At West Star, our maintenance experience is your asset. And, like any asset, it’s only valuable when accessible. Our priority is to make it easier than ever to literally “Connect” directly to our aircraft maintenance capabilities, technical information, and facilities. More importantly, it means easier access to the right people, at the right location, right when you need them. This ensures that as a customer of West Star Aviation, you get the full benefit of our maintenance experience in everything from structural repairs and modifications to inspections and upgrades. Make The CONNECTion with West Star’s maintenance experience by visiting www.weststaraviation.com today. FALCON | CITATION | GULFSTREAM | LEARJET | HAWKER | CHALLENGER | GLOBAL EXPRESS | EMBRAER | KING AIR | CONQUEST | PIAGGIO | OTHER
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FARNBOROUGH PREVIEW
AN INSIDE LOOK AT FARNBOROUGH 2018
BUSTLING
The show site is always managed to its full capacity (top). TAG Farnborough Airport CEO Brandon O'Reilly (bottom right).
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very other summer, the Farnborough International Airshow dominates the skies to the south-west of London. The event, which has operated continuously since 1948 and occurs on every even numbered year, is one of the world’s great air and trade shows. Despite traffic jams and long security lines, thousands of visitors will descend on Farnborough July 16 – 22 to take in all that Farnborough 2018 has to offer.
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Of course, it all happens at TAG Farnborough Airport, one of London’s major business airports. Earlier this year, the airport announced a record increase in air traffic movements. For the full year 2017, TAG Farnborough Airport saw a year-on-year increase in air traffic movements of 7.4% - and the record 17.9% increase in January 2018 is a clear indication that this positive trend is set to continue.
Mark Huber and Nick Klenske pick out some of the highlights to expect from this year’s Farnborough International Airshow
Although things do get busy during the airshow, the airport tends to operate as ‘business as usual’. “We are typically able to accept all our normal business aircraft clients – and the air show tends to bring additional traffic for the airport,” says TAG Farnborough Airport Chief Executive Brandon O’Reilly. During the week prior to the show, demonstration aircraft have to fly to gain official approval for their airshow
routes, which means that some business customers have to wait for departure until the flying is finished. “But actually, they quite enjoy being at the center of the action,” adds O’Reilly. A Growing Business Presence But what of the airshow itself? With only a few weeks since EBACE in Geneva, one might think none of the business aircraft manufacturers would attend – but that is definitely not the case. In fact, some of the industry’s key OEMs are increasing
their commitment to the show, and organizers expect Business Aviation to have one of its largest showings yet. “For the Business Aviation industry, the Farnborough International Airshow has become an equally important event to exhibit at as EBACE,” says Farnborough International Team Member Wanda Arden. “Back in early 2004, we built a dedicated Business Aviation Park that allows our exhibitors to park their aircraft right in front of their exhibit at the show.” She goes on to note that since then, Business Aviation has become a firm feature at the show and, in 2016, the event saw 30 aircraft participating from the likes of Bombardier, Embraer, Gulfstream and Piaggio. All will be back in 2018, along with Diamond, Pilatus and Textron. According to organizers, Bombardier is increasing its display area and is moving to a more prominent location – and other Business Aviation companies are following the lead. Organizers are also seeing a substan-
tial increase in new enquiries from exhibitors in the Bizav sector. “The show is attracting many new exhibitors in the sector and we expect to see a significant increase in exhibition space dedicated to the Business Aviation industry,” says Farnborough International Commercial Director Amanda Stainer. Speaking after the 2016 edition of Farnborough, an executive at Embraer Executive Jets noted that
many of the people at this show will never attend EBACE, and that the many governmental delegates in attendance are “good potential customers for our aircraft”. Embraer showed its Legacy 500 for the first time during Farnborough 2016. This year, the Legacy 500 will be back, along with the Phenom 300E. Farnborough Airshow has a long history of aviation debuts, due to its unique flying display that enables
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STARS
Pilatus PC-12 NG (top). Cessna Latitude (center left). Farnborough Int’l Commercial Director Amanda Stainer (center right). HondaJet Elite (below).
FARNBOROUGH PREVIEW
exhibitors to demonstrate their aircraft’s capabilities in full. “We are expecting to see more debuts in 2018, following those from Bombardier, HondaJet, Diamond Aircraft and Gulfstream at FIA16,” adds Stainer. To make the show even more attractive, this year will see the use of a modern new 20,000 square meter permanent hall. It will also see a return of its Meet the Buyer program.
FEELING
Attendees come across directly with aircraft. Phenom 300E (left), Gulfstream G600 (right).
Spanning Different Sectors Of course, because Farnborough covers everything from Business Aviation to commercial and defense, it is particularly attractive to those companies with a hand in each. For example, the Beechcraft King Air is used by both business fliers and militaries around the world. Now, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is teaming with Blackhawk Modifications’ Vector-Hawk Aerospace (VHA) to offer the new Blackhawk XP67A Engine+ Upgrade Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) Kit for the Beechcraft King Air 350ER. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently approved the upgrade for the aircraft at maximum takeoff weights up to 17,500 pounds, significantly increasing special mission applications. The XP67A will provide a 25-30% increase in power, which translates into improved climb and cruise performance for King Air 350ER aircraft, especially on hot days at high-altitudes. Although the PT6A-67A will produce a 400 thermodynamic SHP increase over the stock PT6A-60A, the Blackhawk engine will actually reduce the overall weight of the air-
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craft by about 18 pounds. The new offering will include two factory-new Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) PT6A-67A engines, new MT five-blade composite propeller assemblies and spinners, and a True Blue Power lithium-ion battery. Training, support, and a five-year/2,500 hour enhanced newengine warranty are also included. SNC is the exclusive provider of the XP67A and Mission Enhancement Kit for the King Air 350ER and will complete the installations at their network of authorized install facilities. Field installations are also available. Speaking of Pratt & Whitney, the company estimates that its new geared turbofan engines (GTFs) have saved more than 40 million gallons of fuel – worth more than $75 million – while also reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions since they entered service in early 2016. The engines currently power a fleet of 165 aircraft across three aircraft platforms and 23 airline operators around the world. Total flight hours are more than 830,000 for the combined GTF-powered fleet of Airbus A320neo, Bombardier C Series and Embraer E190-E2 aircraft. Since entering service, Pratt & Whitney says the GTF engine has demonstrated its promised ability to reduce fuel burn by 16%, cut NOx emissions in half to the regulatory standard, and lower the noise footprint by a whopping 75%. Also in June, competing engine builder Rolls-Royce announced a major restructuring designed to create smaller and more cost effective corporate and support functions and reduce management layers and com-
plexity, including within engineering. Over the next 24 months, the company expects to shed 4,600 jobs, predominantly in the UK. The company noted that since 2010 it had invested $14.6 billion to fund research and development, build new facilities, and to launch six new civil engines, including the Trent XWB and, most recently, the Pearl 15 for the Business Aviation market. The company currently has orders for over 2,700 engines for wide-body aircraft and business jets. “We are currently undertaking our biggest ever increase in large engine production, targeting over 600 widebody engines a year by the end of this decade. As a result of our innovation and investment, we are poised to become the world-leader in large aircraft engines, powering over half of the world’s passenger wide-body fleet within the next few years, compared to 22% just 10 years ago,” says a company representative. They also noted that the company is continuing to support its current ramp-up in civil aerospace engine production and will remain focused on the management of current in-service issues with the Trent 1000. The Pearl 15 will power Bombardier’s new Global 5500 aircraft and the Global 6500 aircraft. The engine combines technologies derived from Rolls-Royce’s Advance2 technology demonstrator programs with features from the Rolls-Royce BR700. The engine delivers up to 9% more thrust during take-off than the BR700, is two decibels quieter and has a 7% lower specific fuel consumption (SFC).
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FARNBOROUGH PREVIEW WFS has provided a range of solutions to the site for over 15 years, as of December 2016 (after Farnborough 2016), they took on the complete fuel and service provision at Farnborough. The move followed WFS’ acquisition of ExxonMobil’s aviation business. “We have always had a relationship with TAG Aviation, however, in the past we were categorized as the payments and solutions partner, bringing customers, helping manage traffic and promotion and some marketing,” says WFS Vice President Mark Amor. “The game changer for us was when More Screens for Garmin Another company operating across sectors is Garmin, who continues to unveil new derivatives and applications for its integrated touchscreen avionics systems. In May, the company announced the G3000H IFR-capable integrated flight deck specifically designed for Part 27 turbine helicopters. The forward-fit G3000H offers a number of features, including WAAS/SBAS, ILS approach capability, VFR and IFR helicopter charts and the Connext wireless integration feature. The G3000H is also equipped for ADS-B In/Out, offers visual approach guidance and an HSI map. “The G3000H blends a superior feature set and safety-minded technology into a contemporary platform for the VFR/IFR turbine helicopter market,” says Garmin Vice President of Aviation Marketing and Sales Carl Wolf. “With the G3000H, we’re excited to bring IFR capabilities in an advanced integrated flight deck and further expand our product offering so our partners have even more options within this class of helicopters.” The G3000H is built with a flexible and scalable architecture that can be tailored to a variety of helicopter designs.
EXCELLENCE
Rolls Royce’s Pearl engine will power the new Global 6500 (left). Garmin G3000H avionics suite (right).
Lite Flite UTC Aerospace Systems has developed a new line of ‘Flite’ lightweight veneers that are lighter, more flexible, and less flammable and can save up to 500 lbs on the weight of a finished aircraft interior (depending on cabin size). FLiteFlex is a two-ply product that provides a greater balance of thermal and mechanical
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properties via a proprietary combination of face veneer and synthetic substrate. AlumiFLite is a three-ply product consisting of a face veneer with an aluminum core and poplar backer. Compared to traditional three-ply veneer products, AlumiFLite offers up to 40% weight savings per shipset, while also providing increased flexibility to make it easier to work with. To better maintain the wood’s natural finish, the face veneer is chemical free, requiring no fire-retardant chemicals, and the aluminum core has two thickness options, depending on the customer’s needs. On Site Fuel For those coming to the show via TAG Farnborough Airport, you may notice that World Fuel Services (WFS) has a bigger presence than in 2016. Earlier this year, the company celebrated its first year as a full-service fuels and solutions provider to TAG Farnborough Airport. Although
we bought the ExxonMobil business, which transformed our physical capability, positioning us as leading supplier of fuel and service solutions to airports and FBOs.” Amor says the company is committed to designing and delivering bespoke and flexible services for its customers. “We are doing things far more efficiently, not just in the price of fuel, but in the way that we provide other on-the-ground services as well,” he adds. London Calling Of course, this is just a very brief preview of everything that’s happening at Farnborough 2018. Precisely because of its proximity to EBACE, many companies were still finalizing their airshow plans when this issue went to press – meaning it’s wait-andsee for all of us. And if you can’t make it to London, be sure to catch all the news and developments at www.bartintl.com!
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EUROPEAN REPORT
END OF THE TUNNEL FOR BUSINESS AVIATION?
Industry confidence has been up in Europe for some time. Richard Koe comments on the Business Aviation outlook based on recent activities and trends
T
he Business Aviation industry normally has wind in its sails on the approach to annual conventions, and this year’s EBACE was no exception. Most of the last decade’s shows have seen some exciting new announcements, but the steady pace of innovation has failed to shrug off the dogged recession for the industry at large. Deliveries of new business jets have been marooned for a decade at levels well below the pre-crisis period. The value of business jet owner-
LONG TERM TRENDS IN BUSINESS AVIATION ACTIVITY IN
EVOLUTION
Phenom 300 at London Airport (top). Bizav activity is showing a 4% growth these last 12 month.
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EUROPE
ship has been put into question as asset prices have slumped and popular perception fails to improve. And yet there is good reason to believe that the current widespread consensus on the industry‘s recovery is at last justified. The European market was in the doldrums, with economy still flatlining and its political union in existential crisis. The outlook then changed for the better, with populist anti-EU and anti-business parties on the back foot and robust global trade helping the Eurozone’s exporters back to their feet. 2018 should see the region’s strongest recovery since the recession, and as corporate profits strengthen and balance sheets stiffen, corporate investment should rebound. This year’s first quarter’s global business jet deliveries hardly lifted the roof, up by a small handful on last year, and as with last year the numbers are flattered by sales of the single engine Cirrus jet. But there were encouraging signs of stronger order books for the OEMs, with Textron making the biggest gains in backlog since Cessna acquired Hawker Beechcraft back in 2014. The industry’s supply side indices also look pos-
itive. The ratio of preowned inventory has fallen under 10% of the active fleet, historically a recovery benchmark. And aircraft prices have started to solidify. Both indices may be underestimating the pace of recovery, given so much of the inventory is old
and obsolete. With ever fewer quality preowned for sale, it’s clearly becoming a buyer’s market. Growth in flight activity has been seen as another precursor to market recovery. At EBACE, the attention was on the European flight activity trends, where the recovery is still relatively modest, with this year’s trends some 15% out of the throwback in 2009, but still trailing aggregate monthly activity back in 2008 by almost 10%. The long term view indicates a rolling 12 month trend in activity, which appears to be on its third and hopefully final effort to move on from undulating stagnation a decade ago. Currently, the last 12 month trend is growing at 4%, with Small Jet sectors growing more than 5%. The Light Jet segment is seeing growth of close to 10%, and the April2018 trends underline that the Phenom 300 is the driving force, with a daily average of 63 departures, up 29% on a year ago. Much of this growth reflects the top-selling status of Phenom light jets into the European market, and in particular their integration as the flagship light jet of the NetJets fleet. The smaller Phenom 100 also appears to be invig-
orating the entry level Charter business, now generating about 25% of Very Light Jet sectors. The much larger Citation Mustang fleet has seen flight hours decline recently, with stronger price competition for the air-taxi product coming from Turboprops and older, larger light jets such as the CJ2 and Citation Bravo. The flat activity trend in the Medium Jet category is weighed down by the slow demise of the Hawker 700-900 platform, long out of production but still one of the top 15 most active aircraft platforms. Meanwhile, the category has been reinvigorated by the Challenger 300, and more recently the Citation Latitude and Embraer 500, all of which have had a popular reception in European markets. This is reflected in the double digit growth evident in Super Midsize activity, averaging over 4,000 departures a month, with 75% of that activity flown commercially. The Citation Latitude and Challenger 300 have the lion’s share of that activity, in large part rejuvenating the NetJets fleet. At the heavy-iron end of the market, the ultra-long range jet segment has provided almost constant growth in
activity in Europe over the last 3 years. In April this year the segment flew 5,200 departures from Europe, an 11% increase YOY, with most of the activity coming from Falcon 7X, Global Express and Gulfstream 550 platforms, although the latter is treading water as production tails off in the run up to the entry of the Gulfstream 500. The Gulfstream 650, reflecting its long-term hold on the top of the market, continues to see very strong growth in Europe, racking up over 5,000 flight hours in Q1 departures, an increase of 28% over Q1 2017. Primarily this growth reflects the increasing number of owners, with more than 60% of sectors filed as Private flights. The traditional Heavy Jet segment has been the softer part of the market in the last few years. Overproduction of this class of aircraft a decade ago was exposed with the ending of the petrodollar boom, and in particular the collapse of emerging market demand since 2014. The resulting excess supply saw dramatic falls in the price of preowned heavy jets in the years since. But from last year, the higher quality heavy jets – under ten years, in regulatory compliance – have seen more buyer interest and firmer pricing. The
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PROGRESS
NetJets has amassed over 50,000 flight hours on its worldwide Latitude fleet so far (center).
EUROPEAN REPORT The longer term outlook for the industry is less clear. The stronger economic outlook in Europe coming into this year has wavered, with a host of potential macroeconomic shocks – trade war, Russia conflict, oil price spike, inflation – coming onto the horizon. Higher interest rates are coming down the line, which will make aircraft financing more expensive. The conversion of corporate confidence into aircraft acquisition will need to overcome fundamental questions about business jet residual values, as well as their generally toxic
INITIATIVE
Fly Victor, an online business jet charter site (left). ExecuJet's G650 corporate jet (right).
size of the active European fleet of heavy jets declined last year, but aggregate activity actually increased. The steep deterioration in Europe’s relationship with Russia may put a stop to that; Heavy Jet activity in April was down 2% year on year. The diverse trends in the missionpurpose of business jet segments in Europe is an indicator of underlying differences in demand. As described, Light and Super Midsize jets are largely AOC-focused, with more than 10% growth. Heavy Jet owners are flying much less, but Heavy Jet charters are well up. This is being driven by older aircraft such as the Challenger 600 and Legacy 600 platforms. The Legacy 600 flew over 800 charter sectors in April, up by 30% year on year. Air Hamburg is the leading European operator, with over a dozen Legacy jets dedicated to charter and each averaging close to 1,000 flight hours a year. Whereas the traditional leading operators had hybrid fleets part-owned and part-managed, there are now signs of specialization, with aircraft management groups like Luxaviation looking to consolidate fragmented flight departments, other operators, including some insurgents from the US like Flexjet, will aim to develop airline-style operations to exploit a risk-averse market which is clearly warming to charter. Underpinning the growth in business jet charters in Europe, trending up close to 10% since 2016, is the thriving digital B2C space, with operators getting much more efficient in matching up real-time supply and demand for lift. Many operators are too small or owner-focused to do this effectively, allowing the online brokers to consolidate a large part of the available inventory virtually. With the advantage of
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knowing both ends of the equation, and with the market is still over-supplied with aircraft, the brokers are thriving as reverse-auctioneers. That may change as excess supply is cleared out, which will happen both as the market recovers, and as impending regulation hurries older aircraft into retirement. At least for this summer, European operators can expect to be very busy. One of the signatures of increasing charter activity in the last two years has been the seasonal spikes around specific calendar dates. Clearly, the digitization of the charter market is facilitating smarter marketing, including seat-sales and shuttles, organized around membership schemes. Expect the blue riband events like the Monaco Grand Prix and top leisure resorts like Ibiza to see record-breaking traffic in the coming months. There is also the boost from faltering airline capacity, with the successive failures of Air Berlin, Alitalia and Monarch creating connectivity gaps which the air-taxi and jet-shuttle operators are seeking to fill. Business Aviation already connects five times the airport pairs of the scheduled airlines.
image with shareholders. It may be that the commoditization of the charter market starts to move corporations away from flight departments altogether. The biggest industry suppliers will already be playing out these scenarios. Whilst a lot of hot-headed money will get lost in pursuit of various specific digital platforms for private jet hire, digitization will inevitably colonize the supply chain. This will encourage consolidation, such as the merging of charter brokerage, flight planning and operational support exemplified by Alyssum, bringing together Fly Victor, BP, Rocket Route and BBA. We can probably also expect closer collaboration between brokers and operators, bolting the growing membership platforms to guaranteed lift. And with sales of new aircraft so slow, the OEMs will continue to diversify their service lines, as for example Gulfstream is able to do with sister company Jet Aviation. This central theme of consolidation reflects an industry coming out of the woods but justifiably cautious of the way ahead.
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UK REGIONAL REPORT
BEYOND BREXIT
L
SERVICES
From left: FlightSafety Farnborough, Textron Aviation station Biggin Hill, CAE 7000XR simulator, Gulfstream service center TAG Farnborough.
ately, when we talk about Business Aviation in the UK, our conversations immediately turn towards Brexit. And while Brexit is no doubt an important issue – and one that will likely have a significant impact on our industry – it’s not the only thing happening. While negotiations on the terms of Brexit continue, Business Aviation in the UK continues to fly. For instance, CAE recently announced the expansion of its Business Aviation training footprint with the launch of the new Bombardier Global 5000/6000 fullflight simulator (FFS) with Vision flight deck. Located at CAE London Burgess Hill, the new CAE 7000XR Series FFS is equipped with CAE Tropos 6000XR visual system, offering unprecedented realism. Luxaviation, TAG Aviation Europe, along with pilots of many other business aircraft operators, have already started their training. “Offering the most innovative training equipment and highest quality training programs to our customers is always a top priority at CAE,” says CAE Group President Civil Aviation Training Solutions Nick Leontidis. “The deployment of the latest Bombardier Global Vision full-flight simulator at CAE London Burgess Hill highlights our commitment to delivering the best training experience to our customers.” Meanwhile, Textron Aviation announced that it is expanding its presence in London with a line maintenance station at London Biggin Hill Airport. The move further enhances accessibility to factory-direct service and support for Citation, King Air and Hawker customers operating throughout Europe.
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A brief look at Business Aviation in the United Kingdom by Nick Klenske
The addition of the Biggin Hill line maintenance station is the latest move by Textron to bring factorydirect service and support to customers in Europe. Since 2012, the company has grown its support footprint in Europe to include six company-owned service centers, six line maintenance stations and a team of more than 400 Textron Aviation staff, including engineers, service technicians and field service representatives. “In 2012, we committed to the European market to grow our service and support in the region and, just five years later, we’ve delivered on that commitment,” says Textron Senior Vice President Customer Service Kriya Shortt. At Farnborough, TAG Farnborough Airport has been chosen as the location for Gulfstream’s London Area Service Center. The new state-of-theart MRO facility, which is expected to be operational by the third quarter of 2020, will include office space, customer areas, shop space and a hangar able to accommodate up to 13 largecabin aircraft. Significant ramp space will also be included, along with a car parking area. The entire facility is projected to cover approximately 180,000 to 220,000 square feet. “We are delighted that Gulfstream has selected TAG Farnborough Airport as the location for its new MRO and welcome the investment, which will benefit the regional economy and underpin our role in supporting jobs and economic development,” says TAG Farnborough Airport CEO Brandon O’Reilly. “As Europe’s leading Business Aviation airport and a London gateway, we are well-placed to meet the specific requirements of Gulfstream and its customers.”
Also located at Farnborough Airport is FlightSafety International’s Farnborough Learning Center. Here, the company provides EASA (JAA) training for corporate fixed and rotary wing aircraft, including Hawker, Gulfstream, Bombardier and Sikorsky. The Center also offers a full range of enrichment and specialty training. “Here we pride ourselves on the high-quality training we provide and the excellent customer care to exceed our customers’ needs and requirements,” says Center Manager Paul Hewett. On the fuel side, UK-based Air BP has developed an innovative new Airfield Automation technology to enhance safety, reliability and compliance in airport fueling operations. The new digital platform for operators and airports is an integrated, realtime, global solution that strengthens safety barriers and mitigates risk during the fueling process. It is the first commercially deployed system in the world to provide an engineering barrier to actively help prevent misfuelling. As a result, Air BP is currently pursuing patent protection for this distinctive technology. “This new platform reinforces our ambition to be a leader in digital fueling technology,” says Air BP Chief Commercial Officer Matt Elliott. “With this technology, we are playing our part in ensuring that the fueling process is fast, efficient and safe.” Of course this is only the tip of the iceberg – as we simply don’t have enough space to cover everything that’s happening in the UK. But from this brief overview, one thing is for sure: No matter how Brexit turns out, Business Aviation in the UK is alive and well.
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UK REGIONAL REPORT
GATEWAYS TO LONDON
Few cities offer as many options to land business jets as London. Marc Grangier compares the airport options based around London that handle private aircraft Changes are also afoot at London RAF Northolt, with lower investment and staffing over the past few years making it difficult to secure a reliable slot for private jet flights. As a result, expect Farnborough and London Biggin Hill to be more popular this year. Both saw strong growth last year – up 9% and 16% respectively. With new regulations opening up single engine turboprops for commercial charter, the future is also looking brighter for smaller airports such as Booker and Goodwood.
B
TERMINAL
Signature Flight Support at London Biggin Hill Airport (left). TAG Farnborough Airport (right).
efore we dive into the main gateways to London, there is a crucial issue that must be addressed. That is of course how the UK’s ‘Brexit’ from the European Union will impact Business Aviation – if at all? “Like it or not, Business Aviation in the UK is closely tied to Europe via regulations, trade and free movement, among others,” says London Oxford Airport Head of Business Development James DillonGodfray. “Untangling these issues will be difficult, to say the least.” Despite these challenges, there are still many reasons to be optimistic about the future, even with Brexit on the horizon. For example, Business Aviation in the UK is currently enjoying a period of growth in. Demand is increasing, with the latest figures for April showing +5% year-on-year flight activity for Europe overall, and +4.3% for the UK. Charter continues to lead this growth, gaining share against private owner and fractional activity. “There remains much uncertainty around the shape of the new aviation relationship between the UK and the EU - and this may well be the case until the 11th hour,” says PrivateFly CEO Adam Twidell. “But with air transport and aerospace so important and interconnected for both sides and with Business Aviation being a sector that contributes significantly to both economies - I share the view that a good deal will be reached.”
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Now Arriving in London London is the biggest city in Europe for private jet activity by some margin - with 14 airports offering a much more fragmented choice versus Paris, where activity is heavily concentrated around Le Bourget. That being said, within London’s mix of airports, things are changing. For many years, Luton was at the top of the list. However, due to continued growth of the budget airline sector, availability for Business Aviation has become an issue at peak times. Furthermore, noise control breaches now mean it cannot continue to offer 24-hour access to private jets over the summer peak one of its big competitive differentiators in the past. Expect activity will slow there this year.
London Biggin Hill As previously mentioned, London Biggin Hill recorded the most private jet growth in year-on-year activity. Situated in South East London, it is only a short drive into London (12 miles), although travelers can opt to take a helicopter transfer to London Battersea Heliport, cutting the journey time down to only six minutes. It hosts two FBOs: BHA Executive Handling and Signature Flight Support. Business is continuing apace for London Biggin Hill’s MRO operators, with the launch of Oriens Maintenance Services. The new facility, an authorized Pilatus center, was inaugurated this February. At the end of 2017, Bombardier Business Aircraft Service Center doubled its capacity at the airport
with the addition of a new 60,000 sq. ft. /5,574 sq. m. hangar and more than 70 technicians. The facility will grow to a total of approximately 115 employees by mid-2018. With the high demand for OEM services in Europe, the additional hangar will be dedicated to heavy maintenance events, including 96month and 120-month inspections. Following the expansion, Bombardier’s London Biggin Hill Airport facility will be able to service twice as many aircraft, including scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, modifications and avionics installations for Bombardier Learjet, Challenger and Global aircraft. London Biggin Hill and Textron Aviation also announced a new line maintenance station to be based at the airport at EBACE.
London Biggin Hill Airport is also home to air taxi operator GlobeAir, which is presently the world’s largest operator of Cessna Citation Mustangs, with a fleet of 16 aircraft. TAG Farnborough Airport Located 35 miles southwest of London, TAG Farnborough Airport is now linked to the city by the new M3 Smart Motorway, which considerably cuts down the journey time to central London). The airport belongs to TAG Aviation, which has made it one of the most efficient Business Aviation airports in Europe, with an on-site hotel, state-of-the-art terminal buildings, FBO services and aircraft hangars (over 240,000 sq. foot/22,000 sq. meter available). For the full year 2017, TAG Farnborough Airport saw
a year-on-year increase in air traffic movements of 9%. An EASA and FAA 145 approved maintenance support facility, TAG Aviation’s Farnborough Maintenance Services Center (TFMS) started offering Line Maintenance support services for its Airbus A320 Corporate Jet series customers at the beginning of this year. TFMS will be able to provide customers with on-site support, ranging from daily and weekly checks, to undertaking ad hoc troubleshooting. Farnborough Airport is also home to the Gama Aviation Group’s headquarters and is the nerve center for its European Air (charter, management, special missions) & Ground division (line, base, design & production). At the end of March, the company completed a Challenger 604 96month check and refurbishment.
Luton A l o n g w i t h S tan s ted , Lu ton Airport is the only other airport that caters to private jet charter services on a 24-hour basis. There are two FBOs at Luton: Harrods Aviation and Signature Flight Support. Luton was crowned the UK’s busiest priv a t e je t a i r p o r t an d fou rth in Europe, though its limited availability for private jets capped its growth at 2.1%. Although the fifth largest airport in Greater London and a hub for many low-cost airlines, the facilities on site for passengers travelling by private jet are some of the best in the country. Like Geneva, it has become a victim of its own success: when airlines and private jets compete for space on the runway, private jets lose out. In
London, private jet operators and businesses can choose to go elsewhere. Signature has recently opened a new private terminal which is considered to be one of its busiest FBOs outside of America. Last February, Signature Flight Support Luton (and also Nice) earned IS-BAH certification (International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling), which is the industry leading accreditation for the global standard for best Business Aviation safety practices. The airport is also home to Gulfstream’s European maintenance hub. The facility features a hangar, offices and warehouse and is staffed by more than 185 employees. The 75,000-square-feet/6,968-square-meter hangar can accommodate 10 to 12 aircraft supported by a 10,000-squarefeet/929-square-meter warehouse stocked with $40 million in parts. Stansted Stansted is the only London gateway that can reliably and physically accommodate VIP jets larger than the B767, with its 3,049-m/10,003-ft runway providing intercontinental capability for the largest aircraft, such as the Airbus A380 and B747-8. Serving London and the Eastern Region, it offers rapid access to the city via Stansted’s dedicated access to the M11 motorway, with transit times of just 45 minutes to Canary Wharf and the City of London. London Stansted is the airport of choice for several Heads of States, including the President of the United States of America, who regularly visits aboard Air Force One. Handling over 8,000 Business Aviation flights annually, the airport is home to several FBOs: Harrods Aviation, The Inflite Jet Centre, Universal Aviation, Fayair and Diamond Aviation. Harrods Aviation’s facility is situated on the north side of the airport. The Inflite Jet Centre provides aircraft handling, engineering and support services, along with hosting PrivateFly, a global online booking service for private charter flights. Universal Aviation, which has more than 40 locations in 20 countries, is also present at Stansted. Its facilities include separate departure and arrival lounges, crew lounge, a crew business center and meeting rooms. Its ramp staff are NATA Safety 1st trained.
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COMFORT
Universal Aviation Stansted brings in separate lounges for: arrival, departure, crew, business center and meeting rooms.
UK REGIONAL REPORT
Opened in 2013, Fayair FBO is owned by Mohamed Al Fayed, former owner of Harrods Aviation. Its 35,747sq-ft facility offers heated hangar space and direct apron access from its passenger and crew facilities, which also include on-site customs and immigration screening. Diamond Aviation, a self-contained aviation hub providing FBO services and aircraft maintenance facilities, is housed in one of the world’s largest hangars, measuring 8,720 square meters (93,863 square feet). Last year, Gulfstream Aerospace expanded its customer support facility at the airport by adding line maintenance and aircraft-on-ground services. The company also repositioned its custom-outfitted Field and Airborne Support Teams (FAST) mobile repair vehicle to Stansted from Luton.
BUSY
London City Airport is the fifth-busiest airport in the London area.
Cranfield Only 48 miles from central London, clients can be in London in less than 60 minutes after touchdown, making Cranfield Airport the best kept secret in Business Aviation for operators flying to London and looking for privacy, convenience and a speedy transfer. Owned by the Cranfield University, it is one of the fastest growing airports for business jet traffic. There are no airline operators to compete with, so business aircraft have priority, with no airport slot requirement and no delays when arriving or departing. For flights originating outside the UK, Cranfield Airport benefits from remote customs and immigration arrangements. There are no third-party companies on site offering handling services, the FBO facility being managed exclusively by Cranfield Airport. Earlier this year, plans were announced to expand the airport, targeting Business Aviation, and to rename it London Cranfield Airport.
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London City Airport Only three miles from Canary Wharf and six miles from the center of London, London City Airport is the only airport actually located in London. Passengers can enjoy fast transfers to and from the city on the Docklands Light Railway. Located on the doorstep of London’s financial district, the airfield is one of the most challenging in the world because of its steep approach (5.5-degree), short runway (1,500-meter/4,900-ft) and stringent noise abatement requirements. London City Airport’s Private Jet Centre, its only FBO, provides a complete corporate aviation package, including flight planning, weather briefings and landing clearances, slot requests, ground handling, flight watch, cleaning, catering, refueling, baggage and aircraft handling. Last year, the airport announced it had made a £350 million private investment in the City Airport Development Program, with plans to build seven new aircraft stands, a parallel taxiway, and extend the main passenger terminal. This expansion is due to be completed by 2021. RAF Northolt Only a 20-minute drive into Mayfair (13 miles) and boasting a luxurious terminal building with some of the highest airport security in the UK, landing at RAF Northolt may well be worth the price tag you. Better known for serving the Royal Family and government officials, this airport has time slots available for other Business Aviation operators. Currently, it is restricted to 40 movements per day for civilian traffic. The slots are restricted every day, so access is at a premium. Its FBO, Northolt Jet Centre Premier Passenger Service, is an extension of London City Airport Jet Centre.
Oxford Situated between London and the Midlands, Oxford airport is 60 miles from central London, which can be accessed by the M40 motorway (which is thought to be the quickest and least congested route into the city). The Oxfordjet FBO provides all aircraft and passenger handling, along with peripheral services such as fuel, valet and ground support services. There are no third-party handling agents or fueling companies operating at the airport. Landing, parking and handling fees are at ‘GA’ rates – well below the London norms for Business Aviation. Oxford Airport is wholly owned by the Reuben Brothers. In 2012, they also purchased the London Heliport at Battersea, the UK’s only CAA licensed heliport. The Heliport is a 22minute helicopter ride from Oxford Airport. Home to some 65-based aircraft, Oxford airport continues to improve its Business Aviation offering with investments in new RNAV LVP approaches, enhanced airfield lighting and systems to reduce minima and enhance accessibility due to be rolled out in the lead-up to 2020. The airport is also home to Gama Aviation’s midsize jet maintenance center, with base, line and AOG approvals for Bombardier Challenger 601/604/605, 850 and Globals; Textron Citations, Mustangs, Hawkers, King Airs and Premiers; and Embraer Legacy series aircraft. London Southend Bought in 2008 by the Stobart group, which invested more than £160-million to upgrade its facilities, this airport is located 42 miles/65 km East of London. With a dedicated train station in front of the terminal, rail access to London takes 45 minutes. There are also helicopter transfers to and from Canary Wharf or Battersea Heliport and passengers can reach central London in 10 minutes. At the beginning of this year, Stobart opened a new executive FBO, the Stobart Jet Center, which is expected to help boost capacity available for private flights, with a forecast of catering for 5,000 flights a year by 2022.
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UK REGIONAL REPORT
BREXIT AND BUSINESS AVIATION
How will the new relationship between EU members and the UK impact Business Aviation? To try to make sense of the situation, Nick Klenske checked in with some of the industry’s leading players
O
OFFERING
FlyLEA's customers have access to over 250 aircraft worldwide (top). EBAA COO Robert Baltus (center).
n June 23rd, 2016, the UK voted to leave the European Union. Although even two years later a lot remains up in the air, one thing that has always been certain is that ‘Brexit’ will result in a new relationship between the 27 remaining members of the EU and the United Kingdom. How will this new relationship impact Business Aviation? To try to make sense of the situation, we checked in with some of the industry’s leading players. So, Brexit is happening, that we must accept. What we should not have to accept is Brexit causing avoidable damage to the Business Aviation industry – not just in the UK, but across Europe and beyond. After all,
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Business Aviation contributes a total of 192,000 jobs to the European economy directly, with an additional 182,000 estimated to be generated indirectly. Furthermore, the sector generates EUR 42 billion in output and EUR 15 billion in gross value add, benefiting a number of economies across the EU. “Germany, the UK, Italy and France are key locations where business aircraft operate, and it is paramount that this business activity continues uninterrupted after Brexit,” says EBAA COO Robert Baltus. According to an EBAA report, Brexit poses three dangers to Business Aviation. First, based on the EU’s negotiating stance that ‘nothing is agreed until everything is agreed’, the future relationship in respect to aviation will not be subject to any form of bespoke standalone arrangement, but will need to be part of an overarching free trade agreement. The second danger is that negotiators may come to a deal relating to the airline industry without considering the needs of the Business Aviation sector, which are not necessarily the same. “Regulation of the Business Aviation market has traditionally followed in the slipstream of the wider aviation industry, and there is now an opportunity to raise specifically the requirements of this unique sector,” adds Baltus. The report says the third danger is that liberalization of the air transport sector in the EU which, by general consensus, is one of the EU’s finest
achievements and has been of considerable benefit, may be partially or even wholly rolled back. Need to Maintain the Status Quo When talking about Brexit and Business Aviation, the topic of preserving the EU’s single market is always top of mind. “The European traffic and cabotage rights that currently exist for UK-based operators are essentially allowed as a result of the EU’s single market,” says Luxaviation UK Chief Executive Patrick Margetson-Rushmore. “If the correct representations by the UK and all 27 EU countries are not made during negotiations, those intrinsic industry rights could be lost.” According to Margetson-Rushmore, if a reasonable status quo, which he says is in the best interest of the UK and the EU, is not maintained, UKbased commercial operators will, for example, no longer be able to fly for hire between any two points in the EU. “Smaller operators might not survive the new restrictions to their market access,” he says. “A hard Brexit will be particularly challenging for companies that only hold a UK AOC and so cannot reposition aircraft to exploit AOCs in EU nations.” Margetson-Rushmore further points out that Brexit will also impact Business Aviation in Europe. “The industry in the EU is aware that operators across Europe will suffer from a hard Brexit,” he says. “Flights into and out of the UK – and most significantly into and out of London, one of the most powerful and therefore popular business destinations in the world – will become governed by two sets of regulations.”
One solution often mentioned is to treat the UK like another Switzerland, which is also not a part of the EU. According to FAI Rent-A-Jet CEO Siegried Axtmann, the ultimate outcome of Brexit is that the UK will probably end up with the same status as Switzerland. “In other words, they will hold a full EASA membership, but with some restrictions on flight operations within the EU.” He also notes that in a time of consolidation, another effect of Brexit could be European companies acquiring those based in the UK, effectively giving them a home in Europe. Luxaviation CEO Patrick Hansen tends to agree, noting that Switzerland is also not a part of the European Union yet is part of EASA. “With the immense traffic between the UK and the EU, combined with the lobbying powers of the major airlines, I believe there is a huge chance that the UK will remain part of EASA – and part of the single European Aviation market,” he says. Turbulence Ahead? Until the question of whether the European open skies policy remains in place is answered, there is little we can do to predict how overall business will be affected. The fundamentals of business will all need reassessing – currency exchanges, training, existing regulations, ability to operate within Europe – but the wider effects of policy changes are most likely to have the greatest impact. One area where such changes could have a negative effect is employment. “Crews, pilots and other staff are typically multi-national in our industry and naturally mobile,” says PrivateFly
CEO Adam Twidell. “How easy will it be for UK crews to work for EU operators and what impact will differing employment legislation have on the desirability for working for British operators?” Twidell further points out that since the market in Europe predominantly comprises of short domestic point-topoint flights in Business Aviation, outside of the EU, there could be a commercial impact on UK operators operating domestic routes (for instance, within France) and on EU-wide operators who would be prevented from operating domestically inside the UK. “Hopefully, the UK will negotiate to remain part of the European Common Aviation Area, still keeping this open market,” he says. Going back to the open market, failure to keep it could impact the empty leg market. “After Brexit, UK operators could face a seriously reduced empty leg market,” says MargetsonRushmore. To illustrate, he points to two of the nine ‘freedoms of the air’ that will be lost if the UK leaves the EU single market. The seventh freedom of the air is the right to operate a service that flies between two foreign countries but does not originate or end in the operator’s home nation. The ninth freedom is the right to operate between two points in a country that is not the operator’s home nation. “Without these freedoms, a UK cooperator could not, for example, carry a passenger from London to Madrid and then generate empty leg revenue when bringing the aircraft back to the UK by collecting a passenger who needed to fly from Madrid to, say, Barcelona or Paris,”
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EXECUTIVE
From left: Luxaviation UK’s Patrick MargetsonRushmore, PrivateFly CEO Adam Twidell, Rent-A-Jet CEO Siegfried Axtmann.
UK REGIONAL REPORT against the dollar and the Euro. However, looking on the bright side, this could also prove to be a great opportunity for private charter brokers. “The choice of operator and where they are based can now make a big difference in the price paid by the customer,” says Twidell. FAI’s Axtmann agrees, saying that volatile currency exchange rates will have a negative short-term effect on British business in general. “For Business Aviation, this is likely to decrease the profitability of a number of companies as the wait-and-see effect takes hold,” he says. “However, This last point is echoed by Jetcraft President Chad Anderson, who says that since the announcement of Brexit, Britain has seen an increase in the number of billionaires. This in turn contributes toward an increase in the region’s potential customer base. “We are seeing high net worth buyers in their 30s and 40s executing many transactions, which is good news for the sector, as younger buyers will most likely execute future trades and aircraft upgrades,” says Anderson. “This also spotlights the ongoing integrity of Business Aviation and how flying private is resonating with this generation, keeping our industry and its offerings very relevant.”
he explains. “Only an empty leg flight back to the UK would be possible.” Although empty legs aren’t any operator’s core business, in an industry of slim margins, the bonus of empty leg revenue can mean the difference between thriving or barely surviving. “UK-based operators should not have to watch in horror as their empty leg market dramatically shrinks,” adds Margetson-Rushmore.
ADVISOR
Jetcraft President Chad Anderson (top left). Managing Director of WINGX Richard Koe (top right).
It’s the Economy, Stupid Another area for concern is the potential economic impact that Brexit could have. For example, after long enjoying the benefits of a strong pound, the biggest challenge for UKbased operators could be the volatility in the currency exchange rates. Profitability could be limited as the GBP rates fluctuate dramatically
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much of Business Aviation trading is conducted in US dollars, which could provide some sort of buffer to the negative currency exchange rates the British Pound is currently experiencing.” “It is absolutely true that uncertainty and associated market and currency volatility are bad for Business Aviation,” adds WingX Advance’s Richard Koe. “But concerns for relocation of investment and economic recession for the UK look exaggerated.” According to Koe, it’s the EU’s sclerotic recovery that looks to be more endangered by Brexit. “Many of the entrepreneurs who appreciate Business Aviation are quite sanguine,” he adds. “It may turn out that in two years, the UK outside Europe is still the continent’s fastest growing economy.”
The Bottom Line Of course no one wants to see Brexit cause financial damage, either to the UK or across Europe, and no one who understands Business Aviation would deny the high economic impact of our industry. But all operators – from small start-ups to large, established businesses – grow best when allowed the freedom to access the largest geographical markets possible. “A new business model that would work brilliantly on a European scale might not succeed at all if restricted to the UK market and a few bilateral agreements,” adds Margetson-Rushmore. “We must allow our innovative industry to keep expanding and contributing to the economies of Europe.” The bottom line: It is in everyone’s interest to maintain a strong Business Aviation industry that will strengthen both the UK and Europe. “Nobody will win if Brexit is handled badly,” concludes Margetson-Rushmore.
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OSHKOSH PREVIEW
MY GOSH, IT’S OSHKOSH TIME
Nothing says summer like the annual EAA Airventure Oshkosh Airshow. Nick Klenske picks out some of the highlights to expect from the forthcoming event
K
GATHERING
M600 flying over the convention (top left). Oshkosh show site (top right). BendixKing AeroVue certified for the King Air B200 (below).
nown for its action, education, entertainment and “everything in between”, the EAA Airventure Oshkosh Airshow is a must-go-show for aviation enthusiasts of all types. But Business Aviation? Traditionally, no. However, ever since the Cessna Mustang made its first appearance at Oshkosh 2005, the Wisconsin show has gotten the industry’s attention in a big way, with a handful of manufacturers, training providers and avionics companies now being regular exhibitors. “It used to be that innovations occurred at the high end of aviation – military aircraft, commercial airliners and business jets – and eventually trickled down to general aviation, but today it is truly the other way around, where the innovations start with experimental aircraft and moves on up to Business Aviation,” says BendixKing’s Vice President of Marketing & Product Management Stéphane Fymat. “If Business Aviation suppliers and operators want to know what the future is, they can find it at Oshkosh.” Sure, Bizav may still fall “in between” the air acrobatics and military aircraft, but it is definitely there – and this year’s edition is no exception. And if Business Aviation is there, BART will be too. Here’s a sneak peek at just some of what you can expect from Oshkosh 2018, which runs July 23 – 29th.
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Connecting Generations At BendixKing, the theme for this year’s show is Connecting Generations, a social take on the company’s connected aircraft strategy. The company plans to showcase its latest products, including the AeroVue™ Touch and xVue Touch. The former is BendixKing’s latest primary flight display for certified aircraft that offers advanced features and high-resolution touchscreen capabilities at a very attractive price, while the latter is the company’s first flight display specifically launched for experimental category
aircraft. “This primary flight display has a powerful and intuitive touchscreen that features superior craftsmanship, is easy to install and is also very inexpensive,” says Fymat. BendixKing will also be showing its AeroWave satellite communications system. The system uses the Inmarsat satellite network to provide passengers and pilots with in-flight WiFi that allows them to send text messages, browse the web, email and make phone calls anywhere in the world. “We will also have the AeroWave Text & Track available at the show,” adds Fymat. “The new
portable device turns a smartphone into a satellite messaging and tracking device, giving pilots the capability to send and receive texts and get weather information around the world, on the ground and in-flight, in or out of cell phone coverage areas.” The company will be offering ground and flight demos of the AeroVue™ Integrated Flight Deck in its King Air B200, where show attendees will be able to see and fly this state-of-the-art integrated flight deck, derived from the same flight decks installed in the latest business jets. In addition to showcasing its portfolio of products, BendixKing will also demonstrate some advanced technologies from its laboratories that will eventually be released to the market. The company will also be hosting social events, offering educational seminars with expert
speakers and welcoming people of all generations – from long-time aviators to aspiring, young student pilots – to learn about both BendixKing’s new products and aviation in general. You can also expect some announcements about the company’s newest products and other interesting evolutions at BendixKing. In addition to exhibiting at their pavilion, BendixKing will be busy sending its people out to see what everyone else is doing. “We can learn as much from a passionate hobbyist building an airplane in
their garage as we can from any advanced technology program we might participate in,” says Fymat. “So, if you are an innovator with a unique idea looking for support, come find us – we would love to talk.”
Continuous Innovation Blackhawk Modifications will be at Oshkosh with a King Air 350 equipped with the company’s latest STC-approved project: the XP67A Engine+ Upgrade. They will also have a Phoenix edition of the King Air 90 on site, a program that encompasses a full nose-to-tail renewal of legacy aircraft. The one at the show will be the first Phoenix aircraft on display since the program’s launch. We can also expect a handful of announcements to come from Booth #307. To start, Blackhawk will announce the recent STC-approval of
the XP67A on King Air 350ER for special mission operations. This higher horsepower engine will greatly improve mission capability and significantly increase safety margins when operating in hostile environments. The company will also announce the
launch of the XP67A program for the King Air 300, which is expected to be approved in the first quarter of next year. Blackhawk previously set the record for the world’s fastest King Air with the XP67A for the King Air 350, and it has its sights set on breaking that record with the King Air 300. “Continuous innovation is at the heart of what Blackhawk does,” says Blackhawk Modifications Marketing Coordinator Lindsay Allmon. “Through our XP Engine+ Upgrades, and now our Phoenix by Blackhawk program, we constantly strive to find new ways to reinvigorate existing aircraft, keeping them operating at peak performance for years to come.” According to Allmon, EAA AirVenture is a one-of-a-kind show, serving as great platform for aviation enthusiasts of all kinds to learn about new technologies and emerging trends. “For Blackhawk in particular, AirVenture is a great opportunity to highlight our current and upcoming programs, connect with customers and colleagues and have a little fun while we’re at it,” she says. New Aircraft on Display According to Quest Aircraft CEO Rob Wells, EAA AirVenture is about opportunities. “EAA AirVenture offers so much to aviation enthusiasts and owners from around the world through performances, aircraft
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UPSWING
The highly capable Quest Kodiak (right). King Air 350 featuring XP67A Engine+ (left).
OSHKOSH PREVIEW displays and educational programs,” he says. “For Quest and other aircraft manufacturers, the time spent face-to-face with our industry partners, Kodiak owners and operators, and passionate attendees is invaluable.” The company will be using the opportunity of Oshkosh to display their newly announced Kodiak model, the Series II. The aircraft introduces an impressive block change of enhancements. For example, the standard equipment list has been expanded to include Garmin’s next generation G1000NXi, as well as an Angle-ofAttack indexer, digital 4-in-1 standby, Flight Stream 510 and a two-year subscription to the Kodiak Mobile App, backed by Garmin Pilot. The Series II also raises the bar for Kodiak creature comforts. In the cockpit, Quest added two new gloveboxes for additional cockpit storage, improved Rosen sun visors for better UV protection and ergonomics, and incorporated LEMO plugs for hardwired Bose headsets. The cargo doorstep has been redesigned to reduce weight and improve functionality, and fuselage seals have been enhanced to provide even better soundproofing and cabin ventilation. Additionally, a single point refueling station is now an available as an option, designed to give the operator a simple, clean and easy way to refuel both wing tanks using a single port. “We’re incredibly proud to debut the Kodiak 100, Series II,” says Wells. “The refinements and upgrades across the entire platform truly elevate the Kodiak experience, while continuing to deliver the distinctive design and workmanship we’re known for.” Other manufacturers set to be in Oshkosh include Daher, Textron, Piper and HondaJet. Daher will have 2018 models of its TBM 910 and TBM 930, with electrically heated seats and new cockpit functionalities, on display. They also plan to deliver the 900th TBM during the show. Although nothing has been confirmed, we'd expect to hear a lot about the Cessna Denali, HondaJet Elite and Piper 600 during the course of the week - but I guess for the rest we'll have to wait and see!
ARRAY
From top: Cessna Denali, HondaJet Elite, Piper M600 and Daher TBM 930.
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AVIONICS
WHAT NOW FOR UNIVERSAL AVIONICS AFTER ELBIT ACQUISITION? Israeli defense giant Elbit Systems Ltd is joining forces with international avionics systems manufacturer Universal Avionics, headquartered in Tucson Arizona. Steve Nichols comments on the significant acquisition
I UNITE
Elbit Systems' building in Haifa, Israel (top). Universal Avionics workshop in Tucson Arizona (center).
n April 2018, Universal Avionics Systems Corporation announced that its acquisition by Elbit Systems Ltd was complete. As a result, Universal Avionics is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company. Universal will remain headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, where it has more than one-third of its full-time employees including the manufacturing, product and customer support, flight test, certification, marketing and sales divisions. Paul DeHerrera, CEO of Universal Avionics, said: “We see this as a really
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exciting time at Universal Avionics – a new chapter in our long history of being a technology leader in Southern Arizona. Elbit Systems has expressed to us that they look forward to growing our company, which is great news for Tucson.” Tucson has been home to Universal Avionics since the company’s early years, when it moved to the area from California in 1988. Its corporate campus, located near Tucson International Airport (TIA), has grown as the company steadily increased its market share and now encompasses nearly 165,000 sq. ft. of space.
The company’s manufacturing facility features advanced automated circuit board assembly, final unit assembly and environmental test technologies. In addition, the company’s product flight testing activities are conducted in Tucson, using two business aircraft that are based out of its hangar facility at TIA. But what was it about Universal Avionics that attracted Elbit in the first place? Dror Yahav, Elbit’s VP Commercial Aviation, said: “About 10 years ago, we decided to focus on our enhanced flight vision capabilities, which became a significant but still a niche market for us, and we sell direct to a large number of OEMs, such as Gulfstream and Dassault.” “Universal brings to us its headdown cockpit technologies, which we didn’t have. This means we can now offer a complete integrated cockpit solution to our customers. As a result, we have a very broad and complete product portfolio.” Yahav said Universal Avionics is very active in aftermarket solutions, a field that Elbit has not been involved in. “This will be a very relevant market for head-worn displays, with markets such as enhanced vision systems for
helicopters, Business Aviation and air transport,” Yahav said. “Universal has a significant presence in this market – they know it very well and have the network and infrastructure in place to support it. For us, it is a way to open up opportunities for this market segment, while we will enable Universal to take advantage of the OEM market.” But what new products can we expect to see going forward? “We want to integrate our product lines, not only in a very trivial way, but we plan to introduce a unique combination of enhanced vision and head-up/head-worn displays and flight management capabilities,” Yahav said. “We also want to bring to market something that no-one has ever seen before, namely a fully-augmented reality cockpit with a unique human/machine interface.” He said this would enable a lot of information that is currently only available on cockpit displays to be superimposed on the real world. “The combination will be a great enhancement for the market and will have a big impact when it is introduced,” he said. Yahav said that it plans to give the world its first glimpse of this new augmented reality cockpit technology at October’s NBAA event in Orlando. “We started with our integration right away and have a big list of ideas we want to bring to market,” he concluded. Elbit also plans to showcase some of its integrated cockpit technology at Farnborough International in July. Paul DeHerrera, Universal Avionics CEO, said the company’s acquisition by Elbit was “a very good thing”. “It was a complex deal and we spent a long time finding the right acquisition partner, and although it sounds like a bit of a cliché, we felt we had a very good fit with Elbit,” DeHerrera said. “We are both customer-focused businesses, rated highly for our support and innovation.” He said former owner Ted Naimer wanted to make sure that Universal and its employees would have a strong future. “Ted has always regarded Universal’s employees as family and was very committed to ensuring that they, and the company, had a solid
future – he didn’t want to see it torn apart. That’s why it took some time to find the right partner. With Elbit, there were a lot of very positive points, including our cultures and fit,” DeHerrera said. But Why Elbit? DeHerrera said the company has a strong background in military avionics, which it will continue to market in the US via Elbit Systems of America, leaving the commercial business to Universal Avionics. “Elbit has great channels to its markets and some of its product lines are a good fit with what we are doing,” he said. One “fit” is Elbit’s head-up display (HUD) and Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) technology, which is important to Universal Avionics as it expands and extends both its head-up and head-down solutions for the Business Aviation market. “The important point is we have retained the Universal Avionics brand, but I’m very happy to see ‘an Elbit Systems Company’ as our new strapline. It gives us the security, finance and backing we need to approach OEM customers with greater confidence,” he said. “Companies like Boeing, Textron and Gulfstream want to know that your
company has the security it needs to back major programs. With Elbit behind us they know we have the capital and support required and we are really excited by that.” DeHerrera said work is already under way to get both companies’ engineering teams working together to blend their technologies. “There is a lot of integration work to do, but we will continue to have separate teams and Universal will continue to look after non-military, commercial contracts in North America. While Elbit has product technologies that appeal to us, Universal also has some products that Elbit might wish to market, so we both win,” DeHerrera concluded. History of Universal Avionics The world of aviation is full of characters and Universal Avionics features one of the most well-known. From the book “Universal Avionics: 30 Years of Innovation,” we learn its origins go back to the late Hubert Laurenz Naimer – founder and president of Universal Avionics. Naimer was a successful entrepreneur, businessman and an experienced pilot who had spent more than 40 years in the cockpit. Since its incorporation in 1981, Universal Avionics had been a pri-
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DELIGHTED
Universal Avionics CEO Paul DeHerrera is very happy to have retained the Universal Avionics brand.
AVIONICS
HIGH-TECH
Elbit Systems’ SKYLENS Wearable HUD (top right). Universal Acquisition allows Elbit Systems to offer complete cockpit solutions (below).
vately-owned corporation, specializing in flight management systems (FMS) and advanced display systems for a range of commercial aviation markets. “The whole concept of an FMS is to make life easier for pilots,” Naimer is reported as saying in a magazine interview. He thought such a system could be capable of accepting inputs from a variety of position sensors, and would include provision for accepting a variety of new types of sensors in the future. Universal’s first product was the UNS-1 Flight Management System, the first multi-sensor FMS for the corporate and commercial aviation marketplace and which was introduced in 1982. Since then, more than 15,000 FMSs have been shipped. Naimer was also intrigued by the possibility of moving away from bulky, heavy cathode-ray tube technology, although it took around 20 years before sharp, high-resolution active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCD) would become available. But when they did appear, Universal adopted them with enthusiasm. According to the book, Naimer was also convinced that Universal could develop a realistic, animated flight display – already dubbed “synthetic vision”. Naimer previewed “Vision-1” at the 2000 NBAA Convention and announced that Universal was on the “fast track” to developing the technology. Until his passing in 2004, Hubert Naimer maintained leadership control and continued to work hand in hand with engineering on new product concepts and designs. His son, J. L. “Ted” Naimer, who had been actively involved in the business for more
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than 30 years, assumed the position of President of Universal Avionics Systems Corporation. Ted has been the second larger-than-life character from the Naimer dynasty since then. Universal Avionics’ current product line includes integrated EFIS displays, communications management units, radio control units, terrain awareness warning systems, synthetic vision, cockpit voice recorders, attitude heading reference systems and more. So Who Are Elbit? Elbit Systems Ltd. is an Israel-based international defense electronics company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world. The company operates in aerospace, land and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), advanced electrooptics, electro-optic space systems, electronic warfare suites, signal intelligence (SIGINT) systems, data links and communications systems and radios.
The company also specializes in upgrading existing military platforms, developing new technologies for defense, homeland security and commercial aviation applications and providing a range of support services, including training and simulation systems. Elbit Systems has approximately 12,500 employees engaged in engineering, research and development, and other technical areas. Elbit Systems’ shares are traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. Elbit already owned several companies in the United States through its American subsidiary, Elbit Systems of America (ESA), including EFW in Fort Worth, Texas; IEI in Talladega, Alabama; Kollsman Inc. in Merrimack, New Hampshire; Innovative Concepts, Inc. (ICI) in McLean, Virginia; VSI in San Jose, California; UAS Dynamics in Fort Mill, South Carolina and M7 Aerospace in San Antonio, Texas.
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PILOT SHORTAGE
FILLING THE BIZAV COCKPIT
Within the aviation industry, pilot shortages are typically a byproduct of supply and demand. In recent years, the expansion of commercial air travel has steadily outgrown the number of available pilots, helping create one of the most profound shortages to date. Kirby Harrison reports
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CADETS
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he reasons for today’s pilot shortage are varied and, for the most part, valid. At the top of the list is the relatively healthy economic environment that many of the world’s largest markets are currently enjoying – including Africa, China, the European Union, Middle East and the United States. With a healthy economy follows increasing demand for air passenger travel. In fact, according to the 2017 Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook, a well-respected forecast of personnel demand, 637,000 commercial airline pilots will be needed to fly the world fleet over the next 20 years. Further breaking down this number, Boeing forecasts that within this period the Asia/Pacific region will lead worldwide growth in pilot demand, requiring 243,000 new pilots. Meanwhile, North America will require 117,000, Europe 106,000, the Middle East 63,000, Latin America 52,000, Africa 24,000 and the CIS and Russia 22,000. Want a second opinion? Canadian simulation and training services provider CAE says it expects that the world’s commercial aviation industry will need an additional 255,000 pilots by 2027. Articles and experts have been forecasting the pilot shortage for years, with some suggesting shortages of up to 3,000 pilots this year alone. But the time for forecasting is over. To be blunt, the shortage isn’t coming – it’s here, and there is little promise of the any improvement in the near term. A Business Aviation Problem Too Let’s be clear. The pilot shortage isn’t limited to commercial aviation. While growth in commercial air has
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been gaining momentum, there are signs that Business Aviation activity is also increasing. As a result, bizav, like other segments, is beginning to feel the pilot shortage squeeze. Argus CEO Joe Moeggenberg recently told Forbes.com that in 2017, for the first time since 2008, Business Aviation flight activity reached over three million flights – an upward trend expected to continue into this year. ARGUS’ TRAQPak analysis has forecast flight activity for the first quarter of 2018 to increase 5%. “In 2017, Part 135 activity saw the largest year-over-year operation category increase of over 9%, and large cabin aircraft saw the largest year-over-year increases in the industry, up almost 15%,” he said. In the NBAA’s Insider magazine, the association gets right to the point about the industry’s pilot shortage, saying that it is the result of both the airlines offering pilots what is perceived to be a better deal and an overall decline in the number of people choosing aviation careers. As to
the first point, in an effort to retain current pilot employees and hire new ones, the airlines are putting together monetary bonus packages. For example, the Horizon Air pilot recruiting website offers hiring bonuses of $20,000 for Embraer 175 pilots and $25,000 for Dash-8 Q400 pilots. As of March this year, Compass Airlines (which operates as Delta Connection or American Eagle) was offering a $17,500 signing bonus. Envoy (American Airlines Group) is offering a $45,000 signing bonus “when they walk through the door” to those pilots with a clean training record, up to 600 hours of Part 121 experience and a reliable attendance record. As a side note, according to European global private jet charter broker PrivateFly, the pilot shortage in Europe has not been so severe, thanks in part to the collapse and closure of Air Berlin and Britain’s Monarch Airlines in October 2017, the effect of which is that a large bloc of pilots are now available.
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PILOT SHORTAGE Airbus and Boeing next-generation VIP jets now totals more than 26 airplanes. This all adds up to a lot of new aircraft that will require pilots to fly them. Unfortunately, many of the potential pilots are going to the airlines. The most attractive aspects of flying for an airline is typically salary, followed by 401K pension plans, profit-sharing, medical insurance, dental insurance and other benefits. While attractive inducements, many Business Aviation pilots are also tempted by what is perceived to be fixed schedules that facilitate a more stable family life. Furthermore, in recent years, airline pilot unions have leveraged the pilot shortage against the airlines’ return to profitability, securing sizeable
AB INITIO
CAE’s A320 simulator (center left). Oxford Aviation Academy trained over 26,000 pilots in the past 50 years (center right).
Contributing Factors While much of the pilot shortage is attributed to growth in the global economy and the corresponding growth in the commercial aviation industry, there are other contributing factors, such as retirement. According to a study by the University of North Dakota, over the next decade, between 15,000 and 18,000 air carrier aviators whose careers were previously extended when the FAA raised the mandatory retirement age for Part 121 pilots from 60 to 65 will be set to retire. Add to this the FAA’s 1,500-hour minimum for regional first officers, implemented in 2013, plus a declining number of people holding air transport licenses, and the long-forewarned pilot shortage becomes a harsh reality – with a 15,000-person gap by 2026.
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More so, when OEMs begin delivering new aircraft there is likely to be an additional impact on the pilot shortage. These aircraft include Bombardier’s Global 7000, the Citation Longitude from Cessna, Gulfstream’s G500 and G600 largecabin jets and the Pilatus PC-24 light jet. Add to this, albeit in smaller numbers, the Airbus ACJ319neo and the ACJ320neo, as well as the BBJ Max – all single-aisle VIP jets. To add figures to this, at this point, Global 7000 orders are sold out through 2021, 25% of 2018’s planned production for Cessna’s Longitude is sold out, and 80% of Gulfsteam orders for the 2 nd quarter of 2017 were for the new G500 and G600. As of early 2017, Pilatus was reporting orders for the PC-24 of more than 84 aircraft. The combined total of
increases in pay and benefits for their members. For example, between 2011 and 2016, airline pilots saw their pay rise by an average of 26%. According to the NBAA, senior captains flying business jets have an average annual salary of between $106,536 (aircraft weighing 10,000 to 20,000 pounds maximum takeoff weight) and $176,288 for a Jet V (80,000 to 120,000 pounds max takeoff weight). A 2017 NBAA pilot salary survey noted that a captain flying a mid-sized corporate aircraft like the Bombardier Challenger 350 made about $130,000 annually. By comparison, according to an Airline Pilots Association document, an American Airlines captain flying the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 earned just over $268,000 in 2017.
Pay for business aircraft pilots in some operations has also increased, though hardly comparable to that of airlines. For example, two years ago, a major fractional provider bumped pay packages up by 28% over five years. According to the NBAA’s 2017 Compensation Survey, the average increase for chief pilots during the previous year was 5.5%. Looking for Solutions So, what can be done? To start, the NBAA recommends lowering minimum hourly requirements for highquality new-hires and, at the same time, providing these recruits with enhanced training within the company’s safety culture. There’s also the issue of providing more attractive compensation packages. For exam-
ALPA: THERE IS NO PILOT SHORTAGE IN THE US While most of the aviation industry is in agreement with regard to the existing pilot shortage, the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA), International has a different perspective. In a posting on the union website earlier this year, ALPA stated bluntly: “The facts are clear – there is no pilot shortage in the United States.” In fact, it added that more than 25,500 certificates have been issued since July 2013, which is “a rate of issuance that continues to exceed the most optimistic pilot forecast.” ALPA further said that it has promoted the pilot profession as a career of choice and conducted outreach in schools and universities throughout the United States and Canada. “In 2016, ALPA reached an estimated 10,000 students [striving] to inspire the next generation of pilots through discussion of technology, innovation and the myriad of benefits of choosing this career.”
through such programs as the STEM curriculum by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). “This means encouraging field trips to the local general aviation airport to let them see what goes on there and ensuring they get that critical first airplane ride with the right person, which is to say, someone who will make sure it’s a smooth, enjoyable experience,” he adds.
ple, charter operator XOJET is investing more in compensation, pilot quality of life, and recruiting and training. To make the company an even more attractive place to work, XOJET has increased compensation for the past four consecutive years, instituted flexible schedule options, greatly expanded leadership opportunities, increased commensurate pay for Standards Captains, expanded training programs, and invested more in quality of life initiatives. Companies should also act early by encouraging pilot candidates early on. For example, Clay Lacy launched a pilot scholarship program in 2003 and added a second scholarship in 2008. Today the company is working with existing aviation schools and granting scholarships to as many as six candidates annually. The company is also
working with ATP Flight School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, whose Airline Career Pilot Fast Track Program is designed to take the student pilot from zero experience to 1,500 hours of flight time in just nine months. In an effort to bring more students into aviation, Ron Rapp, an experienced corporate pilot and aviation writer, says the industry has essentially ignored a major demographic – women. In fact, statistics compiled by Statista say just 5.1% of pilots worldwide are female. “At least half of the US population is female, but very few women pursue a career as a professional pilot,” says Rapp. According to Rapp, the solution to increasing the female pilot population is to start exposing them to the wonders of aviation at a young age
Filling the Gap The professional pilot being sought by business jet owners and operators is more than a competent pilot. According to Rick Wilson, assistant chief pilot with Clay Lacy Aviation, the Business Aviation pilot is a highly accomplished professional with a combination of technical, people and management skills. “The job of the corporate pilot is as much personality-driven as it is technical,” he says. “We need pilots who have multiple skill sets, not just great piloting ability [and] there are many elements to consider when hiring that go above the required flight hours and training that is listed on the resume.” After all this discussion, the bottom line is simple: there are not enough qualified pilots to meet this demand. And considering the anticipated growth in commercial aviation over the next two decades, this isn’t likely to change anytime soon.
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AIRWOMEN
Today women's participation in the aviation sector is still low, but growing.
EBACE REPORT
EBACE 2018: BUSINESS AVIATION IS ON THE RISE, AGAIN News from the OEMs Dassault Business Aviation in Europe has seen a continuous rise in movements month-over-month for more than a year, which spurred the optimism among the exhibitors and visitors. For example, Dassault Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier sees a stronger Business Aviation climate and a growing demand for Dassault’s Falcon family of business jets, not only in the US, but in other parts of the world, too. “We have seen a full recovery of the pre-owned market,” he says.
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SOLD-OUT
EBACE 2018 featured 54 aircraft at the static display. Falcon 6X model at the Dassault booth.
BACE 2018 in Geneva featured 418 exhibitors from around the globe and a sold-out static display of 54 business aircraft. Needless to say, organizers EBAA and NBAA were satisfied with the outcome of the show. “This was a decidedly upbeat, optimistic EBACE week, which highlighted the passion and enthusiasm that is at the heart of the Business Aviation community,” says EBAA Chairman Juergen Wiese. “The show reflected a reverence for the industry’s history, as well as an embrace of its future.” NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen echoed this enthusiasm, says: “EBACE once again showed that Business Aviation is an industry focused on innovation and investment in the future. The new aircraft models, the new business models, the featured speakers and the trends we discussed all point to an energetic industry looking toward tomorrow.” Besides new aircraft models, the main topics discussed at the show were: Sustainable Alternative Jet Fuel (SAJF), Brexit and its implications for Business Aviation, improving access to European airspace and airports, and the ADS-B compliance mandate dates.
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The Business Aviation community flocked to Geneva, where it was welcomed by an upbeat mood. The inventory in the used aircraft market is back to normal, flight activity in Europe is gaining momentum, and new aircraft models are spurring demand. Marc Grangier and Volker K. Thomalla report
He also explained that the decision to cancel the Falcon 5X program after new problems arose with the Safran Silvercrest turbofan in October was a tough one, but that it was critical to react quickly. The company has since launched the Falcon 5X’s successor, the slightly bigger Falcon 6X, in February of this year. “The 6X will be on the market in four years,” says Trappier. The jet
FAA/EASA certification campaign for the FalconEye HUD system, which will allow customers to fly approaches in bad weather without ground-based navigation aids down to a minimum decision height of 100 ft. “With FalconEye, we not only developed an industry leading technology, but provided a huge safety benefit to our operators,” says Trappier.
He expects that operational credits for Falcon 8X equipped with FalconEye will be available by the end of this year. Gulfstream Gulfstream Aerospace arrived at EBACE 2018 with its entire range of in-production business jets. The allnew G600, which is scheduled to be certified before the end of the year, came to Geneva for the first time. The aircraft flew in – as all Gulfstream jets do – on renewable fuel. The aircraft had just finished a world tour that consisted of 220 flight hours on 64 flights. It has a range of 6,500 nautical miles at a cruise speed of Mach 0.90. Its smaller sibling, the G500, is very close to certification, with Mark Burns reporting that everything is on track. Thirty-three of 34 test blocks have been completed and 220 of the required 300 flight hours of block 34 have also been logged. “Now, the required paperwork just needs to be completed,” says Burns. The G500 has just recently completed its longest flight so far, with the aircraft
will be powered by two PW800 PurePower turbofans from Pratt & Whitney Canada. Right after the launch, first presentations to a wide range of potential customers took place, and first orders soon followed. Dassault’s flagship, the Falcon 8X, has now been in service for 18 months and is flying in all major Business Aviation regions. It has been authorized to fly into major demanding business airports like London City. Most Falcon 8X buyers have opted for the FalconEye combined vision system. Dassault has recently completed a joint being in the air for 11 hours and 12 minutes. During EBACE, Gulfstream announced that it will build a new factory-owned and operated Service Center at TAG Farnborough Airport. However, the center is not intended to replace the Lutton facility, as the company is committed to remaining in the London area, which has the highest volume of Gulfstream traffic in Europe. “The growth of the Gulfstream fleet and increased size of our aircraft are driving the need for continued growth
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LARGE
Three leading ultra-long-ranges: Falcon 8X (top), Gulfstream G650 (center) and G550 (below).
EBACE REPORT Cessna’s Citation Latitude is doing extremely well, with 124 units delivered since entering the market in August 2015. The global Latitude fleet has surpassed 80,000 flight hours. “The Latitude is leading the midsize segment,” says Textron Senior Vice President Marketing and Sales Rob Scholl. “It offers its passengers an unparalleled cabin experience and has the quietest cabin in its class.” Right before EBACE, NetJets Europe took delivery of its ninth Citation Latitude. NetJets Europe’s fleet has amassed over 5,000 flight hours. The next big thing with Textron Aviation is the Citation Longitude, which was shown in Geneva for the and additional capacity in our service center network,” says Gulfstream President of Product Support Derek Zimmerman. “Across our US and international sites, we strive to provide customers with an exemplary experience in modern, purpose-driven service centers that maximize operational quality and efficiency.” London is also home to the company’s European Parts Distribution Center near Heathrow Airport and Sales and Design Center in Mayfair. Gulfstream has more than 225 aircraft based in Europe, along with 180 in the Middle East and Africa. second time. The super-midsize jet is reaching the end of its flight test program, with nearly 3,000 hours flown. Based on the FAA’s newest certification requirements, the number of ground and flight test conditions to be met by the Longitude is nearly double the amount completed on past certification programs. To satisfy these requirements, the Longitude team used five aircraft and 50 ground test articles to expedite testing, whereas previous certification programs featured three aircraft and fewer than 30 ground assets. IMPRESSIVE
Textron showing off its Cessna Latitude (top) and Longitude (center) at the display.
Textron Aviation Textron Aviation sees an improving market for business aircraft, too. Scott Ernest, President and CEO of Textron Aviation, said that Textron has experienced a strong book-to-bill ratio. The company has sold more aircraft in Asia in the first five months of this year than last year. Furthermore,
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the used aircraft inventory is drying up. “It’s hard to find a good used Citation,” says Ernest. “The used aircraft market completely flipped in the last three months.” Ernest says he sees the market in Europe heading in the right direction, with jet and turboprop deliveries up on a year-over-year comparison.
Embraer Executive Jets Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer was in an upbeat mood, too. “There has never been a better time to buy a jet,” says Embraer Executive Jets President Michael Amalfitano. “Flight activities are back to pre-crisis levels in both the
US and Europe and the reduced preowned inventory leads to a stable pricing.� At the show, Air Hamburg, already the world’s largest Embraer Legacy 600/650 operator, ordered four new Legacy 650E, bringing their fleet to a total of 15 Legacy 600/650. The contract has a value of USD 103.6 million according to list price. Pilatus Aircraft Pilatus Aircraft of Stans, Switzerland, has received FAA and EASA certification for its Super high production rates and is hiring additional employees. The orderbook for the PC-24, which is still closed, will be opened again this year. Pilatus put one of its three prototype aircraft on display at EBACE. They are still busy with various post-certification tests for steep approach and operations from unpaved runways qualification. Schwenk said that the feedback from the first PC-24 owners is very promising and that the aircraft shows a high reliability. Launch customer PlaneSense has flown over 300 hours since February. Versatile Jet, the PC-24, in December of 2017. At EBACE, Oscar J. Schwenk, Chairman of Pilatus Aircraft, told BART International that the company has already delivered three aircraft to customers and intends to deliver another 20 this year. For 2019, the production will increase to 40 aircraft, followed by 50 PC-24 in 2020. Pilatus has built new production facilities in Stans to support the Honda Aircraft Honda Aircraft unveiled an upgraded version of its HondaJet, the HondaJet Elite (see interview with Honda Aircraft President and CEO, Michimasa Fujino on page 78), which is already certified by EASA and the FAA and will be delivered starting August this year. Piper Aircraft Piper Aircraft came to EBACE 2018 with a significantly expanded presence. It exhibited a Piper M350, a Piper M600 and a Piper PA-28 Archer
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SHOWCASE
From the top: Legacy 650E, PC-21, PC-12 NG at the Pilatus stand and HondaJet Elite.
EBACE REPORT data files to the CAMP maintenance tracking system. On the comfort side, the TBM cabin, restyled last year, is now offered with electrically-heated seats – a first for a single turboprop aircraft. Piaggio Aerospace In 2018, Piaggio Aerospace celebrates its first 100 years. CEO Renato Vaghi told BART that during the first quarter of 2018, the company had secured additional orders for four units of its $7.7 million Avanti EVO, and was expecting to deliver eight aircraft by the end of the year. Twenty DX. Sales of both the M Class aircraft, as well as the trainer aircraft, have recently risen. In the first quarter of 2018, deliveries increased by 36%, while revenue has increased by 77% in a year-on-year comparison. The company says it expects deliveries to expand further, with the backlog for trainer aircraft expanding well into the first quarter of 2019. The sales figures of trainer are a reflection of the impact of the pilot shortage. “As a manufacturer of training aircraft, we’re seeing the forecast becoming reality,” says Piper Aircraft President and CEO Simon Caldecott. “Pilot shortage is real!” aircraft were in the pipeline, of which 12 were Avanti EVOs. Piaggio’s industrial plan was recently strengthened by comprehensive financial restructuring, including a 255M shareholder cash injection (Piaggio is 100% owned by Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Company).
FLAGSHIP
Among the turboprop aircraft were Piaggio Avanti EVO (top), Piper M600 (center). Daher TBM 930 (below).
Piper recently launched a version of the twin-engine trainer PA-44 Seminole with jet-fuel engines. The new version was named Seminole DX. Deliveries of the new model will begin in the first quarter of 2019. “Demand for jet A powered trainers is growing around the globe,” adds Caldecott.
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Daher Daher is introducing a new cloudbased “Me & My TBM” app, available for all TBM 910 and TBM 930 Model Year 2018 aircraft, that automatically leverages data during every phase of flight. This app, available on Android and iOS, eliminates the need to send flight logs, as well as trend and report
Bombardier Bombardier surprised everybody when, on the eve of the show, it unveiled two additions to its business jet fleet, the Global 5500 and 6500. The new aircraft, which will be powered by new purpose-built RollsRoyce Pearl engines, will incorporate a newly optimized wing, a fully re-imagined cabin, and will be offering 500 and 600 nm of additional range – respectively 5,700 and 6,600 nm – with top speeds of Mach 0.90 and coupled with an up to 13% fuel burn advantage. Furthermore, the jets will deliver a range increase of up to 1,300 nm when operating out of hot-weather and high-altitude con-
YOUR GLOBAL CONNECTION ÂŽ
21-23 MAY 2019 | GENEVA
Business growth requires a global perspective. It starts with the latest technologies, trends and ideas, and comes full circle with a world of connections that are key in helping you manage multiple budgets, high-performing teams and large-scale purchases. Find everything you need to make the most informed decisions all in one place: the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition. Join us at EBACE to build relationships and explore the entire marketplace of options. And leave with the best solutions for your business. Get connected and move forward faster. Save the date and visit the website to learn more.
www.ebace.aero/2019
EBACE REPORT GE Aviation GE Aviation Catalyst Program Manager Mark Brands gave BART details concerning the new turboprop program (previously named the Advanced Turboprop engine), which is being developed to power the Textron Cessna Denali. By the time the $4.968 million aircraft enters service in 2020, the engine will have completed more than 2000 hours of testing. The 1,240 SHP-rated Catalyst, which is part of GE’s family of turboprop engines in the 1,000-1,600 SHP range, completed its first ground run on December 22, 2017 at GE Aviation’s Turboprop Center in Prague. Since then, GE engineers have run the engine approximately 60 hours, and performance is already ahead of that predicted. Component certification testing was imminent at the ditions. Last but not least, they will be able to access such airports as London City. Bombardier also noted that its flagship Global 7000 will be renamed the Global 7500, as its performance continues to exceed expectations. It now boasts an unmatched range of 7,700 nm, a full 300 nm further than initial commitments. The $77 million aircraft is on track to enter service during the second half of 2018. During the show, Bombardier signed a letter of intent (LOI) for up to 18 Global 6500 and 7500 with HK Bellawings Jet Ltd., an aircraft management company based in Hong Kong. If all firm orders and options are exercised, the transaction would be valued at approximately $1.14 billion, based on 2018 list prices. Start Your Engines
REBRAND
Bombardier's Global 7000 is renamed the Global 7500 (top). Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 engine (center).
Rolls-Royce In parallel with the bombshell announcement of the new Global 5500 and 6500, Rolls-Royce disclosed the launch of a new engine family for Business Aviation, the Pearl 15, purposely built for these two aircraft. This new turbofan is the first of the planned state-of-theart Pearl engine family, and on which the company had been covertly working for six years. It combines innovative technologies derived from Rolls-Royce’s Advance2 technology demonstrator programs, with proven features
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from the Rolls-Royce BR700. The Pearl 15 will deliver up to 15,125lb of thrust (ISA +15), thanks to its most efficient engine core. Though delivering up to 9% more thrust during take-off than the BR700, it will be two decibels quieter and operators will benefit from a 7% improvement in specific fuel consumption (SFC). The engine will also deliver bestin-class NOx emissions, while propelling customers at Mach 0.90. Developed at Rolls-Royce’s Center in Dahlewitz, Germany, the Pearl 15 secretly received EASA certification last February, after a comprehensive test program. It is currently undergoing flight tests at Bombardier’s Flight Test Center in Wichita, Kansas, supporting the planned entry into service at the end of 2019.
time of EBACE and it will be followed by engine certification testing. Assembly work on the second Catalyst is near completion and the engine will be sent to Canada later this year for altitude testing. The engine, which features a 16:1 overall pressure ratio (enabling it to achieve as much as 20% lower fuel burn and 10% higher cruise power compared to its competitors), is the first turboprop engine in its class to introduce two stages of variable stator vanes and cooled high-pressure turbine blades. It also includes more 3-D printed components than any production engine in aviation history – a total of 855 conventionally manufactured parts have been reduced to 12 additive parts, including sumps, bearing housings, frames, exhaust case, combustor liner, heat exchangers and stationary flow path components.
Of course, there’s much more to EBACE than OEMs. For example, on the training side, CAE announced the launch of its new Bombardier Global 5000/6000 full-flight simulator (FFS) with Vision flight deck, the CAE 7000XR Series FFS, equipped with CAE Tropos 6000XR visual system. Luxaviation, Tag Aviation Europe, along with the pilots of many other operators, have started training at CAE London Burgess Hill. CAE also signed a pilot training agreement with OJets, a new operator that recently acquired Elit’Avia. Under the threeyear agreement, pilots will be trained on Bombardier Global Vision, Global Express and Challenger 605/650 across CAE’s training network in
mentioned that his company recently signed two separate head-of-state completion contracts, consisting of four wide-body aircraft in total. Earlier this year, GDC completed a head-ofstate interior that was 20% lighter than industry estimates. Multiple maintenance projects were also completed by GDC in 2017. This year, GDC will deliver three wide-body head-of-state aircraft. Gogo Business Aviation is the newest value-added manufacturer (VAM) for Iridium Certus aviation terminals. Gogo has also been selected as an Iridium Certus service provider, making it the first company to design and manufacture terminals, while also providing the new L-band broadband service for Business Aviation. With Iridium Certus service
vide in-flight connectivity to the Gogo Biz 4G network. To-date, Duncan Aviation STCs have been used in more than 50 installations of the Gogo AVANCE L5 Wi-Fi system. Duncan Aviation is also encouraging its EMEA customers, in order to avoid the lastminute rush, to schedule as soon as possible their ADS-B upgrades. The deadline of midnight on June 6th, 2020 is approaching quickly, and hangar space and skilled avionics technicians will be at a premium – and costs will likely rise. Safran celebrated the delivery of the 2,000th thrust reverser for the Honeywell HTF7000 engines. These thrust reversers have been designed and manufactured by Safran Nacelles for nearly 20 years at its United Kingdom site in Burnley. They have
Europe, including CAE Amsterdam and CAE London Burgess Hill. Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI), announced that it had acquired Conklin & de Decker Associates. An industry leader in aviation research, Conklin & de Decker has provided a wide range of aircraft cost and performance data to the Business Aviation industry for nearly 35 years. “Combined with the unparalleled delivery platform of Conklin & de Decker, we will offer the Business Aviation market a level of information and transparency not seen before,” stated JSSI President and CEO Neil Book. Conklin & de Decker will now be recognized as a JSSI company, retaining the name that was created by founders William ‘Bill’ de Decker and the late Alan H. Conklin in 1984. During EBACE, Mohammed Alzeer, GDC Technics General Partner,
delivered through the Iridium NEXT low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, Gogo now offers small-form-factor, low-latency and cost-effective antennas able to provide broadband service from any airspace, including the poles. At EBACE, Gogo announced the recent delivery of its first new production Embraer Legacy 450 installed with Gogo AVANCE L5. This latest connectivity system is now being installed as a factory option on new production Legacy 450s and 500s. Duncan Aviation’s Engineering and Certification Department has completed six full-equipment STCs for Gogo Business Aviation’s AVANCE L5 inflight Internet and Wi-Fi system. These STCs, applying to various models of Challenger, Global, Gulfstream and Falcon aircraft, cover the Wi-Fi certification and full equipment and antenna installation required to pro-
been supplied to various customers to serve a number of aircraft and engine variations, including Bombardier Challenger 300/350, Embraer Legacy 450/500, Gulfstream G280 and Textron Cessna Citation Longitude. As well as producing thrust reversers for the HTF7000 engines, Safran Nacelles also provides nacelles for the Dassault F7X and F8X, Bombardier Global 5000, 6000 and 7000, and Gulfstream G550. Concerning its Silvercrest turbofan engine, next spring the company plans to begin ground testing of an improved axial high pressure compressor, hoping to rescue the program for future large business aircraft, including the Cessna Citation Hemisphere. Universal Avionics (now a whollyowned subsidiary of Elbit Systems) continues to see a strong interest in its SBAS-FMS (Satellite-Based
Around the Horn
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PRESENCE
JSSI (left) and Duncan Aviation (right) stands on the show floor.
EBACE REPORT this summer," explains Dillon-Godfray. "There's no risk involved, if our members don't save any money, we pay them their membership fees back." RUAG Aviation is quite busy with maintenance and modification of Business Aircraft. The company completed a Global Express XRS 8C check at its facilities in Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich, in Germany. During downtime for this heavy maintenance inspection, RUAG upgraded the aircraft's communication equipment with SwiftBroadband and installed a new WiFi router in the cabin for seamless device interfacing.
THRILLED
Universal Avionics’ stand (top). AVIAÂ team at the display (center left). RUAG completed 8C check on Global Express XRS (center right).
Augmentation System) upgrades, as NextGen (FAA-led ATC modernization) and SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) initiatives ramp up. Last year, the company saw a 40% growth in its SBAS-FMS upgrades. “With increasing airspace congestion, SBAS is becoming an extremely valuable technology for European aircraft operators,” says UA Director of Sales Robert Clare. “Throughout Europe, there are already more than 440 EGNOS-based approaches at over 220 airports, and that number continues to grow. UA’s SBAS-FMS is also the first step in preparing for the FAA’s NextGen and Europe’s SESAR.” At EBACE, Jet Aviation made several important announcements. Its Completions Center in Basel received approval from Airbus Corporate Jets for the ACJ350 XWB. As the latest addition to Airbus' family of VIP widebody corporate jets, the ACJ350 XWB approval reflects the history of technological innovation at Jet Aviation's
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Completions Center, which has successfully delivered 23 VIP Airbus cabins since 2000, from the ACJ319 to the ACJ340-600. The company also mentioned that it had signed a preferred FBO service agreement for its facilities in EMEA and Asia with World Fuel Services. Besides, the group indicated it had signed another Boeing 787 completions contract - in 2015, Jet Aviation was the first company to take delivery of a B787-9 for interior completions. A debutant at EBACE was the group purchasing start-up company Aviaâ, which is based at Oxford airport. Aviaâ's Cameron Dillon-Godfray announced at the show that the firm recently partnered with UVair and with Satcom Direct (SD). Aircraft owners who sign up with Aviaâ benefit from better prices for fuel, maintenance, catering and data plans, amongst others from Aviaâ's existing partners. "We aggregate the spend, and by doing so we expect the number of members to rise at least to 250 aircraft by the end of
New to RUAG's already broad maintenance portfolio is the inspection and repair of landing gears for the Bombardier Challenger family. The company performed a first landing gear repair on a Challenger 300 during a 96month inspection. "Our customers are able to benefit from significant savings in time and cost when they optimize their aircraft's downtime according to the RUAG one-stop shop approach," says Ralf Ott, Senior Manager Sales & Customer Support, RUAG Aviation. Last but not least, INGENIO Aerospace, in collaboration with Rockwell Collins, developed a new cabin tablet arm that integrates directly with its Venue cabin management system (CMS). The INGENIO tablet arms are available to fit in either Venue or CES receptacles. Meeting FAA Part 25 regulations, they offer a wide selection of tablet holders, and have integrated power to charge tablets.
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CUSTOMER SERVICE
DIGITAL PROGRESS DOES NOT SUBSTITUTE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP Customer services is a growing segment in the industry. It is constantly evolving. What is Textron Aviation’s strategy to meet the customer’s expectations and to enhance the service offerings further? Volker K. Thomalla interviewed Kriya Shortt, senior vice president, Customer Service, Textron Aviation
Q
Textron Aviation has expanded its service network significantly. Are all Textron Service Centers certified to work on all Textron aircraft? Our Service Centers are privileged to serve the largest installed customer base globally for Business Aviation. Our growth in Europe has been tremendous and we needed to match our services we provide to our European customers with the same level of support as our North American customers. We’ve expanded our hangar space in Europe to 200,000 sq ft. But the answer to your question is yes. It took us time. We needed to go through some processes and approvals, but now in Europe we can work on all types throughout the entire network. We see that factory-direct service is incredibly important to our customers. Besides our Service centers, we also have line service stations available throughout Europe.
ourselves: How can we help our customers and what can we offer to them to be more productive with their time? But a digital environment does not replace the personal relationship. We want to offer them tools so that they can interact with us on their time and their schedule and that we can react as quickly as possible to their needs. We’ve developed a new customer portal for our MRO customers where a customer can see in real-time the status of the progress we’re making on their aircraft.
Q
Q
Are you planning to expand your service offerings any further? We care not only about aircraft. We’re impassionate to have a relation with the customer throughout the lifecycle of their ownership. We’re investing globally and adding another five MSU’s in North America this year and we’re looking what to add in Europe as well.
Q
Will there be room left for independent maintenance providers in the future? Everybody has their business to evaluate. We’re growing our support network to support our customers.
Q
What initiatives have you taken to transfer aircraft services into today’s digital environment? It is exciting! We’re living in a 24/7/365 environment. We’re asking
What is your experience with 1Call? Do international customers accept this service despite living in different time zones? We offer 24/7/365 availability with 1Call. We want to be relevant to our customer base. We actually have language skills for customers who prefer to do business in a language other than English. And we also leveraged the service by having technical experts and parts specialists embedded.
Q
How hard is it to educate customers that they need to upgrade their aircraft for the upcoming ADS-B mandates? A lot of corporate flight departments, pilots, owners and operators understand the relevance of the upcoming mandates and the timing of it and they are aware of the consequences. From our perspective, it is a critical question, we want all our customers to understand. What we’re seeing is that more and more customers are looking into the timeframe. We’re working diligently with them to reserve their slot on their timing and their budget.
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LICENSED
Kriya Shortt says all Textron Service Centers are now certified to work on all Textron aircraft.
ONLINE BOOKING
DISRUPTION AT THE DOOR Online private jet booking platforms are creating simple and sleek tools to easily book a private jet without any hassle and knowledge of the market. They launch customer friendly and easy to book websites with online estimates and quotes. But is it still the way of the future, Nick Klenske asks
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POPULAR
London is the most demanded destination among PrivateFly customers (top). PrivateFly CEO Adam Twidell (below).
ince the economic crisis of 2008, Business Aviation has struggled. And although a lot of the industry’s recent struggles can be explained by the anemic economic growth in its core markets, some of the industry’s problems are of its own making. This is particularly true of the access it provides to those wanting to charter business jets, where the customer experience is poor, the options opaque and the products inconsistent. “In short, Business Aviation has contrived to be perhaps the very last service sector not to share an online market place with its customers,” says WINGX Advance Managing Director Richard Koe. “Thankfully, things are changing.” “If you look at the world of travel, there is absolutely no industry that is not online,” adds Stratajet Founder and CEO Jonny Nicol. “People no longer expect to only have the option of picking up a telephone to go through the process of requesting quotes – they expect immediacy.” According to Nicol, scheduled airlines, trains, boats, whatever mode of
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transport you like, are all available online. Furthermore, you know instantly how much it costs and can make a booking then and there. “Private jets are the exception to this and that has prevented them from being seen as a valid form of transport,” he says. “It’s a closed industry, seen only as a thing of luxury, that needs to catch up because the market is shrinking.” In short, online brokers are making charter much easier to find and pay
for right away. With the pricing and availability issues fixed, these platforms should be able to broadcast business jet charter outside the industry silo for the first time. Easily comparable to any other form of transportation, the charter product becomes just another mobility option for someone browsing Expedia. According to Koe, although the current business jet market is a tiny fraction of premium airline users, it links up more than five times the number of destinations. “Once access to chartering an aircraft is as transparent as booking a flight, Business Aviation could easily take a 5% share of the premium market,” he says. “That alone would double its market value.” Killing the Fax Although online charter broker platforms have been around for a number of years now, many have failed to go far beyond the automation of the reverse-auction process that brokers have always managed offline. “This is where we are starting to see the change,” says Koe. “Now platforms are getting smarter, virtually consolidating the market’s fragmented inventory, patching into scheduling platforms and accurately calculating pricing on a case-by-case basis.” The disruption began in 2002, when Avinode entered the scene. Seeing that the process of booking a private charter was only possible by phone and fax, the company’s three Swedish co-founders saw an opportunity to usher the charter industry into the 21st century. Their idea was simple: make air charter available by bringing buyers and sellers together in a stateof-the-art online marketplace. The result is the Avinode Marketplace. Today, the Avinode Marketplace is the world’s leading tool for buying and selling air charter, utilized by over 80% of the global charter market. But Avinode is by no means the sole player. Although it may be a trailblazer, that trail has since become rather crowded with new ideas coming from the likes of such companies as JetSuite, JetSmarter, Bluestarjets, SkyJet, Stratajet and PrivateFly – to name only a few.
any given journey. Some statistics say that up to 40% of private jets fly empty – amounting to around 260,000 private flights moving without passengers in Europe alone. “Operators have argued that this is the only way they can provide the instant and flexible availability of flights to clients, but it makes flying privately the most expensive way to travel,” explains Nicol. “Customers are paying for the privilege of the aircraft having to position empty to take them where they want to go.”
PrivateFly One of the earlier entrants onto the scene was PrivateFly, who is celebrating their 10 th anniversary this year. “It’s been ten years since we were a disruptive start-up, looking to convince the market that our vision of a tech-driven approach to private charter would succeed,” says PrivateFly CEO Adam Twidell. “A lot has changed since, but we’ve managed to retain our culture of innovation as we’ve grown.” Since its launch, PrivateFly has been cutting new ground in the Business Aviation industry. The company’s booking engine enables people to submit flight requests to accredited operators. Operators who have signed up to the system can then offer the spare capacity in their fleets. They can also see what their competitors are quoting, which means customers get the most suitable aircraft for their missions at the best price. They also get instant pricing in their own languages thanks to the company’s multi-lingual web and app platforms. Alternatively, clients can book online or over the phone, with the company’s 24-hour flight team.
“We like to think differently here at PrivateFly, and intend to keep doing so as we enter our second decade,” adds Twidell. Stratajet “There’s a lot of noise from other companies who are claiming to be online brokers, but none of them can do what our software can,” claims Nicol. According to Nicol, other companies simply use a website to collect requests before farming them out to operators who still have to
quote manually. In contrast, Stratajet offers its technology to aircraft operators to more efficiently track their jets. “Through this direct relationship, we can remove the need for travelers to phone a broker while also reducing the amount of hours spent by operators providing quotes,” he adds. Stratajet also addresses the problem of private jets flying without passengers due to the necessity for an aircraft to make a return leg after
The Stratajet system remedies this problem by searching, in real time, every available flight for any journey, and by including existing empty legs in its search. These searches are then adapted to suit the individual passenger, thus reducing the cost of private jet travel. “There is a significant savings for the customer, while the operators’ profit margins are improved – and we’re not just burning jet fuel for the sake of it,” says Nicol. JetSmarter JetSmarter founder Sergey Petrossov got into the business for similar reasons. Instead of being the exclusive tool of high net-worth individuals, Petrossov started JetSmarter with the goal of reducing the costs of flying private. It all started in 2009 after he had a bad experience chartering a plane. He and some friends wanted to take a trip together, but when they contacted a charter company they were surprised that the company faxed the paperwork and required it be signed and faxed back. “When I saw the fax I was like, ‘this has to stop’,” says Petrossov. “It was like how the stock market operat-
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WIRED
Stratajet CEO Jonny Nicol (top). Through its app, JetSmarter connects its 14,000 members to a network of 3,200 aircraft (below).
ONLINE BOOKING
RAPID
JetSmarter Founder Sergey Petrossov (top). Customers can choose the online platform, apps, email or calls to make reservations.
ed in the 1980s – there had to be a more efficient way to charter a plane in the digital age.” From this experience, Petrossov researched the private aviation business and learned ways that technology could change and influence it. Knowing that traditional charter was financially out of reach for most people, and that air taxi serviced didn’t offer the luxury of jet travel, he started looking at how to reduce the cost of a private flight. His goal: to increase efficiency, reduce costs and allow more people to access larger private planes. The result of this research is JetSmarter, which launched in 2013 as an application for booking flights. However, Petrossov stresses that JetSmarter is not an app but a booking service, and that the software is merely a tool for accessing the company’s services. The service allows customers to fly one of two ways. On the one hand, they can browse and book seats on existing shared flights around the world and experience the perks of flying private for about the cost of commercial. Seats are offered on member-created flights and flights initiated and pre-scheduled
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by JetSmarter or its partners. Although this was not the company’s initial target market, Petrossov quickly saw it as a key opportunity. “After the company opened a few scheduled routes, demand grew,” he says. “JetSmarter created the market for private flights on scheduled routes.” The second option is to create your own flight. Here, customers choose their own aircraft, where and when they want to fly and how many seats are needed. They can also make it private by booking all the aircraft’s seats.
Still Waiting for that Uber with Wings In the excitement to see an uber-like platform finally liberate business jet charter from its black box, these would-be disruptors have attracted a deluge of investment. No doubt there’s an opportunity – and a glamorous one at that. But, according to Koe, we should expect some casualties on the way. “No one needs reminding how difficult it is to manage metal profitably, and for the online brokers, the technology doesn’t come much cheaper,” he says.
Both options are available via a membership, which costs $3,000 for a onetime initiation fee and $4,950 per year (there’s also a family membership available). With a membership, individuals can book seats on existing flights for about the cost of a commercial flight. They can also create on-demand shared and private flights, along with having access to seats on thousands of empty-legs, helicopter transfers in select cities and 24/7 concierge.
“And they have to compete with traditional brokers who have all the relationships and none of the cost exposure.” The bottom line: To succeed, online brokers may have to loss-lead in order to steal market share – and hope their platforms attract sufficient newcomers to Business Aviation to give their investors light at the end of the tunnel.
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SAFETY SENSE
CREATING POLICIES PILOTS CAN BUY INTO Why are go-around policies ineffective? Michael R. GrĂźninger and Capt. Carl C. Norgren analyze the psychology behind go-around policy non-compliance
OVERRUN
The aircraft overshot the runway 21 at Lanzarote Airport (center) due to pilot miscalculation.
A Long Night
I
t had been a long night. The sun was about to rise into the early morning of the 31st of October 2008. The commander was still napping in his seat while the co-pilot was at the controls of Air Europa’s Boeing 737-800 on the return flight from Glasgow to Lanzarote. Flight UX-196 was on a non-scheduled night flight from Lanzarote to Glasgow and back. The night before the day of the incident, the commander reported for duty at 20:40. He found the co-pilot already in the briefing room preparing for the flight. The co-pilot liked preparing for the flights well ahead of time and had a habit of spending additional time studying all relevant flight safety information. Before commencing descent after the night flight, the co-pilot had thoroughly prepared a landing in Lanzarote on Runway 03. However, when he woke up from his in-flight controlled rest, the commander
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decided to request the opposite runway to expedite their arrival. He had a positioning flight to catch and was too eager to land. He did not consult with the co-pilot before requesting the shortcut. When the crew received clearance for runway 21, the commander did not assist the co-pilot as pilot monitoring. Instead, he let the copilot get overwhelmed by the increase in workload due to the sudden and unprepared change of runway.
They were 21 nm from the threshold of runway 21 with an indicated airspeed of 315 kt and an altitude of 10,000 ft. During the last 1,000 ft, the ground proximity warning system was repeatedly issuing SINK RATE, PULL UP and TOO LOW TERRAIN warnings. They flew over the threshold of runway 21 at a radio altitude of approximately 190 ft with an indicated air speed of 175 kts – 41 kts above the reference speed. The flaps had not extended to landing configuration due to the automatic activation of the flap load relief mechanism. Given all other factors on that day, it doesn’t come as a surprise that this aircraft could not stop on the runway. The airplane ran off the end of the runway at a ground speed of 51 kt and travelled over the 60 m of the stopway. It stopped one meter from the jet blast barrier of runway 03. Nobody was injured. The tires were damaged and replaced prior to the next flight. The long night duty ended with a very close call.
But what led the flight crew to attempt the landing given such an unstabilized approach? Non-Compliance with Go-Around Policy Why not simply follow the stabilized approach policy contained in the Operations Manual? Why not simply follow the policy and go-around after an un-stabilized approach? Various studies have looked into the reasons. The Flight Safety Foundation recently published new insights and recommendations on go-around noncompliance. “Failure to conduct a go-around is the number one risk factor in approach and landing accidents and a primary cause of runway excursions. The global aviation industry’s rate of compliance with go-around policies is extremely poor: Approximately 3 percent of unstable approaches result in goaround policy compliance. Improving compliance holds
tremendous potential in reducing approach and landing accidents,” the study concludes. At the same time, the go-around itself is not without risk. Industry data suggests that between 1 and 3 goarounds are flown per 1,000 approaches. A go-around procedure is not a routine procedure for the flight crew. The risks must be understood and effectively mitigated before more goarounds are encouraged and performed. Why Is Compliance So Low? The Flight Safety Foundation GoAround Decision-Making and Execution Project was launched in 2011 to research and answer the question “Why are flight crews so poor at complying with established go-around policies?” It was also intended to improve the understanding of the risks associated with executing go-arounds and to make recommendations to improve compliance and mitigate risks associated with the go-around maneuver itself.
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CHANCE
The Air Europa Boeing 737-800 (center) was carrying 80 people. Luckily no-one was injured.
SAFETY SENSE
In March 2017, the Flight Safety Foundation published the final report. Policies Must Make Sense to the Crew The reason why a go-around policy, or any other procedure for that matter, is not complied with lies in what psychologists refer to as “situational awareness constructs”. Flight crews will not follow a policy or procedure when they feel that they can cope with the emerging problem and when they consider the policy to be counterproductive in achieving their mission. In addition to the FSF situational awareness constructs, flight crews might also be driven by the following biases or influences: ❍ Stigma of failure (believing wrongly that a go-around to execute the landing is a failure); ❍ Mission bias (pressure of crew, passengers and company to complete the mission, production vs. protection); ❍ Continuing on the present course of action is easier than changing the course of action.
COST
The plane had minor tyre damage and two approach lights on runway 03 were broken.
Management Attention As strange as it may sound, noncompliance by front-line personnel is mainly a management issue. The runway overrun of UX-196 was a consequence of the flight crew landing the aircraft and not goingaround, despite a clear policy to do so, according to the accident report. However, the underlying reasons lie in the psyche of both flight crew members and the flight ops management.
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According to the FSF report, flight crews will only comply with policies an d proced u res that the crews judge to be ‘sensible’ and that support the basic mission of providing a s afe tran s portation s ervice. Policies and procedures which are deemed to be of little value and may even be counterproductive to the mission are likely to be ignored. This is especially true if management supervision is weak and the flight crew believes that non-compliance will remain without consequence. This is the case if management lacks effective tools to carry out supervision of the flight operation or if management is perceived not to follow up acts of non-compliance. M an ag em en t n eed s to clearly state the expectation of compliance with policies an d proced u res , including policies for stabilized approach and criteria for go-around decision making. In addition, management requires effective tools to m on itor com plian ce an d the resources to follow up acts of noncompliance. The FSF report recommends that management define clear performance indicators and periodically b en chm ark actu al perform an ce against target performance. The old rule that goes “you can only control what you track” is as true in flight operations as it is in finance. Flight data monitoring is a useful tool in this regard. To be effective, it must become a common management tool for flight operations managers, and not just an instrument to demonstrate regulatory compliance.
Flight Crew Buy-in Awareness campaigns by management and appropriate training syllabi are useful tools to ensure flight crew members are aware of the policies and procedures. As part of the awareness campaign, the rationale behind policies and procedures needs to be explained well. Creating an understanding of policies and procedures increases compliance levels. Buy-in as Management Success The accident report on UX-196 does not analyze how the flight operations management communicated the relevant policies and procedures or how it monitored compliance with the stabilized approach policy and the goaround decision making policy published in the Operations Manuals. Publishing a policy is only the first step on the long path to actively ensuring compliance with the policy. Only when management finds ways to make flight crew members buy into the policies and procedures, management has succeeded in its mission.
✈
Michael R. Grüninger is managing director of Great Circle Services (GCS) Safety Solutions and Capt. Carl C. Norgren is a freelance contributor to Safety Sense. 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 (ISBAO, 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 since 2007.
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EBACE Q&A
VOLKER THOMALLA ONE-ON-ONE WITH MICHIMASA FUJINO AERONAUTICAL ENGINEER, BUSINESSMAN, ENTREPRENEUR AND THE FOUNDING PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE HONDA AIRCRAFT COMPANY
Q
In 2017, HondaJet was the most delivered jet in its class according to GAMA. Did the production ramp-up go according to your plans? Yes. In the first quarter of this year, we’re again number one in terms of deliveries according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA). We’re producing 4 aircraft per month right now.
Q
How many HondaJets do you intend to build in 2018? We are steadily focusing on the quality of our products and not so much on the quantity. First of all, the quality has to be perfect. We’re making progress with our learning curve. We’re looking at a production rate of about five aircraft per month and will reach this number maybe at the end of this year. Production ramp-up is a step-by-step process.
Q
You’ve added several certifications and dealer contracts for the HondaJet recently. Are your sales keeping up with your production ramp-up? It’s different: The production ramp-up has to keep up with the orderbook.
Q
Honda Aircraft signed a dealer contract with a Chinese company in April this year. How important is the Chinese market for you? The Chinese market has a huge potential. The younger generation is used to a very competitive environment and enjoys the western lifestyle, where speed is very important. The HondaJet is a business tool that offers them the speed advantage they need and want. I see the market change in China. The Chinese government is putting the necessary infrastructure in place. By 2020, there will be 40 to 50 additional airports being built in China. Large business centers like Bejing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are opening their airspace for General Aviation. This is really good.
Q
With more aircraft coming down the production line, isn’t one simulator a limiting factor for sales? What are your plans for expanding flight training capacity? Today, all HondaJet pilots need to attend the Greensboro HondaJet Learning Center. The training capacity right now is becoming a bit challenging, with all the recurrent training for existing HondaJet pilots in addition to the training for new crews. We’re actively looking to add more capacity. We haven’t made any final decision on the location yet. It depends on the market which region we’re going to add additional training capacity.
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Q
Congratulations on the presentation of the new HondaJet Elite at EBACE 2018 in Geneva. It is unusual for an aircraft manufacturer to present a new version of an aircraft just three years after the first delivery. The HondaJet Elite is an evolution of the original HondaJet. It represents a big performance improvement with a range increase of 17 percent to 1,437 nautical miles. We’ve invested a lot of very detailed work into the HondaJet Elite. The fuel capacity increases by only 100 lb despite the range increase. But it’s not just a cosmetic upgrade, it really is an increase in comfort as well. The new type is equipped with a newly developed noise attenuating inlet structure that lines each engine and reduces high frequency noise which enhances cabin quietness. The Bongiovi Audio System with its 24 transducers is integrated in the cabin side panels and eliminates the need for separate speakers. Passengers on board the HondaJet Elite can use their own iPad, for example, and experience an immersive audio experience throughout the entire cabin. Additionally, the new aircraft’s advanced avionics system incorporates additional performance management functions for optimum flight planning and automatic stability and protection functions to enhance the safety of flight. We now offer a full-service galley, too, which makes the aircraft even more practical. Customers can now choose between three new distinctive color schemes: Ice Blue, Ruby Red and Monarch Orange. The first two colors consist of three layers of color. The HondaJet Elite also protects the environment by offering the best fuel efficiency in its class while also featuring best-in-class speed, altitude and range. The aircraft is type certified by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Q
Could you please give us an idea of how many HondaJets are flown by private owners and how many are flown by commercial operators? In the US, most HondaJets are flown by their owners who are pilots. Some are used as corporate aircraft for companies. In Europe, around 30 percent of the installed fleet are operated under a commercial licence.
Q
The French/British Executive Charter company Wijet has decided to switch from an all-Mustang fleet to an all HondaJet fleet. Will Wijet get a standard aircraft or do they have a specific charter aircraft configuration? They have already received their first aircraft. It was shown in the static display at EBACE in Geneva. It’s an aircraft in a standard configuration.
Q
How many hours has the total HondaJet fleet flown so far?
As of last month, the global HondaJet fleet has amassed more than 15,000 flight hours. Some corporate aircraft are being flown 500 hours a year and they are the fleet leaders.
Q
Have there been any surprises for you or your customers concerning maintenance or operating procedures? No. There have been no surprises. But we see the need for very thorough training of the crews. The HondaJet is a high performance aircraft with a high speed capability. If you step up from a turboprop aircraft, you need a good training.
Q
When will Honda Aircraft break even?
Our focus is on the customers. We want to offer them a very solid service and support. This is why we need to invest further. Profit loss is something, we’re watching very closely. We have a very long-term business plan. We’re on track on this plan and so far, we’ve not deviated from our track.
✈ Volker Thomalla is a veteran Business Aviation journalist. He is also the CEO of the German Business Aviation Association. BART: JULY - AUGUST - 2018 - 79
FROM THE COCKPIT
DISRUPTING DISTRACTIONS
Managing more than one task at the same time is daily work in the cockpit operation. What makes it even more difficult is the distractions during flights. Capt. LeRoy Cook shares his experience and advice for coping with interruptions
H
HINDRANCE
Distractions can make it difficult for pilots to concentrate on the task at hand.
ighly placed on the National Business Aviation Association’s 2018 list of Top Safety Focus areas is a requirement to better manage distractions. NBAA is not talking about swatting a buzzing fly in the cockpit. Rather, it is a regrettable fact that accidents and near-mishaps are frequently precipitated by one or more crewmembers being distracted from their primary job – flying the airplane. As automation is employed to a greater and greater degree, one would expect a now self-operating aircraft to be easier to manage. And yet, the ability to fly hands-off leaves more opportunity for a distraction to
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intrude; since we’re no longer concentrating on the instrument panel, our mind can be more easily diverted in favor of other demands. Management of the flight has now become a series of programming inputs, with a need to continually observe the autopilot’s actions at critical junctures. Just as with manual flying, a distraction can interrupt the fully-automated crew’s concentration when active management is needed. One cannot avoid all distractions. What we can do is to prioritize the level of our involvement, recognizing that a flashing light may be a “caution” indication, but not an emergency. If another flight management
action is of a higher priority, we should “park” the distraction on a side track in our mind, to be handled in due course. This compartmentalization is how a pilot can successfully survive non-scripted failures involving multiple demands for attention. What Is A Distraction? A distraction is simply “something else on your mind” that dilutes your concentration. When you’re involved with flying an airplane, it is typical to have multiple tasks competing for your attention. Flying the airplane, whether under manual control or by managing the automated flight control system, is always primary; we must stay involved with AFTA – Always Fly The Airplane. Accidents have been caused by such minor distractions as an unlatched door, an inoperative cabin heater, or being on the wrong communications frequency, none of which should have resulted in loss-of-control. However, air traffic control sometimes requires immediate compliance with instructions, the flight management system must be programmed and procedures have to be followed, and dealing with the ever-changing weather demands attention. And, as Business Aviation pilots, we must attend to the needs of our passengers. The importance of each distracting element must be prioritized in a manner that ensures the safety of the flight. To paraphrase scripture, “blessed is he who does the next thing next.” I have a friend who flies with two tablet computers, a smartphone and a panel-mounted GPS navigator, each of which begs to be re-programmed with new flight plan information every time there’s a disruption in his carefully-crafted mission. As you might expect, some of the training exercises we conduct become almost comical as he struggles with flying the plane, tapping and dialing in fixes, reading back clearances and responding to traffic alerts. By loading himself up with all these “aids” that demand attention, he is actually increasing his likelihood of LOC (loss of control) if he’s not flying in clear VMC. I’ve made it a point to have him prioritize the tasks, doing the most-important thing next while letting less-vital tasks go undone.
Feeding a tablet computer is generally not the most-important item on the agenda. Such single-pilot operation is especially vulnerable to task saturation, making it important to utilize the autopilot in its basic roll and pitch modes. By staying involved with the autopilot in that way, there’s little chance of it arming and capturing in an unrecognized manner, while still providing the stability needed by a lone pilot working with ATC. However, a two-pilot crew can also induce a distraction if not operated
properly. Friendly cohesiveness is important in the intimate confines of a cockpit, but when the engines start and the airplane moves, the crew must stick strictly to business. Idle chit-chat must wait. Standard operating procedure should dictate a role for each crew member; staying alert and managing distraction applies to both pilots. Shutting the Door I remember my first acquaintance with a Beech Queen Air in the early 1960s, when it was one of the first light cabin-class executive airplanes. I was impressed with its sliding cockpit door, a solid barrier between the clubseating cabin and the flight deck. The impression it gave was that of a miniature airliner; the pilot(s) could isolate the passengers behind the door, a signal to all concerned that important work was being done up front. It’s common for the boss riding in back to want to confer with his flight crew. However, it must be understood, by all concerned, that there are times when a figurative “do not disturb” plac-
ard is on the cockpit door. If the “fasten seat belts” annunciation is illuminated, that should also mean access to the cockpit is inviolate. Otherwise, a “sterile cockpit” rule needs to be enforced below 10,000 feet, or whatever altitude is appropriate. Crew members need to adhere to strictly-business protocol during the non-cruising phases of flight, but, more than that, it’s vital to allocate the workload when something unusual has arisen. One pilot should remain dedicated to active control of the aircraft, even while evaluating options. The PNF can do things like checking weather, fuel state, and backing up the pilot-flying’s action with regard to terrain and clearance limits. Be Wary In Advance It is important to understand when distractions can be expected to present themselves, and to be ready to handle them. For instance, if a missed-approach is going to be executed, it will cause a major disruption in all facets of the flight. The airplane has to be flown carefully through
reconfiguration from approach to climb, while the missed approach procedure has to be followed precisely and next-step options are considered. A “what’s going on?” query from the cabin will undoubtedly be forthcoming. Handling these multiple demands requires prioritization; getting the airplane up and out of harm’s way is job one. You can report the miss in due course, and work out the details afterward. What needs to be done to make a missed approach less distracting is to be forward-looking at the beginning of the approach. Briefing the approach procedure should include “if we miss, we will…” and thereby the crew will have agreed on who will handle which tasks during the waveoff. The after-pull up action should already be set, with an as-filed alternate or best-choice escape path already in the plan. Other expected-distracting scenarios would involve arrival at an unfamiliar airport, which is a not-uncommon situation for business pilots, or making a trip in an unfamiliar airplane, when the aircraft’s equipment capabilities are not fully understood. I always advise pilots to defer first-time trips into a new airport under IMC or night conditions if the destination has any possibility of being challenging. An unknown airport carries with it all sorts of distracting traps, such as approaches lined up close to terrain, non-circling quadrants labeled off limits, runway and taxiway intersections that can slip up on the unwary, and substandard lighting and signage. It’s far better to make that initial entry in good visibility, on a precision-guided approach, so you can have a look at the locale.
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RISKY
Simple distractions, such as doors opening in flight, cause more accidents than you might think.
FROM THE COCKPIT
DEBRIS
The Comair Flight 5191 was damaged beyond repair. Blue Grass Airport in Fayette County, overlayed with intended route vs actual route (bottom left).
Similarly, an unfamiliar aircraft is a distraction from the outset. It is unwise to attempt a low-visibility flight when you’re not sure how everything works in that cockpit. Checking out the avionics while tweaking the power levers is no time to be punching into clouds or darkness. Whenever one reads of an accident occurring immediately after takeoff, it’s almost certain that a distraction originating from instrumentation or engine abnormalities precipitated the loss-of-control. Distraction Was the Cause “Why didn’t they catch it?” is our common question, raised after a post-crash investigation finds a control lock engaged or the wrong navaid selected. The reason for the accident may thus be obvious, but that factor alone was not the cause. At some point, the pilot or crew became
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distracted from the primary task of managing the flight, leading to a chain of events ending with loss of the aircraft. The August 27, 2006 Lexington, Kentucky, USA crash of a CRJ commuter airliner had an obvious reason: The aircraft took off on a 3,500-foot runway instead of the 7,000-foot one for which it was cleared. It failed to achieve flying speed by the end of the runway, resulting in a fiery crash. Two experienced pilots became distracted at a critical point, turning onto the first runway encountered on their taxi route, rather than the second one. Failing to note the incorrect heading at line-up, and missing the shortened runway length in the poor pre-dawn lighting, the doomed flight required 200 more feet of pavement for rotation than was available. Many distractions caused this wreck. The pilots chatted on irrele-
vant subjects as they prepared for departure; the runway edge lights were not operable; the single control tower operator cleared the flight for takeoff without monitoring its position; darkness was disorienting. The airport’s layout required attention to confirm runway selection, but the proper attention was not paid, in the presence of distractions. We have all caught ourselves in a checklist error or misread a clearance, after a distraction interrupted our concentration. How often did we not catch ourselves? Those were the times the other pilot or an alert air traffic controller called attention to our mistake. As more cockpit management tasks crowd for attention, we must prioritize to prevent distractions from starting the accident chain.
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