243

ISSUE 243

DECEMBER 2013

Comlux pitches Global 6000 at Asian business

SKYPLAN BETTER

SUPPORT,

BETTER

SOLUTIONS,

BETTER

FLIGHT PLANNING...

SIMPLY BETTER www.skyplan.com SKP-12-017.EBANAd.F.indd 1

11/29/12 10:52 AM

Elit’Avia joins select group with IS-BAO stage 3 Page 4

AIRCRAFT FINANCE Pages 9-10

Tech stops in the UK can pose problems, says Andy West of Acropolis

NetJets Europe has already sold fractions on its debut Signature series Phenom 300, which it is showcasing across the continent. Sales director Marine Eugene (left) feels the aircraft has tremendous potential, with range that ‘rivals that of midsize jets.’ Turn to page 5 for the full story.

NetJets shows Phenom 300’s potential with tour of Europe

Comlux has received a Global 6000 which it will run under the EU-OPS AOC of Comlux Malta. The 6000 is certified to carry 13 passengers and the cabin interior has been designed by in-house design office Comlux Creatives.

The forward cabin features two zones, including a discussion area at the front with two club-two seating areas and a dining area at the back with club-four seating and a divan. Located at the rear of the cabin is a private stateroom with en-suite amenities.

Fly Comlux ceo Andrea Zanetto says: “We are very excited by our brand new Global 6000. The aircraft will be based in central Asia which makes it a perfect location to serve our charter customers in Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Asia is especially booming on vip aviation at the moment.

“We have strong experience in Global operations, having started 10 years ago by operating Bombardier aircraft.

With the Global 6000 we now have eight Bombardier business aircraft worldwide.

The charter demand for this aircraft type is very high and our customers have already been enjoying the very comfortable and luxurious cabin. The reliability is excellent and the cockpit is awesome.”

This latest aircraft joins a fleet comprised of an ACJ318, three ACJ319, an ACJ320, an ACJ321, a 767BBJ, four Globals, four Challengers, two

Andrea Zanetto, Fly Comlux ceo, has a successful history of operating Globals, and believes that the 6000 is an exciting prospect.

Alpha Star selects trusted suppliers for vip fleet Alpha Star Aviation Services of Saudi Arabia has signed a contract with Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance covering A320 and A340 component support for its vip fleet. AFI KLM E&M will provide Alpha Star with repair services and access to a spares pool.

Salem A Al Muzaini, ceo, remarks: “We are delighted to sign with such a highly-regarded MRO. The decision was especially easy given that over the past three years we have appreciated the performance of AFI

KLM E&M, which drew up a tailormade offer for us.”

Alpha Star is also continuing to collaborate with Sabena Technics, which provides Alpha Star’s vip fleet of Airbus aircraft with the latest onboard communication and in-flight entertainment technology.

Finally, the Saudi Arabian firm has chosen Rockwell Collins to provide Ascend flight information solutions.

The Ascend solution integrates flight operations system scheduling and dispatch software, flight planning,

full-service regional and international trip support, fuel pricing, flight watch dedicated meteorologist services, ground handling, regulatory compliance assistance, and data link communications, all accessible via online and mobile applications.

Vp of flight operations captain Mamdooh A Mokhtar says: “Expanding our relationship with Rockwell Collins enhances our ability to provide best-in-class services to our valued and growing vvip client base. We are proud to be working with such a

FlyBuys Rewards is offered at thousands of locations worldwide.

UK REGIONAL REVIEW Pages 11-14

Legacies, a Falcon 900LX and a Hawker 900XP. Zanetto adds that he is very proud of Comlux’s well-established Maltese operations: “We started in Malta more than five years ago, and many other operators followed our move there.

The country guarantees the European standards in an English speaking country. It has a very talented community, providing technical and financial expertise at reasonable rates.”

In September 2013 Comlux Malta opened some brand new offices in the island’s Embassy district. “They provide the right working environment for us and comfort for our customers,” concludes Zanetto.

®

As the leading loyalty program in the industry, members have the chance to earn double & even quadruple points around the world.

Redeem for top rewards like premium gift cards, charitable

The MOST Points. The MOST Places.

donations & World Fuel Services invoice credit.

world-class company.”

During the last two years Alpha Star has also worked with Sabena Technics on various projects, in order to enhance passenger comfort, so that Alpha Star’s customers can experience high-speed internet connection at 30,000 feet.

Sabena Technics provided the fleet with the first installation of double satellite-communication systems on two vip A320 aircraft and on an ATR 42-600, as well as the set-up of a live tv system on an A318 Elite.

Not a member?

Join at FlyBuysRewards.com Enter promo code EBAN1000 for bonus points.

2 DECEMBER 2013

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

A ‘cheeky offer’ lands a Hawker 400XP as the perfect golf caddy

Stefan Buschle has held numerous top posts at companies across Europe and South America. His role as chief commercial officer at MHS means that he will look to raise the profile of the German operator.

Buschle to spearhead expansion drive at MHS Stefan Buschle is to become the new chief commercial officer of MHS Aviation, with duties including sales and business development.

He started his aviation career at Lufthansa in Frankfurt, before going on to occupy leading positions at the Cirrus Group, DC Aviation, the Portuguese Omni Aviation Group and Whitejets Airways in Brazil. He now returns to Germany with the desire for a new challenge.

It is expected that Buschle will oversee an increase in the number of managed aircraft and he will look to expand the carrier’s fleet, with the goal of making MHS Aviation one of Europe’s major business aviation players. Md Andreas Otto is looking forward to working with Buschle: “We are very pleased to welcome Stefan as a new team member. Both as a manager and as a person he is a great addition to MHS.”

Rodger Foster, ceo and md of Airlink South Africa and private investor, has purchased a Hawker 400XP. “I was looking for a few things, most specifically an investment aircraft. I didn’t want to necessarily invest in other airliners because I already have a couple in that portfolio, so I thought that a more corporate, general aviation type aircraft would be useful in various roles,” he says.

In what he terms depressed market conditions, Foster was looking for an aircraft that would either hold its value or appreciate, while also being able to work and generate revenue. Originally he had his sights set on a Learjet, but quickly found that these aircraft and one major drawback: “I’ve had a Learjet 31A before, and I thought that that would be my vehicle of choice. But when I recognised once again that you can’t get golf clubs in the back of a Lear 31, I figured that I’d need to look further than that!

“One of my golf buddies said to me on the course ‘I know you’re looking at a Learjet 31, but have you thought about the Hawker XP, the 400?’ I looked, and sure enough you can get a few golf bags in there if you manage your luggage carefully.”

Foster was eventually introduced to the aircraft by National Airways Corporation. “I had a good look at it, and put in a cheeky offer, and I got the aircraft for a price I was happy with,” he recalls.

Foster is delighted with his Hawker, which will be based at OR Tambo International airport: “It has turned out to be a wonderful specimen. It’s been superbly

Airlink’s ceo Rodger Foster sought to add a business aircraft to his portfolio, and feels that he has found a fine specimen with his Hawker 400XP.

maintained, the engines are looked after under the power by the hour system, and on that basis I think I’ve got myself a really nice 2005 model aircraft.”

The investor also has a 1999 King Air B200 as a “personal runner” and he has kept that aircraft in pristine condition, having done only 580 hours total time. As for the Hawker, he is hoping to use it for utility in the region: “As an operator, Airlink provides a lot of services to developing areas such as mining towns and gas and oil towns, villages and establishments, in places like Mozambique and southern Tanzania.

The African headquarters of a lot of these consulting organisations, equipment suppliers and the like are

here, and very often consultants fly in from all over the world to OR Tambo.

“Ordinarily for them to get into a small corporate jet and fly anywhere, they’d have to commute across to Lanseria, and very often they want to depart out of OR Tambo but there isn’t anything available there, leading to a frustrating commute.

“Very often we take middle managers and senior managers in a shuttle type of operation.

Alternatively we fly them on the schedule, but the top executives want to be a bit more private when there are three to five of them. On that basis they might want to charter a small jet and go directly to the destination. I think that the Hawker fulfils that requirement very nicely – it’s got a reasonable range, it’s got a good turn of speed, it climbs up to a good altitude and it’s quite fuel efficient.

Sure it doesn’t pack the same punch as a Learjet 31A, but it’s not far off.”

Foster hints that he was attracted to the Hawker following endorsement by several NetJets employees, who praised its reliability: “They’ve got a lot of them and it’s a really well-built, solid, reliable aircraft.”

Nextant’s modifications are also appealing and this is something Foster will strongly consider: “The one that I won’t hesitate to implement will be the winglet mod. It adds enormous aesthetic value to the aircraft, not that it’s a bad-looking aircraft to start off with, and is obviously performance-enhancing.

From a climb time, cruise speed and fuel-saving perspective, I think that all adds value. In fact I’m in dialogue now to invest in the kit to do that.”

N

- IO O T - IBIT E E H FR D EX N TE

AT

2014

DISCOVER NEW FBO AND MRO PARTNERS! The international exhibition and training exposition

FBKI0 ;nYbki_l[ 88=7 jhW_d_d] i[ii_edi \eh [n[Ykj_l[ `[j emd[hi WdZ ef[hWjehi The 2014 exhibition also plays host to the BBGA training and conference sessions, with topics including but not limited to: Ground operations and the development of common standards to SAVE ORGANISATIONS FROM SUFFERING DUE TO HUMAN FACTORS ISSUES s (& engineering and what we can learn from that approach to adopting (& IN A MAINTENANCE CONTEXT s #2- AND HOW IT IS DEVELOPING s $ISPATCH TRAINING s !IRCRAFT PERFORMANCE s $ON T VIEW 3-3 AS A REQUIREMENT USE IT AS A BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT TOOL s $ELIVERING CUSTOMER SERVICE s -AINTAINING A SAFE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT s 0ERMITS AND ACCESS s )4 AND HOW IT CAN SUPPORT US IN A MODERN operation...

FULL PROGRAMME AND EXHIBITION DETAILS ONLINE

REGISTER NOW!

26-27 MARCH 2014 - LONDON FARNBOROUGH, UK www.BusinessAirportWorldExpo.com

DECEMBER 2013 3

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

Inaer Spain takes part in earthquake simulation

Abdulla Mohd A Al Kayali, facilities and fire prevention manager for airport rescue and fire fighting service, Dubai Airports, Emad Nimeh, director for projects and development, Al-Futtaim Group Real Estate, Ali Abdulla, vp for regulatory affairs and customer relations at Dubai World Central, Khalid Al Muhairi, chief fire officer at Dubai Airports, Tahnoon Saif, director for corporate strategy, DWC, Holger Ostheimer, general manager at DC Aviation Al-Futtaim, and Mohammed Muthanna, director at Aviation Operations, DWC.

DCAF opens its doors for business at Al Maktoum UAE-based DC Aviation Al-Futtaim (DCAF) is now operational, making it the first integrated business aviation operation at Al Maktoum international airport.

The company is a joint venture between Dubai-headquartered Al-Futtaim and Germany’s DC Aviation, and the announcement follows the completion of DCAF’s integrated hangar facility, lounge and

office areas last month at Dubai World Central.

“DWC is expected to play a significant role in enhancing Dubai’s position as the regional aviation hub and we are very excited to be the first business aviation operation in what is undoubtedly going to be a world class airport,” remarks Holger Ostheimer, general manager of DCAF.

“Our aim is to provide clients premium services across our comprehensive range of offerings including aircraft management, vip aircraft and passenger handling, maintenance and business jet charter,” he adds.

The DCAF facility includes a 5,700 sq m hangar which is able to house four ACJ or BBJ type aircraft as well as two ultra-long range business

FAS aims to bring ‘game changing’ PC-24 to the Gulf Abu Dhabi-based Falcon Aviation Services has signed firm orders for two AW169 helicopters, following on from the preliminary sales contract of September 2011. The latest aircraft will be added to a fleet which already includes a mix of four light twin Grand and GrandNew models.

The company has also signed a letter of intent with Pilatus for the PC-24, dubbed the super versatile jet, which is currently under development. The letter confirms the operator’s strong interest in the aircraft, as emphasised by H H Dr Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahayan, FAS chairman: “When Pilatus announced the PC-24 in May this year I immediately recognised the enormous potential for an aircraft with such unique specification and performance data in the GCC. With its hallmark cargo door, the spacious cabin and the flat floor it can easily be configured to

fulfill a broad variety of missions for our customers,” he says.

“The PC-24’s capability to operate from short and unimproved runways makes the aircraft a true game changer in a class of its own. I fully trust in the expertise of the Pilatus staff ensuring that the PC-24 will meet or exceed its design goals and look forward to seeing the aircraft join the Falcon Aviation Service fleet.”

FAS’ main operating base at Al Bateen Executive airport is centrally situated, and the operator runs a variety of missions including corporate jet charter, helicopter tourism, aerial photography and filming, aerial banner advertising, offshore and on-shore oil and gas support, aircraft maintenance and aircraft management. It believes that the AW169 will enforce its commitment to provide the latest innovation to its customers.

jets. The 1,300 sq m exclusive terminal is designed to host vvip customers and offers shower areas, a spacious conference room, covered parking and a contemporary finish.

Under its aircraft management division, DC Aviation seeks to help business jet owners optimise their aircraft assets and its fleet offers operational variety, from a Learjet 40 through to a 46-seater ACJ319.

An Inaer Spain crew recently took over the controls of a medical helicopter in Cuenca, in order to run an earthquake simulation. The drill was organised by the Castilla-La Mancha health service and the Military Emergency Unit, and took place in the village of Carrascosilla, Cuenca, which was abandoned in the 1960s.

During the drill, personnel had the opportunity to put rescue and healthcare procedures into practice.

At least 50 members of the emergency services and 40 members from the MEU’s international urban search and rescue unit took part. These included representatives from the canine search unit, the civil guard and the Huete civil protection service.

Elsewhere, Inaer Spain has been awarded a new contract to operate aerial firefighting services in the region of Extremadura, after the local government issued a public tender.

The company will provide fire fighting, surveillance and coordination services.

The operator will use nine helicopters, including a coordinating aircraft and a Kamov helicopter based in Manchita. The remaining aircraft will be based at Herrera del Duque and Calera de León in the province of Badajoz, and Jarandilla de la Vera, Guadalupe, Hoyos, Serradilla and Valencia de Alcántara in the province of Cáceres. The authorities in Extremadura are in the process of building new bases for the aircraft.

RotorMotion finds security in Castle RotorMotion of Redhill aerodrome in the UK has completed its sale to Castle Air, having operated rotary wing executive charter for 16 years and flown clients including the Dalai Lama in that time. The deal will see RotorMotion’s fleet of Agusta 109s relocate to Castle Air’s new Biggin Hill centre of operations to augment its existing A109 fleet.

Castle Air is based in Cornwall and the new base will expand its presence in the south east of the UK. RotorMotion’s operations manager Sue Spencer and operations assistant Declan Lehane are included in the move.

The development comes after a tumultuous year for founder and md of RotorMotion captain Philip Amadeus (pictured left), who says: “Following the accident at Vauxhall Cross in January which led to the death of my friend and colleague capt Peter Barnes, RotorMotion’s ability to conduct normal business was seriously impaired as we did all we could to aid the accident investigation.

“The timely approach from Castle Air led me to believe that this would be a good time to refocus my aims while securing the futures of my staff.”

Close to the heart of London

Delivery to all UK airports, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Tel: +44 (0) 1582 879990

orders@highflyingfood.com www.highflyingfood.com

For further information please visit www.bigginhillairport.com

Do you qualify for VAT free fuel in 2014?

With UVair® you receive competitively priced fuel and VAT-compliant invoicing for uplifts throughout Europe.

To register for our 2014 European VAT exemption programme, contact our UVair fuel team at intl.fuel@uvair.com or visit uvair.com to learn more.

4 DECEMBER 2013

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

First Bell 412EPI goes to Dubai

Heli-Charter relishes opportunity to deploy medevac 429

The first Bell 412EPI helicopter in the world is about to be delivered to Abu Dhabi Aviation, where it will be used by the operator for offshore oilfield support in the UAE. “The Bell 412 platform has been a vital part of our operations for many years. We chose to add the Bell 412EPI upgrade to our fleet for more flexibility and increased safety in the demanding environment we fly in every day,� says Khaled Mashhour, commercial director. “A more powerful engine and improved situational awareness for our pilots are two key features of the Bell 412EPI that will provide the enhanced performance we are looking for.�

The company has been operating Bell aircraft for more than 30 years, flying over 700,000 flight hours in Bell 412 and Bell 212 helicopters.

Publisher and editor: .......... David Wright Reporter: .............................. Tom Ryder Designer: .............................. Chris Carr Advertising manager: .......... Mark Ranger Subscriptions: ................ Janet Edwards Send news submissions to Tom Ryder: newsdesk@ebanmagazine.com or call +44 1279 714506 European Business Air News, 134 South Street, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM23 3BQ England.

Telephone: +44 1279 714505 Fax: +44 1279 714519 www.ebanmagazine.com European Business Air News (USPS 009091) is published eleven times each year, monthly except January, by Stansted News Limited, 134 South Street, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 3BQ, England.

Periodicals postage paid at Rahway, N.J. Postmaster: Send address changes to Stansted News Limited c/o Mercury Airfreight International Ltd., 365 Blair Road, Avenel, New Jersey 07001. Company registered in England no. 2224522. Printed by Sterling.

ISSN number: 0959-1311.

EBAN is available by postal subscription for eleven issues. Simply send your credit card details and authority for UKÂŁ40 within Europe (UKÂŁ70 outside Europe) to our subscriptions department, or call +44 (0)1279 714505. EBAN is sent without charge to qualifying business aviation professionals.

Please visit the EBAN web site to apply.

The opinions expressed by authors and contributors to European Business Air News are not necessarily those of the editors or publisher. Articles appearing in European Business Air News may not be reproduced in whole or part without the express permission of the publisher. European Business Air News is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork.

Ceo of Elit’Avia Michel Coulomb, pictured with client services supervisor Natalia Suzhenis, has praised the dedication of his team in achieving stage three IS-BAO.

Elit’Avia joins select group of operators with IS-BAO stage 3 Elit’Avia has earned stage three ISBAO accreditation from the International Business Aviation Council. The IS-BAO award requires flight departments to analyse processes and identify strengths and weaknesses in day-to-day operations.

It provides managers with tools and best practices to foster a culture of safety, efficiency and a commitment to continuous operational improvement.

A stage three IS-BAO is the final step in a five-year process, and each stage is concluded with a third-party audit. Fewer than 100 operators worldwide have successfully earned the accreditation, and Elit’Avia now joins this roster.

President and ceo Michel Coulomb believes that the award will be particularly valuable when serving the emerging central African, Russian

and eastern European markets: “I am very proud of our team,� he says. “ISBAO stage 3 provides a compass for the application of best practices and risk mitigation, even in the most challenging environments. Attaining the highest level of accreditation acknowledges that a full commitment to continuous improvement is embedded in our business culture.�

Coulomb says that Elit’Avia can now ‘benchmark’ itself with the world’s top operators and compete at the highest level: “Our clients will benefit from consistently high quality service, reduced risk and higher resale value for their managed aircraft. Earning this top designation would not have been possible without the exceptional efforts of our entire team which proudly reflects the dedication to excellence embodied by IS-BAO,� he adds.

Heli-Charter, based at Manston airport, is due to receive the first Bell 429 configured for helicopter air ambulance operations in the UK. Md Gary Slater is expecting the aircraft to offer the versatility for other mission types as well: “For 20 months we’ve been the Bell dealer for the UK, so we’re obviously looking to push the 429 in all sectors: utility, corporate, EMS and police,� he says. “We have three aircraft in the country now – one on utility and two corporate machines on AOCs. What we are really looking to get going though is EMS. The options are to get an existing provider or a NHS trust to buy the aircraft. We have enough faith in the aircraft that we took the decision to purchase one ourselves.�

Slater is looking to have the aircraft placed by the time of delivery, anticipated next year. The operator will otherwise use it as a demonstrator, and then place it.

He believes that the cabin space in the 429 is vastly superior to its counterparts, such as the EC135 or the MD900/902. The aircraft’s maintenance programme will lead to reduced man hours in comparison with the other rotorcraft, and downtime is also greatly reduced, which Slater cites as a key advantage.

The flat profile of the aircraft is also something that pleases him: “This is much better for paramedics and crew working while sitting straight and level. Cruise speed is higher than the rival helicopters so we can get to the incident quicker and get the patient to hospital quicker. The aircraft is a modern, newly-designed aircraft, the best in its class,� he continues. “What you want to do with an EMS aircraft is have reliability, serviceability and zero downtime, and that’s what we believe the 429 brings that the others don’t.�

Other possible uses for the 429 include mountain rescue, hostile environments and winch work. “Some

operators do winch work with it 14,500 feet up the Matterhorn,� Slater adds. He says that the comments he has heard from other operators using the 429 are wholly positive: “I’ve had zero negative comments from them so far. And that appears to be the picture from everyone operating the 429 globally in the EMS sector. It’s a very reliable, very trustworthy and very powerful, ‘best in its class’ performing machine.�

Heli-Charter is looking to add four more 429 aircraft in 2014, engaged in a mixture of EMS and corporate roles.

All its aircraft are geared for multirole, because it is not sustainable for a manufacturer to produce an aircraft that can only perform a single role, according to Slater. “It’s a very good corporate machine, due to the cabin space. The distance between the passengers’ knees, which is always a common problem, is far better than anything among its price rivals or performance rivals. The cabin is very spacious and the ride is very smooth.�

Md of Heli-Charter Gary Slater believes the Bell 429 is perfectly suited to his company’s mission types.

The ‘enormous’ cargo area is another benefit, and the 429 is said to be a very quiet, smooth machine to fly in. “For EMS, for pure cabin size, ease of maintenance and speed, it’s ahead of its rivals on every front,� enthuses Slater.

Inaer France wins Burgundy EMS contract Inaer France has won the tender for the operation of emergency medical services helicopters in Burgundy, France. This follows on from the operator winning the contract for the PACA region in November, as reported by EBAN. Three EC135 will be supplied by early 2015 for service to hospitals in Auxerre, Dijon and Chalon-sur-SaĂ´ne. Inaer already operates in Auxerre and has had the contract renewed, whereas in Chalon a new base will be created. The helicopter in Dijon will be available 24 hours a day for missions throughout the region. “Managing several bases on a regional level, as we will be doing in Provence and Burgundy, allows us to control costs and optimise the resources of different hospitals to provide a better service,â€? said FrĂŠdĂŠric Goig, Inaer France ceo.

The company now operates eight Eurocopter EC135 and nine Agusta A109 helicopters, all of which include autopilot and night vision goggles.

FUEL SAVINGS At over 3,000 locations around the globe.

TRIP PLANNING By experienced professionals with established relationships.

REWARDS For fuel purchases at participating locations and flight planning services.

www.avfuel.com | +1.734.663.6466

DECEMBER 2013 5

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

Crew exposure leads to DRF adding CO detectors DRF Luftrettung has added portable carbon monoxide detectors to its fleet of helicopters, having noticed in recent years that its crews are often exposed to the toxic gas in emergency scenarios. CO can stem from indoor grilling, leaky fireplaces, faulty heating systems and many other sources.

Lars Greschke, DRF medical coordinator, explains the dangers and the need for this precaution: “The gas is highly toxic and highly flammable, but unnoticeable,” he says. “The effects of CO poisoning often are not felt until later, and the gas doesn’t cause any clear symptoms either. This is why people experiencing CO poisoning often feel unwell, similar to the beginning of a flu or a gastrointestinal infection. Blackouts and symptoms of paralysis, similar to a stroke, are also possible. Undetected, the toxic gas may lead to unconsciousness and even death.”

In order to protect its employees, DRF Luftrettung has also equipped all its HEMS bases with CO detectors. “In general, the helicopter emergency physician carries the device with him, since he usually enters the location first,” Greschke continues.

If the CO concentration is too high, the device warns the crew by vibrating, lighting up and beeping.

EAG adds flight information app for jet owners

Emergency physician Dr Markus Nitsch is pictured with a HEMS-configured BK 117 at DRF Luftrettung’s base at Halle. This aircraft forms part of the DRF fleet whose crews are now provided with CO detectors.

It shows CO concentrations in parts per million (ppm) and warns in two stages – at a concentration of

30ppm and 60ppm.

Greschke feels the CO detectors are money well spent: “The €400 we

spent per HEMS base is worth it. It is a small investment for maximum safety,” he concludes.

Empire Aviation Group is releasing a flight information management app for its business jet owners, to complement the company’s aircraft management services. The app was developed in partnership with Skytech Solutions and allows aircraft owners to check the status of their aircraft and obtain flight, route and destination information from a smart device. EAG has around 23 business jets under management for owners across the Middle East, Africa and India.

The web and mobile based application enables owners to book their aircraft for private use. It calculates routes with flight timings, provides destination and weather information, and allows the user to calendar-view booking schedules. It is complete with alerts and notifications, and is data-secured for owners.

EAG executive director Paras Dhamecha is pleased with the innovation: “EAG and Skytech have been working together to bring new information solutions for aircraft owners, and we are pleased to be one of the company’s first aviation customers in the Middle East. Skytech is developing an array of e-services and m-services to connect our owners to key information about aircraft availability, destinations, flight planning and support. This fits well into our aircraft management model.”

First Phenom 300 fractions sold as NetJets embarks on debut tour NetJets Europe has unveiled its Signature series Phenom 300 jet during a debut tour across select markets in Europe. It follows on from the first Embraer aircraft which was delivered to the operator’s US fleet in May 2013, and will be showcased over a three-month period culminating in a 2014 delivery.

“We are delighted to unveil the new NetJets Signature series Phenom 300 as part of the demonstration tour across Europe,” says sales director Marine Eugene. “With recent reports stating that the Eurozone has edged out of recession and witnessing some early signs of market improvement, we are confident that customers will be very excited with what this aircraft adds to the NetJets Europe offer. We have already pre-sold a full aircraft’s worth of shares.”

The Phenom is part of a US$17.6bn plan that NetJets Inc has in place to rejuvenate its entire fleet of aircraft, with 670 new aircraft over the next 10 years.

“The Phenom 300 redefines what’s possible in a light jet,” Eugene adds.

“On board, customers will experience superior comfort including spacious legroom and headroom, dual climate zones, and the largest windows in its class. Its range, speed and reliability are among the best available, while its cabin offers comfort and amenities usually found only on larger aircraft.

The combination of high performance and thoughtful design makes the Phenom 300 a uniquely capable aircraft, with its range

rivalling that of a midsize jet.”

For Eugene, it is the attention to detail on the Phenom that is especially satisfying: “The galley is very large and there is a window in the lavatory. This helps, especially when doing some last minute makeup before landing! The luggage compartment is bigger than any other aircraft in this category.”

For a light jet, the Phenom 300 is regarded as quite roomy, with space

“If you take the UK, Germany and France, these are very much light jet oriented markets” for up to seven passengers, or more commonly six. It is possible to fly from London to southern Spain nonstop, or even as far as Turkey. Small airfield operation is also possible.

Eugene believes the jet is a dynamic entry level into a market segment that has truly felt the effects of the economic downturn.

NetJets has made a firm order for 100 Challengers, with options for an additional 175. Added to these are 150 Citation Latitudes, as part of the rejuvenated fleet. Eugene reveals that in the next ten years the operator expects to take up to 10 Phenom 300 in Europe alone. These are aimed at clientele currently travelling in either a Bravo or a Hawker 400.

Eugene senses enormous

European potential for the latest aircraft type: “I’m very excited about having the Phenom in Europe, because if you take markets like the UK, Germany and France, these are very much light jet oriented markets.

In Germany up to 50 per cent of the operational fleet is actually composed of light jet aircraft, so this is a really good market offer for us.

“But one size never fits all, and that is why NetJets has remained independent from any manufacturers.”

NetJets does not anticipate offering an even lighter option at this stage: “A very light jet doesn’t fit with us. People are trying to bring down the entry level but it just doesn’t fit with what we’re trying to do. We are not a local operator with a locally based client. In terms of scale and capacity what we do requires a lot of space.”

Elsewhere, NetJets is enhancing the safety features on its long range Signature series aircraft by partnering with Remote Diagnostic Technologies and equipping the fleet with the Tempus IC medical device. This is a lightweight, compact telemedicine device that uses onboard satellite communication capability to connect to a doctor on the ground in the event of a medical emergency. It also offers onboard diagnostics. NetJets’ Global coo Bill Noe says: “The Tempus device provides a virtual 24/7/365 doctor for our passengers and crew members, particularly when they may not be within close range of a suitable medical emergency landing site.”

is a web based scheduling software that offers:

preparation: • Flight Sales -> OPS -> Flight logs -> Reports • FTL set according to your OM part 7 • Crew duty roster and endorsements • Flexible e-mail notification mechanism • Fuel prices from 20+ brokers • Airframe & engines TAH, TAC monitoring • iPhone/iPad app for crews • Benefits from integration with Avinode, PrivateFly, Victor, PPS, IFS, AC-U-KWIK & LogTen Pro

updates and transparent • Monthly pricing model • ...and much more To see more

and get a free trial please go to: www.leonsoftware.com

So far 50+

air operators have trusted us

Leon Software Ltd skype: leon.software

• mobile: +48 698-947-905

phone: +48 22 389-68-84

•

sales@leonsoftware.com

6 DECEMBER 2013

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

Swiss Nomad taps into EU with launch of Maltese sister company Nomad Aviation of Bern, Switzerland, has been granted an AOC in Malta and has added a Challenger 604 to the Maltese register. The aircraft will be managed by Nomad’s sister company Nomad Aviation Europe and the move means that the operator will be based in the EU for the first time. “The strategy of having an AOC in Malta is very simple,� says md Claude Neumeyer. “At the moment we are a Swiss company and have been only a Swiss company. Switzerland is not part of the EU, which has advantages but also has certain disadvantages.�

Nomad’s mission types will remain unchanged, the difference being that some aircraft will be registered in Malta and some will stay in Switzerland. Neumeyer reveals that 2013 was a phase of ‘strict consolidation’ for the business, having increased its fleet significantly in the previous three years. He predicts that from next year onwards acquisitions may well be made.

The Maltese hq should lead to new personnel too: “We are of course going to be adding more staff. Both companies are fully staffed and an AOC in Malta has the same requirements as anywhere else in the EU, so you need to be fully staffed with the operations structure. We have hired persons that are in charge of the Maltese company who take care of it, be it maintenance, operations or training.�

As for the selection of Malta, various factors were considered in the decision, as Neumeyer explians: “One

Pictured in Bern, Switzerland, the Nomad’s staffing levels continue to grow. The operator anticipates further appointments as it develops its Maltese office.

of the important factors was the language issue. Where we are located at the moment everyone speaks German or English, sometimes French. So we said an important aspect is that it is a country which

speaks our language. English is an official language in Malta so this was a prime choice. Our other options were Germany, Austria or the UK, but these countries have already been used a lot.�

Neumeyer believes that the Maltese authorities have a positive attitude towards business aviation: “Malta has a very goal-minded attitude and promotes business aviation at the moment – the

government supports it significantly.

They also have a business-friendly tax system and a very competent aviation authority.�

He also adds that moving out of the complex Swiss regulatory climate was advantageous for the operator: “Switzerland at the moment holds bilateral agreements with the EU, but these will run out in a certain amount of time and will need to be renewed.

There is the question of what will happen there politically. Will they be renewed as they are? Personally I do have a feeling that the EU will want to implement some additional factors and to adjust those agreements a little bit, so that might happen or might not happen. So really the move for us is a proactive one.�

Neumeyer explains that a number of his customers prefer to have their aircraft in an EU AOC environment, and says that the company is covering all bases by having both EU and nonEU options. He hopes to emulate the successful relocations to Malta which have been undertaken by other major operators: “There are a lot of companies moving to Malta. We’ve seen VistaJet and other companies move to Malta, as well as two major companies from the Austrian and German market. On a political level, the country is saying it wants to push business aviation. They have a friendly attitude while many countries have a restrictive attitude, saying that aircraft create pollution and noise. The Maltese attitude is to develop the business sector.�

Arab Wings adds ‘ultra large’ Lineage

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE

Annual FBO Directory and Reader Survey Show issue: Abu Dhabi Air Expo PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 7

Jordanian Arab Wings is to acquire a Lineage 1000, which it will make available for third party charter. The ultra-large jet is to be managed on behalf of an undisclosed client and will join a Legacy 600 and a 650 on the operator’s AOC, with delivery due to take place in the first quarter of 2014. “We currently operate the Legacy 600 and Legacy 650 and are excited to introduce the Lineage 1000 which will become our first ultra large aircraft,� said Ahmed Abu Ghazaleh, ceo. “The Embraer business jets offer incredible reliability, superb operating costs,

and we are delighted to be adding the Lineage 1000 to our fleet, especially in a successful and busy charter operation market.�

The latest aircraft can seat up to 19 passengers in five distinct cabin zones. Onboard amenities include a queen-size bed, en-suite shower and audio and entertainment systems. A pressurised walk-in aft baggage area is accessible throughout flight. For the pilots, the aircraft is equipped with an advanced avionics suite, auto-throttle and a fly-by-wire flight control system.

Power Power up!

The most st adv advanced vanced a rramp amp and hang hangar ar GPUs! JetGo JetGo 28V DC Diesel Hybrid GPUs sþþ þ þ!IIRCRAFTþMAINTENANCE STARTINGþWITHþ þPEAKþAMPþCAPABILITY RCRAFTþMAINTENANCE STARTINGþWITHþ þPEAKþAMPþCAPABILITY qþ#OMPACT þLIGHTWEIGHTþANDþQUIET qþ#OMPACT þLIGHTWEIGHTþANDþQUIET þ,OWESTþOPERATINGþCOSTSþINþTHEþINDUSTR Yþ qqþ,OWESTþOPERATINGþCOSTSþINþTHEþINDUSTRYþ

Unitron 400 Hz & 28V DC GPUs sĂľ (ANDLESĂľALLĂľSTARTINGĂľANDĂľMAINTENANCEĂľAPPLICATIONS (ANDLESĂľALLĂľSTARTINGĂľANDĂľMAINTENANCEĂľAPPLICATIONS Ăľ!DVANCEDĂľCONTROLSĂľANDĂľVOLTAGEĂľMONITORINGĂľ qqĂľ!DVANCEDĂľCONTROLSĂľANDĂľVOLTAGEĂľMONITORINGĂľ Ăľ"ESTĂľWARRANTYĂľINĂľTHEĂľBUSINESS qqĂľ"ESTĂľWARRANTYĂľINĂľTHEĂľBUSINESS

Gr Ground ound suppor support t e equipment quipment q

+1 208-378-9888 | www www.aerospecialties.com .aerospecialties.com

Zenith sales and marketing manager James Welsh says that the operator will enjoy more independence with its new owners.

Zenith seizes a perfect opportunity at Biggin Hill Perfect Aviation, having been acquired by Markerstudy Group in September, will continue operations in the UK at Biggin Hill airport, under new name Zenith Aviation. The company has added four staff to its 16-strong team, including sales and marketing manager James Welsh.

Welsh comments: “One of the former company’s principal customers saw an opportunity to buy Perfect Aviation UK, and one of the stipulations of the purchase was that they had to change the name from Perfect. Zenith Aviation was selected because the new owner already had companies that operated under the brand name of Zenith.�

The company operates its own Learjet 45 and a managed Challenger 605 out of Biggin Hill and Luton, and

provides aircraft maintenance and management services. Welsh adds that more acquisitions are in the pipeline: “There have been a couple of management proposals so far and we have several other opportunities to pursue in the new year. We are in the final stages of making operational changes, and anticipate there will be more managed aircraft joining the fleet.�

Stuart Mulholland has taken over as Zenith Aviation md, after Will Curtis was announced as md of Biggin Hill airport. “Stuart has been with the company for quite some time and was the natural choice for the role,� says Welsh. “We now have the right people in place, giving us the opportunity to develop the business further in 2014.�

DECEMBER 2013 7

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

If you’re using one of these,

David Edwards, formerly of Gama Aviation, has joined Qatar Executive as executive vp.

Fresh faces come onboard to oversee expanding services at Qatar Executive Qatar Executive of Doha has added three members to its team. Roberto Hlaca joins as vice president of sales, marketing and strategy, captain Peter Resting takes on the role of flight operations vp, and David Edwards has been named executive vp, having joined from Gama Aviation. Ceo Akbar Al Baker says: “David brings a wealth of experience in the business aviation industry and will be instrumental in steering its operations to a new level.”

Edwards is to be responsible for guiding all strategic, commercial and operational aspects of the company’s private jet division. He will focus on strengthening Qatar

Executive’s footprint in key markets such as the Middle East and the ‘booming’ countries like Russia and the CIS. He is also expected to establishing a presence in Africa and Asia.

Edwards says: “My aim is to expand this company’s successful product portfolio which includes, apart from its core business aircraft charters, aircraft management, large airliner charter, maintenance and a full range of FBO services at Doha International airport.

“I am delighted to be joining Qatar Executive at this exciting time, and look forward to growing the business and the services we are able to offer our clients.”

The other new appoint-

ments are also expected to lead to expansion. Hlaca, previously at VistaJet as ondemand sales vp, is tasked with reshaping the sales and marketing strategies at his new post, by launching new business initiatives and developing new growth markets to meet the company’s targets.

Resting’s background includes director of flight operations for ExecuJet Europe and he will be primarily responsible for ensuring the safe operation of Qatar Executive’s aircraft.

This also includes scheduling and recruiting flight deck crew to ensure that all regulatory requirements are met and that high quality operations are executed.

you can now start getting cash-back on this new Reward Card

Italian Police builds fleet The Italian Police has taken delivery of a fifth AW139 helicopter which will be based in Reggio Calabria. The contract, which was signed in July last year, includes eight AW139s and the aircraft operate from various bases in southern Italy, including Bari, Palermo and Reggio Calabria as well as Pratica di Mare close to Rome. Designated UH-139C, they are configured with a high definition FLIR, satellite communication system, searchlight, rescue hoist and a cabin mission console. The latest model includes an advanced hd video down link which will also be retrofitted to the aircraft already in service.

The AW139 was chosen by the police after a comprehensive evaluation process of competing bids. It is said to be the best value solution to meet demanding mission and safety requirements. The replacement of old helicopter models with AW139s, partially funded by the European Union Frontex programme, supports the fleet modernisation plans of the Italian Police.

This type is already in service with the Italian Coast Guard, Guardia di Finanza and the Italian Air Force. Various Italian government agencies operating the AW139 are able to benefit from shared logistics, training and support systems.

The latest contract is set to bring the total number of AW139s chosen by Italian government operators to 31, covering a wide scope of public utility roles including law enforcement and homeland security, patrol, special operations, search and rescue, command and control, government and vvip, disaster relief and training.

Apply for yours online: www.airbpsr.com As a thank you for using your Air BP Sterling Card, we’d like to show our appreciation. We’d like eligible customers* to enjoy cash-back rewards on our new Air BP Sterling Reward / Citi prepaid Card, every time you make a qualifying purchase* using your Sterling Card.

Catherine Buchanan is to head up the newlyopened Dubai office of charter sales company Vertis Aviation in January 2014. Buchanan hopes that Vertis will be able to widen its GCC network: “With executive aviation moving to Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum, the aviation landscape is changing,” she says.

“The region values bespoke service and the boutique-style model which we provide will be extremely attractive for our customer base.”

Apply for yours. *Terms and conditions apply. Please see the website for full details.

Cards are issued by Citibank Europe PLC.

8 DECEMBER 2013

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

Helijet fills gap with Learjet for third party charter Helijet of Düsseldorf, Germany, says that the Learjet 60 it added to its fleet in the summer for a private owner is now able to perform unrestricted charter after it was added to the company AOC at the end of November. Its fleet previously comprised four Sikorsky helicopters, and this latest jet offers midsize capacity for up to seven passengers.

According to md Matthias Schloesser the Learjet is ‘filling the gap’ between the short distance of a helicopter and longer distance jets.

Schloesser believes the aircraft is a good investment when weighed up against the charter rate it is expected to generate: “We had been operating helicopters, and a helicopter is for short range travel. With the Learjet 60 we offer an aircraft with about the same seat capacity as the helicopter, but it provides a medium range of operation. We have clients that are using the helicopter, but for certain distances the helicopter is too slow and too expensive.”

Before it joined the Helijet AOC the aircraft was used solely for a private owner. “We can now offer a mix of sectors for the owner along with third party charter,” Schloesser explains.

“We had our first charter clients this month, and we assume that there will be a significant increase in charter

Helijet pilot Stefan Pfülb at the controls of the Learjet 60, which is expected to clock up considerable charter hours in 2014.

from January 1st, as we are now actively marketing the aircraft and its completely refurbished interior.”

Schloesser speaks highly of the work which was completed on the aircraft’s interior by an authorised

Learjet centre, and believes that the refurbishment will be an important factor in attracting future clients.

San Marino a breath of fresh air for Titan Dubai-based Titan Aviation has placed a Gulfstream G-V, which it has been operating on behalf of a private owner since delivery in October, on San Marino’s register. Captain Sakeer Sheik outlines the advantages of the move: “Our decision was born primarily out of the convenience of intended operations in Europe.”

“We find from a day to day operational point of view that the staff in San Marino are a breath of fresh air to work with. The team has an attitude that nothing is too much bother.”

Captain Sheik has presented last minute requests in light of operational changes, and says that these requests are always accommodated.

“Even if we contact them outside of working hours, or over a weekend, they are happy to help. When they do come across something that doesn’t quite fit the box, they seek clarification from the legislation, and are generally able to offer a solution, within 48 hours. They have a good team behind the scenes, with an extremely high level of experience.”

Titan now intends to transfer other aircraft onto the registry.

Bell 429 capability impresses Starspeed Starspeed director Gary Butcher says that the Bell 429 which the operator is flying for a private owner is performing well, with very good reliability: “Clients seem to like the smooth flight characteristics and we have had no maintenance issues,” he comments.

The aircraft is principally engaged in private flights for the owner, but is also carrying out charter operations based around London. Butcher is particularly impressed with the low maintenance the 429 offers, and also with how advanced the avionics are.

A maximum ‘all up’ weight of 7,000lbs is a drawback, but

The low maintenance Bell 429 complements Starspeed’s activities, according to director Gary Butcher.

nonetheless low operating costs and an ‘appealing’ cabin are expected to entice further business.

“We have confirmed an order for two Agusta AW169s when the new type launches in 18 months. The fleet operates worldwide and is both land and yacht based,” Butcher adds. He says that Starspeed is seeing a modest recovery in charter operations: “Some types are now a little difficult to get hold of again and less modern helicopters are still very out of favour. We are still confident however that we can ably support our owners around the world and look forward to 2014.”

Have a Smartphone?

Scan this QR code to find out more about exhibiting or visit www.helitechevents.com

In association with

Be part of Europe’s largest 100% dedicated helicopter exhibition

CEPA expo sheds light on CEE market and bureaucracy battles The fourth annual Central Europe Private Aviation Expo in Prague was attended by a record number of delegates. Operators were quizzed on the burdens placed upon them by taxation and regulation, with vp of sales at DC Aviation Germany Christina Reiss saying that operators were subjected to double and triple layers of bureaucracy. She said that maintaining a good relationship with the authorities was critical.

Operators were also asked about passenger preference trends and the ways in which they differentiate themselves.

Radomir Sanak, accountable manager for recently launched Czech Republic operator Éclair Aviation, said that despite the difficulty in persuading passengers to fly on its P.180, it was the difference in its product that separated the

company from the rest of the market.

Primus Aircraft Management Solutions md Stephan Krainer added that the market was flat for them this year and that, despite the importance of the high net worth individual, it is the large corporates that offer more of a market for them.

Operators were critical of the pricing and service levels of European FBOs. Ceo of VR Jet Jaroslav Malinksy recalled an incident where the handling cost at an airport on a recent leg had been more than the fuel cost to VR Jet on the sector. It was agreed that airports should cooperate more to help grow business aviation. There was consensus over the fact that commercial aviation brings greater revenues to airports and cited this as a reason for airports penalising business aviation through pricing.

[ reveal ]

JOIN US 14-16 OCTOBER 2014 AMSTERDAM RAI

INTERESTED IN EXHIBITING?

Contact Elex van Rensburg, Sales Manager Tel: +44 (0)20 8910 7810 elex.vanrensburg@reedexpo.co.uk

Join & follow us Organised by

Radomir Sanak (left) and Christina Reiss (right) were two operator representatives who appeared at the Prague Expo on a discussion panel.

Search for helitechevents on these social media channels

The World Leader in Aviation Market Intelligence | 800.553.8638 | +1.315.797.4420 | jetnet.com

DECEMBER 2013 9

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

w w w. c h a r t e r b r o k e r. a e r o Air Partner supports astronomical tour Air Partner recently partnered with Eclipse Travel, Germany’s specialist for astronomical tours, to organise a comet watching charter flight in early December. The broker has also been certified ISO 9001:2008 compliant, a widely recognised framework for good business and quality management.

ACS names Bowman and Courtney

CIT vp of sales Graeme Shanks says that financiers are stringent, although he notes an increase in lending this calendar year.

FOCUS ON FINANCE

Air Charter Service has promoted Justin Bowman to vice chairman of the group. Founder and chairman Chris Leach remarks: “Justin has worked from the ground up in the organisation. In this new role he will focus on the strategic growth of the company.”

ACS has also announced that Ruan Courtney has taken over as md. Outgoing md Tony Bauckham, who will stay on for one year

providing counsel, says: “There comes a time when it is pertinent to hand over the reins to one’s successor. ACS is at an exciting time in its global development.”

PrivateFly.com announces photography winners PrivateFly.com has revealed the winning images among hundreds of entries in its photography competition to celebrate 50 years of private jet travel.

Overall winner captain José Maria Ocana received a £1,000 cash prize and a featured photographer profile with agency Alamy.

Ceo Adam Twidell says: “We were thrilled to see such a diverse range of entries, from photographers across the world. The judges were some of the most prestigious names in travel photography. It is a fantastic visual celebration of the private jet as it celebrates its golden age.”

Young and large aircraft plus a credible history persuades even ‘shy’ financiers It is hardly news to declare the severity of the impact of the economic crisis on charter activity in the world of business aviation. Its impact on aircraft financing, however, has been notably complex, and warrants further exploration. To get to the crux of the key financial issues of the day, EBAN spoke to a cross-section of representatives from across the industry in order to ascertain the issues at stake, including representatives from manufacturers, lenders, lawyers and operators. The findings were certainly interesting.

“We have seen many lenders throughout the past several years in Europe, the Middle East and Africa scale back their lending for business aircraft purchases, and they are now primarily focused on aircraft valued at $10 million or more,” says Anthony Schieber of Beechcraft sales financing. Schieber’s observation is one which is shared by many across the industry, and highlights the first issue at stake in funding options for aircraft: the size of the aircraft being financed.

It would seem that in many instances, larger and younger aircraft are far more likely to be given the go-ahead from lenders, as general manager of Primus Aircraft Management Solutions Stephan Krainer explains: “When you have a G650 for example, sometimes it is easier to get the finance or leasing when compared to a 10-year-old Excel. Big banks like Credit Suisse or UBS simply don’t do small aircraft anymore, they only do aircraft that are big and new.”

He says that in Austria his company will have a hard time

Launching January with the UK’s leading operators.

Stephan Krainer, general manager at Primus Aircraft Management Solutions, believes the bigger banks no longer fund smaller and older aircraft.

finding finance for older aircraft, and that extensive ‘digging through contacts’ is required to match a client up to a deal. “It always depends on whether the bank has some relationship with the owner already and knows their personal or corporate needs. If this happens they may jump over the line.

Otherwise, you are stuck with smaller leasing companies.”

Graeme Shanks, vp of sales at CIT business aircraft finance, reinforces the selective nature of modern lenders: “Nowadays lenders are undoubtedly more stringent in their criteria, and it comes down to a question of asset classes. It is not just young jets that are the focus, but also jets in the medium to large cabin sector. Financing smaller aircraft and turboprops, especially older ones is, on this basis, problematic.” On the question of assets, smaller aircraft are viewed as a greater credit risk, asserts Aoife O’Sullivan, a lawyer at

Kennedy’s who has been at the centre of many an aircraft financing negotiation. “The credit risk, that is to say the borrower and its income from assets, is placed in a more challenging jurisdiction when the age of the aircraft is a factor. These types are not what the financier is interested in,” she says.

“As for small light aircraft, in many cases funding is refused for no reason other than that the bank puts as much effort into a small aircraft deal as it does on a large aircraft deal. The return rates on the larger deals are obviously more lucrative for the bank.”

Bernhard Fragner, ceo of GlobeAir, has consistently had to find financing for his fleet of Citation Mustang very light jets, and has run into difficulties due to the way the financiers perceive the value of the investment. He confirms O’Sullivan’s view by illustrating the tentative nature of financiers, and their motivations: “I think the financiers who were really strong in the market have become shy over the last five years.

“They are still sitting on a huge pool of assets. If you talk to UniCredit, if you talk to GE, they are really now trying to clear their asset pool and clean their balance sheets.” Fragner believes that the book values these financiers have for their assets don’t represent the market value and for this reason operators are struggling to sell aircraft. He says that leasing companies and financiers are now spending their time correctly managing assets, and this is why he believes they are not so ‘aggressively’ on the market as they were previously. “They have very often Continued on next page

Bernhard Wipfler (left) alongside his fellow AC Aviation executives Maria Lendvay, Florian Schramböck and Gerald Trenner.

AC Aviation Charter opens in Vienna Swiss-based AC Aviation Charter has opened an office in Vienna, Austria.

It will co-ordinate closely with the existing one in Zurich, Switzerland.

Three charter sales agents will be based in Vienna, where the team is to be led by Bernhard Wipfler. ACAC acts as a sales agent on behalf of selected operators. “We want to boost our charter sales activities and further expand our current fleet of 10 aircraft,” says Marion Feller, founder and ceo. “We are seeing an increased demand throughout Europe and Russia.”

PROMOTING PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS IN AIR CHARTER BROKERAGE

WWW.BACA.ORG.UK

THE BALTIC AIR CHARTER ASSOCIATION

World class experience from Menzies Aviation at Barcelona airport

T +34 609 603 567 E BCN.FBO@menziesaviation.com W http://fbo.menziesaviation.com VHF 131.875, SITA BCNGA7X

Operator? Jet? Set? Go!

10 DECEMBER 2013

FINANCE Continued from previous page

reduced staff and are simply not as hungry for new business.” Fragner is noting the exact same reaction from lenders as voiced by O’Sullivan, in terms of banks carrying out the same amount of work regardless of aircraft size, with vast differences in yield.

“Financing a smaller jet such as a Mustang and financing a G650 have exactly the same work load for the financiers. Exactly the same legal work, exactly the same finance work.

They will ask the question ‘why should we spend our resources on a little aircraft which makes small margins, rather than going for a big aircraft?’ Because of this policy, and with reduced staff and a focus on margins, everybody is chasing the larger aircraft.”

Krainer also feels that financiers are cautionary nowadays, and believes that banks were making their decisions based not just on asset value, but also on aircraft usage in the market. “The smaller aircraft were just standing on the ground and losing money, while the bigger ones still kept their value,” he says.

“The banks were pleased because they didn’t have to make any big write-offs in their books for the larger

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

aircraft, but this was not the case for the smaller ones. As we know, many aircraft are sitting on the ramp, noone is flying them or buying them because, at least in Europe, the market as it stands is pretty dry at the moment.”

For Krainer, it is a question of risk once more, and the larger aircraft are seen as far less of a risk. This was not the case before the financial crisis when the market was buoyant: “Banks basically financed 100 per cent, based on the asset, because the aircraft value was something that crawled up, even after delivery. So there was no problem with the risk management. Now aircraft are like every car, where you lose some value over time.”

To combat this, potential aircraft buyers are now having to justify assets in other ways. Finding alternative assets is a theme which has been encountered by every contributor we spoke to. Krainer’s examples of ‘additional securities’ include bank guarantees or houses, if the buyer is unable to offer at least 20 per cent cash up front. Fragner’s attitude is rather more frustrated: “There has simply been no financing around.

What I mean is there is financing, but the package they provide to you is not interesting. I’m talking about high security, personal guarantees and huge down-payments. So I think, what’s the point?”

The Global Show for General Aviation EDNY: N 47 40.3

E 009 30.7

April 9 – 12, 2014 Messe Friedrichshafen, Germany nferences o C O R E •A Area • Engine s Avenue • Avionic S Expo A P R / S A •U areer • AEROC expo • e-flight

Kennedy’s is now financing 90 per cent of its transactions, according to head of aircraft finance Aoife O’Sullivan.

GlobeAir ceo Bernhard Fragner has been frustrated with the deals available when looking to increase his Citation Mustang fleet but sees signs of improvement.

O’Sullivan outlines some of the options that are available: “PDP (or pre-delivery) finance remains more difficult to obtain and in some cases we have structured transactions away from the aircraft under construction and secured other assets for the bank instead. The difficulty with PDP finance is that until the aircraft is built and can fly, it is very difficult to secure a charge over the asset and in reality all the bank can charge is the underlying purchase agreement. If the borrower defaults, the bank can step in to finish the acquisition under the purchase agreement.”

Despite the inevitable obstacles, it is felt by many in the industry that the areas of growth in the market are spreading to the financial sector.

O’Sullivan describes the market as ‘fluid’ and says that for ‘sweet spot deals’ involving these larger and newer aircraft types, there are in fact three clear options. The first of these comes from the private wealth banks, where the interest of the financier is based more on the relationship with the borrower than on financing the aircraft. The second comes from asset financiers at banks.

These companies are subject to strict Basel banking regulations and will look to finance through a lease, as they prefer to own the aircraft and lease it to the borrower, with a limited purchase option available. The final option comes from operational lessors, that is to say smaller, more independent leasing companies.

They too tend to own the aircraft and lease to the borrower.

With these solutions available, O’Sullivan feels that financing has not necessarily become more difficult in recent years: “More controls have come into play and we are certainly seeing some interesting new clauses or protections for the

financiers. These are usually driven by tighter controls in the banking industry itself though.” She says that 12 months ago the deal sheet of Kennedy’s was predominantly cash based purchasing, but the company is now financing 90 per cent of its transactions.

Likewise, Shanks is confident that the state of the market is continuing to improve: “A credible business story, sound financial metrics and an aircraft that is ten years old or less, registered in an established aviation jurisdiction – business aircraft financing is available in these instances.” CIT has seen an increase in lending this year. In Fragner’s case, where financiers had been holding back, he is now hearing from them again as they begin to seek fresh business: “Since the middle of this year, people have been phoning, asking if we need finance and whether we might be interested. They are actively seeking the market out.

Financing a Mustang and financing a G650 have exactly the same work load for the financiers Bernhard Fragner, GlobeAir “Maybe buyers are wondering who is performing fine and who might be about to do well. They are viewing their client base and thinking about future potential. It is promising.” He says that some experts are even seeking smaller jets, and that this business originates mainly from Germany and the UK. More specifically, these positive trends seem to be appearing

regionally. Shanks elaborates: “Some regions are recovering more quickly than others. Africa and the Middle East have seen a gradual pick-up in activity during the second half of this year. Elsewhere around the world, we have seen an increasing amount of new business across Asia, eastern Europe, the CIS and parts of Latin America. Western Europe is recovering more slowly.” In his opinion, the challenges and obstacles in financing are not confined to any particular region. He says that one of the things that has shaken up the market is the prevalence of cash buyers in developing regions: “With today’s low fixed rates, it’s advantageous for individuals to use their capital to fund and grow their business and finance their aircraft acquisition.”

CIT has found it difficult to lend to African regions on occasion due to the lack of business and aviation infrastructure and what Shanks defines as ‘common adherence to accepted international standards in insurance, registration, maintenance and operations.’ He points out that that macroeconomic, legal and political factors will impact upon CIT’s willingness to lend: “As a basic premise of lending, you need to have confidence that these big picture factors will not negatively impact your customers’ ability to repay an obligation.” O’Sullivan also recalls some regional difficulties: “India and the problems associated with repossession arising out of a recent case have caused some concerns.”

It is apparent that financing is far from a straightforward process, but with a clear objective in mind and a shrewd attention to the finer details, successful investments can be made.

Fragner puts this succinctly, as he explains that low market value can be a great thing for the discerning buyer. “Whether it’s old aircraft, new or even secondhand, they all have a very reasonable pricing right now.

They are stable, going at the real value and it can be quite well managed. I can borrow money for a new or secondary aircraft because pricing is at a reasonable level.

Maybe I can get two to four per cent interest, and then it is interesting to private financiers.” ■

Emirates Executive launches A319 with private suites

www.aero-expo.com Gold-Sponsor:

Emirates has established a luxury private jet service, Emirates Executive, within which it will use its ‘ultra-spacious’ Airbus A319.

There are two main zones in the jet, the first being a wide dining and executive lounge at the front of the aircraft designed to seat up to 12 passengers, and the second area comprising 10 private suites, each featuring a lie flat seat and an hd lcd screen.

The suites are complemented by a large and elegant shower spa, equipped with a full-height shower and underfloor heating. The aircraft is configured for up to 19 passengers

Emirates’ A319 is characterised by its wing tip ‘sharklets’ and is kitted out with a luxurious interior.

and allows for diverse travel options for private customers and corporations. The service can now be accessed online.

“Emirates Executive elevates the high standards and quality that our customers have come to expect, with the flexibility and luxury that can only be offered by a private chartered flight,” says divisional senior vp Adnan Kazim. “We have seen an increasing demand in the private travel segment, especially in the Middle East and Europe, as well as in markets such as India, Russia and China, and with Emirates Executive and the launch of its website, we are looking to tap into this niche market with the high quality of service and attention to detail associated with Emirates.”

DECEMBER 2013 11

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

UK REGIONAL REVIEW

AIRCRAFT NEWS...

Quest to sell MD helicopters in UAE Dubai-based Quest Aviation Solutions has been appointed exclusive sales distributor for MD Helicopters’ multi-mission product range of helicopters in the UAE. Its territory will cover Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras-al-Khaimah and Fujairah.

Discussions are also taking place to provide a parts and maintenance centre.

First ‘flight’ for 5X Dassault’s Falcon 5X has performed its first simulated flight in St Cloud, France, with Dassault’s chief test pilot Philippe Deleume and Philippe Rebourg at the controls.

The 5X features a new wing and will be equipped with an enhanced version of the flight control system on the 7X. It will be the first business jet fitted with flaperons, which can act either as flaps, ailerons or airbrakes.

SaxonAir group commercial director Chris Mace (right), pictured with flight operations manager Lee McGahan onboard a King Air 350, is delighted to have secured a worldwide AOC as of February 2013. This has opened up destinations further afield, such as Turkmenistan and Kuwait.

Operators take advantage of opportunities beyond ad-hoc charter in the UK After what many would describe as five dismal years for business aviation, there are some signs in the UK that growth is possible in the near future, and for some operators this is already happening. While some market players have been lost, other UK carriers are going from strength to strength in taking on aircraft, personnel and facilities.

The discrepancies and varying success rates are summed up by Richard Koe, md of WingX, who reveals that while some growth is a reality, figures can at times be deceptive: “Last month there were 7,902 business aviation departures from the UK, a fall of 2.6 per cent on October 2012. This is a slight improvement of the trend year-todate 2013 which is down 4.2 per cent.

“Yet this masks a strong increase in private flights of five per cent in the most recent month. The overall downward trend also masks spots of increased activity. Activity on Bombardier aircraft is 9.7 per cent higher in 2013 than in 2012, equivalent to an additional 216 flights every month.”

EBAN’s own distribution data reveals that the UK business aircraft fleet remains sizeable. Excluding the many jets based in the country but registered elsewhere, there are over 275 business jets, 168 turboprops, 380 cabin-class piston twins, and no fewer than 660 turbine helicopters.

John Bullis of Universal Avionics says that the UK economy is in ‘better shape’ than it has been in the preceding three years, and that this is stimulating the market.

Scott Plumb of Beechcraft reinforces the ‘slow market’ outlook, yet remains optimistic: “What I would say is that we do have a number of exciting opportunities in the UK market right now. These are on the vip side and on the special missions side.

I think we’ve done okay over the past 12 months but I would say that we are looking forward to a stronger future

TAG Aviation Europe president Graham Williamson says that his company has protected the bottom line by balancing charter shortfalls with a greater focus on aircraft management.

as the economy grows.

“We’ve delivered 23 aircraft over the last five years, and this is up 15 per cent on the five years prior to that, all during what has been a pretty bleak time for the economy. The UK is our biggest market in Europe for Beechcraft, so it is an extremely important one for us.

Plumb suggests that investors have been waiting for the right time to capitalise: “I think there have been a number of people that have been sitting and sort of waiting for some sign that the economy is improving, some sign that things are a little bit brighter. They’ve been either operating their aircraft to the edge of its warranty, or they have been operating it outside of a warranty. I think what we’re seeing is those becoming impatient for a sign that the economy is improving, and they are willing to take that step forward with a new aircraft with new technology, to get under a warranty programme or a support plus type programme.”

Furthermore, although growth is slow, Plumb affirms that it is evident: “We are seeing growth opportunities as first time buyers come into the

market and look for aircraft that they’ve chartered in the past.”

EBAN also spoke to Miguel Moreno, general manager of Air BP, to gauge his opinion on the UK market.

From a fuel perspective at least, finances would appear to be in good shape: “Air BP is currently experiencing a sustained period of customer growth. Fuel sales have gone up approximately 10 per cent compared with this time last year across the company’s UK network of 32 locations,” says Moreno.

He foresees a continuation of the trend towards heavy and ultra-long range aircraft, while also envisaging a growth in commercial traffic: “This will create a need for dedicated general aviation services to facilitate fast turnarounds so that operators can provide the vip service their customers expect.

“We are seeing a trend towards smaller airports investing in their services and getting smarter in order to attract traffic and maximise movements. We are also noting that some airports are widening their opening hours in order to attract business aviation clients, from the US for example.”

EBAN then spoke to a selection of UK operators to ascertain the ways in which these market trends are being realised.

Acropolis Aviation has upgraded its Airbus A319CJ to a Cat3B autoland system in the past 12 months, which has improved winter-based enquiries. “There’s always a concern about going into places like Moscow, or even the Middle East where visibility can suddenly change – be it through a sandstorm or snow,” says charter sales executive Andy West.

“When the company originally formed it only ever had Cat1 which is very basic, but we upgraded to Cat3 earlier this year and have already started using it. We had to use 3B when we went into Luton because of Continued on next page

such as ADS-B Out. This will reduce crew workload and enable the use of beneficial new approach procedures such as WAAS-LPV and RNP.

Bombardier appoints Martel as president Bombardier has named Eric Martel as president, Bombardier business aircraft, effective from January. Martel succeeds Steve Ridolfi, who is now senior vp, strategy and mergers and acquisitions.

The company has also appointed Michel Ouellette as president for Bombardier customer services and specialised and amphibious aircraft.

Learjet 75 is FAA certified Bombardier was awarded FAA certification for its Learjet 75 aircraft in mid-November.

The Learjet 75 cabin is based on the 85’s interior design and technology, with improved seat styling, individual touchscreen monitors and a spacious baggage area and galley.

Dassault launches Falcon Elite II Dassault Aviation has upgraded its avionics package for Falcon 900C and 900EX operators. Dubbed Falcon Elite II, the new upgrade allows operators to comply with air traffic management mandates

Eurocopter put the EC175 through its paces and set two climb records.

EC175 sets climb records Eurocopter’s EC175 has achieved two time-to-climb records, as Eurocopter targets EASA certification in early 2014. The records are: time-to-climb to an altitude of 6,000 metres, performed in six minutes, 54 seconds; and time-to-climb to 3,000 metres, achieved in three minutes 10 seconds. The production ramp-up for the EC175 continues, with the 15th helicopter now on the final assembly line.

When you advertise to the

and the Middle East. And we will

business aviation community, it is easy

do this using the best printing and

to be seduced by claims that you’ll

production techniques, and the most

get to thousands upon thousands of

accurate distribution list possible.

recipients.

But are you getting to the RIGHT people?

Here at European Business Air News, the circulation of both the printed magazine

We’ve got a wide range of advertising options, both print and digital, that are designed to make the most of your valuable promotional spend.

and our web site is independently

EBAN – the magazine of choice for

audited, which means we have to prove

business aviation in Europe and the

that we are reaching the people we

Middle East

claim to.

It is part of our commitment to you - we will deliver your message to the people you most want to reach - owners and operators of business aircraft in Europe

Contact Mark Ranger on: +44 (0)1279 714509

12 DECEMBER 2013

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

UK REGIONAL REVIEW

Business aviation in the U.K. by the numbers 121 business aviation airports

Continued from previous page

fog, and that’s really helped the way that the company has dealt with charter enquiries, particularly for those ‘risk’ areas.”

Acropolis has also become an Argus-approved operator, having already been Wyvern Wingman accredited. This has helped the company’s coverage in the US, as some areas in the States require Wyvern while others require Argus.

With both accreditations, Acropolis can cover all bases.

West explains that he is now responsible for charter sales in the company: “We were using our operations department to deal with enquiries rather than having a dedicated charter sales department, so at the beginning of the year I was moved from operations and became responsible for the charter sales element of the company. We have been building the company reputation and building the hours.”

He also states that Acropolis Aviation will only ever be a one aircraft operation. “It was set up for one thing and one thing only – to be strong in the Airbus field.

“We will only ever tailor our approach by having the one aircraft that we manage, and then focussing charter sales on that one aircraft.”

He says that the Air Passenger Duty (APD) is the biggest challenge facing UK operators: “This has thrown in quite a few quirks here and there, particularly when quoting.”

Tech stops pose further difficulties: “If we are operating from the States to the Middle East we will want to make a tech stop in the UK because our crew is based in the UK and we save on crew positioning and associated costs by doing this.

“The problem is that there are some airports where the passengers have to get off and go through immigration. Then they’ve got to be searched again, all the bags have got to come off, be re-screened and put on again. In many ways this detracts from us wanting to come to the UK to tech stop, so we tend to go to other places where we get a better service from a handling perspective.

“It’s a shame, because the UK will miss out on quite a good market, from international operators who want to come to the UK to tech stop but must go through these procedures. It’s very complicated.”

Air Charter Scotland has recently added a Legacy 650 on behalf of one of its existing owners. Sales and marketing manager Laura Paton says the acquisition is a very exciting one: “The owner kept us up-to-date all through the process, allowing us to

Major business aviation airports* 1. Luton 2. Biggin Hill 3. Stansted 4. Farnborough 5. Oxford

EGGW EGKB EGSS EGLF EGTK

LTN BQH STN FAB OXF

* ranked by the number of handler, charter, maintenance, sales and training organisations based at each.

157 business charter operators Leading fixed-wing charter operators** 1. London Executive Aviation 2. Hangar 8 3. Gama Avaition 4. Ravenair 5. RL Group

Eurojet FBO manager Freddie Judge displays the BACA Best FBO award with his team in Birmingham.

see the aircraft during its developing stages. The aircraft will complement our existing fleet remarkably well and allow us to continue to cater to all markets.

Its performance is spectacular and it makes light work of London to New York. It is in high demand, especially as it comes with wifi.” The company’s fleet includes another Legacy 650, four Cessna Citations, a Gulfstream G200 and two Challengers – a 601 and a 300. ACS operates from Glasgow, Luton, Stansted, Faro and Palma and conducts passenger and freight missions. It has seen a 10 per cent increase in activity in the past year.

AV8 Helicopters of Rochester airport in Kent, is adding a Eurocopter AS355 F2 Twin Squirrel, which will be based at Denham aerodrome. The aircraft will offer transfers from Luton and Stansted to the London Heliport Battersea.

“As we approach our tenth anniversary, we look to the future with optimism,” comments Andrew Lee, marketing executive. “Most helicopter charter enquiries require a twin and, more often than not, two type-rated crew. We are seeing a trend towards larger twin helicopters, but for clients with budgetary considerations, the Twin Squirrel is a cost effective option, when compared with the larger models.

“With this aircraft based at Denham aerodrome, we would hope to secure charter work in and around the London area”.

Centreline Air Charter says it is one of the first operators in the UK to become P-RNAV (Precision Area Navigation) compliant and to gain CAA approval. The news means that the operator’s aircraft can fly into the main European airports which no longer accept non-compliant business jet charter aircraft.

After Amsterdam Schiphol

“There are some airports where passengers have to get off and go through immigration” Andy West of Acropolis became the first airport in Europe to only allow aircraft which fully met the new P-RNAV standards, it was quickly followed by Heathrow, Gatwick, Zürich, Vienna, Stockholm-Arlanda, Brussels, Malpensa, Nice Côte d’Azur and Faro airports, with many more in consultation. Centreline, part of the Bristol Flying Centre Group (BFC), operates five Citation jets that are now fully compliant with P-RNAV, following a rigorous training schedule for crew which included computerbased training, ground school and flight training.

BFC director Phil Brockwell comments: “Centreline Air Charter reacted quickly when learning of the restrictions these European airports were planning to impose. It was critical that there were no limits placed on our customers wishing to fly to these key destinations, and we are delighted that we have become one of the first operators to be awarded this approval and to meet the standards of P-RNAV. If we had not had such a well-equipped training facility in-house, the speed in which we have reached this stage would have not been possible.”

Eurojet Aviation has a fleet of Citations, with one XLS+, two Bravo, two Excel and a 500. It runs passenger operations from Belfast, Birmingham and Luton. It is now into the second season of participation in the ‘Guinness Class’ promotion, in conjunction with Diageo, the

company behind the drinks brand.

The partnership means that every weekend Eurojet flies up to five fans of the beer from locations around the UK to Dublin, with winners selected from one of the 1,000 participating pubs around the UK. The winners are not known until the evening of the flight, so Eurojet staff must prepare themselves for a flight to the winners’ location, before making the onward Dublin leg.

The company has recently taken on an XLS+ from new. General manager of client services Lisa Wellington says that it has been received extremely well into the desired market and is proving popular, with utilisation “significantly ahead” of the operator’s target.

Charter flights have increased by 36 per cent in the past year, and Wellington singles out engineering manager Pat Marchant for special praise: “We are lucky to have a team of significant managers who ensure their departments work as one company. Pat deserves praise as he has led his team of experienced engineers to develop one of the newest and most modern Cessna Citation authorised service facilities in Europe.

“We are hugely proud of the phenomenal reviews and feedback received from our clients about his team’s service.”

Eurojet has also been voted BACA best FBO/handling agent 2013. “This is a huge testament to the hard work our FBO manager Freddie Judge and his team do to ensure the Eurojet FBO at Birmingham provides the vip experience passengers and crew deserve when visiting the city,” Wellington adds.

Gama Aviation has had a year of growth; in addition to adding a G650 as reported by EBAN in October, the operator has inaugurated a

Leading helicopter charter operators** 1. CHC Scotia 2. Bond Air Services 3. Specialist Aviation Services 4. PDG Helicopters 5. Bristow Helicopters ** ranked by number of aircraft for charter

aircraft 141 business maintenance organisations Leading maintenance companies*** 1. Multiflight 2. Gama Engineering 3. Ravenair 4. RSS Aircraft Engineering 5. JRB Aviation

Leading TRTO training companies*** 1. FlightSafety Farnborough 2. CAE Burgess Hill 3. Helicopter Services 4. PremiAir Aviation Services 5. MW Helicopters *** ranked by number of aircraft types covered

G

1,486 business aircraft on the UK register

Data extracted from the Handbook of Business Aviation, and the EBAN reader roster.

£3.8m facility at Glasgow airport in recent weeks.

Jobs for flight crew, engineering, operations and customer services will be created. The maintenance hangar is 2,480 sqm and includes offices. It will provide a convenient charter base for Gama’s Scottish customers and will also have an FBO operational in readiness for the Ryder Cup golf tournament along with the Commonwealth Games, when the city expects to handle a large volume of business and vip visitors. Gama will provide full base and line maintenance in the new hangar, to support the King Air 200 operating for the Scottish Air Ambulance. The company also anticipates significant third party aircraft maintenance activity coming to Glasgow.

Essential reading wherever you are Global Business Jet Yearbook The reference book for long range business jet owners and operators worldwide. www.gbjyearbook.com New edition – January 2014

Handbook of Business Aviation

Handbook of Business Aviation

Europe, Russia, Middle East and Africa

Asia Pacific

The reference book for fixed wing and rotary business aircraft owners and operators in Europe, Russia, Middle East and Africa.

The reference book for fixed wing and rotary business aircraft owners and operators in the Asia Pacific region.

www.handbook.aero

www.handbook.aero

DECEMBER 2013 13

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

UK REGIONAL REVIEW

O P E R AT I O N S N E W S . . .

Jetex opens FBO at DWC Jetex has launched an FBO at Al Maktoum International airport at Dubai World Central. The FBO offers a vip lounge, ground support, fuelling, handling and security services, and will accommodate clientele including heads of state.

Lufthansa Technik prepares 787 completions Lufthansa Technik AG has finished preparations for the completion and technical care of the Boeing 787, and is holding talks with several customers of the 12 vip examples sold to date. It will offer capacity for vip completions of this aircraft type as of 2014/2015 at its main facility in Hamburg.

notice requests, when plans change,” says Maithri Samaradivakara, UK-based sales manager.

Nairobi facility hosts PT6A customers Vector Aerospace Engine Services Atlantic hosted a PT6A customer day in Nairobi, Kenya. Its facility in Nairobi offers field service and engine line maintenance services on the P&WC PT6A and PW100 engine series.

Gama inaugurates Glasgow facility AV8 helicopters has marked its approaching 10th anniversary with the acquisition of an AS355 F2 Twin Squirrel. Marketing executive Andrew Lee (left) and captain Tom Saunderson are pictured with the aircraft at Denham Aerodrome

Ceo Marwan Khalek remarks: “We are delighted to complete the first phase of this significant investment project, which is a great showcase for our wide ranging aviation capabilities – all under one roof. We are extremely proud to have been in Scotland for over two decades and this new facility underlines our long-term commitment to this region. We are also delighted to announce the creation of new jobs here in Glasgow as we look towards phase two of our investment programme, when we will double the hangarage and handling capacity of our facility in 2014.”

Gama has taken delivery of a King Air 350C, available to charter from Scotland. It is hoped that the aircraft will be popular with local executives seeking access to the more remote parts of Scotland, as well as offering trips to other parts of the UK and Europe. It will be used as an ad-hoc additional aircraft to support the Scottish Air Ambulance too. Its large cargo door will make it suitable for rapid response cargo missions, servicing the need of the oil and gas industries.

London Executive Aviation reached a number of landmarks in 2013: it opened its first international office in Athens, became the first UKbased member of the AirClub alliance and introduced Saint-Tropez to its destination portfolio. It was also named best general aviation operator at the BACA Excellence Awards, for the second year in a row.

“Smaller airports are getting smarter in order to attract traffic and maximise movements” Miguel Moreno of Air BP

Ceo Patrick Margetson-Rushmore is seeing strong demand for aircraft with larger cabins: “Our Challenger 300 and Legacy 600 and 650 are proving especially popular. The lighter end of our fleet, including our Citation Mustangs, has been less busy in the recession, but is now seeing increased demand again,” he comments. Six business jets have been added to the LEA fleet in all this year, including the operator’s first Falcon 2000LX. The latest acquisition is an Embraer Legacy 650, adding to a significant Legacy fleet across Europe. A third Challenger 300 has also joined the ranks.

Md George Galanopoulos talks of a

Acropolis charter sales executive Andy West is enjoying his restructured role with the operator, which has attained clearance to land at demanding airfields.

strengthening market: “The market is rallying, albeit at a modest pace.

Greater demand in the European market has been reflected in our business, with a rise in hours flown and an increase in quotations. This year, the period from April to September saw a very large increase in hours flown, up 23 per cent on the same period last year.”

Nonetheless ‘unwelcome’ challenges such as APD are proving constrictive, as Margetson-Rushmore explains: “This reflects the government’s lack of understanding towards the commercial pressures that we face, when what is needed to boost the sector is action on cutting red-tape.”

The team is embarking on an unusual tour of south east Asia which will take in more than six destinations in three weeks, including remote places in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar. Galanopoulos speaks highly of the ‘hard work and professionalism’ of his operations team in facilitating the trip.

SaxonAir has attained a worldwide AOC as of February 2013, granting access to African, Middle Eastern and Russian markets.

Operations manager Lee McGahan states: “2013 has been an excellent year for charter. Our aircraft utilisation has increased significantly following our expanded capability.”

The company’s fleet ranges from the Citation Mustang very light jet through to the midsize Hawker 900XP, with the King Air 350 and Hawker 400XP sitting between these, alongside several single and multiengine helicopters. Charter specialist Shaun Elliott talks about activity of late: “We’ve had recent trips to

Turkmenistan and Kuwait which are new destinations for us and it was really interesting putting together all the overflight and landing permits and getting everything in place in order for the flights to run smoothly.”

SaxonAir’s most recently acquired aircraft is the Hawker 900XP, which is proving popular. The jet is a 2011 model offering a cabin attendant, hot vip catering, on board wifi and a fully integrated sound system.

Clients regularly fly routes such as Tenerife and Murmansk, while Istanbul is also proving to be a favourite destination. Further growth is expected in 2014, as well as additions to the managed fleet.

Graham Williamson, president of TAG Aviation Europe’s aircraft management and charter services, describes 2013 as a surprisingly good year: “Once the charter side started to quieten down, our management business grew, and so by keeping those things in balance, we have protected the bottom line,” he says.

TAG has FBOs in Geneva, Farnborough, Madrid and Sion, and MROs in Geneva, Farnborough, Madrid, Sion and Paris. The management side of the business has grown significantly in the last five years. In 2008 TAG managed around 60 to 70 aircraft, and now manages 130. Clients have moved more towards larger cabins, longer range and ultra long range over this time.

“Back in 2008 we would have had maybe 20 Global Express, larger Falcons, Globals and Gulfstreams, whereas we now have more than six aircraft categories. This fleet mix has meant that the smaller cabin aircraft have dropped away,” Williamson says.

Two Falcon 2000s have been delivered in recent weeks, with a couple more planned for next year.

Added to this are two Gulfstream 550s received by TAG in the last month, plus a 450. Williamson predicts that five Gulfstream 650 will join the fleet next year, combined with a Global 6000 entering service and several 7000s on order. “A lot of people have moved from the Falcon 900 to the 7X, and from Challengers into Globals.

That’s been quite a key feature.”

As for the challenges faced by UK operators, Williamson says that it is crucial to stay vigilant and competitive: “We have to be conscious, especially on the charter side of the market, that in Europe in the past few years there has been a significant increase in the number of aircraft available. There are more aircraft looking for fewer customers.

Many of the traditional charter Continued on next page

Gama Aviation has opened a 2,480 sq m maintenance hangar, offices and executive aircraft handling facility in Glasgow, Scotland. It represents an investment of £3.8m and has created flight crew, engineering, operations and customer service jobs.

It will be a charter base for the company’s Scottish-based customers and, along with the FBO, will be ready for the large traffic volumes expected for the Ryder Cup golf tournament and Commonwealth Games.

Mike Berry has seen a successful start to Riyadh operations.

ExecuJet fortifies FBO partnerships

Beechcraft has appointed South Africa-based Absolute Aviation as an authorised parts distributor for sub-Saharan Africa. The company will have $1 million of inventory in stock at Lanseria in support of the full Beechcraft product line and the Hawker 125 series.

ExecuJet Middle East has had another year of expansion. Its FBO in Riyadh, run in partnership with NasJet, has handled a range of jets since operations began. Md Mike Berry comments: “The first few months of operation at our Riyadh FBO have been very successful. We expect to handle 3,000 aircraft movements in our first year and we are already recruiting extra staff to be in place before 2014.”

The company has also signed with Bilen Air Service to extend their FBO partnership in Turkey.

Air Culinaire expands UK presence

Garmin offers G5000 eLearning

Air Culinaire Worldwide now owns and operates a kitchen at London Biggin Hill airport, UK. Later this year it plans to open an additional kitchen in the London area, bringing the total ‘owned and operated’ company network to 19.

“We will now be able to respond faster and facilitate more short-

Garmin is running interactive, web-based pilot training for the G5000 flight deck. Self-paced lessons help pilots streamline initial flight training and offer an online course for future training.

Demonstration, guided interaction, and solo modes are available.

Beechcraft adds parts to Absolute’s role

The 2013 Albanian Air BP team: In front are operators Eugen Doni and Vangjel Ceku and senior operator Mikel Mevlani. In the second row are accountant Ermelinda Meskuti, office assistant Jeta Nelaj and controller Alma Biraci. In the back row are S&O integrity manager central Med cluster Dritan Dautaj, senior representative AlbaniaIzet Loloci and operator Flamur Sula.

Air BP marks 20 years in Albania Air BP is celebrating 20 years of business in Albania. Fuelling began with one 30,000 litre refuelling vehicle and a four-tank facility with a total capacity of 120m3 serviced by six employees. Today, four 30,000 litre refuelling vehicles are used, with three road tankers and an eight-tank facility at Tirana International Airport.

14 DECEMBER 2013

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

UK REGIONAL REVIEW

Continued from previous page

customers from five years ago have since acquired aircraft, so that actually means you have to be at the top of your game. For us to sustain our charter business, whether a customer owns an aircraft or whether they just charter one for specific trips, they now expect the absolute highest level of customer service and attention to detail.

“If you get it wrong, you don’t get a second chance – with EASA, with regulation, potentially with harmonisation and consolidation, and with the customer also. For me the key is to just keep pushing at the quality of the customer service. And that’s all about staff and training.”

And despite promising forecasts, he is quick to point out that full scale growth is not what we are seeing in the UK: “A lot of activity is based more on replacing existing aircraft. As a company we are seeing small net increases, but as an industry I would say that the limited growth we’ve had in the UK market is more about customers coming to us rather than new customers joining the market.

“UK growth is dwarfed by the growth we are seeing in Asia, where we now have more than 40 aircraft.

We are focused too on Russia and the CIS; TAG is a global business and we seek to be diverse not only in products and revenue, but also in global reach. We look forward to an even better year in 2014.”

Titan Airways is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2013, and says

Twinjet’s world tour crew, comprising captains, engineers and in-flight supervisors. Left to right: Mark Wilson, Michelle Bullard, Tim Finn, Erica Jacques, Michael Browning, Leanne McGrath, Robert Morcom, Charlotte King, Simon Collison, Samantha Etches, Stelios Goules, Hilary Cox and John Broomfield.

that all but one of those years has been profitable. It is now wholly independent following a management buy out in February, and is headed up by md Gene Willson. Its first Airbus was added this year and BAe operations have been discontinued in a bid to operate more fuel efficient aircraft. Until this year its fleet was solely comprised of Boeing jets and BAe 146s, along with a CJ2+.

Commercial director Alistair Kiernan shares the concerns of other operators in the UK business aviation market: “2012 produced good profits for us yet again and 2013 has been financially a very strong year for us so

Looking to buy a

pre-owned business aircraft?

Aircraft Shopper Online The Aircraft Market in Real Time

®

www.ASO.com

ASO has worldwide for sale listings of business jets and turbo-props that will meet every mission profile. With thousands of listings, ASO.com is the most up to date and comprehensive online marketplace for pre-owned business aircraft. With powerful search capabilities, customized aircraft email alerts and enhanced buying tools, ASO is the best place to find your next aircraft. Spend less time searching and more time choosing the business aircraft that’s right for you.

Buyers use ASO For more information call +1-732-704-9561 or visit us at www.aso.com

A

“UK growth is dwarfed by the growth in Asia, where we have more than 40 aircraft” Graham Williamson of TAG far. Yet we are all facing rising costs, along with UK APD. Regulation is becoming more and more stringent which increases our overheads. We must keep up with new requirements and the paperwork required to remain flying.”

Kiernan says that retiring Titan’s original BAe146 was an emotional day: “This was the first jet we took on almost 17 years ago. So to see it leave the fleet was quite sad. Nonetheless, we need to move forward and modernise our fleet by operating newer, more fuel efficient aircraft with modern interiors. This made the Airbus a natural choice.”

Twinjet embarked on a landmark round-the-world trip this year, using its 22-seat ACJ. The route took in Fort Lauderdale, Panama, Easter Island, Fiji, Tahiti, Adelaide, Bali, Agra, Jaipur, Nairobi, Funchal and Boston. A USbased travel agency approached the UK operator, having conducted world tours for over ten years using the much larger B757 which seats up to 60. Business development executive Frauke Schreiber says that the US company no longer wanted to take as many passengers on the trip, and selected Twinjet as being able to offer a far more personalised service. The result was a ‘world air cruise.’

“They chose us due in part to the configuration of the aircraft, they wanted a specific smaller aircraft. We are in a niche market that offers 24 seats in the back that lie flat. They also liked the personal service,” she says.

Scott Plumb, Beechcraft vp of sales for Europe, is noting a healthy demand for the King Air series from UK clients.

The forward cabin was used to give guests an intimate lunch and also allowed them to get to know fellow passengers.

In addition to the personalised service offered by Twinjet, the operator also had the right accreditation to perform this type of mission, which operations director Philip W Moore says is rare among business aviation operators: “We are one of the few corporate operators with a type A AOC, with worldwide coverage,” he remarks. “That puts us in the same arena as British Airways, Virgin, Monarch and the like. We all adhere to the same operating standards as required by the CAA for a type A. “We also have Cat3 landing capability, 180 minutes ETOPS and extended range tanks on the aircraft which gives us a nine-and-a-half hour average duration. Not many operators are able to get from Panama to Easter Island. You are dispatched on that on 180 minutes ETOPS with two hours island reserve holding. Once you depart for Easter

Comprehensive data for the UK online free-of-charge The 2013/14 Handbook of Business Aviation, Europe, Russia, Middle East and Africa edition, was published in May, and gives details of many more UK charter operators. It also lists business aviation facilities and services including airports, FBOs and maintenance centres.

The details can be accessed online through a search of aircraft operated or the airport bases. For more information please visit www.handbook.aero

Island you are the only traffic, and the only one to talk to air traffic. If you can carry on on that route trail, the next stop is Antarctica!”

Selecting a superb crew was critical, as Moore explains: “We expect our crew to be very mission capable. They’ve got numerous hours, they are very experienced and we only had captains on the aircraft with that level of experience. You get to a point of no return on the Easter Island routing where you don’t have sufficient fuel to get back. On this flight you hit that point about four hours in. If you don’t turn around then, you have to keep going.”

Air Culinaire provided a chef for the duration of the flight, whose job it was to source, prepare and serve regional delicacies which were locally sourced at each stop. Schreiber says the chef showed impressive attention to detail in these tasks: “He went to markets to source local foods and check that all the produce was locally sourced instead of being frozen. The chef was out most of the day – he went to great lengths and did a really good job. He had done his homework and he knew an awful lot about every country that we went to. It worked well having an American chef with American passengers.”

The operator has appointed a new chief pilot and director of flight operations, captain Mike Watt. Watt will lead the company’s team of flying and ground operational staff, carrying out aircraft management and worldwide on-demand vip charter services on the company’s A319CJ, Global 5000 and Challenger 604, plus two A319CJ aircraft expected in 2014. He says: “I am delighted to be joining the management team of one of the UK’s most successful aircraft management and sales businesses and to support the many new development projects the company is undertaking.”

EBAN reported in September that Twinjet had acquired Oryx Jet. Moore expands on how the merger is progressing: “It is in the transition period at the moment and we are running two AOCs parallel as required by the CAA before we can officially merge them, which is a transfer of manuals. We are well down the course of that and they have been submitted to the CAA. The first aircraft was due to come across midNovember and we’ve already started covering that operationally on behalf of Oryx Jet. “So it’s going very successfully and has opened a few new doors for us as well, especially because one of the aircraft is based in Kazakhstan in the oil industry.” ■

DECEMBER 2013 15

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS

Marketplace Contact Mark Ranger on: +44 (0)1279 714509 mark@ebanmagazine.com

Aircraft for sale Special packages are available for advertising aircraft for sale in EBAN and on our web site (www.ebanmagazine.com). Picture adverts (40 words of text plus colour picture) cost £75 each.

You can also choose our new display advertising option for larger inventories.

Recently Permaguard. Recently refreshed interior. Fresh phase 1-5.

Zero engine option. Tel: +1 403 291 9027 John Hopkinson & Associates. Web: www.hopkinsonassociates.com. Email: sales@hopkinsonassociates.com

well maintained, No damage history, always hangared. Available immediately.

Tel: +971 52 979 4775 Titan Aviation. Email: shaju@titanaviation.aero

EUROPE MIDDLE EAST RUSSIA AFRICA

EMBRAER

BELL

Phenom 300

Legacy 600 429 Brand new, only flight test hours, 5 place VIP corporate interior, US registered, stunning paint scheme, hangared, ready to fly away. Tel: +971 52 979 4775 Titan Aviation. Email: shaju@titanaviation.aero

2008, TT 1,200 hours, very well maintained. No damage history, alwayshangared. Available immediately.

Tel: +971 52 979 4775 Titan Aviation.

Email: shaju@titanaviation.aero

Legacy 650

www.ebanmagazine.com

2011, TT 295 hours, additional options worth US$ 1.9 Mil. Under warranty, very

FEBRUARY 2014 FINAL BOOKING DATE: FEBRUARY 2nd

WE HELP AVIATION SALES PROFESSIONALS

AMSTAT PROVIDES INDUSTRY LEADING CORPORATE

In a suite of comprehensive services to meet every business need

Using a globally focused, multi-lingual research team, and a unique combination of live data

• May issue - EBACE show issue and guide

and portability, AMSTAT provides the most timely and accurate market information available.

More importantly, AMSTAT provides the tools needed to convert that information into effective marketing

programs

and

valuable

sales

opportunities – turning knowledge into revenue.

• August - 250th issue of EBAN • September issue - BGAD Cambridge special (BGAD is on September 23rd) • October issue - NBAA show issue • December - MEBA show issue

Location: Hong Kong International Airport

■ Managing and driving operational performance for ramp side operations ■ Being engaged as a valued member of the Executive leadership team of the business working with other departments on the success of the overall business

Turbine Helicopters

• April issue - AERO

Director of Operations

■ Actively managing operation teams to drive a world class FBO environment in a challenging airport infrastructure

Turboprops

• February issue - FBO Survey

Job opportunity advertisements are also included on the EBAN web site free-of-charge.

Responsibilities

Jets

EBAN 2014 dates for your diary

Job advertisements can be placed at a cost of UK£54 per single column centimetre, the minimum depth being five centimetres.

The purpose of the job is to lead and direct the development and success of business aviation ramp operations and flight planning to deliver excellence in world class operational service. This executive shall have responsibility for managing and directing the operational teams to ensure smooth round the clock service delivery, optimum efficiency and continuous improvement for a world-class FBO located in Asia.

AIRCRAFT MARKET & FLEET DATA

Citation Ultra Citation Ultras available. 18 sold with 7 remaining. Honeywell Primus 1000 3Tube EFIS, Honeywell GNS-XLS FMS, Honeywell MKVII EGPWS, Honeywell TCAS II w/Change 7, w/ski tube.

Career opportunities

The Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre (HKBAC) has been rated the Best Asian FBO for business jets. To achieve our expansion goals, we are currently seeking a high calibre candidate for the following position:

GENERATE DEALS

Citation CJ 1999, EASA German commercial and EUOPS compliance. TT approx. 2960. Engine FJ44-1A. Seating 2+5. Dual Mode S Transponders Honeywell MST-67A, PRNAV Capability, IHAS Bendix King KMH 820. Multi Function Display Bendix King KMD-850 incl. TCAS 1. Two owners since new. Always hangared. Enrolled in CESCOM. Atlas Air Service CAMO & Maintenance. Contact Hans Doll. Tel. +49 151 550 11 241 Atlas Air Service AG. Web: www.atlas-air-service.com. Email: sales@aas.ag

Trust EBAN to deliver

OUR NEXT ISSUE:

CESSNA

Citation Bravo 2000, TT: 630 hrs, Cycles: 1,108. Honeywell Primus 1000 3-tube EFIS, Honeywell GNSXLS FMS, Allied Signal EGPWS, Allied Signal TCAS II w/change 7, UK mods and currently on N reg., Fresh Phase 1-5 Tel. +44 (0) 1534 483372 Email: david.cuthbert@hotmail.co.uk

2012, TT 100 hours, additional options worth US$ 1 Mil. Under warranty, very well maintained, always hangared. Best Phenom 300 in the market, Available immediately. Tel: +971 52 979 4775 Titan Aviation. Email: shaju@titanaviation.aero

■ Analyzing and improving work flows that are driving a service culture towards aircraft operating crews and based tenants ■ Application of rules and regulations, standards and procedures relating to flight operations and maintenance activities

US 1 877 426 7828 I Int’l +1 732 530 6400 I www.amstatcorp.com

■ Establish and review reports and records to ascertain data required for operation planning ■ Establish and maintain effective relations with customers and vendors, and the concerned authorities ■ Development of risk management and ensures proper safety and accident investigation procedures are in place ■ Provide training to staff as required ■ Development appropriate management structure of department ■ Performs related duties as assigned

Requirements ■ Bachelor's Degree in Aviation Management or related field ■ At least 10 years’ experience airport ramp/ground handling and operations management ■ Proven track record of results oriented creativity, innovation, and

Information that moves you forward

■ Development of policies and procedures to achieve maximum personnel and equipment utilization

analytical abilities ■ Self-motivated high achiever with strong leadership ability ■ Excellent communicative skills and works well under pressure ■ Aircraft Maintenance certification is preferred

Interested parties please forward a copy of CV stating current and expected salary to: hr@hkbac.com For further details, please visit our website at www.hkbac.com or contact our HR Department at (852) 2286 1112 Successful candidates will be contacted within 4 weeks upon receipt of application.

Much more.

Hawker 400XPR. With its new Williams International FJ44-4A-32 engines and aerodynamic winglets, the Hawker 400XPR can directly climb to FL450 in just 19 minutes. That’s 50 minutes faster than the closest competitor. It has an optional avionics upgrade to the Rockwell Collins® Pro Line 21.

1™ With optional interior and exterior redesigns, you can make the 400XPR fit your needs and exceed everyone’s expectations. All from the people who designed, engineered and built the original. And who better to bring it to you than the OEM? Visit XPR.Beechcraft.com or contact a sales rep: Western U.S. +1.316.676.0897 Eastern U.S. +1.316.993.7409 I International +1.316.676.1708

©2013 Beechcraft Corporation. All rights reserved. Hawker and Beechcraft are registered trademarks of Beechcraft Corporation.