EMEA & Asia
FC
FLYCORPORATE EMEA & Asia
BRINGING TOGETHER BUSINESS AVIATION AND BUSINESS LEADERS
Market Focus The Americas
FC Interview
Steven Ridolfi President, Bombardier Business Aircraft
Charter Brokers • Performance Improvements • Refurbishment • Light Aircraft • Trip Planning Resources Aircraft Review • Airport Review • Bizav User • BizApps • Landings: FC’s Guide to Miami ISSUE 15 - 2012 ISSN: 2030-0468
flycorporate.com
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V I S I T
EMEA & Asia
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A T
N B A A
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4 EMEA & Asia
Contents FC UPFRONT 8 Meet the Team
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10 Reference Index 12 Memo 14 News Analysis 20 Opinion: Avinode 22 Ask an Expert: Jet Aviation Basel
FC Interview 24 Steven Ridolfi, President of Bombardier Business Aircraft, talks with FlyCorporate’s Cameron Heffernan about what’s behind the company’s growth and how business aviation is shifting its focus eastward.
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MARKET FOCUS 32 The Americas: Onwards and Upwards Rod Simpson provides an overview of business aviation across the Americas.
SECTOR FOCUS 34 CHARTER BROKERS: Unsung Trouble-shooters What does it take to be a successful charter broker in a fraught business aviation market? Sanjay Rampal investigates. 38 TURBOPROPS: Scope for Improvement Rod Simpson finds out what’s the best way to maintain your turbopropellor aircraft’s value.
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Cover photo: Bombardier Learjet 70
WE KNOW YOUR CITATION. INSIDE AND OUT. We built our service network the same way we built your Citation – with great care. We offer seamless retrofitting of the latest avionics. More than 2,300 unique cabin interior combinations with zero wait. In-flight wireless communications and entertainment for your cabin. And the most capable mobile fleet in the business. For factory-level support and personal attention – wherever you are – bring it on home to your Citation Service Center. Find out more at Cessna.com or call 888-95-CSC-4YOU (888-952-7249). AVIONICS
| INTERIORS | CABIN TECHNOLOGY | MOBILE SERVICE | PAINT | PARTS AND PROGRAMS
6 EMEA & Asia
Contents SECTOR FOCUS
52
40 REFURBISHMENT: New and Unique David Edinger, President and CEO of Comlux America tells Tim Kern how keeping everything under one roof improves efficiency. 44 TRIP PLANNING RESOURCES: Planning Ahead Cameron Heffernan investigates how today’s technologies make it easier and more affordable for you to navigate efficiently. 48 LIGHT AIRCRAFT: The Light Aircraft Revolution The technology of propeller-driven private aircraft has been undergoing a revolution in the past two decades. Rod Simpson reports.
BIZAV USER PROFILE
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60 Former Pilot Erin Chappel is leaving the cockpit to someone else as she pursues her passion and new career as an author. Diana Albiol catches up with her as she takes delivery of a new Phenom 100.
FC REVIEW 52 AIRCRAFT: The New Legacy Experience Having established itself as a major player in the jet market, Embraer is now set to add a further two jets to its fleet. Rod Simpson takes a look at these new additions, the Legacy 450 and 500. 56 AIRPORTS: Farnborough Airport Blending quietly into the surrounding Hampshire countryside, TAG Farnborough Airport has managed to find a voice that captivates and enchants on a global stage. Sanjay Rampal cranks up the volume to discover more. 65 BIZAPPS: The latest tools for business aviation
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66 LANDINGS: Miami
72 DISTRIBUTION FlyCorporate’s global distribution network.
8 EMEA & Asia
FlyCorporate EMEA & Asia
flycorporate.com
Taunya Renson-Martin
Diana Albiol
Cameron Heffernan
Managing Partner
Editorial and Publishing Director
Deputy Editor
taunya.renson@flycorporate.com
diana.albiol@flycorporate.com
cameron.heffernan@flycorporate.com
+32 9 262 03 37
+1 315 395 33 74
Ciel Jolley
Natalya Berdikyan
Robin Kloeg
Online Editor
Advertising Sales Manager
Advertising Sales Representative
ciel.jolley@flycorporate.com
natalya.berdikyan@flycorporate.com
robin@flycorporate.com
+32 9 262 03 34
+32 9 262 03 38
+31 620 376 796
Mike Vlieghe
Leen Schellinck
Agatha Lo
Art Director
Circulation & Production Manager
Production Assistant China
mike.vlieghe@flycorporate.com
leen.schellinck@flycorporate.com
agatha.lo@gmail.com
Christopher Smith
Nadia K. Del Rio
Multimedia Production
Marketing Manager
chris.smith@flycorporate.com
nadia.delrio@flycorporate.com
FlyCorporate Senior Writers
Newsdesk editor@flycorporate.com
Tim Kern Sanjay Rampal Rod Simpson
.Mach Media
machmedia.be
Luc Osselaer
Taunya Renson-Martin
Joris Allaert
Yannick Steyaert
Chairman
Managing Partner
Chief Fina ncial Officer
Financial Assistant
Is your company featured in FlyCorporate EMEA & Asia? If so, why not share your story with colleagues and customers with FlyCorporate’s reprint service? For more details contact natalya.berdikyan@flycorporate.com. FlyCorporate Magazine is published by .Mach Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Subscribers: If the postal service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address. How to Reach Us Letters to the Editor must include the writer’s full name, address and email coordinates. They may be edited for purposes of clarity or space, and should be addressed to editor@flycorporate.com or to .Mach Media, Kortrijksesteenweg 62, Suite 11a, 9830 Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium. You can also call us on +32 9 262 03 30 or fax on +32 9 262 03 39. Customer Service and Subscriptions: FlyCorporate’s magazine, weekly newsfeeds and our regular e-newsletter are free to subscribers. To subscribe to any of our products, please visit flycorporate.com. Total global print-run: 10,000 BPA worldwide qualified circulation: 9,230 copies (June 2012)
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10 EMEA & Asia
FC UPFRONT Reference Index
Aircell aircell.com
Embraer Executive Jets embraerexecutivejets.com
Jet Brokers Europe jetbrokerseurope.com
Arinc Direct Arincdirect.com
ExecuJet www.execujet.net
Jetex Flight Support jetex.com
Asia Jet asiajet.com
ExecuJet Aviation Group execujet.net
London Oxford Airport oxfordairport.co.uk
Avialogsitics avialogistics.com
Executive AirShare execairshare.com
Oxygen Aviation oxygenaviation.com
Avinode Avinode.com
Flightworx flightworx.aero
Piper piper.com
Blackhawk blackhawk.aero
FltPlan fltplan.com
Pratt & Whitney pw.utc.com
Bombardier Business Aircraft businessaircraft.bombardier.com
GAMA gama.aero
Rockwell Collins rockwellcollins.com
Cessna Aircraft Company cessna.com
GAMA Aviation gamagroup.com
Shannon Airport shannonairport.com
Chapman Freeborn chapman-freeborn.com
Garmin garmin.com
Signature signatureflight.com
Cirrus cirrusaircraft.com
Hawker Beechccraft hawkerbeechcraft.com
TAG Farnborough Airport tagfarnborough.com
Cirrus Aircraft Cirrusaircraft.com
Honda Jet hondajet.honda.com
Ujet ujet.com
CIT cit.com
Honeywell honeywell.com
Universal Weather and Aviation universalweather.com
Comlux America comluxaviation.com
Inmarsat inmarsat.com
Vector Aerospace vectoraerospace.com
Dassault Falcon dassaultfalcon.com
Jet Aviation jetaviation.com
Veritas Aviation vertisaviation.com
EBAA EBAA.org
flycorporate.com
12 EMEA & Asia
FC UPFRONT: MEMO
Onwards and Upwards 2012 has been a very positive year for us at FlyCorporate headquarters – and it is not over yet! We are focusing on developing our information resources for the business aviation industry and have some exciting announcements to share with you. Since its launch in 2008 by Taunya Renson-Martin, the managing partner of communications consultancy Mach Media, FlyCorporate has established itself as the forward thinking, refreshing must-read resource for the business aviation industry. Our passion for communications is evident across the entire FlyCorporate portfolio; from the high-level editorial content our journalists produce to the advertising opportunities we create for our partners. We look beyond the obvious to better understand what our readers want and how our partners need to communicate with the industry. To this end, we are further developing our portfolio and services for the business aviation market, including an enhanced website and more creative branding initiatives. With new services come new additions to the FC team. We welcome two new journalists: Cameron Heffernan, who joins FlyCorporate as Deputy Editor and Ciel Jolley, who joins us as online editor. FC has made a great impact this year in launching its 360° photography product into the business aviation market and we continue to create and develop innovative ways for our clients to stand out, including time-lapse photography, 360° panorama sales tools and videos. Watch out for us at NBAA2012 – we will be up to all sorts of tricks! We are also introducing some changes to our website to offer enriched editorial content, reviews and interviews, plus new levels of marketing opportunities for our partners. Our market reports and sector focus reviews, together with daily news update, a weekly newsfeed and our monthly newsletter On the Fly, ensure that FlyCorporate is a reliable resource for the business aviation industry. Last but not least, we are proud to announce that in 2013 we will be launching an App for business aviation – if you would like to know more about this new product please get in touch. We are not revealing full details yet but if you would like to get involved in this nextgeneration tool we would love to hear from you. See you at NBAA!
Diana Albiol Editorial and Publishing Director FlyCorporate EMEA & Asia diana.albiol@flycorporate.com
@FlyCorporate
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FC UPFRONT
NEWS ANALYSIS: iTunes – Now Available at 20,000 Feet (give or take)
A
vionics provider Rockwell Collins continues to raise the stakes in the air, with streaming iTunes multimedia to rival what you’d find in the best home theatres. Some updates to Ascend and Airshow also impress. By Cameron Heffernan.
Home audio and video technology has raised the bar for our expectations in entertainment. Because our own homes are now so often equipped with impressive home-theatre systems with HD video, surround sound and a wireless network full of our library of movies, TV shows and music, we feel shortchanged when we are forced to make do with anything less. The same is even more applicable for corporate jet owners and users, who may have spent tens of millions on their aircraft and want better audio and video capabilities, either for business or relaxation purposes, four miles up in the sky.
This sentiment drove Avionics company Rockwell Collins to create Skybox, a revolutionary new multimedia system that gives passengers and crew access to an iTunes library onboard – up to a full terabyte. Up to ten passengers can view or listen to streaming media via Skybox, which weighs in at around ten pounds according to the company, to access Apple iTunes content (movies, TV shows, music and photos) wirelessly on demand, for in-flight playback on their own iPad (up to ten, either BYO or provided onboard by the flight team) or on the bulkhead (up to two different programs can be streamed at once). Skybox is the first product that allows secure streaming of DRM (read: legal) Hollywoodprotected content on a plane. How does it work? You can choose the movie/TV show or music you want to have pre-loaded onto Skybox, or bring existing content onboard on your own
device (iPad, iPhone, wirelessenabled laptop or USB key) and share it with other passengers. They can watch it individually on an iPad or on the bulkhead monitor. You can even access your own iTunes account if you want to bring it onboard and stream it live or transfer it to the Skybox. This means you could view a corporate video or presentation onboard, with people adding elements for viewing from their own laptop or USB key. Skybox will be integrated with Rockwell Collins’ Venue cabin management system and other Rockwell Collins cabin systems. Skybox is launching at NBAA 2012 in Orlando and is available with 8-week lead time. Dassault’s FalconCabin HD+ system (also featuring Venue CMS) will be the first decked out with the new Skybox.
Other Upgrades Rockwell Collins has also announced some enhancements to Ascend, its flight planning line of products. A new Google Maps platform with satellite and radar overlays will give flight departments more dynamic flight tracking capabilities.
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FC UPFRONT
Rockwell Collins’ Skybox
Last but not least, the company recently released an app version of Airshow 4000 on iTunes, their moving map application. The tool includes a panoramic view that shows
a moving map anywhere the iPad is pointed, as if the aircraft were transparent. The release was in conjunction with the 30-year anniversary of Airshow.
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FC UPFRONT
NEWS ANALYSIS: The President vs. Business Aviation – It’s All Politics
S
tand: The old maxim ‘never let the facts get in the way of a good story’ applies doubly to politics. President Obama’s attack on business aviation overlooks essential contributions the industry makes to the economy, and conflates bizav with corporate largesse. It’s time to set the record straight. By Cameron Heffernan. Much has been written, of course, in the industry about President Obama’s recent remarks in the first US Presidential debate. In response to a question about tax policy, the President characterised corporate jet owners as capable of paying full fare, rather than worthy of a tax break. National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen was quick to respond, firing back with his own statement pointing out the benefits corporate planes bring to the overall economy – before the debate even concluded! No matter where you come down on this issue, it’s impossible to separate the poliTICS from the poliCY. Objectivity is what should be required of any responsible policymaker – though this issue is especially weighted. That’s because the knee-jerk reaction of the public at large, media (both popular press and Hollywood) and lawmakers is to lump corporate jets into the same peril-fraught category of other favourites of the “one percenters”: yachts, second homes at the seaside and, most commonly, private (read: recreational) jets. Yet it isn’t evident that lawmakers are taking in the full scope of the objective information and data about business aviation – particularly in an election year. Bolen’s NBAA reaction sent to media highlighted that bizav is responsible for 1.2 million American jobs, and contributes $150 billion annually to the US economy. Later he elaborated, reminding anyone who would listen that
business aviation isn’t the stereotypical haven of fat-cat, big-corporation executives living large on shareholder money that many envision. Most bizav users do not hail from large corporations and “…are very often based in places like Moline, IL and Greenwood, MS, where airline service is minimal or non-existent,” Bolen wrote. “Having an airplane means the company – and the jobs that come with it – can stay in those small towns.” As fate would have it, a lot of those small towns served by business aviation are located in the so-called battleground states that will have a large voice in determining President Obama’s fate. Furthermore, according to NBAA statistics, 85% of the companies that use business airplanes are small or midsize businesses; only a tiny fraction are Fortune 500 companies. But don’t take the NBAA’s word on it alone. A summer 2012 study by NEXA Advisors, an advisory company serving the aerospace and transport sectors in the US, focused on the high usage rate of business aircraft by government agencies,
particularly in states with limited internal transportation options, like Utah. The study (partly supported by the NBAA) showed the essential importance of bizav aircraft for everything from transporting government personnel and prisoners, to support for law enforcement, border partrol and firefighters, to transport of cargo, parts and mail. Many states have strict guidelines established for when various state agencies and employees can travel by plane, including websites that allow direct cost comparisons between travelling by air versus ground (with 8 passengers on board in Idaho, for example, automobile costs can be more than double airplane costs). One western state aviation manager estimated the average cost at less than 55 cents per mile. These figures are easy to overlook during election season. Yet a quick review of the facts show a more complete picture – one which lawmakers of every stripe would be wise to consider.
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FC UPFRONT
NEWS ANALYSIS: Quantifying the Value of Bizav for Europe
I
n times of recession and austerity, how do you justify bizav, when it is perceived by some as the luxurious preserve of the wealthy? A new study by Oxford Economics, entitled The Role of Business Aviation in the European Economy, commissioned by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), does just that. By Ciel Jolley.
Through statistical analysis and case studies, the report successfully quantifies the beneficial role bizav plays to benefit European trade, productivity and the economy. “What this study clearly points out is that business aviation is playing a key role in facilitating Europe’s recovery,” said Fabio Gamba, CEO of EBAA. By definition, business aviation carries key decision-makers on high valueadded trips. One leading service provider who participated in the study estimated that around 80% of its accounts are held by corporations and entrepreneurs, with around a quarter of those on the Euro Stoxx 50, and when you consider that many
business deals require face-to-face contact, the value of bizav comes more into focus. “Business aviation facilitates such meetings like no other form of transport, thanks to the flexibility of its service,” says Brian Humphries, EBAA President. “If you consider Oxford’s finding that 96% of city pairs served by business aviation in 2011 had no scheduled connection, it is little wonder that business aircraft passengers place a value on business aviation flights that is between eight to fifteen times higher than those made on scheduled airlines.” The study highlighted that bizav plays an important role in supporting economic links between Europe and emerging markets, such as India and, in many cases, major operators provide multidestination itineraries to economic leaders, as opposed to one-way or return trips. In addition, it is estimated that each passenger flown on a bizav flight contributes as much as nine times more to GDP than a business passenger on a scheduled flight. But bizav doesn’t just promote international trade. Consider the contribution to local economies that support the industry. Besides the local economic clusters at
airport locations where bizav has really taken root (such as Farnborough, Paris Le Bourget and Geneva), adjoined activities spread across the continent in areas including maintenance, research and development, training services, and hospitality. These supporting services added up to a total of 164,000 jobs in Europe in 2008 (according in a previous study commissioned by the EBAA), and industry experts estimate that this figure is similar today. With the economic downturn, bizav, understandably, suffered. To make matters worse, the sector is facing attacks from government and policy makers who have misunderstood its worth to the economy as a whole. Industry leaders, however, defend this sector with fervor and the Oxford Report shows what they knew but were unable to quantify. “Importance [of the bizav industry] should be recognised in policy formulation, with legislators developing regulations and mechanisms that bolster business aviation activity in order to further stimulate the growth of our region, rather than ignore it as it was evidenced with the European Commission’s proposed recast on slot allocation, or penalise it as the Italian government has done by introducing a double tax on owners and passengers, resulting in dismal traffic figures in the country,” says Fabio Gamba, EBAA CEO.
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FC UPFRONT
OPINION: New Channels for Industry Growth
I
n this month’s issue, Avinode managing director, Oliver King, shares his thoughts on the need for an efficient distribution model within business aviation and says we can look to the LCC market model for guidance. Walk the floor of any aviation show and it is easy to see that aircraft are the stars. NBAA 2012 will be no different. Of course, the inherent allure of aircraft can obscure other drivers of industry success. I am willing to go out on a limb and say I do not think aircraft improvements will drive the development of the industry over the next 30 years. I would argue that what is actually needed is a distribution system capable of channelling new demand into the industry. Allow me to explain. As it is election season in the US, it seems appropriate that I should disclose my alliances before I continue. I work for Avinode, an online charter marketplace connecting operators with professional buyers. It is one potential distribution system for the industry. I stress the word “potential” because the ingredients for an efficient distribution system for our industry are not yet in place. Step back and think of the commercial aviation industry and the expansion of the low-cost carriers (LCC). The two workhorses of this sector are the Boeing 737 and the Airbus 319 — but was it the aircraft that drove the rapid expansion of LCCs in the late 90s? No, these aircraft have a long history of service prior to the rise of LCCs. The Boeing 737, alone, already had 30 years under its belt before the LCCs began their rise. So what was it that enabled Ryanair to displace the incumbents and become one of the biggest carriers in Europe? The answer is the Internet. In the preInternet days Ryanair’s growth was limited by how many clients its call centres could handle. The Internet changed this, by removing what one might call the “call centre growth cap” and allowing Ryanair, and other new players, to expand the width of their distribution channel. So, how can a low cost carrier provide any insight for a prestigious industry such as ours? Simple — existing customers only represents a fraction of the potential demand for business aviation. Real growth is going to come when the industry figures out how to siphon off the premium-level demand from the network carriers and bring it into business aviation where passengers can be better served.
These customers are used to booking with certainty and transparency; product, price, terms and conditions, and experience are clear. In general, in the business aviation industry these attributes do not yet exist at an industry level. Each trip is a negotiated one-off transaction and it is easy to understand why. Transaction cost is high and clients expect concierge levels of service. Bringing in new customers will require transparency, ease of booking and reliability. The challenge for our industry will be to retain the allure of business aviation for existing clientele while establishing new channels of demand for the industry. It will not be an easy balance. The key will be a distribution system that can power the industry. Hotels, cars and airlines balance two main channels of distribution: a direct channel to their customers, via a website or telephone, and an indirect (second) channel served by the major reservation systems, such as Amadeus or Sabre. The latter has the advantage of breadth, the former of creating loyal customers. In business aviation, I believe we will see both strategies play out as companies balance both retail and wholesale customers to extend their reach. This will be aided, of course, by improvements to technology, but technology alone is not enough. Competitors will need to be willing to share channels to benefit the industry as a whole.
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FC UPFRONT
ASK AN EXPERT: Key considerations in choosing an MRO partner
A
s complex machines, aircraft require highly-skilled professional maintenance. You want to know that your MRO provider makes safety its number one priority, which goes hand in hand with high quality standards. There are many ways to measure an MRO service provider’s commitment to safety and quality, but starting with the basics can save a lot of time and energy.
By Johannes Turzer Jet Aviation Basel
To ascertain whether the MRO facility is qualified to support your aircraft, look at the operation’s certifications and approvals and ask about the technicians’ qualifications. Authorisation from the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) is an excellent indicator of high professional standards. If the MRO service provider is an OEMAuthorised Service Centre, it is OEM-endorsed and can provide warranty support for its maintenance work, while better accessing parts and technical support from the manufacturer. In Europe, aircraft technicians earn ratings by aircraft type from the manufacturers or leading global training centres; In the US, technicians earn Airframe and Powerplant licenses. Consider, too, the MRO provider’s reputation in the industry. Does it have a good to excellent standing? What is reported about the company in the press, by other professionals and
customers? Does the company appear to be stable and financially sound? You are, after all, looking for a long-term relationship with your MRO provider and stability generally supports quality and future viability. Larger, wellestablished companies will be here to support you tomorrow, which might not be the case with smaller, newer operations. Stability can also be gauged by looking to see if experienced employees stay with the company. A high turnover generally indicates poor management or better employment opportunities elsewhere. Of course, no matter how professional or highly reputed the MRO provider is, if it is not authorised to service the type of aircraft you own or operate, it will not be of much assistance to you. Carefully evaluate the capabilities and capacity of the facility to ensure it offers the services you require. For example, can it perform A through D checks and inspections or provide Aircraft on Ground (AOG) services? Is it a one-stop-shop, offering maintenance, engineering, refurbishment and painting? Peripheral services such as handling and FBO, interior completions and CAMO also add value.
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FC UPFRONT
Bear in mind the geographical location of the MRO provider. Does it have airport connections next to a major hub? As your aircraft is mobile, the broader the provider’s network is, the better. A world-wide network can be extremely advantageous, particularly in times of trouble. Whether the facility can provide proper AOG support both on- and off-site is also crucial, with 24/7 service being optimal. Lastly, an MRO provider should be a reliable business partner who views the customer as a partner and is willing to go the extra mile. Ask to see copies of the facility’s maintenance documentation and request customer referrals. Just as service should always be customer-focused, maintenance work should be supervised and properly inspected, which will be demonstrated in the documentation. A single point of contact is also helpful in terms of minimising hassle and facilitating clarity. The depth and detail of the responses and the response times are significant tip-offs to the quality of work and the terms of delivery. When the timeestimates for required work are accurate and schedules kept, this shows reliability that you can trust. Similarly, if the pricing is transparent, this indicates a high regard for the customer, as well as conviction in the services provided. Aircraft are subjected to extreme elements, such as wind, ice, sand and turbulence, which strain the airframe, the engines and the landing gear. These stress factors wear the aircraft down, potentially leading to dangerous problems and hazards if not routinely checked. A properly maintained aircraft requires regular professional inspections, maintenance, repairs and replacement of worn or damaged aircraft components. This not only serves to ensure the safety and airworthiness of the aircraft, but reduces the risk of potential downtime and expensive maintenance in the future. A dependable MRO service provider will give you and your aircraft the attention to detail that safe operation of it demands, ultimately extending your aircraft’s lifespan. Lives depend on properly maintained aircraft, and you want highly skilled technicians maintaining it to assure its airworthiness and general safety. A reputable MRO service provider will hold recognised approvals and authorisations, and its employees will be licensed and certified. But finding the MRO partner best suited to meet your requirements demands careful evaluation of pricing, customer service and recommendations from other aircraft operators. Judiciously weighing the service facts against the less objective service details will help guide you in selecting a reliable MRO service provider you can trust, ultimately safeguarding your esteemed aircraft.
Johannes Turzer Vice President & Accountable Manager, MRO Jet Aviation Basel jetaviation.com/maintenance
Johannes Turzer was appointed Vice President and Accountable Manager for maintenance services at Jet Aviation Basel in July 2011. Prior to this, he served as Vice President and General Manager at Jet Aviation Dusseldorf and Hannover since 2000, later assuming further responsibility for the London Biggin Hill operation. While successfully managing these sites, Turzer also played an instrumental role in establishing Jet Aviation Moscow-Vnukovo in late 2007. Johannes started his professional aviation career in 1976 as an Avionics Engineer. He worked for Friedrich Flick and later with Air Traffic in Dusseldorf as Technical Director before he was appointed by LTU in Dusseldorf as General Manager Group Purchasing in 1984. Johannes joined Jet Aviation in 2000 from a subsidiary of LTU, RAS Commuter Airline, where he served as Managing Director. He holds an LBA Class 2 Inspector’s License and is a single-engine pilot.
Interview
Steven Ridolfi
President, Bombardier Business Aircraft
25
FC INTERVIEW
W
ith three new Learjets – the 70, 75 and 85 – coming to market amid more encouraging economic signs in business aviation, Steven Ridolfi, President of Bombardier Business Aircraft, has plenty to be optimistic about. He talked with FlyCorporate’s Cameron Heffernan about what’s behind the company’s growth, how the entire business aviation sector is shifting its focus eastward, and why the Canadian-based manufacturer feels the surging global market will be key to sunny skies in 2013 and beyond. What is on the horizon for the business aviation industry? We’ve seen business starting to pick up nicely again over the 18 months or so coming out of this recession. Obviously we all wish that it would be faster, but I think in general we’re very pleased with the orders that we’re seeing. Yet I still don’t see that the market is where we would like it to be. There are still some difficulties, especially in Europe, but we’re encouraged. We do believe that the business aircraft market is actually going to continue to grow strongly over the next decade. I think that’s driven by the increasing internationalisation of our business. A decade ago it was principally a North American business to Europe and now it’s very global. So we really believe that there’s still a lot of runway ahead of us, there’s a lot of room to grow, and that we’re feeling very good about this future growth. You mentioned internationalisation spurring growth in bizav, as is happening in many sectors. What do you see as unique in this industry? If I take you back to the origins of business aircraft, in new markets there was almost zero business aircraft penetration. Some of the statistics showed there were as few as half a dozen business aviation aircraft in China a decade ago. At the time, Asia Pacific as a region accounted for something like a quarter of one percent of business aircraft globally. Since then, we’ve seen huge changes, both within business aviation and in the region on the whole, and they have fed off each other. First of all, business aviation helps businesses grow: business aviation delivers the principal, the sales forces and the procurement people to the factories, to the customers, to partners wherever they may be. Second, as all businesses have globalised and expanded, clearly business aviation has followed in those footsteps. So that’s a huge change for our business in terms of demographics. We traditionally dealt with a North American clientele, whereas we now deal with a global clientele. Where we dealt in the past with airplanes that used to travel 3,000 miles, we now deal with airplanes that travel 7,000 miles. I’m talking about all the emerging markets that we typically refer to: Asia Pacific, China, India, Russia, Africa, Middle East and Latin America. So internationalisation has been a really important dynamic within business aviation.
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FC INTERVIEW Which aircraft are leading that growth? What led us out of the recession was the big airplanes. Global Express [Bombardier’s large business-class jet] is leading the way. Of course there was a big NetJets order a year ago – 120 airplanes for us. But more importantly, I guess, is that in the Global segment, the large aircraft size, has been very, very robust. We see tremendous strength in that marketplace as high-net-worth individuals and corporations continue to buy the big products. We’ve seen recently the midsize and large aircraft gaining. Our Challenger family is strengthening, which is encouraging. Again I’ll point to a NetJets order of 275 airplanes earlier this year. I would also point to the other American corporations coming back into the marketplace and revamping their fleet, such as VistaJet, which bought more airplanes from us, so we feel good about that. I think the toughest segment is the light segment. And that’s one that we’ve been watching for a while. We see good signs, but there’s still room to grow there.
We saw the impressive launch of the new Learjets at EBACE last May, but when can we expect to see the actual aircraft? We’ll be showing two new members of our Learjet family for the first time at the NBAA show in Orlando. We’ll bring out the new Learjet 75 – I think it will be the first time for people to see it in real life. We obviously launched it earlier this year, but this is the first time people can see actual flying airplanes, as we’ll be bringing one of our flight test vehicles, which is very exciting and, as we march towards certification delivery next year, we’ve got some new hardware there. For the Learjet 70, we will have a full-cabin mockup, including the Bombardier Vision Flight Deck. And the other new hardware for NBAA is our Global 6000. So that too will be the first time anybody will see that new plane. We have around 20 airplanes in service now, but it shows you how fast the wrap-up has been and how successful the airplane’s been from a certification standpoint.
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FC INTERVIEW We’ve been delivering these airplanes, and it will be the first time that the NBAA crowd actually gets to see it. So from our perspective we’re going to show some of our new hardware at the show. Can you clarify the position with the Learjet line and production plans going forward? Right now we have a production line pause on the Learjet 60, and this was a consequence of the market. Essentially, the market wasn’t there and we were building too many airplanes. So we’re in a pause situation. Obviously we’re evaluating that week over week to see when we restart, and when we bring it back on line. So from the Learjet 60 perspective it’s been a tough marketplace. Right now we see it continuing that way, at least for the next few months.
Why do you think the light jet market has been the slowest to recover? It’s clearly the market that’s the most vulnerable to economic downturn. It’s generally the bigger airplanes that attract both the higher-net-worth individuals as well as interest from overseas companies – those markets are more top-downdriven coming out of a recession. So the light jet segment lags in market penetration as well. Also, it still is very much a US-based marketplace. So we think that, in combination, it’s expected, it’s the most difficult one and I don’t think it’s unique to Bombardier. I think all the light segment airplanes are suffering. We do hope that the positive signs we’ve seen recently will continue, but I would say it’s still a difficult market.
All businesses have globalised and expanded, clearly business aviation has followed in those footsteps
Learjet 75
28 EMEA & Asia
FC INTERVIEW
Moving up the line a bit to your C-series regional jet, do you have any additional news to share about when that might be available as a corporate aircraft? Our current focus is to fly and deliver the C-series into the commercial market space, so that’s priority one. I have no doubt that in time there will be a C-series business aircraft variance. I just think we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves right now. We clearly have a significant number of programs underway on the business-aircraft side: we have the Learjet 70 and 75, the Global 6000 and of course we have the Global 7000 and 8000 airplanes that we launched a little over a year ago, which is a huge programme; we also have the Lear 85, which is tracking well too. So we have a lot of programmes. We’re very excited about business aviation where Bombardier is obviously a key player – we have something like 40% market share. But the other thing is that we’ve got significant numbers of all the programmes on tap right now and we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.
Global 6000
You began your career with de Havilland nearly three decades ago when it was owned by Boeing. Then Bombardier bought de Havilland and you’ve been with the company ever since. Over that time, what are the biggest changes you’ve seen in this industry, and how does that compare to where you see things heading? I think the business aviation industry has matured in a parallel way to what we experienced in commercial aviation. For example, many years ago commercial had similar trends to what we saw in business aviation: dominant airlines in North America and Europe with emerging markets in Asia Pacific, Africa and South America. What you see now is a mature industry with global air traffic around the world. So if you compare that with the regional growth evident now in business aviation, you see very strong parallels. Business aviation’s a strong business, but it’s still very much dominated by the North American and European bases. In the future I think it will be a more and more global business and, again, that’s why it’s so exciting and spectacular to be in on it. It’s just that there’s so much runway ahead of us here. It’s very intriguing.
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FC INTERVIEW
Learjet 70 and 75 Taxing for Takeoff Bombardier launched the Learjet 70 and Learjet 75 aircraft in May at EBACE 2012. The new aircraft are based on Learjet 85 aircraft interior design and technology, with both scheduled to enter service in 2013 (Learjet 75 in the first half and Learjet 70 in the second half). The models represent significant upgrades and improvements over the Learjet 40 and 45, respectively. According to Bombardier, an improved Honeywell engine, the TFE-731, will give the aircraft engine thrust increase of up to 385 pounds on each side, resulting in improved takeoff field length performance over their predecessors. The new systems will also contribute to weight savings gain and the new canted winglets will improve aerodynamic efficiency. The company expects field performance improvements under hot and high conditions of up to 9% and fuel efficiency improvements of up to 4%. The Learjet 70 and 75 cabin management system (Lufthansa Technic Nice, similar to the CMS on the Learjet 85) features individual touchscreen monitors with full audio and video control. The jets will also be wireless enabled, offering Internet connectivity in-flight. The planes also sport LED lighting throughout the entire aircraft, as well as a spacious baggage suite and a sizable galley for optimised catering, work and storage space. The Learjet 70 can fly 6 passengers up to 2,060nm, while the Learjet 75 can accommodate 8 passengers on trips up to 2,040nm.
I think the business aviation industry has matured in a parallel way to what we experienced in commercial aviation Steven Ridolfi was named President, Bombardier Business Aircraft, in 2008. He joined de Havilland in 1982 as a structural dynamics engineer. Following the company’s acquisition by Bombardier, Steven progressed through several departments, including airline analysis, marketing, product planning and customer support before being named President of Bombardier Regional Aircraft in 1999. In November 2001 he was appointed Executive Vice-President, Programs and Strategic Planning, Bombardier Aerospace – holding these additional responsibilities for over two years.
Onwards Upwards and
Business Aviation in the Americas
I
t is no secret that 2010 and 2011 were difficult years for business aviation manufacturers. Deliveries of jets and turboprops last year were 41% down on the volume seen in 2008, prior to the present world recession. But as Rod Simpson reports, the good news is that there were substantial deliveries of large-cabin aircraft to China and other emergent countries, which offset depressed volume in the smaller aircraft segments.
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MARKET FOCUS: THE AMERICAS
which have been retired. The Americas region has a fleet of 24,000 aircraft operated for business, private charter and governmental use (not including jets and turboprops employed on airline operations). Some of the US-registered aircraft are based abroad but, nevertheless, it seems clear that there is still a growing appetite for private company and personal transportation in this region. In their latest annual forecast, Honeywell’s prediction for sales of new business jets during the next five years (2012 to 2016) sees 55% of all new business aircraft produced being sold in the United States, with a further 13% being sold in Latin America.
Business Aviation in the United States From 2007 to 2011 the inventory of fixed-wing turbine business aircraft in the United States expanded by 14% to a current fleet of just over 19,000 aircraft, of which 64% are business jets and 36% turboprops. In the latest of their well-respected forecasts, Honeywell shows that 60% of new business jet purchases in North America are to replace older aircraft and, during recent years, many of the less efficient business jets with older engines and outdated avionics have been retired and scrapped. For example, there are few early King Air 90s still in service and only nine Learjet 23s are still active in the USA out of 99 originally built. While new aircraft sales have not been at pre-recession levels, the aircraft manufacturers have been benefiting from what is termed bonus depreciation, which allows companies to write down new aircraft by 100% initially, and by 50% in this current year. Pressure is being mounted by industry groups, GAMA and NBAA to have this concession extended into 2013.
Cessna Citation X
American manufacturers produced 58% of all the turbine aircraft delivered in 2011 and strength in their home market remains crucial to their commercial success. However, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) head Ed Bolen is cautiously optimistic about future prospects and says that “Slowly, but surely, the leading market indicators of the health for business aviation have stabilised and begun to point upward”. Although the number of new aircraft delivered has fallen to historic lows, the fleet of jet and turboprop aircraft registered in North, Central and South America has increased by just under 19% over the past five years despite depressed economic conditions and the removal of aircraft
Looking at the profile of US company aircraft users, a recent Harris Interactive survey shows that three quarters of business aircraft journeys are flown by companies that operate only one aircraft and that 41% of flights are for business meetings with existing or prospective customers. Honeywell’s annual forecast also indicates that a key reason for US companies to purchase new aircraft is to gain more range, a factor in around 40% of new purchases — and many users also want to trade up to gain more cabin space. On the airports front, NBAA says that nearly 50% of business aircraft flights in the USA are into airports which have either no scheduled services or infrequent schedules and that business aviation serves more than 5,000 airports — which is ten times the number that have airline schedules. However, one cause for concern is that there was significant increase in closure of private-use airports during the height of the recession with a total of 461 being lost in the peak year, 2008. Thankfully, this trend appears on the decline, and over 200 new airfields were created across the USA in 2010.
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MARKET FOCUS: THE AMERICAS Business aircraft owners in the United States are increasingly concerned about the cost of fuel, which has been an important factor in companies selling or retiring older aircraft and upgrading to more modern designs. Fuel issues are also a concern to operators of piston engine aircraft, such as the Cessna 400-series twins as pressure mounts to move to completely unleaded fuels in place of the existing 100LL Avgas in order to meet pollution reduction targets. No practical alternative is currently available but a collaborative industry/government task force is pursuing the Piston Fuel Initiative in order to find a solution. Politically, the Obama administration has little sympathy for business aviation, even though the President himself is a major user of the official aircraft fleet. Operators of corporate fleets have become increasingly sensitive to possible criticism by the public and shareholders and, during the recession, several notable corporate operators have downsized their fleet — or even closed down their flight department. The impact of proposed user fees is a major preoccupation and President Obama’s proposed charge of $100 per flight has met widespread opposition from the business aviation community who see a tax on fuel as being much more equitable and administratively efficient. Improvement to the air traffic control system is urgently needed but implementation of the ‘NextGen’ system has been slow to progress due to delays in FAA re-certification. However, the new satellite-based system is now in sight, although it will impose additional cost on aircraft operators and is likely to suffer cuts in government funding. The NBAA is naturally very active in promoting the interests of business aviation and said in a statement — “We have achieved several notable legislative victories. Working with Congress, we are forcefully opposing efforts to institute general aviation user fees, change depreciation schedules for business aircraft, and impose the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme on US aircraft. Despite these victories, we cannot rest on our laurels, because significant challenges loom. For example, “sequestration” could pose a number of significant concerns for the industry. Under a law passed last year, if Congress cannot slash $1.2 trillion from the Federal deficit before the start of 2013, mandatory across-the-board
budget cuts will automatically be imposed on every Federal agency, including the FAA. Business aircraft operators should be equally concerned about potential attempts to balance the budget by raising revenue, especially through the imposition of aviation user fees. NBAA will continue to oppose user fees, and we are confident we can count on the people in our industry to contact their elected officials and do so as well”.
Canada, Mexico and Central America During the past five years, there have been fairly significant increases in the turbine fleets in Canada and Mexico. The count of corporate jets and turboprops in Canada has risen by 30% since 2007 to a total of 1,014 aircraft. Historically, Canada has had a fairly large turboprop fleet and, while this has increased over the five-year period by 59 aircraft (12.3%), there has been a strong rise in business jets, which now number 477 aircraft compared with 288 in 2007. Mexico has a relatively large fleet of 686 business jets and 284 turboprops and the total business aviation fleet has grown by 28% over the past five years. The Mexican fleet contains a considerable number of older aircraft, such as Sabreliners, Jetstars and early Learjets and Hawkers — mostly acquired used from the United States. However, these are gradually being retired and replaced by more modern aircraft. The Mexican turboprop fleet has a large population of Rockwell Turbo Commanders and even a few Gulfstream Is and Mitsubishi Mu-2s, but, again, these are progressively being replaced by King Airs. The Central American countries, namely Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and El Salvador, generally have very small turbine aircraft fleets, largely composed of turboprops. Panama, for instance, has 45 turboprops on its registry, dominated by King Airs but also including a handful of Rockwell Commanders, Cessna 441s and Cheyennes. The market in Central America is only growing gradually and many business aviation flights are operated by smaller piston-engined aircraft, such as the Piper Aztec and Navajo. This region is, however, a good market for Cessna who has sold a high number of Caravans to commercial users, notably TACA Regional for operation into the interior of Costa Rica on tourist schedules.
Operators of corporate fleets have become increasingly sensitive to possible criticism by the public and shareholders
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MARKET FOCUS: THE AMERICAS
Dassault has been particularly successful in selling the Falcon 2000 and Falcon 7X in Brazil
Dassault Falcon 7X
South America Business aviation in South America has advanced rapidly over the past five years as the major economies have bucked the trend of worldwide recession. Further expansion is expected, particularly in Brazil where the inventory of jets and turboprops has doubled over five years. Some of this has, undoubtedly, been stimulated by Embraer’s introduction of the Phenom 100 and 300 which are now entering the fleet in some numbers along with several Legacys but Brazilian economic activity is clearly stimulating demand for longrange business jets. According to GAMA President and CEO, Pete Bunce, the trend is positive for the Latin American market. “The share of airplane deliveries has gone from 7.5% of the market in 2007 to 10.1% last year. Shipments to key countries, such as Brazil are continuing to boost our members’ sales”. Dassault has been particularly successful in selling the Falcon 2000 and Falcon 7X and Brazil has seen
the arrival of its first Global Express and Challenger 605s during the 2007 to 2012 period. Argentina is also proving to be a buoyant market for business jets and 40 have been added since 2010 taking the fleet to 133 aircraft together with 113 turboprops. The majority of business jets in Argentina are mid-range aircraft, but there are also a few large cabin aircraft, such as the Challenger 605 and Gulfstream G-IV. Smaller countries such as Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia have fairly small numbers of turbine aircraft but again, business users are often served by piston-engine aircraft, such as Cessna 421s, Piper Chieftains and Beech Queen Airs. Overall, the turbine-engine fleet across South America totals just under 2,300 aircraft but the region has seen an annual growth of over 13% over the past five years and that seems likely to continue.
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MARKET FOCUS: CHARTER BROKERS
The Unsung Trouble-shooters A
gainst a backdrop of tightening margins, demanding customers and reams of red tape, established charter brokers continue to face a stream of challenges with admirable confidence. So what does it take to be a successful charter broker in a fraught business aviation market? Sanjay Rampal investigates.
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Execujet Middle East Facility
MARKET FOCUS: CHARTER BROKERS
Juggling customer expectations and maintaining good relationships with charter operators defines the pivotal role played by charter brokers. In corporate jargon speak they raise customer relationship management (CRM) to another level.
an overall picture of the clientele requirements which may involve hotel bookings, limousine hire and specific catering needs along with finding the right plane from the most suitable operator.”
The Personal Touch
Essentially sharing the same view, ExecuJet Regional Sales Director, Pascal Bachmann said, “Charter brokers will find the right solution for the customer and support an optimised yet flexible fit for the mission by choosing the right operator.”
Charter brokers serve as the conduit between prospective charter clients and licensed air operators. They have the task of matching customer travel needs with the best-fit air assets according to price and availability. Remarking on their independence as a key ingredient to a successful marketing mix recipe, Jet Aviation Management Vice President of Sales for Aircraft Management and Charter, EMEA, Claudio Peer told FlyCorporate, “Charter brokers are not bound to operators and provide a direct service in the interests of customers. Our brokering business arm has
Charter brokers, Chapman Freeborn, think it imperative for a business to have an actual team with experience and not just rely upon a web interface. Explaining the rationale, company Group Executive Sales and Marketing Director, Alex Berry said, “Any online interface is a sales tool to drive in business, but a personal interaction is important to cement the relationship with any customer.”
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MARKET FOCUS: CHARTER BROKERS
Price Sensitivity
Best Practices
A sluggish market has squeezed margins for most players to heighten competition. Swiss based high-end broker and management company, Vertis Aviation, manages five jets through agreements with owner operators for selling charter services. It is also a charter broker catering for high-net-worth individuals. With first hand experience of the pricing pressures, Erica Da Veiga, Partner, Vertis Aviation said, “The market is very price sensitive and we see more and more brokers fighting for the same flight and driving down prices. Older more established brokers stick to their pricing structures.”
Charter brokers need to offer alternatives and be prepared to offset complications without delay. There is a profusion of start-up brokers in the market who lack the leverage and expertise of their larger more established cousins in remedying unanticipated issues such as an aircraft being abruptly pulled from a mission.
According to Da Veiga the recession allows customers to be a little more fickle when planning their charter requirements. “Clients used to pay for double rotations, both destination and return legs. Now they pay for the outbound leg and wait for a few days to find an empty plane on a cheaper return from brokers or through Avinode and book available charters online to get the best deal.” Such cost consciousness has been prevalent amongst US customers for years but the trend is also catching on in Europe. Believing that pricing alone will not dictate the procurement of charter services, Jet Aviation’s Peer stated, “The majority of enquiries are price sensitive but customers know what they want as they are quite educated in terms of specific needs that can only be supplied by the better, more experienced brokers.”
The EBAA Efforts on Illegal Flights Spearheading the ongoing crusade against illegal flights, The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) is upping the ante by tailoring its campaign message to operators, regulatory authorities and European member states. Commenting on the results so far, EBAA CEO Fabio Gamba told FlyCorporate, “The reaction has been mixed as on one hand EU member states were unsure of how to tackle illegal flights but were happy that somebody in the industry was raising awareness. But on the other it did little to persuade passengers to question the legality of their flight as they still want to pay less.” The EBAA is now refining its approach by liaising with each member state to raise awareness and the need for direct action. Remarking on the challenge Gamba said, “Some countries are more active than others on policing, such as France, and so we are tailoring our message
Confirmation of air operating certificates, requisite insurances and knowledge of airport locales are all very important. As already mentioned, the broker is the intermediary between client and selected operator and needs to seamlessly dovetail with both entities. A fact not lost on ExecuJet’s Bachmann who said, “It is essential for retaining business, building trust and the very coveted as well as hard won reputation of being a reliable broker.”
Charter brokers need to offer alternatives and be prepared to offset complications without delay
accordingly for maximum effect to get the resource commitment.” But Gamba does not see an overall EC directive as helpful stating that it would be open to convenient interpretation and dilute the means to tackle the issue. The proposed EASA White List of approved operators may be a few years away from being mandated, however EBAA believes it to be the perfect antidote to the much maligned Black List approach. But in an effort to set an example the association is introducing a membership code of conduct currently in draft form. EBAA members will be obliged to sign their understanding of the legislation and refrain from anything constituted as illegal activity but will also have the responsibility of ousting any member discovered to be in contravention. “We can’t just finger point the member states without looking to clean our own house,” said Gamba.
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MARKET FOCUS: CHARTER BROKERS
Oxygen Aviation is a niche VIP broker and CEO Mark Green emphasised the precise skillset required. He told FlyCorporate, “The charter broker market is unregulated and there are many who have little knowledge of the aviation industry and are setting themselves up for an eventual fall. Things go wrong and you need to fix the situation quickly because customers will not give you a second chance, particularly those from growth markets like Russia and others with high expectations like in the US.”
Rough with the Smooth Charter brokers face a number of challenges and even the most comprehensive of strategies cannot shield against all unexpected glitches. Painting a vivid portrayal of how dependence upon operators can be detrimental, Chapman Freeborn’s Berry said, “We are reliant upon operators to do a good job and they can pull an aircraft without reason at the last minute, leaving our customer stranded. We then have to find a replacement and potentially face losing a valuable client. But the irony is we will inevitably use that operator again as there is little choice.” Vertis Aviation’s Da Veiga states that there is a noted decline in the quality of service from some operators. “In our business I want to be constantly informed by operators
when clients board, take off and arrive at their destination so we can keep our clients’ admin support updated. This does not happen as much today and some operators will not answer their phones after 5pm on a Friday or deal with urgent requests late in the day.” Recognising the difficulties and importance of brokers, many operators such as GAMA Aviation appreciate their service ethos. “We do a lot of business with charter brokers’, explains GAMA’s commercial manager Paul Cremer. “They are important to us and we make sure that we impart them with the right information regarding specific destinations such as winter restrictions, airport opening times and permit needs so they can educate their customers.”
Illegal Flights The consensus is that charter brokers are careful to steer clear of the grey market outlaws. Insurance requirements and potential legal pitfalls aside, the issue is also one of reputation and reliability, two attributes essential for the longevity of any operative. On the subject of the impact of such illegal activity, Jet Aviation’s Peer said, “In some regions just beyond Europe 20-30% of traffic bypasses us because of illegal charters. But this impacts the lower, purely price sensitive flights and not the high-end flights as much.”
The repression and prevention approach is very much on the agenda and EBAA’s technical affairs manager, Belarmino Paradela, has the task of reinforcing this on a daily basis. “The idea is to create a network by encouraging member states to seek expertise from IATA and EASA to get the right tools in place such as direct ramp checks with operators reporting illegal flights and passengers being reminded of the huge risks.” Seeking cooperation beyond the EU, Gamba concluded “A lot of illegal activity comes from beyond Europe so NBAA and MEBA support is essential. Also we are proposing the development of a central database allowing members to report on illegal charters for authorities to investigate.” The challenges are clear but EBAA strives to continue the momentum towards eradicating illegal practices through measures that will make it increasingly harder for the grey market outlaws to slip through the net.
Fabio Gamba
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SECTOR FOCUS: TURBOPROPS
Turboprops Scope for Improvement T
he worldwide fleet of active business turboprops now exceeds 11,000, which represents a huge market opportunity for suppliers of upgrades to engines, avionics and airframes. While the cost may be substantial such investment can play an important part in maintaining the value of your aircraft, reports Rod Simpson. It may be surprising to learn that the very first Beech King Air 90, built in 1963, is still in service with a corporate operator in Madison, Wisconsin and four out of the first five production Piper Cheyenne Is are still active after 34 years. Most turboprops over ten years old will have been repainted and refurnished with a new interior — in some cases, many times over — but there is still a world of difference between a 1963 King Air and the current King Air C90GTx, which Hawker Beechcraft delivers from the Wichita plant. That original aircraft had round-dial instruments and 500shp Pratt & Whitney PT6A-6 engines, but the latest version has ProLine 21 avionics and 550shp PT6A-135A engines, which not only deliver more power and cruise performance but also deliver significantly better fuel efficiency.
Blackhawk engines on a Hawker Beechcraft King Air 200
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SECTOR FOCUS: TURBOPROPS
The good news is that, given a sound and wellmaintained airframe, the advantages of the latest models are available through third-party suppliers. Leaders in this field are Blackhawk Modifications, Inc. which specialises in fitting new PT6A engines to King Airs and Cessna Caravans. They can also re-equip out-ofproduction Piper Cheyenne Is and IIs and the Cessna 425 Conquest I. Typically, a Conquest I fitted with Blackhawk’s XP135A upgrade package will see its speed at the optimum cruising altitude of FL240 increase from the 254 KTAS of a standard aircraft to 290 KTAS. Similarly, installing PT6A-135 engines in place of the standard PT6A-11s in a Cheyenne I will give a 22% increase in cruising speed. The majority of Blackhawk modifications are carried out on King Airs with standard King Air 90s being eligible for PT6A-21 engines and the Blackhawk XP28 and XP135A (PT6A-28 and PT6A-135A) installations available for the C90 and E90. King Air 200s have the option of the PT6A-42, -52, -61 and 135A upgrades and the change from standard PT6A-41s to 1,380shp PT6A-52s raises cruise speed from 271kts to more than 311kts. These modifications are available through Blackhawk’s worldwide distributor network and FlyCorporate was able to see the work first-hand with Malcolm Craft, whose company, MCA Aviation, has operated from Shoreham Airport in the south of England since 2004. According to Craft, the decision to upgrade with new Blackhawk engines is easier than it may seem. “Every aircraft reaches the time for a major engine overhaul — which can cost $460,000 for two engines on a King Air 90. However, even after overhaul, they are still old engines — and we can install brand new PT6A-135A turbines with a 5-year warranty for $650,000”, explains Craft. The result is a safer aircraft with better performance — and its resale price is considerably higher. “Most users set aside reserves for engine overhaul, so there is only a relatively modest additional cost involved in the Blackhawk upgrade, which
typically involves no more than ten days of downtime,” he adds. While their aircraft is in for engine work, many owners also commission MCA to install other improvements. These include Frakes exhaust stacks, Raisbeck aft-fuselage strakes to improve ride quality and directional stability and BLR winglets, which increase range, reduce fuel burn and improve short-field performance. Other popular modifications include Raisbeck extended rear engine nacelles to provide additional baggage space on the King Air 90, which can be used for an additional 80 USG of fuel capacity to increase range by around 20%. The portfolio of Raisbeck products also includes new propellers (Power Props) offering reduced noise and vibration; their ram-air recovery system, to improve climb and cruise performance and lower engine temperature; new wing leading edges; and fully-enclosed wheel doors for King Airs with high flotation undercarriages. “We have also completed our first Blackhawk upgrade to a Cessna Caravan, installing an 850shp PT6A-42A — which provides a major improvement in takeoff field performance”, says Malcolm Craft. Not surprisingly, Hawker Beechcraft has taken notice of the upgrade opportunities and is now offering the Blackhawk, BLR and Raisbeck improvements through their Global Customer Support Network. They are also able to install new avionics in older King Airs. For ProLine 21-equipped aircraft they can add the Integrated Flight Information System (IFIS) to provide integration-enhanced maps, charts and satellite weather into the ProLine displays. Also available is the Max Viz EVS1500 Enhanced Vision system using infrared imaging to represent terrain and airfields in bad visibility. For older King Airs, Hawker Beechcraft will also install the three-screen Garmin G1000 flight deck, which is standard on the G36 Bonanza and G58 Baron. With all these products on offer, it is great to see how older aircraft can really benefit from 21st century technology.
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SECTOR FOCUS: REFURBISHMENT
New and
Unique C
omlux’s four-year expansion from a maintenance facility to a completion centre at the Indianapolis airport will allow completion work on four narrow-body jets at the same time. David Edinger, President and CEO of Comlux America tells Tim Kern how keeping everything under one roof improves efficiency.
“We made the strategic decision to focus on narrow-body Airbus and Boeing, exclusively”
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SECTOR FOCUS: REFURBISHMENT
Pulling up to the new Comlux facility on the campus of Indianapolis International Airport (IND), I wondered just what would be “new” inside. Comlux has been steadily growing in a nearby facility for nearly four years, and had gradually changed from more of a maintenance facility to a completion centre; today, it is a completion centre that has, with its expansion, been able to again take on maintenance.
personnel equations,” said Edinger. With wide-bodies, you need about 450 people to do one airplane; the same schedule with narrow-body aircraft takes 450-500 people – but they can work on three or four narrow bodies at the same time.” Right now, three narrow-body jets occupy the large hangar space; the completion centre employs 350 and has its next available slot in late Spring of 2013.
President & CEO of Comlux America L.L.C., David Edinger, who rose through the industry as an interior installer, sheet metal fabricator, upholsterer, cabinet maker, and project manager, has fashioned an efficient, vertically integrated organisation that he says is “the only completion facility in the world built to have everything under one roof. There are two others [that are fully integrated] in the world, but not in a single facility.”
Customers are generally acquired through word-ofmouth. Edinger: “The ‘qualified vendor lists’ of the aircraft manufacturers, where we appear, provide assurance to potential customers; their flight departments already know basically what they’re looking for, and they then can work with Comlux designers to refine the idea into the finished concept, meeting all the regulatory and performance requirements. And as we get more aircraft into service, our reputation grows throughout the industry.”
The new building, 129,000sq ft (12,000sq m), allows simultaneous completion work on four narrow-body jets. “We made the strategic decision to focus on narrow-body Airbus and Boeing exclusively, because of the value and
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SECTOR FOCUS: REFURBISHMENT
Comlux has finished three narrowbody, head-of-state class completions so far, starting with just 40 people doing completions in 2008, and all three have met or beaten their weight and noise goals. Ordinarily, Edinger says, the way to make an interior quieter is to add sound insulation. This addition adds weight and can reduce interior space. The Comlux solution is elegant, but required innovation: “We have designed a different internal air system,” Edinger explains. “We’ve smoothed out hard edges and corners, redirected the airflow, changed diffusers. Quieter, yet lighter.” Not easy but effective. “Easy” isn’t in Edinger’s vocabulary. “Best” comes up frequently, however. “We don’t want to be the largest completion centre in the world; we want to be known as the best – a boutique facility, where we cover all the customers’ needs, from design to project management, through manufacturing, systems and materials testing, inspection and delivery.” Each project team is given the task of finding up to ten items that make the delivered aircraft better than the spec calls for. These can be simple or complex, but they all let the customer fly away with greater value. These improvements are also trade secrets – if you’re the customer, you’ll know.
Editor’s Note: Comlux America, LLC currently holds five separate Repair Station Part 145 Approval Certificates. They include FAA(US), EASA (Europe), Aruba, Bermuda and GACA (Saudi Arabia). Comlux America is also targeted to become AS9100 (Aerospace Standard) certified by end of 2012. This Quality Management Standard supplements ISO 9001 and is designed to meet stringent demands of the aerospace industry internationally.
“We don’t want to be the largest completion centre in the world; we want to be known as the best”
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SECTOR FOCUS: REFURBISHMENT
Where does the expertise come from? In a specialised business, recruitment, enhancement and retention are critical to meeting deadlines, achieving top results and expanding business. Even in a slow economy, real talent is at a premium. Designers with refined taste and impressive schooling seldom know anything about the unique and demanding requirements of aviation; they have to learn, and it takes years. Documentation, in aviation more than perhaps any other industry, must be ironclad, from coupon testing of all materials, to carpets, upholstery and hides. Just advising a customer how many spares to order, or how to protect furnishings during flight and on the ground, or how to maintain and clean leather and countertops – all this takes experience beyond what is taught in schools or even in other industries. “We sometimes hire right off the street, and put trainees through rigorous learning, as they progress from job to job,” says Edinger. Each crew has a lead person and a trainee. When that trainee becomes competent to a predetermined level, I expect the work group to get another trainee.” Other new employees come through the Indianapolis area’s excellent school system, from aeronautical engineers from Purdue and Indiana Universities to the nearby network of technical colleges in the nation’s twelfth-largest city. “We don’t go looking for A&Ps [certified airframe and powerplant mechanics] for the completion centre,” says Edinger. “They are in abundance in the maintenance and refurbishment facility, but their skills are not required in the completion centre, as are good cabinet-making, sheet metal fabrication, or upholstery skills.”
Retention and internal growth Of the 40 or so original employees, Edinger says, about 30 are still with Comlux. “That continuity is important. Still, we are open to new ideas. One advantage of being ‘new’ is that we don’t have to do something ‘the way it has always been done.’ I’m constantly saying, ‘This is not my company; it’s your company. If there’s a problem, let me know. Let’s figure out the best way to address it’.” Discussions include multiple levels of employees; whoever is closest to the problem or idea – he or she is there. “We work on the problem until we have it figured out, but we keep monitoring. If we’re wrong, we stop and figure it out again.” Being the best is not easy, but it’s rewarding, and aids retention and ‘esprit de corps’ when everyone’s thoughtful ideas are considered.
Refurbishment and Maintenance Although the original business in Indianapolis was based on maintenance, that part of the business had not been expanded, as Comlux established itself as a premier completion centre. Recognising the opportunity that mechanical refurbishment brings, though, the company now does not have to limit itself to new, “green” aircraft. The “old” facility (renovated in 2010) is authorised for work on Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Gulfstream.
44 EMEA & Asia
SECTOR FOCUS: TRIP PLANNING RESOURCES
Planning
Ahead G
etting from point A to point B is one of mankind’s fundamental challenges. But how about doing it at 30,000ft and 500mph with a thunderstorm approaching? Fortunately today’s technologies have made it easier and more affordable for you to navigate efficiently, Cameron Heffernan discovers.
Trip planning might rightly be considered the canary in the coalmine of the business aviation industry – the leading indicator of the sector’s strength – just like the Dow Jones Index relates to the economy as a whole. As business aviation has (slowly) rebounded from the recent recession, so has the level of trip planning activity, of course. But what might not be as self-evident is that the
current generation of flight planning tools and services are more affordable, robust and easy-to-use than ever before. The post-recessionary climate has forced both the producer of tools and software as well as service providers to create applications, products and services that are simple-to-use out of the box, highly customisable and inexpensive.
45
SECTOR FOCUS: TRIP PLANNING RESOURCES While the number of trips has risen over the past 12-18 months, bizav users and flight managers are still concerned predominantly with price and value. Not only are customers more frugal, they are also aware of how fast the industry is advancing and expect more from their money. “Given the technological advancements and increased possibilities, the clientele has higher expectations and, as a consequence, is more demanding,” said Markus Schuler, Director of Ground Operations, Aircraft Management Division, Long-Range Dispatch for Jet Aviation Aircraft. US-based Flt Plan, created more than 5.3 million flight plans in 2011. Their advertising-supported model allows them to offer full-service flight planning at no charge to registered users, according to Flt Plan President, Ken Wilson. The service, which has always been free, assists users in the creating and filing IFR flight plans, obtaining weather briefings and provides a navigation log for flights in the US, Bahamas, Bermuda, and flights to/from many Canadian/Mexican airports. The website is geared towards the IFR Pilot and can still be used by VFR Pilots or Instrument Pilots going VFR.
Ease of Use Paramount Low (or no-charge) prices aren’t everything however. Overall, the flight planning industry is more aware of the need for fast, universally accessible systems that enable operating crews to extract data, plans, fuel and all resources needed to complete a successful mission whilst on the road. This gives flight, support and ground crews access to up-to-the-minute information on everything needed to plan a trip, adapt to weather and re-routing, handle cargo handling and the like – all in a manner seamless to the business aviation customer who needs to conduct a conference call at 30,000ft. Increasingly, this means adapting and updating the most ubiquitous devices available for robust, data-rich systems to handle trip planning in comprehensive ways. Randy Stephens, a Division Vice President for Universal Weather and Aviation, explains, “More and more users are accessing their flight plans, weather briefings and trip details via mobile devices. Our clients don’t want to have to switch back and forth to multiple applications or companies for different services – they want it all in one place and available wherever they are.” In other words, bring the technology and functionality to the devices already in use – not the other way around. No device better personifies this approach than the iPad.
iPad and Flight Planning – A perfect marriage? The iPad may be the single piece of hardware that has most affected the whole flight planning ballgame. To some, it represents a big step towards the paperless cockpit, especially as usage continues to grow. “You could probably write a full-length book about the effect of the iPad on the aviation industry,” says Ryan Frankhouser, International Trip Support manager for ARINC. “I can’t think of one single device that has been adopted faster, or implemented more quickly, into the day-to-day workflows of flight departments around the globe.”
46 EMEA & Asia
ARINC estimates that 40% of their users access content through the ARINC Direct iPad application and 20% of the connections to their website are made using an iOS device. ARINC’s Direct iPad app provides access to flight plans, current weather, worldwide charts and approach procedures, all with the ability to link pilot/co-pilot communications via the built-in Bluetooth link, and view real-time GPS position data on a moving map. This connectivity doesn’t stop at the cockpit either. “The captain is now reachable almost anywhere to chat, send emails, pdf files, e-versions of flight briefs,” says Khaled Shurbaji, Operations Manager of Jetex. “This [accessibility results in] easier, smoother communication.” For example, the Flight Manager Mobile iPad app from Rockwell Collins provides pilots with access to several modules, including a worldwide airport directory, global aviation weather and a document repository for viewing trip briefs and other information relevant to the trip, aircraft or crew. Pilots can also log details of their trip and synchronise it with the Ascend Flight Operations System (FOS) schedule and dispatch software.
Trip Planning – What Do You Get? It’s a lot more than just getting from London to Casablanca. Today’s trip planning tools and services are more accessible, powerful and affordable than ever before. Any of the following elements could be included:
Customised Approaches Still Reign It’s never just about the technology, of course. It’s more about what the new technologies and tools can enable in the cockpit. Another key trend many providers identify in trip planning is the importance of flexible, seamless back-office coordination to ensure quick, efficient billing. “Accounting and finance groups within a flight department are asking more and more to receive their invoicing electronically, such as an XML file, in lieu of traditional billing,” said Ted Glogovac a Jeppesen senior product manager. “This allows them to evaluate and analyse the data and, if needed, implement new practices to reduce expenses.” At the end of the day, this is still a service-based industry, serving clients accustomed to 5-star treatment. Successful providers don’t lose sight of that maxim. “Maintaining [highquality service] as a flight planning company will always stand you in good stead with your client,” says Chris AndersonJones of UK-based trip support provider Flightworx. “It’s all about trust in this industry and looking after your customers’ best interests and not just saying you do.”
• Navigation: paper-based and (increasingly) electronic charts that detail the best way to get there • Trip/flight planning: All the details you will need, including itinerary and route planning, landing permits, pre-flight, ground handling, permitting, airfield slots, flight briefing, ATC and much more. Providers are increasingly turning to internet- and PC-based “paperless cockpit” services to deliver the most up-to-date information • Fuel services: most cost-effective ways and locations to uplift jet fuel • Weather changes: Staying up-to-the-minute on the environment can save you time, money and surprises • Weight and balance: Tools and services to help you load and equip aircraft for maximum efficiency • Back office: charge and payment options, tracking and maintenance • On the ground: ground transport, hotels, catering, security • International trip planning: departure/flight/ landing permits, overseas laws and airport policies
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A i r c t r a h f g t i L e Th
Revolution W
hen you fly into a business airport, the little aircraft parked on the tarmac may seem rather insignificant. However, they do serve a very useful purpose and the technology of propeller-driven private aircraft has been undergoing a revolution in the past two decades. Rod Simpson reports.
Since World War II, the vast majority of light aircraft have been built by a small group of American manufacturers, notably Cessna, Piper, Beech, Rockwell and Mooney. Although many thousands of Cessna 172s and Piper Cherokees went to private owners as recreational machines, there has still been a large market, particularly in the United States, for more powerful four- and six-seaters for use as serious business transports. Aircraft such as
the Beech Bonanza, Piper Saratoga and Cessna Centurion offer respectable speed and payload — and can halve the journey time of a car on 200-mile journeys between cities. The light aircraft market of the 1960s and 1970s hit a delivery peak of over 17,000 aircraft in 1978. However, the industry hit an unexpected crisis in the early 1980s when product liability issues forced Cessna and other
Beechcraft Bonanza G36
SECTOR FOCUS: LIGHT AIRCRAFT MARKET
49
SECTOR FOCUS: LIGHT AIRCRAFT MARKET
OEMs to abandon light aircraft manufacturing and they only returned to production in 1994 when this situation was resolved. Unfortunately, the high volumes of the past are never likely to return and total sales of conventional piston-engine aircraft have only averaged around 1,800 during the past decade with a decline to only 886 in 2011. This is partly because traditional aircraft have become more expensive — for example, the Cessna Skyhawk, which cost $52,350 in 1984 was relaunched in 1996 at $133,700 and today has a price tag of $307,000. It is, however, hard to compare today’s aircraft with those that went before. Until the early 1990s, most types had traditional metal construction and instrument panels with circular dials — pilots still navigated with a map and compass, backed up by a plastic protractor/calculator. As for powerplants, horizontallyopposed piston engines had not changed greatly from those used in World War II. All these traditional features were destined for change, the first revolution being “plastic” airframe construction. Aircraft made from GRP (Glass-Reinforced Plastic) first appeared in France in the mid 1960s with Wassmer building nearly 200 aircraft. The Austrian company, HOAC, which built Dimona motor gliders from this material, became Diamond Aircraft and developed the composite Katana two-
seat trainer and, later, the four-seat DA40 and twin-engined DA42. Customers welcomed these new aircraft because airframes made from glass and carbon composites are lighter with a better surface finish and without the corrosion which blights metal aircraft. At about the same time Cirrus Design, under Alan Klapmeier, developed the Cirrus SR20 - a high performance four-seater made from composites with revolutionary sidestick controls and capable of cruising at nearly 200mph for up to 900 miles. Cirrus has delivered more than 5,000 of the SR20 and SR22 models to date — despite a current price tag of $701,900 for the top of the range SR22 GTS. You get what you pay for, though — this is a sophisticated aircraft with the ability to fly into known icey conditions and fitted with an active traffic-alert system, TAWS-B terrain warning, enhanced vision and electronic navigation charts. Cessna is also moving into composite construction with its Corvalis TTX which it claims is the world’s fastest four-seater. Yet the greatest use of composites is in the rapidly growing Light Sport (and Ultralight) sector. Aimed at recreational pilots who cannot pay the exotic prices of traditional aircraft, the LSAs typically cost $80,000 to $150,000 and are modern two-seaters with good performance.
Cirrus SR22GTS
The greatest use of composites is in the rapidly growing Light Sport sector
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SECTOR FOCUS: LIGHT AIRCRAFT MARKET This sector is dominated by manufacturers in the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Poland who are producing very attractive machines at affordable prices to replace older private and training machines, many of which were built 40 years ago. Engines for light aircraft are also undergoing change. Many Cessnas, Cirruses and Pipers still use traditional Continental and Lycoming engines, now with the enhanced safety of fuel injection, but these are under threat from a worldwide shortage of approved unleaded fuel. Jet-A1 turbine fuel for airliners and business aircraft is consumed in much greater quantity and, in some parts of the world, unleaded aviation spirit is unavailable. While research continues into new alternatives, the popular solution is a move to diesel engines, which can burn jet fuel. Diamond Aircraft pioneered the use of the Centurion and, later, the Austro diesels in their DA40 and DA42, and Cessna has recently launched a new version of the Model 182 Skylane with an SMA diesel engine. Diesels are generally too heavy for very light aircraft but Bombardier has been able to satisfy that market with its 80hp and 100hp Rotax 912 light piston engines which can operate on standard unleaded car fuel and have proved to be extremely successful and reliable. Moving into the cockpit, the arrival of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) in the early 2000s brought compact systems, such as the Magellan to replace the long-established VOR
Cessna Skylane interior
sets, but these units, with digital displays, rapidly gave way to integrated nav/com (navigation and communications) equipment. Leading the field was Garmin with their GNS430/530 which provided a moving map GPS display with a wide array navigation function and a modern radio in one compact module. Many manufacturers of older aircraft replaced their aged King and Narco radios with these modern “boxes”, giving pilots a major advance in functionality. The next step, again led by Garmin, was the full screen-based cockpit with three panel-mounted displays replacing round-dial instruments, normally involving one Primary Flight Display (PFD) showing all the instrumentation and Multi-Functional Displays (MFDs) which the pilot can configure with moving maps, airfield charts, systems data and real-time glideslope interception and routing. The Garmin G1000 is now the system of choice on all new mainstream light aircraft while smaller compact screen systems are available for the LSA and ultralight aircraft. The iPad, connecting with the main systems, is rapidly coming into use for flight planning and other advanced functions. Modern technology has brought more change to light aviation in the past decade than at any time since World War II. There are still many thousands of older aircraft giving excellent service but modern Light General Aviation has, effectively, split into two parts — the mainstream aircraft for business use and serious private transport and the recreational sector. However, both are set to see ever-growing change as electronic technology extends the boundaries.
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52 EMEA & Asia
FC REVIEW: AIRCRAFT
The New
Legacy Experience T
he success of the Brazilian company, Embraer, in establishing itself as a major business aircraft manufacturer in little more than a decade has rather taken the corporate aircraft market by surprise. As Rod Simpson reports, once just a producer of airliners and military aircraft, Embraer will soon offer one of the industry’s most comprehensive range of business jets with seven types covering nearly every segment of the market. Embraer started its business jet development by using the ERJ-135 regional airliner to develop the Legacy and then invested in a rapid program of new model design, commencing with the entry-level Phenom 100 and 300 and also taking to the high ground with the Lineage 1000, based on the E-190 airliner. All of these aircraft are well established in the market and Embraer delivered 99 aircraft last year including three Lineage 1000s, 13 Legacy 600/650s, 42 Phenom 300s and 41 Phenom 100s, bringing in revenues of over $1 billion. Having successfully launched the two Phenoms, the company has now stepped up the pace to fill the gap between the Phenom 300 and the supermidsize Legacy 600. They have chosen to offer two models, the Legacy 450 and Legacy 500, which have, essentially, the same airframe but different fuselage lengths. Embraer refers to these aircraft as “mid-light” jets but the reality is that they will offer direct competition for mid-size and super mid-size aircraft, such as the Cessna Citation Sovereign and Bombardier Challenger 300.
Embraer will soon offer one of the industry’s most comprehensive range of business jets with seven types covering nearly every segment of the market Legacy 450 cabin
The new aircraft were first announced at the 2007 NBAA convention in Atlanta and formally launched in April, 2008 as the MLJ and MSJ — later being renamed Legacy 450 and 500. Embraer has elected to start by prototyping the Legacy 500 and, once its development is well advanced, will follow with the Legacy 450. The only difference between the models is that the Legacy 500 has two extra fuselage sections, ahead of and behind the wing, which add 4ft 6in (1.37m) to the overall length and a similarly longer cabin. In practical terms, this means one extra seat in the Legacy 500 but there are several interior options, allowing for side-facing divans to replace single seats, providing capacity for up to 12 passengers in the 500 and nine in the 450. The Legacy 500 will be priced at $19 million (at 2011 rates). The cabins of these aircraft feel very spacious with greater headroom than competitors such as the Citation XLS+ and Hawker 750 and with a flat floor rather than the dropped centre aisle, which is common in this category. The cabin, which has 6,000ft pressurisation, has been designed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA and is modern
and functional to maximise available space with Embraer’s engineers ensuring that the interior is well illuminated with seven large windows on each side. The aircraft will come equipped with Honeywell’s Ovation Select Cabin Connection Suite which can be controlled from an iPad and provides surround radio, a full high definition video system, Ethernet and voice and data connectivity through Iridium, Inmarsat or Aircell’s Go-GoBiz system. In the standard Legacy 500 configuration, with eight fully reclining and swiveling seats in two club-four groups, the seats can be berthed to provide four beds. The rear fuselage houses a large 110cu.ft. externallyaccessible baggage compartment and there is an additional 40cu.ft. of internal baggage capacity. At the front of the Legacy 500 (and optionally on the Legacy 450), positioned opposite the main entry door, will be a large “wet” galley equipped with a refrigerator, microwave and convection oven, Nespresso machine and plenty of storage while, at the back, is a fully enclosed restroom with cabin window, standard vacuum system and an optional belted seat.
54 EMEA & Asia
FC REVIEW: AIRCRAFT Both of the new Legacys are powered by Honeywell’s HTF7500E turbofans, which meet “green” targets for lower CAEP/6 emissions and Stage 4 exterior noise limits. However, the most significant technical features come in the cockpit, which is fitted with sidesticks and an autothrottle, and has fly-by-wire flight controls for the elevator, ailerons, rudder, and spoilers replacing conventional cable and control rod linkages. From the customer’s perspective, fly-by-wire (FBW) brings weight savings, improved performance and smoother flight. However, most importantly, it adds an extra layer of safety through reduced crew workload and by determining the limits at which the aircraft can be flown. During a recent FlyCorporate session in the Legacy 500 cockpit simulator, it was clear that, in extreme conditions of high stress, the crew will be unable to accidentally stall or over-rotate the aircraft. Embraer points out that the Legacy 450 and 500 are the only fly-by-wire equipped business jets priced at less than $50 million. The flight deck itself is fitted with the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion system with a four-screen display and with a Head-up Guidance System and Synthetic and Enhanced vision systems. The new Legacys are at the top of the performance bracket for this aircraft class with a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.82. The Legacy 500 can fly four passengers and two crew for
3,000 nautical miles with NBAA IFR reserves — putting London within range of New York flying eastbound. The 450 is a shorter-range aircraft at 2,300 nautical miles — which is suitable for flying from Sao Paulo to Lima, or Geneva to Jeddah. Because of the complexity of the FBW system, development of the new Legacys has slipped from the original time schedule but the first of three Legacy 500 development aircraft was rolled out on December 23, 2011 and the engines were first run on January 17, 2012. Since then, an extensive series of taxying and systems trials have taken place in preparation for a first flight in the second half of 2012. The second prototype is substantially complete and the third will follow shortly with construction of the prototype Legacy 450 already in hand. The first quarter of 2014 with first deliveries following thereafter. The Legacy 450 will fly in the second half of 2013 with first deliveries a year later. Hopefully, they will fulfil the promises of Embraer President and CEO, Frederico Fleury Curado, who said, when the aircraft were announced, “We believe these new jets will revolutionise the midsize and midlight categories, offering best-in-class features with a flat-floor stand-up cabin, premium comfort in a modern design, full fly-by-wire technology, superior performance and low operating cost”.
Certification of the 500 is targeted for the first quarter of 2014
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56 EMEA & Asia
FC REVIEW: AIRPORTS
Farnborough Airport: The gateway to 21st century business aviation
B
lending quietly into the surrounding Hampshire countryside, TAG Farnborough Airport has managed to find a voice that captivates and enchants on a global stage. Sanjay Rampal cranks up the volume to discover more.
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FC REVIEW: AIRPORTS
Although the airport is complete, the only company expected to expand its operations is GAMA Aviation
Regarded by many as a premier hub for business aviation in the UK, TAG Farnborough Airport represents a paragon of contemporary airport design where style certainly meets substance. Passengers and aircrew arriving at the airport are treated to the functional aesthetics of the wing-shaped aluminium-hewn terminal building and the two adjacent, three-bay wave-styled hangars. But aside from eye-catching architecture, how does the infrastructure cope with the unpredictable demands of unscheduled business aviation? Emphasising the airport’s unique selling point, CEO of TAG Farnborough, Brandon O’Reilly tells FlyCorporate. “We are the only private airport dedicated to business aviation, not a hybrid operation cluttered with low-cost carriers and general aviation. It represents a business centre of excellence offering a one-stop shop for passengers, operators and OEMs alike.”
Grand Design with a Purpose With 57 acres, the extensively refurbished airport has the capacity to handle 28,000 movements per year with the gradual increase to 50,000 by 2019 in accordance with local government planning rules. The airport is home to about 65 jets and 70 resident companies, of which 15 are charter operations with 1000 staff on site. Accommodation needs are also catered for by the lavish Aviator hotel, providing views beyond the runway.
Maintenance facilities, being OEM approved, are the domain of tenants TAG Engineering and Gama Aviation, collectively delivering the expertise to support all classes of airframes from Bombardier, Hawker Beechcraft, and Dassault. Adding to this comprehensive mix are the 15 full-motion flight simulators, housed by Flight Safety International at the airport for training corporate pilots. Although the airport is complete, the only company expected to expand its operations is Gama Aviation, as Farnborough has helped it to win recent new business.
Location, Location, Location Ensconced at Heathrow and with diminishing slot availability, Gama moved its Learjet fleet to Farnborough in 2002. Commenting on the move Paul Cremer, Gama Aviation’s Commercial Manager said, “Heathrow was a squeeze and the terminal at Farnborough was being redeveloped so it was an opportunity. We took the time to educate our customers on convenient access via the M3 motorway, closeness to London and the catchment areas of Sunningdale and Wentworth where a lot of high-net-worth clients live, and now they prefer it.” Cremer went on to cite good ramp access for the over-10-tonne category of jet and the airport’s absence of general aviation, as well as budget-carrier traffic being other plus points.
58 EMEA & Asia
FC REVIEW: AIRPORTS Bombardier and Embraer have long-established sales offices supporting their European customer base from the airport. Bombardier in particular opened its new regional support office (RSO) at this year’s Farnborough Airshow. With customer numbers influencing the decision, RSO manager, Marc Walker said, “We co-located with the sales team already there to work with engineers and pilots right up to visiting aircraft owners. Farnborough accounts for most of our customer movements and allows us to interact with the operators based here such as Vistajet, Acropolis Aviation and others; so the choice over Luton was clear.”
Echoing similar sentiments, TAG’s O’Reilly said, “We are operating at 2007 levels, but volumes this year are flat despite the good spike during the Olympics. The change in the mix of planes arriving has been notable with more of the larger ACJ and BBJ classes along with next large-size category in the form of Globals and larger Gulfstreams. But capacity is there when the recovery happens.”
The Farnborough Club. The close proximity to suppliers and customers has been beneficial for all. Extolling the camaraderie, Bombardier’s Walker said, “The community is a close one, especially with everyone helping each other out when issues arise.”
Aircraft Movements The recession continues to bite with charter operators at the airport soldiering through the slump. With its fleet of mobile cleaning vans dashing to the aprons and facilitating rapid turnarounds, aircraft detailing company, Avialogistics has seen volumes fall. Company general manager, Vas Karim explained: “The charter market has taken a hit but at the same time the size of plane we detail has increased.”
Farnborough is a self-contained entity, with customer service benchmarks very high. However the prestige of being located at the airport is something that all appreciate. Aware of the reputation, managing director of Jet Brokers Europe, Tim Barber, said ‘It really gives you a good feeling when you tell customers that your offices are at Farnborough. After all, the Bond movies were shot here!’
Farnborough is a self-contained entity, with customer service benchmarks being very high
DNA. It Matters. Examine each and every aspect of a Falcon and you’ll find genius at work. But what makes a Falcon a Falcon is in its genes. Lightweight strength and maneuverability, battle-tested in Mirage and Rafale jet fighters. Unrivalled credentials for engineering excellence and technological innovation. And generation after generation of business aircraft that consistently prove best in class for performance and efficiency. And for pure genius.
Find out why. Scan the code. Or visit falconjet.com/dna
Bizav User: Erin Chappel
61
FC REVIEW: USER PROFILE
A
fter 18 years of turning left on entering an aircraft, Erin Chappel now turns right and heads directly to the cabin, leaving the cockpit to someone else as she pursues her new career as an author. Diana Albiol catches up with her as she takes delivery of a new Phenom 100.
With 5,500 flight hours behind her and four type ratings to her name, Erin has flown Falcon 2000s, Falcon 50s, Lear 35/55s and Lear 60s throughout her long career as a corporate pilot. But her love of aviation started long before she took to the skies. “At school I took an aptitude test and one of the suggested careers was piloting. I knew instantly it was what I wanted to do,” Erin tells FlyCorporate. “I always had a great interest in maths and sciences but I had no idea what I wanted to do before taking the test.” On leaving school Erin opted to take the flight/science-based programme with a focus on meteorology at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach, FL. After four years she gained a degree in aeronautical science and went on to teach flying and simulation training at the university for a further three years. To gain more experience, Erin returned to her hometown of Chicago to take up a position as part of a medical charter team, responsible for transporting organs to various destinations across the US. It was during her role as a corporate pilot for Kimberly Clarke’s Skyway commuter service that she gained valuable experience. “This was an interesting period, flying Beech 1900D Model aircraft, which reached a maximum of 25,000ft. During Chicago’s winters, let’s just say this is where I learned my radar skills...”
“At school I took an aptitude test and one of the suggested careers was piloting”
“The decision to transition into the light jet area was purely a function of time”
From there Erin went on to fly a Learjet 55 for Waste Management in Chicago – where she was the first-ever female pilot at the company. “This was a great time in my career,” she remembers, “They were very supportive given that this was in the early 90’s and very ‘old school’.” When Erin joined Sears Roebuck’s corporate aviation team in 1999 she gained her stripes as a captain and flew Falcon 50s and 2000s. “Over time the company downsized to LearJet 60, as they thought that that was a more economical image to present so I also flew this for some time,” she adds. But when recession hit, and Sears started selling off its companies, it was time once again for Erin to move on. “It was a very unstable job market for pilots. You hoped to hold on to the best jobs but with a public image the first thing to go is the company jet,” explains Erin. “My last job in aviation was flying a Falcon 2000 for a private client. Then my personal circumstances changed and I decided to leave aviation for a while.” Erin had already grown accustomed to travelling in the cabin of a private aircraft, as she would frequently join her husband on business trips across Europe and the US,
onboard his company’s Citation X aircraft. Married to a senior executive of one of the leading energy companies, Erin found her role of corporate spouse needed more of her time and attention and her flying career was put on hold. “Things happen for a reason and after flying all those years I knew at some point that I would have a second career, but it happened a little earlier than expected.” Her life as a pilot has led her neatly onto her new career as an author. Erin kept regular journals of her work, collecting stories, documenting various events and destinations she visited. At the end of her career she had amassed 20 detailed journals of her flying days and these are what continue to fuel her writing today. With two novels already completed, both influenced by her experiences and encounters in corporate aviation, she is about to embark on a third novel. “My journals had a dual purpose. They helped me to vent or make sense of the stuff I encountered as a female pilot and to also document some of the cool places I visited and people I met. This is where my writing passion comes from and, whilst my books are fiction, I have based a lot of the ideas on my aviation journals.”
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FC REVIEW: USER PROFILE But business aviation is playing an even bigger role in Erin’s new career now as she recently took delivery of a Phenom 100. With seminars and meetings across the states and future book signings, the new aircraft is, as Erin says, a much needed business tool. After having a Lanceair for 7 years, which Erin and her husband built together, she decided it was time to invest in an aircraft that would serve her requirements for regional travel. “The decision to transition into the light-jet area was purely a function of time. The invaluable hours we were sacrificing driving back and forth to busy airports, in security lines, lengthy check-in requirements, and traffic delays. The flexibility and convenience of the Phenom allows us to be able to work a full day and then still get out of town for the weekend. I wanted to have time on the plane to create and not waste hours at the airport.” explains Erin. Having originally fallen in love with the Honda Jet, together with her husband, Erin set about searching for the ideal aircraft. “I did not want another single-engine aircraft and we looked hard at the light-jet market, from the Honda Jet to the CJ1. We looked at King Airs too because it was about range and speed for us.”
Finally, through the Kansas-based company Executive Air Share, Erin invested in a quarter share of a Phenom 100. “When we met with this company we spent a lot of time discussing our requirements and what our mission was, which for me was to be able to visit as many cities as possible in one day and the Phenom was clearly an excellent business tool going forward,” adds Erin. “The Phenom has a great balance of range (1178nm/2182km four passengers NBAA reserves), speed (449mph/722kph/390ktas), altitude capability (41000 ft.), price/operating costs, and comfort. In some cases, such as the King Air C90, the Phenom’s cabin is six inches wider, one inch taller, faster and has the same or slightly less operating costs. Another selling point we considered was that Embraer also offers a 300 version that has the same cabin cross section, lay-flat seats, can carry seven passengers for 1978nm (NBAA IFR range) and is 70 knots faster than its younger brother the 100,” explains Erin. But there was another thought behind this buying process and one that leads Erin back into the cockpit. “I thought I would never fly again but I recently starting getting the urge to get back behind the controls. All my ratings are still valid and when we were buying the Phenom, my husband and I said that one day we would both qualify to fly the P100. Only this time, if I flew, it would be on my terms and not on call for someone else.”
To read more about Erin’s novels visit her blog and website: www.elchappel.com
Priorities: Passenger vs Pilot Erin’s list of priorities when she’s a passenger and when she’s in the cockpit: Passenger
vs
Pilot
Head room Spacious feel Sleek, modern interior design Fully articulating seats Flat aisle and floor Lavatory with a door Large windows Power plugs for my iDevices DVD/cabin entertainment system Satellite phone Minimal fuel stops Get to destination fast Smooth rides Affordable price/operating costs Quiet cabin In flight snacks
vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs vs
Head-up display As many gadgets as space will allow Five-point harness and adjustable sun visors A seat that locks in place Plenty of closet space to store pilot “stuff” Just a lav in general Newest-generation collision avoidance system APU that can be used as a back-up generator Fully integrated flight management system AviNet Global Data Network As much fuel as possible A superpower ring that shifts all upper level flows to tailwinds Ability to climb to at least FL 410. (41,000 ft) Job security Noise-cancelling headsets Fig Newtons, coffee and Beeman’s gum
FC REVIEW: BIZAPPS
The launch of the iPad has totally changed the way we work and communicate. It provides a new platform for business applications and information sharing. FlyCorporate looks at some of the latest apps designed for the bizav market.
Name of App Target User What it does
Cost
Name of App Target User What it does
Cost
Name of App Target User What it does
Cost
FltPlan Flight crews A companion tool to the fltplan. com website, this app allows you to download routes, approach charts, navigation logs and weather info. No internet connection required. Free
Name of App Target User What it does
Cost
PilotFAR/AIM Pilots This aviation reference app gives fully offline access to FAA regulations on a per-update basis or automatic subscription. Full search functionality. Free
Name of App Target User What it does
FlightRadar24 Free Crew/passengers This free version of the popular flight-tracking app turns your iPhone/iPad into an air traffic radar so you can see airplane traffic around the world in real time. Covers 95% of Europe. Free
Name of App Target User What it does
Cost
Cost
Aviation Weather – NOAA/NWS Pilots Companion app to the mobile site aviationweather. gov. Weather graphics, radar, satellite, METARs/TAFs/PIREPs and more. Ability to search multiple stations at once. Free
Aviation Exam Test Prep Pilots This comprehensive app will help prepare you for your JAA/EASEFCL and FAA knowledge exams. Unlimited number of tests; detailed stats and reports. Free app based on subscription
FlightKit Pilots All-in-one GA tool that includes VFR sectional and TAC charts with overlays for airport/navaid info, route planning and airspace. Charts cached locally for offline use. Free with free 15-day subscription
#bizapps
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Landings:
Miami FC’s trip planning tool for executives
W
hen you think of Miami, you typically think of the nightlife: the Caribbean beats, the pastels and miles of picturesque beaches. But there’s a lot more to this city, home to more than 5 million people and America’s seventh-largest metropolis. For starters, with many who want to take advantage of Miami’s temperate year-round climate, there are a lot of seasonal residents who rely on private aviation for their visits. You may also be surprised to hear that Miami is a younger city than you may have thought, with just 14% of Miami-Dade County residents over age 65, according to the US Census Bureau.
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FC REVIEW: LANDINGS
AIRPORTS Homestead General Aviation miami-airport.com/homestead.asp Situated about three miles northwest of the City of Homestead, Homestead General offers quick and easy access with no landing fees. Providing self-service Jet-A and 100LL fuel, Homestead General is the last refueling stop before the Florida Keys and points south. The airport serves all aspects of the general aviation community from business aircraft to skydiving and gliding.
Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport miami-airport.com/kendall_tamiami.asp KTMB is about 15 minutes from the business centres of south Miami-Dade, with close access to the Florida Keys, Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. The airport provides modern, efficient and professionally staffed FBO facilities, serving primarily business, recreational and private flights, as a reliever to Miami International Airport (MIA).
Miami International Airport General Aviation Center miami-airport.com/mia_airport.asp Miami International Airport’s General Aviation Center offers services to private flights every day of the year, 24/7. Services are limited to telephones, restrooms, information and a roomy public lounge with a vending area. Use of a transponder, clearance to go into and out of the FAA tower-controlled area and training operations are prohibited at the GA Center.
Boca Raton Airport bocaairport.com Located in the resort city of Boca Raton, Florida, the airport is halfway between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale and about 45 miles from Miami. It’s another alternative if you need to do business north of Miami or in Fort Lauderdale.
Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport miami-airport.com/dade_collier.asp About 40 miles west of Miami, the Dade-Collier airport is near the Collier and Miami-Dade County border and relatively isolated within the Florida Everglades. There is one runway of 10,499ft in length and the airport’s primary purpose is as a precision-instrument landing and training facility. Landing is on a prior permission requested basis with user fees for all aircraft over 12,500 pounds.
Opa-locka Executive Airport miami-airport.com/opalocka.asp Opa-locka Executive (OPF) is located 7 miles north of Miami International Airport and 12 miles northwest of central Miami. OPF, the largest of Miami-Dade County’s five General Aviation Airports, has an operating staff of 7, is open 24/7 and has no landing fees. The airport offers full FBO services, a wide range of aircraft repair and maintenance services, including airframe, powerplant and avionics repair.
Fort Lauderdale Hollywood Airport fortlauderdale.gov/fxe Just 25 miles from downtown Miami, FXE represents another alternative, particularly if you’re doing business north of Miami. Fast and convenient, FXE has 24-hour FAA air traffic control, as well as hotel, conference and restaurant facilities on the grounds or within one mile.
FBO Facilities Signature Flight Support signatureflight.com This FBO facility features a 17,000sq ft terminal and 75,000sq ft of hangar space. Aircraft airframe and engine maintenance, avionics, inspections and AOG support are also offered onsite. Other features include private meeting facilities, pilots’ lounge, wireless Internet, teleconferencing facilities, flight planning, private showers, fuel farm, gourmet catering, concierge service, limo service, onsite car rental and courtesy transport.
Homestead Executive Jet Center homesteadexecutivejetcenter.com The Homestead Executive Jet Center at Homestead General Airport offers the standard amenities 7 days per week from 7am-7pm. In addition, catering is available, as is Limo service with advance notice; numerous hotels nearby provide easily accessible lodging.
Landmark Aviation landmarkaviation.com At Kendall-Tamiami (TMB) and at Miami’s GAC, Landmark provides a wireless-equipped lounge, pilot’s lounge, work stations with Internet, a flight planning room, theater, fitness center, hangar and other amenities. Gourmet catering is available at both airports.
Miami Executive Aviation miamiexecutive.com Miami Executive Aviation serves Opal Locka Executive Airport and offers facilities ranging from a weather briefing room to satellite TV to a hangar and office space.
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FC REVIEW: LANDINGS
Connections The Greater Miami area is well served by numerous executive transfer services, including limousine service, helicopter and seaplane transfers. All airports offer a range of transfer services and most recommend booking in advance to shorten wait times. Like many big American cities, Miami has a traffic crunch. Try to avoid the morning and after-work commuting times on the road. The morning rush is heading south toward Miami and the after-work rush is northbound. Consider also flying into one of the smaller airports on the edge of Miami or in Fort Lauderdale or Boca Raton.
HOTELS The Villa By Barton G.
Delano delano-hotel.com Originally built in 1947, Delano is often credited as a key contributor to South Beach’s rebirth. Located in the heart of South Beach and situated directly on the ocean, Delano is the ultimate urban destination hotel. The hotel’s indoor/outdoor lobby blurs traditional lines, hosting a communal sushi bar. Delano’s back lawn is filled with indoor furniture, including the pool which pipes in underwater classical music. The hotel features a stunning international collection of furniture and objects, including works from such renowned artists as Antonio Gaudi, Man Ray, Charles and Ray Eames, Salvador Dali and Mark Newson. Complimentary wireless Internet access for every hotel guest and meeting/events space allow you to work amidst this stunning environment – if you must.
Standard Hotel standardhotels.com/spa-miami-beach Opened in 2005 by hotel guru, Andre Balazs (who won’t divulge how much he invested in the hotel), the world-class Standard Spa Miami Beach hotel, is situated on the Venetian Causeway in Miami Beach. The prime location provides not only stunning views back to Miami Beach but also a sanctuary from the fast-paced beach party lifestyle. The hotel features outdoor yoga lawns, garden fire lounge, a waterfall hot tub, huge sound pool (also featuring underwater music), an arctic plunge, treatment rooms, mud lounge, sunset waterfront yoga, outdoor showers, a full array of spa treatments and much more. It has been named among the best hotel spas in the Americas and the Caribbean by Condé Nast Traveller.
thevillabybartong.com The Villa By Barton G., located along Ocean Drive, is a boutique luxury hotel, restaurant and event space in the former Versace Mansion. Hotel guests enjoy personal butler service, custom-designed Frette linens, and the latest in technology, including e-readers and free Wi-Fi. The restaurant serves acclaimed continental cuisine inside the pebblemosaic dining room and al fresco dining beside the famous Thousand Mosaic Pool. Hotel guests enjoy exclusive access to the mansion’s upper floors and two private lounges.
Sagamore Hotel sagamorehotel.com Sagamore, the 93-room allsuite hotel, features a stunning contemporary art collection, with provocative pieces spread throughout the hotel’s public spaces and guestrooms. Officially known as The Art Hotel, the Sagamore is situated within Miami’s Art Deco Historic District. Choose from one of 93 suites, two-story bungalows or penthouse rooms, right in the heart of South Beach. Luxurious suites boast fabulous views of city and sea, and feature mini-kitchenettes, Modernist furniture and oversized whirlpool tubs.
THE MIDDLE EAST’S PREMIER BUSINESS AVIATION EVENT
11-13 DECEMBER 2012 DUBAI WORLD CENTRAL, UAE
MEBA 2012
WHERE BUSINESS SHINES NEW FOCUS AREAS @MEBA 2012 VIP Interiors, Business Airports and VIP Helicopters Meet the team at EBACE or visit www.meba.aero to find out more
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FC REVIEW: LANDINGS
RESTAURANTS Milos Miami milos.ca Miami is an ideal town to splurge on a great seafood meal and you won’t do much better than Milos, the South Beach version of a seafood specialist with locations in NYC and Montreal. Having opened earlier this year, Milos serves simple, old-fashioned Greek-style seafood dishes, with ingredients sent from Europe, Africa and the Americas by overnight delivery. Seasoned and prepared simply, relying heavily on Mediterranean staples – olive oil, parsley, salt, lemon – the emphasis is on the freshness of the fish and seafood.
Milos Miami
Versailles
Bourbon Steak
versaillesrestaurant.com You’re in Miami so you should at least contemplate a meal at what many consider to be Miami’s most authentic Cuban restaurant. It’s not fancy, but this glorified diner is replete with chandeliers, murals, mirrors and enough sparkling glass to remind you of the Sun King’s eponymous Parisian chateau. Sample traditional, straightforward Cuban specialties like black beans and rice, ropa vieja (a shredded beef stew) and whole fried fish. Offers late-night dinner hours.
michaelmina.net/restaurants More interested in turf than surf? Celebrity Chef Michael Mina’s Bourbon Steak in Turnberry Isle Hotel & Resort is a classic steakhouse, with a localised menu featuring prime cuts of all-natural, organic, hormone-free beef and fresh seafood. Following his unique culinary approach, prior to grilling, meats are poached to tenderness using special methods – red meats in butter, lamb in olive oil and pork in bacon fat. The bar menu includes classic American cocktails with fresh-squeezed juices and house-made bitters and syrups. The wine menu boasts more than 500 selections from the top American producers as well as the best from France, Spain and Italy.
Hakkasan fontainebleau.com/web/dining Frommer’s travel guide named this restaurant in the Fontainebleau hotel the sexiest in Miami, presumably thanks to its exotic, authentic Asian vibe. Custom silk light fixtures, quality teak and walnut woodwork and dimmed lighting will make you feel equally opulent. You’ll appreciate their good service as well as tea-smoked ribs, dumplings in a seafood batter and claypot lamb. They also offer wine flights and private group dining.
Prime One Twelve Prime112.com How does a trendy, celebrity-frequented restaurant manage to increase business and profits in the midst of a recession? At South Beach’s Prime One Twelve, the answer might simply be – it’s in the beef. The busy bar, where you can enjoy dried bacon strips in lieu of nuts, is a “see and be seen” venue. Mouthwatering mainstays include a 12-ounce filet mignon, a massive 48-ounce porterhouse or a 22-ounce bone-in-ribeye. They also serve a $20 Kobe-beef hot dog, $20 Kobe-beef sliders and a $30 Kobe burger. Fancy fries? They will set you back $10. Sauces range from truffle to foie gras to chipotle. Just book your reservations well in advance.
Miami is an ideal city to splurge on a great seafood meal
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FC REVIEW: LANDINGS
BARS There is no shortage of nightlife in this warm-hearted beach city that gets little sleep. If dancing is on the agenda, check out Bongo’s Cuban Café, owned by Gloria Estefan. An authentic Cuban menu, minty mojitos and live salsa bands on the terrace will have you living la vida loca. Want to impress a potential business prospect? Stop by The Bank, an 8,000sq ft former – you guessed
it – bank that graces the National Registry of Historic Places. This modern speakeasy allows you to imbibe in style – inside an actual vault, while being pampered by the club’s valet service and bar staff. If grapes are more your thing, peruse the wine list at W Wine Bistro, which will make you think you took a wrong turn from Florida and ended up in Bordeaux.
Conference facilities Delano
Epic Hotel
delano-hotel.com This meetings and events destination can host groups of up to 150 people, with executive boardrooms, Internet access, a full-service business centre, state-of-the-art audio-visual and telecommunications equipment for hire. Multiple customisable rooms can be tailored for your needs and the hotel’s world-class foodservice staff can cater to your attendees’ palates.
epichotel.com Epic Hotel, a Kimpton Hotel situated where the Miami River meets Biscayne Bay, offers the kind of meeting space that helps create meetings of lasting impression. From the gorgeous meeting rooms on the 14th-floor to the 16th-floor pool deck with stunning views to the lawn, Epic offers more than 25,000sq ft of meeting space in eight flexible meeting rooms. They can accommodate up to 300 seated guests or 400 for a reception.
Hyatt Regency Miami miamiregency.hyatt.com With more than 100,000sq ft of recently updated meeting and event space connected to Miami Convention Center, Hyatt Regency Miami is a good alternative for meetings of all sizes. Whether you’re hosting an intimate gathering for VIP executives or a company conference with 1,000 attendees, their meeting planners will customise an event and space for your needs.
TRIP TIP Looking for something to do in Miami? It isn’t all nightlife, dancing and partying until the wee hours. Miami is also a haven for sports fans, with world-class golf and tennis venues, as well as plenty of beach and water sports. Miami was included in Travel & Leisure’s “10 Best City Beaches in the World” list in 2012, with convenient access to beach volleyball, boardwalks, beach yoga and in-line skating to jet-skiing, parasailing, diving, fishing and boating – all amidst one of America’s coolest urban backdrops. Fishermen may want to visit Bill Bird Marina at Haulover Park, home to the largest charter/drift fishing fleet in South Florida. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Intracoastal Waterway in Sunny Isles Beach, the 180-acre (73 hectares) Haulover Park also houses a popular kite rental concession, bicycle rentals, a 9-hole golf course and tennis courts, with an underground walkway leading directly to world-renowned Haulover Beach.
signatureflight.com
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DISTRIBUTION POINTS
FlyCorporate Distribution FlyCorporate EMEA & Asia reaches the key decision makers of successful international corporations, from chief pilots through to the boardroom. FlyCorporate EMEA & Asia has a print run of 10,000 issues including a current controlled circulation of 9,230 individual subscribers. Our subscription is independently audited by BPA Worldwide to ensure that every single copy is delivered to a genuine subscriber. In addition to this, FlyCorporate EMEA & Asia is proud to have a global distribution partner network which delivers copies directly to customers in FBO lounges and onboard aircraft. FlyCorporate EMEA & Asia is also present at key industry events throughout the year, including: • • • • •
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...FOR THE JOURNEY Three cabin spaces and incredible range. Powered by Rolls-Royce engines, you can fly from London to New York or Dubai to Johannesburg in total comfort. The largest living space in its class divided into three separate areas allows you to work or rest. And with the largest baggage compartment in its class, you can carry everything you need to do more. Find out more about the Legacy 650 and our six other exceptional models at EmbraerExecutiveJets.com Latin America +55 12 3927 3399, U.S., Canada and Caribbean +1 954 359 5387, Europe, Middle East and Africa +44 1252 379 270, China +86 10 6598 9988, Asia Pacific +65 6734 4321