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PARTNER 02
PARTNER 04
PARTNER 05
PARTNER 01
PARTNER 06
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Niall Olver page 72
Contents 6
Masthead
8
Reference Index
10 Memo 12 In Brief 16 Ask an Expert On 30 March, 2008, the EU/US Open Skies Plus Agreement came into force. Bart Boury explains its impact on business aviation.
22 Setting Up a Corporate Flight Department Stay away from these seven deadly sins and establishing a corporate flight department need not be hellish.
26 What to Expect from EBACE 2008 The best way to know what is going to happen at EBACE is to ask the people who are making it happen. Tim Kern talks to the show’s organisers.
28 Business Aviation in Europe: Flying High 18 Corporate Air Shuttles Dan Smith looks at the reasons why companies choose to operate corporate air shuttles and at the aircraft they use.
Cessna Citation Columbus page 49
The EBAA’s President Brian Humphries sits down with the association’s newly appointed CEO, Eric Mandemaker, to discuss the state of business aviation in Europe.
*Cover: Embraer MLJ Interior
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42 Top Business Aircraft in Europe FlyCorporate has reviewed the total number of registered fixed wing and rotary aircraft in Europe to determine which models are most popular and in which countries.
58 London Calling London’s business charter operators are finding it difficult to get landing slots. PremiAir Aviation is attempting to find a solution.
62 Bizjets Built in Brazil 49 Columbus’ Crew Sees Nothing But Smooth Sailing Ahead The new Citation Columbus is Cessna’s latest enticement to keep its customers in the family.
52 Doug Jaffe: Man on a Mission Early investor in Sino Swearingen’s SJ30 jet proves a point; pushing his new plane to the max.
The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer has been in operation for forty years and has become a major player in the market for business aircraft.
68 Lufthansa Private Jets Takes Off With Own Fleet
72 Niall Olver: On the Move Find out how Niall Olver, CEO of both ExecuJet Aviation Group and Grob Aerospace, uses business jets to help him balance two jobs.
74 Landings: Belgium Executives travelling to the heart of Europe have the advantage of being able to choose between Antwerp, Brussels, Kortrijk and Liège airports.
82 On the Horizon
German flag carrier Lufthansa has announced it will establish its own private jet fleet to accommodate surging demand.
55 A Pocket Rocket from Texas Why is the SJ30 so exceptional and why can it do what others in its class cannot?
Air Partner’s new FBO page 31
6 MAGAZINE
FlyCorporate Europe Magazine www.fly-corporate.com
Taunya Renson-Martin Editorial and Publishing Director Taunya.Renson@fly-corporate.com
Dan Smith Managing Editor Dan.Smith@fly-corporate.com
Mike Vlieghe Online Editor & Layout Mike.Vlieghe@fly-corporate.com
Anke Ruysschaert Production Manager Anke.Ruysschaert@fly-corporate.com
Robyn Boyle Account Manager Robyn.Boyle@fly-corporate.com
Stijn Anseel Art Director
Lowie Ysebie Web Developer
FlyCorporate Senior Writers Jeff Apter Jack Carroll Tim Kern Liz Moscrop Rod Simpson
FlyCorporate Contributors David Macdonald Robert Tissing Praveen Vetrivel David Wyndham Bart Boury
.Mach Media www.machmedia.be
Luc Osselaer
Taunya Renson-Martin
Chairman
Managing Director
Jay Whitehead
Maira Palomino
Advisor, US Office
Office Manager
FlyCorporate Magazine is published by .Mach Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. BPA Worldwide Business Publication Audit Membership Applied for December 2007. Three issues will be published in 2008 and are free for subscribers at www.fly-corporate.com. Subscribers: If the postal services alert 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 writer’s full name, address and email coordinates, may be edited for purposes of clarity or space, and should be addressed to editor@fly-corporate.com or to: .Mach Media, Technologiepark 3, Zwijnaarde-Gent, B-9052, Belgium. Customer Service and Subscriptions: To receive our free FlyCorporate Magazine Europe, our weekly newsfeeds and/or our regular newsletter, please subscribe online at www.fly-corporate.com.
Please recycle this magazine when you are finished. Thank you.
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8 MAGAZINE
Reference Index Abelag
EBACE
Lufthansa Private Jet
www.abelag.com
www.ebace.aero
www.lufthansa-private-jet.com
Agusta
European Business Aviation Association
www.lufthansa-technik.com
www.Agustawestland.com
Lufthansa Technik
www.ebaa.org
Airbus www.airbus.com
Eclipse Aviation
National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)
www.eclipseaviation.com
www.nbaa.org
Air Partner www.airpartner.com
Elite Jets
NetJets
www.elite-jets.com
www.netjets.com
Amstat www.amstat.org
Embraer Executive Jets
One Charter
www.embraerexecutivejets.com
www.onecharter.co.uk
Aviaxess www.aviaxess.com
Eurocontrol
Pilatus Aircraft
www.eurocontrol.int
www.pilatus-aircraft.com
Avinode www.avinode.com
Eurocopter
Piper Aircraft
www.eurocopter.com
www.newpiper.com
BAE Systems www.BAEsystems.com
Execujet
Pratt & Whitney
www.execujet.net
www.pratt-whitney.com
Bell Helicopters www.bellhelicopter.textron.com
Flying Group
PremiAir
www.flyinggroup.aero
www.premiair.co.uk
Boeing Business Jets www.boeing.com
Grob Aerospace
Privatair
www.grob-aerospace.net
www.privatair.com
Bombardier Aerospace www.bombardier.com
Gulfstream
Rockwell Collins
www.gulfstream.com
www.rockwellcollins.com
Cessna Aircraft Co. www.cessna.com
HNA Group
Rolls Royce
www.hnagroup.com
www.rolls-royce.com
Comlux Aviation www.comluxaviation.com
Hawker BeechCraft Corporation
Safety Standdown
www.hawkerbeechcraft.com
www.safetystanddown.com
Honda Aircraft
Signature Flight Support
hondajet.honda.com
www.signatureflight.com
Conklin & de Decker www.conklindd.com
D&D Travel www.ddreizen.be
Honeywell
Sikorsky
www.honeywell.com
www.sikorsky.com
Dassault Aviation www.dassault-aviation.com
Jet Aviation
Sino Swearingen
www.jetaviation.com
www.swearingen.com
Deer Jet www.deerjet.com
Jet Sales
Snecma
www.jetsales.com
www.snecma.com
Dubai Airshow www.dubaiairshow.org
London Executive Aviation
VIPPORT
www.flylea.com
www.vipport.ru/en
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Maintenance l Avionics l Engineering l Completions & Refurbishment Painting l FBO l Flight Support l Aircraft Management l Charter l Sales
10 MAGAZINE
Bizjets Built in Brazil
Memo
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A great deal of research went into making the Legacy cabin attractive and functional
We knew we were on to something: “Having subscribed a while back to FlyCorporate newsfeed and newsletter I have now had the chance to take a look at your magazine. (It is) an interesting collection of articles and somewhat different to the norm, so you may have found a useful niche in what is becoming quite a crowded market.” “I had a chance to take a look at your launch issue of FlyCorporate Magazine and it looks terrific. So congratulations on its debut. I thought the variety of topics you presented, and the very clear ‘non- jargon’ writing make it a pleasant read.” “Congratulations on a very fine production. It is informative and classy at the same time - which is a hard trick to pull off.” “I have recently started to read your magazine and have found it very interesting and helpful.” “All my compliments, very good website and a great magazine!” “I thought the winter edition of FlyCorporate was great. I enjoyed reading it.” “Congrats for the overall quality of your outlet.”
page 62
These are just a few of the comments we’ve been receiving about FlyCorporate since the launch of the print edition in January. Additionally traffic on www.fly-corporate.com continues to climb as others like you discover our array of news, articles, video editorial and tools to help them make informed decisions about business aircraft use. This Spring/Summer edition of FC is no exception. We take a look at three concepts now entering into development: Cessna’s large-cabin Columbus (Columbus Crew Sees Nothing But Smooth Sailing Ahead, p.49) and Embraer’s Mid-Size Jet (MSJ) and Mid-Light Jet (MLJ), which just got the go-ahead in April (Bizjets Built in Brazil, p.62). We also take you to the heart of European Business Aviation with an exclusive conversation between the President and CEO of the European Business Aviation Association (Business Aviation in Europe: Flying High, p.28) and we offer a preview of what’s to be expected at EBACE, Europe’s most important business aviation conference, scheduled for 20-22 May in Geneva. For those following the corporate helicopter scene, we suggest you skip on over to page 58, London Calling, to learn more about the big changes expected at Battersea in the UK. Planning a trip to Belgium has just gotten easier with our helpful Landings: Belgium (p.74) feature, which includes info and tips for flying in to do business in all corners of the country. We are glad that so many of you are enjoying FlyCorporate in all its formats. Keep emailing us with your questions about the business aircraft models you’re interested in and the charter opportunities available to you. With FlyCorporate in your corner, consider yourself well connected.
Taunya Renson-Martin Editorial and Publishing Director
11
12 MAGAZINE
In Brief First Phenom 300 Takes Flight
SMS Toolkit to Assist Operators
The Embraer Phenom 300 light jet made a successful maiden flight in April from the Brazilian manufacturer’s Gavião Peixoto test runway. Over the next few months, the first Phenom 300, serial number 99801, will participate in the flight test campaign along with three additional Phenom 300 jets. The 300 is expected to enter service in the second half of 2009.
A conglomerate of international business aviation associations has developed a new programme to help operators implement Safety Management Systems (SMS). The new Tool Kit will be of immediate interest to commercial fixed-wing and rotary-wing operators, the first sectors to be affected by the new regulatory requirements.
People Are Talking About… “The trend of widespread global growth that has lead to three years of record sales started a couple of years ago when markets such as Europe, Russia, Brazil and the Asia-Pacific countries entered a very rapid expansion phase,” said Chairman and CEO, Charles Edelstenne at Dassault’s annual analyst conference.
The SMS Tool Kit (SMS TK) builds on the industry’s “code of practice”; the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) introduced in 2002, and will assist both non-commercial and commercial operators.
Following a schedule similar to that used for the Phenom 100, three Phenom 300 jets will spend approximately 1,400 hours in the certification programme. A fourth aircraft will be dedicated to the maturity campaign. The tests to be conducted with the 99801 aircraft will focus on performance and defining the aerodynamic configuration. Other tests, such as those dealing with systems function and reliability, vibrations on the ground, flying qualities, flutter, water spray, single-point refuelling system, and so on, will be shared by the first three test aircraft.
Flight departments implementing the gold standard IS-BAO programme will find the SMS TK a valuable aid to optimise the safety benefits. Commercial on-demand charter operators facing new regulatory requirements will find that the Kit provides a step-by-step programme for implementing the new safety provision.
The Tool Kit is scheduled to be available to operators in October 2008.
Charles Edelstenne
“Those markets continue to grow along with India and the Middle East. Dassault’s sales balance is moving towards those and other countries, from markets that have traditionally been the strongest like the United States.”
Safety First
On May 19, Bombardier’s renowned safety seminar – Safety Standdown – returns to Geneva. The full-day seminar focuses on the importance of recognising the factors that can lead to human error. The event is offered free-of-charge to all flight departments, regardless of the type of aircraft they operate or where they are located.
13
Cost Evaluator Calculator
LEA Calls Mustang a Hit
Conklin & de Decker has released its 2008 Volume I Aircraft Cost Evaluator software which can be used to compare operating costs for more than 460 business aircraft models. The ACE database covers hundreds of jets, turboprops, helicopters and piston aircraft. Sixteen new aircraft have been added to the 2008 release including the new Embraer Phenom 100, 300 and Lineage 1000 aircraft along with the Pilatus PC-12 Next Generation and the Sierra Industry modified Cessna Citations I and II.
London Executive Aviation (LEA) is calling its Cessna Citation Mustang – the first on the UK charter market - an immediate success with customers. G-LEAI, which began operations in midFebruary 2008, is the first of ten Mustangs to join the LEA fleet. The company credits the Mustang’s low acquisition and operating cost for enabling it to reduce its entry price for jet chartering by up to 30%.
With ACE, users can compare up to three aircraft side-by-side, edit nearly two dozen variables, change currencies, and change measurement units. A query function allows the user to narrow the selection to show only those aircraft that meet specific performance criteria.
Jet Aviation and Deer Air at Beijing’s Capital International Airport Jet Aviation and Beijing-based Deer Air, a subsidiary of HNA Group, have signed a joint venture agreement under which the two companies will operate a FBO and line-maintenance facility at Beijing’s Capital International Airport. Handling and limited line maintenance services will be ready in time for the Olympic Games which will be held in Beijing from 8 to 24 August 2008. Construction of a 3,300 m2 (35,500 sq ft) state-of-the-art FBO building has already started, and is expected to be operational for the Olympic Games. The hangar facilities of 6,000 m2 (64,500
To date, G-LEAI has accumulated over 150 revenue generating hours, flying mainly to continental destinations, with an average stage length of 400 miles (644 km). LEA’s next two Mustangs will enter charter service in early May 2008, with a further two joining the fleet around the end of that month. Five more Mustangs will enter charter service with LEA between June 2008 and mid 2009.
sq ft) will be completed by early 2009. The new three-storey FBO will offer passenger and crew lounges, refreshment areas, weather briefing and flight planning accommodations, meeting rooms and client offices. In-house 24/7 border police and customs clearance, security checks, baggage screening and metal detection capabilities will allow for fast, secure passenger and baggage handling. Situated just 25 km north of the city, Beijing Capital International Airport is a gateway to the capital of China. Corporate and private aircraft movements at Beijing Capital International Airport have annual growth rates of close to 30%.
Says George Galanopoulos, LEA’s Managing Director: “We expected a slower take-up for the Mustang, as it is a completely new type on the charter market. However, customers clearly love it and are entirely comfortable with the more compact cabin, which many have said feels more spacious than expected,” he says. “The Mustang is ideal for customers who travel in small numbers and want to upgrade from a turbo-prop without paying a premium. It is also proving attractive to existing jet customers, who may not always need the extra capacity and cabin space of traditional entry-level jets.”
Deer Air is headquartered in Beijing and played a pioneering role in developing business aviation services in China. Today, it operates the largest business jet fleet in China, including Hawker 800 XP, Gulfstream 200 and G-IV aircraft.
In front from left to right: Marlon Chen, Reach Investment, Liu Zhiqiang, Chairman of Deer Jet and Peter Edwards, CEO Jet Aviation Group shake hands after the signing ceremony. Behind 2nd from left: Wang Jian, Vice Chairman and CEO of HNA Group
14 MAGAZINE
ACJ Owners Awarded
Rolls-Royce Revving Up
First Production XLS+
During the annual Airbus Corporate Jetliner forum held in Paris in April, the manufacturer updated customers and operators on the company’s private jets. The forum attracted more than 100 delegates and also provided an opportunity for Airbus to recognise three of its operators by presenting them with awards.
Rolls-Royce has successfully completed the first run of its BR725 engine – set to power the new Gulfstream G650 - at its facility in Dahlewitz, Germany.
Cessna Aircraft Company has celebrated the roll-out of the first production Citation XLS+ at the company’s primary design and manufacturing facilities in Wichita.
“The engine powered up first time and attained 80% of its full thrust rating. It is demonstrating full functionality and is performing in line with targets set in the early stages of the programme two years ago,” said Dr Rainer Hönig, Project Director - BR725 and Future Programmes, Corporate & Regional Engines, Rolls-Royce.
The XLS+ is the latest version of the Citation Excel. The first production unit now will go to paint and interiors, while two flight test aircraft continue to work toward type-certification. Federal Aviation Administration certification is expected by mid-year, with deliveries starting before the end of 2008.
Richard Gaona
Comlux Aviation received an award for its “leadership in putting the first Airbus A318 Elite into service, and its role in developing the aircraft into a successful new member of the Airbus Corporate Jetliner Family.” The award was accepted by Richard Gaona, the new head of the Comlux Group, formerly Vice President of Airbus Executive and Private Aviation. Ruler’s Flight of Sharjah was recognised for being the longest continuous operator of an Airbus Corporate Jetliner, and for the key role that it played in putting the aircraft into service. Skytraders was acknowledged for pioneering the first flights to the Antarctic by any airliner, the first landings on an ice-runway by any Airbus aircraft, and the first operations on the continent by an Airbus Corporate Jetliner.
Jet Aviation Joins Elite Jet Aviation and Dubai-based Elite Jets, a private jet operator established in 2004, recently signed a partnership agreement under which the two companies will work together to provide aircraft management and charter services in the Middle East.
Compared with its predecessor, the BR710, the BR725 is more powerful and more than 4 dB cumulative quieter. It has 4% better specific fuel consumption and shows 21% improvement in NOx emissions. Initial flight test engines will be delivered to Gulfstream towards the end of 2008. The BR725 is scheduled to power the first flight of a Gulfstream G650 in the second half of 2009 and will enter service on this aircraft in early 2012.
The upgrade to the mid-size Excel/XLS will feature the fully integrated Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite and electronically controlled (FADEC) engines from Pratt & Whitney Canada. Exterior and interior restyling is also integrated into the new model, most prominently the extended contour of the nose and expanded seat widths, both introduced to more closely resemble Cessna’s Citation X and Citation Sovereign models.
In Brief The scope of the agreement ranges from providing regional charter services to Jet Aviation customers in the Middle East through Elite Jets, while Jet Aviation provides line and unscheduled maintenance services to their fleet of business aircraft. Jet Aviation will also provide operational assistance to Elite Jets in compliance with the company’s quality, safety and service standards, and will also conduct recurrent training of all staff and crew.
Elite Jets was established in January 2004 in Dubai, UAE and provides charter, aircraft sales brokerage and aircraft management services. The company holds an Aircraft Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). Elite operates a fleet of Citation CJ3, Hawker 850XP, and Challenger 604 aircraft and expects delivery of a brand-new Challenger 605 in September 2008.
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Contract Management Services for Cirrus and Eclipse 500 Owners One Charter Plc, a private aircraft charter, brokerage and management services provider based in the UK, has been awarded an Air Operating Certificate (AOC) through its subsidiary operations company One Air Taxi Ltd. The AOC covers public transportation and was issued by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The company has also acquired a Cirrus SR22 G3 four-seat single engine aircraft and will be the first operator in the UK to offer this aircraft for one-off charters,
targeting business users of aircraft. One Air Taxi Ltd has also created a 25-hour Cirrus Card, which can be acquired at £850 (€1,075) per hour, and charged only when the passenger is on board. The aircraft is available to fly in the mainland UK as an air taxi service and will be based at Fairoaks Airport, near Woking in Surrey. Mike Ryan, Chief Executive of One Charter Plc, said today: “The granting of the AOC means that we can attract other Cirrus owners and operate their aircraft under a management contract for charter when the aircraft is not being used by the owner. For each Cirrus aircraft
that is placed under management contract, we estimate it will increase the turnover of the company by £250,000 (€316,500) per year.” One Charter is planning to offer a similar service for clients who wish to purchase and fly the Eclipse 500 Very Light Jet (VLJ). One Charter has an Eclipse 500 on order for delivery in 2009. For every Eclipse 500 placed under management charter, the company estimates it will increase the turnover of the company by £600,000 (€760,000) per year. Ryan said that in future years the company will look to expand to a fleet of 10 or more jet aircraft.
A VIP Formula
Credit: Antoine Grondeau
Aviaxess, a helicopter and jet charter company with operations in Paris and on the French Riviera, has developed private aviation services dedicated to the international circuit of Formula One. “Over the years Aviaxess has successfully developed solutions to meet the exacting demands of the Formula 1 business world,” says Steve Whittell, organiser of the Motor Sports Business Forum in Monte Carlo. “Aviaxess looks after all the details that drivers, team principals, sponsors and VIP guests are so sensitive about. Aviaxess removes the stress of travel.”
Aviaxess is also working with the organisers of the Motor Sport Business Forum to offer its services to the executives and VIPs attending this year’s event on 10 and 11 December in Monaco.
TALKING FIGURES Typical prices to UK destinations using the Cirrus Card are quoted by the company as follows: Cirrus SR22 G3
Flight time (hh:mm)
One way
Day return
Aberdeen
2:24
£1,412.00
£1,850.00
Cardiff
0:43
£772.33
£1,008.33
Durham
1:18
£994.00
£1,300.00
Edinburgh
1:59
£1,253.67
£1,641.67
Glasgow
2:03
£1,279.00
£1,675.00
Inverness
2:37
£1,494.33
£1,958.33
Isle of Wight
0:25
£658.33
£858.33
Leeds
1:04
£905.33
£1,183.33
Liverpool
0:59
£873.67
£1,141.67
Manchester
0:55
£848.33
£1,108.33
Newcastle
1:31
£1,076.33
£1,408.33
Newquay
1:12
£956.00
£1,250.00
Norwich
0:43
£772.33
£1,008.33
Plymouth
0:59
£873.67
£1,141.67
From Fairoaks to:
All the currency conversions in this edition have been calculated at the following rates: $1 = €0.65
£1 = €1.27
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Ask an Expert Question: On 30 March, 2008, the EU/US Open Skies Plus Agreement came into force. What is the impact on business aviation?
Answer: The Open Skies Plus Agreement has no impact on non-commercial business aviation. The real question is if the Open Skies Plus Agreement will reinforce the transatlantic link by levelling the playing field between the United States and the European Union in respect of commercial business aircraft operations.
Open Skies Plus – Stage 1 The entry into force on 30 March 2008 of the Open Skies Plus Agreement (signed on 30 April 2007) between the United States Department of Transportation and the European Commission is the first stage towards more liberalised market access for EU and US commercial operators as concerns both traffic rights and ownership and control requirements: • Unlimited 3rd, 4th and 5th freedom rights and limited 7th freedom rights guarantee freer commercial traffic between the EU and the USA. Cabotage, the 8th freedom, is not yet granted under Open Skies Plus. Prior to the agreement, traffic rights between the EU and the USA were established under bilateral air transport agreements between each of the EU Member States and the USA. The principle of the bilateral air service agreements is laid down in the Chicago Convention of 1944, by which complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above national territory is granted to the contracting countries (almost worldwide coverage).
Many of the bilateral agreements with the USA were not ‘open sky’ bilaterals and only provided 3rd and 4th freedom rights to ‘designated’ carriers, scheduled operators. The USA was however willing to grant 5th, (6th) and 7th freedom rights to non-scheduled (business aircraft) operators provided a reciprocity statement was in place by the country contracting the bilateral with the USA. • US investors are now also allowed to invest in a European operator -‘European Community Carrier’- as long as the operator is majority owned and effectively controlled by an EU Member State and/or nationals of a Member State. Vice versa, EU investors may hold up to a maximum of 25% voting equity and 49.9% of the total equity in a US operator. In addition, a framework for enhanced regulatory cooperation in regard to safety, security, competition law (antitrust immunity), government subsidies, sustainability and consumer protection has been established. A Joint Committee will play a major role in the realisation of those ambitions.
US Hurdles for European Business Aircraft Operators As you will have noticed, the regulatory provisions of Open Skies Plus are mostly airline-focused. Hence, they do not abolish the many obstacles that restrain EU business aircraft operators from free market access and fair competition whilst flying into the USA. Since 9/11, ‘Foreign Civil Aircraft’, these are aircraft registered in a nonUS country and US-registered aircraft owned, controlled or operated by non-US citizens, need to obtain approval or a waiver from the
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) of the US Department of Homeland Security. (This also applies for noncommercial operations.) TSA regulations change quite frequently and often unannounced. Consequently, every day could bring a surprise for a business aircraft operator. In the event of commercial operations by foreign civil aircraft, meaning air transportation for compensation or remuneration (including cost charging), a distinction has to be made between two categories. Occasional planeload charters, flights operated by a commercial operator providing contract carriage to a select group of corporate executives and flights performed by a corporate operator being reimbursed for carrying officers or employees of its parent company, are categorised as ‘Private Carriage for Hire’. For the category of commercial operations, economic authority is required by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) by means of a Part 375 Permit, which is anyhow limited to a certain number of flights per year. Safety approval or licensing is not imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the air safety regulator. When such air transport is offered to the public, we call it ‘Common Carriage for Hire’ or ‘Public Transport’. The DOT requires a ‘Foreign Carrier Permit’ as economic authorisation and the foreign operator needs to obtain ‘Operations Specifications - FAR Part 129 Compliance’ by the FAA. Seven days prior notice to the DOT for each (series) of flights still needs to be respected.
ASK
Do you have a question about business aviation in Europe? Email it to editor @fly-corporate.com
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But the three main US regulatory bodies in the field of aviation, the DOT, FAA and TSA, are not yet satisfied. Without being exhaustive: the DOT also requires compliance with the Family Assistance Plan, special third-party liability insurance and the designation of an US agent for service. Alongside the TSA approval or waiver, an operator needs to submit to the Department of Homeland Security passenger and crew data via the ‘Advanced Passenger Information System’. A customs bond needs to be issued for Customs and Border Protection, another agency of the US Department of Homeland Security. If passengers want to be exempted from the visa requirement, the Visa Waiver Program needs to be subscribed for that same regulatory body. Also the US Department of Finance, US Fish and Wildlife, US Public Health and the US Food and Drug Administration also have
their demands with which a European business aircraft operator has to cope. Does a US operator have to comply with all this when flying into the EU? Clearly not. It seems that the US, which prides itself on being a ‘free country’, remains one of the most restrictive countries to which you can fly. Due to business aviation’s typical ad hoc flight pattern, which often includes multiple unscheduled, last-minute destinations, it might be quite difficult to adhere to all those additional US prerequisites. For scheduled operations, on the other hand, it is much easier to comply with numerous US demands its flight patterns are planned and known quite well in advance. Consequently, European airlines and scheduled operators benefit more from the Open Skies Plus Agreement than commercial business aircraft operators.
Open Skies Plus – Stage 2: Superskies Agreement The Negotiations for the Open Skies Plus Stage 2 will begin in June. Additional traffic rights, including cabotage, and fewer restrictions on EU ownership and control of US carriers are the main objectives to be incorporated in a ‘Superskies Agreement’ between the EU and the US. The question remains whether the goal of an ‘Open Aviation Area’ - where free traffic and free investment are intended to be levelled between the EU and the US - will not be strangled by the many US hurdles that a European business aircraft operator most probably will still have to surmount.
Freedoms of the Air The International Air Transport Agreement (Chicago, 1944) defined the five Freedoms of the Air (where the following definitions relate to aircraft registered in country A): • 1st Freedom: • 2nd Freedom: • 3rd Freedom: • 4th Freedom: • 5th Freedom:
The right to fly over country B without commercial or technical stops. The right to land in country B for technical purposes, for example, refuelling. The right to set down traffic from country A in country B. The right to pick up traffic in country B destined for country A. The right to pick up traffic in country B destined for country C or put down traffic in country B originating in country C.
Although not formally defined, the other Freedoms of the Air are commonly understood as follows: • 6th Freedom: • 7th Freedom: • 8th Freedom:
A service taking passengers between countries B and C which flies via country A. A service between country B and country C operated by airline of country A. (- Free-Standing 5th Freedom) Cabotage, picking up and setting down traffic within the borders of country B by an aircraft registered in country A. (Consecutive versus Stand-Alone Cabotage)
Freedoms of the Air theoretically only apply to commercial operations!
Bart Boury CV Bart Boury is the Vice President and General Counsel for FlyingGroup, an aviation services company and FBO based in Antwerp, Belgium. The company also has significant operations in France including an FBO at Le Bourget, Paris. Bart has worked in the aviation industry for many years. He has a Master’s degree in Air Transport Law, another in Air Transport Economy and Management, and a Master of Law degree.
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Corporate Air Shuttles
Challenger 890
Corporate air shuttles are taking off as companies seek to minimise the amount of time their employees spend in transit. Dan Smith looks at the reasons why companies choose to operate corporate air shuttles and at the aircraft they use.
In an increasingly globalised world, many companies find themselves with operations scattered around the globe. While email and video conferencing make it possible for employees to communicate across borders, the need to have key people on the ground is a constant.
Scheduled air services are one option for moving people around. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fine if you are only moving a few people and if both locations are close to airports with good scheduled services. For many companies, the sheer number of people to be moved or the location of one or more of their facilities rule out this option.
Scheduled air services are not the only option for moving large groups of people around
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Why Use a Shuttle? Corporate shuttles are typically used by large, multinational industrial corporations. One such company is Airbus. With 57,000 employees at 16 sites in four European countries, Airbus cannot afford to rely on the vagaries of scheduled services. For many years Airbus has run a daily corporate shuttle linking their plant in Broughton, Wales with the final assembly centre in Toulouse, France. Another daily service operates between Hamburg, Germany and Toulouse. Both shuttles are scheduled to land in Toulouse at the same time. According to Greg Thomas, CEO of PrivatAir, the company that ran the shuttle service for Airbus until recently: “Morning meetings in Toulouse are scheduled to start an hour after the arrival of the shuttles. They are that important to the operation of the company. You could not have that certainty with scheduled services.” PrivatAir used two Airbus A319 aircraft in a 126 seat, all business class configuration for the shuttle services. Hot breakfasts were served in the mornings and a light dinner was provided on the return journeys. It should be noted that not all companies are as generous as Airbus. “I know of one organisation that limits on-board service to making sure there is coffee in the coffee machine,” said Thomas. Airbus recognised that travel for employees must be as comfortable as possible if they are to perform at their best. Without the stress, endless security checks, and delays of a busy airport, their employees arrive refreshed and ready for work.
Security of information is another reason why many companies choose shuttles. If two employees are holding a meeting on a scheduled service there is a chance that conversation may be overheard and passed on to a competitor. On a shuttle service the only people that are likely to overhear the conversation are other employees.
What’s on the Market? A number of manufacturers offer airplanes that are specifically targeted at the corporate shuttle market. In reality almost any aircraft can be used. Bombardier set out to deliberately target this segment of the business aviation market when they launched their range of Challenger Shuttle jets in May 2005. The Shuttles are based on Bombardier’s existing Challenger Regional Jet (CRJ) models and are available in three models, the 850, 870 and 890. The 850 is available in a deluxe (all business class) configuration, while the 870 and 890 are available in both the deluxe and a standard (all economy class) configurations. The Deluxe 890 will carry 52 passengers up to 1,971 nautical miles (3,650 km), while in the Standard configuration the jet will carry 90 passengers up to 1,669 nautical miles (3,091 km). The Challenger 890 has a maximum operating altitude of 41,000 feet (12,497 m) at a cruise speed of Mach .82. The first Challenger 890 was delivered to Suncor Energy in late February this year. The aircraft will be used by Suncor to shuttle employees over 700 kilometres from the company’s headquarters in Calgary, Canada to their oil sands operation near Fort McMurray in the north of Alberta province.
Airbus launched its Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) in 1997. Since then it has added the A318 Elite and the A320 Prestige to its corporate jet range. Together the three aircraft are known as the ACJ Family. To date Airbus has sold more than 100 planes in this group. The A320 Prestige has almost 100 m2 of cabin space which can be configured in any number of combinations. The plane is also fitted with two additional belly tanks that increase the range of the aircraft to 4,100 nm (7,593 km) making a flight from New York to London possible. Perhaps recognising the limited resale appeal of a corporate shuttle, Airbus has designed the tanks so they can be removed at the end of the jet’s corporate shuttle life. Removing the tanks turns the aircraft back into a standard A320, thereby increasing its resale value. The Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) range is also targeted at the corporate shuttle market, though Boeing would not disclose how many aircraft it had sold for this purpose. The BBJ is available in three models, the BBJ, BBJ2 and BBJ3. The aircraft are extremely popular in the Middle East with more than 25% of the worldwide BBJ fleet based in the region. The jets are based on Boeing’s 737-airframe. They can be fitted with up to five additional tanks to increase their range, in the case of the BBJ up to 6,198 nm (11,480 km).
A320 Prestige
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Embraer’s Legacy Shuttle is their main offering in the corporate shuttle market, though some of its other models are also used for this purpose. The Legacy Shuttle has a balanced field length of 4,610 feet (1,405 m) enabling the jet to operate out of smaller airports. After takeoff it can climb directly to a cruising altitude of 37,000 feet (11,277 m). The direct transition from takeoff to cruise avoids step climbing and affords passengers a comfortable ride. The jet has a range of 1,910 nm (3,537 km) with 16 passengers on board. These are just a few of the options that are available. It is worth restating that almost any aircraft can be used for the task, depending on the mission profile. “PrivatAir use a number of different aircraft for our corporate shuttle services,” say Thomas. “The choice of aircraft really depends on the passenger load and the locations to be served.”
Third-party Help Corporate shuttle services are operated both by companies themselves and charter companies. Typically organisations with their own flight department and a long-term need for the shuttle service will purchase and operate the aircraft themselves. Charter firms are also used by companies with their own flight department. Airbus contracts their corporate shuttle operations out to charter companies, although they do operate their own transport fleet. One of the key reasons companies operate shuttle services is reliability of schedules. Events such as the breakdown of a key aircraft can, however, compromise those schedules unless the company has many planes in its fleet. Charter operators normally have some spare capacity and are able to provide back-up aircraft.
Using a third-party also enables an organisation to negotiate a fixed price for the shuttle service for a set number of years, typically five. This protects the travel budget and eliminates most of the risks associated with owning and operating your own aircraft. Variable costs, such as fuel, are normally charged separately. The market for corporate shuttles is difficult to define, simply because any aircraft can be used. From time to time a manufacturer tries to bring focus to the area by targeting a model or range for use as a shuttle. However, the airplane used must fit the long-term needs of the organisation and the people that are flying. There is no doubt that corporate shuttles will go on being valuable business tools long into the future.
One of the key reasons companies operate shuttle services is reliability of schedules
PrivatAir’s Boeing 757
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Some of the Options The following table shows just some of the many aircraft that are targeted at the corporate shuttle market.
Maximum range* Manufacturer
Model
Passengers (nm)
(km)
Airbus
ACJ
6,500
12,038
19 to 50
Airbus
A318 Elite
4,000
7,408
14 to 18
Airbus
A320 Prestige
4,100
7,593
30 but configurable (100 m2 cabin area)
Boeing
BBJ
6,198
11,480
8 to 50
Boeing
BBJ2
5,734
10,620
8 to 50
Boeing
BBJ3
4,765
8,825
Various (104 m2 cabin area)
Bombardier
Challenger 850
2,231
4,131
27
Bombardier
Challenger 870
2,232
4,133
42 or 70
Bombardier
Challenger 890
1,971
3,650
52 or 90
Embraer
Legacy Shuttle
1,910
3,537
16 to 37
*Maximum range is based on an aircraft fitted with the maximum number of additional fuel tanks and the lowest number of passengers shown.
BBJ
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Seven Deadly Sins to Avoid When Setting Up a Corporate Flight Department
Stay away from these seven deadly sins and establishing a corporate flight department need not be hellish. Liz Moscrop prays for your success. # 1: Be Gluttonous About the Missions You Need to Accomplish So youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve decided to start up a corporate flight department. You may be tempted to pick your aircraft first, but clarity is essential. Like any project, it is crucial to establish your vision and mis-
sion. What do you want to do? Who will be flying? Where will they go and what are the typical destinations? How often will you fly? How many people will be on board? Will you be carrying extra equipment? A good management company or your chief pilot will build standard operating procedures and manuals.
Like any project, it is crucial to establish your vision and mission
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A good place to start the process is to go back and look at how your company travels. What has that cost? How might this change in the short, medium and long term? Looking at destinations and amount of travel, as well as what sort of aircraft you like will help you draft your yearly costs. When choosing your aircraft good questions to ask are: Do you have to fly non-stop to your destinations? Do you need a lavatory, a galley, or separate space for a flight attendant? These questions will help you decide the size of cabin you require, as well as where to hangar your jet. Realistically you are unlikely to fulfil all your travel needs with your new corporate jet. Some of your lift will still have to come from charter or airline carriers. Specialist corporate flight consultants Aviatrade’s president Philip Rushton says: “We often help non-commercial operators buy their first aircraft. We generally only work with aircraft the size of Gulfstreams or Globals. Usually it takes someone six months to decide what kind of aircraft they want.”
# 2: Lust for the Lowest Budget Possible By now you are burning to go and at this point you will start to develop a budget. You need to factor in how much you will be flying. Your choice of aircraft also dictates your aircrew and mechanic’s salaries, as well as where to keep it. You will have to estimate fuel costs and evaluate the fuel programmes and discounts on the market. And don’t forget insurance. These all add up to your annual running costs. Depending
on where you are in the world, tax planning is essential. At this point it is worth going to an expert. Jet Sales, (www. jetsales.com), offers an excellent firsttime buyer’s guide on its website to help you with the initial decision-making process. It is also important to think about what you might need to freshen up your aircraft. Says Rushton: “The majority of aircraft we buy are put through an entire refurbishment inside and out. We can negotiate interior upgrades ahead of time and have everything clearly outlined in the contract. However, when you gut the aircraft you might find an unexpected $500,000 (€325,000) of corrosion, which can lead to possible confrontation.” Remember, too, you may have to compromise. Rushton says there is no such thing as the perfect aircraft. A company usually buys an aircraft that matches 75% of the requirements outlined in the original mission profile. He says: “I’d look for a good low time aircraft with fresh engines and auxiliary power unit (APU). You might pay top dollar for new paint and interiors, however, a lower time aircraft, normally corporate owned, won’t have the bells and whistles interior, but will be well-maintained.”
# 3: Let Your Pride Tell You to Go It Alone The evil truth is that asking for help is crucial. Bringing in experts can help you to get the best value. Many companies choose to hire a management company to operate their aircraft. To make the
Some of your lift will still have to come from charter or airline carriers
aircraft work harder when you are not using it you could also hire an air charter company and get them to add the aircraft to their certificate. The company can charter the aircraft to third parties when you aren’t flying. Another possibility is to get involved with a good fractional operator and share the cost of acquisition. Ultimately, it depends on your budget and how much control you would like to have over your aircraft. Says Rushton: “I occasionally question why someone has selected their aircraft. It can even be because their friend has one. It is crucial to fit the aircraft to the mission profile. In a couple of cases I have persuaded someone to take a Gulfstream GIV rather than a GIV SP? Why? There are nuances between them. The GIV SP means a weight increase. I have saved people $2-3 M (€1.30-1.95 M) by questioning why they made the decision they did.” After you have chosen your aircraft Rushton says a good consultant can help immensely: “Once you decide to go after a GIV, for example, you look at what’s available. There are 350 in circulation, so we would make a marketing push to all the GIV aircraft owners once we have the ‘hunting license’, not just the 10-15 available. We often find a seller who has not quite made the decision to sell. This gives you a couple of advantages. No one else is looking at the aircraft, so you are not competing with 10 other brokers. This also makes it more attractive to the buyer – you are not paying 2-3% of the purchase price to reserve the aircraft.”
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# 4: Forget that Envy in the Cockpit Team Can Ruin Your Project It is a wicked fact that employee relations are vital in this industry. The single most important aspect of developing your in-house flight department is hiring a crew you can trust. A good chief pilot will have the right personality to work in the corporate world, as well as get along with the rest of the crew. Using expert consultants to guide you through the process is valuable here, too. According to Rushton it takes around eight months to gut and kit out a GIV, and it is important to look for the crew and the mechanic whilst that process is ongoing. “I’d hire the chief pilot three months before the project
is finished and get the rest of the crew organised, so they can create a flight operations manual and ensure there is nothing missing.” He continues: “The key is to hire a chief pilot first, then together hire the additional crewmembers. For operations at the Gulfstream/Global level, I only hire captains and there are at least two plus a mechanic or chief of maintenance. I vet all hiring in conjunction with the owner. The present dearth of flight crew almost certainly dictates that I will be poaching a chief pilot from a company. He may not necessarily be a chief pilot at that company, usually he’s a number two with not much room for advancement, or is disaffected.”
According to Rushton the flight attendant is the most difficult slot to fill and retain. “Generally I will suggest to the owner that we rotate a number of qualified flight attendants through the cabin and let them select a favourite. This favourite then has to pass muster with the crew and the chosen attendant must be thoroughly briefed on the pecking order and chain of command. Postdelivery I stay in close contact with the crew and owner (mostly at the owner’s request) to make sure that things are going as planned. It doesn’t always, unfortunately. One of my Gulfstream clients went through three chief pilots before we finally brought some sanity to the operation.”
Philip Rushton (centre) and team prepare to manage a client’s aircraft
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# 5: Be Slothful About Establishing Flight Safety Procedures Late in the Game As soon as the chief pilot is on board, it is important to develop a flight department and a fiendishly good operations manual. You now know your mission profile and your aircraft. So implementing your maintenance and safety guidelines is crucial. You must then make them official in safety and procedures manuals.
# 6: Be Greedy and Hire Suppliers Based Purely on Price
# 7: Incur the Wrath of the Law by Ignoring Compliance
The devil in you may dictate that you should go for the lowest cost option at all times, but this is another area where hiring an outside expert can help. By identifying solid regional vendors for aircraft cleaning, catering, fuel, and spares, you can negotiate favourable annual contracts. Frequently a consultant will have established relationships with reliable vendors and suppliers. This can make all the difference between a hassle-free operation and disaster.
By now you are sorely tempted to just get in the air, but remember compliance with your country’s aviation administration or authority is critical to the success of your flight department. You must operate within the guidelines set out by EASA or equivalent, which means you will be flying safely and legally. Avoiding these seven deadly sins will mean that establishing your in-house flight department will be a heavenly experience.
“Maintenance staff are often neglected and their input underestimated” Business Aviation Growth There is currently a worldwide shortage of pilots. The commercial industry has eaten into supply. Boeing estimates that China will need more than 2,400 new passenger and freight aircraft over the next two decades and require 55,000 pilots to fly them. India is also desperate to entice captains from the West. The country’s strong economic growth has boosted the market for air travel. The civil aviation ministry estimates India will need 5,000 pilots in the next three to four years. Middle Eastern airlines, too, are demanding pilots at a rate of knots, with an extra 4,800 pilots required by 2016. Coupled with the lack of pilots, business aviation is set to grow. In order to maintain its traditional impressive safety record and protect its good name, a leading industry expert is calling for the industry to raise its game. Bruno Dobler, Chief Executive of Swiss training school Horizon believes that business aviation needs to provide more stringent quality checks on pilot ability and increase training where it sees a skills shortfall. Unlike the airlines, the sector has not yet established a common standard for refresher training.
Scheduling can exacerbate the problem. But solutions are available. Horizon has developed an online testing programme using Internet tools, which pilots can access at any time from anywhere. There is also a real need for skilled maintenance staff – lots of them. That need differs depending on location. In the mature North American market there is a growing awareness of the requirement to develop technicians. Says Eli Cotti, the National Business Aviation Association’s (NBAA) Director of Technical Operations: “The industry is beginning to recognise that there are good managers in different occupations. As a result, management positions that were historically held only by pilots are now becoming available to maintenance personnel too.” Elsewhere there are different drivers – European companies are looking for cheaper labour. The maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) sector is driven by the large percentage of low-cost carriers, who typically outsource their non-core activities. Maintenance activities are moving east as airlines chase lower staff costs coupled with the high technical skills primarily available in Eastern Europe.
As the global industry forges on relentlessly, the need to develop technical talent is felt most keenly in Asia. The major air framers have set up authorised service centres and parts suppliers across the region, but there are concerns that this is not enough. German company Lufthansa Technical Training (LTT) operates three training centres in Manila, Taiwan and Beijing and has its eye on China, India, and Singapore. LTT’s Director of Business Development, Ullrich Geidel is adamant companies must look at their staffing needs now. “Maintenance staff are often neglected and their input underestimated. Many times a company will set up a new facility, but don’t consider their staffing needs until the last minute. Fully qualified line mechanics need 6-7 years lead time before they are trained. A mechanic’s job is not as glossy as a pilots’ job, but it is just as relevant. I would say it’s almost on a par,” said Geidel. OEMs are taking the issue seriously. Brazilian manufacturer Embraer, for example, has promised maintenance training to purchasers of its new Phenom 100 and 300 jets.
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What to Expect from EBACE 2008 by Tim Kern, CAM
The best way to know what is going to happen at EBACE is to ask the people who are making it happen. The event is jointly managed by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and its sister organisation in the USA, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA).
“We’re working on it day and night”
“We’re working on it day and night.” said Eric Mandemaker, CEO of EBAA. And it shows! This year will see a third exhibit hall, a record number of exhibitors and a record appetite for floor space. According to Mandemaker many of the new exhibitors are: “...people associated with business aviation in general – maintenance, catering, FBOs, interior outfitting, painting, flight training, financial and maintenance advisors and consultants, all of whom have a strong interest in business aviation and in the growth of the industry.” Business aviation traffic already accounts for 8% of IFR traffic in Europe
and the volume is increasing rapidly. “We have about 800 commercial operators in Europe, representing over 3,000 business aircraft; and of course, we have the VLJs coming.... We believe the VLJs [will] suit well those companies that are considering using business aircraft.” Growth in business aviation continues, and improving the image of business aviation means making it better-understood by the public, Mandemaker said: “We still suffer in Europe from the image that corporate aircraft are ‘toys for the boys.’ In the US, business aviation is recognised as a business tool.”
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Mandemaker believes the need for business aircraft is increasing because of security issues. “The level of security that is now imposed on commercial air travellers – it is a tremendous waste of time for them to spend almost three hours in something that approximates a big shopping mall.” There is also the social aspect: “When executives cannot return in the evening – that is a problem for their social and family lives.”
Addressing the Issues EBACE will address many corporate aviation concerns, from operations to airspace to the business case. Expect sessions on safety, security, aviation’s place in the protection of the environment, and SESAR (Single European Sky Air traffic management Research). Regarding SESAR, Mandemaker said: “We favour these improvements because they will allow more direct routing, save emissions, save time, and have better separation, as well as making a large majority of the regional airports in Europe IFR-capable.”
Expect thorough training sessions, and discussion on the new operations and licensing rules from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). “Everyone who works in the industry – owners, ops people, pilots, maintainers – should attend this.” Mandemaker also revealed that EBAA is developing an SMS (Safety Management System) module specifically for commercial operators which will be launched at EBACE. “We will be stressing the importance of getting these systems incorporated. Any operator that has quality and the introduction of SMS high on the agenda needs to come to these sessions. The International Business Aviation Council’s Don Spruston (DG) and Kathy Perfetti (Standards Manager) will be leading the charge.”
Trends and Communication Ed Bolen, CEO and President of NBAA said: “A most interesting trend is the proportion of business aircraft being sold outside the US. In 2007, over 50% of business aircraft were sold outside the US, for the first time. We’re seeing a shift in these percentages, and a continuance of this trend.”
Bolen stressed the utility of intra-industry communication that happens at these shows: “A lot of the future is covered by ‘what we don’t know.’ Look at the regional airline market. A few years ago, everyone was going to regional jets, and some people thought turboprops were dead. Well, that certainly didn’t happen.” Bolen continued: “EBACE has become a very important show for the world business community; for us, as well as for regulators and governments. Here, we can address international trends – safety, access… fatigue. It’s a place where we can exchange ideas across cultures and jurisdictions. As we see international travel increase, we see better understanding of policies, of options. Shows like EBACE really help this, and help spread knowledge.” Mandemaker summed up: “The industry as a whole – operators and suppliers – is seeing that EBAA is the voice of business aviation in Europe, the only effective lobbying mechanism for the industry in the region.” He may be on to something. EBAA’s membership has increased 60% in the past 12 months.
EBACE will address many corporate aviation concerns, from operations to airspace to the business case www. FlyCorporate Online - Events Find out more about EBACE and other events on www.fly-corporate.com/content_events.php
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Business Aviation in Europe: Flying High
Falcon 900EX
The President of the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA), Brian Humphries recently sat down with EBAAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newly appointed CEO, Eric Mandemaker to discuss the state of business aviation in Europe as well as their excitement and expectations for EBACE 2008. FlyCorporate was there to bring you this exclusive conversation.
FlyCorporate Online - Broadcasts This is an edited transcript of the interview. You can watch parts of this exclusive FC Video Conversation online at www.fly-corporate.com /content_video.php With special thanks to FlyingGroup, Ben Paindavin and Bart Boury in particular.
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Brian Humphries: If you take us back to the first EBACE, although we were optimistic about the future of business aviation, I don’t think any of us could have expected it to grow the way it has done. Eric Mandemaker: No, it’s been phenomenal really, especially if you look at the last three years. It has been really growing at a constant rate. The numbers bear that out, don’t they? Brian: Throughout the 1990s, we were stuck at 2,000 aircraft. Since the first EBACE in 2001, the fleet has grown to over 3,000 aircraft. Eric: If you look at what is predicted by the manufacturers like Embraer and Cessna, for the next ten years, they’re talking about more than 13,000 aircraft on order currently. Not all will be delivered, we know that, but still it is a massive growth. If you look at Eastern Europe, Russia especially, they really are buying a lot of business aircraft and are utilising them at the same time. Brian: I think utilisation is an interesting point. Again at the first EBACE, Eurocontrol [the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation] had no idea how much activity business aviation represented. They did the study and the
Brian Humphries (top) and Eric Mandemaker are welcomed to Antwerp by FlyingGroup’s Bart Boury
2005 report showed we were 6.9% of the traffic. Well now look what we are.
times as many airfields as scheduled traffic.
Eric: Actually we’ve passed 8% now and we’re growing towards 9%.
When you add-up the total cost of travel, then actually the business aircraft is no more expensive and a great deal more productive than going commercial, particularly if you have four or five people on it.
Brian: We are growing at 10 to 15% a year, the second fastest growing segment in the airline community after low-cost carriers.
On Productivity and Security Eric: I think that one of the reasons for the growth is that businessmen basically don’t want to spend time at airports any more, with all the associated problems there. They need to go further afield - the effect of globalisation. They need to go for business; they need to develop new sites; they have to find labour. So they are going to find it and they’re going to use business aircraft to get there. Brian: Everyone said with the electronic age, you wouldn’t have to travel so much. Well actually, you have to travel almost more and you’ve got to get there more quickly. As you say, there isn’t time to hang around for an hour and a half at an airport. You can do in a week what would take you three weeks to do if you were using commercial travel. One of the interesting things in Europe is that business aviation goes to three
Eric: Exactly. And if you’re sitting next to a colleague, you had better not discuss your business on a scheduled airline because you do not know who’s sitting in front of or behind you. Those who use a business aircraft can sit down and go through their meetings. They can prepare well, they can check their presentations, check their documents and even call their offices and say: “We need some information quickly.” So they’re actively working even in the aircraft. Brian: One of the studies from the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) showed that you were more productive on an aircraft than you were in your office because you didn’t get all the phone calls. But also, you can prepare for the meetings, you can debrief after, you can have the report prepared and, if you’re marketing a product, you can actually bring the client to your base to have a look at the product and take them back again.
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Eric: Security’s a big issue nowadays, Brian. Brian: Well I think that’s again where we really score because when you charter an aircraft, you decide who goes with you. Of course, we do the normal checks. But it’s a huge reassurance in this age to know that the people you’re with are the people you want to be with.
On the Association Brian: How do you think our membership’s doing, Eric, compared with a few years ago? Eric: We have seen a 60% increase in members over this last year. That is not only the Associate Members but also Operator Members. They’re coming in thick and fast at the moment. That is not only related to EBACE. I think that with the issues at hand nowadays, within Europe, operators are more willing to become a member because they see the benefits of supporting an association like the EBAA and the work we do for them. I think that is going to continue to grow for some time yet. Brian: It’s interesting that in 1994 we had 69 members and now we’re nearly 400. As you say, people are beginning to get very worried about the changes that are going on in Europe. I don’t think we’ve ever seen quite so much change all happening and all a threat, potentially, to their business. Mind you, we’ve still got opportunity for further growth. In Europe, although we’ve got 3,000 aircraft, we have something like 800 operators.
Eric: That is, of course, the advantage we have. Plus the 800 operators are well distributed throughout Europe and at local airports. Brian: What EBAA has been trying to do over the last few years is become more visible for members, so things like enhancing the intelligence reports, the services we provide, the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO), soon to be a safety management system. These are all the tools that people need for their day-today business and they won’t get them if they’re not members of an association. Eric: We are almost the link to make sure that if the operators have a problem, we can confer with the different bodies that are involved and finally, bring it to the European Commission and say: “We need to change it because in Europe we are not providing a level playing field for everybody.” Brian: I think one of the interesting things is how the value of business aviation is now being recognised. The paper that was issued at the beginning of this year, the Agenda for Sustainable Business Aviation, is the first time we’ve ever had proper recognition. This reflects on the fact that people are prepared to admit they are using business aircraft. But now they are seeing it as a business tool, recognised by the Commission as a business tool. So it’s almost as if the momentum will continue to grow.
Eric: I think you’re right. The trend in Europe is changing. People say: “We need to be effective; we show you that we are effective, we use business aircraft to get the best available results from our managers, CEOs and captains of industry.” That is going to grow. It is no longer toys for the boys. Brian: If you look at the membership, what’s our target? Eric: Basically, our target should be 800. Plus the FBOs, of course, we shouldn’t forget those, and the associated members, the companies that provide services to our members. Plus the manufacturers, the people that do the maintenance, and the flight services that are operated… there’s a whole host of people that supply our industry. Brian: The other thing that’s important about the Association is we’re a nonprofit organisation. So everything we do, we feed back into the industry. If we have a successful show, like EBACE, then that benefits every single member. Eric: Absolutely. With that income, you can do more things, you can attend more meetings and you can do more studies. We probably need to do some research very soon on the fatigue issues that plague pilots in order to get better flight time limitations. There are a whole host of items that need to be researched, need to be proven and then brought to the authorities to say: “We can show you that that is the case.” We get recognition for that and thereby better services for our members.
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On EBACE Brian: So it’s exciting times for you having joined the organisation five months ago? Eric: Oh it’s absolutely exciting. I never learned so much in such a short time. It’s a very exciting time if you look at EBACE coming up soon. I can only speak for what I’ve seen but if you see the growth, last year we had two halls filled. We believed that we were only going to fill two halls this year. Now we have a third hall that is now almost three quarters sold to exhibitors. That’s very exciting. We’ve got more than 280 exhibitors. Brian: EBACE has actually been growing even faster than the growth of business aviation in Europe because it’s been 15 to 20%. The first show in 2001 had what, 3,700 visitors? Eric: Yes and last year it was more than 11,000. Brian: What do you think we’ll get this year? Eric: I would guess 14,000. Brian: Wow! Eric: I would say we should be able to do it because the interest is there. Last week I spoke to a former colleague of mine who is German and has a large business, and he asked me: “How much would a small business aircraft cost me? Can you send me some brochures?” I sent him an invitation to EBACE. He’s going to come with two or three people. Maybe that’s not many but if you have a lot of those…. Brian: You’ve made a very important point. I think the strength of EBACE is not just the professionals talking to
other professionals; EBACE is a show where people come and buy aircraft. We have a saying, don’t we, that some shows are tyre-kickers and EBACE is not a tyre-kicker show. It’s about people who come and buy. Eric: Look at how many aircraft we have on display this year - 61. We even had to enlarge the static display area at Geneva Airport to accommodate the 61 aircraft. [Visitors to the show] come off the street and they see this entire range of possibilities, from the Very Light Jets, the Mustang, the Eclipse, the Phenom 100 to almost the 737s and the Airbus 318s. Brian: We have also got helicopters of course, on the special display area just outside the door. Helicopters are also doing incredibly well. When you think about it, for a journey of up to 500 miles (800 km), a helicopter is as good a way of doing it as any, and it’s a business aircraft. When people talk about business aircraft, they automatically think of fixed-wing but actually it’s a transportation option. Helicopters do it as well as anything on short distances. So I think the increasing interest we see at EBACE with helicopters is very good, very good for the customer, good for us. Eric: The manufacturers are coming there as well, actually all the manufacturers of business aircraft, all of them, will be at EBACE. I don’t think we have a single exception this year. Look at the number of exhibitors that come because they provide services – the flight safety people, the instructional people, the people who do the interiors, maintenance, all the service providers – they have rented space and will be setting up a booth. They are spending money to be there. The only reason they do that is because they see that growth just the way we do.
EBACE: Show & Tell Air Partner Booth 287 After successfully introducing its Air Partner JetCard membership scheme in the UK, the company is ready to roll it out across Europe. The roll-out will start in France where the company has three offices - Paris, Lyon and Nantes.
Air Partner Jetcard
Additionally, revised plans for Air Partner’s multi-million pound private jet enclave at London’s Biggin Hill Airport, first announced at EBACE 2007, will be on display. The hangar will be capable of accommodating a mix of more than 20 jets, up to and including the Boeing Business Jet. Marketing of the facilities, which will include office suites for associated airport-related businesses and jet maintenance operations, begins at EBACE. The enclave is due to open in late 2009.
Avinode Booth 723 Avinode, a provider of on-line tools for buying and selling air charter, will host twelve members of their network at its booth. “We wanted to give our content a ‘face’. We have a network of about 900 companies worldwide, and this will give members and potential clients an insight into the quality companies already doing business in the marketplace,” says Niclas Wennerholm, CEO and Founder of Avinode.
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Brian: The big change came when we started the new show, of course, people said: “I’m not sure we should be there.” Now what people are saying is: “I can’t afford not to be there.” It is the show for Europe. Eric: Well the other thing I find so interesting about EBACE is the amount of sessions we have the day before. We have sessions on safety, we have sessions on security, we have sessions on the environment, we have sessions on quality management and that is a must almost for all our members. But look at how much time we spend and how much effort we put into setting up those sessions. We have speakers from all over. Brian: We’ve got the regulators, we’ve got users, we’ve got politicians, we have everybody there. I think one of the strengths is, as we say to people: “You can come to Geneva, you can hear it straight from the horse’s mouth.” We’re all worried this year about EASA and the new rule making. Well, come the last afternoon and you’ve got three hours with the people writing the rules. What could be better than that? You can tell them direct. Eric: You have the Director of EASA himself coming to speak. That’s of great interest to our members. As you say, they can hear it from the horse’s mouth – what is new, what is going to change – and then they can feed it back to us again. We can deal with it because we are in those committees. Brian: We have the training course on the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations. We were talking about one-stop shops earlier. This is a classic one-stop shop, isn’t it?
Eric: You basically get it all in one day. Of course we would like our members to come to four full days because there is a mountain of information available. They don’t need to just go and visit the exhibition, they’ve got to go to the sessions and get the information. It’s not only for the pilots. It’s for the pilots, it is for the operators, it is for the owners, it is for the people involved in maintenance, the whole gambit.
On Safety Brian: There is one aspect we always focus on which is safety, because safety is absolutely paramount. Our industry has one of the finest safety records of all, particularly the corporate sector. But again we’ve got a session on safety where people can come and hear the experts speaking, come and hear where the challenges are and talk about remedial measures and safety management systems. Eric: Well that’s the interesting part of course, safety management systems. It’s going to be part of the regulation by the end of this year and it’s going to enhance safety even more for everybody who is involved in operating business aircraft. What should we focus on? Where do our responsibilities lie and how can we improve our business? The improvement is not only in safety, it is also in better management. Brian: One of the interesting things that has been highlighted with the regulation about safety management is the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) saying to us: “Well, it’s up to you to develop the standard.
So we’ve got this initiative going with our colleagues in the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) which is going to produce a safety management system package, a toolkit, for commercial operators to help them meet the regulation standards. It’s a slightly changing role for the association, to be actually helping members deliver essential requirements. Eric: Well you’ll probably even see in due course, as some countries have, that associations have been made responsible for issuing licences by the authorities. You may see in time that EASA will look at EBAA more and more and say: “You need to help us, you need to be part of ensuring that those organisations, those corporate companies and flyers as well as commercial operators meet the standard.” So I think our role may increase over the years to come. Brian: Look at the Canadian model, where the Canadian Business Aviation Association actually issues the certificates to private operators. I think we will see an increasing role for the Association, particularly as we move to performance-based rules. In the old days, we had prescription, you know: “You will do this, you will do that….” Now the rules are going to say: “You will have a system for doing this.” It will be us, the associations and the other bodies that help people develop their systems. Eric: That is a changing role. In due course I think EASA will just come to us and say: “Can you prove to us that your members, the operators, are meeting the rules and regulations and the standards we require that you, as the EBAA, are monitoring on our behalf?”
“Our industry has one of the finest safety records of all, particularly the corporate sector”
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Air Taxi Operations
EBACE: Show & Tell
The VLJs have arrived in Europe.
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft Booth 2055
Source: Eurocontrol
BAE Systems Regional Aircraft will be promoting its Avro Business Jet (Avro BJ), which is making inroads into the corporate aircraft market. To date
250
200
Royal Jet Avro RJ85
150
100
50
0
SEP07
OCT07
NOV07
DEC07
JAN08
FEB08
MAR08
500+orders for VLJs to be operated in Europe. Source: Eurocontrol
nearly 25 examples are to be found either in service or under conversion for private, corporate and executive charter applications. At the show the company will announce new developments including a design house and a completions centre.
Bombardier Booth 7521 Canadian manufacturer Bombardier Aerospace plans to reveal new information on the latest addition to its range
Switzerland, 162
United Kingdom, 70
Learjet 85
Spain, 50
Turkey, 162
Netherlands, 11 Other, 9 France, 8 Austria, 7
of jets, the Learjet 85. The light Learjet 40 XR aircraft, super light Learjet 45 XR, midsize Learjet 60 XR, super midsize Challenger 300 jet, the widebody Challenger 605 jet and the ultra long-range Global Express XRS aircraft will also be on static display at Geneva International Airport, while the super large Bombardier Global 5000 will be on hand for demonstration flights throughout the show at the Jet Aviation FBO.
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On Air Taxi Operations Eric: I think that shows more and more because we are involved, in all the discussions. Even the European Commission is inviting us increasingly to come to meetings. They listen to our point of view – they don’t always accept our point of view – but I think also that is going to change. Especially now with the advent of the VLJs. It’s a smaller aircraft, it fits the lower end of our air taxi operations, and that will bring more people into a business aircraft. I think we’re going to be looked at to say: “What is the best area where those people can fly? At what altitude and what speed?” Brian: In some areas of the world, the VLJs have tried to set themselves up as independent, some completely new concept. But actually, what we’ve done in the EBAA is to embrace them. We’ve got several prospective VLJ operators that have joined the association. Eric: The three major new ones that have come into being,have all joined us now. We’ve visited them, we’ve spoken
to them about what the EBAA is doing and they have chosen to join us because they feel that, in terms of advancing their business, they need to be part of an association that will protect their interests and defend their rights where that is necessary. By and large they will need to meet the same regulation as the current air taxi operators. Brian: Same airspace. They want to use the same airfields.
On Access Eric: That’s another very interesting topic nowadays. How many airports do we have in Europe? Brian: And how many of them have spare capacity? Eric: Most of the regional ones do. The hubs are full. I mean, we don’t even have the right of access to the major hubs anymore. Business aviation is slowly being moved out of there despite the fact that if you look at thirty years ago, we were very much involved in those hubs.
Brian: Well we’re still significant. If you take an airport like Luton, we’re 20% of the traffic. At London City Airport, we’ve grown it from nothing to 10% of the traffic. But as you say, the main hubs. Now, we’ve got so many secondary airfields. We flew in this morning and the weather was perfect; we could’ve flown into any airfield we chose. But how often in Europe is the weather like it is today? Eric: Very rare, Brian, as you know. I mean even yesterday, how many flights were cancelled at the major hubs because of the storm? How often do we have low clouds? Meaning that if your operation is based at an airport or you need to take a passenger to the airport, you can’t do it because the equipment to do an approach is just not there. But in the future, with the arrival of CSN/ ATM – global-based navigation - most of those airports will have a Cat 1 precision approach with a decision height of 200 feet (61 m). That will meet most standards.
“Even the European Commission is inviting us more and more to come to meetings”
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Brian: That leads us nicely into the Single European Sky. It has to serve all the community’s citizens and that includes the small operators, general aviation, the helicopters and so on. If we get satellite-based navigation systems, as we should, then that’ll even give the helicopters all-weather operations into any heliport, fixed-wing aircraft into any airport. So we’ve got all these airports that are there which at the moment we can’t use very much because they don’t have all-weather capability and they’re going to have it. Eric: With that new system also, to file a flight plan, you can be at almost any airport in Europe and by data transmission, you can file a flight plan right there and then. For example, take the airport Lelystad, not far from Amsterdam. It’s a beautiful little airport - hard surface runway, the runway’s long enough - but lo and behold, if it’s bad weather in Holland, you cannot use it. That again limits business aviation to a large extent because Schiphol doesn’t really allow us despite the fact they have the runways to do so. So yes, the Single European Sky is going to really advance us. Brian: But of course all of this actually raises the question about business aviation and the right of access. Eric: Ah. That is the whole issue, of course. We always talk about slots. You’ve got to go to the slot coordinator, you’ve got to buy your slot. Slots have a commercial value and they are being traded to the highest bidder. Well that, I think, is wrong because as you say it is right of access. We are all members of the community, we are all members and citizens of Europe and all those airports are common property because re-
ally, they are not owned by the airlines. What access do we have? It’s limited all the time because of the bigger airlines that say: “No, you can’t get in,” and, “It is full”. Brian: But even those where we’ve established a presence like Luton, 22% of movement. There’s always a danger at the moment that we could be pushed out. Eric: I think that’s a mistake in the regulations a little bit. If you are a scheduled operator, you have the right to get a slot whereas our business people, our travellers, they do not go on a daily route to the same customer so they don’t have this schedule.
EBACE: Show & Tell Le Castellet Airport Booth 1059 Le Castellet International Airport, located between Marseille and Nice on the French Riviera, will be spreading news about its new fifth hangar, which will be available in May. This 5,500 m2 “H5”
Le Castellet
Brian: But if you took business aviation as a sector as a whole, we occupy the same slots every day.
hangar will be able to shelter up to two Boeing Business Jets. President and CEO Philippe Gurdjian and the airport team will be present to welcome visitors and offer additional information.
Eric: Absolutely.
Cessna Booths 7492 & 7518
Brian: I think the key to success for business aviation is twofold. We want to integrate into the airports with commercial traffic where it’s appropriate, like London City and so on, and make sure, in terms of sustainability, that we are adding real value and we’ll come to that in a moment. But I think we need to integrate there and we also need to build the dedicated airports like Le Bourget, like Farnborough, where again we can help develop that. We’ll be limited in what we can do until we get the Single European Sky. But if you take the visionary approach, we’ve got some great airports out there that could be developed, with no real adverse effect on the community, using the latest technology and improving, helping the economy. So it’s a win-win situation.
“There’s always a danger at the moment that we could be pushed out”
Cessna’s static display will include all of its current production jets: Citation Mustang, Citation CJ1+, Citation CJ2+, Citation CJ3, Citation Encore+, Citation XLS, Citation Sovereign and Citation X.
Citation Sovereign
Also on exhibit will be the Cessna 400, 208B Grand Caravan and 206 Turbo Stationair. Additionally, Cessna will show a new interior mockup of the Citation Columbus, the long-range, large-cabin business jet launched earlier this year (See Cessna p. 49).
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Eric: Look at the airport where we’re sitting in right now, Antwerp Airport. It’s been in existence for a long time but the business aviation here is growing all the time. There are two FBOs located here with a high number of aircraft and from what we heard this morning they are increasing the number of aircraft without even lengthening the runway. It just shows that there is a market and that it will grow. Antwerp is maybe one example but there are hundreds of airports like Antwerp around Europe that could be used, that have a large community base, a large industrial base, and that need the services of business aviation. Brian: We have a lot in common with the regional airlines on so many issues, whether we’re talking about security or access or equipment. Again that’s an important role for the Association. We’re working with the airline associations. Where there’s a common interest, we can work together. Sometimes the legacy carriers don’t see the common interest.
On the Environment Brian: Now, of course, the other challenge we’ve got is the environment. You and I know that in sustainability terms, we’re extremely good. I mean, as you’ve said, we’re around 8% of the traffic and we’re less than 1% of emissions. Eric: Business aviation in Europe actually emits less, or maybe equal to, one small coal-powered electricitygenerating station. That’s all. But we
have focussed on taking responsibility as far as emissions are concerned and we’ve said we want to offset it 100%. I think we’re working extremely hard to make that happen. We should not forget the average age of the entire fleet in Europe. Brian: Eight years, one of the youngest in the world. Eric: Exactly, and the most modern engines. People should not forget how jet engines have developed. Jet engines have been in existence for just over 50 years. Well, 50 years ago, if you heard a jet coming overhead, it was black smoke, a lot of noise and not that much power. Now, the noise is minimal. Eric: People do not know, really, the business of aviation. I think we are partly to blame for that. We have never really gone out to the general public, to the media, to say: “Look at what business aviation does.” We’re only just now talking about it again trying to develop a report on what is the overall economic impact of business aviation. Brian: Let’s come back to emissions. We’ve had the discussions with the European Commission. We’ve done the studies with Eurocontrol, the sensible cut-off is 20 tonnes or 20 seats. Above that [is] emission trading because it’s essentially more of an airline operation. Below that, we should have alternative means of meeting our obligations. But for some reason the Commission has seized on 5,700 kg which is going to
make life quite difficult for us. Not that we don’t want to offset our emissions but just from the administrative point of view. Eric: Look at the total cost of administering the emissions. We have not complained about the fact that we do have a carbon footprint. We have one, we know that. But the Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) was very much a big scheme whereby each operator needed to monitor what flight time he had, how many passengers he carried, how much carbon emission he had, how much fuel he burned, etc. Then he had to find a carbon offset. That’s immensely difficult for those people. That is just going to kick them right out of the business. I think what we are developing now is to say: “Let’s make it simple.” Brian: If you look at what’s proposed in emissions trading, the allocation is going to be based on either passenger tonne/kilometre or payload/kilometre or available tonne/kilometre which won’t help us at all. So, the worst airline will get 80% of its allocation free of charge. Our people will probably get less than five percent. Eric: I think it’s three percent even. Brian: Three percent. I think what we’re doing is to say, “Look, we recognise our social responsibilities, we’re going to offset 100% of our carbon but we want to do it in an administratively convenient way, not a very bureaucratic way.”
“We have a lot in common with the regional airlines on so many issues”
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Eric: Exactly. Even the Commission now says it should not come into force until 2011, 2012. We say: “Let’s do it now.” When we have the system in place, we can start almost immediately. Brian: Well some of our members are already doing it, aren’t they? Although we are very small contributors, we want to play our part. The worry is that if we don’t have a decent offset scheme, then we’re going to start seeing taxes. Look what’s happening in the UK. Eric: That’s almost taxation for taxation’s sake. To all intents and purposes it’s not going to do anything for the environment. I think the ETS and alternative means of compliance at least address the problem. Brian: So do you think we’ll get our alternative means of compliance up and running? Eric: It will take some lobbying but I think so when I look at the work we’ve done. I only have to go back to a meeting we had back in October, the Chairman of the [Commission’s] Committee for the Environment actually made the
statement: “That is the best suggestion I’ve had so far.” We have many meetings to come. It takes some convincing to prove to these people that we are serious, dedicated and that we know what we’re doing. Eurocontrol will help us in that as well. Brian: Yes, yes they will. Eric: They have a new system, Pagoda, which I saw again yesterday. Every flight in Europe is identified by tail number, departure and arrival point. We know how much fuel to take on board. All we need to do in the Association is to say: “You have produced so many tonnes of carbon. We’re going to offset it as a big unit.” That gives us the commercial advantage of being able to trade in a larger quantity. Brian: If you look at the whole package – we’ve got a modern fleet, getting more modern, with very fuel-efficient aircraft; we’ve got the best avionics – so we’re actually going to make our carbon footprint smaller in the first place. Then we’re developing a 100% offset scheme, unlike some of the other operators. I think we’ve got quite a good story to tell.
“It takes some convincing to prove to these people that we are serious, dedicated and that we know what we’re doing”
EBACE: Show & Tell Dassault Booth 7425 Dassault will use EBACE as a platform to update the market on its numerous activities. In 2007, for the third year in a row, Dassault broke records in terms of sales with 212 units. It credits demand in Europe and emerging countries with most of the growth. It delivered 70 Falcons last year. The French manufacturer has also launched a $20 M investment programme to extend the capacity of its service stations in Le Bourget and Little Rock, and it has announced that it is developing new partnerships to improve the geographical coverage of its ASC network.
Falcon 2000LX
In terms of aircraft, nine of its new Falcons 7X aircraft are in service today, and 200 more are in the order book. The Falcon 2000LX with advanced winglets is also experiencing wide market acceptance. As for more details about the much-anticipated Super Mid Size (SMS) Falcon, we’ll have to be patient. Dassault has no plans for further announcements on this project until after it has finished selecting major development partners. Rolls Royce has already been chosen for the propulsion.
Embraer Booth 7441 This year Embraer will be holding a major event starring its recently launched MSJ and MLJ jets (See Embraer p. 62). The Brazilian manufacturer will also showcase the Legacy 600, a full mock-up of the Phenom 300 and a cross section of the Lineage 1000 cabin. Expect to be able to tour mock-ups of the MLJ and MSJ. As Embraer reported to FlyCorporate prior to EBACE, it hopes to also display the first Phenom 100, but that will depend on where they are the flight test campaign.
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On the Future Brian: I think the other important point is that we want to see a level playing field. For example, a current proposal in the UK is to put a fuel tax on every helicopter, every helicopter, so anything bigger than a certain weight will have to be in alternative means of compliance or emissions trading; they’ve got to pay a fuel tax. What will happen? We will see the market distorted. So again, I think the EBAA has a key role to make sure that all our members, in whatever nation they’re in, have a fair and equitable playing field. Eric: In everything we do, we are trying to work towards a level playing field. Brian: Okay it’s time we were off, I think. Eric: Yes, we have to go back to work. Brian: We put the world right. But I think the future’s so exciting. I mean there’s no doubt about it. We’re going to see growth, growth, growth and more effective tools to help people do their job. Eric: I’ll always remember when I joined the EBAA, you were the CEO before you moved to the position of President. One of the things you said was: “I will take it a little bit easier.” Brian, I’m sorry but you’ve got to go to your next meeting and work hard again. Brian: Thank you, nice talking to you. You’ve joined EBAA as CEO at the right time and I guarantee that over the next ten years, we’re going to see bigger and bigger activities for EBAA and for the fleet. Now we’re going to fly!
Brian Humphries, Bart Boury and Eric Mandemaker All photos: Robyn Boyle
“In everything we do, we are trying to work towards a level playing field”
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EBACE: Show & Tell FlyingGroup Booth 439 FlyingGroup will of course, highlight, its FBO, Aircraft Management and Charter activities in Antwerp, Belgium and Cannes Mandelieu and Paris in France. Its Le Bourget business aviation terminal is now the permanent FBO of Flying Group France. The company will be promoting its FBO, leasing and management services at the show.
FlyingGroup
After just two years, FlyingGroup has become one of the leading providers at Le Bourget. The fleet on offer in France comprises one Cessna Citation Jet, three Citation Bravos, four Citation Excels, a Citation X, two Citation CJ3s, one Falcon 900C, a Falcon 900 EX EASy, one Falcon 2000, and one Falcon 900 DX. Three Falcon 7X jets are on order. The company is currently recruiting a marketing director for the French market.
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The company’s management activity is taking off in France, with the scheduled arrival in early June of a brand-new Falcon 50 that will be available for charter sales flying out of Le Bourget airport. By the end of 2008, this activity will benefit from the addition of two FlyingGroup France VIP hangars, in Cannes and Paris, with an area of 5,000 m² available for holding planes.
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Gulfstream Booth 7478 The Georgia-based business jet manufacturer Gulfstream will place emphasis on its brand-new, ultra-large cabin and ultra long- range G650. The aircraft is capable of travelling 7,000 nm (12,964 km) at Mach .85 or 5,000 nm (9,260 km)
Honda Aircraft Company Booth 7547 Honda Aircraft Company will use EBACE as a platform to launch the expansion of sales of HondaJet to Europe.
The typical application of the Silvercrest engine family will be a large cabin, longrange aircraft.
Silvercrest
HondaJet G650
at Mach .90. Using an advanced aerodynamic design, the G650 has a maximum operating speed of Mach .925, which will make it the fastest civil aircraft flying. Based on the aircraft development schedule, first flight is scheduled for the second half of 2009. The company projects it will receive validation by the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) in 2011 and begin G650 customer deliveries in 2012. At EBACE Gulfstream will also be providing programme updates on the remaining aircraft in its fleet, including the G550, G500, G450, G350, G200 and G150.
The manufacturer says its decision to expand sales of what it calls its “advanced light jet” to the European market is a direct response to “the strong demand for HondaJet since the jet first went on sale in 2006 in the United States.” EBACE visitors can experience a mock-up of the aircraft’s interior on display.
Rockwell Collins Booth 1208 Avionics manufacturer Rockwell Collins will be on hand to promote Pro Line Fusion and its Venue cabin management system. Pro Line Fusion will be featured on the Bombardier Global family of aircraft, Embraer’s MSJ and the Cessna Columbus.
SNECMA Booth 132 French engine manufacturer SNECMA will be trumpeting the final results of its Silvercrest core engine test programme. The Silvercrest engine family, developing 9,500 to 12,000 lb (4,309 to 5,443 kg) of thrust, is intended for super-midsize to large business jets. It promises to deliver advances in performance, reliability and environmental friendliness over current generation engines.
After just two years, FlyingGroup has become one of the leading providers at Le Bourget www. fly-corporate.com Register for FlyCorporate’s free eNewsfeed and receive daily news announcements from EBACE.
Venue include’s iPod integration
“Venue will take the passenger experience to a whole new level by mirroring a high-end digital home entertainment environment in the airplane,” said Tommy Dodson, Vice President and General Manager, Cabin Systems for Rockwell Collins, when Venue was launched last year. The new system has already been selected by Cessna for the upcoming CJ4, debuting in 2010. The complete Venue system is scheduled for first deliveries in the first quarter of 2009, though select features will become available starting as early as the second quarter of 2008.
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Top Ten Business Aircraft in Europe by Robyn Boyle
Beechcraft King Air B200
As appreciation for the value of business aviation grows in Europe, so do the number of registered jets and helicopters. FlyCorporate has reviewed the total number of registered fixed wing and rotary aircraft in Europe to determine which models are most popular in the region. Top Ten Fixed Wing Aircraft With five aircraft in the top ten, Cessna is perhaps currently the most popular fixedwing manufacturer in Europe. However, Hawker Beechcraft has secured two out of the top three places on our list. Bombardier, Pilatus and Dassault each have one entry in the list.
1. Beechcraft King Air B200
The King Air B200 features a roomy cabin with up to nine seats
Leading the list is Hawker Beechcraft’s King Air B200 with about 135 aircraft registered in Europe. The twin-engine turboprop earned the status of most successful turbine-powered business aircraft model through its quiet cabin, capability, comfort and dependability. The King Air B200 features a roomy cabin with up to 15 seats, a range of 1,825 nautical miles (3,380 kilometres) and top-quality avionics equipment. It can even handle unimproved airstrips. As a result, the B200 has truly become a standard in the business aviation world and the preferred aircraft for many pilots. “As the price of fuel continues to increase and the world becomes more environmentally conscious, the economics of modern turboprops make more and more sense,” according to Andrew H. Broom, Director of Media Relations and Public Affairs at Hawker Beechcraft Corporation. Based on the number of aircraft registered in Europe. Source: Q108 AMSTAT Report
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2. Bombardier Challenger CL604
3. Beechcraft Hawker 850XP
Since the aircraft’s introduction in 1996, Europe has seen 118 registrations for Bombardier’s Challenger CL604.
Its 116 registered aircraft make the Hawker 850XP one of Europe’s leading jets. Part of the reason for the Hawker’s success is its supreme passenger comfort which comes from its large cabin.
This intercontinental-range aircraft is a huge commercial success in its class, in part due to its spaciousness. The wide cabin accommodates from nine to 19 passengers. The Challenger CL604 can reach a maximum speed of Mach 0.82 and travel up to 4,077 nautical miles (7,551 kilometres) making it ideal for any mission. “With the widest cabin in business aviation, the Challenger 604 is recognised worldwide as the leader in the industy’s large jet segment,” says Danielle Boudreau, Head of Media Relations and Communications at Bombardier.
Its 116 registered aircraft make the Hawker 850XP one of Europe’s leading jets
In addition, new highly efficient winglets work to reduce drag while extending the operating range to 2,595 nautical miles (4,806 kilometres). The Hawker 850XP also boasts an advanced upgraded avionics system, further adding value to this best-selling midsize jet.
4. Pilatus PC-12
5. Cessna Citation 525
6. Dassault Falcon 900EX
The Swiss-made single-engine turboprop owes its popularity to excellent economy, reliability and versatility.
The first Citation 525s, otherwise known as CitationJets, were delivered in 1993. The smallest of the Citation family, the Citation 525 was the first economical jet with single-pilot operation that could compete with the turboprop.
Number six in Europe with 87 registered aircraft is the Falcon 900EX super large jet. Along with the Falcon 50 and Falcon 7X, it is one of the only corporate jets produced with more than two engines. This classic tri-jet engine design allows the Falcon 900EX to fly slower on approach than a twinjet, thus enabling it to use small airports at high altitudes.
This type of aircraft typically seats six passengers but can accommodate up to eight. The inherent safety of the Pilatus PC-12 combined with its 1,944 nautical mile (3,600 km) maximum flight range make it ideal for shorter trips. There are currently about 114 registered Pilatus PC-12s in Europe.
Most recognisable by its T-shaped tail, the Citation 525 has a maximum range of 1,485 nautical miles (2,750 km). There are about 106 registered in Europe today.
This has also earned it a reputation as a highly safe and versatile aircraft. Capable of flying 4,500 nautical miles (8,334 km) nonstop, it is fully equipped with both high-tech connection capabilities and catering amenities. The Falcon 900EX offers up to 14 passengers a smooth and luxurious ride on long flights.
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7. Cessna Citation XLS
The Citation XLS super light jet is an improved variant of the Citation Excel. It is recommended for those whose travel needs include trips of up to 1,849 nautical miles (3,443 km) with up to nine passengers. It has earned a reputation as the most reliable tool for charters. The stand-up cabin has contributed to the registration of some 84 Citation XLS jets in Europe.
8. Cessna Citation Bravo Despite being out of production for nearly two years, there are about 82 Citation Bravos registered in Europe. The Bravo’s popularity is greatly due to its high performance for a light business jet. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney PW530A engines, the runway performance allows flights to and from airports with strips of just 3,609 feet (1,100 metres). The jet reaches speeds more than 200 km an hour faster than a turboprop. This single-pilot aircraft is certified for steep approach capability, can fly a range of 1,254 nautical miles (2,323 kilometres) and carries up to seven passengers.
The Bravo’s popularity is greatly due to its high performance for a light business jet 9. Cessna Citation CJ2 There are currently 79 Citation CJ2 twin-jets registered in Europe. Seating for up to seven passengers, a mini-galley and a fully enclosed lavatory are only the beginning of the amenities aboard this aircraft. With a maximum range of 1,620 nautical miles (3,000 km), the Citation CJ2 is the perfect aircraft for short European hops.
10. Cessna Citation Excel Cessna claims the Citation Excel’s cabin is the largest of any light business jet, boasting stand-up headroom and capacity for nine passengers. No surprise that it makes the list of the most popular business jets in Europe with 72 registered aircraft. The Citation Excel is a reliable mid-size jet designed for routes of up to 2,009 nautical miles (3,720 km) and its cruising speed of 795 km/hour ranks it at the top of its class.
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Top Ten Corporate Helicopters In Europe The list of most popular rotary aircraft is dominated by Eurocopter with five of the top ten places. Bell has three entries with Agusta and Sikorsky having one model each in the list.
1. Eurocopter AS 350 B3 Ecureuil
There are more than 500 registered Eurocopter AS 350s in Europe, making this helicopter the undisputed leader in European helicopter operation. The majority of the registrations are for the B3, the high performance version of the single engine Ecureuil or “squirrel” family. The B3 is probably best known for landing on and taking off from the summit of Mount Everest but it is also entirely suitable for corporate and private transport. Cécile Vion-Lanctuit, Head of International Media Relations at Eurocopter says, “With its wide cabin, its exceptional lifting power, high endurance, extended range and fast cruise speed, the AS 350B3 is considered as the “best value for money” by the customers and as an obvious complement of their business jets.”
2. Bell 206B JetRanger
3. Eurocopter EC 135 T2
Since the late 1960s, the Bell 206 has remained fundamentally the same in terms of basic shape and design but its popularity has only grown. The Bell 206 is widely recognised as the key entry-
With over 274 registrations in Europe, the EC 135 ranks as the third most popular helicopter. The most prevalent version is the T2, a light, twin-turbine, multi-purpose helicopter seating five to seven passengers. It combines modern technology with minimum operating cost. It comes with a Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC) system for optimised performance, safety and fuel efficiency.
level single-engine turbine helicopter as well as a valuable tool for charters with up to four passengers. For a number of years this model was also built by Agusta and known as the AB 206. There are 412 of the 206Bs registered in Europe. Of these, 148 were made by Agusta. “It’s an exciting time to be in the vertical lift aircraft industry...but especially for Bell because we make a very competitive aircraft,” says Kipp Baker, Manager, Web Media & Communications at Bell Helicopter Textron.
4. Eurocopter EC 120B Colibri Production of the EC120 Colibri (also known as the Hummingbird) began in 1997. It is the smallest model of the current Eurocopter family and is fitted with a shrouded tail rotor or Fenestron. This works to reduce noise levels and increase safety. The Colibri is powered by a single engine and can carry up to four passengers in addition to a pilot. There are currently 213 registered EC 120Bs in Europe.
“It’s an exciting time to be in the vertical lift aircraft industry”
5. Eurocopter AS 355N Ecureuil 2 The AS 355N is the current production model of the Ecureuil family. This helicopter distinguishes itself from the AS 350 model by its twin-engine and increased maximum take-off weight. First deliveries took place in early 1992 and today there are just over 200 registered AS 355Ns in Europe.
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6. Eurocopter AS 365N Dauphin 2
7. Agusta A109E
8. Bell 412
The first AS 365Ns were delivered in 1982. Since then, this twin-engine mid-sized multi purpose helicopter has found widespread use in corporate aviation. What makes the Dauphin so
With approximately 130 registered helicopters, the lightweight, twinengine Agusta A109E ranks as seventh in Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rotary aircraft fleet. This is largely due to its versatility. In addition,
The Bell 412 is a rugged and reliable twin-engine helicopter renowned for working in extreme conditions. In a corporate setting, the 412 features a roomy cabin with comfortable seating for 15,
unique is its signature Fenestron (fully enclosed) tail rotor and retractable tricycle undercarriage. It is designed to carry up to two crew and 13 passengers. There are currently about 169 registered Dauphins in Europe.
it boasts high engine power, FADEC management, modern rotor technology, advanced avionics and cockpit integration, all providing a luxurious and smooth flying experience. Although it was originally developed as an ambulance and rescue helicopter to operate in the mountainous regions of Switzerland, the A109E is perfectly suited for five-passenger corporate and private transport.
sliding doors on both sides and a wide range of safety features. The different versions include Special Performance, High Performance and the Enhanced Performance (the model currently in production). There are about 89 Bell 412s registered in Europe.
9. Sikorsky S-76
10. Bell 206L LongRanger
The Sikorsky S-76 has enjoyed a long legacy of success since its introduction in 1977. This is due to the fact that Sikorsky continuously responds to evolving market requirements, in turn creating updated models of the S-76. The 77 helicopters registered in Europe include the A+, B, C+ and C++ versions. It is a multipurpose, medium-size commercial helicopter powered by two turbo shafts, with a four-blade main and four-blade tail rotor as well as retractable landing gear.
Bell developed the LongRanger to offer a light single-engine helicopter with greater capacity and utility than the JetRanger. The LongRanger has found favour as a corporate transportation tool due to its stretched cabin that can seat five passengers, a pilot and a co-pilot or additional passenger. Bellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LongRanger is increasingly popular with helicopter charter companies. There are currently 63 registered in Europe.
Bellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LongRanger is increasingly popular with helicopter charter companies
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Columbus’ Crew Sees Nothing But Smooth Sailing Ahead by Jack Carroll
Cessna Aircraft is not a company known to make snap decisions. But once it makes a decision, you can take it to the bank. The decision to make a late start into the VLJ melee has so far resulted in some 500 orders for the company’s immensely popular entry-level Citation Mustang. Cessna is very good at filling or creating market niches. When a niche between the light Citation XLS and top-of-line Citation X was perceived, the company introduced the Sovereign: “A proper mid-sized aircraft that can take full fuel and passengers 2,500 nautical miles (4,630 km),” as Trevor Esling, Vice President, International Sales puts it. With the Sovereign enjoying tremendous market acceptance, the new Citation Columbus, approved for production in January, is Cessna’s latest enticement to keep its customers in the family. Ad infinitum if possible.
Cessna’s new flagship will criss-cross the globe with the greatest of ease
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The folks at Cessna don’t just suddenly decide to build a bigger, faster, longerrange aircraft. As Esling explains: “While we have been very successful with the Citation X, I would have to say about half of the people who flew with us have expressed a need for a wide cabin. There are plenty of customers I can think of internationally that told us, ‘Look, we are at the top of your product line and if you had something larger we’d buy it, since we’ve been dealing with you for 20 years and would like
to stay with the brand.’” When enough customers spoke, Cessna listened. They started asking their customers and prospects questions about the need for a larger, long-range jet well before the Sovereign came to market. Says Esling: “There were a number of large cabin concepts shown and discussed in Wichita; sneak previews, if you will. In the end the mock-up we brought to NBAA in 2006 best expressed the needs and opinions of our customers. You might say the Columbus was designed by our customers.”
According to Esling, the Columbus will provide formidable competition for the likes of Dassault’s Falcon 2000EX and Bombardier’s Challenger 300 supermidsize jets. “But ours will do something they can’t, which is to fly 4,000 nm (7,408 km) at Mach .80, making Columbus the fastest in its class.” He explains how this translates to the needs of roaming business travellers: “Columbus will be able to connect just about all of our international customers’ most important city pairs. For example: Dubai to London, against headwinds; London
Cessna Model 850 Citation Columbus Quick Facts Construction: Passengers:
Aluminium airframe 8 to 10
Length:
23.47 metres
77 feet
Wingspan:
24.38 metres
80 feet
Cabin length:
11.06 metres
36.3 feet
Aisle height:
1.85 metres
73 inches
2,042 metres at 13,716 metres
6,700 feet at 45,000 feet
Range (Mach .80, 8 pax):
4,000 nautical miles
7,408 kilometres
Maximum cruise:
488 knots (Mach .86)
Full fuel payload:
884.5 kilograms
1,950 pounds
Takeoff distance:
1,646 metres
5,400 feet
Pressurisation:
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and Central Europe to New York; Sydney to Singapore; and Sao Paulo to Miami. We’re getting by far the most interest in Columbus from Central Europe, followed by the Middle East and Brazil.” Being in sales, Esling instinctively knows the Citation Columbus will be a success, for good reason. “Look, it is bound to be a great seller simply because of the sheer volume of customers who operate our smaller aircraft, such as the Citation XLS, who are ready to move up. We’ve even had people move up to Citation Xs from CJs, so there should be some opportunities there as well. I expect it will be as successful, if not more so, than the Challenger 300 has been. We’ve had nothing but positive feedback thus far and there are many, many die-hard Citation customers out there who’ve been waiting years for this aircraft.” Cessna has over 100 deposits for the Citation Columbus and expects to convert at least 60 to firm order status by year end.
Keeping Customers Happy What Cessna appears to have done with the Columbus is to help keep its customers in the family at the top end
of its product line, neatly putting a formidable road block in the way of such competitors as the Hawker 4000, Falcon 2000 and 900 families and the Challenger 300. As Joe Hepburn, Columbus Project Manager remarks: “It is really painful when a loyal customer who likes the way we treat them and supports our products finds we can’t fill their needs and are forced to move to a competitor. We listened to customers who operate aircraft like the XLS, Sovereign or Citation X and with the Citation Columbus, we’ll be able to respond to their requests and tell them with a high degree of confidence, ‘Come back and see us when you’re ready to move up to a wide-cabin aircraft that can take you 4,000 nm at Mach 0.80.’”
Hybrid Fly-by-Wire Key features of the new Citation Columbus include Pratt & Whitney’s new PW 810 engines, with 8,830 pounds (4,005 kg) of thrust, the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics suite with MultiScan hazard detection system and optional head-up display and a hybrid fly-by-wire system. Joe Hepburn explains why Cessna opted for the hybrid system: “The fly-by-wire concept is not
new and our friends at Airbus have been using it for a long time. Wires weigh a lot less than control cables, of course, and for a large aircraft the weight saving is significant. But for small planes, like ours, we traditionally use simple cable-driven systems that are extremely reliable and their weight versus wire doesn’t mean as much. “With Columbus we are sort of in the middle. What we are looking for is a well-tuned airplane that will handle well for the pilots and provide a smooth ride for the passengers in the rear. With Columbus, we are using a little of both wire and cable to gain the advantage of having a back-up control system. Our choice was to use a fly-by-wire system coupled with an independent cabledriven system. If the electrons decide they are not going to function as we intended, the pilots will have a traditional cable-driven backup system.” The Citation Columbus will cost an estimated $27.0 M (€17.55 M). Cessna projects first flight in 2011, with FAA certification by the end of 2013, and deliveries beginning in 2014. As it has been widely reported, Joe Hepburn intends to meet those deadlines!
“We have many, many die-hard Citation customers who’ve been waiting years for this aircraft”
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Doug Jaffe: Man on a Mission by Jack Carroll
SJ30
Early investor in Sino Swearingen’s SJ30 jet proves a point; pushing his new plane to the max.
Doug learnt his lessons well, quickly accumulating his own millions and then some
Texas tycoon Doug Jaffe had an early introduction to aviation when his father sat young Doug on his lap and let him take the controls of a Piper Apache. That was it, Doug was hooked for good. His impressive career to date has pretty much mirrored that of his father, a former test pilot turned multi-skilled entrepreneur, who made his millions in aviation, oil and gas, retailing and resorts. Apparently dad was also a great role model and teacher, with Doug his eager apprentice in fortune-building. Doug learnt his lessons well, quickly accumulating his own millions and then some. By 1983 he was able to invest $16 M (€10.4 M) in developing and producing
noise reducing hush kits for Boeing 707 airliners. According to Jaffe, his company modified over 180 aircraft, pulling in “about a billion dollars.” From that point, Jaffe continued to gain momentum, operating a major aircraft completions centre from 1988 to 1995. “I learned everything about transport category aircraft,” he recalls, “sales, mods, retrofits, interiors, leasing; you name it.” At about that time, Jaffe met the renowned aircraft designer Ed Swearingen. They hit it off and teamed-up to enter the competition for the US Air Force ab initio trainer, with Jaffe investing over $10 M (€6.5 M) in development.
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Concept to SJ30 The contract was awarded to another company, but Swearingen had other projects in the works, most notably a sleek twin-engine business jet. Ed decided to retrieve his design from Gulfstream, which had backed the project, and began a 50/50 partnership with Jaffe. Together they produced a proof of concept aircraft which they took to the Paris Air Show in 1991. As Jaffe explains: “That started us on what would become the SJ30-1. The aircraft was far ahead of its time, with phenomenal performance. At about $2 M (€1.3 M), I think it would have been a sure winner. But business aviation was in total disarray then and the programme just didn’t develop. In any event, the original design was extensively modified into the SJ30-2 and, after many years of stops and starts (mainly due to financing); the aircraft was finally certified as the SJ30.” Jaffe gives a great deal of credit to US Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia for arranging the financing, “He made many trips to Taiwan on our behalf and I think he was the key to Taiwanese investment in the SJ30 programme. Without Jay’s efforts, I doubt if the deal would have gone through.” Jaffe took delivery of the first production SJ30 in late February 2007. He quickly put his new business tool to the test and by July had logged more than 300 hours, well above a typical business jet’s use. To date he has logged more than 600 hours tending to his everexpanding empire. Says Jaffe: “We fly the pants off this airplane and it just doesn’t break. We’ve had no problems at all, which is really
unusual for a new airplane. What I like most is its speed and fuel economy. We can fly from San Antonio to Los Angeles on 300 gallons or less, where a Learjet would use twice that. And once you go up to 47-48,000 feet (14,325 – 14,630 metres) the fuel burn is only about 100 gallons an hour. For me it’s truly a time machine. For instance, I can fly to either coast from San Antonio, no matter what the winds are, and be back the same day. The SJ30 is also fantastic in turbulence, thanks to its narrow wing design that Ed calls ‘aerolastic’. It cancels out gusts and takes shocks like a Boeing airliner.”
Sea-level Cabin The SJ30 has 12 psi cabin pressure for sea level conditions up to 41,000 feet (12,497 m) and maintains 600 feet (183 m) at its maximum altitude of 45,000 feet (13,716 m). “With the sea level cabin there’s no stress or fatigue on a flight. Other aircraft have cabin levels of 8-10,000 feet (2,438-3,048 m) and you really feel it,” says Jaffe. “It’s a very comfortable cabin for four people, though I rarely take more than three. I like to think of it as a Ferrari with the comfort of a Rolls Royce.” Asked what kept him going during all the years and setbacks leading to the SJ30s certification, he says simply: “Faith in Ed Swearingen, who always delivers more than he promises, and faith in this airplane.” From the looks of things, Jaffe’s faith wasn’t misplaced. Jaffe’s wide range of holdings now includes interests in gas and oil, an airline in Romania, business and commercial aircraft modifications and his crown jewel, the Horseshoe Bay Resort, an 8,000 acre (3,237 hectare) spread, 80 miles (129 km) from San Antonio. Not
surprisingly, he points out that it’s the largest in Texas. As always, Jaffe’s plans for the property, which he’s owned outright since 1996, are most ambitious. “My goal is to have the best resort in the United States within six months,” he says. With more than 5,000 homes on the property, Lake LBJ (“the largest constant-level lake in the US,” notes Jaffe), a 350-room hotel and conference centre, and five golf courses, it would appear that Jaffe can’t miss.
Fly-in Community “Our own airport right in the middle of the resort is Horseshoe Bay’s key feature. The Horseshoe Bay Jet Centre boasts a 6,000 feet (1,830 m) runway with full FBO facilities. As one of the largest private strips in the country, we can handle anything up to a G550 or Global Express. Substantial upgrades to the airport to increase its capacity are currently underway. We’ll eventually be able to accommodate BBJs and other narrow body transport-category aircraft such as 757s, MD-80s or Airbus A320s. “Our guests can fly in on their own jets and be teeing off on one of the courses in about ten minutes. And soon we’ll be operating our own scheduled air shuttle service. No resort has that. We plan on moving all our aircraft completion and mod work to Horseshoe Bay Airport and we’re in the process of building a 200+ resident fly-in community. What we’re doing is creating a major aviation hub to serve the southeast and southwest.” He sounds like a busy guy. Good thing he has his trusty SJ30 to help corral all his companies.
“Our guests can fly in on their own jets and be teeing off on one of the courses in about ten minutes”
+* 54 B6<6O>C: MAGAZINE
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55
A Pocket Rocket from Texas by Jack Carroll
Sino Swearingen SJ30
High performance light jet flies from San Antonio to Dubai Air Show in record time. It climbs faster than the top cruise speed of many jets. It is fastest in the light jet class. Its 2,500 nautical mile (4,630 km) range means it can fly nonstop coast-to-coast or across the Atlantic. And with 12 psi cabin pressure, better than airliners, its passenger comfort is second to none. And as if that weren’t enough, it’s incredibly fuelefficient. This remarkable business jet is the Sino Swearingen SJ30, which demonstrates its all-around performance with every flight, easily surpassing the company’s early projections. The road to certification was tortuous, to say the least. But after many years of starts, stops and just-in-time financing, the patience of some 300 depositors on the company’s order book and the persistence of the SJ30’s designer have been well rewarded.
As Hamish Harding, Chairman of Sino Swearingen’s largest distributor, UKbased Action Aviation, commented after a record breaking transatlantic flight: “This plane is a real pocket rocket. I really think it can set a record every time it flies.”
One Stop Crossing Hamish should know. Along with John Siemens, the company’s chief test pilot, he was one of the pilots on the flight. Taking off from San Antonio, the SJ30 flew non-stop to Goose Bay, Labrador for a short fuel stop, and then flew non-stop to Farnborough Airport, just outside London. “Other light jets simply can’t do that,” he remarked. “Ours is the exception.” It happened again when Harding piloted his own SJ30 from San Antonio to the Dubai Air Show in just over 16 hours.
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Why is the SJ30 so exceptional and why can it do what others in its class cannot? Underlying everything is the vision of legendary designer, Ed Swearingen. (The S in SJ30 stands for Swearingen, the J is for the original lead investor and true believer, Doug Jaffe, and it is the thirtieth design by Ed Swearingen.) As Ed explains: “Engine size pretty much drives an aircraft’s cost. Add thrust, you add weight and the cost goes up. Add speed, you add to fuel costs. I thought if a light engine could be combined with advanced aerodynamic design, then you’d really have something.”
Disruptive Technology The small, lightweight Williams turbofan was just the ticket to complement Ed’s design. It has the power to push the plane to Mach 0.83, yet is the ultimate fuel miser, burning as little as 100 gallons (379 litres) per hour. As Ed notes: “It’s all about getting the best possible balance of the wing shape, engines, aerodynamics and overall design.” He characterises the SJ30’s design as “disruptive technology,” noting that: “Current light jets are clustered in a pack with only minor differences and improvements between models, while the SJ30, with its advanced technology has broken free, far above the norm.”
“Our performance isn’t magic, it’s simply well-applied technology,” says Swearingen. He cites an example: “We took off from our plant in Martinsburg, West Virginia headed to San Antonio at about the same time as a Lear 35. The Learjet holds 1,200 pounds (544 kg) more fuel than the SJ30 and has much more power, with 3,500 pounds (1,588 kg) of thrust on each side, while we have only 2,300 (1,043 kg). Yet against 170 knot headwinds all the way to San Antonio, we flew nonstop faster, higher and used far less fuel, while the Learjet had to make a fuel stop in Austin. That’s just one example of technology driving the SJ30’s economics and efficiency. And just imagine going to Europe from San Antonio in a light jet, with just one stop, at the operating cost of a King Air turboprop. We’ve done it many times, so for us it’s just routine. But anyway you look at it, crossing the Atlantic in a light jet is still quite an achievement.” The SJ30 is certified for single pilot operation. However, pilots must complete a rigorous FAA-approved training programme conducted by Sino Swearingen before they can fly the aircraft.
“Engine size pretty much drives an aircraft’s cost”
So let’s get down to reality. How is it to fly? We checked in with test pilot Mark Fairchild (who doubles as VP Sales & Marketing) and he was understandably enthusiastic. Asked about his overall impressions, he gave us the inside information: “It’s extremely easy to fly and always a fun time. When we do a pilot’s demo, the smiles begin on takeoff and last until we touch down. Whether they’re climbing at 410 ktas, making steep turns and easy stalls or pushing raw cruise speed at altitudes from the mid 30s through the mid 40s, they all agree that no light jet delivers this level of performance; especially at a bargainpriced $6.99 M (€4.55 M).” Discussing performance, Fairchild goes to his charts: “The whole point is that the SJ30 flies much higher, at equal or better speeds than the fastest light jet competitor in its class. For instance, we can fly far more efficiently up to Mach 0.80 at 45,000 feet (13,716 metres), burning around 800 pounds (363 kg) of fuel per hour, while the competition is stuck at 35,000 ft (10,668 m), burning over 1,200 pounds (544 kg) an hour.”
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He elaborates: “The SJ30 can fly at maximum continuous thrust (MCT) for over 2,100 nautical miles (3,889 km). This results in an initial Mach number of 0.79, with a final cruise speed of Mach 0.82 (473 ktas). Our long range cruise speed at 45,000 ft (13,716 m) is Mach 0.76, where we burn less than 700 pounds (318 kg) of fuel per hour at mid-cruise weights. The SJ30 simply flies faster, farther, higher and more efficiently than any of our competitors in the light jet category. And that’s at any speed for any distance.”
Sea-level Comfort Commenting on the 12 psi comfort feature, he explains, “You will never get ear-popping on this aircraft. When we bring up ear-popping – and who hasn’t experienced that – it’s a simple, dramatic way for the average person to understand the benefits of 12 psi cabin.” The SJ30 doesn’t have a stand-up cabin, which very few business jets actually have, but that does not matter to Doug Jaffe who remarks: “Who stands up in a Maybach? Once they’re seated in our cabin, people always comment on its high level of comfort. For instance, we have club seating, which gives pas-
“You will never get ear-popping on this aircraft”
sengers much more leg room than the competition, thanks to the SJ30’s fuselage. To get an aircraft that has all our features and performance, you’d have to spend around $13 million (€8.45 M). Our acquisition cost is just over half that.” OK, we are now true believers. So what’s next for the SJ30? With a true thoroughbred in its stable, what Sino Swearingen must do now is ramp up production – way up – to cover the backlog and meet future demand. That is easier said than done, of course. But based on Sino’s past record of dogged persistence, it will happen.
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London Calling
Europe’s fastest-growing capital city is feeling the squeeze on all fronts. Business charter operators are finding it difficult to get landing slots and are increasingly turning to helicopters for lift. PremiAir Aviation is attempting to find a solution. Liz Moscrop reports.
Battersea is getting an upgrade
Travellers to London are crying out for better helicopter services. The only major landing site licensed by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is at Battersea. That site has been around for almost 50 years and handles up to 12,000 movements a year. PremiAir Aviation has taken on the ageing heliport and is in the process of upgrading it to a premier site for business and leisure fliers alike.
According to David Langton, the company’s business development manager, the new heliport terminal is on target for completion in the second quarter of 2009. It will be an impressive port of call for visitors, with a state-of-the-art von Essen luxury hotel on site. The hotel will include an integrated business aviation terminal, a subterranean spa and a rooftop restaurant.
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Says Langton: “It is taking shape quickly and is on target for completion. We are also adding enhanced security screening facilities.” The opening date will coincide with the heliport’s 50th anniversary. The von Essen group acquired PremiAir from Sir Robert McAlpine in March 2007 and immediately sought planning permission to bring the heliport up to date. The 14-storey hotel and new stateof-the-art executive aviation facility offer panoramic views across the heliport and River Thames. The facility will include meeting and conference rooms and VIP lounges. The heliport and adjoining site were part of a deal valued at £50 M (€63.30 M). David McRobert, PremiAir’s managing director, said at the time: “We are delighted by the acquisition. We’ve developed a great relationship with von Essen and its entrepreneurial chairman, Andrew Davis. PremiAir sees exciting growth opportunities, particularly within business aviation, which the von Essen investment will help secure. There are great synergies between von Essen’s luxury markets and PremiAir’s, and there are going to be some very interesting business opportunities ahead.” Davis added: “Our businesses and respective management teams have worked very well together and both organisations have benefited from the business relationship. Business aviation is growing fast in Europe and von Essen saw an excellent opportunity to acquire PremiAir, and help it grow and expand its operations both organically and through further acquisitions”.
Noise One of the main barriers to growth is noise – or the public perception of noise. There are virtually no statistics on the number of helicopter movements over London and there is no noise monitoring, even near Battersea heliport. Neither the CAA nor the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) has meaningful data on the number of helicopter movements over London. NATS says most helicopter pilots do not file flight plans, but call air traffic control when ready to take off, or immediately upon becoming airborne. The Greater London Authority completed a survey of London residents in 2006 and was “surprised” at the high level of complaints it received, although many of these derive from essential services. Police and ambulance flights use bigger aircraft and are noisier as they stay in the air for a long time. This creates a nuisance for local residents and people associate helicopters with that kind of noise, although most are willing to accept disturbance from those sources. PremiAir is keen to work cooperatively with local residents and Langton explains how the company is tackling the issue: “The heliport is predominantly for business-related traffic with executive helicopters. We have made good progress in trying to ensure helicopters fly in using noise abatement procedures and we issue noise protection notices as good practice.” He continues: “We would not have a heliport in central London otherwise. We have sent out leaflets to the local
community and undertaken several initiatives to go to local resident groups and explain what we do in association with Wandsworth Council. These groups are conservative, but we have explained our approach procedures and followed up with local residents, which has obviously been appreciated.”
Slot System Battersea is so popular with operators that it has introduced a slot system to cater for demand. Langton says that this is on a “first come first served” basis. The main issue is that the heliport does not go over its annual 6,000 landings and PremiAir keeps a watchful eye on this. Last year it was forced to remove its weight-based pricing structure to ensure it complies with its annual movement limit. The company also established a new pricing strategy as part of its effort to remain under the 12,000 cap. The operator almost reached its limit after 10 months last year. “The ceiling at Battersea was set at 12,000 in 1997,” explains Langton.” Based on current demand we think a realistic level is around 15,000 and we will eventually lobby for an increase.” The previous pricing structure was based on weight, so fees for a singleengine Robinson R44 were less than for a twin-engine machine. “Under the new pricing system, all helicopters pay the same price, regardless of size,” continues Langton. “It doesn’t matter whether a large or small helicopter lands, they still require the same ground handling.” An R44 fee of £280 (€354) during peak times under the old system rose to £400 (€506).
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PremiAir offered incentives for operators to leave their aircraft on site, rather than parking it elsewhere and returning later. For the longer term, PremiAir advocates the creation of a new heliport site on the east side of London. “This would be of huge benefit to both the aviation industry and Britain plc, ahead of the 2012 Olympics,” says Langton. London City Airport (LCA) is also proposing to invest in a new second heliport in the British capital. Whether either proposal is allowed to go ahead depends on several factors. The first of these is an ongoing environmental inquiry into existing London helicopter activity and the part helicopter services might play in the city’s total transport services for the future. One of the difficulties contributing to the noise is that London’s airspace is largely unregulated. Many helicopters fly the H4 route from Barnes in the south west, over the Isle of Dogs to the Thames Lea Valley in the east. A route along the river would affect far fewer residents. The London Plan, developed by the Mayor of London and covering the entire city, states: “The Mayor will and boroughs should consider heliport proposals in terms of the need for such facilities and their wider environmental impact. Working with boroughs in east London, the Mayor will consider the need and practicality of identifying sites in east London for an additional heliport to support London’s economy.”
Why PremiAir?
Future Plans
Just how important is a heliport to London outside of the Olympics? Langton believes it is crucial for business travellers coming to the capital. He says: “Most journeys are typically under half an hour or 45 minutes tops. We occasionally are asked for longer trips, up to one, one and half hour short hops. The most popular requests we have are for interlinking with business jets at Luton, Farnborough, Biggin Hill or Stanstead.”
The same issues that face the entire industry affect PremiAir. Good pilots with the right background and hours are becoming scarce. Says Langton: “Finding pilots who are the right type of people to ferry VIPs is difficult. There is a charter market shortage. We look for people with 1,500 hours of twin turbine time. We analyse an individual’s background, and a general rule of thumb is to look for a more senior person.”
McRobert adds: “We are seeing more people using executive helicopters to link up with their private jets at business aviation airports such as Farnborough, and also more frequently for luxury leisure breaks. Our passengers have high expectations and we’re happy that they appreciate the quality, seamless, stress-free service we offer.”
There is also a great deal of demand for interior refurbishment. PremiAir has a bespoke design team in house that is Part 21 approved for modifications. This team coordinates with the company’s engineers. The majority of customers like to refurbish their new cabins with a full-blown kit comprising of good inflight entertainment, such as an iPod and DVD player. The design team works hand-in-hand with the firm’s licensed engineers, also in short supply across the industry.
The leisure charter market is expanding rapidly, with clients arranging events such as a one day shoot during the hunting season. Says Langton: “My clients wanted to take their clients to a luxury hotel for dinner and come back the next day. We also looked at last year’s social calendar. It has become popular for a group to charter a helicopter to Ascot or for the Gold Cup. The Grand Prix is booked months in advance. Going to the Grand Prix from London you can be stuck on the road for around two and a half hours in traffic jams, whereas in a helicopter you really see the benefit.” PremiAir has already taken bookings for this season’s key sporting events, including the Cheltenham Festival, Royal Ascot and the British Grand Prix. The operator arranged more than 100 helicopter charters during Ascot last year.
David McRobert
The shortage of skilled staff coupled with new EASA regulations has forced the company to launch its own apprenticeship scheme, which is in its first year. The apprentices spend their days at college in Farnborough and during the holidays they either go to Blackbushe or to TAG or GAMA at Farnborough. This allows PremiAir to nurture the talent they want and train them to cater to its needs. The entire scheme should run for around five years.
“Most journeys are typically under half an hour or 45 minutes tops”
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PremiAir is obviously forward thinking and according to Langton is already looking at growing its business aviation engineering and management charter streams. He also hints that the company will eventually look at expanding into mainland Europe and at the fixed wing sector, but refuses to be drawn further. (That said, Premier is a Hawker Beechcraft service centre, which might be a natural place to look.) However, Langton is adamant that the company will focus on ensuring it has established a stronghold in the UK market first. David Langton is enthusiastic about the company’s future prospects. He says: “I’m excited about the heliport. It is fantastic that the hotel will be ready as the heliport celebrates its fiftieth anniversary – absolutely wonderful from a marketing point of view. We will arrange a large launch and are already gearing up for it now.”
Artist’s impression of the new London Heliport
PremiAir will arrange a large launch and is already gearing up for it now
Skill Set PremiAir is well placed to develop a heliport. The company flies approximately 4,000 charter hours a year using a modern fleet of Sikorsky 76s, Eurocopter Twin Squirrels and a Bell 222. In addition, it has some 17 executive helicopters on management programmes, with 12 available for charter. The company has experienced 8 to 10% growth over the last couple of years. As well as its charter work it offers maintenance and engineering services at its centre at Blackbushe Airport in the south of England. The company is also a Hawker Beechcraft service centre and offers pilot training, police air support and aircraft and helicopter management. Subsidiary PremiAir Aircraft Engineering is an FAA, EASA, CAA Part 145-approved organisation, a Sikorsky Service Centre for the S76 (all models) and a Bell Customer Service Facility for Bell 222, 230 and 430. It is also one of the largest Eurocopter maintenance centres in Europe supporting EC155, AS365 Dauphin and AS355 Twin Squirrel. It also provides support services on the AgustaWestland 109 model range. As well as being the UK’s only Beechcraft fixed wing service centre, PremiAir is a Pratt & Whitney Canada recognised maintenance facility and is a distributor for Honeywell, Rockwell Collins and numerous other equipment vendors. The organisation has extensive avionics capabilities and has Part 21 J and G design and manufacture approvals for aircraft modifications.
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Bizjets Built in Brazil by Rod Simpson
Phenom 300
The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer has been in operation for forty years and is still a major player in the market for business aircraft. Based just outside Sao Paulo, Embraer builds both business aircraft and commercial aircraft for the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s airlines. Their ERJ-135 and ERJ-145 regional jets fly in the colours of Delta Connection, Continental Express and United Express to name just a few. The larger Embraer 170/195 regional airliners can be found in the fleets of international carriers such as Jet Blue, US Airways, Air France and Air Canada. This versatile manufacturer also builds the highly successful Super Tucano military turboprop trainer and ecofriendly Ipanema agricultural aircraft. The Ipanema flies on ethylene, manufactured from Brazilian sugar cane.
Embraer builds both business aircraft and commercial aircraft for the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s airlines
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Today, Embraer can deliver two business jet models - the Legacy 600 and the Lineage 1000. However, its strategy is to compete on equal terms with other major corporate aircraft producers such as Cessna, Bombardier and Hawker Beechcraft. The Embraer business aircraft product line is expected to include at least six models when current plans come to fruition. The key to Embraer’s success with the Legacy and Lineage is the maturity which has been built up in production of their regional jet models. With most of the operational bugs shaken out in airline service, the company had a highly reliable airframe ready for further development. The ERJ-145 first flew in 1995 and went into production not long after. But, in July 2000, Embraer announced that the ERJ-145 would be available as a business jet. In fact, they used the ERJ-135, a shorter 37-seat derivative, to create the Legacy. Within a year the order book had grown to 33 firm orders with a further 31 options. The first Legacy delivery was made in 2002.
The Legacy 600 Identified as the EMB-135BJ, the Legacy was launched in two versions. The Legacy Shuttle was a short to medium-range (1,840 nautical miles or 3,408 kilometres) aircraft intended for corporate users who needed more seating for inter-plant personnel transport but did not have the extended range requirement of the Legacy Executive. The Shuttle could be configured for 16 to 19 first-class seats, 19 airliner-style seats or in a high density layout for 22, 30 or 37 passengers. Additional belly tanks extended the range of the Legacy Executive to 3,100 nautical miles (5,741 km). In the latest Legacy 600 variant, this has been increased to 3,250 nautical miles (6,019 km) which ensures the aircraft is capable of operating from London to
eating area with a dining table against the starboard wall (which can be lowered to form a coffee table if required). A storage cabinet and passageway are along the port side. The forward cabin is equipped with club-four executive seating with a centre aisle. Legacy 600
New York or from Zurich to Dubai. The aircraft has been approved for operation down the 5.5 degree glide slope into London City Airport. The current Legacy 600 is priced at $25.41 M (€16.52 M) which puts it somewhere between the Gulfstream 200 and the Challenger 605. The Legacy’s long cabin is a major advantage, while performance is similar to that of the competition. One of the first orders placed for the Legacy was from the Government of Greece. Embraer has also been successful in gaining government orders from other national users including Angola, India and Brazil. By the end of 2007, a total of 110 Legacys had been delivered to customers. Aimed squarely at the high-end company transport segment, the Legacy Executive has a 13-seat interior and a stand-up cabin enhanced by a recessed floor. The corporate market was an unfamiliar one for Embraer and a great deal of research went into making the Legacy cabin attractive and functional. With 13.1 metres (43 feet) of cabin length to play with, the designers had plenty of scope. However, they needed to avoid the space taking on a long tubular appearance. The company’s designers opted for three seating areas which has proved very popular with users. Each section can be divided off with partitions, allowing meetings to take place in privacy. In the back is a lounge with a pair of facing seats and a three-seat side-facing divan. The centre cabin is a club-four
Customers are not obliged to have the standard cabin layout and the various furnishing components can be arranged to suit individual requirements. An important feature is the design of the seating. Each pair of chairs can be folded flat and docked together to make sleeping couches. The Legacy’s fully-enclosed restroom at the back of the cabin was upgraded and enlarged in 2004. It has a rear door that provides access to the 6.8 cubic metre (240 cubic feet) pressurised baggage compartment. In the front, adjacent to the entry door, is a galley equipped for full hot and cold food service and storage for coats and equipment. However, a crew restroom can be fitted here which provides a comfort option for passengers in the forward cabin.
Passenger amenities include LED lighting throughout, the Airshow 400 cabin management system, and two 38 cm (15 inch) LCD screens for information and entertainment display backed by twin DVD-players. Legacy owners can specify a Chelton HSD-7000 high-speed datalink and Wi-Fi system which enables passengers to access the Internet, download large data packages and take part in video-conferencing.
A great deal of research went into making the Legacy cabin attractive and functional
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The Lineage 1000 With the Legacy firmly established and its marketing team well in tune with the business jet market, it was natural that Embraer should exploit its other major commercial product - the E-Jet. The E-jet range comprises four models (the 170, 175, 190 and 195) with similar design features but varying fuselage lengths. Embraer selected the 190 as its platform for the Lineage 1000 which takes the company into territory occupied by Boeing and Airbus. The Lineage 1000 was announced at the EBACE exhibition in May 2006. The plane carries a price tag of $42.95 M (â&#x201A;Ź27.92 M), less than that of the rival Airbus Elite. The internal cabin of the Lineage is 25.76 metres long (84.5 feet) with a width of 3.01 metres (9 feet 10 inches). This makes it 20% longer than an Airbus Elite, although the Elite is a little wider. With so much space there is wide scope for different internal layouts. To make the choice easier the cabin is broken into five zones. In addition, there is a galley and crew rest area at the front
of the aircraft and a large restroom at the back which can include a shower. Beyond this is a very large baggage room which is pressurised and accessible from the cabin. Typical accommodation is for 19 passengers and each of the zones can be fitted with a standard seating module. Optional layouts include a double bedroom in the rear cabin, a cabin with four sleeper seats and several arrangements of executive seating and dining or conference compartments. With the pressure on finding completions capacity, Embraer hopes that the modular approach will speed the fitting-out process for the Lineage. The company expects that new aircraft can be completed in as little as six months following delivery to the PATS Aircraft Completions plant (part of DeCrane Aerospace) in Georgetown, Delaware. The next available Lineage delivery position is mid-2011. The Lineage 1000 differs from the standard Embraer 190. It has the higher gross weight of the Embraer 195 and other detailed variations including different avionics interfaces. The higher
weight is largely due to additional fuel capacity which replaces existing belly baggage compartments and gives it a range of 4,200 nautical miles (7,778 km) with NBAA IFR reserves. This means that London to New York, Moscow to Tokyo, Jeddah to Bangkok or Dubai to Johannesburg are all within its nonstop capabilities. The aircraft can also operate out of London City Airport and the sensitive fields at Teterboro, New York and Aspen, Colorado. Twenty customers have already lined up for the Lineage. The first aircraft, which was flown on 26 October 2007, has been delivered to the United States for installation of its interior. The first customer to operate the Lineage 1000 will be Mexicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grupo Omnilife. They will use it for general charter work in their Omniflys air taxi subsidiary and for company travel to support their expanding international health products business. Another early Lineage delivery will be made to Falcon Aviation Services who are based in Abu Dhabi and will use the aircraft to satisfy the rapidly growing Middle Eastern market for high quality charters.
Lineage 1000
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The next available Lineage delivery position is mid-2011
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Two Phenoms Embraer’s business aircraft plans are much more ambitious than merely exploiting existing designs. To be truly competitive, the company knew that a full model line would be needed. Cessna will have ten models when the CJ4 and Columbus come into service, Bombardier will have eleven and Hawker Beechcraft will have five jet aircraft. Time to welcome the Phenom 100 and Phenom 300. Embraer’s Phenom 100 is commonly referred to as a Very Light Jet (VLJ). However, it is quite different from the smaller Eclipse 500, which started the VLJ revolution, or aircraft such as the Diamond D-Jet. Its closest competitor is probably Cessna’s Citation Mustang but the Phenom 100 has a cabin that is longer and a little wider and deeper than the Mustang’s. It also has an aft restroom which, though not enormous, is a step up from the emergency lavatory seat provided on the Cessna aircraft. Embraer engaged BMW Group’s DesignworksUSA to engineer the cabin. It has a very stylish appearance with four comfortable chairs and is brightly illuminated by six large windows. There is a forward storage unit opposite the entry door for refreshments and light equipment and a small wardrobe opposite the lavatory. Luggage is stowed in an externally-accessed 1.56 cubic metre (55 cubic feet) hold which is large enough to take a mountain of baggage, skis and golf bags, or even a small motorbike!
The Phenom 100 will sell for $3.05 M (€1.98 M) in an EASA-certified configuration. It has a 1,160 nautical mile (2,148 km) range (which will take you from Moscow to Barcelona or London to Tunis) and a very respectable 380 kt cruising speed at 12,500 metres (41,000 feet). It has been designed for high utilisation with a 35,000 hour initial airframe life. Embraer is using four prototypes to complete certification, which is expected by mid-2008, with first deliveries to take place shortly thereafter. There have been few problems in flight test. The only significant modification was the addition of wing fences to improve the lift coefficient and shorten the takeoff distance. For the flight crew, the Phenom has a comfortable and roomy cockpit with excellent visibility. The aircraft is fitted with the Prodigy flight deck. The flight deck includes a Garmin-based threescreen system which brings together all primary flight and engine instrumentation, navigation, communication, terrain monitoring, traffic alert, weather data and crew-alerting. Information is presented in a form that can be customised to the requirements of individual crews. Another important safety feature is the anti-skid brake-by-wire system which is standard on both Phenoms. The 100’s big sister is the Phenom 300. This shares some of the same fuselage components and the avionics and systems, but is a larger aircraft with swept wings fitted with winglets and enough space for seven passenger seats (or eight at a squeeze). It competes in a
Phenom 100
sector which includes aircraft such as the Learjet 40, Citation CJ3 and Hawker 400XP and is priced at $6.65 M (€4.32 M). Like the Phenom 100, it has a galley and storage behind the cockpit area and an enclosed aft restroom. During development Embraer has been able to add 35.5 centimetres (14 inches) to the length of the cabin making it feel roomier. The basic design of the fuselage gives the 300 more width and height than all its competitors, other than the Beechcraft Premier 1A. The cabin of the Phenom 300 has benefited from the same DesignworksUSA attention to detail. The Intelligent Luxury approach of the DesignworksUSA team resulted in artistically sculpted seats, soft-feel side panels and a level of comfort that will make passengers happy on flights of up to four hours. At the time of writing (April 2008) Embraer was completing the assembly of the first Phenom 300 at its Gaviao Peixoto factory to the north of Sao Paulo. With modern computeraided design and manufacturing tools, the development of the Phenom 300 has gone smoothly and Embraer is confident that its timetable will be met. The Phenom 300 will enter service in the second half of 2009. For new customers the first available delivery slot is in 2013. Embraer has already taken 700 orders for the two Phenom jets from 44 countries. The planes are proving to be very attractive to both corporate owners and to charter companies. In December 2007 the company inaugurated a large final-assembly hangar at Gaviao Peixoto. The production line is now being formed both at this location and at the nearby Botucatu plant where basic fabrication takes place. A production rate of six aircraft per month is planned for the end of 2008. Embraer plans to raise this to 17 Phenom 100s and five Phenom 300s each month by December 2009.
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On the horizon Don’t imagine that Embraer is going to stop with the Phenom 300. In September 2007 the company announced a new project which will see them building two further models to fill the gap between the Phenom 300 and the Legacy. The Mid-Size Jet (MSJ) and Mid-Light Jet (MLJ) received approval from Embraer’s Board in April. The order books for both aircraft will be officially opened at EBACE in May.
Customers for the Phenom While the new Embraer jets are finding important slots with company fleets and individual owners, they have also found favour with many air taxi and charter operators and with fractional providers. Although many of the 700 orders are from companies in the United States (such as Flight Options which has ordered 100 Phenom 300s) and Executive Air Share and Eagle Creek Aviation (which have ordered both the Phenom 100 and the 300), Embraer has attracted customers from a wide geographical area. In the Middle East, Falcon Aviation of Abu Dhabi and Arab Wings in Jordan will both meet air charter demand with a mixture of the two Phenoms. In Spain, the Globalia tourism group has established Pepe Jets which will receive its first Legacy 600 in the second quarter of 2008. They will add eight Phenom 100s and two Phenom 300s to their fleet in total. Globalia has found that frustration with inflexible airline schedules has made business people appreciate the comfort and convenience of private jet services and the time saving that can result. Their mixture of Embraer jets will provide a range of cost-effective solutions both in terms of range and passenger capacity with the advantage that they are dealing with a single aircraft supplier.
Both aircraft will have a full stand-up cabin with a flat floor. The MLJ will have nine passenger seats while the MSJ will have eleven. In both models the seats will have the same fully-reclining docking feature available in the Legacy. There will be a full-size aft restroom, a forward galley and both external and internal baggage compartments. The design of the MLJ anticipates a 2,300 nautical mile (4,260 km) range which would enable the aircraft to fly from Paris to Teheran.
Typical of customers for the Phenom is the Norwegian company, Sky Partner which has placed orders for two Phenom 100s and one Phenom 300. According to Sky Partner’s Kjetil Føyen: “The cabin size and performance of the Phenom 100 makes it unique, and Embraer’s maturity and experience gives confidence to us that the aircraft will be a good investment. We like the cockpit layout which gives good situational awareness - and the manufacturer provides a well-planned and affordable maintenance package. We expect to be the first Norwegian operator of a VLJ and it promises to be very popular with our clients in the oil industry.” Dana Airlines in Nigeria has become the launch customer for the Phenom in sub-Saharan Africa. Essentially a lowcost airline, Dana have also established a charter arm to meet growing local business travel demand. The company has signed a contract for two Phenom 100s and a Phenom 300 which will be flown on ad-hoc air charters. The company’s CEO, Jacky Hathiramani remarked: “We placed an emphasis on the performance of the aircraft in hot and high conditions, combined with light weight, which is well adapted to our charter operations.”
The engines will be HTF7500E turbofans, developed for the project by Honeywell. The MSJ will enter service in 2012 with the MLJ following in 2013. Undoubtedly they will give Embraer’s customers a good reason to trade-up within the Embraer product line rather than go to another manufacturer. With these two models included in their product range, there can be no doubt that Embraer is serious competition for the established business jet manufacturers.
Climatic conditions have also affected the choice of India’s Invision Projects which has ordered 18 Phenom 100s and two Phenom 300s for a new air taxi service in India. The Managing Director of Invision, Vinit Phatak has placed the emphasis on safety and stated: “Our priority was to find an aircraft which safely performs under Indian weather conditions, is luxurious enough to cater to high net worth individuals and top corporate executives, and is designed and built to airline standards for very high utilisation. We were also looking for a well-established manufacturer that was flexible enough to incorporate the extra safety equipment required by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).” This view was reinforced by another Indian customer, Aviators India Pvt. Ltd., which has bases in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai. Their Managing Director, Arun Sharma expressed the view that: “The [Phenom] jet’s style, performance and comfort, in my opinion, beat every aircraft in the market and I have no doubt the Phenom 100 will become the preferred aircraft in India.”
Embraer has attracted customers from a wide geographical area
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Citation XLS+
Lufthansa Private Jets Takes Off With Own Fleet by Jeff Apter
The company will be the first commercial operator in Europe of the Citation XLS+
German flag carrier Lufthansa has announced it will establish its own private jet fleet to accommodate surging demand. The new venture, to be established during the course of this year, will be known as Lufthansa Private Jets or LPJ. Lufthansa will offer point-to-point flights between as many as 1,000 destinations within Europe and the Russian Federation plus individual, seamless connections to their international route network. The LPJ service will complement the extensive scheduled services operated by Lufthansa and its subsidiary, SWISS.
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LPJ has ordered seven brand new aircraft that are expected to enter the fleet by the first quarter of 2009. The new aircraft will sit alongside two reconfigured Bombardier jets already flying with Lufthansa subsidiaries. Michael Fuchs, Manager of Product Development and Marketing at Lufthansa, told FlyCorporate that Lufthansa is the “only airline in the world to operate a successful private jet service alongside a portfolio of scheduled flights.” The idea for Lufthansa Private Jets originated in March 2005 when Lufthansa became the first international carrier to offer a private jet service in the premium segment. According to Fuchs, demand for individual, flexible air travel became so strong that Lufthansa decided to expand the premium service by creating its own private jet fleet.
He confirmed that the number of private jet flights the company operated in 2007 rose by 26% compared to the previous 12 months. The company declined to release the number of private jet flights it operated last year “for marketing reasons”, but indicated it was up to ten a day with the total being a “four digit number, not quite a five digit number.” “Over the year, customer demand strongly outstripped capacity by an average of about 25% and in peak periods by as much as 60%. Customer satisfaction with Lufthansa’s private jet services is at over 90%,” he said. The move to establish a dedicated private jet operation took off following the end of the contract between Lufthansa and NetJets Europe in February this year. ”Both companies, in a very friendly way, decided to invest in their separate businesses,” said Fuchs.
Lufthansa will operate three types of Cessna in its fleet
Take-off Within the next 12 months the fleet will comprise nine aircraft including the seven new jets presently on order from Cessna and the two reconfigured Bombardier CRJ 200s. Lufthansa will operate three types of Cessna aircraft in its fleet. The company will be the first commercial operator in Europe of the Citation XLS+ when it takes delivery of the aircraft. According to Fuchs, delivery is expected in January 2009 but, depending on manufacturing schedules and Lufthansa’s special pilot training scheme, could be as early as the end of this year. He confirmed that on delivery the German company and Cessna would present the plane at a joint event in Europe. Cessna aircraft had been chosen over the aircraft’s competitors notably for their “operational standards, cabin size and storage room,” said Fuchs. Options from manufacturers such as Embraer and Hawker “had been examined closely.”
Citation XLS+ Interior
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The first Cessna Citation CJ3 business jet (serial number 216) will be registered in Switzerland and will begin operations with Lufthansa subsidiary SWISS at the end of May. The aircraft will available for inspection while on static display at EBACE in May. The operator has no immediate plans to increase the initial nine-unit fleet. “This,” said Fuchs, “is a good start - and we’ll always be looking into possibilities for the future.” The two Bombardier CRJ 200s are already flying for Lufthansa’s subsidiary companies. These aircraft will be transferred from Group members, thus creating synergies between the main Lufthansa operations and its business jets, said Fuchs. The aircraft are being reconfigured to the requirements of business passengers.
Partnerships Until the fleet has reached the required size, 2008 is expected to be a transition year with a possible fall in the number of flights and in profitability. During this time, individual Lufthansa Private Jet flights will be operated by partners certified by Lufthansa. In addition to operating its own private jet fleet, Lufthansa intends to cooperate with “two or three selected and certified partners” to ensure they can respond to peaks in demand. Cirrus Group subsidiary DC Aviation (DCA), formerly DaimlerChrysler Aviation, signed up last December ahead of the end of the cooperation agreement between Lufthansa and NetJets Europe.
According to Michael Fuchs, negotiations were also underway with other European operators for one or more additional partners, but declined to give further details. “For the time-being we are able to serve customer demand with our own private jet fleet and good cooperation with DCA.” DC Aviation operates more than 20 business jets including the ultra-long haul, 16-passenger Gulfstream G550, the 12-passenger Global Express the 13-seat capacity Embraer Legacy 600, the Challenger 604, which can transport up to 10 passengers, the seven-passenger Learjet 60, and the Citation XLS and Learjet 40 jets, each with a capacity for six passengers.
Strong Demand Demand for aircraft, especially in the mid- to large-size category (that is, carrying between seven and twelve passengers), rose disproportionately last year, according to Fuchs. “It was strongest in one of business aviation’s niche growth areas in Europe and particularly among clients from Germany, France, Italy and the Scandinavian countries, notably Sweden.” Most clients used Lufthansa Private Jet services primarily for pointto-point flights. At present, around 70% of all Lufthansa Private Jet passengers fly point-to-point within Europe and the remaining 30% use the service to connect directly with onward long-haul flights. The company confirmed it had no plans at the moment for services to countries outside Europe and Russia, but the market could be reviewed.
“Almost any connection is possible and by building up our own fleet of private jets, we will be in a better position to tailor the product to customer requirements and also offer a more flexible service.” Based on the excellent market response, Lufthansa anticipates steady growth in this segment. In addition to European bookings, business also comes from customers in the USA and New Zealand where the “small community, efficiency of the sales team and a good relationship with a prestigious client who passed on the news by word of mouth won other customers.” Overseas passengers used the service mainly in combination with long-haul flights operated by Lufthansa and SWISS through the hubs of Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich. Lufthansa believes that its innovative approach of linking scheduled flights and private jet flights has increased its ability to attract potential customers, particularly in the premium segment. Customer satisfaction ratings for the LPJ service remain consistently high at over 90%. Other product innovations including the introduction of the worldwide limousine service to and from the departure airport, or access to the First Class facilities at the Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich hubs have “guaranteed constantly high customer satisfaction levels. Equally, customers appreciate the intensive and customer-oriented service provided by Lufthansa’s special service teams,” Michael Fuchs said.
Most clients used Lufthansa Private Jet services primarily for point-to-point flights
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The Fleet Lufthansa Private Jets has chosen four different types of aircraft for its fleet. The fleet will include three Cessna Citation CJ1+ aircraft with seating for four-passengers, two six-passenger Cessna Citation CJ3s and two sevenpassenger Cessna Citation XLS+ units. The two Bombardier CRJ 200s have a 12-seat capacity. The order for the two CJ3 jets and two XLS+ aircraft has a total list price value of about $40 M (€26 M). It is in addition to Lufthansa’s order for four Citation CJ1+ aircraft for its new pilot training programme which was announced at the National Business Aviation Association annual meeting in September 2007.
Lufthansa Invests in New Lounges and Refurbishment For passengers travelling via its global network, Lufthansa provides more than 60 lounges worldwide, offering a total floor space of more than 22,000 square metres. Depending on their booking class and customer status, passengers can choose between First Class, Business or Senator Lounges. Lufthansa also offers passengers access to more than 600 lounges operated by Star Alliance and other partner airlines. Over the next five years Germany’s leading carrier will invest approximately €150.0 M ($230.8 M) on refurbishing lounges at airports throughout its global route network. According to the company, constant updating of terminal facilities and investment in lounge enhancements is a “key element” of its product philosophy and underlines its “commitment to offering premium customers dedicated service of the highest possible standards.”
All aircraft are scheduled for delivery between March 2008 and mid-2009. The Citation CJ3 cruises at up to 417 knots and climbs to 45,000 feet (13,716 m) in just 27 minutes. The aircraft features Collins Pro Line 21 fully integrated avionics, electronically controlled (FADEC) engines from Williams International, a range of 1,875 nautical miles (3,473 km) and the ability to use runways as short as 3,200 feet (975 m) at its maximum landing weight or 2,700 feet (823 m) at its typical landing weight. Certification is underway on the upgraded XLS+, which will feature the Collins Pro Line 21 avionics suite and FADEC engines from Pratt & Whitney. The Citation XLS+ will travel as fast as 440 knots, have a range of more than 1,800
The airline recently opened new Senator and Business lounges at Cologne/Bonn Airport. Centrally located within the new departures and arrivals concourse, the lounges cover 800 square metres with room to accommodate 170 people.
FCI Lounge
Passengers at other German airports can soon expect to enjoy new or refurbished lounge facilities, as well. The lounges at Hamburg Airport, currently undergoing expansion and renovation, are expected to be completed in August this year. Meanwhile, a completely new lounge concept has just opened between gates C and D in the new terminal area at
nautical miles (3,334 km), climb direct to 45,000 feet (13,716 m) in 29 minutes and land on runways as short as 3,180 feet (969 m) at its maximum landing weight or 2,700 feet (823 m) at its typical landing weight. To meet customer requests for discretion, the jets will not be branded in Lufthansa livery but will fly in neutral, restrained branding. The design uses recognisable Lufthansa colours with the cabin interiors strongly resembling the design, materials and colour scheme of Lufthansa’s First Class terminal in Frankfurt airport. The Terminal’s interior designer, Bernd Hollin, was a consultant on the design of the livery for the new aircraft.
Frankfurt Airport. Passengers will be able to board flights directly from two levels in the lounge, with the upper level reserved exclusively for First and Business Class travellers as well as status customers. A new Senator Lounge with priority gate connections and a new Lufthansa Business lounge are also planned. Lufthansa’s enhancement plans are not confined to Germany with expansion and modernisation being undertaken at its lounges throughout the world. At New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport, a new third level, dedicated exclusively to First Class and HON Circle customers, is scheduled to open towards the end of this year. At Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, renovations and an expansion of existing facilities are expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2009. Updating and new projects are also planned at other international airports, including Mumbai (Bombay), one of India’s most important gateways.
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Niall Olver: On the Move
Global Express
Being CEO of two very active organisations is demanding
Niall Olver is Chief Executive Officer of both the ExecuJet Aviation Group and aircraft manufacturer Grob Aerospace. How do business jets help him manage what would seem to be two full-time jobs? Dan Smith finds out. Niall Olver’s career in the aviation industry began as an 18 year old when he joined the South African Air Force. His first training aircraft was a North American Harvard, a combat trainer developed during the 1940s and in service in South Africa until 1995. Despite learning to fly in the Air Force, Niall finished his career in the service as an Operations and Intelligence Officer. It was not until the late 1980s that he obtained his commercial pilot’s licence. In 1984, Niall left the Air Force to join IBM. So began a new career in the information technology industry, which lasted until he was appointed Managing Director of ExecuJet in 1993. ExecuJet had been started in 1991 and was still quite a small operation when Niall joined. One of his first major
decisions was to establish ExecuJet as Bombardier Aerospace’s sales representative and distributor in Europe. By 1995, ExecuJet had re-engineered its business model to provide full aviation services to its clients. Initial contacts with Grob Aerospace, one of the largest manufacturers of composite aircraft, began in 2004. After discussions on maintenance and support for the spn, ExecuJet bid to acquire the majority, controlling share in the company. That transaction was completed in 2006. “The idea of the investment in Grob Aerospace was initiated by me,” said Olver. “Having been successful, I took on the role of CEO.” How does that affect his role at ExecuJet? “I don’t believe it detracts from my role as CEO of ExecuJet Aviation Group,” he said. “ExecuJet is very ably managed
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by the team led by Gerrit Basson, who is the Group Managing Director.” Olver and Basson have known each other since they worked together at IBM. The relationship works well with Gerrit taking on the day-to-day operations while Niall focuses more on strategy.
Man On the Move Being CEO of two very active organisations is demanding and Niall spends a lot of time in the air on both business aircraft and scheduled services. “I do not use business aircraft when scheduled services are practical. However, when flying directly to European destinations, significant time is saved when going point-to-point on a business aircraft. I recently used a Learjet 45 for a very quick, same day trip to Cognac in France. Using scheduled services, that would have been a multi-leg overnight trip via Paris.” Niall estimates he spends around 100 hours flying in business jets each year.
Certification This will be another busy year for Niall Olver with the announcement of new projects for ExecuJet and the finalisation of the certification of the Grob spn. When the process began in earnest in 2006, Grob aimed for certification by April 2008. While that date as not met, the company is working very hard to complete the process. “We are still working to a 2008 certification. This is very demanding given the certification flying and report writing to be achieved. We are growing our team significantly, but remain challenged by finding the right number of human resources, mainly skilled engineers and flight test engineers. The aircraft specification and performance are still very much on track, so the wait will be worth it!”
The order book for the spn is looking healthy with more than 80 requests for the aircraft already. According to Olver the interest is extensive. “We are seeing quite an even spread from the US, and the rest of the world. It has been encouraging to see the amount of interest from emerging markets like India, for example.” Pending final certification, first deliveries are scheduled for 2009, and Grob initially plans to deliver around 40 aircraft a year. That means the next available delivery slot is in 2010.
New Projects In March this year Niall launched “Simply Fly”, ExecuJet’s new jet ownership programme targeted at governments, corporations and high net-worth individuals, especially in emerging regions. ExecuJet will acquire the aircraft, insure it, provide crew and manage and operate the aircraft under seven Air Operating Certificates (AOCs). ExecuJet will also arrange maintenance and technical support and provide all the fixed base operations (FBO) and ground handling services.
According to Niall, the new programme has received a positive initial reaction from both new and existing clients. “We have been very encouraged by the interest displayed. Again, we have interest from India, Russia, the UK and South Africa – just to name a few regions where this has been well received.”
A Team With Vision So what does the future hold for Niall Olver, for ExecuJet and for Grob Aerospace? “The horizon is pretty full with exciting new regional and product developments in ExecuJet. In Grob Aerospace, the essential focus is on the spn certification. However, I am excited by possible future product development. Suffice to say, Grob will develop a family of aircraft over time. “Personally, I remain excited with the prospect of the ongoing maturing of both businesses. We have great people, and nothing beats a strong team, with vision, when facing the future.”
In return the client has dedicated use of an aircraft, typically for a period of five years, without all of the usual responsibilities and risks of ownership. When the client flies, they are charged a fixed hourly rate which reduces the risk of operating cost variations. Most costs and risks are included in the programme for a fixed monthly fee. The client can also choose whether the aircraft is made available for charter to third-party customers, thereby generating income which can offset the costs. At the end of the five-year programme, the client either hands back the keys to ExecuJet or purchases the aircraft with a balloon payment that was agreed at the beginning of the contract.
Niall estimates he spends around 100 hours flying in business jets each year Niall Olver
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Landings: Belgium by the FlyCorporate Editorial Team
Belgium, the heart of Europe, headquarters of the European Union. It’s more than chocolates, beer, waffles and fries (you didn’t really think fries were French, did you?). Belgium has a number of thriving commercial centres which play host to the European headquarters of many multinational companies. Coupled with Brussels’ status as capital of the European Union and home to NATO, this makes Belgium a frequent destination for both executives and government officials. Antwerp Antwerp Airport is the perfect operating base for the numerous multinationals situated in the area. Antwerp is the centre of the world’s diamond industry and Europe’s second busiest port. Located in East Flanders, Antwerp is an ideal landing place for those who intend to visit nearby cities such as Brussels, Bruges, Ghent or Amsterdam.
After several years of declining figures, Antwerp Airport is now seeing steady growth in passenger numbers from 147,849 in 2006 to 174,858 in 2007, an increase of over 18%. The majority of these passengers use scheduled flights to and from London City and Manchester. With a 1,510 m (4,954 feet) runway, Antwerp Airport can support up to B737 and BA46 type aircraft. The airport is open every day from 06.30 to 23.00.
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Brussels
Kortrijk
Liege
General Aviation at Brussels International Airport accounts for around 6% of traffic. In 2006, passenger numbers were at 40,682. The airport offers 24 hour services and all aircraft types that comply with European legislation can make use of Brussels Airport. It is an ideal place to land for those headed to a meeting in the EU capital.
Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport boasts a two kilometre (6,561 feet) renovated runway that is wide enough to ensure comfortable landing and takeoff for a broad range of aircraft types. Business flights are allowed 24 hours a day. One day prior notice is required for movements outside published operational hours (after dark or 21.00). In 2007, Kortrijk welcomed 18,343 business passengers.
Charter business has strongly developed at Liege Airport as evidenced by its 332,848 passengers in 2007. The airport is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and has two parallel runways. One runway measures 3,287 metres (10,784 feet) and the other is currently being extended to a length of 3,700 metres (12,139 feet). Liege’s CAT IIIB Instrument Landing System allows aircraft to land in almost any type of weather.
Brussels South Charleroi Airport is located 46 km south of Brussels. Northeast France is just an hour away by car while the south of the Netherlands, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and Belgium’s eastern border with Germany can be reached in around two hours. While the airport is predominately used by low-cost carriers, it does witness some business aviation activity. The German company Private Wings, for instance, operates a corporate shuttle for Audi twice a week in and out of the airport.
Liege’s CAT IIIB Instrument Landing System allows aircraft to land in almost any type of weather
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FBOs
Abelag Brussels
Abelag (Brussels and Kortrijk)
Operating hours
Abelag is the FBO if you're flying business aircraft into Brussels International Airport. Located right on the General Aviation ramp, the company provides full ground-handling support for approximately 3,000 aircraft a year – many of them belonging to the numerous heads of state that fly into the European capital. In 2004, Abelag’s Brussels FBO underwent a complete refurbishment. Passenger and crew services in Brussels and Kortrijk include VIP and crew lounges and meeting rooms, ground transport services and catering, customs and immigration, and flight planning support.
Operations manager
24 hours/7 days a week Benjamin Steen
Telephone
+32 (0)2 720 58 80
Fax
+32 (0)2 721 22 88
Email Web
hostess@abelag.be abelag.com
Abelag Kortrijk Operating hours Operations manager
24 hours/7 days a week Dirk Decorte
Telephone
+32 (0)5 643 10 66
Fax
+32 (0)5 640 42 08
Email Web
hostess@abelag.be abelag.com
FlyingGroup (Antwerp) Operating hours Operations manager
Paul Wils
Telephone
+32 (0)3 286 86 09
Fax
+32 (0)3 230 24 65
Email Web
FlyingGroup’s FBO in Antwerp offers a comfortable passenger lounge decked out with several stunning art displays, including works by Belgian artist Panamarenko. Additional features include meeting rooms available upon request, a crew kitchen and showers, broadband Internet access, and hotel and ground transport booking.
0700 - 2300 LT
handling@flyinggroup.aero flyinggroup.aero
Signature Flight Support (Liege)
Operating hours
Up until a few weeks ago, Signature Flight Support used to be in two locations in Belgium – Liege and Brussels South. But according to Signature’s Stephan Gosset, that changed with the company’s decision to leave Brussels South and concentrate on its offerings in Liege. Gosset cites low executive traffic at Brussels South as one of several reasons for their departure. In Liege however, the company offers an array of services for business aviation travellers including lounge facilities, transport arrangements, customs and
Operations manager
24hrs/7 days a week David Dumont
Telephone
+32 (0)4 235 88 64
Fax
+32 (0)4 235 88 74
Email Web
ddumont@signatureflight.be signatureflight.com
immigration, security screening and direct access to the ramp. Conference rooms can be requested and Signature will make the arrangements. The FBO at Liege opened last September and is newly refurbished.
In 2004, Abelag’s Brussels FBO underwent a complete refurbishment
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Take a seat. Have your own private plane. And travel without compromise. Whether for business or for pleasure, we think about every second of your journey, taking charge of all arrangements, authorisations and flight details. D&D Travel not only takes care of your flights, we also provide you with destinations and explorations that go beyond every expectation, whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeking luxury or adventure, nature or culture. Or all of them at once. Experience for yourself what a delight travelling can be.
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Antwerp Connections Antwerp Airport is situated just five kilometres from central Antwerp and is easily accessible by car from the Antwerp ring road. Taxis and limousine services are available.
Top Business Hotels Antwerp is the home of the world’s diamond industry, Europe’s busiest port and Belgium’s best fashion designers. The city boasts many fine hotels including most of the major chains.
Top Conference Facilities
FC Picks for Lunch or Dinner
Antwerp Expo is the main exhibition, event and conference venue in Antwerp. The four hectare site contains over 22,000 m² of exhibition space. (mexicocentres.be/en/antwerp)
As a port city, Antwerp has access to some of the finest local and international ingredients available. Here we recommend a few places where you can sample the city’s rich culinary heritage.
The Antwerp Visitor Centre can also provide assistance with finding conference and meeting venues. (antwerpen.be)
Minerva Elegant restaurant situated in the Hotel Firean. Bookings are advised. Web
Kommilfoo Located in the trendy South Antwerp neighbourhood, near the historic centre of the city. Kommilfoo offers seasonal French-Belgian cooking.
De Witte Lelie Hotel Five-star hotel containing just ten rooms and suites and located right in the historic centre of the city. The hotel occupies two houses that date from the 17th Century. Parking is available. Web
dewittelelie.be
Hotel Firean Built in 1929, this Art-Deco mansion is now a small and elegant hotel. Both rooms and suites are available. Web
hotelfirean.com
hotelfirean.com
Web
2.resto.be/kommilfoo
‘t Fornius Cosy Michelin-star restaurant serving fine Belgian/French cuisine. The restaurant is quite small so bookings are recommended. Web
resto.be/ware/details.jsp?businessid=1341
Gin Fish Astrid Park Plaza A contemporary 4-star hotel located just opposite the main Antwerp train station and near to the diamond district. 228 rooms and suites.
Creative seafood in the heart of Antwerp. There is no menu. What is served depends on what the chef finds in the local fish market each day. Web
Web
Hotel ‘t Sandt Small four-star hotel situated in the historic centre of Antwerp. 29 rooms. Web
ginfish.be
parkplaza.com/antwerpbe
hotel-sandt.be
FC Picks for a Post-meeting Drinks A recent addition to the Antwerp bar scene is Sips. The bar serves both alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. (sips-cocktails.com) For a local experience try the very cosy De Vagant. The bar has a choice of almost 300 jenevers (gin). (devagant.be)
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Brussels Connections Brussels International Airport is located about one kilometre from the main FBOs in Brussels. The airport is 14 kilometres from the city centre and is served by fast, direct train services from the main city stations. The airport station is inside the main terminal building. An express bus service provides a direct connection between the airport and the main European Union institutions. The airport and FBO are well served by taxis, limousine services and car hire companies.
Top Business Hotels Most business hotels in Brussels are centrally located and provide good access to the financial district, EU quarter and tourist attractions. Brussels is also the headquarters of NATO which is located outside the centre, near to the main airport. There is a cluster of business hotels nearby that serve both NATO and the airport.
As the home of the European Union, Brussels has some of the best connections to other destinations in Europe. The Eurostar train connects Brussels directly with London in just over two hours. Thalys trains run regularly to major cities including Amsterdam (2.5 hours), Paris (1.5 hours) and Cologne (2.5 hours).
Top Conference Facilities Most of the major hotels in Brussels offer conference and meeting facilities of various sizes. For help with planning an event you can contact the Brussels Tourist and Convention Bureau. (brusselsinternational.be) The Brussels Expo Centre is situated just outside the city centre. The complex provides around 130,000 m2 of exhibition and meeting space in a number of buildings that can be hired individually or as a whole. (brusselsexpo.be)
Brussels is highly regarded by food connoisseurs. Despite the strong influence of French cuisine, Brussels offers a wide range of cuisines from both Europe and the rest of the world.
Comme chez Soi With its art deco interior and fine French food, this two Michelin star restaurant has been impressing critics and patrons for many years. Bookings are recommended, especially for groups. Web
commechezsoi.be
La Maison du Cygne The entrance is on a side street, but the view is of the most famous square in Brussels, the Grand Place. The food and an impressive cellar of over 20,000 bottles of fine wines more than match the location. Web
lamaisonducygne.be
Restaurant de l’Atomium
Hotel Le Plaza Brand new five-star hotel in central Brussels. Boasts the most expensive room in Brussels (€7,500/night) but it comes with a chauffeur-driven Jaguar. Web
Conrad Brussels
FC Picks for Lunch or Dinner
leplaza-brussels.be
Located at the gateway to Brussels’ most stylish neighbourhood and shopping district. 269 guest rooms and suites. Web
conradhotels.com
Situated in the top sphere of the Brussels Atomium, the restaurant boasts one of the finest views of the city. During the day it provides a buffet breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea service. At night the restaurant is transformed into one of Brussels’ finest gastronomic experiences. The Atomium is a short walk from the Brussels Expo Centre. Web
belgiumtaste.com
Amigo Hotel A delightful hotel in the heart of the city. The property is situated just off Brussels’ famous Grand Place. 173 guest rooms and suites.
FC Picks for a Post-meeting Drinks Stanhope Hotel
Web
hotelamigo.com
Situated in the centre of the European quarter of Brussels. The hotel includes the House of the Ambassadors, a 12 room, one suite building with its own entrance and meeting rooms. 50 guest rooms and suites. Web
leplaza-brussels.be
The Belga Queen is best known as a restaurant in the heart of Brussels. But downstairs, in an old bank vault, you will find The Club, an excellent cocktail bar which is decorated in natural colours inspired by the Belgian Congo. (belgaqueen.be) Le Kolya, situated in the Hotel Manos, provides a relaxing venue for an after-meeting drink. The bar also has a superb terrace which overlooks a 2,000 m2 garden. (kolya.be)
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Kortrijk Connections Kortrijk-Wevelgem International Airport is five kilometres from the centre of Kortrijk. Car rental, taxi services and public transport are all available. The airport provides easy access to the Belgian coast and ports and is just under 100 km from both Brussels and Antwerp. Lille, France, is just 30 km south.
Hostellerie Klokhof
Restaurants in Kortrijk have easy access to some of the finest ingredients in Belgium from both sea and land. The restaurants recommended here all maintain a commitment to local cuisine.
Situated in a hotel of the same name, the Hostellerie Klokhof serves fine food that uses only the freshest local ingredients. Web
klokhof.be
Huyze Decock The Huyze Decock is an excellent place to sample fresh local ingredients. The decor, quirky to say the least, creates a relaxed and agreeable atmosphere. Web
huyzedecock.be
St. Christophe
Top Business Hotels For a small city, Kortrijk boasts many excellent hotels for the business traveller. Most are located either in the centre or just a short stroll away.
Hotel Damier The facade of the Hotel Damier has remained unchanged since it was built in 1769. The hotel surrounds a central courtyard and contains 49 rooms and suites. Web
FC Picks for Lunch or Dinner
hoteldamier.be
Hotel Damier
Hotel Broel
A creative and artistic gastronomic experience awaits you at the Restaurant St. Christophe. Bookings are recommended. Web
stchristophe.be
Top Conference Facilities The Kortrijk Xpo contains six meeting and exhibition spaces ranging from 3,600 to 7,600 m2. The total available space is just under 34,000 m2. (kortrijkxpo.be) For assistance with planning a meeting or event you can contact the Kortrijk Tourism Centre who will be happy to help. (kortrijk.be/toerisme)
FC Picks for a Post-meeting Drinks The Daembert Bar in the Hotel Damier is a listed historical building. It is an excellent place to relax with your aftermeeting drink. (hoteldamier.be)
Restaurants in Kortrijk have easy access to some of the finest ingredients in Belgium from both sea and land
Four-star hotel located a short walk from the centre of Kortrijk on the banks of the River Lys. 70 guest rooms. Web
hotelbroel.be
Hotel Messeyne Charming four-star hotel located in the centre of Kortrijk Web
messeyne.be
www. Landings: Belgium For more information and other Landings, visit: http://www.fly-corporate.com/content_landings.php
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Liège Connections Liège Airport is situated 11 kilometres from the centre of the city. Taxi, car rental and limousine services are available. The airport is located next to the E42 highway which connects to Brussels (91 km), Antwerp (128 km), Maastricht in the Netherlands (41 km) and Aachen, Germany (66 km). The Liège TGV railway station is a stopping point for express trains that connect Paris, Brussels, Aachen and Cologne. A stunning new station is under construction which will provide a full range of services for passengers.
Top Business Hotels
Top Conference Facilities
FC Picks for Lunch or Dinner
The Convention Bureau of Liège was established to provide advice and assistance to anyone who is organising a conference, convention or other event in the city. Their website provides an interactive list of options that will help you to find the ideal venue. (liegecongres.be)
Liege may be a small city but that doesn’t mean it is hard to find good quality restaurants. French and German influences are to be found in the local cuisine.
The recently renovated Palais des Congrès is the largest conference venue in town with 20 halls on three levels. (palaisdescongresliege.be)
Situated in an enchanting garden, Le Jardin des Bégards tempts your senses in many ways. The contemporary decor, lighting and background music are perfect compliments to the food of the owner and chef, François Piscitello. Web
Lejardindesbegards.be
Chez Nous Fine French cuisine with a Belgian flavour and local ingredients.
Four-star hotel located on the banks of the river Meuse, just 15 minutes walk from the central station and main shopping area. 148 guest rooms and suites.
Web
bedfordhotelLiège.com
cheznous-resto.be
FC Picks for a Post-meeting Drinks
Holiday Inn
Web
restaurantheliport.be
Le Jardin des Bégards
Bedford Hotel
Ideally situated next to the Palais des Congrès in a pleasant green setting overlooking the river. The hotel is just a short distance from the town centre and historical districts.
Located on the river, the Restaurant Heliport draws inspiration from the flavours of the Orient as well as from the grand cuisines of Europe. Web
Liège has a good range of reasonable accommodation located in the downtown area.
Web
Restaurant Heliport
Genever
Jenever (or genever) is a type of gin which is found throughout Belgium but especially in the area near Liege. The nearby town of Hasselt is famous for its festival when jenever flows from the town’s main fountain. In Liege you can try around 250 types of jenever at Le Maison du Peket. (maisondupeket.be)
ichotelsgroup.com
Hotel Mercure The three-star Hotel Mercure has 105 guest rooms and suites and is located in the centre of town. Parking is available. Web
The nearby town of Hasselt is famous for its festival when jenever flows hotels-belgium.com/luik/mercure.htm from the town’s main fountain
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On the Horizon... SPECIAL GREEN ISSUE: • Corporate Aviation and the Environment • Focus on NBAA Convention • Landings: Zurich
Don’t Miss Issue 3 of FC Europe
Available October 1
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Take everyone and everything everywhere. Sovereign passengers can stretch out in the category’s largest cabin. They can stow an enormous amount of gear in the 2.8 m3 of external baggage area — most in class by far. They can cruise at 849-km/hr (458 knots). Travel nonstop across nearly 5,300 kilometers. And with the Sovereign’s ability to use runways just over 1,100 meters, they can arrive closer than ever to their real destinations. To learn more about this extraordinary aircraft, call Peter Griffith, Cessna Aircraft Company,* U.K. Tel. +44 (0) 1252 378811. Fax +44 (0) 1252 378287. E-mail pgriffith@ cessna.textron.com. Or visit Sovereign.Cessna.com. *Incorporated with limited liability in the state of Kansas, U.S.A. Citation Sovereign at Moritz Memorial Airport in Beloit, Kansas. Runway length: 1,100 meters.
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