Altitude European Edition - Dec 2015 / Jan 2016 by AKN Studio

FLASH

NBAA 2015 Renewing with success

EUROPEAN EDITION

December 2015 / January 2016

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GULFSTREAM G650ER Exceeding expectations

EPICUREAN RENDEZ-VOUS

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C O N T E N T S December 2015 / January 2016

36 13 Editor’s Note 15 News Tarmac 32 Snapshot 34 Shopping 36 Timepieces 40 Focus AfBAA’s Third Regional Symposium 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 42 The 8th Epicurean Rendez-Vous, held on the first night of the Dubai Air Show at the Ritz-Carlton in Jumeirah Beach Residence

46 Flash NBAA2015 This year’s Convention held in Las Vegas, Nevada from November 17-19 was enormously successful 50 The 2nd Altitudes-Invictus Epicurean Rendez-Vous, held at the Paris Las Vegas: you had to be there! 54 Airport Savoie Airports. In the heart of the French Alps Chambéry Savoie and Annecy Mont Blanc airports are the closest gateways to ski resorts and Courchevel’s Altiport

CONTENTS

62 58 Zoom CRN’s Chairman and CEO Lamberto Tacoli presides over a shipyard that has delivered some of Italy’s most significant launches in recent years 62 VNE Gulfstream G650ER. The clean sheet aircraft exceeds all expectations

68 Interview Designer Andrew Winch, founder and owner of ‘Winch Design’ celebrates thirty years in business 72 Hotel Crans Ambassador. Switzerland’s luxury sport resort 76 Brokerage 78 Distribution 82 Address Book

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EDITORIAL

INCREDIBLE INNOVATOR! By Sylvie Péron

BAA presented the 2015 Meritorious Service to Aviation Award to aerospace innovator Joe Clark, chairman and CEO of Aviation Partners, Inc. and chairman of the Aviation Partners-Boeing joint venture. The Award is presented to individuals or organizations that make a meaningful and enduring contribution in aviation or aerospace. “The meritorious service award represents NBAA’s highest award to very worthy candidates and this year’s award winner fits so comfortably in that list of distinguished people,” exclaimed Ed Bolen, CEO NBAA in his introduction. Clark is widely recognized as a pioneer in the fuel-saving and performance-enhancing technology of blended winglets. Dubbed one of the smartest engineers on the planet for his technical achievements that have contributed to a healthier environment, the developer of the Blended Winglet is an incredible innovator, driven and passionate. “My first NBAA was in 1965, Burbank, California, about 1800 attendees and a handful of jets, well how fast time goes!” Some of his friends had gathered to congratulate him, and what an audience that was! “What really got me started was in 1965 at the Reno races. Clay Lacy had a Learjet there and he took me for a ride! That really ignited my passion for aviation and I’ve been in aviation and aerospace ever since!” The company’s first project was developing Blended Winglet technology for the Gulfstream II, which increases the aircraft range, speed and fuel efficiency. In 1995 Clay Lacy and Joe Clark set a speed and fuel efficiency record in a GII, flying from Van Nuys to Paris with a set of Joe Clark’s winglets. “So we ended up doing 75 to 80% of the Gulfstream fleet, and that was our first project. Shortly thereafter we did the Hawker, which has been very successful for us, and then Boeing came to me at the Paris Air Show in 1997 asking me to put Winglets on a BBJ. If it had not been for business aviation, you would not see winglets on Boeing airliners today!”

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Falcon 8X Cabin Completion p.24

Mercedes-Benz Style VIP Cabin Floorplan p.30

TARMAC NEWS

LUFTHANSA TECHNIK

BBJ Scimitar winglets

Lufthansa Technik AG is the first MRO provider in Europe to install split scimitar winglets on a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ). With this modification, the aircraft is the third BBJ in the world to be equipped with these new, aerodynamically optimized winglets from Aviation Partners Boeing. The modification took place over a period of ten days. Among other things, the specialists at Lufthansa Technik’s VIP & Executive Jet Maintenance product division reinforced various areas on the inside of the aircraft’s structure, particularly in the wing tanks, in order to install the winglets. They also carried out complex painting tasks. The customer was very satisfied: “The results met my expectations completely. This was a new task for Lufthansa Technik, and the

company fulfilled it on schedule and in high quality. Even the new paint on the wingtips where the installation took place was adapted optimally to the complex existing color scheme.” The new winglets have been on the market since early 2014. They enable kerosene savings of 2.2% and thus increase the aircraft’s range. The Lufthansa Technik Group, with more than 30 subsidiaries and about 26,000 employees worldwide, is one of the leading providers of services for the aviation industry. Lufthansa Technik is licensed internationally as a repair, production and development enterprise. The Group’s portfolio encompasses the entire spectrum of services in the areas of maintenance, repair, overhaul, modification and conversion, engines and components.

TARMAC NEWS JET AVIATION

Cooperation with Kurz Aviation Service

Dirk Laufenberg, COO, Kurz Aviation Service & Frank Kusserow, Jet Aviation’s FBO managing director in Germany

Jet Aviation and Kurz Aviation Service are cooperating to provide a total network solution within Germany. The companies manage a combined total of seven FBOs in Germany, which will be available to all customers through one point of contact. The seven FBOs include Berlin Tegel and Schönefeld, Dusseldorf and Munich (Jet Aviation) and Cologne, Egelsbach, Frankfurt and Stuttgart (Kurz Aviation Service). “Our decision to share resources will offer significant benefits,” said Frank Kusserow, Jet Aviation’s FBO managing director in Germany. “If, for example, available parking is limited at one airport, the customer can still be accommodated by diverting the aircraft to another airport.” Outside of Germany, Jet Aviation’s fixed base operations worldwide include Zurich and Geneva, Switzerland; Vienna, Austria; Jeddah, Riyadh, Medina and Dammam, Saudi Arabia; Dubai, U.A.E; Singapore; and in The Americas, Boston/Bedford, Mass.; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Palm Beach, Fla.; St. Louis, Mo.; Teterboro, N.J.; and Nassau, Bahamas. Kurz Aviation Service was founded by Rolf Kurz in 1998, building the first privately owned and operated General Aviation Terminal in Germany that same year. Following its success in Stuttgart, the company won a tender to build and operate a General Aviation Terminal in Cologne. The Business Aviation Centre Cologne (BACC) was opened on September 5, 2011. Kurz Aviation then expanded its network to Frankfurt with the opening of its Business Aviation Centre Frankfurt (BACF) office on August 1, 2014.

DASSAULT FALCON SERVICE

Bordeaux-Mérignac Maintenance Facility Dassault Falcon Service (DFS), a subsidiary of Dassault Aviation, has begun work on a new maintenance facility in Bordeaux- Mérignac, to expand its Falcon overhaul capability. Eric Trappier, Dassault Aviation Chairman/CEO and Jean Kayanakis, General Manager, Dassault Falcon Service, oversaw the groundbreaking ceremony held in the presence of a large number of elected officials, representatives of government agencies and of the aeronautical industry in the Aquitaine region. The new building will sit alongside the Dassault Aviation plant in Bordeaux-Mérignac. It will be built within the airport perimeter, on a site adjacent to the Sabena Technics facility, with which it has signed an industrial partnership. Covering some 7,200 sqm, the

DFS infrastructures will enjoy runway access and will be able to accommodate up to six Falcon 7X, 8X and 5X aircraft. The new facility will complement DFS’s existing MRO (Maintenance Repair & Overhaul) installations at Le Bourget Airport near Paris. It should be operational in the third quarter of 2016, in time to handle the C Checks ramp-up for the Falcon 7X. Some 250 Falcon 7X’s are now in operation and the fleet leaders are now approaching their first heavy maintenance deadlines, which are required eight years after delivery. The facility will also handle a full range

of maintenance activities in addition to C Checks, including structural repair, cabin refurbishment and modifications, avionics upgrades, carpentry and paintwork. The DFS Mérignac MRO center will be able to draw on engineering resources at the nearby Dassault Aviation site, and the large pool of skilled aviation workers and subcontractors in the Bordeaux area. DFS recently concluded an agreement with Aerocampus Aquitaine, a local aviation-training center, to help recruit and train the 70 technicians and specialists who are ultimately expected to staff the facility.

TARMAC NEWS

Fabio Gamba, EBAA CEO, Roger Whyte, Chairman CEPA, Founder Dagmar Grossmann, Brian M Humphries, President EBAA

CEPA EXPO & EBAA

Regional Forum held in Prague In October, Prague hosted CEPA EXPO& EBAA Regional forum. Over 170 delegates from 21 countries attended the 6th edition of this unique business aviation conference held every autumn in Prague to discuss latest trends and developments in general aviation in Central and Eastern Europe as well as Russia. Over two intensive days, during their presentations and 8 panel discussions, 39 high profile business aviation speakers shared their experiences and opinions on key issues for the business aircraft industry in Central and Eastern Europe. Overall, the outlook for the CEE region is positive, based on expected growth from its key economies, according to Bombardier’s CEPA Expo Industry Forecast. Thomas Fissellier, Manager Market Intelligence and Analysis at Bombardier Aerospace said: “We forecast the fleet in the region to double over the next 10 years, adding 125 aircraft deliveries representing $3 Billion in revenues.” Highlights of the program included presentations by Ed Bolen of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), who offered insight on the global market and its challenges in relation to the region, and Zdeněk Jelínek from the Czech Republic’s Ministry of Transport, who opened up discussion on Czech aviation in Europe and beyond. The importance of CEPA Expo 2015 was further underlined by patronage from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, the Czech Civil Aviation Dept., and the city of Prague. CEPA Expo Chairman Roger Whyte expressed his thanks to the dignitaries and commented that “Prague is a great location due to its position in central Europe; it also acts as a major attraction when delegates are considering attending. CEPA Expo 2015 has surpassed all my expectations and I am very pleased with the incredible amount of positive feedback received.”

TAG FARNBOROUGH AIRPORT Recognition

TAG Farnborough Airport has been awarded ‘Best Handling Agent/ FBO’ at the Baltic Air Charter Association (BACA) Autumn Lunch & Excellence Awards, held at London’s Guildhall on 14 October 2015. It is the second year in a row that TAG Farnborough Airport has topped the ‘Best Handling Agent/FBO’ category. BACA is a worldwide organization for air charter professionals, representing the interests of 200 member companies, including brokers, charter airlines, airports, business aircraft operators and consultants. The winners of BACA’s Annual Awards are chosen by its membership. “We appreciate the endorsement from our industry partners,” said Elaine Turner, Events & Marketing Manager at TAG Farnborough Airport. “This accolade reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire team at TAG Farnborough Airport. Our customers expect a bespoke, seamless service and that will continue to be our focus.” Earlier this year, TAG Farnborough Airport was named ‘International FBO of the Year’ in the Aviation International News (AIN) International FBO Survey 2015 for the ninth consecutive year and ‘Best European FBO’ in the 2015 Pro Pilot PRASE Survey for the tenth year in a row. TAG Farnborough Airport is Europe’s leading business aviation airport and a key gateway to London. The airport is biennial host to the world’s leading airshow, the Farnborough International Airshow. Farnborough is the birthplace of British aviation and home of the country’s first powered flight in 1908.

TARMAC NEWS

HBG GROUP

Helicopter European leader In a further consolidation move in the French helicopter operator industry, the HBG holding company has taken over the Loc’Héli group and is thus claiming the largest fleet in the country, with a combined 117 aircraft. Founded 35 years ago Mont Blanc Hélicoptères is directed by the Blanc family through the family holding company. Through this acquisition, HBG is strengthening its position both in France and internationally. HBG is adding three companies to its portfolio—Hélicoptères de France, based at Gap-Tallard, in the Alps, and HDF Maintenance in full ownership, as well as Helifirst, based in Paris at Issy les Moulineaux platform, in which it now has “a significant share.” The company al-

ready had stakes, including some controlling ones, in Mont Blanc Hélicoptères, Chamonix Mont Blanc Hélicoptères, SwiftCopters, Eagle Valais, HeliShare, LB Airpark, Aero Technic’s Color and AD Software. Activities of the new group range from aerial work to sightseeing flights, commercial passenger transport, heli-skiing, rescue, EMS, offshore oiland-gas support (in Africa), newsgathering, training, aircraft management and maintenance. Both HBG and Loc’Héli are family businesses—HBG being a Franco-Swiss firm—and HBG CEO Renaud Blanc counts on the merger to help with international growth. In addition to France, with a strong concentration in the Alps, and Switzerland, bases can be found in Algeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The combined number of permanent employees stands at 210. By integrating Loc’Héli, HBG is to increase its revenues by 75 percent, at €58 million ($64 million).

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TARMAC NEWS

TAG AVIATION FARNBOROUGH MAINTENANCE SERVICES

Rockwell Collins’ VenueTM upgrade

VISTAJET & ASSOULINE ‘The Art of Flying’

VistaJet International recently launched The Art of Flying, in collaboration with publisher Assouline. Beginning with the jet age of the 1940s and 1950s, air travel has been at the forefront of technology, culture, and luxury. The book explores its fascinating evolution, curating a vibrant cultural history from the mid-twentieth century to the present. From technological developments such as pressurized cabins and the Concorde to the flair of custom crew uniforms by renowned designers including Dior, Emilio Pucci, and Moncler, as well as its interplay with architecture and art, air travel throughout history has been at once a reflection of its time and a symbol of the cutting edge. In partnership with VistaJet and lavishly illustrated with over seven decades of imagery, The Art of Flying celebrates the golden past and the dream of luxury air travel today. Editor and writer Josh Condon has covered travel, technology, fashion, automotive, and more for publications including The New York Times, Men’s Journal, and Road & Track. He is currently senior editor at Details magazine in New York City. Today, VistaJet has 7 aircraft in the U.S., including 4 Global 5000 and 3 Challenger 350 jets. Meanwhile, its Chinese registered aircraft has received the approval by the CAAC and is now cleared to fly.

TAG Aviation Farnborough Maintenance Services has completed its first Global Express Aircraft project with Rockwell Collins’ VenueTM cabin management and entertainment system upgrade installation. This state-of-the-art, high definition (HD) cabin system brings a whole new standard for cabin entertainment technology and connectivity, integrating in-flight entertainment and business capabilities into one easy-to-use system. Adapted from the latest in-consumer technologies, and emulating the home electronics experience through HD intuitive interfaces via touch-screen controls and Wi-Fi, Venue delivers unsurpassed content options including Audio and Video On Demand (AVOD), an interactive Airshow® moving map accessible to all passengers, plus 16:9 displays, software programmable switch panels and access to iTunes and the App store. “As consumer technologies advance so rapidly, existing systems are fast becoming obsolete as their technology has become dated” said Stuart Kirkwood, Sales Director for TAG Aviation Farnborough Maintenance Services. “Our Maintenance Services’ team at Farnborough is impressed with this first installation result and with a growing demand for future generation CMS system upgrades, we can now support customers who want to add value and airborne enhancements to their aircraft with this fully- supported and exciting upgrade.”

EXECUJET ZURICH

IS-BAH Certification

ExecuJet Aviation Group has received accreditation by the International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling (IS-BAH) for its fixed-based operation (FBO) in Zurich, becoming the first FBO in Switzerland and one of the first across Europe to hold this industry-leading certificate. The IS-BAH is a global code of best

practices for business aviation ground handlers assessed through a safety management system, which crucially recognizes that FBOs need to plan and conduct operations in a standardized way. “We are delighted our Zurich FBO has passed the IS-BAH audit, which not only shows the quality of our support services but also our commitment to using the most comprehensive assessments available across the board,” said Basil Gamper, ExecuJet’s Zurich FBO Manager. “This marketleading and standardized measure for handlers, FBOs and operators worldwide is a program we strongly believe in and one we will be implementing in all our FBOs.” The IS-BAH follows the long established structure of the IS-BAO program, used by operator clients, and is a joint program between IBAC and NATA. It incorporates the NATA Safety 1st ground audit program and is assessed externally by an IBACaccredited auditor, who recognizes conformity to the standard with an IBAC certificate of registration.

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TARMAC NEWS

DASSAULT AVIATION Falcon 8X Cabin Completion

GLOBAL JET CAPITAL

Acquires Corporate Aircraft Portfolio from GE Capital

Two Falcon 8X aircraft are being completed at the Falcon completion facility in Little Rock, Arkansas, marking a new milestone in the development program for the new ultra long-range trijet. One of the two aircraft, 8X s/n 03, arrived in Little Rock during the summer for installation of a full interior that will be dedicated to the 8X cabin comfort and functionality test program. This aircraft will also undertake an around-the-world operational test campaign to demonstrate reliability and performance in different conditions of flight, including high and low temperature, high humidity and high altitude operations. The second unit to enter the completion line, 8X s/n 04, flew to Little Rock from Dassault Aviation’s Bordeaux-Mérignac final assembly facility on October 9. This aircraft will be the first production unit to be delivered to a Falcon customer. Nine other aircraft are currently in various stages of assembly on the Mérignac line

as Dassault’s new flagship ramps up production. As of October 10, the Falcon 8X flight test program had accumulated 315 flight hours over the course of 153 flights at Dassault’s flight test center in Istres, near Marseille, France. The portion of the flight test program dedicated to opening up the flight envelope has been completed and s/n 01 recently reached a speed of Mach 0.97. Initial certification tests, covering takeoff and landing performance and validation of the third generation EASy flight deck are also in advanced testing. “These achievements reflect the steady advance of the Falcon 8X flight test program since the aircraft first took to the air last February,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO Dassault Aviation. “Tests have fully confirmed target capabilities, in particular long range performance.” EASA and FAA certification of the Falcon 8X is anticipated in mid2016 and initial deliveries in the second half of the year.

Global Jet Capital, a provider of financing solutions for large-cabin, long-range private jets, has agreed to purchase the aircraft lease and loan portfolio of GE Capital Corporate Aircraft in the Americas representing approximately $2.5 billion of net assets. Shawn Vick, Executive Director of Global Jet Capital said, “We are investing heavily in growing the business both organically and through strategic acquisitions such as this one with GE. This is a prime example of our industry expertise and investment capital coming together to evaluate and identify an opportunity to expand the business in a disciplined, carefully measured way. This is a remarkable portfolio of corporate aviation assets, and this investment underlines our confidence in the long-term growth prospects of the large cabin, long range private jet market. The price point of these aircraft range between $25 and $75 million on average, and corporate users and high net worth individuals will seek competitive financing solutions rather than allocate their own cash resources which are better invested in their own businesses.” In building the Corporate Aircraft portfolio, GE Capital has adhered to the most comprehensive underwriting and asset evaluation practices as well as industry-leading documentation and collateral securing processes. “We are pleased to sell our Corporate Aircraft financing portfolio to Global Jet Capital, a buyer that is fully committed to investing and growing the business,” said Keith Sherin, GE Capital Chairman and CEO. Global Jet Capital was launched last year and is capitalized by three global investment firms – GSO Capital Partners, a Blackstone company in partnership with Franklin Square Capital Partners; The Carlyle Group; and AE Industrial Partners.

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TARMAC NEWS

INTERFLIGHT GLOBAL

joins the Wyvern Broker Network InterFlight Global has chosen to certify its commitment to safety by partnering with Wyvern, the globally recognized leader in aviation safety, as a Wyvern Broker. Wyvern Brokers promote their commitment to a comprehensive safety program through the use of The Wingman Report, Safety Intelligence Report (SIR) market intelligence, and by running PASS trip due-diligence reports on every trip. Wyvern brokers generate real-time safety reports on the operator, aircraft, and crew of a particular flight. InterFlight Global (IFG) is a world leading Commercial Air and Space Transportation Industries advisory, consulting, brokerage and finance firm, based both in the United States and Madrid, Spain. Oscar S. Garcia, InterFlight Global’s current Chairman and CEO, founded the company in 1992. “IFG has over 20 years of aircraft and charter brokerage experience in the United States and Europe with satellite operations in the Middle East and Asia. It is committed to safety and its executives have decades of experience in general aviation, corporate aviation, and airline transportation,” says Yvette Garcia, InterFlight Global Managing Partner Oscar S. Garcia and Yvette A. Garcia will lead the InterFlight Global Charter Broker Team, which consists of dedicated and experienced charter brokers in the United States as well as Europe. As a benefit of their partnership InterFlight Global now has access to Wyvern’s extensive network of audited operators, as well as the ability to run Pilot & Aircraft Safety Survey (PASS) reports on every flight. With Wyvern PASS reports, InterFlight Global will be able to certify that their clients are flying with companies, pilots, and aircraft that meet or exceed the Wyvern benchmark.

BIZJET

VIP Completion This Fall, representatives of BizJet International, the Jing Cheng Group and of Civil Aviation Authority of China, CAAC, attended a redelivery ceremony as the final documentations were signed for a completed Boeing Business Jet. The handover took place at the BizJet facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma. During the ceremony Mr. Zhao Wei, Jing Cheng Group President, and Brian Barber, BizJet’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing, signed the Certificate of Final Acceptance and the Interior Acceptance Certificate. The CAAC signed and presented the Standard Airworthiness Certificate, Certificate of Registration and radio license. This is BizJet’s ninth VIP completion for an East Asian customer. The BBJ’s main purpose is to transport company associates making the interior unique compared to most of BizJet’s VIP completions. It has two VIP sections, a business class style section in the center and can carry up to 29 passengers. The bed in the VIP section is movement controlled, giving the passenger the ability to level the bed at altitude. Established in 1986, Tulsa, Oklahoma, BizJet International offers a broad spectrum of services, including authorized Rolls-Royce engine overhaul services, VIP interior completions, conversions and refurbishments, maintenance and repair of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and world class FBO services. BizJet has been a member of the Lufthansa Technik Group since 2000.

LONDON BIGGIN HILL AIRPORT

Will Curtis Honored

The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS), the world’s only professional body dedicated to the entire aerospace community, has confered a Fellowship on Will Curtis, Managing Director at London Biggin Hill Airport. The elite award recognizes his contribution to the development of business aviation as a professional pilot and as a senior management aircraft operator whose skill and experience of twenty years

standing has more recently turned to benefit the management of the leading business aviation airport at Biggin Hill. Appointed Managing Director in October 2013, as a Board member he has shared responsibility for the management of a full public consultation regarding an extension to airport operating hours, which gained overwhelming public support among the local community. Similarly, he has assisted the development of a full business and investment plan for the future of the airport operating company, promoting London Biggin Hill as the fast-track gateway to Greater London for global business and corporate aviation; a home base for London-based business aircraft and a key location for aircraft support and service organizations. The Board have future plans that include the creation of an Aerospace Technical College, a high quality hotel and gradual development of the airport as a Strategic Outer London Development Centre leading to increased inward investment and an additional 2,300 jobs and apprenticeships by 2030.

TARMAC NEWS FREESTREAM AIRCRAFT SERVICES

Bespoke interiors using luxury materials Freestream recently delivered a Gulftream G650 that it had designed and managed the completion of, with the high quality control process it is known for. “When designing a new aircraft interior, our expert team tailors the aircraft completion to the users unique style and operational requirements, and then follows up with detailed project management,” says Sarah A. Mespelt, Vice President Design. Freestream has completed the final delivery, interior and exterior design and full project oversight of over twelve (12) G650s. “Our experience in delivering this aircraft type has enabled our clients to have an easy delivery experience on an aircraft new to their fleet. In this particular G650 the client needed to transport at least 15 passengers and have the capability to use it for personal or business travel. The client makes many flights

from the U.S. to Asia and abroad and needs comfortable working and sleeping quarters in the plane,” continues Sarah. Since 1996, the team has managed an average of 2 airliner deliveries, 4 to 5 executive aircraft design and delivery projects such as Gulfstream, Falcon, and Bombardier aircraft type completions per year. In addition to these new completions Freestream has managed and designed an average of 5 pre-owned refurbishments per year in a range of aircraft types from a G450 to a Boeing 737. The company has bases in London, Bermuda, New York, Las Vegas, Mexico, Hong Kong, Beijing and Moscow. “From refurbishing an existing cabin to designing a completely new interior, it is important to capture all of the details that make the aircraft sophisticated, yet cutting edge. Whether the aircraft is a G650 or a Boeing 747, the team strives to incorporate features that push the envelope, but that are designed specifically to fit the client’s specific needs for business or leisure travel. The goal is to make the entire process simple, efficient and to the highest standard.”

GULFSTREAM AEROSPACE G500 flight-test milestones

Gulfstream Aerospace Corp announced in mid-October that the G500 had achieved several flight-test milestones, including surpassing more than 100 hours of flight. The accomplishments came just 12 months after Gulfstream announced the all- new G500 and G600 aircraft programs. As of Oct. 13, 2015, the G500 flight test aircraft had successfully completed more than 45 missions. The longest of those was 5 hours and 22 minutes for a total aircraft flight time of more than 100 hours. In the five months since the aircraft’s first flight, it has reached an altitude of 38,500 feet/11,735 meters and a maximum airspeed of Mach 0.80. “It’s just really exciting to see how well this aircraft is performing,” said Dan Nale, senior vice president, Programs, Engineering and Test, Gulfstream. “This plane has been flying exactly as expected, which

highlights our commitment to quality and our attention to detail. It also reflects the investments we’ve made in labs to support the flight-test program. The team recently flew three missions in one day, with hot refueling between flights, for a total flight time of nearly seven hours. Our test pilots have said the aircraft’s handling qualities are exceptional.”Together, the G500 and G600 programs have accomplished more than 39,000 hours of lab testing. Gulfstream anticipates certification

of the G500 in 2017, with entry into service in 2018. The G600 certification is slated to follow in 2018, with entry into service in 2019. The G500 can fly 5,000 nautical miles/9,260 kilometers at Mach 0.85 or 3,800 nm/7,038 km at Mach 0.90, while the G600 can carry passengers 6,200 nm/11,482 km at Mach 0.85 and 4,800 nm/8,890 km at Mach 0.90. The maximum operating speed for the aircraft is Mach 0.925, the same maximum speed as Gulfstream’s G650 and G650ER.

TARMAC NEWS

GOGO BIZ

4G Connectivity

AIRBUS CORPORATE JET CENTER VVIP Cabin

Airbus Corporate Jet Centre (ACJC) has reached a new level of innovation and quality by delivering, ahead of time, an ACJ319 VVIP cabin with ingenious features, to one of the largest companies in Asia. The VVIP cabin, mixing tradition and modernity, was designed by ACJC’s Creative Design Studio, and is directly inspired by Art Deco interiors on luxurious trains. “Our customer required the most complex interior, in terms of ergonomics and kinematics, that we have ever designed. To welcome his guests in the way that he wanted, we created five full-height individual private areas, including a private office, with ingenious storage spaces and hi-tech personal devices,” explains Creative Design Studio Head Sylvain

Mariat. To balance these individual areas, the ACJC Creative Design Studio designed a wide and light main lounge, with an innovative parlor area for two passengers. “Our customer wanted a zone of intimacy in this vast entourage area, so we conceived a compartment based on mid-height partitions, with a sliding door. It gives the feeling of sitting in an historic train travelling towards Asia,” Mariat explains. The cabin also features a crew-rest area, a cinema for two passengers, and a master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom that has a square shower. All these areas include innovative modular monuments – such as the twoplace sofa in the master bedroom, which is convertible into a low-table with two VIP seats, and the two bars hidden behind mirrors, with their own dedicated mechanisms. Certificated for 19 passengers, the cabin offers 15 “fully flat” seats, which are electrically actuated and can be controlled from a digital tablet. Its wireless system architecture drives the cabin management system (CMS) and the in-flight entertainment system (IFE).

Gogo Business Aviation, formerly known as Aircell, announced that its Gogo Biz 4G airborne connectivity system will be available for the business aviation market in early 2017, offering service more than three times faster than its existing air-to-ground system. Created specifically for the business aviation market, Gogo Biz 4G is a specially designed application of Gogo’s latest air-to-ground technology. The Gogo Biz 4G equipment package will incorporate dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi service and a host of other features, all from a single, lightweight box. The existing Gogo Biz air-to-ground service offers peak speeds of up to 3.1 Mbps, while the 4G service reportedly runs at up to peak speeds of 9.8 Mbps. In addition to streaming video, the Gogo Biz 4G service will allow streaming audio, email with attachments, web browsing, voice calling and VPN support. Owners of existing Gogo Biz systems who want to install the 4G equipment will be offered “loyalty programs with significant trade-in incentives,” according to Gogo, as the existing transceivers will not be upgradeable to 4G. The 4G system includes dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi “and a host of other features” in a single box. After launch of 4G service for the business aviation market, Gogo plans to continue selling the existing Gogo Biz systems to give buyers more options for airborne connectivity. Gogo has more than 1,000 employees and is headquartered in Chicago, IL, with additional facilities in Broomfield, CO, and various locations outside the U.S.

Thierry Boutsen

In my career as a Formula One Driver, I have discovered the importance of working with a highly professional team, capable of achieving the best results. With 18 years experience in the aircraft sales and acquisitions business, the core of our reputation lies in our team of experts who understand that an advisory and personalised approach is something both our sellers and buyers expect. This is the reason why we have sold more than 300 aircraft with a success rate of 97%. If what you are looking for in your business jet transaction is quality, speed and above all security, then Boutsen Aviation is the answer.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;OUR EXPERTS MEAN BUSINESSâ&#x20AC;? By Appointment to H.S.H. the Sovereign Prince of Monaco

boutsen.com

TARMAC NEWS

DUBAI AIR SHOW

Mercedes-Benz Style VIP Cabin Floorplan Driven by the large interest of the VIP market for a Mercedes-Benz Style VIP Cabin design in the recent months, Mercedes-Benz Style and Lufthansa Technik AG have been working on the design of an innovative, luxurious and integrated cabin concept, since the announcement of the cooperation at EBACE2015. “The joint project team has done a great job over the

past few months. The floorplan visualizes the typical Mercedes-Benz modern luxury combined with Lufthansa Technik’s highest quality design approach. The result is a unique, organic and functional design for a modern VIP Jet. Together with Lufthansa Technik’s latest in-flight communication and entertainment innovations, the new cabin will be ideal for global players wishing to travel in style,” said Walter Heerdt, Senior Vice President VIP & Executive Jet Solutions, Lufthansa Technik. In the front the entrance area features a welcoming, open foyer, a kitchen (galley) for live cooking and a private room as well as a VIP bathroom (lavatory). In the aft part of the cabin a separate entertainment

zone has been combined with the en suite private area. The open design of the bathroom and bedroom is a distinct feature conceived around a free-standing shower with transparent side walls. The luxurious king size bed is highlighted by the concave shaped and upholstered head wall. The unique helix structure, a dynamic spiral layout, is the central design theme extending throughout the aircraft from the entrance all the way to the bedroom. This creates new, independent spatial zones without the typical arrangement of seat and wall elements. The VIP aircraft, which could seat 150 passengers in airline configuration, is designed for 16 VIP passengers.

CABOT AVIATION

Tim Barber appointed Senior vp Private Jets Cabot Aviation, the global aircraft remarketing division of Air Partner PLC, is pleased to announce the strategic expansion of its operations into the Private Jet sector with the appointment of Tim Barber as Senior Vice President - Private Jets to lead the team. Cabot Aviation is a well-established and successful aircraft-remarketing broker, which primarily operates in the commercial and cargo aircraft types. The expansion of Cabot Aviation’s operation to encompass Private Jets is both a logical step to broaden the service proposition that Cabot Aviation can offer to clients and it is highly complementary to the leading Private Jet charter and JetCard operations of Cabot Aviation’s parent company Air Partner. Tim Barber has been appointed as Senior Vice President Private Jets to lead the Cabot Aviation operation. A leading and respected figure in Private Jet sector, Barber was part of the group who established JetBrokers Europe in 2009. “Cabot Aviation’s commercial team has had a busy year having recently placed eight aircraft and our acquisition by Air Partner has proved a success,” commented CEO Tony Whitty. “We have been looking to expand into the Private Jet sector for many years and have been looking for the right person to lead the expansion. Tim Barber is the perfect person to lead this new operation as he brings a wealth of experience and far reaching contacts, so we are looking forward to welcoming him to the team.”

Don’t miss out on your issue of Altitudes Global Guide 2015!

US ct r a t e conD orD Y P n o a rc U o Y

In the Market for a new aIrcraft? the altitudes Global Guide is essential reading for anyone looking for comprehensive information as well as a detailed biography of each manufacturer with fill contact details. So don’t miss out on this essential reading and treat yourself, your friends and your staff to this year’s issue and have all the correct answers at the tip of your hand. Priced at 35 Euros per copy, this annual publication, a hard cover, coffee table reference guide is the definitive, must-read resource for owners, operators and anyone involved or interested in the business of private aviation.

Please contact Sam Richomme at s.richomme@luxmedia-me.com

SNAPSHOT

FROM THE ROOFTOPS OF RIO Photos Alain Ernoult

SNAPSHOT

Airbus H155 landing at hacienda near Sao Paolo, Brazil

“The most interesting thing in my job is the value of human relationships and the constant reassessment of the principles and the certitudes of life…”

Alain Ernoult covered many conflicts as a war correspondent for the international press, in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chad, the Gulf War and elsewhere. For the past 20 years, his career has been exceptional. Ready to take up any photographic challenge such as flying at a speed of more than 3000 kph to photograph stunt pilots aboard a military jet, diving in deep water to take pictures of 3 meters (9,84 feet) long moray eels, being in total immersion among an Indian tribe in Amazonia or directing thematic photographs involving several thousands of people for advertising campaigns. He has also written books and successfully organized exhibits worldwide. The recipient of several awards, including the World Press Photos price, he was lately promoted ‘Chevalier National de l’Ordre du Mérite’, a highly honorific French distinction, celebrating his work.

Airbus H135 over Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro

Airbus H155 landing on a rooftop, Sao Paolo

SHOPPING

Renewal Oil

La Mer’s highly potent, multi-faceted elixir delivers a beautifully sensorial experience with endless playful possibilities and transformative skincare benefits, vital for business jets travelers

Jardin de crystal

Under the Christmas tree, creations as eclectic as timeless, treasures and wonders of crystal  that can fulfill all desires, bearing with them a certain kind of happiness. White round-shaped cut crystal Jallum candlelight (H 11,8”) by Yann Kersalé for Baccarat Price: 940 € each

S H O P P I N G 03

Hermitage

The Robbe & Berking typical manual hammering technique makes each work unique. No cutlery piece is the same as any other. One hundred and forty years after the opening of its first silver workshop, the German manufacturer re-launched its anniversary cutlery in 2014, one of its most traditional and beautiful designs

Venetian Bergamot

Tom Ford’s latest singular interpretation of the ingredient long prized by perfumers for its freshness and elegance, the sun-drenched citrus from Italy’s South is transported to the Northern city of grand palazzos in rich florals, precious woods and warm spices. Bergamot’s fresh elegance is underscored and intermingled with the intriguing sensuality of Venice

Ferrari Daytona ’70

Jean Lain Vintage offers classic cars for sale in mint condition and professional restoration. This Daytona, delivered new on May 25, 1970 by Charles Pozzi in France to Charles Jourdan has received upgrades for Group 4 by Ferrari. The vehicle enjoyed an engine and gearbox restoration by GiPi Motor in 2009-2010 and a new body paint in 2014

Black Orchid

A distinctly different encounter of the Black Orchid fragrance, long lasting with a more open, immediate expression, the customgrown Tom Ford Black Orchid instantly takes center stage. The initial impression is explicitly pronounced with the sparkling, petal-rich tuberose revealing its full floralcy from the start

’Tis the Season

Perfectly wrapped tailored gifts from the House of Jo Malone London’s Christmas collections include Scented Travel Candles, Christmas Cracker , Cologne Collection, Cologne Intense Collection, English Pear & Freesia Bath Salts x 3 sachets, Wood Sage & Sea Salt Collection and Pomegranate Noir Collection

Cocktail party

Boxed set of eight Baccarat crystal cocktail glasses Price: 1 200€

TIMEPIECES

COME TO THE DARK SIDE Feel free to lose your head over these bad to the bone designs that show beauty is more than skin deep.

HYT

Skull Green Eye The ingenious hydro mechanical watches from HYT are complicated enough without adding the extra challenge of fitting a skull shape to the dial. The sharp corners of the skull meant that engineers had to think of a new way to push the fluid through the right angles, while maintaining perfect time. HYT installed two vertical bellows which work continuously to propel the fluid round the tube – which is less than 1mm thick – and denote the time by landing on the correct hour mark. One of 50 limited edition pieces, the skull’s left eye counts the seconds, while the right eye indicates the power reserve. Details: for more visit hytwatches.com

TIMEPIECES

Hublot

Classic Fusion Tourbillon Skull This rock n roll skull watch is built as tough as it looks. The case is made from a ceramic-coated aluminium and has been given a distressed finish achieved by a manual sanding process that makes every one of these 50 limited edition watches one of a kind. Measuring 50mm in diameter, the dial bears a skull at six oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock, as a string of six h-shaped screws line the perimeter of the face. Cleverly, the movement bridges are made to look like bones, while the tourbillon bridge takes the form of the skull. Details: for more visit hublot.com

TIMEPIECES

Richard Mille

RM 052 Tourbillon Skull Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safe to say this is one piece of treasure that any pirate would be glad to get their hands on. This striking wristwatch has taken inspiration from the skull and crossbones flags that flew from the masts of pirate ships. The four bones that make up the bridge remind us of the flag, while the ruby positioned between the jaws of the skull is a nice touch of humour and is actually attached to the tourbillon cage. The back of the grade five titanium skull on the reverse of the watch is the centre bridge, and proves furthermore the skullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s integration in the movement. Details: for more visit richardmille.com

TIMEPIECES Perrelet

Turbine Toxic Special Edition This watch from the Swiss brand has a sneaky visual trick up its sleeve. At first glance, the eye sees only the glint of diamonds â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 210 to be exact â&#x20AC;&#x201C; under a set of 12 black blades on the 48mm dial of the wristwatch. But once those blades start to whirl, a menacing skull is revealed beneath, making this piece the horological equivalent of watching a horror movie. Details: for more visit perrelet.com

FOCUS

REGIONAL SYMPOSIUM

AFBAA REGIONAL SYMPOSIUM 2015 IN ADDIS ABABA

ON THE MOVE! The third Regional Symposium held by the African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) saw two days of dynamic debate and discussion produce a vast selection of new ideas and suggestions. Held in Addis Ababa, the event welcomed around 100 dignitaries, delegates and speakers from the sector. By Iris Savage

ABAS

avid Kajange, Head of Transport and Tourism delivered a keynote speech on behalf of the African Union’s Infrastructure and Energy Department. He explained how the African Union is actively pursuing open sky initiatives to support a more cohesive aviation network that will establish a single air transport market by 2017. With a nod to AfBAA’s ongoing mission to advocate the importance of Business Aviation Kajange acknowledged that whilst Business Aviation has not received as much attention as commercial aviation from the AU, it recognized its importance as an economic growth factor. Kajange said “it would be necessary for AfBAA to pursue a vigorous advocacy campaign to highlight the benefits of business aviation to corporate managers, policy-makers and regulators in Africa. This is a key step in bringing business aviation to the attention of African policy-makers.”

Volker Lemke of FAI called for AfBAA to support education of CAAs about what Medical Evacuations entail

AfBAA’s Founding Chairman, Tarek Ragheb stressed that the education of governments was as important as the education of stakeholders in the industry. Ragheb also announced the launch of the ABAS, the African Business Aviation Show, an annual event dedicated to business aviation which will run in parallel with Aviation Africa the recently launched commercial aviation exhibition and conference. “Many of the same concerns, affect commercial and business aviation. We recognized that similar issues are cropping up across the board. By bringing delegates together from both sectors we can provide an opportunity for them to learn from each other.” The Operator’s panel noted that a real lack of understanding still exists across the network of CAAs, and that business aviation is often incorrectly perceived as the domain of the rich, lucky or governmental officials. This lack of understanding stretches to the handlers who are used to taking care of large airliners. The collective lack of education is an issue that must be addressed and this knowledge-sharing concept is one to be encouraged for the future. Operators are still stymied by familiar issues with customs departments often holding up parts, heavy tax levies being applied to private aircraft, and a lack of contingency stock available for unpredicted maintenance requirements. The safety and training panel ignited much debate about audits. Evaluating safety is a prime concern for aviation internationally, but in Africa more than anywhere you have to show what you are capable of, and what you’ve committed to. How you run your operations will demonstrate this. Michael Grüninger of Switzerland-based aviation consulting company GCS says that safety management systems are essential. “SMS forces us to think about who we are, what we want and how we want to achieve it.

Customers are slowly waking up and becoming more conscious that the greybeard trusted captain at night somewhere in the bush, is not enough anymore. They know that behind personal skills there are organizational factors affecting the outcome of a flight. That’s why organizations increasingly request the audits.” However it was acknowledged that African safety standards are improving and that as with the rest of the world you can be as safe as you like, but often clients will buy on price alone.

CHALLENGES The themes raised by the operators and safety panel were exemplified in a new presentation topic for this year when Volker Lemke of FAI, the air ambulance specialist spoke about the challenges of operating across the continent. The company, which so far in 2015 has conducted over 800 missions of which around 125 were from Africa, faces operational and safety issues on a daily basis. Permits, landing permissions, maintenance challenges, inconsistent regulations and general non-understanding of what Medical Evacuation (Medevac) is by local authorities creates a series of problems for Medevac operators. In conjunction with fellow Medevac operator Phoenix Aviation, Lemke called for AfBAA to create a brief that can be shared with CAAs that outlines what Medevac means and encourage specific parameters to deal with the issues. With much of Africa’s burgeoning Business Aviation sector originating in the hydrocarbon industry a panel dedicated to the $40 barrel stirred up debate. Yes it’s affected the industry but not necessarily in the way people think; as an operator oil prices don’t tend to reduce just because the barrel price goes down. Infrastructure, delivery, storage, location, quality control costs and government levies all affect the price. There has been no clear uptick in charter flights consequently. However in oil producing nations, noticeably Nigeria the amount of charters decreased as the oil companies lowered the volume of flights required. What is really needed by the industry is stability of pricing, currency and economies of scale. A call was made for AfBAA to lead the way in developing a clearer, comprehensive and transparent fuel release system for business aviation as cash is not welcome and bank movement of moneys can be unpredictable.

UAVS A much anticipated session was inspiring as Katy Glynn of Trident Group introduced the topic of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAVs. She showcased the positive uses for UAVs, arguing that they should

The two day event caught the imagination of over 100 delegates

be called “Flying Computers” as it can collect extensive data from the air. Glynn stated that research showed manned vehicles are the best way of accumulating qualitative data and that UAVs are the solution for inaccessible areas; or UAV act as quality control data storage machines for agriculture, pipelines, aerial mapping, and surveillance. Rosa Rubio of Paisajes Gallegos explained the definitions behind the machines with three weight classes differentiating the operational possibilities. Addressing the security concerns she argued Europe is creating legislation around the use of UAVs. The ability to track an asset, the aircraft and the people on it is essential and Derek Donahue of Satcom Direct explained how for larger size aircraft Satcom Direct provides a high tech function, enabling full flight deck communications, real time tracking and data analysis of the aircraft’s performance. A young company from New Zealand called Spidertracks has developed a cost effective solution designed for smaller aircraft. The tidy little black box is connected to the Iridium Satellite network giving real time global coverage and reports real time locations; enables flight tracking and can issue SOS calls. The cost can be as little as $1,000 and for bush pilots, safari flights, or agricultural services it provides a good enabler for an emergency response plan. The meeting was lively and full of debate with fruitful discussions and expert based knowledge sharing. Chairman Alan Peaford summed up: “it’s very clear that AfBAA is on the move.” n

EPICUREAN RDV

THE RITZ CARLTON

THE 8th EPICUREAN RENDEZ-VOUS COCKTAIL PARTY The landscaped gardens at the Ritz Carlton in Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai were the perfect setting for the 8th Epicurean Rendez-Vous cocktail party, held on the first night of the Dubai Air Show 2015.

elaxing after a hectic opening day, around 500 guests enjoyed an elite evening of entertainment by a live DJ, flowing beverages, haute cuisine, Cuban cigars and the chance to get up close and personal with three of the most exclusive Aston Martins in the world. The sea breeze stirred the palms, as the cream of the aviation industry

The evening was a visual feast, as well a as a culinary treat.

donned their finery to mix and mingle among the gleaming white sofas and tall tables, dancing and socialising late into the night. The must-do event was hosted by LuxMedia, publishers of Altitudes magazine, and Bombardier, with a number of important partners: ACJ, Aston Martin, Aviation Link, DC Avition, Fly Aviation Services, Global Jet Capital, LG, Lufthansa Technik, Rockwell-Collins and San Marino Aircraft Registry. Once again the evening was a triumph, widely regarded as the social highlight of show.

EPICUREAN RDV

THE RITZ CARLTON

Sudhish Chandsan and Stefan Nocolov

Luca Madone and friend

Hark Moritzen, Walter Heerdt, Weiland Timm

Serene Salloum and Holger Ostheimer

Roberto Pirastu, Shehrazade Benkerbich and Frederic Saubade

Jonathan Bird, Sam Richomme and Juliane von Heimendahl

Jason Goddard, Amanda Goddard, Elena Denkovska and Sam Achampong

Jesus Ruiz with the Aston Martin Vulcan

Rania Salama, Sam Richomme and Jill Stockbridge

Samuel Puginier, Sylvie Escale, Pascal Rouhaud

Ola, Josefine and Catherine Kristiansen with Francis Smulders

Peter Rutherford

EPICUREAN RDV

THE RITZ CARLTON

Sandrine Jackson and Lorena Carraro

Sylvie Peron, Vadim Feldzer, Laetitia and Eloi Dufour

Husein and Fatema Gulamhusein

Christine and Ian Veall

Miltos Mouzakis

Michela Marcoli and AndrĂŠ Khury

Marie Octeau, Rob Brooks and Andrew Pearce

Khader and Ann Mattar

Franck Burnet and Pascal Jallier

EPICUREAN RDV

THE RITZ CARLTON

Mohammed Bashraheel, Bianco Nichel and Karim Nenasser

Fuad Kawar, David Longridge, Arnaud Martin, Charles Colburn, Sylvie PĂŠron, Loraine Kawar, Rania Salama

E Kolan, Teodora Djuric, E Manzano, Giovana Inglet, Roberta Inglet and Jorge Colindres

Rafik Elias, Eric Kernb and Adil Zebdi

Martin Lener and friends

Clint Clouatre, Alibe Koivuaho and Sean McGeough

Hani Haddadin, Ameer Otary and Wassim Saheb

Alison Tinson and Tracey Hartley

FLASH

NBAA 2015

RENEWING WITH SUCCESS This year’s NBAA Convention held in Las Vegas, Nevada, from November 17-19 was enormously successful. Some 27,000 business aviation professional attended, the highest attendance since 2007. More than 1,100 exhibitors were featured in the Las Vegas Convention Center and about 100 aircraft were displayed in several locations - at a sold-out static display at Henderson Executive Airport, at an indoor display inside the convention center and at various exhibitor booths on the convention hall floor. Orders were up on recent years and the value of one single order was a true high as Flexjet confirmed it is to purchase 20 of the Aerion AS2 Super Sonic Business Jet, a book value of $2.4 billion. By Sylvie Peron & Iris Savage Photography Sylvie Peron

he magic of Las Vegas seems to have worked once again, as new aircraft made their debuts, such as Dassault’s new ultra long range Falcon 8X, Textron Aviation’s highly anticipated super-midsize Citation Longitude, or Gulfstream’s G500, with the flight-test T1 aircraft arriving at Las Vegas Henderson Executive Airport on the Friday prior to the show, after its first cross-country trip from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, Georgia. Certification for the twinjet, which averaged a speed of Mach 0.85 in 75-knot headwinds and altitude of 45,000 ft is slated for 2017. “This year’s show was enormously successful,” said NBAA President and

A chock-full of aircraft on static display at Henderson Executive Airport. Next year’s event will be held in Orlando November 1-3

CEO Ed Bolen. “Our industry’s largest event once again showcased the size and significance of the business aviation community, as well as the passion and professionalism of its people.” EXCITING NEW DESIGN Delegates represented all 50 U.S. states and some 96 countries, and lots of business was done over the three days. Buyers braved the chilled temperatures of Nevada’s winter season, and Gulfstream was happy to report a few hundred customers attended the special event organized for them at Henderson Airport, on the Monday night prior to the show’s opening. They were able to experience first hand the tremendous comfort and productivity of the redesigned full-size

G600 mock-up. Space is maximized with expanded side ledge and a slimmer passenger service unit increasing headroom. Additional counter space in the galley allows flight attendants to work at ease, cabin lighting has been enhanced, seats are optimized for comfort and ease of use, drawers and cabinet latches are quieter and stone floorings by F/List adorn the entry way and forward lavatory. “We have collaborated with our customers throughout this project,” Tray Crow, Interior Design director told Altitude. “Since unveiling the original G600 mock-up in October 2014, we have been gathering feedback from customers to ensure we meet their needs and deliver an ideal in-flight environment. The interior is so comfortable and functional that passengers will forget they are travelling near the speed of sound.” The G600 certification is slated for 2018, with entry into service in 2019. ON THE OFFENSIVE Cessna Aircraft Company, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation debuted the Longitude, its latest largest business jet, with a ground test article which whilst looking like the real thing, has been used to formulate machine tooling for the final product, and will never actually get off the ground. The clean sheet design Citation Longitude which seats up to 12 passengers, is on track for first flight in 2016 with anticipated entry into service in 2017. Continuing on the company’s path of product investment, Cessna unveiled its Citation Hemisphere concept. The 8ft 6” width of the cabin makes it the largest in its class, wider than a G650 and similar in width to the Falcon 5X. Thanks to its 4500 nm range, the US$30$33 million aircraft will be a serious contender with the G450. “With the company’s ability to get aircraft certificated, buyers can be pretty confident that it will deliver in 2019,” said CEO Scott Ernest. Although it was hit hardest by the economic crisis, Cessna is in a much stronger state that it was in 2009. Ernest deserves credit for the smart integration of Beechcraft. He has reshaped the company, and it is telling that Textron Aviation has the confidence to go on the offensive against other manufacturers. TRIJET IN THE MOJAVE Dassault Aviation’s new flagship, the Falcon 8X made its debut in Las Vegas with the sixth article to come off the assembly line. The green

Ed Swearingen’s SJ30 now in the hands of SyberJet. The $8/8.5 million SJ30i/x delivers high performance

aircraft then headed to Dassault’s Little Rock, Arkansas completion facility for cabin and equipment outfitting and painting. In parallel with flight tests, Dassault is continuing to ramp up production at its final assembly facility in Mérignac, near Bordeaux, France. Eight aircraft are currently in various stages of assembly in Mérignac and ground was recently broken there on a new six-bay hangar to handle maintenance and repair work for the 8X, the 7X and other Falcon models. “We anticipate certification by mid-2016, on schedule, with initial deliveries to follow in the second half of the year,” said Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO Eric Trappier. The French manufacturer also introduced its proprietary Combined Vision System, dubbed FalconEye, presented on a Falcon 2000LXS on display at the show. The production model aircraft was due to be delivered soon after the end of the show.

FLASH FalconEye is the first Head Up Display (HUD) system to combine synthetic, database-driven terrain mapping and actual thermal and lowlight camera images, providing an unprecedented level of situational awareness to flight crews. The fourth-generation, multi-sensor camera is composed of six different sensors, fusing images from both the visible and infrared spectrums. “What makes this truly revolutionary is the unique and patented way in which we blend real video of the outside world in low-light conditions with synthetic terrain imagery, a first in the business jets industry,” said Olivier Villa, Senior VP Civil Aircraft; Dassault Aviation. SUPERSONIC BUSINESS JET Aerion’s breathtakingly stylish aircraft is undeniably the transportation solution for the future, for those that can afford the cool $1.2 million price tag. With anticipated speeds of 1.5 Mach the aircraft is expected to knock literally hours off intercontinental flying times. NBAA buzzed as Chairman, Robert Bass, announced its first fleet order. Flexjet, the fractional ownership business, has committed to 20 of the sleek machine. Ken Ricci, Flexjet Chairman, commented that the business wanted to cover every type of mission its members flew, and the addition of the AS2 to the fleet enabled them to make that possible. Flexjet customers won’t need to buy into ownership, but will purchase access to the

NBAA 2015

jet as required. Champagne flowed after the announcement, which followed hard on the heels of an earlier press conference that firmly aligned Airbus as a technology partner. Brian Barrens, Co-Chairman also said that the facility location, within 200 miles of the coast and a large port, is to be decided imminently, whilst the decision about an engine partner will be made within the next six months, firmly quashing doubts about its likelihood of ever getting off the ground. Following fierce competition between designers and completion houses, Aerion also declared the selection of UK-based DesignQ as the interior designer. A 3D tour of the Aerion interior confirmed that the British designers had once again blended form and function, to create style and purpose. The interiors would be outfitted by INAIRVATION, the recent joint venture between Lufthansa Technik and F/List – Aerion is the first customer on their books. “We are close to a renaissance for civil supersonic flight,” said an excited Brian Barrens Co-Chairman of Aerion. Mockup mini-gallery as an option for outfitting one of the G600 cabin’s four living areas at Gulfstream’s Static display.

MORE ORDERS Other orders were in the offing too. Not content with just the supersonic order Flexjet also announced an MOU to buy 20 of the increasingly popular midsize Bombardier Challenger 350s, in a deal valued around $540 million. MGM International Resorts, one of the stalwarts of Vegas, signed Letters of Intent for three of Embraer’s leggy Lineage 1000Es, and three midsize Legacy 500 business jets. Valued at $200 million the aircraft will be used to fly the company’s VIP customers. HondaJet confirmed it is nearing full type certification. It has one hundred orders on the book, and twenty-five aircraft already on the production line. Honeywell Aerospace, in its annual business aviation forecast, indicated that whilst business aviation was emerging from the doom and gloom of recent years, significant growth is not expected for another couple of years. However Honeywell anticipates that, new models, upgrades, fleet renewals, and an improving US market will underpin longer-term recovery with an anticipated 9200 jets being delivered by 2025. The workhorse King Air 350i has seen Kenny Dichter’s Wheels Up membershipbased private aviation club continue to grow. Predicting revenue increases of 50% in the next year, and an 80% rise in flight hours, Dichter is now eyeing European expansion. Having sourced $115 million from a group of investors, he expects to set wheels down in Europe early next year. ‘MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON’ A crowded Opening General Session featured leaders from government, business and industry. A well-attended, secondday Opening Session on Nov. 18 featured aviation leaders and legends, including

NBAA 2015

FAA Administratror Michael Huerta and Greg Evans, Chairman Universal Weather

Inairvation, a joint venture of Lufthansa Technik and F/List offers installation packages to the retrofit market

FLASH

“Miracle on the Hudson” hero-pilot, Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger. The inventor of winglet technology, Joe Clark, was presented with NBAA’s Meritorious Service to Aviation Award. A full roster of education sessions, held throughout the week, as well as sessions on the future of aviation, and on unmanned aircraft systems, held in NBAA’s “Innovation Zone” on the exhibit floor. A successful charity benefit, co-hosted by NBAA and Corporate Angel Network (CAN), raised $505,000 in support of CAN’s mission to provide life-saving flights to take cancer patients to treatment centers aboard business aircraft. “NBAA’s 2015 convention was a memorable event that showcased our industry’s vitality and relevance,” Bolen said. “We were thrilled by the enthusiasm and activity that marked each of the show’s three days, and we are already looking forward to next year’s convention in Orlando, FL, from Nov. 1 to 3, 2016.” n

EPICUREAN RDV

PARIS LAS VEGAS

ALTITUDES & INVICTUS 2ND EPICUREAN RENDEZ-VOUS COCKTAIL PARTY

n the second evening of NBAA2015, on the terrace of the Paris Las Vegas Chateau Nightclub & Gardens overlooking the Strip, a constellation of the business aviation industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brightest stars indulged in a unique nightlife experience.

And a good time was had by all!

PARIS LAS VEGAS

Florent Series, Zipporah Marmor

Aerion’s Brian Barents, John Holding Dr Richard Tracy

Eric and Sean Gillespie with Kevin Kliethermes and Gord Williams

Benoît Defforge Sylvie Péron

EPICUREAN RDV

Johannes Schatzer, Greg Shilton Howard Guy

Paolo Foglizzo, Jay Beaver Gary Doy, Howard Guy

Tim Barber, Paula Kraft and friends

EPICUREAN RDV

PARIS LAS VEGAS

Maria Moshkina Paul Walsh

Zipporah Marmor, Kevin Harris with guest, Florent Series, André Khury, Gilles Gautier, Matthieu Pezin

Ming Keadle, Matthieu Pezin, Zipporah Marmor

James Healey, Sylvie Peron Dr Richard Tracy

Samuel Puginier, Chynine Schapira

Joanne Warburton, Guillaume Beauhaire (standing, Invictus) and friends

Arne Wulf, Jan Grube and the lovely ladies

Waleed Muhiddin

René Gonzalez and Dana Dickenson

Becky Kramm, Allana Garcez

PARIS LAS VEGAS

Giles Lapierre Nicole Devries

EPICUREAN RDV

Sylvie Peron, Johannes Schatzer and the F/LIST gents

Eddie Sotto, Frank Chavez Jay Beever

Jorge & Yolanda Colindres

Sean McGeough and guest

Frederic Nevejan, Dexter Sternberg

The Comlux Team

Eve Giroux ,Philippe Vallancourt

Nadia Marcinko, Jeff Miller

Fabio Gamba (right) and friends

Sara & Brian Campbell

Christine Lawson Andy Beers

AIRPORT

SAVOIE AIRPORTS

IN THE HEART OF THE FRENCH ALPS

AIRPORT

SAVOIE AIRPORTS

Chambéry Savoie and Annecy Mont Blanc airports are the closest gateways to France’s mountain and summer resorts and lakes. Some 110 ski resorts are within less than 20 minutes transfer by VIP helicopter, providing first-class business aviation services to highly demanding clients, who often transfer to Courchevel by limousine or weather permitting, land directly at the Altiport. By Sylvie Peron

now-capped mountain peaks and beautiful lakeshores are within sight as the aircraft descends on its approach to one of the Savoie airports. As soon as it lands, the airports’ dedicated staff takes over from inflight services to provide passengers with everything they need. Discretion, efficiency and availability are the hallmarks of the airports’ savoir-faire, which offer an exclusive selection of services, including catering and transfers by limousine or helicopter.

CHAMBÉRY SAVOIE

Alpine Airlines will also be based in Courchevel this season, with a six-seater P68 (Partenavia), available for ad-hoc charter and sightseeing flights over the Mont Blanc.

Chambéry Savoie Business Airport airport is located at the foot of the Alps and offers an exceptional gateway to the most famous ski resorts in the French Alps. In 2013, VINCI Airports was appointed operator by the General Council of Savoie, the land owner, with a term of 16 years, and is responsible for management and operations Chambéry is the most important business aviation airport for the French Alps. In addition to its ideal location, it boasts infrastructures dedicated to business aviation passengers (VIP terminal, limousine service, etc.). More than 9,500 business and private passengers used the VIP terminal in 2014, placing Chambéry Savoie as the 6th busiest business aviation airport in Europe and 3rd in France during the winter. Its proximity to Courchevel (15 min by helicopter) and the main ski resorts of the French Alps, its warm and friendly atmosphere, the accessibility to the aircraft, parked on the apron just a few meters to the terminal, its dedicated services such as catering and limousine transfers, as well as its handling staff’s discretion and professionalism all contribute to the airport’s success. At the moment there is no hangar

AIRPORT

SAVOIE AIRPORTS

VINCI

Chambéry Savoie Airport

available, but the recent investments by VINCI Airports in the renovation of the terminal include a new bar, new boutique areas and new signals.

ANNECY MONT BLANC AIRPORT An agreement signed on December 29, 2006, transferred ownership of the Annecy-Meythet airfield from the French government to the Haute-Savoie Département. The mission of the Conseil Général de la Haute-Savoie is to create a synergy among these government bodies to promote the development of the Annecy-Meythet Airport. Since December 29, 2012, the Airport has been managed by SNC-Lavalin Airports under a public service delegation contract.

Aérosavoie is a company based at Courchevel Altiport with a Jodel D140 fitted with winter skis, and a crew of 2 pilots and a stewardess. The company offers leisure flights over the Alps. A Cessna 172 is dedicated to train professional pilots in mountain flying.

SNC-LAVALIN GROUP INC. Founded in Canada in 1911 by Arthur Surveyer, Emil Nenniger and Georges Chênevert, SNCLavalin has been listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange since 1986. SNC-Lavalin is a world leader in engineering and construction and a major player in operations, maintenance and infrastructure concession investments. Its European subsidiaries operate in building and planning, infrastructure, transport, the environment, industrial processes and life sciences. On the European continent, SNC-Lavalin’s head office is located in Paris, France. SNC-Lavalin Airports is a division

The Pilatus PC-12 is the aircraft of choice at Courchevel’s Altiport

VINCI Airports, an emerging leader in the international airport sector, manages the development and operations of 25 airports: 11 in France, 10 in Portugal (including the hub of Lisbon), 3 in Cambodia and one in Chile (since October 1st). Served by over 100 airlines, VINCI Airports’ network handles 47 million passengers annually in 2014, with a turnover of € 717 million. Through its expertise as a comprehensive integrator and the professionalism of its 5,400 employees, VINCI Airports develops, finances, builds and operates airports, leveraging its investment capability, international network and know-how to optimize management of existing airport infrastructure, facility extensions and new construction. Since October 1st, VINCI Airports, Aéroports de Paris and Astaldi, under the consortium Nuevo Pudahuel, are operating Santiago de Chile’s Arturo-Merino Benítez International Airport, for a duration of 20 years. Arturo-Merino Benítez airport is the 6th largest airport in South America with 16.1 million passengers served in 2014, including about 50% of international passengers.

AIRPORT

SAVOIE AIRPORTS

of SNC-Lavalin Inc. specializing in the management and development of airports. Its mission is to develop delegated management activities at airports across Europe and particularly in France, home of SNC-Lavalin’s European headquarters. The company has a great expertise in engineering, construction, operations, development and privatization of airport infrastructure. The engineering projects include design and planning of Vancouver, Fort McMurray and Montreal airports in Canada, the Louisiana Transport Center and Abraham Lincoln National Airport (Chicago) in the United States, Dakar in Senegal, and Madrid in Spain. To date, SNC-Lavalin Airports manages and operates a total of 17 airports, including Angoulême, Annecy, Chalon-sur-Saône, Cherbourg, Dijon, Le Havre-Octeville, Mayotte, Nîmes, Reims, Rouen, Saint-Martin Grand-Case, Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées, Toulouse-Francazal, Tours, Troyes, Vannes, Malte and Castellón in Spain. SNC-Lavalin was granted a seven-year contract to manage the Annecy Mont Blanc Airport. A graduate of ENAC Toulouse and Florida Institute of Technology, Arnaud Jérôme is

Arnaud Jérôme, Director of Airports Management for SNC-Lavalin in charge of ten proximity airports, including Annecy Mont Blanc

Director of Airports Management for SNC-Lavalin, in charge of ten (10) proximity airports, including Annecy Mont Blanc. A staff of 15 manages security, maintenance and handling. “Annecy is both a leisure and business aviation airport, with some 3000 movements per year. With no scheduled or charter flights, it is dedicated to business aviation,” comments Arnaud. Eager to promote the local economy, the company would like to improve flight services between Annecy and Paris. They also plan on developing business aviation to meet local needs and overseeing the development of general aviation activities, taking into account the urban environment surrounding the airfield. “The airport is only 30 minutes away from the center of Geneva, with a highway 2km away from the airport ensuring rapid transfers to Geneva, Chamonix, Megève, Courchevel and Annecy,” says Arnaud. “The airport is a jewel in the heart of the Alps and its configuration allows for extreme flexibility. There is no need for slots, most of the year, and customers can decide to use the airport on short notice. It is open year round, with extensible opening hours on demand. Seamless boardto-board transfer are available with a limousine or helicopter on demand. Furthermore, we have quality partnerships with Hélisécurité (Helicopter transfer), Sixt (rental car service) R-Service (chauffeured limousine), allowing for a large offer of transfer services. Traffic grew by 10% in 2015, VFR or IFR (+5%). This growth is due also to business aviation that more than doubled with based-aircraft. Our policy is to build more hangars, in order to develop business aviation with based aircraft. Our customers are happy with this access solution to Geneva and the Alps resorts. Annecy is rapidly becoming the access of choice for the entire area.” n

CHAMBÉRY AIRPORT HANDLING REQUESTS https://cy.myhandlingsoftware.com Phone: +33 4 79 54 49 71 Email: handling@chambery-airport.com

Operations Phone: +33 4 79 54 49 52 Email: affaire@chambery-airport.com Frequencie: 130.5 Mhz Chambery Approach: 121.2 Chambery Tower: 118.3 ATIS: 127.1 FIS (Flight Information Service): 123.7

Technical data • Code OACI: LFLB • Main runway: 2020 x 45 m • QFUs: 18/36 • Location: N 45 38 21 / E 004 54 07 • Elevation: 779 ft • ILS Cat I • Fire category: 2 to 6 on request • VIP TERMINAL • VIP arrival lounge, dedicated departure lounge • Dedicated staff, service center, meeting rooms • PARKING BAYS • 35,000 m² • 10 aircraft parking stands • Up to 7 B737 or A320 simultaneously • Customs: on situ • 2 runways (2020 m length)

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LAMBERTO TACOLI

CRN Chairman and CEO Over the past decade the Italian Yachting industry has encountered some strong headwinds. CRN however, a member of the Ferretti Group now owned by the Chinese SHIG-Weichai Group, seems to have played its cards right, earning its place at the top table of international yacht builders. Lamberto Tacoli presides over a shipyard that has delivered some of Italy’s most significant launches in recent years. An outspoken and energetic figure, Lamberto is a strong advocate of business aviation, as he never ceases to travel the world, most often in the company of his clients on board their private jets. By Sylvie Péron

“

enjoy planes! Unfortunately, we don’t own one, but we often fly on those of our clients. No less than ninety percent of our customers are private jet owners,” says the athletic looking fifty-one year old CEO. “I’m not a pilot but I fly a lot. If I am alone, it is a good time for me to relax a little bit and prepare for my next meetings, writing a lot. If I’m flying with clients, in their private jet, this is the best place to have private meetings, enjoy food and drinks, and look at drawings and specifications. A private jet is a nice place to work. I hope, and I can see that this industry is starting to grow again. Business aviation and high-end real estate are the only other markets we can relate to, as we share a common customer-base.” As we sat in the aft deck lounge of CRN’s latest baby, the wonderful ATLANTE, in Monaco’s Port Hercule on opening day of the Monaco Yacht

Show this past September, it was clear that CRN has grown to become one of Italy’s most prolific megayachts producers. “For us, this is the best window. Here at the Monaco Yacht Show, we have the possibility to present three very different platforms afloat. It is the

CRN has always been a pioneer in the search for and the implementation of innovative design solutions, ATLANTE is the ultimate expression of the shipyard evolution

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LAMBERTO TACOLI

only way to show what CRN has been doing over the past months, how flexible we are in striving to answer the client’s desires and how we try to achieve that.”

“BIGGER IS NOT ALWAYS BETTER”

Square shapes, sharp lines, the stunning ATLANTE’s strong stylistic identity draws its inspiration from some elements typical of military crafts

“My approach is very much client oriented: one is not right or wrong, just different. We try to emulate the custom-yacht builders of Northern Europe, to be flexible and customer-oriented. We can work with different designers and architects, and these are the results. We took a bet on this strategy and now it is before the eyes of the public and the actors of the industry. Today, we are aiming at being among the big five. That means that when somebody is looking for a yacht, CRN could be an opportunity.” ATLANTE, the Ancona-based shipyard’s latest 55m launch is a displacement hull, with a stunning dark metallic grey steel hull and matte Jet black aluminum superstructure, able to accommodate 12 guests in high style, cared over by a crew of 12 and a Captain. The yacht cruises at 14kn, with a range of 3.100nm, extending up to 4.200nm at 12kn. CRN engineering did the naval architecture, with exterior design by Nuvolari & Lenard and interior design by Gilles & Boissier. The VIP interior areas alone cover

520sqm, and the yacht carries two 9m tenders, including a limo-tender and a walkaround, with an additional Solas approved rescue boat. ‘I am not a gyga fan,” says Lamberto. “ATLANTE was the most difficult boat we built, although not the larger one. There are so many new developments architecturally and technologically! For a ship this size it is important.” Gracing the display of superyachts in the Monaco harbor, two other of CRN’s very different yachts, the sporty 73m Yalla and the stately 61m Saramour, both launched in 2014. All three yachts were delivered within the past eleven months. “I’ve seen the growth of the business and also the growth in the sizes of yachts being launched around the world, but bigger is not always better. Saramour, (200ft) for example is built on the 60m platform that we are so familiar with, yet she has so many great features that she is a showcase for what we can achieve on a proven platform in what is becoming a relatively modest size. Then we have the 239’ Yalla, an iconic launch for us, something fresh, new and instantly recognizable. Undoubtedly, Chopi Chopi, our first true megayacht (80m), which splashed in 2013, was the yacht that took us from one level to the next.”

A MEMBER OF THE TEAM Lamberto Tacoli started the partnerhips with Norberto Ferretti in 1995, having already delivered a 43m composite yacht from Beaulieu, France in 1989. “Having been there from the start, I became a major shareholder in the group, looked after the finances of the yard, and have restructured more than once… so I understand the responsibilities required to manage the team. Having grown so fast over the past decade, even if the average age of our staff is still young, it is always a learning process. But the main thing is passion. If you do things with passion and love, it’s easier. And at the same time, I believe in the team spirit. We have to work together. Members of the team always surround me. From design to production, and public relations, I like to share with them on a weekly basis on the situation of the company. At the same time, we have meetings on special areas. I am absolutely a team worker.” Before we are interrupted by a Chinese delegation of shareholders stepping onboard ATLANTE for a meeting, Lamberto adds one last note: “When I started in 1990, it was a dream and a passion. It was difficult to imagine achieving such recognition, but for an Italian yard it is a great consecration!” n

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GULFSTREAM G650ER

Exceeding

GULFSTREAM G650ER

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expectations

Type rated to fly every type of classic Gulfstream, our reviewer, David Zara couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wait to get his hands on the G650ER and his time came, not once, but twice by way of an invitation first from Egyptian G650ER owner, Mohamed M. Abou el-Enein and then again from Gulfstream HQ. By David Zara

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GULFSTREAM G650ER

Photo: David Zara

The 650ER is a courageous departure for Gulfstream abandoning their signature fuselage and developing a cleansheet aircraft.

was checking my emails and casually hit refresh when a message from Gulfstream rolled up on the screen. The subject heading simply said “G650”. My interest was piqued and I willed my index finger to touch the screen. The first sentence sent me soaring with joy. Gulfstream wanted me to come down to Savannah and try their new pride and joy and it said to come soon. I dropped all pretense of attempting to appear cool and instead of waiting for an appropriate delay for my “planedate” I found myself speed-dialing the number at the bottom of the email within seconds. I am typerated in every type of classic Gulfstream but flying a G650 has been a dream for me since the day its conception was announced back in 2005 before being unveiled to the public in March 2008. Questions were thrown and answered, goals were queried, my medical and license and some training records were checked and after a lot of emails back and forth a date was set. Heidi Fedak

from Gulfstream picked me up at the airline terminal and drove me to their facility where lunch was laid out for the briefing. Scott Curtiss and Eric Henman were assigned to shepherd me through the flight and their thoroughness and patience are to be commended. I like doing multiple takeoffs and landings to get the feel of an aircraft and they granted my wish with an enthusiastic yes. We briefed the flight-plan and began to discuss possible emergencies. Like all manufacturers, Gulfstream is serious about safety and briefings tend to cover all the possible scenarios and then some. Thus armed with information we walked across the ramp to meet our sky-chariot for the day. The first thing you notice is it’s massive size. Its sleek shape hides a huge footprint. Classic Gulfstreams are known to look like speed-birds of prey waiting to take flight. The G650ER looks like a fierce animal looking to lunge at the sky. The windows are larger than the signature Gulfstream windows and those are already huge to begin with. The air-stair feels familiar except for improved handrails. I turn right upon entering the plane eager to feel the light bath provided by the windows and realize they are even larger than I anticipated. They stand exactly where you’d want them to be, shoulder-height when you sit. Looking out the window means you only turn your head and skip the Cirque du Soleil contortions to look out the windows. My fellow pilots offer me the left seat and lead me through the start up procedure. It’s simple enough. The aircraft can practically start itself and monitor all the essential parameters without human assistance. The avionics suite is a PlaneView II system and is familiar to pilots who have flown PlaneView cockpits. It’s based on Honeywell’s Primus Epic system and works flawlessly in delivering critical information in a highly readable form. The Cursor Control Devices or CCDs, side-mounted controllers are the preferred medium to enter all the commands and the system is intuitive and easy to master. The engines are massive RollsRoyce BR725s and they produce 16,900 pounds of thrust. They use the latest swept-fan high bypass ratio technology and propel the aircraft comfortably at M.87 to .925 while consuming less than their older siblings. Like many other engines they also have 10,000 time between overhaul but unlike other engines they don’t require Midlife inspections. Smart, convenient and less expensive to maintain. One more thing to love about the G650 is the Planeconnect system that links the aircraft’s functions to Gulfstream’s Technical Operations center. It transmits any maintenance concerns while the aircraft is in the air and allows for technicians to diagnose and propose solutions. I like this a lot. Its wings are a work of art, a swept-back liquid silver and fluid metal horizontal droplet with 36 degrees of sweep. It’s curved like a Le Corbusier drawing and stands tall and shiny cheating light and looking fast even while still on the ground. The engineering tour de force Gulfstream pulled was in making this wing fast while also allowing it to sustain flight at unusually low speeds for a Gulfstream. It looks sleek because it does away with leadingedge devices and protruding flap-tracks and blends into beautiful winglets. The G650ER can fly 7500 nautical miles at almost M.87 bridging most of the established city-pairs passengers covet and need. Ground control cleared us to taxi. The control wheel is easy to get used to and the brakes are smoother and easier to modulate than earlier Gulfstreams. Rudder pedals provide plenty of control authority during the takeoff roll so I was given the choice to “go classic or go modern”. I elected to “go classic” and to keep my left hand on the tiller until 80 knots for the first take-off. Acceleration was impressive and we leapt into the air in less than

“ITS WINGS ARE A WORK OF ART, A SWEPT-BACK LIQUID SILVER AND FLUID METAL HORIZONTAL DROPLET WITH 36 DEGREES OF SWEEP.”

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GULFSTREAM G650ER

“MOHAMED M. ABOU EL-ENEIN’S 650ER IS TASTEFULLY DECORATED IN LIGHT COLORS AND THE QUALITY OF THE WORKMANSHIP IS SIMPLY SUPERB.”

Photo: David Zara

2000 feet. Tower cleared us outbound to a practice area and I got to sample climb performance and a few tight turns. The new G650 is equipped with Fly By Wire technology and one of the key features is the aircraft feels the same regardless of weight. FBW adjusts the control feel to recreate a standard feel regardless of conditions. It’s a strange sensation at first but the beauty of the system is that its intended purpose is precisely to forget these mundane and archaic constraints. Gone are the days when the aircraft you took off with felt different than the one you were committed to land. Approach switched us to the Tower frequency and we were cleared to remain in the pattern for some close-in work. Aroundthe-pattern speeds and approaches are easy with this aircraft. It behaves well and is very responsive at low speeds and that big wing allows for some very slow approaches. Gulfstream has created an amazing machine. They have taken the confusion out of setting up interiors and now offer customers the choice of 12 predefined floor plans rather than unlimited op-

POWERPLANT

Rolls-Royce BR725

THRUST

16,900 pounds

MAX RANGE

13,890 km/ 7500 nm (8 pax/4 crew)

tions. Interiors are exquisitely crafted and no matter how critical an eye you assess the cabin with, it will be nearly impossible to find fault. Drawers glide with an effortless push, cabinet doors reveal perfect shelves and credenzas flow into walls. The cabin entertainment system is a blend of intuition and form which allows passengers to participate in creating their optimum environment with their own Apple or Android devices. Passengers no longer need to ask crew members to raise or lower cabin temperatures or dim lights. They can control their own environment and can save and store their preferences for future flights. Time above earth was until recently - by necessity rather than choice - a time to disconnect from a connected world. While there is both merit and relief offered by temporarily cocooning in a space of electronic interruption, Gulfstream felt the choice should be made by passengers rather than by technical limitations. They offer a very comprehensive communication system with optional Broadband high-speed data access. All this opulence is framed by functionality because while luxurious, this Gulfstream is a timemachine. It may not literally go back in time but it will shrink the world into manageable time-frames and this brings us back to another G650 flight. The aircraft in question belongs to Mohamed M. Abou el-Enein and along with Ahmed Ragheb, his aviation go-to man and a former US Air Force fighter and test pilot, they invited me to join them on a flight from Savannah to Las Vegas. The “Powers-That-Be” contributed some rain for the departure, added some thunderstorms for the en-route portion and finished off with some crosswinds for our arrival so we got to sample what this bird can do. Mohamed’s plane is tastefully decorated in light colors and the quality of the workmanship is simply superb. We took off in a hurry and were given a climb to FL430. A few minutes later we leveled off and cruised at a speedy M.90 and the auto-throttles do a great job with no hunting. Mohamed is an experienced aviator and, highly unusual for an owner, he is qualified in GIVs, G550s and the 650. He started flying motorized gliders and quickly graduated to a Baron B55 which he flew for years before moving to a King Air 200. While the King Air was great he wanted to fly jets and it was soon replaced by a Gulfstream GIV-SP. He loved flying that plane but it didn’t quite cover the distances needed so two G550s were next which he loved and flew for years. His newest company, Cleopatra Aviation is active in tourism and agriculture and in 1979 reclaimed a

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Photo: David Zara

GULFSTREAM G650ER

large portion of the Egyptian desert to create thousands of jobs in economically deprived areas of the country. Some 1500 acres have also been planted in the Malak Valley to create an orange grove whose products are exported to Europe and the rest of the Middle East. The aircraft was racing across the Midwest when lightning streaked across the sky ahead of us. I considered going around when I remembered that the G650 has a secret asset sitting on the nose in the form of a 3D radar and it was time to put it to good use. The Honeywell RDR-4000 radar provides the most complete and accurate picture of weather I have ever seen. A quick look at the screen showed the best way around was actually above the weather. A quick call to ATC and we were cleared to FL470 though it was the wrong altitude for the direction of flight. There is virtually no one at that altitude so we got a smooth ride while marveling at nature’s strength and the light show below us. Other key features of the G650 are the Enhanced Vision System II and the Synthetic Vision-Primary Flight Display and LCD Head-Up Display. They work beautifully and add greatly to the safety of flight. All too soon Center asked for a descent and my dream ride was interrupted by the need to return to earth. A series of calls later we are lined up for landing at LAS and the wheels touch down soon after. We taxi to the terminal, shutdown and prepare to put the bird to sleep. We are done quickly, lock up and discuss the highlights of the flight, but not before stealing a last glance at our bird.

Passengers can raise or lower cabin temperatures, dim lights and control their own environment and can even save their preferences for future flights.

The Gulfstream G650 in both straight and ER versions largely exceeded my expectations. It showed a courageous departure for Gulfstream to abandon their signature fuselage and develop a clean-sheet aircraft. The gamble has paid off. Over 100 have been delivered and the orderbooks are full. I can’t wait to sign one up under management, get typed and start flying it on a regular basis across the world.

“WE LOCK UP AND DISCUSS THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FLIGHT, BUT NOT BEFORE STEALING A LAST GLANCE AT OUR BIRD. THE G650 IN BOTH STRAIGHT AND ER VERSIONS LARGELY EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS.”

INTERVIEW

DESIGNER ANDREW WINCH

THE AGE OF WISDOM DESIGNER ANDREW WINCH

Founder and owner of Winch Design

In 2016, the London Studio will be celebrating thirty years in business. The growth of the business over recent years has made the designer, his wife Jane and their team, want to take a more objective view of the Company – where they are now and where they want to go. As a result, the design studio is amending its name (to Winch Design) and rolling out a new website and company literature. By Sylvie Peron

Altitude: 2016 is an important year for you, what made you decide to rebrand? Andrew Winch: “I realize that in order to cre-

ate a sustainable and enjoyable business, we need a team of excellent people and periodically, need to pause and take a breath in order to provide some objectivity. We are lucky in that we have grown organically, without really focusing on sales, marketing or advertising, but as we have grown and moved into other areas, namely aviation and architecture/interiors, it has become apparent that we need to manage our growth – where we are going, how we are perceived and what is our brand message.” AE: Why the change of name and website? AW: “Andrew Winch Designs is now a team of

Hands-on founder and figurehead Andrew Winch with wife Jane, want to create a sustainable business model for the future

over sixty-five people across three divisions – Yachts, Aviation and Architecture & Interiors. I enjoy being a hands-on founder and figurehead but as a company, we want to celebrate the amazing individuals who work here, and create a sustainable business model for the future. That is why we are now called WINCH DESIGN and rolling out a new website and company literature. This will be much more representative of where we are now, our ethos, our passion and our approach for the future. It has been a collaborative process, with the entire team having their say. The split in terms of projects is still weighted in favor of yachts, but our Aviation and Architecture Teams are thriving and growing so we are now a multi-disciplinary Design Studio rather than just a yacht designer.” AE: What are the details of the new look? AW: “We’ve been working on this for nearly

a year and it has taken huge amounts of

“WINCH DESIGN IS A BUSINESS WITH A HERITAGE TO BE PROUD OF AND A FUTURE TO BE EXCITED ABOUT.” effort from a number of people both internally and externally. We are keeping the trademark Winch in the logo but updating it and as mentioned, changing the name to Winch Design. We are also introducing a different livery for each department so that they build their own identity. We have sapphire blue as our corporate color, a sky blue for aviation, aqua for yachts and stone for architecture. The logo will be in copper (I love this because of the heritage of copper within the yacht building industry) and we have designed our own typeface.” AE: What are your aims? AW: “My ambition is not about designing

the biggest or the most expensive, it is about design excellence and making our clients’

dreams come true. We have some extraordinary projects around the world keeping us busy, so the focus is on consolidation rather than specifically growth. We are also finetuning our internal structure and operations so that we can continue to flourish, create amazing work and enjoy ourselves in the process. Personally, I would like to be around and involved for the next thirty years, but with a little more freedom to travel and experience things which inspire me - architecture, art, a multitude of different things, and then bring back these inspirations to the team.” AE: According to you, what makes AWD so unique? AW: “I believe we have a very strong ethos

which continues to this day, and that is something that I am passionate about communicating to every member of our team. It is about trust, about dynamic design, about working as part of a team to create something outstanding for each and every client. We are now I hope considered a leading yacht designer, and are also unique in that we are now working at such a high level in both aviation and architecture. Our size

INTERVIEW

and combined experience means that we can take on some extremely complex projects, often lasting for several years, and still manage every other client at the very highest level and with the same attention to detail. I also believe that we are truly unique in the way we nurture, support and train our team. Despite our size, we still have lunch together every day at the restaurant next door. We invest heavily in training, we take new recruits to overseas shows so that they learn and absorb the culture. We work extremely hard but also have lots of fun.”

DESIGNER ANDREW WINCH

A family business, Winch Design supports the Blue Marine Foundation, hoping to raise £500,000 with a London-Monaco Bike Ride next September, arriving in time for the Monaco Yacht Show 2016

AE: How will you communicate this on the website? AW: “Essentially we are celebrating our

heritage, but the focus is on the team, the talent and the people as we move forward. We want to tell a story – we aren’t an anonymous corporation and it is important to me that we celebrate our work and the individuals that create great work here. We commissioned some wonderful new photography not only of our work but also the team. Looking at the new team photo and comparing it to only 2 or 3 years ago makes me extremely proud!

“WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT DESIGN, PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR CLIENTS, PASSIONATE ABOUT OUR WORK.”

DESIGNER ANDREW WINCH

INTERVIEW

We want people to look at our website and books and feel inspired, excited.” AE: What else are you doing to commemorate this milestone? AW: “ Our focus is on creating a sustainable

business model as I mentioned and then we also want to put something back. We are still a family business and want to foster this element of caring about something other than just work. We are supporting The Blue Marine Foundation (as we have done for a while) but in honor of our thirtieth year we have set ourselves a target of raising £500,000 for them with an ambitious event – The Blue Marine Winch Design London to Monaco Bike Ride, arriving in Monaco the night before MYS starts! We are encouraging the industry to get behind us in sponsoring aspects of the event and also participating! Many of the team here will be taking part. We will then host a dinner just outside Monaco during MYS for every single member of our team.” AE: What have been the highlights of the past 30 years for you? AW: “There have been so many since 1986

when I designed my first boat, a SWAN 36! In 1994, we delivered our first motoryacht – White Rabbit. I guess 2002 was a fairly pivotal moment in the development of the business as we delivered our first aviation project, a BBJ – II. This was a transition to a multi-project business. Similarly, 2009 was a turning point for our embryonic Architectural team as we were commissioned to create a 4000sqm private chateau. It is still in build but is an awe-inspiring project and I cannot wait to see the completed article. 2014 was also a highlight as Madame Gu was launched and not only did she win awards, she became a talking point in the industry. The best feeling is when we deliver a project to a client and they are thrilled – those are all highlights.” AE: What projects are you working on at the moment? AW: “So many are confidential as always

but we have some exceptional projects due for completion over the next two to three years in all three sectors. The Yacht team is working on a boat at Luerssen which is the

“WINCH DESIGN IS AN AMBITIOUS, DYNAMIC GLOBAL DESIGN COMPANY WITH A HEART AND SOUL.” largest volume boat ever built. The Aviation Team is working on the first privately owned Dreamliner 787-9 and The Architecture Team is working on several projects around the world including an iconic project – a Yacht Club in Europe. In addition, we have created some outstanding concepts including the Halo Project – the first residential airship.” AE: What ambitions do you still have for the business? AW: “As I’ve said, the ambition for me is

in the quality of the design. I have just as much fun designing a Jeanneau 64 sailing boat as I do designing a 160m superyacht. I want to continue pushing the boundaries in terms of creating the ultimate marriage of form and function. We want to be at the forefront of design innovation – a leader never a follower. Personally, I would also love to see our concept train come to fruition. For the business, I want to be sitting here in another thirty years feeling as proud and happy as I do today!” n

HOTEL

CRANS AMBASSADOR

SWITZERLAND’S

LUXURY SPORT RESORT

CRANS AMBASSADOR

Surfing on the wave of the current 60â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s revival, the Valaisan luxury sport resort renews with its luster, and becomes once again the place to go and be seen. During the 1960â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Crans Montana turned into a chic tourist destination and a vacation home to International movie stars. Whether on the golf course in the summer, a ski slope in the winter or in a casino, social events abounded in idyllic surroundings. Entirely renovated in 2013, the Crans Ambassador *****Hotel built in 1972, is open during summer and winter seasons. Its emblematic silhouette integrates perfectly into the Alpine, a symbol of Swiss hospitality with a new vision of luxury. By Sylvie Peron

HOTEL

CRANS AMBASSADOR

Photo: Eric Cuvillier

yond. Famous worldwide, the ski resort hosts the Women’s FIS World Cup Championship every winter in February. All along its flat, prettily decorated streets, overflowing with flowers in the summer months, Crans-Montana is a destination where pedestrians prevail, enjoying luxury, sport and interior design shops, art galleries, antique shops, craft and local produce outlets. In September the Omega European Masters is a must attend event, the second largest European golf event on the golf circuit. From early December until late in March, Crans-Montana offers over 140 km (87 miles) of essentially Red and Blue runs that include the glacier of Plaine Morte, topped by the Pointe de la Plaine Morte at an altitude of 2,927 m (9,600 ft).

HIGH PLATEAU The emblematic silhouette of the newly renovated Crans Ambassador, open in winter and summer seasons

“

he conductor shut a door; and with a jerk the car was pulled upward, heading for a pinpoint on an emerald hill above. After it cleared the low roofs, the skies of Valais and Swiss Savoy spread around the passengers in cyclorama. On both sides of the funicular a tangle of foliage and flowers culminated at intervals in masses of color. It was a rail-side garden…. Then up and up over a forest path… then again up a hill that became solid with narcissus, from passengers to sky… Something new was in the air; freshness…. until with a vast surprise they were there, on top of the sunshine.” As the funicular ascended the steep hill, these lines from ‘Tender is the Night’, by F.Scott Fitzgerald came to mind.

CLEAN AIR Riding up the mountain from the town of Sierre in the authentic cable car is an integral part of the experience, as one sheds off mundane worries on a journey both spiritual and physical towards a plateau that claims the cleanest air in the Swiss Alps. Set in the heart of southwestern Switzerland, in the French-speaking part of the canton of Valais, Crans-Montana is located on a sun-drenched plateau high above the Rhone Valley about 1,500 m (4,920 ft) above sea level, with spectacular views over the chain of mountain peaks from the Weisshorn and the Matterhorn to Mont Blanc and be-

The Rhone Valley, which has always been a commercial route, was nevertheless a remote region in the 19th Century. Travellers admired the incredible snow-capped mountains, the waterfalls and the vertiginous peaks. On the north side of the valley, was this fascinating high plateau, sprinkled with lakes and ponds, a plateau where only a handful of shepherds and their flocks lived in summer. A Sierre hotelier, Valaisan Louis Antille opened the first hotel on the ‘High Plateau’ in 1893 under the name of ‘Hotel du Parc’. Antille was a friend of Cesar Ritz, whom he had met in the South of France. At the time, no road led up from the valley to the hotel, which was only accessible by horseback or mule. The first road was built a few years later by Théodore Stephani. The Geneva Doctor was infatuated with the beauty and the fresh air of the area and decided this was the place to bring his patients. He created Beauregard in 1899, the fist sanatorium in the area. A shrewd businessman, he developed his business advertising the region in the press, praising the sunshine and the fresh air. Hotels soon sprouted up, along with treatment centers. An Englishman, Sir Henry Lunn created the ‘world’s highest golf course’ in 1908, or in his words: “the most beautiful alpine golf course”. His son Arnold organized the first alpine ski competition in 1911 at Plaine Morte. The same year, the funicular linking Sierre and Montana was inaugurated. Put on hold during the First World War, the construction of new buildings grew in the Roaring Twenties, until the economic crisis at the end of the decade brought an abrupt and long-lasting hold on the Haut Plateau. The recovery during the 1950’s was spectacular, and the boom in the 60s even more so. The resort became the place to be, where celebrities would visit with some even building chalets, and contribute to the aura of the resort. Today, galleries and museums abound, some as famous as the Fondation Gianadda in Martigny or

CRANS AMBASSADOR

Photos: Olivier Maire

the Pierre Arnaud Foundation in the neighboring village of Lens. Its glass façade reflecting the waters of Lake Louché, the Foundation’s art center is dedicated to exhibitions on two levels. Music lovers appreciate the classical music season with concert events and violin Master Classes as well as the ‘Ca-

The 6O rooms and suites, re-designed with great attention to details, offer ‘Ski-in’ and ‘ski-out’ options

HOTEL

prices’ festival with international rock stars in the Spring. As a venue for major sporting events, and with a reputation as a golfing Mecca, Crans-Montana draws visitors from all over the world. Opened in June 2013, the Crans Ambassador provides sixty rooms and suites, offering ‘ski-in’ and ‘ski out’ options to its guests. Owner JeanMehdi Azuelos commissioned local architect Pierre Gervais to supervise the renovation of the building, design the interior of the public spaces and the Spa. Particular attention was given to the choice of materials, such as natural stones, leathers and wood, conferring a strong identity to the hotel in intimate and custom-made luxury. Hospitality is a core value for the 50 staff, who care and anticipate guests’ expectations, providing personalized service with genuine empathy. “Simplicity, authenticity, health, convergence of skills and values, this is what defines the experience that we provide here at the new Crans Ambassador. The Luxury Sport Resort, as we have called it, is today’s epitome of luxury,” says Jean-Mehdi Azuelos. n

BROKERAGE

Opus Aeronautics

ACASS

FALCON 900EX EASY II.S/N 138

2000 FALCON 900EX PH-LAU SERIAL: 54

ONE OF THE LEADERS IN SALES, ACQUISITIONS AND TRADES OF LARGE BUSINESS JETS EXCLUSIVELY REPRESENTS THIS DASSAULT FALCON 900EX EASY II. The aircraft has been maintained to the highest standard since new. Previously owned by only two owners, it is currently operated to JAR OPS-1 compliancy. Engines and APU are enrolled under MSP GOLD and the aircraft is maintained under the DASSAULT FALCON CARE program.

SOME OF THE MAJOR UPGRADES AND HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: 1. High speed data installed 2. EASY II upgrades installed since 2014 3. Interior soft good refurbished in 2010. All white new exterior paint performed in late 2014 Aircraft is in exceptional condition, and available for showing in Paris le Bourget.

Please contact Opus Aeronautics (www.opusaero.com)

TOTAL TIME: 6,345 HOURS • LANDINGS: 3,141 HIGHLIGHTS: • Airframe enrolled on HAPP/CASP • Engines and APU enrolled on JSSI • Interior refurbished May 2012 • Exterior repainted in 2014 • Third FMS • Heads Up Display • No damage history This aircraft is configured for fourteen passengers. The cabin features a forward four place club, mid four place conference opposite credenza and aft dual three place berthable divans. A forward galley is equipped with Turmix C420 Automatic Nespresso machine, microwave and convection oven. Crew lavatory located in the forward cabin and fully enclosed passenger lavatory is located in the aft. All seats are light beige leather, divan is light taupe and wood finished in Bird’s Eye maple wood. Interior refurbished in 2012, including new perforated leather seats (Falcon 7X sized), new carpets, new sidewall covering, and veneer varnish rework. The exterior is overall metallic white with bronze lower fuselage and matte black stripe. New paint and full corrosion inspection in 2014. ACASS is a worldwide provider of highly customized support services for business aviation. For over 20 years, we have been empowering leaders and visionaries to own their journeys with worldclass expertise and best-in-class services, including sales & acquisition, crew support, aircraft management, and entry into service. ACASS’s international experience is particularly extensive in India, the Middle East, Russia, Africa, China, Southeast Asia, and South America.

For more information, contact: Zipporah Marmor, zmarmor@acass.ca, +1.514.636.1099

BROKERAGE

Boutsen Aviation

ArcosJet

2008 GULFSTREAM G550 SERIAL: 5193 – REG: P4-PPP

2015 GLOBAL 5000 SERIAL NUMBER: 9597

HIGHLIGHTS: • 3,377 TSN – 1,203 CSN • Rolls Royce Corporate Care • APU on MSP • PlaneParts • Forward Galley • 19 Pax Configuration • BBML • JAR-OPS1 provisions • TCAS 7.1 In my career as a Formula One Driver, I have discovered the importance of working with a highly professional team, capable of achieving the best results. Today, the core of our reputation lies in our team of experts who understand that an advisory and personalised approach is something both our sellers and buyers expect. This is the reason why we have sold more than 315 aircraft with a success rate of 95%. If what you are looking for in your business jet transaction is quality, speed and above all security, then Boutsen Aviation is the answer. “Thierry Boutsen” Chairman

Contact: Thierry Boutsen +377 93 30 80 02 – thierry.boutsen@boutsen.com

REGISTRATION: M-AGRI PRICE: MAKE OFFER

This Bombardier Global 5000 is a classic in every way, with a spacious 13-passenger interior, tranquil cabin tones, and a wide array of modern connectivity and entertainment options (including Ku-Band highspeed unlimited Internet). This aircraft has flown just over 350 hours and is offered in perfect condition. No expense was spared in outfitting the aircraft with useful options in the cockpit and passenger cabin. The cabin is divided into two clubs of 4 chairs and a state room in the back. There are 4 single seats and a 4-seat club in the front with a dinner/ conference table. The aft room features a divan that folds out into a proper bed and two more chairs. A classical colour scheme, new style seats, and a neutral veneer add to the overall atmosphere, making this Global 5000 the perfect choice for a private owner.

HIGHLIGHTS: 380 hours • Engines and APU on manufacturer programs • 13 Passenger Interior • Ku-Band high-speed unlimited Internet AVIONICS: Bombardier Global Vision Flight Deck • Head-Up Display System • Enhanced Vision System • Synthetic Vision System • PBN (Wide Area Augmentation System, LPV Approach, RNAV, RNP enroute & AR Approaches) • CPDLC / FANS • Onboard Maintenance System • Datalink SATCOM • KU band highspeed datalink • 3x VHF-4000 • 2x HF-9031A • Multiscan Weather Radar • Lightning Detection System • 2x GPS-4000S • 2x ALT-4000 • TCAS 7.1 • ELT B406 • Mode S Enhanced Transponder • Honeywell Mark V – EGPWS / TAWS EQUIPMENT: Credenza on LH mid cabin with stowable monitor • Dual CMC CT-1000 EFBs • Crew Jump Seat • Cockpit Printer • Refuel/Defuel Panel • Pulselite System • Tail Flood Lights • 2x 12-men Life Rafts

For more information please contact Ivan Veretennikov: ivan.veretennikov@arcosjet.com, +7 926 326 0050

DISTRIBUTION If you are a supplier in the business aviation industry or an operator, or if your company has direct or indirect links with the industry (like hotels, restaurants, etc.) and you are keen on partnering us to extend Altitudes’ distribution to passengers or clients, please contact Samuel Richomme at: s.richomme@luxmedia-me.com. We take into consideration any request.

BELGIUM Antwerp Wevelgem Zaventem THE NETHERLANDS Eindhoven

FRANCE Courchevel

FRANCE

Toussus le Noble

SWITZERLAND Basel

CZECH REPUBLIC Prague 6

FRANCE Montfavet

GERMANY Mainz

ITALY Roma Ciampino

ISLE OF MAN Douglas LUXEMBOURG Luxembourg

CZECH REPUBLIC Prague

GERMANY Rheinmûnster

FRANCE Le Bourget

GERMANY Nuremberg

FRANCE Le Castellet

GERMANY Munich

SWITZERLAND Zweibruecken

MALTA St. Julian’s MONACO Monte Carlo UNITED KINDOM London Luton

FRANCE Cannes Mandelieu

AUSTRIA Salzburg

TURKEY Izmir FRANCE Paris

FRANCE Viviers le Las

FRANCE Anglet

ITALY Milano

FRANCE Colmar-Houssen Airport

AUSTRIA Salzburg

THE NETHERLANDS Schiphol Airport

FRANCE Cannes Lyon

FRANCE Nice AUSTRIA Hörsching

FRANCE Lyon Bron

MONACO Monaco

FRANCE Toulouse SAUDI ARABIA Jeddah

FRANCE Paris Le Bourget

FRANCE Saint Tropez - La Mole

SAUDI ARABIA Jeddah

AVIATION INSURANCE BROKER

FRANCE Asnières sur Seine

FRANCE Courchevel

TURKEY Istanbul

GERMANY Munich

FRANCE Paris Le Bourget

FRANCE St Etienne de St Geoirs

FRANCE Le Bourget

SWITZERLAND Meyrin

AUSTRIA Vienna AUSTRIA Vienne

POLAND Warsaw

DISTRIBUTION

GERMANY Munich Airport

SPAIN Barcelona

SLOVAKIA Bratislava

FRANCE Le Bourget

FRANCE Cannes-Mandelieu Paris Le Bourget

GERMANY Berlin SWITZERLAND Oberwill

SWITZERLAND Zurich

MORROCCO Casablanca

Couleur du logo DASNAIR: bleue Pantone 288

SWITZERLAND Geneve Airport

HUNGARY Budapest

FRANCE Le Bourget

UNITED KINGDOM Birmingham

UNITED KINGDOM Langley Berkshire

FRANCE Carpiquet - Nantes

GERMANY Stuttgart Airport MALTA Malta Airport

SWITZERLAND Samedan

GERMANY Munich

FRANCE La Courneuve Marignane

ITALY Caselle Torinese

AUSTRIA Klagenfurt

UNITED KINGDOM Itchingfield - West Sussex UNITED KINGDOM Cheltenham FRANCE Lyon Bron SWITZERLAND Agno CHINA Hong Kong SWITZERLAND Zurich

GERMANY Munich

FRANCE Le Bourget

ITALY Milano

FRANCE Chambery

LUXEMBURG Luxemburg

SPAIN Barcelona Gerona Ibiza Valencia

THE NETHERLANDS Schiphol Airport BELGIUM Antwerp

UNITED KINGDOM London Cambridge SWITZERLAND Geneva Zurich

POLAND Warszawa

SPAIN Madrid Valencia

UNITED KINGDOM UK London - Middx

UNITED KINGDOM Exeter - Devon

GERMANY Frankfurt am Main

THE NETHERLANDS Eindhoven

UNITED KINGDOM London

GERMANY Nuremberg

SWITZERLAND Zurich Airport

\ FRANCE Le Bourget

GREECE Athens

GERMANY Stuggart

GERMANY Berlin Tegel Berlin Schoenefeld Dusseldorf Frankfurt Main Frankfurt Egelsbach Hamburg - Munich

ITALY Catania

DISTRIBUTION

SPAIN Alcobendas, Madrid

UNITED KINGDOM Farnborough - Hampshire

FINLAND Vantaa

MALTA Malta

UNITED KINGDOM London

FRANCE Le Bourget

UNITED KINGDOM London

GERMANY Hamburg Airport

FRANCE Paris Le Bourget

MONACO Monaco

SWITZERLAND Geneva

GERMANY Cologne

CZECH REPUBLIC Prague

AUSTRIA Vienna

UNITED KINGDOM London Luton London Stansted

FRANCE Nice

BELGIUM Spa Zaventem

SWITZERLAND Geneva

UNITED KINGDOM Essex

GREECE Peania

FRANCE Paris Le Bourget

MONACO Monaco

GERMANY Dusseldorf FRANCE Merignac

SWITZERLAND Glattbrugg

SWITZERLAND Basel Airport Geneva Zurich Airport UNITED KINGDOM London

PORTUGAL Lisbon THE NETHERLANDS Eindhoven Rotterdam Schiphol Airport

SWITZERLAND Geneva

FRANCE Annemasse - Paris

UNITED KINGDOM Kidlington

SWEDEN Lidköping

SPAIN Palma de Mallorca

FRANCE Paris Le Bourget

GREECE Athens

FRANCE Le Bourget Nice Côte d’Azur

UNITED KINGDOM Romfor - Essex

UNITED KINGDOM Biggin Hill, Bromley

ITALY Milan Linate Milan Malpensa Rome Ciampino Venice

AUSTRIA Schwechat

MONACO Monaco

FRANCE Paris Le Bourget UNITED KINGDOM London Luton

MONACO Monaco

GERMANY Filderstadt

SWITZERLAND Geneva

GERMANY Munich SWITZERLAND Geneva Airport

UNITED KINGDOM London Luton Manchester Prestwick

DISTRIBUTION

FRANCE Albertville

UNITED KINGDOM Norwich

ITALY Napoli Roma Ciampino Venice Milano Tessera Malpensa

UNITED KINGDOM Southend on Sea - Essex

FRANCE Le Bourget

SWITZERLAND Zurich

FRANCE Paris Le Bourget GREECE Athens

DENMARK Copenhagen THE NETHERLANDS Schiphol Airport

FRANCE Archamps

Business Aviation Professionals

AUSTRIA Vienna FRANCE Paris Le Bourget Hyeres GERMANY Frankfurt Berlin Shรถnefeld Munich

CANADA Mississauga - Ontario ITALY Naples

GREECE Heraklion Thessaloniki IRELAND Shannon Airport UNITED KINGDOM Aberdeen Birmingham Bournemouth Cardiff East Midlands Edinburg Gatwick Glasgow Heathrow Inverness London Luton Southampton

GERMANY Speyer

FRANCE Annecy Angouleme Chalon Cherbourg Dijon Le Havre Nimes Rouen Reims Tarbes Lourdes Toulouse Tours Troyes Vannes

SWITZERLAND Geneva AUSTRIA Wien-Flughafen

BULGARIA Sofia CYPRIUS Pahos FRANCE Nice GREECE Athens - Corfu Heraklion Kalamaria

IRELAND Dublin - Shannon ITALY Milano Linate Milano Malpensa Roma Ciampino SPAIN Gerona Madrid Barajas UNITED KINGDOM London Stansted - Essex

SPAIN Malaga Valencia SWITZERLAND Basel

ITALY Venice

UNITED KINGDOM UK Fairoaks Airport Surrey

AUSTRIA Salzbourg FRANCE Nice SWITZERLAND Zurich

SWITZERLAND Geneva

UK London

UNITED KINGDOM Hampshire THE NETHERLANDS Lelystad Airport FRANCE Le Bourget UNITED KINGDOM Southampton AUSTRIA Innsbruck

ADDRESS BOOK AIRPORT Annecy Mont Blanc www.annecy.aeroport.fr Chambéry www.chambery-businessairport.com Courchevel Altiport www.courchevel.com SNC-Lavalin Group www.snclavalin.com/europe VINCI Airports www.vinci-airports.com FLASH NBAA www.nbaa.org FOCUS AfBAA afbaa.org INTERVIEW Winch Design www.winchdesign.com HOTEL Crans Ambassador www.cransambassador.ch SHOPPING Baccarat www.baccarat.fr Jean Lain Vintage jeanlainvintage.com Jo Malone www.jomalone.com La Mer www.cremedelamer.com Robbe & Berking www.robbeberking.com Tom Ford Private Blend www.tomford.com/fragrance/ private-blend Yann Kersalé www.ykersale.com SNAPSHOT Alain Ernoult Photographe www.ernoult.com TARMAC Airbus Corporate Jet Centre www.airbuscorporatejetcentre. com Appleby Applebyglobal.com

Assouline www.assouline.com BizJet www.bizjet.com Cabot Aviation/Air Partner www.airpartner.com CEPA Expo cepaexpo.com Dassault Aviation www.dassault-aviation.com Dassault Falcon Service www.dassaultfalconservice.com Dubai Air show www.dubaiairshow.aero ExecuJet www.execujet.net F/LIST www.f.list.at Freestream Aircraft Services www.freestream.com Global Jet Capital www.globaljetcapital.com Gogo Business Aviation www.business.gogoair.com Gulfstream Aerospace www.gulfstream.com. HBG Holding www.hdf.fr www.mbh.fr www.swiftcopters.net www.eaglevalais.ch www.helishare.ch www.lb-airpark.ch InterFlight Global www.interflightglobal.com Jet Aviation www.jetaviation.com Kurtz Aviation Service www.kurz-aviation-service. com London Biggin Hill Airport www.bigginhillairport.com Lufthansa Technik www.lufthansa-technik.com Mercedes Benz Style www.mercedes-benz-style. com. TAG Farnborough Airport www.tagfarnborough.com VistaJet www.vistajet.com Wyvern Consulting www.wyvernltd.com

is published by: LuxMedia Europe S.A. 2 rue des Dahlias L-1411 Luxembourg CEO & Group Publisher: Samuel Richomme s.richomme@luxmedia-me.com Editor-in-chief: Sylvie Péron s.peron@luxmedia-me.com Color separation & Advertising Traffic: Elmhark Vegiga ads@luxmedia-me.com Contributed to this issue: Iris Savage, Jill Stockbridge, David Zara Marketing: Antonella Salembier ADVERTISING SALES: Middle East Sales Director: Grant Rodwell g.rodwell@luxmedia-me.com Phone: +971 56 741 1909 Sales & Marketing Director Sudhish Chandran s.chandran@luxmedia-me.com Phone: +971 50 341 6907 Sales Manager – Europe Rania Salama r.salama@luxmedia-me.com Phone: +971 56 202 4754 Printing: Printed in Estonia - Printall Subscriptions: CRM ART - BP 15245 31152 Fenouillet Cedex Phone: +33 (0)5 61 74 92 59 Separate circulation: FBOs & airport lounges in Europe ALTITUDE MAGAZINE is a trademark of LuxMedia Middle East FZ-LLC - K-One-Capital and its subsidiary LuxMedia Europe S.A.. All rights reserved. ALTITUDE MAGAZINE is published six times a year by LuxMedia Middle East FZ_LLC. Reproduction in whole or in part of any article without prior written permission from the publisher is strictly

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Part of the Abu Dhabi Aviation and Aerospace Week which is held under the patronage of

HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces

4th INTERNATIONAL AVIATION EXHIBITION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

8, 9, 10 March 2016 www.abudhabiairexpo.com

AL BATEEN EXECUTIVE AIRPORT - ABU DHABI, THE CAPITAL - uae phone : +971 (0)2 419 2714

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Leading the industry in Next Generation Aircraft modification and technology, GDC elegantly delivers the impossible in the form of the finest VIP & Head-of-State aircraft modifications to the world’s most discerning clientele. GDCTechnics.com NORTH AMERICA • EUROPE • MIDDLE EAST • AFRICA • ASIA