ExecuJet - Issue 10 by ExecuJet Aviation Group

10 May – July 2014

JOHN HARDY JEWELLERY

CESSNA’S CITATION LATITUDE CABIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS WOMEN AIR FORCE PILOTS FLIGHT DECKS | TBM 900

TREGOTHNAN TEA

BASELWORLD NOVELTIES | BLACKPHONE 24 HOURS OF LE MANS | NEW AGE HOT RODS SONEVA FUSHI MALDIVES | NEW DELHI SUITES

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EXECUJETINTRO

Traditions for a Sustainable Future "To be passionate about a product, you have to be authentic" — Damien Dernoncourt

In this issue we look at the interaction of tradition and quality. How can we carry old qualities into a new era, and how can we better leverage traditional understanding of excellence through new techniques? The 20-odd years of our existence as a company and the 10th issue anniversary of our magazine is not much when compared to the 250th birthday of one of Britain’s most illustrious patrons of tea, Charles Grey, of the original Earl Grey tea. But as we strive to improve with each passing year, so have England’s tea makers modernised one of Britain’s longest traditions — a cup of tea — as you can read more about herein. Our article on the Tregothnan estate introduces us to the family who ventured to grow and produce tea in England. Common belief had held that the plant from which tea is derived could not survive in the island’s cool, damp climate. Even so, Jonathon Jones initiated just such a project in 1999. Tregothnan’s first Classic Tea was introduced in 2006 at Fortnum & Mason, a big step for the company. Today, Tregothnan exports its tea to discerning connoisseurs worldwide. Our second article describes a man who has also mastered a unique stretch of tradition and modern age. Jewellery company John Hardy combines old Balinese craftsmanship with a new understanding of working conditions and environmentalist beliefs. Part of the company’s mission is to create a sustainable work environment for over 1,000 employees. The company uses reclaimed silver, carefully tracks the sourcing of its precious stones, and offsets carbon emission by planting bamboo seedlings. Its jewellery is created by local tradition as well as new standards and techniques in appealing to a wider audience. Today, the brand sells in 23 countries. Authenticity is a primary focus for both companies, and also with ExecuJet. You can only sell successfully if you believe in your product, if it has a genuine quality you have confidence in, and if you enjoy what you do. Enjoy the 10th issue of our Inflight Magazine! Regards, Niall Olver CEO ExecuJet Aviation Group

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INTRO Traditions For A Sustainable Future

EXECUJET LOCATIONS

TEA STANDS FOR TREGOTHNAN

A Little Bit Of England In Every Cup Of Tea

ELEVATING TRADITION

From Global Traveller To Global Brand

14 SNIPPETS

New & Exclusive

22 WINGS 24 CLUB CONFIGURATION

Cessna’s New Citation Latitude

TAILOR-MADE CRUISING

Luxurious Interiors By AERIA

34 ONWARDS AND UPWARDS

A Faster, Reinvented Turboprop

PERSONALITY MATTERS

Alterable Design For A Confined Space

42 AIR PLAY

Trends In Cabin Management Systems

46 SEEING THE WORLD

Preventing Blindness, One Flight At A Time

48 THE BIPLANE THAT COULD

12 4

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The First Aeroplane That Went To War

CELESTIAL PANORAMA

Facing The Sky

56 HIGH WINGS, LOW PROFILE

The Women Who Kept America Flying During War

FRONT ROW SEATS

Complex Cockpits For Simpler Flying

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64 LUXE 66 SUITE NEW DELHI

Luxury Living Amidst Mughal Architecture

72 THE GRAND PRIX OF ENDURANCE

Porsche Returns To Le Mans’ Top Class

76 THE ICONOCLAST

Audemars Piguet’s Royal Oak Offshore

78 FUTURE FEATS

Latest Timepieces At Baselworld 2014

84 RISING STAR

A Worthy Tribute To Roger Dubuis

86 STREET VENOM

New Age Hot Rods

88 POST LUXURY

A Common Material Made Precious

92 SMART STEALTH

Conversations Under Lock And Key

94 AT RAINBOW’S END

Soneva Fushi Maldives

100 MUTED MAGIC

Fresh Photography By Nick Leary

107 AIRBORNE 108 EYES ON ASIA

The Triumphs Of ABACE 2014

110 FLY BY NIGHT

A Gathering Of Aviation’s And Luxury’s Finest

114 HIGH HOPES

Spreading Wings At Singapore Airshow 2014

118 BRIEFING

Business Aviation In Brief

122 PLANE SPEAK

Aviation Glossary

126 AIR SHOW DIARY 128 TAILHOOK

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Speed Demon

Have you secured a second passport?

Arton Capital is a leading global financial advisory firm providing custom tailored services for immigrant investor programs to government agencies and high net-worth individuals and families from around the world. The firm is supervised by the Quebec Financial Markets’ regulator, l’Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF) and is recognized by the Quebec Ministry of Finance as an International Financial Center (IFC). Become a Global Citizen® and Empowering Global Citizenship® are registered trademarks of Arton Capital in various jurisdictions around the world.

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Content EDITOR Katrina Balmaceda AVIATION EDITOR Rainer Sigel EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE Charmaine Tai EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Charmaine Tay ART DIRECTOR | DESIGNER Sylvia Weimer (Spacelab Design, Sydney)

Contributors He Ruiming Jennifer Henricus Jeff Heselwood Carol Lee Jim Simon Steve Slater Sandy Tan Diana A. Uy Company PUBLISHER Rainer Sigel MANAGING DIRECTOR Michelle Tay ASSISTANT MANAGER, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Gynn Lee CIRCULATION & PRODUCTION MANAGER Caroline Rayney OFFICE MANAGER Winnie Lim MARKETING ASSISTANT Anne Goh

Contact 120 Lower Delta Road #13-11 Cendex Centre, Singapore 169208 T: +65 6273 0620 F: +65 6273 0632 Emails ADVERTISING business@oriental-publishing.com EDITORIAL content@oriental-publishing.com CIRCULATION circulation@oriental-publishing.com ADMINISTRATION office@oriental-publishing.com

Websites MAGAZINEs www.jetgala.com | www.solitairemagazine.com GROUP www.orientalmediagroup.com SINGAPORE www.oriental-publishing.com VIETNAM www.oriental-ltd.com Digital Editions & Downloads www.jetgala.com/digital-editions FACEBOOK www.facebook.jetgala.com (Luxury News) LINKEDIN www.linkedin.jetgala.com (Aviation News) TWITTER www.twitter.jetgala.com (Aviation News) Instagram instagram.com/jetgalamagazine# RSS www.rss.jetgala.com (Aviation News) EXECUJET JETGALA is a special edition of JETGALA and is published in cooperation with JETGALA and distributed globally, including on aircraft operated by the companies of the ExecuJet Aviation Group. Opinions expressed are those of the contributors and not necessarily endorsed by the Publisher. COPYRIGHT AND OTHER INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS NOTICE: All rights, including copyright and all other intellectual property rights, in, out of and to the content of this publication are owned or controlled by ExecuJet Aviation Group AG, Switzerland, respectively by Oriental Publishing Pte Ltd, Singapore, as applicable. You are not permitted to, by any means or technology including without limitation any electronic means, copy, broadcast, upload, download, store in any medium, transmit, show or play in public, adapt or change in any way the content of this publication or any part thereof for any purpose whatsoever without the prior written permission of ExecuJet Aviation Group AG, Switzerland, respectively of Oriental Publishing Pte Ltd, Singapore, as applicable. TRADEMARKS NOTICE: The masthead logo ‘JETGALA’ is a Registered Trademark of Oriental Publishing Pte Ltd, Singapore. The logo ‘EXECUJET AVIATION’ and ‘EXECUJET AVIATION GROUP’ and the words ‘ExecuJet’, ‘ExecuJet Aviation’ and ‘ExecuJet Aviation Group’, in whatever form are Registered Trademarks of ExecuJet Aviation Group AG, Switzerland, and/or of its subsidiaries. The rights and title to other logos and trademarks contained in this publication are the rights and title of the respective title holders. All rights to their respective Registered Trademarks are cumulatively reserved by Oriental Publishing Pte Ltd, Singapore, respectively by ExecuJet Aviation Group AG, Switzerland, as applicable. The protection of all rights will be pursued to the full extent of the law. MCI (P) 047/05/2014

ExecuJet Locations Featured in This Edition ExecuJet Aviation Group Head Office Zurich ExecuJet Aviation Group ExecuJet Aviation Centre PO Box 1 8058 Zurich-Airport Switzerland Tel: +41 44 804 1616 Fax: +41 44 804 1617 enquiries@execujet.eu

xecuJet Cambridge FBO E ExecuJet UK LTD Cambridge Airport Newmarket Road Cambridge, CB5 8RX United Kingdom Tel: +44 1 223 373 214 Fax: +44 1 223 373 833 fbo.egsc@execujet.eu ICAO: EGSC IATA: CBG VHF: 129.7 Operating Hours: Monday - Friday: 0700 - 2100 Saturday - Sunday: 0800 - 1900 24 Hours on request

xecuJet Bali FBO E PT ExecuJet Indonesia Bali General Aviation Terminal Ngurah Rai International Airport P O Box 2095 Kuta, 80361 Indonesia Tel: +62 81 558 408 883 (24 Hours) fbo.wadd@execujet.co.id ICAO: WADD IATA: DPS VHF: 129.1 MHz 24 Hours on request

Photo Credits COVER Photography: Nick Leary / DLM Stylist: Thelma McQuillan / DLM Hair and Makeup: Charlotte Blakeney / Viviens Creative Model: Annabella Barber / Chic Location: Six Senses Resort, Vietnam SECTION OPENER WINGS Image courtesy of VIP Completions SECTION OPENER LUXE Image courtesy of NAHR SECTION OPENER AIRBORNE Image courtesy of Embraer Executive Jets

www.orientalmediagroup.com

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For all our regional contacts please go to our website:

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“Our premium blend aims to be the ultimate tribute to the man himself” Tregothnan houses numerous plant species, including rhododendrons

TREGOTHNAN ESTATE

TEA STANDS FOR TREGOTHNAN A little bit of England in every cup of tea

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Tregothnan is virtually a ‘botanical zoo’, with hundreds of rare plant species the Boscawen family has nurtured for centuries

he billowing countryside along the River Fal in Cornwall, England, has been home to the Boscawen family, Viscounts Falmouth, for over 700 years. Now, it is also home to England’s first ever tea plantation at the family’s Tregothnan Estate, where a magnificent stone castle presides over acres of gardens, meadows, woodlands and exotic plants. Majestic rhododendrons, ancient magnolias, and camellia bushes in varying hues of red and pink adorn the grounds. What more fitting venue to cultivate a product that is the very essence of the English? Tregothnan is virtually a ‘botanical zoo’, with hundreds of rare plant species the family has nurtured for centuries, according to Jonathon Jones, the estate’s chief horticulturist. Ironically, no one has ever ventured to grow and produce tea in this land of gardeners and tea-lovers. Common belief held that the Camellia sinensis — from which tea derives — was not hearty enough to thrive in the island’s cool, damp climate. And yet, inspired by Tregothnan’s history as the first English estate to cultivate camellias outside a greenhouse, Jones initiated the project in 1999. The first camellias were brought to the property from China more than 200 years ago. Initially, they were kept only in greenhouses and admired for their ornamental beauty. Their growers tried exposing them gradually to the elements, and eventually discovered that the south-western 10

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peninsula’s micro-climate, with its Atlantic humidity filtered of harsh saltiness by the inland estuary of the Fal, was the perfect place for them to flourish. “It’s not unlike the slopes of the Himalayas where Darjeeling is grown,” says Jones. “And it turns out that the camellia is really quite hearty.” Citing the family’s timehonoured passion for raising camellias, the unusual climate and the marriage of two great British traditions, he adds: “I don’t think it could have happened anywhere else.” For over 350 years, the British have imported, brewed, and savoured the warm, amber restorative, imbibing 60 billion cups a year, according to the United Kingdom’s Tea Council. A true Englishman, Jones cannot remember the first cup he ever drank, but says he remembers his grandparents introducing it to him as a small child. When Jones joined the estate, he only intended to stay for a few years. However, it soon became clear that this was no ordinary botanist’s job. Tregothnan was looking for a way to maintain the gardens without having to open up regularly to visitors like many stately English homes have done. With no equipment or knowledge of large-scale tea production, it took several years to establish the best method for producing tea at Tregothnan. With the help of a Nuffield Farming Scholarship, Jones was able to spend time in China, India and other parts of the world, learning the secrets of fine tea making.

FROM TOP Jonathon Jones, the estate’s chief horticulturist The Tregothnan Estate produces various teas, including green tea and Earl Grey OPPOSITE PAGE Once a year the Boscawen family opens its enchanting grounds to the public for a weekend. For the rest of the year, it is a thriving tea plantation

“I learned what worked, as well as what didn’t,” he says. There are around 1,500 different varieties of Camellia sinensis and many traditional methods of growing, harvesting, and preparing the plant. Jones compared knowledge from the far reaches of the globe — even the US and Africa — and learned about the different markets. “Everyone has their own, set-in-stone ways, which makes you question — is that really true?” he says. Back at Tregothnan, he began to experiment — selecting the buds, withering them on bamboo racks, rolling and oxidising them on a flat surface at a controlled temperature, and drying them to two per cent moisture. What sounds like a lengthy process is really brief — only 36 hours from bush to brew. The tips at the end of the branch are where the flavour is located. These leaves are not harvested or picked; instead they are plucked, like the strings of a harp. Just two leaves and a bud are taken from each bush each day. And like some kind of preternatural ritual, plucking occurs at the mystical hour of dawn. From April to October, the staff gathers leaves from around 6,000 bushes, spread over more than a hundred acres. The plant needs five years to mature, so it was only in 2005 when the estate perfected its blend. Jones tried out various methods to produce an exclusive, high-quality leaf. Tregothnan’s first Classic Tea, a mix of home-grown leaves and Assam, was introduced in 2006 at Fortnum & Mason, Britain’s venerable purveyor of tea since the Georgian era. Now, Tregothnan exports throughout Europe and to the US, Japan and even the world’s largest tea producer — China. Four black teas, a green variety and several herbal infusions are among Tregothnan’s exquisite collection. At the higher end of market prices, Tregothnan is for connoisseurs, but available in small or large amounts for all to try. True tea lovers might enjoy a subscription — three-, six- or 12-month instalments of selected teas are available for 90, 180 or 360 pounds. In March this year, Tregothnan celebrated the 250th birthday of one of Britain’s most illustrious patrons of tea — Charles Grey, the original Earl Grey, an ancestor of the Boscawen family. The plantation’s own Earl Grey tea, with its distinct smoky flavour and Bergamot orange taste, is made with very rare Cornish leaves and Assam. As with all their teas, not only is there a little bit of England, but also a hint of history in every cup.

Contact details Tregothnan Tresillian, Truro, Cornwall, TR2 4AJ UK www.tregothnan.co.uk tea@tregothnan.co.uk +44 (0) 1872 520000

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execujet JOHN HARDY

ELEVATING TRADITION A jewellery-maker’s trek from global traveller to global branD When brand founder John Hardy first visited Bali in the 1970s, he was overwhelmed by its enchanting natural beauty and by the refined craftsmanship of the island’s many goldsmiths. For six centuries, Balinese royal court jewellers handed down their techniques of plying and polishing precious metals into fine jewellery, each outdoing the other to win favour with the small island’s eight kings and queens. A way station between East and West along the Indonesian archipelago, Bali was a dynamic trading post for hundreds of years. Its rich artistic traditions, natural beauty and reputation as a virtual paradise of peace-loving inhabitants have long intrigued visitors from abroad. Arriving with a few precious stones he had picked up in his travels, Hardy, then a Canadian art student and environmentalist, was immediately captivated by the locals and their culture. He worked with some local artisans to create jewellery from the stones he had brought along, and their creations became the inspiration for what is today the John Hardy collection. At the heart of the collection’s design is an iconic chain of linked silver, polished to a snakeskin-like suppleness. It has become a symbol of John Hardy’s connection to Balinese people and history. A very literal link to its inhabitants, the chain is woven by skilful hands. As part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility effort, local women were taught the chain-weaving technique and could work from 12

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their homes, taking care of their children while bringing to the household stable income. Part of the company’s mission is to create a sustainable work environment for its 700 employees in Bali, providing them with fresh, organic lunches daily and giving employees who are raising families the opportunity to work from home. Committed to furthering its founder’s environmentalist legacy, the company uses 100 per cent reclaimed silver, and its whole procurement and manufacturing process is certified by the United Kingdom’s Responsible Jewellery Council. It tracks the sourcing of its precious stones and offsets carbon emissions by planting bamboo seedlings — 900,000 to date, over a territory half the size of Manhattan. John Hardy’s current CEO, Damien Dernoncourt, has lived in Asia for nearly 20 years. The native of France arrived in Hong Kong fresh out of university and founded an ecopacking firm. He focused on good quality packaging for Asia’s big department stores and bought and sold products across China. After three years, he sold the business to pursue his MBA at INSEAD in Switzerland. But unlike most of his fellow business graduates, Dernoncourt did not follow the herd into the big consulting firms and investment banking afterwards. Instead, he was once again drawn to an entrepreneurial opportunity in Asia, hoping for a new adventure. “Coming from four years of running my own business, I had caught the entrepreneurial spirit,” says Dernoncourt. “Mr. Hardy was looking for someone to run his business so he could focus on the creative side. The product was incredible, but the brainwork behind the business had to be done.” In Hardy, Dernoncourt found a partner whose business values

OPPOSITE The Naga collection is inspired by a Balinese legend

fit his own. In his previous Hong Kong venture, Dernoncourt had consciously taken a social approach to working conditions. Where the standard for worker housing in China was 12 persons to a room and shower, he offered six. He provided good food for lunch and better hours than other companies. “My motto was ‘for profit, for people’,” says Dernoncourt. “The more you give, the more you receive.” At John Hardy, Dernoncourt set about creating a model that would not only grow the business, but also fit the company’s mission — to be “Greener Every Day”, a strong element of its founder’s legacy. “Mr. Hardy had a very interesting lifestyle,” says Dernoncourt. “He was very close to nature and was living in a bamboo hut by the river. The question was how to make this lifestyle into a brand.” The basis for this idea was the work between the company’s creative director, Guy Bedarida, and the local artisans. With his many years of experience at top design houses of the Place Vendôme in Paris, including Boucheron and Van Cleef and Arpels, the Franco-Italian designer brought knowledge of the luxury jewellery market, as well as new standards and techniques that could elevate the product. Working with the descendants of the royal court jewellers, Bedarida created several new lines, steeped in local tradition, but also appealing to a wider audience. John Hardy has three core lines of unique, hand-crafted jewellery. The Classic Chain collection, which honours the Balinese chain-weaving tradition, is made of highly polished silver links. This tradition was brought to the company by one of their first artisans, the grandson of a king’s jewellery maker. The Bamboo collection is inspired by sustainable living, with a portion of each sale donated to the restoration of Bali’s bamboo forests. Each piece is engraved with the number of seedlings planted from its proceeds. The Naga collection — which comprises fanciful, ornate pieces adorned with gemstones — is inspired by a Balinese legend of a dragon diving from the top of his volcano dwelling into the sea to meet his love, the pearl. When he returns home, he treads a path that brings water to the rice fields. Next year, the brand will turn 40 and Dernoncourt aims to grow it beyond the US and Asia into Europe. It already sells in 23 countries. In 2007, he and Bedarida showed their belief in the company through a management buyout, supported by a private equity group. Dernoncourt says he is “obsessed” by the quality of the product and is convinced that no one else can produce such unique hand-crafted jewellery at these prices. “I am a big believer in authenticity,” says Dernoncourt. “To be passionate about a product, you have to be authentic. When you buy a piece of John Hardy, you see this in the quality.”

Contact details Guests can travel to Bali to visit the John Hardy compound, tour the workshops as well as the Kapal Bambu showroom, and join the employees for lunch. To book an appointment, send an email to visit@johnhardy.com or call the John Hardy compound at +62 (0) 361 469 888. www.johnhardy.com

The company uses traditional craftsmanship techniques

The brand’s Kapal Bambu showroom, designed by Malaysian architect Cheong Yew Kuan, takes on the shape of a bamboo ship

The John Hardy Classic Chain collection

“To be passionate about a product, you have to be authentic” Execujet

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ExecuJet Europe expands managed fleet

Temporary facility on the left — construction of the new facility on the right

ExecuJet Aviation Group to move to new facility at Bali International Airport First Gulfstream 650 under Swiss registration at ExecuJet Zurich’s facility

ExecuJet Europe is expanding the company’s managed fleet with the addition of two Gulfstream G650s and a Bombardier Global 5000. The new aircraft boost ExecuJet Europe’s managed fleet to 52 aircraft, of which a large proportion is available for charter. There are currently 15 aircraft on the company’s Danish Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC). ExecuJet is the only operator in Europe that can offer aircraft owners a choice between commercial operations under AOCs in Switzerland, Denmark and the United Kingdom, and private operations under the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO).

ExecuJet Europe launches helicopter charter services in the UK

P.T. ExecuJet Indonesia, a joint venture between ExecuJet Aviation Group and majority owner P.T. Dimitri Utama Abadi, is preparing to move from the temporary general aviation (GA) terminal at Bali International Airport to a new facility in the next months. ExecuJet is currently operating from a temporary terminal covering 300 square metres until the new 3,180-sq m GA terminal is completed. A purpose-built, 65,900-sq m apron has been constructed adjacent to the new terminal, designed to handle all GA and business aircraft up to narrow-body airliners. ExecuJet’s Bali terminal most recently handled a Boeing 737-800 undergoing an engine change, operated by Air Vanuatu. Other aircraft using the terminal range from an Antonov An-12 Cargo to a Bombardier Global Express.

carboncool ExecuJet Europe is launching commercial helicopter charter and management services from the company’s London Cambridge FBO, after being granted a helicopter Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The company’s managed and charter fleet includes two Eurocopter EC155 helicopters based at Cambridge Airport, with an additional two contracts in the final stages of negotiation. 14

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Chill your poison of choice with Aston Martin’s latest lifestyle endeavour, the One-77 Limited Edition bottle-cooler. Inspired by the supercar with the same name, the cooler’s interior is made of carbon fibre, coated with an outer layer of sterling silver plated with 24k gold. The insulated carbon-fibre layer helps prevent condensation and maintain a cool temperature. Only 77 pieces are available. www.astonmartin.com

execuJETSNIPPETS

ExecuJet Malaysia achieves EASA 145 Certification ExecuJet Middle East Gears up for Dubai International runway closures

ExecuJet Malaysia is celebrating its approval as a Part 145 maintenance facility by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Based at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, Kuala Lumpur, ExecuJet Malaysia is a Bombardier Authorised Service facility and a limited Gulfstream Authorised Warranty facility. ExecuJet Malaysia provides maintenance support for Bombardier Global Express, Challenger 300, Challenger 600 and Learjet 60 aircraft, as well as Gulfstream G200, GIV and GV aircraft. The facility already holds a number of national airworthiness authority approvals from across the region.

ExecuJet Middle East, part of the ExecuJet Aviation Group, will be operating the company’s line maintenance activities out of Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport during Dubai International Airport’s runway closure from 1 May to 20 July 2014. ExecuJet has established a line station at Dubai Al Maktoum International Airport, which has been approved by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to conduct scheduled maintenance packages on Bombardier, Gulfstream, Embraer and Hawker aircraft currently supported by the company’s Dubai International Airport MRO facility. The line station is also expected to receive European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval by mid-December.

ExecuJet Middle East wins new Turkish approval for Dubai MROs ExecuJet Middle East is celebrating extended Turkish Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) approval for maintenance operations at the company’s facilities at Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport. The new approvals cover base and line maintenance activities on Embraer Phenom 300, Hawker 125 — 7/8/9 Series and Bombardier Challenger 604/605 aircraft. The facilities are already approved to maintain Embraer 135/145 and Legacy 600 and 650 aircraft.

WHITE SIDE UP Skiing will never be the same again with Recon Instruments’ Snow2 heads-up display, a downsized computer worn on goggles that displays real-time statistics, navigation, buddy tracking, smartphone connectivity and music-player control. The high-resolution display appears to be projected five feet away, allowing legibility without distracting the skier. The heads-up display can be purchased as a separate entity that can be attached to your Recon-ready goggle frame. www.reconinstruments.com

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FROM GREAT AUTHORITY

COMES GREAT INSPIRATION

When you partner with Cessna, you get more than an aircraft. You get the widest range of offerings available in aviation, including the broadest product line, the largest global service network, and an 85-year lineage of success. This is aviation authority.

CITATION M2

An inspired design with aerodynamic winglets and more thrust for improved performance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO AVIATION AT CESSNA.COM

SINGLE ENGINE PASSION

TURBOPROP PERFORMANCE

CITATION JET LEADERSHIP

SERVICE EXPERTISE

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Life Force

circular route Four Seasons acts as a personal tour guide by taking guests around the world in a private jet. Passengers can choose from different themed itineraries and stay at Four Seasons properties. Backstage with the Arts, for instance, allows one to immerse in historically rich cities such as Paris, St. Petersburg and Prague. Around the World takes passengers through various unique locations, depending on the season.

Strength and energy abound in Schreinerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Black Horses Pair sculpture, with the equines seemingly ready to gallop into life. Black obsidian golden sheen, also known as volcanic glass, forms the heads of the horses, while black quartz makes up its manes. The pieces are then connected to a silver and rhodium body. The sculpture is planted in a base of yellow fluorite with barite, pyrite, and silver. www.schreiner-jewellery.com

www.fourseasons.com/aroundtheworld

Road ready A collaboration among Kodewa Performance Motorcycles, the Holzer Group and renowned car designer Daniel Simon sees carmaker Lotus designing its first motorcycle, the C-01. Simon brings his clean and futuristic vision to the table and draws inspiration from the iconic Lotus 49 Formula One racecar livery. The minimally designed C-01 is made with aero tech steel, titanium and carbon fibre, and comes with a two-cylinder, four-stroke engine capable of producing approximately 200 horsepower. Only 100 units will be made. www.lotus-motorcycles.com

Time to fly STEADY SLEEVES Eleuterio Jewels presents its Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;homme collection, using its expertise in filigree to produce a line of cuff links. An understated accessory, cuff links exude discreet luxury while keeping sleeves in place. Ian cuff links feature small square frames set in 18k yellow gold and lined with diamonds, with the middle portion hollowed out and filigreed. www.eleuteriojewels.com

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For the 30th anniversary of its flagship Chronomat collection, Breitling introduces the Chronomat Airborne. Inspired by the first Chronomat, a chronograph made for Italian acrobatic team Frecce Tricolori, Airborne boasts a satin-brushed rotating bezel equipped with four raised tabs for counting off flight times. A steel casing houses the self-winding Manufacture Breitling Caliber 01, certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute. Black and silver dial options are available in both 41- and 44-mm versions. The timepiece has a 70-hour power reserve. www.breitling.com

THIS IS AVIATION AUTHORITY

STANDING BEHIND YOUR JET Highest dispatch rate.*

Best customer experience.*

Largest company-owned global service center network. Unsurpassed service speed. Best spare-parts availability.

*JetNet IQ 2013

FIND US ONLINE AT CESSNA.COM/CITATION-SERVICE

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source power Earlier this year at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, Roger Dubuis premiered a new RD100 calibre, presented in a new timepiece — the Hommage Double Flying Tourbillon with Hand-made guilloché. The new 16-inch movement, which is set against a dial with a deep, hollowed guilloché pattern, comprises 452 hand-finished parts and allows for a power reserve of 50 hours. Other versions come in white gold as well as pink gold with baguette-cut diamonds. www.rogerdubuis.com

A WAY WITH WORDS Meissen Italia presents the Meissen Mascara Fountain Pen in Geometric Gold, a porcelain pen with baroque detailing and an 18k white-gold nib. The 300-year-old company’s iconic ‘crossed swords’ motif can also be found on the insides of the writing instrument. www.meissen.com

ROVING STATION Time is money — and The Luxury Mobile Office Company knows that all too well. The company provides an enclosed office for customers to work on their laptops, or even hold meetings and tele-conferences — all while travelling in comfort to their next destination in a minivan decked out like a private jet. The vehicle comes with a table, printer, television screens, 4G network coverage and even power sockets. For utmost privacy, it is soundproofed from the driver’s compartment. www.theluxurymobileofficecompany.com

MEGA DREAM

The world’s first megacar may soon arrive thanks to Koenigsegg’s One:1 — named for its dream horsepower to kilograms curb weight ratio. This will be one of the first production cars to be introduced with one megawatt of power; the engine will be capable of generating over 1,000 Nm of torque between 3,000 to 7,500 rpm. Track performance is enhanced with aero winglets, extended venturi tunnels and side splitters, and active undertrim air management. One:1 will be able to run on E85 biofuel, race fuel, or petrol. www.koenigsegg.com 20

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ech Buckle Micro-mechanics maestro Roland Iten teams up with an automobile marque in creating the special 11-piece Calibre R22 Mark 1 Bugatti Edition in rose gold. Exactly 100 handcrafted components — including bridges, cogs, wheels and springs — in gold, titanium and stainless steel form a mechanism that ensures a perfect fit for the wearer. Smoked sapphire crystals adorn the hood of the buckle. www.rolanditen.com

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WINGS PILATUS PC-24 CESSNA CITATION LATITUDE by Jim Gregory by Jim Simon

The Latitude has a range of 2,500 nm and can cruise at a speed of 440 knots

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CLUB CONFIGURATION Cessna’s newest bird for the next generation JETGALA

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Private-jet makers and refurbishers get their fair share of odd demands, but some requests are perfectly reasonable, even necessary — such as being able to stand up straight in the cabin, stay connected to the Internet, and reach farther destinations... even on a midsize jet. In answer to its customers’ and pilots’ input, Cessna has designed the Citation Latitude, a clean-sheet midsize aircraft that is positioned to be the company’s “next generation” business jet. Having made its first flight in February, the Latitude — which will be larger than the Citation XLS+ yet more affordable than the Citation Sovereign+ — is slated for type certification and delivery in 2015. ‘Next generation’ is more than just a marketing term — passengers and pilots alike will experience noticeable improvements over traditional business jets in areas such as performance, comfort and safety. Knowing that performance translates into time savings, Cessna has designed the Latitude to transport up to nine passengers at 2,500 nm plus reserves, at a respectable cruising speed of 440 knots. This means passengers may fly non-stop on important routes such as Los Angeles to New York and Singapore to

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Shanghai. The Latitude will also bring passengers closer to their ultimate destination, as it will require just 4,030 ft of runway for takeoff, and thus allow the use of smaller, alternative airports such as Santa Monica in place of busy Los Angeles International. Passengers are promised comfort and ease from their first moment onboard. On entry through an electric door — a first for Cessna — passengers will immediately appreciate the spaciousness of the interior. They will be able to stand up fully and walk around freely in the 72-inch-high, 77-inchwide cabin, which features a flat floor — another Cessna first. The width allows for storage areas adjacent to each seat, much like first-class cabins found on commercial airlines, in addition to the baggage space in the tailcone. Standard cabin configuration will consist of six club chairs and a couch for two — ideal for informal conversation. To facilitate business meetings onboard, passengers will be able to rotate the club chairs 180 degrees, as well as move them forward or backward. For relaxation, the club chairs will be adjustable to a number of positions, including a fully flat configuration for sleeping. >>

Aircraft controls are cleverly hidden behind panels, providing the aircraft with a clean and uncluttered design

OPPOSITE The cabin features a flat floor â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a first for Cessna â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and allows passengers to stand up fully and walk with ease

The Latitude will bring passengers closer to their ultimate destination, as it will allow the use of smaller, alternative airports JETGALA

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>> A best-in-class cabin management system (CMS) will allow passengers to stay connected with the ground through satellite telephone and Internet connectivity. The same system will enable passengers to stream individual entertainment to their laptops or tablets, ranging from a detailed moving map to movies and music. Personal air nozzles and direct lighting will allow passengers to customise the ambience of their own nooks without affecting others’ spaces. Dining will be a pleasure with a standard refreshment centre, hot beverage tank, and ice drawer, plus storage space for glassware and china. A number of best-in-class enhancements will help maximise safety, starting with Cessna’s trademarked Intrinzic flight deck powered by the trademarked Garmin G5000. This program builds on the success of the breakthrough G1000 — a standard for jets and turboprops — and provides pilots with valuable

Personal air nozzles and direct lighting will allow passengers to customise the ambiEnce

FLIGHT FIRSTS The Citation Latitude represents a number of ‘firsts’ for Cessna. Following its maiden test flight in February 2014, wherein it reached an altitude of 28,000 ft and speeds of 230 mph, Cessna’s president and CEO, Scott Ernest, said: “The Latitude is an aircraft that delivers a lot of firsts from Cessna — the wide fuselage, the stand-up cabin with a flat floor, auto-throttles, the electric door and the improved cabin environment. All these achievements stem from listening to the voice of the customer and getting down to the business of delivering what customers need and desire.”

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Passengers will be able to stand up fully and walk around freely in the flat-floor cabin information while substantially reducing their workload. Pilots will be able to oversee the Latitude’s navigation, traffic, surveillance and communications systems through intuitive touch-screen flight displays, a distinct improvement over the traditional dial-based controls on the G1000. The G5000 is packed with intelligent systems such as the trademarked Synthetic Vision Technology (SVT), which shows pilots a clear graphical representation of the runway from miles away. It also depicts potential danger spots such as mountain peaks or man-made obstructions, with visual and audio cues to warn pilots of imminent danger. The G5000 also maximises situational awareness — for instance, by pointing out areas with nasty weather and potential collision courses. A fully integrated auto-throttle is another Cessna first and a key workload-reduction feature. Although the Latitude will represent a new generation of ease of operation, it will still require two pilots — at least at introduction. And while serviceability can be an overlooked necessity for business jets, Cessna has 15 of its own service centres and 39 third-party authorised service facilities around the world, including one in Singapore. After all, in the long run, the most successful business jets are those that are easiest and least costly to service. This, in turn, helps retain the value of the business jet for its owner. Potential Latitude owners will appreciate that NetJets, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, has announced its intention to purchase up to 150 Latitudes starting from 2016.

Citation Latitude SPECIFICATIONS

IMPERIAL

METRIC

Length (external)

62 ft 3 in

18.97 m

WINGSPAN

72 FT 4 IN

22.05 M

Height (external)

20 FT 11 IN

6.37 m

Cabin Length

28 FT 1 IN

8.56 m

Cabin Width

77 in

1.95 m

Cabin Height

72 IN

1.83 m

NBAA IFR RANGE (Four

2,500 nm

4,630 km

(DOES NOT INCLUDE TIP LIGHTS)

Passengers, NBAA IFR Fuel Reserves, Optimal Climb and Descent, Maximum Cruise Thrust at 45,000 feet)

Maximum (passenger) Seating

Maximum Cruise Speed

440 KTAS (815 km/h or 506 mph)

MAXIMUM ALTITUDE

45,000 FT

13,716 m

TAKE-OFF FIELD LENGTH

4,030 ft

1,228 m

FULL FUEL PAYLOAD

1,000 lb

453.59 kg

Club chairs may be adjusted to a few configurations, depending on whether passengers want casual conversations, business discussions, or sleep

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WINGS AERIA LUXURY INTERIORS by Charmaine Tai

TAILOR-MADE CRUISING Charting the fast lane to your dream cabin

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From meeting rooms to bedrooms, AERIA caters to its clients’ desires for private-jet interiors

eciding on the theme of an aircraft interior takes a substantial amount of time. Coupled with implementing the design, then subjecting the aircraft through various tests and certifications, it may take more than two years before a client gets to fly in his aircraft. To cut the waiting time short, ST Aerospace provides an integrated service that encompasses both interior design (through its VIP completion brand AERIA Luxury Interiors) and maintenance (via its global maintenance, repair and overhaul or MRO network). Based in San Antonio, Texas, USA, AERIA is an affiliate of Singapore’s ST Aerospace, an MRO company with facilities in Europe, the Middle East and the AsiaPacific region. AERIA was unveiled in 2012 as part of ST Aerospace’s global branding programme for its VIP completion and refurbishment business. But despite having been on the market for just two years, AERIA has already received a customisation order for a green aircraft interior. It is working on a BBJ 737 devoid of furnishing, which provides AERIA with an opportunity to maximise the aircraft’s interior — very much like an artist presented >> JETGALA

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>> with a blank canvas. AERIA’s design for the cabin includes a crew lounge, galley for fresh meal preparations, dining suite, conference room, resting lounge and master suite. State-of-the-art digital entertainment systems with multiple high-definition screens will also be installed for a theatre-like experience on board. The aircraft is scheduled for delivery by October 2015. Prior to implementation, the design team meets with clients to understand their lifestyle and preferences. Ron Soret, both vice president and general manager of completions at AERIA, encourages clients to have a rough idea of their preferred cabin lighting features and desired functions for the in-flight entertainment systems, including satellite TV, WiFi and iPod-docking stations. These features are often overlooked, but are among the most important aspects as they are essential for long-haul trips. It takes up to six months for a wide-body aircraft to pass its Critical Design Review (CDR) phase. Soret says: “Getting to the CDR phase is the first major milestone in a project. The quicker you can get there, the more time you have for engineering and production.” It takes around 16 months for the interiors of a narrow-body aircraft to be completed, while a wide-body aircraft requires 28 months. From simple refurbishments to extravagant designs, including a master suite with a lavish bathroom and shower, Soret has seen them all. Other interior ideas include a private office and divans for watching movies on a flat-panel TV. And while some requests may seem quite unusual, Soret and his team do not turn them down. “Nothing matters more than walking into your own private interior knowing the design was tailormade just for you,” he says. However, the team advises customers against “unrealistic or technically challenging designs”, citing as an example a client who wanted a Jacuzzi onboard. To make full use of the aircraft’s downtime, Soret says: “Consider replacing any obsolete equipment or items no longer supported by the manufacturer. It will save the flight department a lot of headaches when the airplane goes back in service.” To speed things up, AERIA works with DRB Aviation Consultants, also an ST Aerospace affiliate, to provide back-end engineering and certification support, allowing customers to receive their aircraft within a shorter period of time. AERIA currently focusses on VIP completions and refurbishments for Boeing and Airbus aircraft. Takeoff has since been smooth, and Soret is positive that it will remain so. Expansion plans include reinforcing their presence in the Asia-Pacific region and in the VIP completions industry. “We are seeing an upturn in the number of projects out for bid from the Asia-Pacific region,” says Soret. “In the not too distant future, we hope to do completions on the Boeing 787 and the new Airbus A350.”

“Nothing matters more than walking into your own private interior knowing the design was tailor-made just for you” OPPOSITE

ABOVE

AERIA’s design for the BBJ 737 includes a resting lounge and dining suite

Carpetry, subtle finishes, and types of lighting can be customised to suit a client’s taste

The design team uses table partitions to separate the living and dining areas in this Boeing 777

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TBM 900 by He Ruiming

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS A new and very fast turboprop â&#x20AC;&#x201D; built in secrecy

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The TBM 900 assures better interaction between man and machine

The TBM 900 features a five-blade composite propeller and a redesigned spinner

OPPOSITE The very fast turboprop can climb to 31,000 ft in 18 minutes and 45 seconds

Since ITS first TBM 700 turboprop took flight in 1988, Daher-Socata has evolved the product line slowly and continually. It took 16 years for the TBM 700 to be succeeded by the TBM 850, which became the world’s fastest single-engine turboprop when it first hit the runways in 2006. And now, eight years later, another TBM is breaking its predecessor’s record. After three years of research and more than 200 hours of flight testing — all conducted without fanfare — France-based Daher-Socata has produced the TBM 900, which flies further and faster than the 850 thanks to 26 upgrades in aerodynamics and avionics. Among these are the addition of winglets, a vertical tailfin strake and a new tail cone, as well as a five-blade composite propeller and redesigned spinner. Daher-Socata promises a top speed of 333 KTAS (611 km/h), up from the 850’s 320 KTAS (592.64 km/h). It aims for greater distances, too, with a range of up to 1,730 nm (3,203 km) compared to the 850’s 1,584 nm (2,935 km). The TBM 900 has attracted not just corporate clients, but also pilots, with the first three production models delivered to pilot-owners — and with good reason. The TBM 900 assures better interaction between man and machine. Its cockpit panel has been >> JETGALA

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Seats in the automated pressurised cabin have been redesigned, providing more comfort for passengers The all-glass cockpit offers better ergonomics and new functions, including a semi-automatic startup

“It is quieter, better looking and just plain sexier”

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>> restyled for better visibility and interaction with secondary system controls, while its control-yoke offers better ergonomics and new functions. The cockpit centre-pedestal has also been revised and enables the use of the engine’s full 850 hp from takeoff, while a new electrical system allows semi-automatic startup. These translate not only into improved safety and pilot comfort, but also into time savings: the TBM 900 requires a shorter takeoff distance of 2,380 ft (725.4 m) and climbs to its ceiling of 31,000 ft (9,488.8 m) in a mere 18 minutes and 45 seconds. Passengers will also experience a more comfortable ride with lower cabin noise levels, an automated pressurisation system, and redesigned seats. With their lower operating and maintenance costs, turboprops have become increasingly popular in Asia in recent years. They are easy on the pocket, saving up to 40 per cent on fuel costs when compared to jets (the TBM 900, for instance, consumes only 37 US gallons per hour). The main strength of turboprops lies in flight-routes spanning less than 500 nautical miles (926 km) — making them a solid choice in Asia, where roughly 35 per cent of routes span less than 300 nautical miles (555 km). Larry Glazer, chairman of the TBM Owners and Pilot Association and the first purchaser to receive his TBM 900, sums up its appeal: “The TBM 900... incorporates an all-glass cockpit, cruises faster, climbs faster, [and] is quieter, better looking and just plain sexier.” You won’t be hard-pressed to find someone who agrees. Even before Daher-Socata unveiled the TBM 900 to the public, the newcomer had already chalked up some 40 orders. Talk about confidence.

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This interior for an Airbus A320 provides space for intimate conversations in a laid-back environment

VIP COMPLETIONS by Sandy Tan

PERSONALITY MATTERS New ideas about the way to use limited space

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The lounge can easily be transformed from a meeting room into a cocktail and entertainment area, or even a cinema

The Boeing 787-9 cabin by VIP Completions features an en-suite and a master bedroom with a futuristic theme in the aft

designer often likes to stay true to his signature, but fully succeeds when his work also reflects his client’s personality. This rings true for Svetlana Mojic´, lead designer at VIP Completions — founded in 2012 and headed by Michael Wilson to provide interior and exterior design, completion and refurbishment services, client representation and advisory for private aircraft and yachts. “For me, a signature is what a designer earns through the process of designing, following a client’s style and mixing it with one’s own thoughts collected from earlier experiences,” says Mojic´, who was discovered by VIP Completions through her work for her own Serbia-based design studio Salt & Water, which specialises in yacht design. No wonder, then, that

VIP Completions’ latest interior design for a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner private jet is Mojic´’s favourite project to date. The concept is largely inspired by the flow of water — interior spaces are freed from straight lines, and capitalise on the use of light and reflection. The interior design concept has been shortlisted for this year’s International Yacht & Aviation Awards. Mojic´ sees a future in ‘alterable design’: the use of innovative technologies and new materials to change the usage of space, tailoring design elements to suit individual rather than universal experience. This is evident throughout the Boeing VIP 787-9, where the most distinctive feature is a bubble-water wall with a curved silhouette, installed in the lounge to create a relaxing space. A mirror finish at the back of the wall creates an impression of depth, while the overall visual effect is that of moving water. >> JETGALA

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The Boeing 787-9’s VIP lounge’s fluid design complements the open-plan layout of the cabin With the concept of alterable design, a bedroom can be transformed into a work area OPPOSITE VIP Completions works with clients on the interior design of private jets and yachts, and one industry’s aesthetic sometimes influences the other

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Design elements are tailored to suit individual rather than universal experience

>> The client can change and control the water-wall’s LED backlights from an application on his smartphone, giving him room to play with different colours, styles and ambience — effectively changing the lounge space, which mainly features black, white, grey and silver tones, plus black leather furnishings and wood textures. The client can also control the lighting behind the bar and along the ceiling. Crystals installed in the ceilings of the lounge and the owner’s suite create a celestial ambience when set against dim or natural lighting. Other personalised features include linen and cushion covers of various colours, stowed onboard. An open-plan seating arrangement from the fore to the aft provides a seamless layout and user flexibility: the lounge can easily be transformed from a meeting room into a cocktail and entertainment area, or even a cinema. The client also requested a full-width bedroom and en-suite, as well as a private study with a dressing table in the latter third of the aircraft. Depending on the complexity of the interiors and their specifications, a corporate jet can take six to nine months to complete. A narrow-body jet may take 12 to 18 months, and a wide-body jet 18 to 36 months or more. Mojic´ says honesty

and quality time spent in discussions with clients contribute significantly to the successful delivery of a project. The challenge is to satisfy safety standards while honouring clients’ needs and maximising space, budget and time. Mojic´, who hails from Novi Sad, Serbia, holds master’s degrees in architecture and in yacht design and construction. As a child, she loved drawing and designing objects for fun. “Somehow, during all those years, I became fascinated with interiors and their impact on our quality of life,” she says. “This fascination is still alive and it is a passion that drives what I do today.” Her first internationally recognised work was an Eco Chameleon 127’ mega-yacht, which combined new technologies and natural materials, coupled with adjustable features to suit its surroundings and the owner’s specifications. This technique is still apparent in her work for VIP Completions’ new projects, which include a Gulfstream G650. A lot of time is dedicated to researching new materials, trends and innovations, as well as consulting technology specialists in and outside the industry. “In a current project, we are looking into the use of nanotechnology on surfaces and the use of natural light in the cabin,” says Mojic´. “However, which materials I will use in my future projects will depend on clients’ wishes.” JETGALA

WINGS CABIN MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS by Jim Simon

AIR PLAY New systems make the most out of your cabin experience

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After years of ambitious predictions, the ‘smart home’ may finally go mainstream thanks to the widespread usage of Internet-capable devices. Arguably, the ‘smart private jet’ and even the ‘smart helicopter’ have taken off much faster thanks to the rapid evolution of Cabin Management Systems (CMS) — integrated suites of hardware and software that allow passengers to control and personalise many aspects of their onboard experience. The combination of high-speed, satellite-based data services and the mass-market adoption of personal tablets and smartphones have empowered CMS to deliver tailored business and entertainment services that may have seemed like science fiction only a few years ago. These are offered by many respected names in the aviation systems industry, including Custom Control Concepts, Honeywell, IDAir, Lufthansa Technik and Rockwell Collins. With nearly 20,000 business jets in operation and hundreds more sold each year according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, the market for CMS is large. While each CMS provider strives to differentiate its solution with unique selling points, there are a number of baseline features common to most.

These systems allow passengers to control and personalise many aspects of their onboard experience Office in the Sky Even as flying offers respite from the office, business travellers still desire to remain connected and productive while in transit. CMS enable passengers to use data bandwidth that is often comparable to land-based systems. This means that passengers can keep up-to-date using commonplace apps like email and web browsing. With the growing popularity of web-based conferencing, it is now possible to remotely view and deliver presentations while in flight. The Skybox™ from Rockwell Collins, for instance, enables a passenger to wirelessly deliver a presentation from an Apple iPad to a large onboard monitor, similar to presenting in a company’s boardroom. Honeywell’s Ovation™ Select lets passengers host video conferences from their aircraft. Living Room in the Sky Like commercial travel, it used to be that private-jet passengers who wanted to watch video content needed to share a single monitor, which would play from tape cassettes at standard-definition quality. If lucky, audio was individually available via various plugs throughout the aircraft. But thanks to the evolution of CMS, entertainment aboard private jets has become highly personalised. A CMS media server can house hundreds of digital movies, television programmes, audio books and music, and even sync with a passenger’s iPod. The media server is capable of streaming different content simultaneously to different passengers. >>

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT

OPPOSITE

Lufthansa Technik’s nice® HD app allows remote control for light settings

The nice® HD can be downloaded on smartphones and tablets

IDAir targets a flexible system architecture and a customisable user interface Passengers can also view flight paths through the nice® system

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>> Moreover, quality is excellent including highdefinition video and surround sound — which passengers can enjoy even while walking around the cabin using innovations such as Custom Control Concepts’ Sky-Fi Wireless ICS headphones, which are being launched at EBACE. Lufthansa Technik, which says that its nice® family of CMS is used by “kings, sultans, businessmen, high-networth individuals and corporate flight departments around the world”, has recently introduced the nice® HD, which passengers can use through a free downloadable app for one’s tablet or smartphone. Cabin Environment CMS are far ahead of a typical home when it comes to managing one’s environment. Passengers can control the cabin ambience to suit their tastes, whether through a personal tablet, smartphone, an LCD screen or a small and subtle LCD panel. CMS offerings like Honeywell’s Ovation™ Select enable passengers to raise or lower their individual window shades at the touch of a button. Even cabin lighting and temperature are manageable by zones so that a passenger who wishes to read under a strong light need not burden a nearby fellow passenger who would rather have a nap. As the interiors of private jets differ widely, even among the same model of jet, CMS vendors typically provide personalised versions of their software to match a jet’s interior. Flight Information Since the introduction of the Global Positioning System, private and commercial jet passengers have had access to interesting information about their flights. CMS substantially extend the quality of data available to passengers by offering 2D and 3D perspectives, as well as chase-plane views. Custom Control Concepts’ SkyShow integrates a realistic facsimile of a customer’s aircraft into the map — right down to the jet’s actual paint scheme. Updates Many vendors like Lufthansa Technik use future upgradability as a selling feature. In the near future, most improvements to CMS will be easily managed through firmware upgrades via WiFi or USB.

Custom Control Concept’s app allows passengers to display documents, images and videos on the aircraft’s monitor Rockwell Collins’ Skybox™ allows passengers to display content on shared monitors Lufthansa Technik’s nice® system includes a pop-up display

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WINGS ORBIS FLYING EYE HOSPITAL by Katrina Balmaceda

seeing the wo rld A mission to prevent blindness, one flight at a time

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Orbis Flying Eye Hospital’s aircraft can be identified by its new sky and clouds livery

OPPOSITE The Flying Eye Hospital is a fully equipped, self-contained eye hospital with rooms for surgery, recovery and lectures. Its medical director is Dr. Ahmed Gomaa (top left)

In the mid-1990s, a medical student who had a passion for flying realised that his two interests could complement each other. Flipping through a magazine published in Kuwait, he read about a non-profit organisation that travelled around the world to combat preventable blindness by treating eyesight-related diseases. In 2005, after completing master’s studies in community health in London, the man, Ahmed Gomaa — already a doctor — joined the organisation he read about: Orbis International, which operates the Flying Eye Hospital. Having started out as a staff ophthalmologist, he is today the hospital’s medical director. What makes the Flying Eye Hospital successful is that it not only visits countries to treat patients, but also to transfer its skills to the medical community of the locality it is visiting. This is made possible with a 48-seat classroom onboard the current aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10, where local eye professionals receive lectures and participate in discussions. They also observe surgeries and ask questions of the operating surgeons through a two-way audio-visual system that uses 17 cameras, eight microphones and 54 video monitors. Surgeries may also be broadcast live outside the aircraft — to a local hospital, for example — and recordings are edited and duplicated in DVDs for the local community. Volunteer faculty Dr. Jaime Brandt, a glaucoma specialist, uses a telemedicine platform called Cyber-Sight to communicate with local trainee doctors before each programme and learn more about their skills and his possible patients. The actual programme itself begins on a Sunday, with the staff getting acquainted with the local team. Monday sees them screening a dozen to 25 patients in each speciality. “What we are trying to accomplish is find patients that we can help, but also cases that are appropriate for skills transfer,” says Dr. Brandt. He spends the rest of the week in the operating room either on the aircraft or at the local hospital, and conducts lectures and one-on-one trainee interaction between surgeries. Even after the team has left, Dr. Brandt continues communicating with his trainee doctors through Cyber-Sight.

“What we are trying to accomplish is find patients that we can help, but also cases that are appropriate for skills transfer”

NEW BIRD The current Flying Eye Hospital houses rooms for laser and examination, operation, sterilisation and recovery, as well as a classroom and audio-visual room. A new aircraft is on the way — a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 donated by FedEx in 2012. It is being fitted with nine customised modules similar to cargo containers, which may be removed from the aircraft for ease of maintenance and upgrades. The aircraft comes with an upgraded avionics package that requires only two pilots, and will reduce — in some cases eliminate — fuel stops.

The staff comprises a variety of medical professionals, including specialised ophthalmologists, ophthalmic nurses, anaesthesiologists, biomedical engineers, and ophthalmology residents and fellows. A recent visit to Jinan, China, showed just how crucial it is to work as a team. While screening an elderly female patient who had been diagnosed with glaucoma, the doctors found out that her condition had been caused by a cataract that needed urgent removal. “Our glaucoma specialist consulted our cataract surgeon and we arranged an emergency operation for her that lowered the pressure in her eye and restored her sight,” says Dr. Gomaa. It was the Flying Eye Hospital’s second visit to Jinan and its 39th to China, a country that accounts for 18 per cent of the world’s blind and 400,000 of the estimated one million children suffering from blindness in Asia. While eye-care needs vary from region to region, the country’s overall major causes of blindness — cataract, glaucoma and corneal disease — reflect global trends. Also on this year’s itinerary are Makassar in Indonesia, Davao and Pampanga in the Philippines, Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, and Trujillo in Peru. Dr. Gomaa says that these places, as well as most of the areas in which the Flying Eye Hospital operates, face the same challenges: a burden of disease beyond the capacity of local health services, a shortage of trained personnel, and high cost of the required medical care. The Flying Eye Hospital has visited 78 countries since 1982. While volunteer faculty typically spend about two weeks a year participating in medical programmes, Dr. Brandt says that “each day is a different adventure”. Many may have started out the same way as Dr. Gomaa, who says he joined Orbis because he believed “this was the best way to take my studies into action and also see the world”. A fair trade for those who work to restore eyesight, giving many others a chance to see their worlds. JETGALA

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PEGASUS DESIGN by Melissa Pearce

B.E.2 by Steve Slater

THE BIPLANE THAT COULD The day the aeroplane went to war

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O The B.E.2 flies over Farnborough in 1913 OPPOSITE PAGE The fabric-covered aircraft had a speed of just 70 mph, but was essential in the planning of missions All images courtesy of www.biggles-biplane.com unless otherwise stated

n the morning of 13 August 2014, a small two-seat biplane will touch down on a grass runway at Amiens in France. It will mark the arrival, 100 years previously to the day, of a similar Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 army observation biplane which changed the history of aviation when it carried the first air force overseas. That was the moment the aeroplane became a machine of war. But the B.E.2 appears anything but warlike. The fabric-covered wooden biplane is unarmed; in fact, the concept of airmen trying to shoot one another down took some months to formulate. The aircraft’s speed of about 70 mph does not impress today, and its payload was restricted to about two hours’ worth of fuel and two men (one, if the occupant was stout and it was a warm day). Yet the B.E.2 was in every way a trend-setter of its time. Developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough in England, the B.E.2 was first flown as a prototype by its designer, Geoffrey de Havilland, in 1912. Over the decades, he created iconic aircraft such as the Tiger Moth trainer, the Mosquito fighter-bomber of the Second World War, and the Comet, the world’s first jet airliner. But the naturally stable B.E.2 was both his and the world’s first purposedesigned military aeroplane. Its most important task became reconnaissance, as a few forward-thinking army officers had realised that aeroplanes could offer a rare opportunity to see what the enemy might be doing “on the other side of the hill”. In 1912 the British Army formed a Royal Flying Corps, which began proving the aeroplane’s worth to older, more sceptical senior officers. One general had famously described aviation as “a useless and expensive fad advocated by a few individuals whose ideas are unworthy of attention”. Yet, by the outbreak of the First World War on 4 August 1914, the new Corps had numbered four squadrons, plus another dedicated to the use of balloons and man-lifting kites. Plans were made to fly no less than 36 aircraft across the English Channel to support the British Expeditionary Force in France. At the time, five years had passed since Louis Blériot’s pioneering channel crossing — a feat that had meanwhile been successfully repeated by less than 50 pilots. Equally in its infancy was aerial navigation. At best, a pilot had a rudimentary compass and a cockpit watch, and after orientating a planned course drawn on a map with an appropriate compass bearing, would attempt to head along that line for the requisite time. >>

Army officers had realised that aeroplanes could offer a rare opportunity to see what the enemy might be doing

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One General described aviation as â&#x20AC;&#x153;a useless and expensive fad advocated by a few individuals whose ideas are unworthy of attentionâ&#x20AC;?

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The Biggles Biplane, a B.E.2c replica, flies at air shows across the UK and will recreate the historic flight to Amiens in August

>> As Number 1 Squadron had been despatched by sea with its balloons and kites, Number 2 Squadron led the crossing fleet on the morning of 13 August 1914. The leader was Major Charles Burke, a huge, barrel-chested Irishman whose girth had frequently led to marginal takeoffs and heavy landings, but whose military skills had already moulded his squadron into a relatively disciplined unit. All aeroplanes were strictly ordered to take off and land in Squadron order, but the airmen believed and bet that Lieutenant Hubert Harvey-Kelly — whose baby-faced smile masked an irreverent and highly competitive spirit — would get there first. At precisely 06:25, the first overladen B.E.2 staggered into the air from Swingate Down atop the white cliffs of Dover. The townsfolk watched the machines as they clawed for height to give maximum gliding distance in case of engine failure. “It was very clear. I could see the French coast at once,” wrote Major Burke in his diary. However, as he headed along the coast before following the River Somme to Amiens, he could see only 10 of his 11 Squadron aeroplanes behind him. “Then as I turned to land, there was an aeroplane ahead of me,” Burke wrote. It was Harvey-Kelly, who had flown a direct compass course across country, beating his commanding officer by two minutes. Major Burke was apparently initially furious at taking second place, but was said to have rejoiced at Harvey-Kelly’s unprecedented achievement. That, of course, was only the beginning. Within just a few days, the B.E.2 crews were hard at work mapping, then later photographing enemy positions, as well as guiding artillery fire. It was a job that the aircraft and its crews would continue for the next four years. Unglamorous and extremely dangerous, the observation work was nonetheless vital. The squadrons became literally “The Eyes of the Army” from 1914 to 1918.

The B.E.2c that was supplied to the Royal Naval Air Service in 1915 Image courtesy of the Royal Navy

Biggles Biplane The Biggles Biplane B.E.2c replica will recreate the pioneering flight from Dover to Amiens as part of the official centennial commemoration of the First World War. The aircraft was originally built in Great Britain in 1969 for the film Biggles Sweeps The Skies featuring Capt W E Johns’ fictional hero. Designed to look and fly just like an original 1914 aircraft, its wings are made from spruce spars and its ribs are covered with a linen-type fabric. The long ash undercarriage skids ahead of the large-diameter mainwheels were fitted to allow the aircraft to fly from rough fields. The aircraft has no brakes, relying instead on a steel-tipped wooden tailskid to slow it on landing. The film for which the replica was built was never completed, so the aircraft was instead shipped to the USA, where it was sold to a WW1 ‘flying circus’. The forward fuselage was completely wrecked and all four wings reduced to bags of canvas in a 1977 crash. The wreck then disappeared and was thought to be lost before the remains were discovered in 2005 deep within a shed in upstate New York. Stephen Slater and Matthew Boddington, son of the film replica’s original constructor Charles Boddington, acquired the wreck and returned it to the UK. They rebuilt the aircraft ground-up over a span of six years, and brought it back to the skies in May 2011. It now flies each summer at air shows across the UK. JETGALA

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WINDOWLESS JETS

Technicon’s IXION windowless jet concept features external cameras that feed realtime sky images onto cabin walls Image courtesy of Technicon Design France 2013

by Katrina Balmaceda

CELESTIAL PANORAMA Cabin designers bring the outside in

OPPOSITE Solar panels on IXION’s exterior power the lowvoltage systems on the aircraft to offer visuals on the interior Image courtesy of Technicon Design France 2013

Spike Aerospace’s S-512 Supersonic Jet also offers sky visuals using display screens embedded into the wall When completed, the S-512 Supersonic Jet will break the sound barrier at Mach 1.6

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Instead of bringing earth-bound rooms into the aircraft, they propose bringing in the sky To counter the claustrophobia of flying within a fixed capsule for hours and not being able to stroll more than a few dozen feet, interior designers create aircraft cabins that mimic homes and offices, or employ techniques that trick one into thinking the space is not as small and narrow as it really is. But some aviation designers have another idea. Instead of bringing earth-bound rooms into the aircraft, they propose bringing in the sky. As a concept, this is nothing new. Three years ago, Airbus released images of an aeroplane with a fuselage that mimics a bird’s bone-like structure, complete with a transparent, bionic skin-membrane that, among other things, shows passengers a panoramic view of the sky. In Airbus’ mind, the highly advanced concept plane — which also includes alternative ways to harvest energy, such as from passengers’ body heat — could become a reality around the year 2050. A more recent transparent-fuselage concept could come true sooner — simply because it incorporates fewer technological innovations, as its focus is the view. Technicon Design, an international design agency with a studio just outside Paris, brought to the latest NBAA convention the IXION windowless jet concept. It aims to challenge conventional thinking by proposing something new, but doable. “It has to be credible and relevant, yet provoke discussion,” says design director Gareth Davies. >> JETGALA

WINGS >> To execute the design, Technicon suggests using “existing or very near future technology” to show passengers exactly what surrounds them as they fly. This will be achieved by mounting external cameras on the aircraft and projecting the images they capture onto the cabin walls — almost as if the walls are transparent, as they are in Airbus’ design. The walls can also portray other pre-programmed sceneries to alter the ambiance — even, ironically, mimicking a more traditional aircraft interior. Technicon will use parallax-barrier technology to lend depth and multi-dimensionality to the display, so passengers will be able to see different views at the same time on the same screen. Davies adds that removing windows reduces aircraft weight and simplifies its construction — exactly the motive behind another windowless jet concept, this time by Spike Aerospace. The company has been designing and hoping to build a supersonic jet for at least three years now, and this new modification to the design is another step closer to its goal. Removing the Spike S-512 Supersonic Jet’s windows not only makes it lighter, but also creates a smooth exterior skin that will help minimise drag — both resulting in increased speed. Similar to Tehcnicon’s plan, Spike hopes to show passengers the sky by surrounding the aircraft with cameras and feeding the images onto thin display screens embedded within the cabin walls. And when passengers get tired of counting clouds, they may change the scenery by selecting one stored in the system, or dim the screen to get some sleep.

It aims to challenge conventional thinking by proposing something new, but doable

The IXION windowless jet also offers pre-programmed sceneries to alter the ambience to suit the passenger Image courtesy of Technicon Design France 2013

RIGHT Removing windows from the Spike S-512 Supersonic Jet will allow for a smooth exterior that will help minimise drag

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Four WASPs trained to ferry Boeing’s B-17 Flying Fortress walk away from their ship, named Pistol Packin’ Mama Image courtesy of the US Air Force

WOMEN AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS by Steve Slater

HIGH WINGS, LOW PROFILE The women who kept America flying during the war

In the darkest days of World War II, young American women found themselves taking on jobs that would have been inconceivable in pre-war years. Many joined the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) to take over non-operational flying duties and free airmen for the front line. The standards were so high that, of more than 25,000 women who applied, only 1,074 earned their wings after four months of military flight training. The WASPs ferried military aircraft from factories to military bases and overseas shipment centres. Two women of very different characters were responsible for forming the WASPs. The more highprofile of these was Jacqueline Cochran, who had carved her way into New York society after becoming a successful hair stylist at Saks Fifth Avenue. She had established her own cosmetics brand, Wings, which she promoted by flying in air races across America. By 1938, she was considered the best female pilot in the United States, having won the Bendix Trophy coast-to-coast air race and in the process set a new transcontinental speed record. She also claimed altitude records and was awarded the Harmon Trophy as the world’s leading aviatrix. 56

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In just 14 months, the WASPs had delivered more than 12,000 aircraft As war broke out in Europe, Cochran joined Wings for Britain, an organisation ferrying American-built aircraft to the UK. In doing so, she became the first woman to fly a bomber across the Atlantic. On arrival, she volunteered her services to the Royal Air Force and later to the British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA). Cochran recruited qualified American pilots to join the ATA and also lobbied senior American military officers and members of her social circle, including Eleanor Roosevelt, to start a similar women’s flying division in America. At the same time, Nancy Harkness Love, a successful commercial and test pilot, wrote to senior officers that she had found 49 women pilots — each with more than a thousand flying hours — who could help transport planes from factories to bases. In contrast to Cochran’s brash, overt lobbying, Love worked quietly behind the scenes. In the face of internal politics and resistance from some Air Force officers, it was only in September 1942 that Love and 28 other female pilots succeeded in forming the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. Cochran, meanwhile, had returned to America and received a separate official sanction to train pilots for the Women’s Flying Training Detachment. On 5 August 1943, the two organisations merged to form WASPs. Cochran was appointed director, while Love took charge of ferrying operations. In just 14 months before the programme ended in December 1944, the WASPs had delivered more than 12,000 aircraft. They also flew towing targets for live anti-aircraft artillery practice, simulated strafing missions to train infantry, flew as instructors, and transported cargo. The women flew almost every type operated by the USAF, including experimental jet-propelled aircraft. After World War II, Cochran maintained her high profile, becoming the first woman pilot to break the sound barrier and successfully lobbying NASA to allow women to become astronauts. Love did not seek similar publicity, yet many believe she was the true power behind the WASPs. Betty Huyler Gillies, a former WASP, attributed the success to Love and her “ability to organise, to lead and to cooperate with the powers that be”. In the end, despite the obstacles to the WASPs’ formation, one thing was clear — the women who refused to take the back seat during their toughest moments made it possible for America to survive the war.

United States President Barack Obama signs the S.614 bill, which awards a Congressional Gold Medal to the WASPs. Standing behind him are both retired WASPs and active US Air Force pilots Image by Pete Souza

WASPs stationed at Greenville Air Force Base, Mississippi, which was home to a flight training centre Image courtesy of the Maidenhead Museum, UK. ATA Collection

SPITFIRE GIRLS & ANCIENT AIRMEN While America had its WASPs, Great Britain had the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), which ferried vitally needed Royal Air Force aircraft from factories to combat units from February 1940 until the end of World War II. A total of 166 women pilots were employed on such duties, first ferrying training aircraft, then fighters like the Spitfire, and later, heavy bombers including Avro Lancasters and Boeing’s B-17 Flying Fortresses. Unlike the WASPs, the ATA was far from an all-woman service. It offered equality, even in pay, for pilots of both genders and even those with physical disabilities. The men who flew with the ATA were those considered unsuitable for active service for reasons of age or fitness. These one-armed, one-legged, short-sighted and oneeyed pilots flew hazardous ATA delivery flights and were better known as the Ancient and Tattered Airmen. JETGALA

WINGS FLIGHT DECKS by Charmaine Tai

FRONT ROW SEATS

Cockpits become more complex to make flying easier 58

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Embraer’s Lineage 1000E’s flight deck

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This is the pilots’ domain, where each component serves a SPECIFIC purpose Rarely do two customised private-jet interiors look the same. From gold-plated staircases to on-board cinemas and jacuzzis, each section of a jet cabin can — up to a point — be made to suit its owner’s fancy. Purposes vary from aesthetic taste, practical use and entertainment, to the observation of traditions and beliefs like feng shui. The one part of the aircraft that owners do not get to beautify, though, is the flight deck. This is the pilots’ domain, where each component serves a specific purpose and aesthetics take second place — usually relegated to the view seen through anti-reflective windows. But with the layout of today’s flight decks, the view is quite hard to miss, as control panels are designed to ensure a headsup and eyes-out position for pilots, as well as to optimise instrument scanning. Most traditional controls have now been replaced by multi-functioning ‘soft keys’ and are now incorporated into the joystick and throttle. Newer technologies also 60

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allow for heads-up displays, synthetic vision for lowvisibility approaches, direct voice output of aircraft status and warning sounds to monitor the systems. Displays are visible from any given angle, with system-related controls typically located on the overhead panel, and radios and flight-control computers placed on the pedestal between the pilot’s and co-pilot’s seats. So just how similar — or different — do these pilots’ domains look? Judge for yourself as we take a look into the cockpits on various private-jet manufacturers’ flagship models.

Bombardier’s Global 6000 Cessna’s Citation X

OPPOSITE PAGE Dassault Falcon’s 5X Gulfstream’s Legacy G650

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Boeing Business Jetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dreamlinerbased cockpit

Control panels are designed for a heads-up and eyes-out position for pilots

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PRESIDENTIAL SUITES

SUITE by Jennifer Henricus

DELHI

A historic city turned modern mega-metropolis

The Lotus Temple was completed in 1986, and serves as a prominent attraction for visitors to the city

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Delhi, the capital of India, is a vast urban sprawl, a sort of mega-city thali (Indian food platter) serving up a feast of contemporary and traditional delights. Close to 18 million dwell in this city, which is really an accumulation of several distinct areas. Old Delhi, with its 16thand 17th-century Mughal architecture and souklike bazaars, theatrically contrasts with New Delhi’s wide avenues and colonial mansions, which were conceived by British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens in the 1920s as part of the capital of “the empire on which the sun will never set”. Being the country’s fashion capital, Delhi boasts great fusion-style clothing, in addition to a range of jewellery and textiles. Foodies will enjoy tandoori dishes such as sikandari raan (roast leg of lamb), the iconic dal bukhara, raita and tandoor roti. Visitors can also discover contemporary artwork, alongside historical gems such as Humayun’s Tomb — a forerunner to the Taj Mahal in Agra. Visitors yearning for an authentic experience often beat a path on foot through the bustling alleyways leading up to Nizamuddin’s Shrine or ride a rickshaw through the Chandni Chowk wholesale market. But when the city gets too overwhelming, it offers the best of retreats in its most plush hotel suites.

GRAND DAME Designed by architect F.B. Blomfield as part of Lutyens’ grand plan for New Delhi, The Imperial was the first major hotel to open in the capital in 1936. It offers the Royal Imperial Suite, a 3,000-sq-ft celebration of Victorian and Art Deco styles. The master bedroom is furnished with a four-poster, king-size bed and elegant seating, while tall windows open onto a spacious verandah lounge. The piece de resistance is the master bathroom, complete with a marble bath, generous shower cubicle, and steam, sauna and Jacuzzi facilities. A dining area offers seating for eight and a butler pantry. Other amenities are a study and library with high-tech office equipment, antique furniture, and impressive artwork.

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The Taj Palace Hotel’s Tata Suite is decorated in a rich Mughal theme

The recently renovated Taj Palace Hotel, nestling in landscaped gardens in New Delhi’s diplomatic enclave, offers the 6,500-sq-ft Tata Suite complete with formal lounge and dining for 12, a 16-seat board room, and study. Its private spaces include a master bedroom with grand bathroom and a guest bedroom with en suite facilities. Adorned with both ancient Mughal décor and artwork by up-andcoming artists, the suite commands panoramic views of Delhi’s Central Ridge Forest. A round-the-clock service team includes a butler who oversees all meal planning and wardrobe needs, a personal chef, and a chauffeur who will drive you around in a Jaguar.

The Kohinoor Suite at The Oberoi, New Delhi offers minimally furnished elegance and floor-toceiling views of the Delhi Golf Course and the 16th-century tomb of Emperor Humayun. Located on the hotel’s seventh floor, the 3,600-sq-ft suite comes with a living room, relaxation room, dining area for six with service pantry, fully equipped study, large ultra-comfortable master bedroom, and en suite bathroom with a free-standing TV. Personal assistants or security staff may stay at the adjacent Executive Suite and Luxury Room.

The Oberoi, New Delhi overlooks the 18-hole Delhi Golf Club

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Old Delhi boasts 16th- and 17thcentury Mughal architecture and souk-like bazaars The 4,800-sq-ft Presidential Suite at The Leela Palace New Delhi is reminiscent of India’s grand heritage: gold-leaf ceilings, intricate wood work, silver and gemstone art pieces are matched with 21st-century amenities, such as a grand bathroom with Italian designer fittings, Jacuzzi, rain-shower, and spa for two. The suite comprises two separate living rooms, private dining for 12, study, gym and an optional guest bedroom. Round-the-clock butler service and complimentary airport transfers in a Rolls-Royce Phantom complete the royal welcome. For utmost safety, the suite is equipped with bullet-proof glass.

The Taj Mahal Hotel’s 4,500-sq-ft Grand Presidential Suite celebrates New Delhi’s creator, architect Edwin Lutyens. Some of his books, original drawings, architectural motifs and furniture adapted from rare sketches — which had been retrieved from British archives — fill the space, while large windows look out to Lutyens’ celebrated imperial capital. The suite is luxuriously appointed with a master bedroom and bathroom, plus living and dining rooms, pantry, library and private work-out area. Two more bedrooms can be annexed to the suite to accommodate additional guests.

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OPPOSITE The Leela Palace New Delhi’s Presidential Suite exudes the atmosphere of a luxurious Indian residence The Taj Mahal Hotel’s Grand Presidential Suite celebrates New Delhi’s prime architect

DIRECTORY Taj Palace Hotel Sardar Patel Marg, Diplomatic Enclave New Delhi 110021, India T: +91 (11) 2611 0202 F: +91 (11) 2611 0808 E: palace.delhi@tajhotels.com www.tajhotels.com The Leela Palace New Delhi Chanakyapuri, Diplomatic Enclave New Delhi 110023, India T: +91 (11) 3933 1234 F: +91 (11) 3933 1235 E: reservations.newdelhi@theleela.com www.theleela.com

Silk-panelled walls line the ITC Maurya’s Grand Presidential Suite

New Delhi was conceived as part of the capital of “the empire on which the sun will never set”

ITC Maurya’s 4,800-sq-ft Grand Presidential Suite is in fact an entire floor accessed through an exclusive entrance and high-speed elevator. The space includes two elegantly appointed bedrooms, a large living room, dining room for 12, and an imperial-style master bathroom complete with mother-of-pearl accents. Guests of the suite enjoy exclusive access to a high-tech business courtyard, Summit Lounge and boardroom. Other perks include champagne at check-in, a personal guest valet, iPad digital valet, and food tasting at a microbiological laboratory.

The Oberoi, New Delhi Dr Zakir Hussain Marg, Golf Links New Delhi 110003, India T: +91 (11) 2436 3030 F: +91 (11) 24360 484 E: reservations@oberoigroup.com www.oberoihotels.com The Taj Mahal Hotel Number One Mansingh Road New Delhi 110011, India T: +91 (11) 6656 6162 F: +91 (11) 2302 6070 E: mahal.delhi@tajhotels.com www.tajhotels.com ITC Maurya Diplomatic Enclave, Sardar Patel Marg Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021, India T: +91 (11) 2611 2233 F: +91 (11) 2611 3333 E: reservations.itcmaurya@itchotels.in www.itchotels.in The Imperial Janpath Lane, Connaught Place New Delhi 110001, India T: +91 (11) 2334 1234 E: luxury@theimperialindia.com www.theimperialindia.com

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24 Hours Of le Mans by Jeff Heselwood

THE GRAND PRIX OF ENDURANCE An epic quest for one of motor sportâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prestigious trophies

A technical drawing of the 2014 Porsche 919 Hybrid

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Teams of drivers win not just by speed, but also by efficiency A 919 Hybrid mock-up displayed at the Porsche Museum in Germany as part of its 24 Hours for Eternity exhibit Key members of Porsche witnessed the rollout: chairman Matthias Müller, Wolfgang Hatz and Fritz Enzinger The 919 Hybrid and 911 RSR in this year’s team livery

very year, sports-car makers prove their mettle during a series of races held around the world, called the World Endurance Championship (WEC). The most prestigious race of the series is the 24 Heures du Mans (24 Hours of Le Mans), which started in 1923 and is one of the world’s oldest sports-car endurance races. Organised by the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, it runs through the race track and closed public roads on the Circuit de la Sarthe in the city of Le Mans, France. Teams of drivers win not just by speed, but also by efficiency — covering the most laps while consuming the least fuel and avoiding heavy mechanical damage. Although the number of classes has varied over the years, there are generally two in the 24 Hours of Le Mans: custommade Le Mans Prototypes (LMP), and Grand Touring (GT) cars that more closely resemble street versions of sports cars. The race, especially the top-notch LMP1 class, has often served as an international stage on which sports-car marques establish their superiority. None has done so more than Porsche, which has competed every year since 1951 and has amassed 16 overall wins and 100 class victories. Porsche’s notable LMP1 wins include its first in 1970, with German driver Hans Herrmann and Britain’s Richard Attwood. It retained its throne the following year, while Jacky Ickx gave Porsche consecutive victories in 1976 and 1977, and again in 1981 and 1982. In a short span of time, the Stuttgart car-maker rose and dominated the ’80s. Its last LMP1 win and entry was in 1998; from 1999 onwards, Porsche focussed on the GT and LMP2 classes. In the 16 years that have passed since Porsche’s last LMP1 race, Audi — its stablemate under the Volkswagen Group — has dominated the category by winning 12 times, most recently clinching the 2013 WEC title. About the same time Audi was making its all-important Le Mans win in June last year, though, Porsche was already testing a new car that would mark its comeback to the premier LMP1 class, and to the WEC. This means that in June this year, the two Volkswagen brands — which have arguably had the two most legendary runs in the history of the race — will go neck to neck for the first time. 2014 Race The 2014 LMP1 rules focus on efficiency and require the use of the latest hybrid-drive technology in order to limit fuel consumption. Porsche’s response is the 919 Hybrid, which runs on an extremely compact and high-powered, 2-litre, fourcylinder engine with direct injection supported by two energy recovery systems — one that recuperates energy when braking and aids acceleration, and another that recovers exhaust energy for highest possible efficiency. Audi, meanwhile, has the R18 E-tron Quattro, powered by a 4-litre turbocharged V6 diesel engine paired with a flywheel hybrid system. Another top contender is Toyota’s TS040 Hybrid, which runs on a hybrid system with a 3.7-litre V8 petrol engine. >> JETGALA

luxe The Porsche LMP1’s first on the Porsche test track in Weissach in June 2013 Former Formula One star Mark Webber during the Porsche LMP1 testing Audi celebrates its win during the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans Image by Michel Jamin

Porsche has competed every year since 1951 and has amassed 16 overall wins and 102 class victories

>> Matthias Müller, chairman of the board at Porsche, underlines the benefits of the LMP1 high-tech race car: “In designing the new LMP1 car our engineers started with a clean slate and were able to apply new technologies within the framework of the technical regulations that will also benefit customers of our road-going vehicles in the future — after all, there is a race car in every Porsche.” The car has been tested by its four drivers for this year’s race: Timo Bernhard, who trained under the brand’s in-house youth development programme when he was 18, Romain Dumas, Neel Jani and former Formula One star Mark Webber. “After 16 years, we once again want to be a works team in the top category with the LMP1in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014. It is also our aim to contest the entire WEC season,” said Wolfgang Hatz, board member for research and development at Porsche, during the rollout of the 919 Hybrid in June last year. “Porsche’s legacy of success in longdistances races really spurs us on, but also increases the level of expectation placed on us. However, we are happy to rise to this challenge.” 74

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luxe Black ceramic in place of rubber for the crown and pushpieces creates a more contemporary look, while a 22k gold oscillating mass is made visible through a sapphire caseback

THE ICONOCLAST AUDEMARS PIGUET by Charmaine Tay

Celebrating the deep roots of the Royal Oak More than just a shape, the Royal Oak’s octagonal bezel is an icon near and dear to the heart of watch manufacture Audemars Piguet. Designed by renowned wristwatch designer Charles Gérald Genta in 1972, it was at first deemed uncharacteristic of the brand and therefore quite revolutionary. But not only did the Royal Oak find a niche, it created one — that of the luxury sports watch in steel. It has since inspired a range of creations, including the Royal Oak Offshore, which was launched in 1993 and was the largest watch of its time — again breaking conventions. But while it has proven that bigger can be better, the devil should still be found in the details. Reinterpretations of the watch have included new case materials such as cermet, titanium, PVD coating and forged carbon — an AP innovation. Earlier this year at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, the brand revealed six new editions of the Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph. Each features a 42-mm dial diameter and comes in either 18k pink gold or stainless steel. There is a colour scheme for every personality and occasion: a royal blue variant, Ref. 26470ST.00.A027CA.01, draws sportsmen with fresh tinges of orange; the monochrome Ref. 26470ST.00.A104CR.01 offers understatement; while the Ref. 26470ST.00.A801CR.01 makes a great accessory on a wild game hunt with its ivory-toned dial and brown accents.

There is a new Offshore Chronograph for every personality and occasion

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FUTURE FEATS

BASELWORLD 2014 by Carol Lee

Watchmakers present increasingly unique and diverse wrist wonders at Baselworld 2014

Baselworld 2014 continued the iconic show’s history of pushing the boundaries of watchmaking, as manufactures showcased their horological prowess. Recordbreaking feats, technical innovations and ethically conscious timepieces paid homage to tradition, and at the same time revealed a glimpse of the industry’s future. We present our pick of this year’s novelties, from the world’s thinnest tourbillon movement to sophisticated renderings of grand complications.

Blancpain Villeret Carrousel Moon Phase Blancpain’s latest model in the Villeret collection combines two of its most iconic complications for the first time — the carrousel and the moon phase. These mechanisms, as well as a date-display, are powered by the new Blancpain 225L movement that is equipped with silicon balance-spring technology and endowed with a five-day power reserve. They are set opposite each other against a cambered grand feu enamel dial and housed in a 42-mm double-stepped gold or platinum case.

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Breguet Classique Tourbillon Quantième Perpétuel 3795 The 3795 is the skeletonised version of the 3797 perpetual calendar model and reveals the complex manually wound movement powering the mechanism. This grand complication features a large oneminute tourbillon at six o’clock, retrograde date at 12 o’clock, and sub-dials for day and month. The hour-and-minute sub-dial on sapphire glass has been lifted to the foreground for more prominence, while lace-like engravings on the bridges add to its sophistication. The watch comes in a platinum or rose-gold case with 50 hours of power reserve.

Breguet Classique Tourbillon QP 3797

BaselWorld 2014 continued the iconic show’s history of pushing the boundaries of watchmaking

Bulgari Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Bulgari sets the record for the world’s thinnest tourbillon movement with the Octo Finissimo Tourbillon. Measuring only 1.95-mm thick, the hand-wound flying tourbillon uses ball bearings for moving parts and eliminates the regulator assembly. Timing is now adjusted directly on the balance wheel. All 249 components are packed in a 5-mm thin watch yielding 55 hours of power reserve. Time is displayed simply on a black lacquered dial in a 40-mm platinum case.

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Chopard L.U.C TOURBILLON QUALITÉ FLEURIER FAIRMINED The term ‘Fairmined’ guarantees that gold was mined responsibly and the miners received fair payment and an overall premium. In a commitment to sustainable and ethical luxury, Chopard has made the L.U.C Tourbillon Qualité Fleurier Fairmined, the world’s first watch using Fairmined gold. Limited to 25 pieces, it comes in a rose-gold case and features a hand-wound tourbillon, sunburst satinbrushed ruthenium dial, and powerreserve indicator at 12 o’clock.

Christophe Claret Maestoso The traditional pivoted detent escapement, once regarded as the “quintessence of chronometric precision”, is typically sensitive to shocks and hence not used in wristwatches. Now it can be found in the Maestoso, a watch that was entirely designed, manufactured and assembled in Manufacture Claret’s workshops. It boasts three patents, is endowed with constant force for stable energy and amplitude, and has two mainspring barrels providing more than 80 hours of power reserve.

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De Bethune DB29 Maxichrono Tourbillon Seven years in the making, the DB29 boasts several innovations, including a patented chronograph invention with three different types of clutch that help reduce friction of the movement. Instead of sub-dials, five central hands are used to help the wearer read the chronograph indications. The mono-pusher chronograph also features a double caseback that opens at the push of a button to reveal the 30-second tourbillion movement, which fits in a 46-mm rose-gold case.

Girard-Perregaux Tri-Axial Tourbillon Girard-Perregauxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest timepiece features a tourbillon operating on not one or two, but three axes of rotation. Because of its triple cage, the tourbillon floats in a domed sapphire crystal that protrudes from the watchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 48-mm pink-gold case. The transparent caseback and sapphire crystal integrated at the side of the case reveal more of the movement from other angles. At half past one is the dial itself, which leads to a curved time-reserve indicator.

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Glashütte Original Senator Chronograph Panorama Date This timepiece features the new Calibre 37-01 chronograph movement designed and hand-crafted entirely in the brand’s own manufactory. It integrates the central stop seconds hand, 30-minute and 12-hour counters with flyback mechanism, small seconds counter with power-reserve indicator, and Panorama Date display. The red-gold version has a lacquered, silver-grained dial, while the platinum model features a laser-engraved, black tachometric scale on a hand-finished silver dial.

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Paillonnée Jaquet Droz revisits the art of paillonné enamelling, which involves applying layers of translucent enamel over paillons — tiny pieces of gold or silver that, in this collection, have been set by hand on an azure grand feu-enamelled dial decorated with a sunburst guilloché. This technique is shown in the 43-mm Grande Seconde Paillonnée, which takes its name from an oversized seconds sub-dial below an off-centred hours and minutes sub-dial. The Jaquet Droz 2663 self-winding mechanical movement, boasting 68 hours of power reserve, is encased in 18k red gold, which is matched by red-gold chapter rings on the dial and a red-gold buckle on the strap. Only eight units of the watch will be made.

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Record-breaking feats, technical innovations and ethically conscious timepieces reveal a glimpse of the industry’s future

Patek Philippe Grand Complications 5271P-001 The Grand Complications 5271P-001 is powered by the manually wound Caliber CH 29-535 PS Q. It features a chronograph with instantaneous 30-minute counter, perpetual calendar, tachymetre scale, date sub-dial with moon phase, seconds sub-dial at nine o’clock, and day and month indicators. The 41-mm platinum watch has 58 baguette diamonds set on its bezel and lugs, a black lacquered dial, and one diamond at 12 o’clock.

Ulysse Nardin Imperial Blue This musical timepiece sports an 18k whitegold case, transparent mainplate on which floats a flying tourbillon, and a blue-tinged sapphire bridge. But the highlight of the timepiece is the Grand Sonnerie Westminster Carillon, which chimes four notes for every passing hour, and sounds the hours, quarterhours and minutes on demand. Twin barrels power the Sonnerie and the movement, which has 50 hours of power reserve. Only 20 pieces will be produced.

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RISING Star

ROGER DUBUIS by Charmaine Tai

A contemporary homage to traditional watchmaking

In an industry that dates back centuries, it takes a lot of courage — and as many agree, a stroke of brilliance — to not only challenge accepted styles and techniques, but to successfully push boundaries in the process. This is the story of Roger Dubuis, whose designs blend and balance tradition with the ultra avant-garde. Together with Carlos Dias, a watch designer who had worked with Franck Muller, watchmaker Roger Dubuis launched an atelier that later became the Manufacture Roger Dubuis. Only 19 years have passed — a short period of time in horology, considering the first watch was produced in the 16th century — but Roger Dubuis has since risen to be alongside notable Swiss watch manufactures, and has distinguished itself by aiming to receive the Geneva Seal on all of its watches. The brand’s collections include the dynamic Excalibur, the power-charged Pulsion, and the soft but bold Velvet. While these collections represent technical creativity and innovation, the brand has chosen to honour Mr. Dubuis himself this year. Flying Tourbillon in pink gold, Tribute to Mr Roger Dubuis reinterprets the Flying Tourbillon with large date that was released in 2003. While the watch retains its predecessor’s hallmarks: a flying tourbillon, a large date-display and a power-reserve window, the key difference is in the absence of diamonds on the bezel. Stripped to its bare minimum, the bi-coloured dial — alternating between white lacquer and pink gold — provides ample breathing space for the Roman numerals in the background. At just 5.70 mm-thin, the neoclassical timepiece reinforces the brand’s status as a tourbillon specialist that produces only the mechanism’s most complicated version: flying tourbillons. A perfect mix, indeed, of tradition and the avant-garde. 84

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The updated timepiece retains essential features: a date display, tourbillon, and a power-reserve window. It was launched at Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie 2014

THE HAUTE HORLOGERIE EXHIBITION IN ASIA 30 SEPTEMBER - 2 OCTOBER 2014 HKCEC - Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

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STREET VENOM NAHR S1

by He Ruiming

The higher end of the hot rod — reinvented

Inspired by the Lotus Super Seven, each NAHR S1 is hand-built and tailor-made to an individual’s desires and preferences

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When Angelo Coffie first saw a Lotus Super Seven in his teens, he was immediately drawn to the simplicity of the car, and grew up wanting to create something similar yet updated for the future. He began sketching a design in 2007, and today the dream is alive and well. His creation, the NAHR S1, is drawing crowds at car shows in Europe. Given Coffie’s long-standing love affair with hot rods — vintage cars retrofitted with today’s booming engines — it comes as no surprise that the NAHR (which stands for New Age Hot Rod) S1 is best described as the lovechild of a BMW Z5 and a Lotus Super Seven. A car upholsterer by day and engineer by night, Coffie has successfully merged rustic looks with modern-day engineering; timeless design with presentday materials. The heart of the vehicle is a four-cylinder Honda Fireblade engine, capable of some 158 bhp — or 225 bhp if you opt for a supercharged version. Granted, these figures may not be the holy grail among sports cars, but consider that the S1 weighs a mere 536 kilograms, and it all starts to make sense. The result is a power-to-weight ratio of 294 bhp (419.8 bhp supercharged) per ton, which will see the vehicle sprint from zero to 100 km in 4.2 seconds, with a top speed of 214 km/h. One even has the option of making the body lighter, switching from the standard aluminium and fibreglass to full carbon fibre or full aluminium. More compelling, though, is the S1’s physique. The 3.65metre body hugs the floor alongside 17-inch wheels, giving it a coiled, almost venomous appearance. With its retro bar-grille and round headlights, you’ll be forgiven for thinking it is yet another Super Seven hot rod, modified for 2014. Yet the flanks prove otherwise, bearing undeniably modern air intakes, front wings and side exhausts. A silver spine accompanied by eight shiny circles drips down the hood — a subtle hint of the S1’s potency on the street. The soft top emulates the ridged shell of a snapping turtle. If the vehicle’s exterior is svelte, then you cannot fault its interior for being rather spartan. It is purely intentional. Coffie says that one of NAHR’s principles is to rethink lightweight cars — distilling a pleasurable driving experience without the bane of electronic devices. In line with this ideology, the S1 has kept only the bare essentials, save for a six-speaker sound system with amplifiers. After all, when you’re seated in the cockpit and punched into the driver’s seat, pedal to the

floor, an extra screen or two will be the least of your concerns. Wood, leather, chrome and suede finishings complete the retro feel. What really sets NAHR apart, however, is neither its looks nor its features. The true pleasure in owning an S1 is that each is hand-built and tailor-made to an individual’s desires and preferences. “I create every NAHR specific to its owner... so whether he or she would like to make the NAHR naughty, good or brave, it will be just that,” says Coffie. In short, no two S1s are the same. Coffie is currently working on a new model, the S1R, on which he says he is pushing the boundaries. He is exploring the use of materials like carbon aluminium, titanium, magnesium and gold to keep the weight down and the speed up. His goal? It all boils down to his teenage dream: “To make the most sophisticated Super Seven-inspired roadster on the planet.”

OF SUPER SEVENS & LOCOSTS The S1 is hardly the first car to be inspired by the Lotus Seven, which first rolled out in 1957. Official production ended in 1973, but today it still has its fans. Whereas NAHR deviates significantly from the Seven’s original appearance, other cars such as the Caterham Seven, Westfield Sport and Birkin’s S3 Roadster are more religious. Homemade variants called Locosts — a probable a pun on ‘low-cost Lotus’ — have quite a following in the United Kingdom.

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POST LUXURY

EMILIE GRENIER by Jennifer Henricus

An artist proposes a new rationale for luxury

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With a green silk-chiffon boiler suit, Grenier transforms mining into a unique movement

To extract feldspar, Grenier used tools made from industrially extruded brass Grenier uses a common material to create post-luxurian artefacts

London and Montreal artist Emilie Grenier redefines rarity by emphasising an object’s meaning, provenance and creation rather than the scarcity of materials used. In her provocative Disquiet Luxurians project, she transforms “an otherwise meaningless rock” — feldspar, which comprises 60 per cent of the Earth’s crust and is the world’s most common mineral — into a series of post-luxurian artefacts. She convinced Londonbased Holts Gems, which typically works only with the rarest and most precious gems, to fashion the stone objects. “They were completely aghast when I arrived with my nasty lump of feldspar, but they went along with it and their input nourished my design for the pieces,” says Grenier. The project stemmed from her enthusiasm for narrative design, which leads her to look for “extreme ways to tell a story, always attempting to confront old media and new techniques”. Such passion was nurtured by her family in Montreal, particularly her father, a filmmaker, who encouraged her to look at the world as if she was tasked with directing it. In Grenier’s alternative luxury proposal, the tools and the miner’s boiler suit become the centrepieces of opulence that add value to the commonplace mineral. The feldspar is mined using glitzy tools — three chisels with square, hexagonal and oval cuttingheads, plus a hexagonal block for hammering the end of each tool into the rock — all fashioned from brass through silver-smithing techniques. The preciousness of the implements is enhanced by the fact that one set can produce large quantities of stone for jewellery. >>

Grenier designed a delicate green silk boiler suit to restrict the miner’s movements when extracting feldspar

OPPOSITE PAG n E couraged by her filmmaker father, Grenier uses art to tell stories

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luxe Tech Eclectic “I just love the idea of experimental jewels and the incorporation of technology and craft into the design,” says artist Emilie Grenier. Among her other designs is a solar, photovoltaic-cell necklace that generates energy, which highlights her view that energy is “future gold”. Another collection responds to global sustainability concerns by proposing to use magnet wire as weaving material.

The collection’s cocktail rings tell the story of women who wore their fine jewels only to the fanciest parties >> Grenier designed a delicate green silk boiler suit to restrict the miner’s movements when extracting feldspar. “I chose silk chiffon because it is probably the worst material to use for utility clothing. The idea was to transform the act of mining from a [laborious] monotonous task into a unique choreography between the miner and nature — a strategy that instantly adds value to common feldspar,” says Grenier. Through the collection’s cocktail rings, she tells the story of women who, during the Art Deco period, wore their fine jewels only to the fanciest parties, while the rest of the time the jewels hibernated in beautiful vanity cases. In Disquiet Luxurians, Grenier makes the vanity case an important part of the collection: it is composed of a rougher cut of the stone, highlighting both its provenance and the lapidary’s craft. Disquiet Luxurians was part of Grenier’s Masters’ programme in Textile Futures at Central Saint Martins College of Arts & Design in London and was curated by Tom Dixon for MOST Salone in Milan. It has since been shown in London at the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Barbican, and the London Design Festival, as well as during Dutch Design Week as part of the Material Narratives exhibition. Grenier recently moved back to Montreal after a long stint in London and is now developing a travelling studio that will allow her to work wherever she fancies. She says: “I am looking to Montreal and its artisans for inspiration and collaborative initiative... to fulfil my quest to challenge accepted notions while striving for uniqueness and emotion.” 90

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A feldspar ring recalls a time when precious jewellery was kept in vanity cases All images by Tristan Thomson

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smart stealth

BLACKPHONE by Diana A. Uy

The advent of the consumer ‘cryptophone’

Recent events have brought new fears about the security of Internet access through individual smartphones. SGP Technologies, a company created by Washington-based Silent Circle and Spain-based Geeksphone, aims to change this with Blackphone, built to place “privacy and control directly in the hands of its users”. Launched during the 2014 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Blackphone features tools and apps that help protect clients’ text messages, voice and video calls, photos and online activities from the prying eyes of peers, media and commercial establishments. Toby Weir-Jones, Blackphone chief product officer, says: “The functionality offered by Blackphone allows you to speak to your broker, or your estate manager, or your personal attorney, safe in the knowledge that your conversation will remain private. And you can make plans with your family or your personal assistant without any risk of those arrangements leaking out to the press, the paparazzi, or your rivals.” Blackphone uses apps developed by Silent Circle — Silent Phone, Silent Text and Silent Contacts — that encrypt phone calls and text messages, which in turn can be decrypted only by the intended recipient. “Nobody else has the keys. The calls are treated as data moving across the network rather than traditional GSM phone calls,” adds Weir-Jones. This means that even though Blackphone may be used with any mobile network, the network operator will 92

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not be able to store data such as phone numbers, call times and call durations. Blackphone’s default search provider is Disconnect, which allows anonymous or private browsing on the Internet and also secures one’s WiFi connection. SpiderOak provides secure cloud file storage for users of the device. Both come with an encryption layer that ensures that only the user has knowledge of his activities. “Only you have the ability to start or finish those communications using your own private security keys,” says Weir-Jones. Blackphone also comes with the Smarter WiFi Manager from Kismet, which identifies one’s safe locations like the home and office, and turns the WiFi off in environments deemed unsafe. Meanwhile, the Blackphone Security Center lets the user choose application permissions, instead of being forced to accept all as on most Android phones. In case of theft, one can use the powerful remote-wipe and device-recovery tool. All this sounds like a lot of tweaking, but it only takes less than five minutes to configure the device’s privacy and security tools. Weir-Jones says that the Blackphone hardware will be the same in every market — including a 2GHz quad-core system-on-chip, 4.7-inch screen, LTE, 2GB of RAM, 8MP primary camera with flash, and GPS, among others. The company is exploring options for different covers, cases and accessories to allow users to personalise their Blackphone.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Speak to your broker, estate manager or personal attorney, safe in the knowledge that your conversation will remain privateâ&#x20AC;?

Blackphone users utilise apps developed by Silent Circle, including Silent Phone, Silent Text and Silent Contacts

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RAINBOW’ S end

After two decades, Jetgala’s Publisher revisits the island where nature and ultra luxury walk hand-in-hand

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The Jungle Reserve villa offers a four-bedroom getaway with a private pool OPPOSITE Apart from enjoying a private outdoor dining experience, guests can stargaze on the island, free from other lights Image by Herbert Ypma

SONEVA FUSHI by Rainer Sigel

It is said that ideas are worthless, their value found only in successful execution. If anything, the Maldivian island where I am writing this from is ample proof of that. Soneva Fushi is the dreamchild of two remarkable visionaries — Sonu Shivdasani, the Eton-educated scion of a London-based merchant and banker clan, and his Swedish wife Eva. Some time in the early 1990s, they embarked on a remarkable — some then predicted, unrealistic — quest to create a place where sustainable luxury and ecological recreation not only co-exist, but thrive together. I was lucky enough to be one of the first handful of guests at the resort’s soft opening in 1995. And now, two decades later, I am walking barefoot through dense tropical foliage on an island literally like no other on our planet. It is not an easy place to get to. In 1995, Sonu, his then CEO, two other guests and I had to take a former military Russian helicopter with a Bulgarian crew to reach the island. Neither aspect raised confidence levels — but we did arrive, and returned safely. Nowadays, the transfer from Malé airport to Soneva Fushi is much safer and faster. A fleet of 45 commercially operated de Havilland Canada DH-6 Twin Otter seaplanes whisk visitors to, from and in between the necklace of islands that make up the Maldives. Upon landing near the island, the plane docks on a floating pontoon from where you and your bags are brought to the island’s jetty by speedboat. >> JETGALA

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The three-bedroom Crusoe Suite with Pool features separate lounging and sleeping areas

OPPOSITE Villa One's expansive outdoor seating area makes it perfect for larger groups Sunrise Retreat offers three bungalows, each two storeys high, with an elongated pool that leads right to the beach

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In 1995, we had to take a former military Russian helicopter with a Bulgarian crew to reach the island. Nowadays, the transfer is much safer and faster >> The ‘Escape To Soneva Fushi’ experience starts upon boarding the boat. With a big smile and the words “No News, No Shoes”, you will be asked to remove your footwear which is then bagged and returned to you — cleaned, of course — upon departure. As you step off the boat, your personal host will warmly and discreetly welcome you. In line with Soneva Fushi’s ‘Robinson Crusoe meets Armani’ theme, these hosts are all called — what else — Mr. or Ms. Friday. Sounds clichéd at first, but after an hour or so it starts making total sense. Your bags are at the villa and your island getaway starts. The resort now offers 55 villas of 17 different sizes and layouts, plus several private residences up to a staggering nine bedrooms. All are built from renewable and natural materials, are available for rental or even purchase, and are fully serviced by all aspects of the superb hospitality operation. One moves around this island — the Maldives’ largest tourism island — by bicycle, which again appears a bit strange at first, but within minutes feels totally right. For those in real need, chauffeured golf buggies are on call 24/7. This being the Maldives, one key aspect of activity is the spectacular scuba diving around the neighbouring islands of the Baa Atoll, the Maldives’ only UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. Diving is operated on the highest professional level by Swiss-owned Soleni Dive Centre, and offers all PADI courses in several languages, including Russian, German and French. Another key attraction is the island’s spa, operated by Six Senses. It is a class act and offers a wide variety of what they call ‘Slow Life Treatments’, and even classes. The spa has eight therapists from several countries, and is a gem hidden in the >> JETGALA

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>> dense foliage of the island. Other activities include an overnight stay in a luxury tent on a nearby elevated sandbank, or eco walks with an informative visit to the organic vegetable garden, or a stop at the Eco Centro to learn how waste is turned into wealth. You can stargaze at the island’s observatory, or watch movies at the open-air cinema on what used to be the island’s helipad. Now to what I personally saw as the highlight — Soneva Fushi’s incredible food and beverage operations. One has to remember where the island is located — quite literally at the very end of a long journey to the middle of the Indian Ocean. Yet, the culinary team performs miracles. Breakfast alone is mind-blowing, with just about anything under the sun available, including Ayurvedic tonics, fruit-juice ‘shooters’, a cheese and chilled Charcuterie room with a selection that would put any restaurant in France to shame. And then there is the indulgence of all indulgences — a chilled Chocolate Room, open to guests all day and night. The mind boggles. There are several F&B outlets located throughout the island, starting with the top-level Nine. It derives its name from nine different methods of cooking conducted at its open-air kitchen, including steaming, poaching, roasting, braising, baking, grilling, stir-frying, pot-cooking and pit-cooking. A degustation menu is on offer, along with an international à la carte menu. Special mention goes to food presentation, which is at Michelin-rated level and represents an astonishing level of creativity. Next comes the Fresh in the Garden restaurant, rising above the resort’s organic herb and vegetable garden and with a 98

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One moves around this island by bicycle — which appears a bit strange at first, but within minutes feels totally right spectacular rope-bridge entrance. The open kitchen uses products from around the Baa Atoll and offers a modern Maldivian menu and Mediterranean-inspired specialities. Other dining and beverage options are the open-air Mihiree Mitha breakfast and lunch restaurant, the relaxed and elegant So Spiritual Bar, the more remote By the Beach outlet, and the Bar(a) Bara, built on stilts over water and the perfect place to contemplate the sunset. In-villa dining is available, as is dining on a nearby sandbank or on a quiet end of the beach — and even wine tasting at the wine cellar several times per week with its astonishing selection. Dreams always end in wake-up calls, sometimes harsh ones. Sonu’s dream, though, keeps resonating throughout the world, as the resort has garnered just about any relevant award available. Reservations and operations are flawless, as is expected for such a unique and iconic destination. And the philosophy of sustainability and living in harmony with nature realised here gives hope for others to follow or at least be inspired. And that is surely a beautiful thing. Like a shimmering rainbow.

A playground for imaginations, guests can enjoy interrupted views of the sunset By the Beach serves both Japanese- and Korean-inspired dishes

OPPOSITE Sit back and relax on a hammock above open waters while watching playful dolphins swim by at Bar(a) Bara

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Photography by Nick Leary Text by Charmaine Tay

MUTED MAGIC In a world that is sometimes amplified out of proportion through an assault of colours — technicolor, neon, pantone, you name it — sometimes all you need is to go back to basics and appreciate the subtler shades. Take for instance Sydney-born fashion and portrait photographer Nick Leary, who uses clean and nearly neutral colours for a photoshoot at a Six Senses resort in Vietnam. The shoot, styled by Thelma McQuillan, is nearly monochromatic; but every now and then, a fresh tinge of orange — be it the model’s eyeshadow, or a decorative accent on a dress — catches the camera’s eye. And perhaps it was a blessing, after all, that a heavy tropical rain preceded the shoot, for the natural surroundings formed a background of muted blue, green, brown and grey, as if washed out by a post-storm mist. Leary, who describes his style as “a combination of minimal, modern-world glamour and classic, old-world charm”, first picked up photography as a hobby, working alongside other photographers and picking up tips along the way. While he focusses on commercial photography, he has also ventured into fine-art photography, which he says allows him to “express his style without limitations”. His latest fine-art work, the Wild Brumbies of Australia collection, will be exhibited in Los Angeles and London later this year. www.nickleary.com | www.nicklearycollections.com

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;My style is a combination of minimal, modern-world glamour and classic, old-world charmâ&#x20AC;?

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“THE WEATHER WAS CRAZY! THERE WAS A TROPICAL RAINSTORM FOR HALF OF THE DAY, SO WE HAD TO SHOOT QUICKLY WHEN THE RAIN STOPPED” 102

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“We wanted clean lines with simple backgrounds, keeping it quite white and almost monochromatic”

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“THESE WERE THE COLOURS OF THE SEASON AND THE MESSAGE WAS ALL ABOUT KEEPING THINGS VERY SIMPLE, CLEAN AND FRESH”

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airbornereview ABACE 2014

EYES ON ASIA by Charmaine Tay

The triumphs of ABACE 2014

With the constant sound of aircraft departing from Hongqiao International Airport, no one attending this year’s Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE) could doubt the vitality of China’s aviation industry. Held in partnership with the Shanghai Airport Authority (SAA) and co-hosted by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), Asian Business Aviation Association and the Shanghai Exhibition Center, the show took place from 15 to 17 April at the Shanghai Hawker Pacific Business Aviation Service Centre, Hongqiao International Airport. NBAA and SAA have extended their current five-year partnership to 10 years, confirming the Hawker Pacific facility as its home till 2021. The media and public had been eager to see if ABACE 2014 would live up to last year’s record-breaking performance, and the numbers are affirmative. The show drew 187 exhibitors, an almost 20 per cent increase from 2012; the static display comprised 38 aircraft, including — for the first time — piston aeroplanes. Like an omen of good things to come, Gulfstream’s G280 set new speed records en route to the show: flying from Friedrichshafen Airport in Germany to Dubai International Airport in five hours and 49 minutes, and from Dubai to Hong Kong International Airport in seven hours and seven minutes.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Airbus’ ACJ319 Elegance Boeing Business Jets’ chalet Embraer signs a MoU with Premiair/P.T. Wira Jasa Angkasa The Gulfstream G280

Forging Bonds Metrojet was appointed to manage and maintain the first Gulfstream G650 in Hong Kong, as well as to become the first Embraer Legacy 500 authorised service centre in Greater China. The operator currently services the Lineage 1000E, Legacy 650 and Legacy 600 and operates three Embraer aircraft. Embraer also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with P.T. Wira Jasa Angkasa, a subsidiary of Premiair, appointing the company as a limited authorised service centre for the Legacy 600 and 650 in Indonesia. Skyplan Services and China-based Oriental Sky Aviation (OSA), which exhibited together for the first time at ABACE, signed an agreement allowing Skyplan to offer ground support through OSA. OSA, in turn, will act as a General Sales and Service Agent operation on behalf of Skyplan in China. Nextant Aerospace appointed AVIC International Aero-Development as its exclusive sales representative for Greater China, with the latter expecting to take delivery of its first 400XTi by the end of 2014. Buyer’s Guide One of China’s largest business jet financing companies, Minsheng Financial Leasing, held a signing ceremony with Gulfstream Aerospace Corp for a 2013 order for 60 business jets, including the G280, G450, G550 and

G650. Minsheng was also confirmed as the buyer of 10 Bombardier Challenger 350s, the order for which was announced late last year. Aerochine Aviation, representing Bell helicopters in Greater China, signed a deal for five new Bell 505 Jet Ranger X helicopters, three of which will be used for sightseeing and tourism operations. Beijing-based operator Mandarin Air announced that it would accept delivery of a G280 in late April — the first of the model to be delivered to the Chinese market. Gulfstream also celebrated its March 2014 delivery of Mandarin Air’s G550. New Releases Textron Aviation went full force with a range of aircraft on static display, including Cessna’s Citation Sovereign+ and Beechcraft’s Baron and Bonanza. Airbus launched a new version of the ACJ319, the ACJ319 Elegance, which retains the original airframe but offers a wide range of lounge, office, dining and conference modules. Outfitting will be carried out at Airbus’ Corporate Jet Centre subsidiary in Toulouse, France. A customer took ownership of a Pilatus PC-12NG formerly owned by the Sauber Formula One team, which was on display at the show still sporting the team’s livery. It is the first Chinese-owned PC-12. Yunnan Ruifeng General Aviation took delivery of a Citation Mustang and will add a second to its fleet later this year. They will be the first Mustangs to be used for charter operations in China. Up And Away The next ABACE will be held from 14 to 16 April, 2015. JETGALA

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AIRBORNE FLY BY NIGHT 2014 by Charmaine Tai

FLY BY NIGHT

When aviation’s and luxury’s bests come together

Two years ago, the Jetgala team hosted an exclusive event during the Singapore Airshow. Held at the luxurious Pangaea ultra lounge at The Shoppes @ Marina Bay Sands, Fly By Night brought together guests from the aviation and luxury industries for a night of mingling and networking in a relaxed environment. This year was no different. On 12 February, the second night of the Singapore Airshow 2014, the Jetgala and Solitaire teams welcomed over 200 friends from the two industries through the doors of Pangaea. After ‘checking in’ with their personalised boarding passes, guests strutted down the red carpet and gamely posed for photos with the glamorous ‘cabin crew’. They then proceeded along a ‘runway’ that led to a model of an Embraer Lineage 1000E. A continuous flow of drinks ensured that no glass ran dry.

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Senso Ristorante & Bar served a fine fare of savoury canapés, including scallops, smoked salmon and parma ham breadsticks. French crystal-maker Daum, luxury tableware brand Haviland, and watch manufacture Roger Dubuis added a fine touch to the lively atmosphere by displaying some of their finest pieces. The night would not have been complete without speeches from its ‘captains’ — Jenn Choo, regional brand manager for Daum and Haviland; Jose Eduardo Costas, vice president of market intelligence for Embraer Executive Jets; and Rainer Sigel, publisher of both Jetgala and Solitaire magazines. We thank everyone who joined us at Fly By Night and look forward to seeing you again at the next Singapore Airshow.

After ‘checking in’ with their personalised boarding passes, guests gamely posed for photos with glamorous ‘cabin crew’

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airbornereview SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2014

high hopes by Charmaine Tay

A dynamic era for Asia-Pacific aviation

Image courtesy of Nextant Aerospace

The Singapore Airshow returned for its fourth edition from 11-16 February this year, and boasted more than 1,000 exhibitors — including a majority of the world’s top 100 aerospace companies — from 47 countries. At the end of the second day, Oriental Publishing hosted its exclusive Fly By Night event (see page 110) for its partners in aviation and luxury. At the show itself, nearly 146,000 visitors from 72 countries had the chance to see flying displays, aerobatic performances, and static displays ranging from smaller aircraft like Nextant Aerospace’s 400X Ti to heavyweights like Dassault Falcon’s 7X.

All images courtesy of Experia Events unless otherwise stated

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New & Fresh Embraer’s latest business jet, the Lineage 1000E, made its Asian debut at the show. An improved version of the Lineage 1000, the 1000E boasts a longer range of 4,600 nm at Mach 0.78, a completely digital CMS package from Honeywell, and a redesigned interior. The Airbus A350 XWB also made its first full international debut and joined the flying display. Qatar Airways, which has recently ventured into air-charter operations, displayed its Boeing 787 airliner. >>

THE FINE ART OF JEWELLERY

WWW.SOLITAIREMAGAZINE.COM

The most recognised magazine title read and collected by jewellery connoisseurs throughout the Asia Pacific

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Breaking Ground ST Aerospace continued to expand its diversified portfolio with a new 246,000-square-foot facility for businessjet maintenance, VIP air charter, and air ambulance services, among others. Bombardier marked its presence in Singapore with a new 47,000-square-foot MRO facility, while Jet Aviation added a new hangar next to its existing hangar and FBO at Seletar Airport. The new facility comes with an adjustable 24-metre roof and a 5,000-squaremetre floor area, tripling Jet Aviation Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current capabilities and housing up to five Gulfstream G650s. P.T. ExecuJet Indonesia, a joint venture between ExecuJet Aviation Group and majority owner P.T. Dimitri Utama Abadi, announced plans to move into a new facility at Bali International Airport in the coming months. The opening of a new China MRO facility in Tianjin is also in the books.

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Clear Skies Ahead The first four days of the show saw deals totalling USD32 billion. Bombardier hopes to gain momentum and forecasts that the Asia Pacific will see approximately 1,000 business-jet deliveries over the next 20 years, having seen 180 deliveries and 305 orders last year. Around 115 of Bombardierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Learjet, Challenger and Global business jets operate in the region. Gulfstream Aerospace has enjoyed a surge of its business-jet fleet here over the past six years, and looks to own a large share in the regional market for large-cabin aircraft. Meanwhile, Cessna announced the first Citation CJ4 deliveries to Japan: three aircraft for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Civil Aviation Bureau. The next Singapore Airshow is scheduled for 16-21 February 2016.

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airborneBRIEFING

BUSINESS AVIATION IN BRIEF maximum cruise speed of 460 mph and a range of 1,300 nm; the Grand Caravan EX, which allows for missions in remote and mountainous areas; and the TTx, the world’s fastest certified singleengine fixed-gear aircraft. ST Aerospace secured a collective order of contracts worth SGD460 million in the first quarter of 2014. These Bombardier Aerospace’s Learjet 85

successfully completed its first flight, marking the start of the aircraft’s flight test programme leading up to the first customer delivery. The Flight Test Vehicle 1 was flown by Ed Grabman, assisted by Jim Dwyer and Nick Weyers. The flight, which departed from Wichita-Mid Continent International Airport, lasted approximately two hours and 15 minutes, reaching an altitude of 30,000 ft and an air speed of 287 mph. All flight controls were exercised with the systems and aircraft performing as expected.

range from component and engine maintenance to cabin reconfiguration and engine wash. The company has also entered a two-year agreement to maintain 20 Embraer E-190 aircraft in its San Antonio facility. Apart from that, ST Aerospace signed a contract with Aircalin for C-level checks on three Airbus A320 and A330 aircraft. In the first quarter of the year, ST Aerospace redelivered 249 aircraft for airframe maintenance and modification work.

Cessna Aircraft Company showed its

latest aircraft to the European market at the AERO Friedrichshafen trade show in Germany. The aircraft on display included the Citation M2, which has a 118

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Meridian Air Charter has added a Gulfstream G550 to its fleet with

interiors designed by Thierry W. Despont. The aircraft seats up to 14 passengers and comes with a full galley, LCD monitors, a crew rest area, and an on-board safe and security system.

ExecuJet Aviation Group has partnered

with fellow Swiss aviation provider Vertis Aviation to introduce the first Gulfstream G650 to the European charter market. The Swiss-registered jet

Flying Colours Corp. announced the delivery of its first complete carbonfibre interior reconfiguration of a Bombardier Challenger 850 for a Hong Kong-based client. The predominantly black and grey surfaces are complemented by ebony hardwood veneer accents, white leather upholstery, and contrasting fabrics. The aircraft features a Rockwell Collins Airshow 4000, a telephone system and cabin WiFi.

and a Bombardier Global 6000. The company has also partnered with Hangzhou-based Jinggong Business Aircraft Company and will be allowed to perform commercial flights under Chinese regulations. Services for Chinese clientele include charter sales, aircraft management, and design and completion.

will be delivered to Vertis Aviation AG, and will start flying on ExecuJet’s AOC. The aircraft seats 12 and includes six flat beds for passengers to rest on long-haul flights. It is also equipped with a full communications suite with WiFi connectivity, Apple TVs and Blu-ray players with a special entertainment system offering up to 300 movies.

Global Jet has been seeing steady growth in Greater China and Asia. The Geneva-based private-jet company currently has five Asia-based aircraft for charter, including a Dassault Falcon 7X

Boeing has launched its line of Boeing Business Jets (BBJs) based on its 737 Max, following an order from a customer. The first Max-based BBJ will be delivered without a finished interior in 2018, and will be finished at a completion centre chosen by the customer. The aircraft will have CFM International LEAP-1B turbofans and split-tip winglets, giving the aircraft 14 per cent better fuel efficiency compared to other single-aisle aircraft. Africa’s private jet charter industry has been on a steady growth path, with Embraer estimating that 420 business jets were operating in the continent in 2012, and would rise to more than 600 by 2022. The increasing demand for charter comes as Africa faces tricky issues with runway conditions, and varying services offered by commercial airlines. According to the IATA, intra-Africa passenger numbers increased by 9.4 per cent year-on-year in January 2013, and will continue to grow in the sub-Saharan Africa region. >>

BUSINESS AVIATION IN BRIEF

Embraer delivered its first E175 to SkyWest Inc. in Utah, USA — the first

of 40 E175s to be delivered to the airline. An additional 60 orders may be confirmed, subject to SkyWest being awarded CPA contracts with major USA airline partners. This agreement also includes options for another 100 E175s, bringing the total order up to 200. In a separate deal with Embraer, SkyWest became the launch customer of the E175-E2, ordering 100 aircraft with 100 additional options. Deliveries begin in 2020. In addition, Embraer has delivered the 300th Phenom 100 to a customer in Central Brazil. The aircraft, which saw first delivery in 2008, now operates in more than 25 countries. Private Jet Charter (PJC) has estimated

that the average businessman from the United Arab Emirates flies on a private jet between 100 and 150 hours per year, while those in Saudi Arabia fly from 150 to 200 hours. Compare this to Europe’s businessmen, who fly on private jets between 50 and 100 hours each year. “[Saudi businessmen] tend to fly more on domestic routes by private jet. The availability of commercial options on domestic routes is limited countrywide, so the private-jet option is the most practical solution,” says Hugh Courtenay, founder and chief executive of PJC. Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. delivered its 300th Gulfstream G450 nine years after the aircraft first entered service in May 2005. It has a range of 4,350 nm and a cruise speed of Mach 0.80. The aircraft achieved nine city-pair records, including a seven-hour flight from Centennial Airport in Denver to Honolulu Airport in Oahu.

Embraer Executive Jets opened a new service centre at the Bertram Luiz Leupolz Airport in Sorocaba, Brazil.

The 20,000-sq-m area has two hangars dedicated to MRO of executive jets manufactured by the company, while the other will serve as an FBO to be operated by Universal Aviation. The team will offer aircraft ground support and hangar services to Embraer’s current customers, as well as other business aviation operators flying into Sorocaba. The facility will also fit meeting rooms and lounges for both passengers and crew. Cirrus flew its latest version of the Vision jet on the first of three conforming flight-test aircraft for final production. The aircraft,

flown by chief test pilot Mike Stevens, went through system checks of controllability, manoeuvrability, flight envelope testing and speed performance at an intermediate altitude, among others. Delivery is slated for late next year. Nav Canada has partnered with satellite company Aireon, a subsidiary

of Iridium Communications Inc., to equip a new generation of 66 communication satellites with receivers that will collect signals from aircraft transponders, even while an aircraft is flying over an ocean. This satellite system is expected to be up and running over the North Atlantic by 2018. Dassault is expected to launch a stretched version of its Falcon 7X at

EBACE in May. The newer aircraft will be around one metre longer than the 7X and will have a range of around 6,500 nm. The name and full specifications have yet to be released. The OEM also recently rolled out the 250th Falcon 7X at its Charles Lindbergh Hall in Mérignac near Bordeaux, France. The 7X will fly to the Falcon completion centre in Little Rock, Arkansas, in June and will be delivered to its owner before the end of the year.

Cessna Aircraft Company will be

adding a new aircraft to its line of Cessna CJ series. The new CJ3+ will include a Garmin G3000 avionics suite, a new interior with a redesigned cabin and cockpit, and new pressurisation and diagnostics systems. The aircraft is expected to receive FAA certification during the second half of the year, as well as single-pilot certification. It has a range of up to 1,875 nm and can fly non-stop from Washington DC to Mexico City. It seats a maximum of nine passengers. The 2014 Aviation Summit will see the unveiling of Triton, an aircraft concept that offers passengers panoramic views and luxury accommodations during sightseeing adventures and leisure travel. The concept, developed by Micronautix, comes with two separate cockpits on each side of the pilot, and will hold up to five passengers. It has a wingspan of 42 ft and will be powered by a 450-hp turboprop swinging a large prop at a lower RPM for reduced noise >> and added comfort. jetGALA

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BUSINESS AVIATION IN BRIEF 1000E. In addition, Hawker Pacific has been appointed as a Cessna Caravan Authorised Service Facility in Manila.

The Flaris LAR 1 completed a series of tests — including torsional stiffness of its ailerons, rudder, horizontal stabilizers and the stiffness of its elevator steering mechanism — bringing it closer to its maiden flight. Should it pass all its tests and complete its first flight, the LAR 1 will be the only ultra-light jet with the characteristics of a glider. The take-off mass is just 1,500 kgs (3,306 lbs), making it almost 50 per cent lighter than similar structures. The structure was built using prepregged carbonfibre composites. Bombardier Aerospace has opened a Regional Support Office (RSO) in Toluca, Mexico. The office will offer

support capabilities for Bombardier business aircraft customers throughout Mexico and its surrounding areas. This is the company’s second RSO in Latin America and is located alongside Bombardier’s new business aircraft sales team within the Assertec FBO at the Toluca airport.

Dassault Falcon has seen a surge of interest in Falcon business jets in South-East Asia. It is currently

investing in Asia to better serve its customer base in the region and prepare for future growth. The company will be delivering its first Falcon 2000LXS to a customer in Indonesia later this year. Dassault also partnered with UPS in 2010 to provide an Asia hub for Falcon parts for operators. Meanwhile, it also saw delivery of its first Falcon 2000S in Brazil. Hawker Pacific has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bell Helicopter with the intent to enter into future purchase agreements for various Bell Helicopter models. The multi-aircraft, multi-year agreement was signed by Hawker Pacific CEO Alan Smith and Bell Helicopter president and CEO John Garrison during the 2014 Singapore Airshow. The deal reflects growing demand for Bell Helicopter products in the region.

Nextant has appointed Nextant Pacific Pty Ltd as its exclusive sales representative to spearhead operations in South-East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. The region has seen strong demand for entry-level aircraft, with 173 entry-level jets and 1,246 turboprops currently in operation, many of which are in need of replacement and remanufacturing. To date, two Beechjet fleet operators have committed their fleets for Nextant remanufacturing. 120

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Hawker Pacific has signed a contract

with Embraer Executive Jets to provide full maintenance support to Legacy 500 and Legacy 450 customers in the

Asia Pacific. The approval extends Hawker Pacific’s experience gained on the Embraer Legacy and Phenom families of jets to support Embraer Executive Jet’s complete portfolio, from the Phenom 100E to the Lineage

Gulfstream delivered its 100th aircraft to be equipped with the Gulfstream Cabin Management System (GCMS). The system is a standard feature on the Gulfstream G650 and G280, and an option on the G550 and G450. The GCMS works in conjunction with the Gulfstream Cabin Control app to provide digital control of the cabin’s systems. The app allows passengers to use one device to control an entire fleet of Gulfstream products with different interior systems and options. Cessna Aircraft Company has sold

three Citation CJ4 business jets to Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Civil Aviation Bureau, marking the first ever CJ4 deliveries to Japan. The aircraft will be equipped with flight-inspection systems, as their usage will include confirming the accuracy of air navigation capabilities, air routes and air traffic control facilities. The jets can seat up to eight passengers. ST Aerospace has been appointed an Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) service

centre and will now offer maintenance services for all ACJ aircraft through its facilities and affiliates spanning the Americas, Asia Pacific and Europe. Its VIP completion division, AERIA, has become an approved Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) completion centre. The company has also secured its first green aircraft completion contract for a 737 BBJ. Fly Comlux’s 767BBJ is available for charter after going through a major

mandatory maintenance check. The cabin received significant upgrades and can now accommodate up to 63 passengers in three different sections: VIP quarters, Executive quarters, and an Entourage area. A Swift Broadband Satcom for WiFi and GSM has also been installed in the cabin.

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airborneGLOSSARY

Plane Speak ABSOLUTE ALTITUDE Measurable height of an aircraft above the actual terrain. ABSOLUTE CEILING The maximum altitude above sea level at which an aircraft can maintain level flight under Standard Air conditions. AGL (Above Ground Level) Altitude expressed as feet above terrain or airport elevation (see MSL). AILERONS An aircraft control surface hinged to the rear, outer section of each wing for banking (‘tilting’) the aircraft. AIRCRAFT MANAGEMENT Comprehensive services provided by a management company for an aircraft owner. Details vary. AIRFOIL The shape of any flying surface, but principally a wing, as seen in side-view (cross section). AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE Official notification to aircraft owners/operators of a known safety issue with a particular model of aircraft. ALTIMETER A highly sensitive barometer that shows an aircraft’s altitude above mean sea level by measuring atmospheric pressure. ANGLE OF ATTACK The angle between the airfoil’s chord line and the direction in which the aircraft is currently moving. AOG (Aircraft on Ground) Aircraft unfit to fly, in need of repair. Owner’s worst nightmare. APPROACH (DEPARTURE) CONTROL Radar-based air traffic control, usually at an airport tower, providing traffic separation up to 40 miles. APRON Hard-surfaced or paved area around a hangar. Also, ‘ramp’. ATC (Air Traffic Control) Service providing separation services to participating airborne traffic and clearances to land, take off or taxi at airports. AVIONICS The electronic control systems airplanes use for flight such as communications, autopilots, and navigation. BLOCK RATES Pre-paid hours for air charter at a contracted price. CARBON OFFSET Monetary contributions to renewable energy research and production projects to ‘offset’ carbon emissions of an airplane.

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CHARTER The ‘renting’ of an aircraft with crew for a personal, business, or cargo flight from one point to another.

FBO (Fixed Base Operator) A business operating an airport terminal for non-airline, general aviation aircraft.

CHARTER CARD Pre-paid air charter plan, either for a block of charter hours at a pre-defined fee, or a set debit balance in dollars.

FERRY FLIGHT A flight for the purpose of returning an aircraft to base or delivering an aircraft from one location to another.

CLASS I NAVIGATION Operation of aircraft under visual meteorological conditions (VFR) primarily based on ‘see and avoid’ procedures. CLASS II NAVIGATION Any en route flight operation that is not Class I, i.e. instrumentbased navigation (IFR). CLEARANCE Formal instructions from air traffic control authorising a specific action (climb or descend, entry into controlled airspace).

FLAPS Hinged surfaces on the inboard rear of wings, deployed to increase wing curvature (and thus, lift). FLIGHT PLAN Filed by radio, telephone, computer, or in person with Flight Service Stations. FLIGHT TIME Portion of the trip actually spent in the air. FRACTIONAL OWNERSHIP The purchase of a ‘share’ of an aircraft.

CONTRAILS Streaks of condensed water vapour created in the air by aircraft flying at high altitudes; a.k.a. vapour trails.

FUSELAGE An aircraft’s main body structure housing the flight crew, passengers, and cargo.

CONTROLLED AIRSPACE An airspace of defined dimensions within which air traffic control service is provided.

GENERAL AVIATION Part of civil aviation comprising all facets of aviation except scheduled air carriers.

CRUISE SPEED The normal speed attained at altitude once the aircraft is no longer climbing and is en route.

GLASS COCKPIT See EFIS.

CRUISING ALTITUDE A level altitude maintained by an aircraft while in flight. DEADHEAD To fly the return leg of a trip without cargo or passengers. DRAG Resisting force exerted on an aircraft in its line of flight opposite in direction to its motion. Opposite of thrust. DUTY TIME That portion of the day when a crewmember is on duty in any capacity (not just in the air), limited by regulations. EFIS (Electronic Flight Information Systems) Glass cockpit avionics that integrate all flight parameters into one optimised instrument. ELEVATOR An aircraft control surface hinged to both rear horizontal stabilisers, changing the aircraft pitch attitude nose-up or nose-down. EMPTY LEG Also known as ‘one-way availability’. Usually posted as available for travel between two airports during a certain time period. FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) The Department of Transportation’s agency for aviation.

GPS (Global Positioning System) Satellitebased navigation system operated by Department of Defence. GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System) A system designed to alert pilots if their aircraft is in immediate danger of flying into the ground. GROUND SPEED Actual speed that an aircraft travels over the ground also called ‘shadow speed’. HANGAR An enclosed structure for housing aircraft. Originated with lakebased floating homes of the original German Zeppelin airships. HEAVY JETS See ‘Large-Cabin Jets’. HORSEPOWER The motive energy required to raise 550 lbs. one foot in one second, friction disregarded. HUD (Head-Up Display) A transparent display that presents data without requiring the user to look away from his or her usual viewpoint. IATA CODE International aviation code for international airports. ICAO CODE Civil aviation codes for airports.

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airborneGLOSSARY

Plane Speak IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) Rules for flights into clouds and low visibility, by reference to cockpit instruments and radio navigation. ILS (Instrument Landing System) A precision instrument approach system permitting aircraft to land with low ceilings or poor visibility. JOINT OWNERSHIP Purchase or lease of an aircraft by a number of owners, often through a partnership or limited company. KNOT (Nautical Mile per Hour) Common measure of aircraft speed equalling 6,080 feet or about 1.15 miles. (For mph, multiply knots by 1.15.) KTAS True airspeed, in knots. LARGE-CABIN JETS The largest size aircraft that doesn’t require a major airport runway. Typical capacity 9-15 passengers. LAYOVER A night spent in the middle of the trip in a city other than home base for the aircraft and crew. LEG Describes one direction of travel between two points. Commonly used in referring to a planned itinerary. LIGHT JETS See ‘Small-Cabin Jets’. MACH SPEED A number representing the ratio of the speed of an airplane to the speed of sound in the surrounding air. MAYDAY An international distress signal to indicate an imminent and grave danger that requires assistance. MID-CABIN JETS Typical capacity 7-9 passengers. MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul) Company licensed to provide services for the upkeep and airworthiness of airplanes. NAUTICAL MILE Defined internationally as equivalent to 1,852 metres or 1.15 statute miles. NDB (Non-Directional Beacon) A radio transmitter at a known location, used as an aviation or marine navigational aid. PAN PAN International call signal for urgency, indicating uncertainty and usually followed by the nature of the alert. PART 91 The parts of Federal Aviation Regulations on non-commercial operations covering corporate flight departments. PART 121 The parts of Federal Aviation Regulations on scheduled airline operations, including the publication of a schedule.

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PART 135 The parts of Federal Aviation Regulations on non-commercial operations covering charter carriers.

TARMAC A paved airport surface, especially a runway or an apron at a hangar.

PART 145 Certificate allowing an organisation to perform maintenance and alterations on US-registered aircraft.

TAXI TIME Portion of the trip spent rolling between the gate, terminal, or ramp and runway.

PATTERN The path of aircraft traffic around an airfield, at an established height and direction.

THRUST The forward force produced in reaction to the gases expelled rearward from a jet engine. Opposite of drag.

PAYLOAD Anything that an aircraft carries beyond what is required for its operation during flight.

TRAILING EDGE The rearmost edge of an airfoil.

POSITIONING Ferrying aircraft for departure from other than originating airport.

TRANSPONDER An airborne transmitter that responds to automated air traffic control interrogation with accurate position information.

RADAR System that uses electromagnetic waves to identify the range, altitude, direction, or speed of moving and fixed objects. RAMP The apron or open ‘tarmac’ in front of an FBO or terminal facility. This space is busy, used for deplaning, parking of aircraft, etc. ROLL One of three axes in flight, specifying the action around a central point. ROTATE In flight, any aircraft will rotate about its centre of gravity, a point which is the average location of the mass of the aircraft. RUDDER Aircraft control surface attached to the rear of the vertical stabiliser (fin) of the aircraft tail. Forces the plane to veer left or right. RUNWAY HEADING Magnetic direction corresponding to the centre line of the runway. SLATS Small, aerodynamic surfaces on the leading edge of the wings of fixed aircraft which allow the wing to operate at a higher angle of attack. SLIPSTREAM The flow of air driven backward by a propeller or downward by a rotor. SMALL-CABIN JETS Typical capacity 5-8 passengers. SQUAWK A four-digit number that a pilot dials into his transponder to identify his aircraft to air traffic controllers.

TURBINE Engine that uses compressed air to generate thrust to spin a metal shaft inside the motor, used in jet engines and turboprop aircraft. TURBOPROP An aircraft in which the propeller is driven by a jet-style turbine rather than a piston. VERY LIGHT JETS (VLJ) Small jet aircraft approved for single-pilot operation, maximum take-off weight of less than 10,000 lb (4,540 kg). VFR (Visual Flight Rules) A defined set of FAA regulations covering operation of aircraft flying by visual reference to the horizon. VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Range) Ground-based radio navigation aid. VORTICES Regions of high velocity that develop at the tip of a wing as it flies through the air. WIND SHEAR Large changes in either wind speed or direction at different altitudes that can cause sudden gain or loss of airspeed.

STATUTE MILE A unit of length equal to 5,280 feet.

WINGLET A small, stabilising, rudder-like addition to the tips of a wing to control or employ air movement, thereby increasing fuel economy.

SVS (Synthetic Vision System) A technology that uses 3D to provide pilots with intuitive means of understanding their flying environment.

YAW One of the three axes in flight, specifying the side-to-side movement of an aircraft on its vertical axis.

TAIL NUMBER An airplane’s registration number.

YOKE The control wheel of an aircraft, akin to an automobile steering wheel.

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airborneSHOWDIARY

EBACE Geneva may 2014

20-22 MAY

14th Annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE)

Palexpo and Geneva International Airport, Geneva, Switzerland

www.ebace.aero

30 MAY-1 JUN

Aeroexpo UK 2014

Sywell Aerodrome, Wellingborough Road, Northamptonshire, UK

www.aeroexpo.co.uk

Europe Aviation Expo

Hradec Králové, Czech Republic

www.aviationexpoeu.com

49th Farnborough International Airshow

Farnborough Aerodome, Hampshire, England

www.farnborough.com

12-14 AUG

11th Annual Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (LABACE)

Congonhas Airport, São Paulo, Brazil

www.abag.org.br/labace2014

14-17 AUG

Airbourne: Eastbourne International Airshow

BN21 4JJ Eastbourne, East Sussex, UK

www.visiteastbourne.com/airbourne

Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA 2014)

Orange County Convention Center and Orlando Executive Airport, Orlando, Florida, USA

www.nbaa.org/bace

10th China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition

China International Aviation Exhibition Center, Zhuhai, China

www.airshow.com.cn

Middle East Business Aviation (MEBA)

Dubai World Central, UAE

www.meba.aero

Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition (Avalon 2015)

Avalon Airport, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

www.airshow.com.au

2-3 APR

Aqaba Air Show 2015

King Hussein Airport, Aqaba, Jordan

www.miuevents.com/aas14

14-16 APR

Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE)

Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, China

www.abace.aero

JUNE 2014 19-21 JUN JULY 2014 14-20 JUL

AUGUST 2014

OCTOBER 2014 21-23 OCT

NOVEMBER 2014 11-16 NOV

DECEMBER 2014 8-10 DEC

FEBRUARY 2015 24 FEB-1 MAR

APRIL 2015

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airborneTAILHOOK

BUGATTI 100P by Charmaine Tai

SPEED DEMON What do you do after building the world’s fastest sports car? For Ettore Arco Isidoro Bugatti, founder of the eponymous automobile marque, the answer was obvious: create an aerial version, and prove its merit through racing. And so he built the Model 100, a one-seater aircraft said to have been the most technologically advanced aeroplane of its time. It relied not just on horsepower but also on a streamlined structure to achieve a top speed of 500 mph. Bugatti won five patents for its design, including one for its automatic flap system. The aircraft was meant to fly in September 1939 and participate in the Deutch de la Meurthe race in Paris, as well as be adapted as a military fighter. But World War II broke out before production could be completed, and the Model 100 never took off. It was later passed from one owner to another, until it finally landed at the EAA AirVenture Museum in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, USA. Today, some 70 years after the Model 100’s inception, a group of aviation enthusiasts led by Scott E Wilson and John R Lawson are building a replica of the racing plane. With no plans or drawings of the aircraft’s structure, the team had to reverse-engineer the aeroplane, and believe they are creating as faithful a reproduction as can be. The Bugatti 100p is scheduled to fly by the end of this year.

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Image by Betsy Richert

The diamond of legend. a s h o k a d i a m o n d.c o m

ASHOKA速 and the ASHOKA CUT CONFIGURATION are trademarks of William Goldberg, Inc. The diamond cut is covered by U.S. Design Patent #D418444.