P1 March 2011 Issue

P1 MARCH 2011 £4.50

NEWS · EVENTS · FLIGHT TESTS · PEOPLE · AIRCRAFT DETAILS · COMMENT

F R E S H A I R F O R B U S I N E S S AV I AT I O N

RE-BORN THE BAE AVRO RJ

NEW LIFE FOR OLD How the short-field specialist four-engine big bird is finding new and unusual uses as a business and VVIP aircraft

SPECIAL REPORT THINKING OF BUYING AN AIRCRAFT? WHAT YOU REALLY MUST CONSIDER FIRST

TOP STORIES FROM THE BUSINESS AVIATION WORLD

G650 UPDATE · DASSAULT TESTS LAMINAR WING · DUBAI AIRPORT · TECNAM TWIN · HERMES HELICOPTER · PRE-OWNED

Tu r b i n e

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Zone

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We deliver performance since 1911

18 Flight Test

It's big, powerful and has a new lease of life as a business/VVIP jet, the Avro RJ

CONTENTS March 2011

4 News Gulfstream latest, Falcon laminar test, operator news 15 News Special Suggestions on reducing fuel costs 17 What's on Events for you and your clients 26 Nick Heard Part 5 of Nick's series on flying light jets 30 Airport Focus Dubai International 36 Special Feature Buying aircraft

15 P1 MARCH 2011 £4.50

NEWS · EVENTS · FLIGHT TESTS · PEOPLE · AIRCRAFT DETAILS · COMMENT

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F R E S H A I R F O R B U S I N E S S AV I AT I O N

RE-BORN THE BAE AVRO RJ

NEW LIFE FOR OLD How the short-field specialist four-engine big bird is finding new and unusual uses as a business and VVIP aircraft

P1 Magazine

SPECIAL REPORT

THINKING OF BUYING AN AIRCRAFT? WHAT YOU REALLY MUST CONSIDER FIRST

TOP STORIES FROM THE BUSINESS AVIATION WORLD

G650 UPDATE · DASSAULT TESTS LAMINAR WING · DUBAI AIRPORT · TECNAM TWIN · HERMES HELICOPTER · PRE-OWNED

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46 Mini Test A surprising light twin, the Tecnam P2006T 51 Products Busy cleaning aircraft 53 P1 Ultra A look at Eurocopter's stylish Hermes helicopter 59 Dossier Indications continue to show we're turning a corner 63 Aircraft Listings New aircraft details 66 Pre-Owned NEW! A quick look at a Cessna Sovereign

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CONTACT P1 EDITORIAL EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Dave Calderwood E: dc@loop.aero ASSOCIATE EDITORS Richard Fairbairn E: richard@loop.aero Dave Rawlings E: dave.rawlings@loop.aero

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NEWSROOM Gulfstream's new top of the range aircraft, the G650, is nearing the end of its certification program.

4 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

P1 BUSINESS AVIATION NEWS BY P1 NEWS TEAM

»NEW AIRCRAFT

Global business boosts Gulfstream G650 put through its paces in coast-to-coast sprint

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EMAND for long-range business jets has stayed remains robust because of the rapid expansion of global business ties, according to Roger Sperry of Gulfstream’s International Sales.

Sperry was speaking at the recent Aero India show where he noted the country’s growing number of billionaires – 47, which puts India fourth in the world – and millionaires, 126,000, making India the eighth largest base of high net worth individuals.

Sperry went on to cite figures from aviation data firm JetNet confirming that new business-jet deliveries to the AsiaPacific region grew from 7 percent of global deliveries in 2007 to 12 percent in 2009. India has the second-largest fleet in the region, with 143 business aircraft of all sorts.

“We see great long-term potential in the Indian market as infrastructure for business aviation expands and government officials focus more on this segment,” said Sperry. “Infrastructure includes business-jet passenger

terminals (FBOs), expanded ramp space and hangar facilities as well as increased airport capacity. Curfews in major cities limit available operating slots for business jets. These are the challenges of a fast-growing economy, and we expect they will be addressed, because business aviation is an important component of the transportation system.”

Meanwhile back in the USA, Gulfstream was putting its new flagship aircraft, the ultra-large-cabin, ultralong-range G650, through its paces. The G650 flew from the west coast to the east coast, more than 1,900 nautical miles, in just 3 hours and 26 minutes.

The fourth (of five) G650 prototype took off from Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California at 12:21pm local time on 12 January and arrived at Savannah/ Hilton Head International Airport at 6:47pm local time. It travelled at speeds between Mach 0.91 and 0.92, with a brief segment at the aircraft’s maximum operating Mach number of 0.925.

Average ground speed was more than 550 knots, touching a maximum ground

We see great long term potential in the Indian market Roger Sperry

speed en route of more than 660kt.

“These are typical operational Mach numbers customers can expect from this aircraft,” said Pres Henne, senior VP of Engineering and Test at Gulfstream.

“To say that we are pleased with this real-world operational capability is an understatement.”

The G650 lifted off with a calculated balanced field length of less than 4,500 feet and climbed at Mach 0.85 to a cruising altitude of 43,000ft, transitioning to Mach 0.91 or above for the remainder of the flight.

“One key figure here,” said Henne, “is balanced field length, the minimum required runway under the atmospheric conditions. To achieve this kind of performance means that the G650 can go just about anywhere a smaller business jet would routinely go. That is a major benefit to operators.”

Five G650s are flying in the FAA and EASA certification plan, and have accumulated more than 1,200 hours of flight so far. Certification is on track for this year with entry into service in 2012. www.gulfstream.com

ICING ON THE G250'S CAKE GULFSTREAM’S other aircraft going through the certification process is the G250, which is being developed at Gulfstream’s plant in Tel Aviv, Israel. Recently, two flight test aircraft completed several ice-tests.

S/N 2001, the first aircraft to join the flight-test program, has flown with simulated ice shapes applied to the non-heated areas of the aircraft, including the nose, tail, winglets and engine pylon.

These tests were used to evaluate the aircraft’s handling, stability

and control characteristics in icing conditions.

S/N 2002 has completed anti-ice system dry-air testing, clearing the way for certification flight testing into known icing

G250 starting icing tests.

conditions which will be done in the US in natural icing conditions.

The G250 uses an anti-ice system similar to Gulfstream’s largecabin aircraft with heated bleed air from the engines routed to the leading edges.

The three aircraft in the flight test program have completed more than 220 test flights, spending more than 700 hours in the air. Longest flight was more than seven hours, maximum speed achieved Mach 0.85, maximum altitude 45,000ft.

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 5

NEWSROOM

»ENVIRONMENT

Heading for a low drag future Dassault tests laminar flow wing on Falcon 7X

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ASSAULT is flight-testing a low-drag laminar wing design for large business jets, using a Falcon 7X at Dassault’s Flight Test Centre in Istres, France, as part of the European Union’s Clean Sky initiative.

A laminar wing offers the largest potential for a dramatic decrease in drag but so far laminar wings are currently only used on gliders and small business jets – the HondaJet is one.

Dassault says initial studies indicate a potential 5-10 percent drag decrease and corresponding reduction in fuel burn and CO2 emissions with a laminar wing design on a large aircraft.

Demonstrations and analysis on a

larger scale have yet to be performed to confirm a possible efficient and safe application on larger aircraft.

Dassault’s 7X flights evaluated a new infrared (IR) camera technology, developed by FLIR, capable of measuring temperature gradients in high altitude/low temperature and pressure environment. The camera measured differences in surface temperatures between laminar and turbulent areas of the horizontal tailplane on the 7X. While the Falcon 7X is not based on a laminar design, at high altitudes a laminarity of up to 40 percent was predicted on the upper surface of the horizontal tail. Measurements from

WHAT'S CLEAN SKY? THE Clean Sky initiative aims to develop cleaner and quieter aircraft working on six areas: smart fixed wing aircraft, green regional aircraft, green rotorcraft, sustainable and green engines, systems for green operations and eco-design.

“Clean Sky will assess, design, build and test many technological validation vehicles that will give the

industry greener, more innovative and competitive aviation products,” said a spokesman.

Clean Sky is one of the largest European research initiatives ever, with a budget estimated at 1.6 billion euro over seven years, of which half is contributed by the EC in cash and half by the European aeronautics industry, in kind. www.cleansky.eu

6 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

the IR camera placed at the top of the vertical tail were performed to provide experimental validation. ”The results, which are still under analysis by Dassault Aviation and ONERA, (the French national aerospace research centre) do show laminar extensions as expected,” said Philippe Rostand, Future Falcon Programs Project Manager.

“The tests also permitted us to qualify new measurement techniques and equipment that will be used in future test flights to be flown by Dassault, Airbus and the other European partners on an even larger scale, such as the ‘smart laminar wing’ that will be flight tested in 2014 on a modified Airbus A340-300 test aircraft.”

Dassault performed a series of test flights with an experimental laminar airfoil from 1986-1989 on a modified Falcon 50. “Today, better measurement tools and production methods are in place to implement what we’ve learned so that we can someday bring these exciting findings into reality,” said Rostand. ● The FAA has given the OK for an Enhanced Vision System (EVS) on the Falcon 7X, following EASA certification in July, 2010. Dassault’s EVS provides an image on the Head-Up Display (HUD) and flightdeck displays that enables

Initial studies indicate a 5-10% drag decrease with a laminar wing

RIGHT: see through the night with Falcon EVS.

P1 BUSINESS AVIATION NEWS BY P1 NEWS TEAM Dassault is using a Falcon 7X for its laminar wing tests.

Electric nosewheels spark green airports ARE we heading towards a quiet and emission-free airport? No, but one significant step could be a fuel cell-powered electric nosewheel, currently being developed by the German DLR German Aerospace Center in partnership with Airbus and Lufthansa.

The system is now ready for its first rolling tests fitted to an Airbus A320 ATRA (Advanced Testing and Research Aircraft) operated by DLR. The tests will start in April at Hamburg Airport.

“The fuel cell-powered electric nose wheel reduces the emissions produced by aircraft at airports by up to 27 percent, and noise levels during taxiing by up to 100 percent,” said Josef Kallo, project manager.

“Aircraft fitted with this nosewheel will be able to approach their apron locations travelling in both forward and reverse directions, as well as taxi to their take-off positions without needing towing vehicles or using their main engines.”

The system comprises two electric motors built into the rims of the aircraft’s nosewheel. The fuel cells are capable of powering aircraft weighing up to 70 tons. www.dlr.de

the pilots to see the terrain and airport environment in low visibility situations such as in fog, haze, snow or at night.

It optimises the video for either an approach configuration (to enhance approach and runway lights), or a general purpose configuration.

The Falcon 7X EVS system provides operational credit towards reduced minima in low visibility landing conditions from the published IFR minima down to a minimum of 100 feet above the threshold elevation. This provides minima equivalent to Cat II minimums even on Cat I standard instrument approaches and on nonprecision approaches.

A one-day pilot training course, consisting of ground instruction and full flight simulator training (including at least six approaches) is required for operators using EVS. www.dassaultfalcon.com

GLOBAL NEWS

Reduces emissions by 27% and noise by up to 100%

» SOCATA CELEBRATES 100 FRANCE: DAHER-SOCATA has unveiled its 2011 demonstration aircraft finished in a special paint scheme specially designed by Happy Design Studio, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the company created as Morane-Saulnier in 1911 – the swirl pver the wing root represents the early plane's wing shape. The design, available in other colours, is the official paint scheme of the TBM850 for next year’s production. www.tbm850.com www.happydesign.net

» SIKORSKY ECLIPSED

BELOW: DLR's Airbus used for testing the electric nosewheel.

USA: Sikorksy has completed its investment in Eclipse Aerospace.

Sikorsky will provide global supply chain support and certain production restart services. Mason Holland of Eclipse Aerospace, said, “With this agreement we now have it all - a phenomenal fuel efficient twin-engine jet, an enthusiastic customer base and a fantastic engineering, support and service staff, all coupled with the depth and strength of a sound and experienced Sikorsky Aircraft.” www.eclipseaerospace.net

» DIAMOND’S GREAT START

Cessna twins seminar THE first seminar on Cessna piston twins’ engines and systems to be held outside the US will be staged in April on the Channel Island of Jersey. The seminar is being run by Twin Cessna Flyers (TCF) over four days from 7-10 April. Jerseybased Cessna twin owner Paul Rennie said, “Twin Cessna aeroplanes offer great performance in all weather conditions but that capability requires complex systems. With TCF coming to Jersey, we have the opportunity to learn from people with years of experience of operating and maintaining these fine aeroplanes. www.twincessna.org

AUSTRIA: Diamond delivered 28 aircraft worldwide in the first weeks of 2011, including 14 special mission aircraft for environment and border surveillance.

Diamond’s DA42 MPP Guardian is equipped with high-performance cameras that can identify a single person from a distance of 3km. Since the beginning of the year the Austro AE300 Turbo-Diesel fitted to the DA42 and 40 has been certified for 100 % maximum continuous power

by EASA. www.diamond-air.at

» CHEAP FIVE-SEATER Four days on engines and systems

INDIA: Mahindra & Mahindra is set to launch India’s first indigenously built aircraft, a five-seat single engine turboprop. The small aircraft named as NM5-100 is being developed with Bangalore-based National Aerospace Laboratories and commercial production will start after certification. Last year Mahindra bought the Australian GippsAero company which makes the single engine piston GA8 Airvan. www.mahindraengineering.com

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 7

NEWSROOM Cessna's Citation XLS+, a mainstay of the Netjets fleet for a long time.

»OPERATORS

NetJets back in the black Worldwide operator recovers from disastrous 2009, buying jets again

N

ETJETS is back in profit, according to Chairman and CEO David Sokol. He told US aviation magazine Aviation Week recently that he is “comfortable” with his previous prediction that the company will post pre-tax profits of $200 million for 2010.

Surprisingly, Sokol also said NetJets is likely to become a low margin business delivering 4-5 percent net profit. He also admitted that with the backing of parent company Berkshire Hathaway, NetJets would probably have gone

out of business in 2009 when it lost $720 million. Sokol was brought in to restructure the business in August 2009.

Sokol said NetJets lost 82 net share owners during the downturn in 2009, but recouped that number “and then some” in 2010.

“The late 2008 shock that corporate America took when survival was in question caused boards to look at every line item in their budgets. And that’s been a real positive for us,” said Sokol.

“The boards want the CEO to continue flying privately, but they want it done

In 2010 our strongest segment was corporate share sales

Netjets is updating its fleet with 125 Embraer Phenom 300s.

8 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

efficiently, and safely. So in 2010 our strongest segment was corporate share sales. I think it’s going to be true going forward.”

NetJets is looking to modernise its fleet and has ordered 125 Embraer Phenom 300 jets and is considering its large cabin options. Last month the company announced a new advertising campaign highlighting the theme of quality without compromise. The campaign unveiled a new creative approach, messaging and logo, “Only NetJets – 25 Years of Excellence,” in recognition of NetJets 25th anniversary.

“As we embark on our 25th year as the definitive leader in private aviation, our new advertising emphasises that, backed by the unmatched resources of Berkshire Hathaway, NetJets leads the industry in everything from safety, service and stability to the size and scope of our fleet,” said Sokol.

Last October, NetJets bought private jet card provider Marquis Jet, which specialised in the 25-hour jet card to individuals and corporations. Recently, Netjets said Lufthansa Private Jets would be returning as a Netjets customer, closing its subsiduary Swiss Private Aviation created two years ago which "hasn't worked". www.netjets.com

P1 BUSINESS AVIATION NEWS BY P1 NEWS TEAM

Airbus delivers record number AIRBUS delivered 15 corporate jets in 2010, worth more than US$ 1.5 billion, setting a new record for this part of its business. The aircraft comprised 13 A318 Elites, Airbus Corporate Jetliners (ACJs) and A320 Prestiges, plus two VIP widebody A330/A340s.

The French company also won eight orders for its corporate jets in 2010, taking total orders to date to more than 170 aircraft. The new orders comprised seven aircraft from the A318 Elite/Airbus ACJ/A320 Prestige Family, plus one widebody A330/A340.

The orders and deliveries were for customers and operators in Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and for private customers and governments.

The past year also saw more Airbus corporate jets being offered for VIP charter flights, with more than 15 A318

Elites, Airbus ACJs and A320 Prestiges now available through more than ten operators in America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Middle East.

Al Jaber Aviation, a Middle East operator based in Abu Dhabi, took delivery of a new 318 Elite last year and is already planning more acquisitions. ”In less than two years of operations we have already a significant number of business jets,” said Mohammed Al Jaber, CEO of AJA. “Our plan going forward is to acquire more Airbus aircraft by 2013. This is part of our five-year growth plan. In addition, as a group we proactively invest and promote green technology programs to control Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Our new fleet assures reduced environmental impact.” www.airbus.com

global news

» INTERNATIONAL RESCUE SWITZERLAND: Jet Aviation has launched a new dedicated AOG hotline service for the EMEA & Asia regions to assist aircraft operators with emergency or AOG situations: +800 JETSTARS (+800 5387 8277) or +41 58 158 4848 from outside Europe. Jet Aviation AOG team can be mobile within two hours. www.jetaviation.com

» METROS FOR UK

BELOW: Airbus 318 Elite of Al Jaber Aviation.

UK: Northpoint Aviation Services has been appointed by Aeronova, the Spanish based Metroliner operator, to develop their passenger and aeromedical charter business in the UK and Ireland. Two Metro IIIs will be available for UK passenger work each week, one based in Birmingham and the other Lydd.

Javier Olivares MD of Aeronova and Basil O’Fee MD of Northpoint are pictured below.

» TITAN’S AVRO

GULF: Titan Airways will be fulfilling a UK Ministry of Defence contract to provide passenger and freight flights to the Gulf region with an Avro RJ100 regional jet just added to its fleet. The aircraft can provide flexible seating with variable geometry seats, configured for all economy service with 110 seats, six abreast or 55 business class and 43 economy seats. www.titan-airways.com

Exit Egypt: Air Partner flies 800 people to safety THE recent political turmoil in Egypt provided challenges for many operators with individuals and employees of corporations wishing to fly out urgently. One operator, Air Partner, flew out 800 people on 14 flights in the space of 36 hours.

The company’s Emergency Planning and 24 hour Operations teams, together with on-call broker specialists, pooled their knowledge and resources to secure suitable aircraft for pre-planned evacuations and ad hoc charters. Once aircraft had been sourced, they then negotiated flight slots, fuel, aircraft handling and visa permissions.

Clients included major oil companies, financial institutions,

supermarket chains and telecommunications conglomerates.

Aircraft used to move people to safety, primarily out of Cairo, have ranged from private jets to commercial airliners such as Boeing 737s and a 220-seat Airbus A310.

Graham Davey, Air Partner’s Government and Defence Business Manager, said: “It is gratifying to see the benefits of forward planning, robust procedures and a professional and dedicated team. This morning, an influential energy industry client emailed Air Partner to thank everyone involved in his company’s successful evacuation of nonessential employees out of Egypt.” www.airpartner.com

» NICK’S SNACKS

800 people on 14 flights in 36 hours

SWITZERLAND: VistaJet has signed posh food and fashion supplier Harvey Nichols to supply all onboard standard catering snacks.

Nina Flohr, daughter of VistaJet founder Thomas Flohr, said, “Harvey Nichols is renowned for providing the very best of worldwide gourmet and luxury food products. Our ethos is that VistaJet is a lifestyle.” www.vistajet.com

» MANX SPLASH

ISLE OF MAN: Trust and corporate service provider Equiom has bought Intertrust Isle of Man which specialises in yachting and aviation activities. Sheila Dean, MD of Equiom, said, “This investment has reinforced our market leading position and will be of considerable support globally in this business area.” www.filmmann.com

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 9

NEWSROOM

P1 NEWS by p1 news team

»PILOT

Arnold Palmer hangs up his wings 20,000 flying hours, many in his Cessna Citation X

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OLF legend and keen aviator Arnold Palmer has hung up his wings. Aged 81, he flew his last flight in his Cessna Citation X on 31 January, having logged nearly 20,000 flight hours.

Palmer’s pilot’s licence expired on that day and he decided not to renew it. He told Golf Digest, “I’ll still be flying in my

plane as much as always, just not in the cockpit. Flying has been one of the great things in my life. It’s taken me to the far corners of the world. I met thousands of people I otherwise wouldn’t have met.

And I even got to play a little golf along the way.”

Aviation has always been important to Palmer. He learnt to fly about a mile

Flying has been one of the great things in my life

LEFT: Palmer received a Master Pilot award at last year's NBAA show.

from his home at a small airport. He used to enjoy spending time at the old terminal building listening to pilots trade stories about their adventures in the sky.

One day he got an opportunity he never expected.

“A friend of a friend of the family who was an Army pilot took me for a ride in a Piper Cub. He did some things he probably shouldn’t have done and really gave me a scare. Even though it shook me, it also gave me the resolve to take lessons and become a flier. Little did I realise what an important part of my life aviation would become.”

Later, Arnie’s ‘fly-bys’ when departing from golf tournaments were a distinctive signature throughout the 1960s and 70s, and he went on to set several records. In 1969, Palmer piloted a Boeing 747 before the aircraft had gone into commercial service. In 1976, he set a round-the-world speed record that still stands. Taking off from Denver in a Lear 36 and heading east, Palmer circumnavigated the globe in 57 hours, 25 minutes and 42 seconds.

Palmer was the first customer of the Citation X in 1996. www.arnoldpalmer.com

Europe's 'unlevel' playing field AN unlevel playing field exists within Europe for business aviation – that was the chief concern at the recent ‘One Europe’ regional forum staged by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA).

“The forum was subtitled ‘A Roadmap for Aligning East and West’,” said Rodolfo Baviera, EBAA chairman, “but as the discussions progressed, it became clear that there was also still much to do to align West with West.”

Issues included the lack of harmonised rules (most notedly in respect of runway performance requirements and Flight Time Limitations) for commercial and non-commercial operations.

This often puts AOC holders at a disadvantage, says the EBAA, contributing to operators choosing to label their activities as ‘private’ when they are in fact commercial.

And indeed, from country to country, the very definition of commercial and non-commercial can carry multiple interpretations.

Access, particularly to Russia, Kazahkstan and Belarus, was another focal point. To that end, the

It became clear that there was much to do to align West with West

10 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

Russian United Business Aviation Association provided updates on new legislation expected to be passed within the coming months that could ease impediments such as the importation of spare parts and ambiguous customs rules.

Participants agreed that industry standards such as IS-BAO, plus EBAA’s Emergency Response Planning Manual and FBO and Handling Code of Practice, are highly effective tools. The group debated whether more quality standards should be created for vendors, such as insurance companies and brokers.

Lack of harmony across European States extends to tax, VAT and financing as well, and participants shared how tax rules are enforced in their own countries, demonstrating how complex legislative compliance can be when rules tend to vary every several hundred kilometres.

“This meeting was not all talk and no action, though,” said EBAA CEO and President Brian Humphries.

“The most critical part of the event took place during the final session when we reviewed all of the issues that had been tabled over the course

of the two days, and drafted action points to address these challenges.”

Within the coming weeks, small focus teams of EBAA members will be assigned to each action point.

These teams will be responsible for addressing the challenges and for drafting official positions to be approved and adopted by the EBAA. Thereafter, EBAA members and national associations, working in concert with the EBAA secretariat, will be encouraged to communicate and lobby these positions towards National and EU Authorities.

“We’ve demonstrated in the past – for example, with tailored Flight Time Limitations rules for business aviation -– that it is vital that we help officials understand how business aviation differs in so many ways from the airlines and why it requires tailored rules,” said Humphries.

“But we still have a way to go, at both EU and National level. This forum and the work that will follow is an important step towards achieving suitable rules and enabling business aviation to benefit from uniform enforcement across the region.” www.ebaa.org

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NEWSROOM

P1 NEWS by p1 news team See that crane?

It can lift aircraft engines Hawker's GET.

»OPERATIONS

HBC’s international rescue team Scramble! Trucks and planes will travel to AOG

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ESSNA, Gulfstream, Dassault and now Hawker Beechcraft – mobile service teams to help get an aircraft back into service are the latest tools in the manufacturers’ box. The Hawker set-up is called Global Experience Team or GET for short, and the initiative was recently unveiled at a reception for pilots and maintenance personnel during the Super Bowl event in Texas, USA. “Throughout the year, we will be introducing a number of GET professionals, who are empowered with the authority and tools to get the

job done,” said Christi Tannahill, VP of Hawker’s Global Customer Support.

“Our new GET mobile response vehicles are custom designed to enhance the portfolio of support options that have been tailored to fit the needs of Hawker Beechcraft owners and operators.”

The ground support vehicles are capable of performing AOG support and unscheduled maintenance with the ability to remove aircraft engines as large as those found on the Hawker 4000, while the GET support aircraft can be dispatched at a moment’s notice for AOG situations.

GET has the authority and tools to get the job done

Eurocopter opens in Aberdeen EUROCOPTER has opened a new North Sea Service Centre in Aberdeen, Scotland. It will provide training, technical support and logistics in close proximity to helicopter operators who support the region’s oil and gas industry, as well as the emerging wind farm sector.

A focal point of the North Sea Service Centre is its new EC225 helicopter full-flight simulator, and a long-term training agreement has been signed with CHC Helicopter for at least 800 hours of annual EC225 sim time. There’s also space to add another simulator, probably Eurocopter’s new EC175.

“Our customers have been telling us they need easier access to training, notably to simulators.

We have listened, and we are responding to those needs,” said

Eurocopter CEO Lutz Bertling.

The £10m Aberdeen Service Centre is managed by Eurocopter’s fullyowned subsidiary, Eurocopter UK and will home 10-20 people – likely to expand as wind farm operations are developed in the North Sea. www.eurocopter.co.uk

12 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

BELOW: an EC225 at work in the North Sea.

Initially, the vehicles will be deployed to supplement HBC’s existing mobile support units operating throughout the United States. The company will be expanding this service in other regions of the world as its international presence continues to grow.

The GET initiative will incorporate all areas of the Global Customer Support network, including Hawker Beechcraft Services (HBS), SupportPLUS cost predictability programs, Technical Support, and Hawker Beechcraft Parts & Distribution. www.hawkerbeechcraft.com

Almost real The EC225 simulator is a fullmotion system with six degrees of freedom, an instructor station, simulation of all systems and optional equipment solutions, avionics system and full replica of the EC225 cockpit. The visual database features the exact replica of airports, helipads, oil platforms and ships as experienced in the North Sea and is compatible with FLIR and night vision goggles (NVG) operations.

Eurocopter's EC225 sim.

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NEWSROOM

P1 NEWS SPECIAL REPORT

Jet fuel price rises make it vital to look for economies.

»JET FUEL PRICE

Make your fuel fly farther NBAA advice on reducing fuel costs

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HIEF pilots, flight department managers, CFOs and owner/pilots throughout the business aviation community sighed with relief when prices for petroleum crude fell back from the peak reached in July 2008. As one chief pilot quipped, “We had been filing for Flight Level TenZero-Zero so we could see over the top of our fuel bills.”

Two years later, the continued emphasis on controlling fuel expenses is evidence of a permanent shift toward minimizing aircraft operating costs.

As a result, operators turn increasingly to fuel-saving programs, strategies and tools available to help manage flight expenses – both for the long term, and on a trip-by-trip basis.

Minimising fuel expenses holds huge appeal, regardless of market conditions, given that fuel can account for 20 to 25 percent of a turbine operator’s costs.

Employing available tools can at least help a flight department assure itself of the lowest-available fuel price relative to market fluctuations.

But it takes whole-trip analysis to ensure that buying at the lowest fuel price also supports the goal of achieving the lowest overall trip costs.

REWARDS V CONTRACTS Maybe it’s cash, maybe it’s meals, deals or free loaner wheels. For many rewards programs, a fixed percentage fuel-price discount combines with points or some other use-accounting system to generate “loyalty” rewards for pilots and flight departments and ensure a steady stream of business for the fuel supplier.

These reward programs exist in many forms and are available from most of the mainline fuel suppliers and a large swath of the fixed base operators (FBOs) catering to business aircraft. The programs may even include a tool to

help you search for the best price among a number of airports and FBOs. Discounts tend to be in the 5 percent range – worth a quarter on $5-per-gallon fuel or $0.35 per gallon at the $7-pergallon level. If you burn thousands of gallons a year, the savings can add up.

For an operator that consumes 80,000 gallons a year, the quarter discount would add up to $20,000.

With fuel contracts, the price is the reward. In certain contracts, the price can vary as the supplier’s raw costs fluctuate. But thankfully, nothing bars operators from enrolling in multiple programs. So no matter where they fly, they usually can find discounted fuel.

“With several programs and contracts in place, we have a better chance of hitting a place where one of our contracts applies,” explained one operator.

A turboprop owner echoed that approach, “My main contract is at my base field, and it applies at two of my repeating destinations. At its current level, the discount covers dinner costs for three people any night I’ve flown more than 500 miles.”

SHOPPING TAKES TIME Fuel programs may save a flight department thousands. One operator suggested that annual total fuel savings could equate to the cost of an additional pilot, if managed properly by a large flight department with three or four jets.

On one trip alone, the decision to tanker 7,000lb of fuel saved his company more than $1,500. It adds up fast.

But spending too much time searching for deals can be counterproductive, noted Kevin Wilkerson, a member of NBAA’s Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee, from Colt International. He offered three tips: • Avoid spending so much time shopping that you wipe out savings. “Saving $70 on

JET FUEL

PRICE MONITOR IATA monitors the price of jet fuel weekly and it’s been going up of late. On 11 February 2011, the price was (on average) 279.8 US cents per US gallon – that’s up by 42.8% on a year ago and 5% up on just one month ago. The IATA monitor can be found here: http://bit. ly/elsREQ

an uplift is irrelevant if it takes four hours to shop and arrange.”

• Avoid wasting “thousands of dollars outsourcing a process that shouldn’t be so complicated” by keeping control of the process in-house.

• Audit fuel invoices, on-site and promptly again at the office, regularly.

TO TANKER OR NOT The chief pilot at one multi-aircraft Fortune 500 company explained how he employs a comprehensive approach to weigh ramp fees and fuel prices at the locations where he’s shopping for fuel.

“If it makes sense to buy more [fuel] and avoid a $500 ramp fee, buy what it takes and tanker to the next stop; if prices are greatly lower at the next stop, buy the minimum needed and pay the fee,” the chief pilot explained.

A simple spreadsheet, set up to show fuel costs at numerous FBOs available, with ramp fees and the fee-waiver fuelpurchase level, makes the effort easier.

“The goal is to control total trip costs,” he continued. “If fuel is a quarter higher at one place, but the ramp fee is waived on what you need, it beats paying less and getting hit with a big ramp charge that wipes out your savings.”

Employing one of today’s online flightplanning tools can perform the same job of gauging whether it’s cheaper to tanker, while adding routing tools to minimise fuel burned en route.

The time invested to set up special preferences within such software and the costs of the programming can be easily offset in one stop.

This article first appeared in the January/February 2011 edition of Business Aviation Insider and is reproduced with the kind permission of NBAA. The full edition is available at www.nbaa.org

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 15

NEWSROOM

UP AND COMING

What's on, where Major events for you and your clients MARCH

APRIL

1-6 Australian International Airshow, Avalon, Victoria. www.airshow.net.au 4-6 1st round of 2011 Davis Cup. Tennis. ww.daviscup.com 5-8 Heli-Expo 2011, Orlando, Florida, USA. World’s major helicopter show. www.rotor.com 11-13 F1: Gulf Air Bahrain GP, Sakhir, UAE. www.f1.com 12-13 Heli-Weekend, Grenchen, Switzerland. www.airport-grenchen.ch 15-18 Cheltenham Festival, Cheltenham Racecourse, Glos, UK. Horse-racing. www.cheltenham.co.uk 16 Dassault Falcon M&O Seminar, Rome, Italy. www.dassaultfalcon.com 21-23 Air Surveillance & Reconnaissance, America Square Conference Centre, London. www.asarcevent.com 25-27 F1: Qantas Australian GP, Melbourne.

24-26 Abu Dhabi Yacht Show, Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Middle East's most exclusive yacht show. www.abudhabiyachtshow.com 26 Dubai World Cup, Meydan Racecourse, Dubai, UAE. World’s richest horse race. www.dubairacingclub.com 29-3 Sun n Fun, Lakeland, Florida. Light aviation. www.sun-n-fun.org

1-4 Hainan Rendez-Vous, Hainan Island, China. Luxury lifestyle exhibition. www.hainanrendezvous.com 4-10 US Masters, Augusta, Florida. Golf. www.masters.com 5-7 Aircraft Interiors Expo, Hamburg. www.aircraftinteriorsexpo.com 6 Dassault Falcon M&O Seminar, Geneva, Switzerland.

7-9 The Grand National, Aintree. Horse race. www.aintree.co.uk 7-11 Antibes Yacht Show, Antibes, France.

Yachts and refits. Biggest harbour in Europe. www.antibesyachtshow.com 8-9 Moscow International Property Show, Moscow. Property development. www.internationalproperty.ru

13-16 APRIL AERO 2011

8-10 F1: Petronas Malaysia GP, Kuala Lumpur.

13-16 AERO 2011, Friedrichshafen, Germany. Europe’s top General Aviation show with everything from gliders to business jets. www.aero-expo.com 15-17 F1: UBS Chinese GP, Shanghai.

17 Virgin London Marathon, London.

Running marathon enveloping London. www.virginlondonmarathon.co.uk 18 Dassault Falcon M&O Seminar, Beijing, China.

27-29 AeroSpace Supplier X, Singapore. www.aerosupplierx.com/2011/en/

MAY 4 Dassault Falcon M&O Seminar, Mumbai, India.

11-22 Cannes Film Festival, Cannes, France. Europe’s top film event. www.festival-cannes.com 17-19 EBACE, Geneva, Switzerland.

Europe’s business aviation show – a 'mustgo' event. www.ebace.aero 22-5 Jun French Open, Paris. Tennis. http://tinyurl.com/2df83mg 28 Champions League Final, Wembley, UK. Football. www.uefa.com 30-10 Jun TT Races, Isle of Man, UK. Motorcycle races round the famous Mountain Circuit. www.iomtt.com

5-7 APRIL AIRCRAFT INTERIORS EXPO, HAMBURG

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 17

FLIGHT TEST BAe AvRO RJ

New life

for old Avros

The Avro RJ/BAe 146 is out of production but gaining ground as a specialist business jet with outstanding short-field performance.

Bob Davy flies an Avro RJ commercially and reports on the type

FLIGHT TEST BAe AVRO RJ

The Avro Business Jet (ABJ) is the name given by BAE Systems to executive and VIP versions of its BAe 146 and Avro RJ.

he Avro Regional Jet – what is it? 170 were built over 10 years of production up to 2003 compared with nearly 400 of the more famous BAe 146.

A lot of people don't realise that the Avro RJ series (70, 85 and 100) are the direct descendants of the 146; modernised with semi-glass cockpits, autothrust, and improved engines (reputedly not ones which deliver a brain-rotting oil mist into the interior as per the original).

The type is re-emerging as a cheaper alternative, larger executive jet. When the size comparison would be a USD 50 million Airbus A318 or 319, paying USD 5 million for a used Avro RJ starts to make sense, even if you spend another USD 5-10 million on upgrades, refurb and executive interiors.

The photos here and on the front cover show how one design company, Design Q in the UK, has created outstanding new concepts to make use of all the space inside the aircraft.

As with the first BBJs and ACJs, the Middle East got there first – executive 146s and Avro RJs have been around for years in the Middle East. As well as the price, the type's ability to land on short, unprepared strips makes it a local hit.

There are other, specialist uses for the aircraft too, such as Bernie Ecclestone's F1 operation which shifts people and equipment around the world's Grand Prix circuits.

The new use for the aircraft could be termed as ironic because the original aircraft was designed to open up the African continent – thanks to its ability to perform on grass and short-field, even in hot and high conditions. It has four engines not because they couldn't find a two-engined alternative but because you could ferry the aircraft home with a dud engine, according to BAe, and not be stranded in the back of nowehere. You wouldn't try that in a 737.

GETTING STARTED What's an Avro RJ like to operate though?

For early-rising Avro RJ pilots there's a little game-playing on the crew bus 20 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

into the airport. It's called 'Who gets the first flight?' because the non-handling pilot will have to do the cold cockpit preparation – there are more than 450 separate lights, bells and whistles! But I've seen a good First Officer go through it in 10 minutes (yes, Captains often pull rank on the early flights).

As a comparison an Airbus crew can have the aircraft ready in half of that, the most time-consuming part being loading the FMC, sorry the FMGC (Airbus is very touchy about the 'G' and so is Boeing because it has the copyright).

Conversely the GNS-XLS flight management system in the RJ can be loaded in two minutes flat if there's a company route listed in the flightplan section.

The rest of cockpit is nicely laid out

and everything is within reach. Boeing 737 pilots will recognise the autopilot MCP panel on the coaming – it's the same one as for a 737 and no, the Vnav switch isn't connected to anything. Before I flew 737s I was on the DC9 and there are many switches on the panels that I think I recognise from this era, ie the 1960s.

Aircraft design takes ages to catch-up.

Engine starting is straightforward and very very quick. The starter motors are electrical, not pneumatic like the big boys, and they wind up the spools to 10% in just three seconds, ready for the thrust lever to be clicked from cut-off into the idle detent.

Thereafter the thrust lever becomes, well, a thrust lever. It operates normally fore and aft, and to get it back into cut-off position, you pull it back to idle and then

The 'Fusion' ABJ interior concept

by Design Q revealed at NBAA last year.

More than 450 lights, bells and whistles

click the switch at the back of it to draw it over the detent.

After-start checks are quickly completed and it's time to get that huge flap rolling out to a takeoff setting. The RJ has four flap selections from 18-33 degrees and all of them can be used for takeoff. The first one is preferred though as it will use less fuel to get the aircraft airborne and up to 1500 feet at the end of the clean-up.

The aircraft is taxied using a little tiller on the left cockpit wall which can bring the nosewheel round 70 degrees either side of neutral but it's a mite sensitive – the trick is to select the amount of turn you want and then hold it. Don't use it like a steering wheel through the turn or you'll be pasting the cabin crew onto the walls.

THE MEANING OF STOL So here we are ready for takeoff. The RJ85 weighs in at 26,000kg or so and you can get just short of 100 people on board, let's call it 9000kg with a few bags. That leaves about 7000kg for fuel, enough for a two-hour flight. Or you could load up with full fuel, 9362kg to be precise, and still carry 80 passengers and fly for three hours plus reserves.

So, no, it's not long-legged but this can happen from a 1200 metre strip, or shorter. The RJ shares this capability with just a handful of transport aircraft, most of them military.

For takeoff I line up on the runway with that tricky little tiller, push my feet on the brakes and open the thrust levers.

This is out of London City Airport at 38 tons so it's a full-power performance

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 21

FLIGHT TEST BAe AVRO RJ

The Avro RJ/ BAe 146 is a favourite for airports with short runways or steep approaches.

takeoff with 24 flap. I click the TOGA button on the front of the throttles and the thrust matches the computed thrust at our pressure altitude and temperature.

The First Officer calls 'Thrust set' so I gently release the brakes and make a couple of small corrections on the tiller, feeling the rudder coming live through my feet as we accelerate rapidly.

FLYING SPEED Noise levels are relatively high now but the sound gets pushed away from us as we get close to flying speed. The F/O calls '80 knots', I call 'My stick' and change my left hand from the tiller to the control column. The F/O calls 'V1, rotate' and as he started to speak I've just taken my hand off the throttles and grabbed the column with it. I pull back on the stick and she rises smoothly from the runway at 100kt today at our weight.

The ailerons are already lively and the little RJ copes easily with the turbulence 22 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

coming off the Tate and Lyle building to the south of the airport. At 1000ft we are soaring up ahead of Canary Wharf and accelerating to 200kt (not the normal 210kt because we've got to turn and there's a speed limit). The F/O retracts flaps to 18, then zero in succession as we pass 180kt, that tell-tale 'flap hoot' coming from the back, rising then falling as the slots between the flaps close up.

I remember my first flight in the RJ a couple of years ago when I was fresh off the Airbus, thinking how heavy the roll control was but I don't notice it now – in fact I think it's well-harmonised.

In truth, the G-weights and Q-pots in the RJs mechanical flight control system are there to dumb down the handling. It makes for an easy jet transition for pilots who have come up through the GA ranks of turboprops and piston twins and if you have flown anything starting with A, B or MD you'll be quickly assimilated.

Think less like a small Boeing and more like a large, straight-wing Citation.

CLEANED UP We've cleaned up now and made the turn so we can accelerate to 250kt IAS for the climb, Mach 0.62 on the transition at 24,000ft. High speed/high weight climb is at 0.68/0.66. The wing was designed to climb, cruise and crash at 0.68 but most operators pull back even from that low number these days to try and scrape a fuel saving.

If you fly an RJ, get used to be overtaken by everything – even some turboprops fly quicker than us. If we were on a check flight we would explore the envelope a little more. Top whack is 300kt IAS, mach 0.72 and there's nothing to know at the barber pole, just be careful with the auto-pilot/auto-throttle as it's a primitive interface compared to modern jets.

At low speed we would get plenty of stick shake before that high lift wing finally gave up, and even up here at FL350 we could probably get it flying again in a couple of thousand feet if we were careful. It could be twice or three

DESIGN Q INTERIORS

BAE Systems commissioned specialists Design Q to produce five interior designs for the ABJ, using its interior attributes – ie, size! – and targetted to VIPs. The most radical are the two ‘Explorer’ concepts shown at last year's EBACE featuring the ‘Air Deck’ viewing platform revealed when a huge side door is powered open. It transforms the rear of the aircraft into the ‘ultimate living space’. ‘Explorer One’ is aimed at the high-net-worth individual who wants the freedom to travel and explore remote locations in a stylish and comfortable way. ‘Explorer Four’ is a luxury charter concept with four VIP private apartments with carefully planned sleeping and living arrangements. With the ‘Air Deck’ deployed they can enjoy spectacular views from the aircraft.

The lounge area of the ‘Explorer One’ concept with curved sofas around a low central Ottoman – out of which are deployed TV monitors.

times that in a 737. The one and only vice I've seen with the RJ is the level change function in the descent. Its function doesn't feel properly developed and it is rubbish to use at high altitude - fly the vertical speed wheel on the MCP to get the descent established before transitioning to level change.

In turbulence, drop the auto-throttle out too - you'll be able to fly the thrust levers much smoother than it can. Er, thrust levers and auto-throttle. Yes, funny isn't it – I still can't stop calling it auto-thrust.

Descent planning in the RJ? You almost don't need to bother

With such a huge interior, ‘Explorer One’ can also have a separate dining area and lounges.

Below: a great way to go on safari!

BACK TO BASICS Descent planning in the RJ? You almost don't need to. Well certainly not to worry about getting high. The huge airbrake at the back gets this aircraft out of trouble – in fact RJ operators are quick to specify maximum descent rates in the SOPs, particularly when closing in on the minimum safety altitude.

An example would be right now. We March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 23

FLIGHT TEST BAe AVRO RJ

We stopped in under 1500 metres but we could have done it in 1000 LEFT: Avro BJ operated

by Metro TV, Indonesia seen at Cairns Airport.

(Paul Howard) are descending at 20,000ft with 60 track miles to go to destination around a dog leg (three times the height in thousands equals track miles is about right, make it 3.5 in a BBJ) when the controller says we can go direct if we wanted. Track miles?

45! From 20,000ft?

I move the lever to the left of the thrust levers all the way back – it's Billy the Airbrake. Wind the Vs wheel down to 3000ft/min, then switch to level change.

No one should have spilt their G&T and we are coming down fast, safe, in control. It's effortless and we get the glideslope at 10 miles and 3000ft, speed 210kt.

First stage of flap takes a while so do it early, there's that flap hoot again.

People can hear it from the ground.

Then the gear – the fuselage shudders as they cycle, because they are huge and heavy. Today we have a long runway so we'll run the flaps to 24 and save a bit more fuel on the approach. Remember the RJ doesn't have thrust reversers but

the brakes are carbon and huge too.

They also have two hydraulic backups but there's no anti-skid on 'emergency yellow'.

We're established on short finals now, spooled up and at Vref plus 5kt, 123kt. With low weights and 33 flap you'll be at more like 110kt. As we pass the threshold I operate Billy again - no reversers remember and we touch down at Vref -7kt. Funny, isn't it but that's what we do.

Click Billy once more back to manually back up the spoilers and we're slowing for the high speed exit, careful not to stamp on the pedals as they, like the tiller, are very sensitive.

We just stopped in 1500 metres but we could have done it in under 1000 metres quite easily. At City, after a steep approach and at high weights (max landing is 38.5 tons) you can easily pull up in half the 1200 metres available. No one minds if you use the brakes a little harder at City.

RIGHT: ABJ is Stage 3 noise compliant enabling it to go into city centre airports.

new life for old jet airliners Some 400 BAe 146 and Avro RJ jet airliners were produced between 1981 and 2004 – most for the regional jet market but some as VIP aircraft – the UK's Queen's Flight of the RAF had two delivered in the mid-80s. BAE Systems has 110 on lease and a steady flow are coming back off lease and sold – as airliners, freighters, military, waterbombers and executive/VIP. The last market is worth about five aircraft a year to heads of state and certain HNW individuals – F1 boss Bernie Ecclsetone is one.

VIP interior in Bulgaria Air's ABJ. BAE works with leading UK design house Design Q and Inflite Engineering Services to create luxury interiors. The price is highly competitive – a used BAe 146-200 is around $2m, a later Avro RJ around $6m so a large jet for the price of a mid-size. Of course the conversion is on top.

Off the shelf modifications include gravel runway kits which comprise under-belly protection, beacon covers and mudguards to allow operations into unsurfaced fields, pannier fuel tanks, forward and rear airstairs, live animal bays, electrically operated doors, mood lighting and full in-cabin info and entertainment systems.

First class seating for Cello Aviation.

24 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

Want one? RJs certainly scrub up well, internally and externally, plus they make economic sense for low utilisation operations such as VIP and private operators, certainly in terms of low purchase price vs relative high fuel consumption.

And they operate from grass!

Current customers According to BAE, customers for the ABJ vary from Government/Heads of State to high net worth individuals, large corporate entities and include: No 32 (The Royal Squadron) – Govt/VIP (2 aircraft) Bahrain Defence Force – Govt/VIP (3 aircraft, of which two sold in past 3 years) Presidential Flight Abu Dhabi – Govt/ VIP (2 aircraft both sold in past 3 years) Dubai Air Wing – Govt/VIP (2 aircraft both sold in past 3 years) President of Indonesia – Govt/VIP (1 aircraft)

President of Uzbekistan – Govt/VIP (1 aircraft) Formula 1 – company use (2 aircraft) Moncrief Oil (Texas) – personal use (1 aircraft) Metro TV (Indonesia) – company use (1 aircraft) BAE Systems Corporate Air Travel – company shuttle (2 aircraft) Bulgaria Air – personal use and corporate charter (1 aircraft) First Kuwaiti Trading & Construction – company shuttle Casino Rodos – executive transport for top clients of casino Cello Aviation (UK) – high-end corporate charter (1 aircraft) Inflite Engineering – 1 aircraft bought for conversion and resale, with Linley group interior planned Minera San Cristobal, Bolivia – 1 aircraft used company shuttle Plus one other aircraft with an undisclosed customer.

RIGHT: cockpits can be updated with LCD screens.

Note ‘ram’s horn’ control yokes, hinged at the floor.

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 25

series operating light jets pt5

flying the tRip Moving up to a light jet from a prop aircraft? Nick Heard has been looking at the changes. This month, in part 5, Nick moves from taxi to takeoff and the flight itself

W

ITH the aircraft all set up, now is the time to take a few moments to brief yourself on the whole departure process. You may already be in this habit, but I cannot recommend enough how useful it is to mentally run through what will be, perhaps, the busiest part of the trip – particularly now we are flying a jet.

The list of considerations below is not necessarily everything but might include: • Start-up: parking position, wind direction (some jet engines can fussy when starting up with a tailwind) • Taxi: expected taxi route, hot spots (such as crossing active runways) • Takeoff: thrust/flap setting, runway condition, relevant speeds • Departure: SID requirements (lateral and vertical), nav aids required, initial

level-off altitude, ATC frequencies, autopilot use • Terrain: highest MSA for the airport, relevant MSA for the SID, other terrain factors • Weather: VMC/IMC, surface wind, icing considerations, turbulence • Operational Factors: any unusual consideration for the airport or SID • Emergencies: rejected takeoff, engine failure after takeoff, immediate return after takeoff.

I mentioned autopilot use in the Departure Brief. In a high-performance light jet the autopilot is a valuable aid to your cockpit management, relieving you of a great deal of the workload on a busy departure.

We all like to hand-fly, and that may be fine for an undemanding Day VMC takeoff and departure. But a complicated SID, flown at night in IMC

26 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

Take a few moments to brief yourself on the whole departure process

MAIN: Nick's series aimed at those pilots moving up to a light jet such as the

with icing conditions, is really best done with your autopilot engaged, so you can sit back a little and manage the many inputs that will come your way in the first minutes of the flight.

This presupposes you understand your autopilot system and its modes of operation – many airline pilots slip up on autopilot use, so it’s worth reading up from the manual and getting used to the autopilot at all opportunities.

So we are ready to go. Get airways and engine start clearance from ATC, if required, and start the engine. When ready to taxi, release the brakes – your jet may have enough thrust, even at idle, to start rolling forward. Otherwise a small amount of extra thrust should get you moving, but be aware of the area behind you – your jet blast is much stronger than propwash.

Pre-takeoff checks are best left to

the runway holding point, allowing you to concentrate on safe taxiing.

Perhaps include a final self-brief on the initial SID requirements (eg, “Ahead to 4 DME, then turning left, climbing 4000ft”). Last-minute changes to the SID by ATC are best managed on the ground – don’t get pressured into launching before you are ready.

With takeoff clearance received, line up on the runway and apply takeoff thrust. The engine will take a few seconds to wind up but then you should feel the satisfying kick in the back as the power bites. Check the indicated thrust (N1 or EPR) is correct and that IAS is increasing. Keeping straight on the runway is easier without a propeller attached to the nose, but rotate speed will be with you quickly.

Smoothly ease the nose up to the required attitude and get airborne.

With a positive rate of climb indicated, raise the gear and the flaps as required. Following the SID should be the same as in a piston type but things will happen more quickly – hence the suggestion of using the autopilot.

‘Level busts’ of initial level-off altitudes are common in jet operations and

the likelihood is increased if a pilot is working at max capacity hand-flying.

With the SID completed and clear of terrain you can afford to relax a little as you continue the climb to cruise level.

Your jet’s climb performance schedule may involve IAS initially, converting to Mach at higher levels. The aircraft cabin should be pressurising – if it does not, don’t go higher than FL100 until the problem is sorted.

At top of climb, have a check around that all is well in the usual way. Fuel should be transferring correctly, pressurisation correct for your level (either as a cabin altitude or as a differential pressure) and you should be clear of ice.

Assuming you are at your requested level, fuel flow should be as expected and you should be on your plan.

However, you may find the upper winds are wildly incorrect compared to the forecast, or you find yourself at a level much lower than planned – or indeed both! You will now need to calculate how these new circumstances will affect your arrival fuel. Your navigation kit will probably work this out very quickly but always beware garbage in/garbage out,

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nick Heard has been flying jet and turboprop aircraft for nearly 30 years, from the Jet Provost, Hawk, and Tornado GR1 in the RAF, to the Dornier 328, Fokker 50, and Boeing 747-400 in civilian life, and has experience in the Dassault Falcon 7X and 2000LX. He is Sales Associate at EnvoyJet. com

so a manual calculation is a sound back-up plan. If you can still make your destination comfortably with your planned reserves, then you should have no problem.

However, be careful – the winds may yet worsen, ATC may lengthen your route, or you may have CBs to navigate around. I don’t want to appear a ‘glass half-empty’ man but it’s funny how these things club together!

Should you find yourself falling badly behind on fuel then you may have to consider a diversion to an en-route airport to refuel. There is a lot to sort out if you have to take this option – telling ATC, getting relevant airport charts out, changing navigation kit data – so it’s best to make a positive decision early to divert, rather than diving into an unfamiliar airport somewhat behind the aircraft.

However, the chances are that you can carry on to your destination with sufficient fuel remaining. Whilst in the low workload phase of the flight in the cruise, get as much done to ease your arrival. Enter the STAR and expected approach data into the nav kit, and try and get the weather – you may

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 27

series operating light jets pt5 be out of range of ATIS so you might use a VOLMET service from your other radio. If your destination airfield is not included, get the weather for somewhere close by. Brief yourself on the arrival and approach, with emphasis on the things that may have a major impact on your descent, such as weather or terrain.

Flying at high level in a jet means you have to think more about when to start your descent. A typical working calculation for jets is, ‘Three times your height in thousands of feet’.

So if you are at FL250, you should start descent at around 25 x 3 = 75 track miles. That might be a bit much for slower jets but it may not be too bad as a starting point.

You should also account for descent winds – a 90kt tailwind for descent would seriously affect that calculation, leaving you perhaps embarrassed with too much height as you approach the ILS glideslope.

Similarly, the same wind on the nose could leave you dragging yourself in from lower levels, using a lot more fuel than planned. These wind speeds are not unusual in Europe down to quite low levels.

If you have not done so already, you should also consider the landing distance available, certainly if you know you are on a limiting runway.

If wet or wintry conditions exist, think very hard before proceeding, and brief yourself on the correct technique for landing, go-around, and rejected landing – an touch-and-go in the event

of a landing too far into the runway.

Workload will build up again during descent, particularly if entering a busy TMA. Avoid distractions such as chatting to passengers so you can concentrate fully on the descent and approach.

The beauty of jets is that you can close the throttle to flight idle at top of descent, and ideally leave it there until on finals – no plugs to keep clear, no cylinder head temperatures to worry about. However, idle thrust means less bleed air pressure, which may affect your anti-icing – your engine may require a minimum thrust setting in such conditions, somewhat above flight idle, which will reduce your rate of descent and therefore affect your descent profile.

You should eventually end up establishing on final approach, perhaps on the ILS or visually. It’s easy to keep your speed too high in a jet, leaving yourself insufficient time to decelerate to below limiting speeds for flaps and gear – indeed, the jet may be too slick to slow down when on the glideslope, leaving you with few options other than to go-around.

So get yourself properly configured at a sensible height – 1,000ft above airfield level is reasonable as a starting figure to be fully configured for landing, perhaps lower as you gain experience.

Now you should really concentrate on flying the approach at the correct speed to accurately touchdown at the desired position on the runway.

28 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

It's easy to keep your speed too high in a jet, unable to decelerate in time

BELOW: One of the most popular light jets, Cessna's Mustang.

I emphasise correct speed – many landing incidents in jets are caused by pilots arriving with too much speed, perhaps only 10-20 kts in excess of Vref, but that’s enough to cause a long flare and a touchdown too far into the runway.

On final approach you should be stable, on the correct approach path, properly configured, thrust above idle, and on speed – any major deviations from any of these criteria should lead you to go around and try it again. Wild approaches from above the glidepath, engine still at idle, 20kt fast, may well result in runway overrun, even on a runway considered to be much longer than required.

If the approach is good, flare the aircraft and close the throttle. On touchdown, get on with stopping – you no longer have the built-in speed brake of a propeller at fine pitch to assist with decelerating. Lower the nosewheel and get braking at a sensible rate.

Should you find yourself floating too far in the flare, think quickly about whether to continue with the landing.

If necessary, apply full thrust to goaround – with the engine at idle, it will take a few seconds for the thrust to bite, and your wheels may yet touch the runway. Do not change your mind now by closing the throttle again - you will almost certainly go off the end, no matter how long the runway.

So that’s a routine trip. In the next article I will discuss some of the ‘whatifs’ of jet operation.

airport FOCUS dubai business airport

30 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

AIRPORT: Dubai International (OMDB) | LOCATION: United Arab Emirates

Dazzling Dubai Good weather, great location and facilities, and tolerant attitudes mean Dubai is still a favourite Middle East city IT'S MARCH and winter is coming to an end for most of Europe.

In London, on clear days the temperature is hovering just above zero, on cloudy days it’s a little warmer but wet and windy. In Moscow, it’s -6°C and snow showers, Berlin zero and sleet, Paris rain.

You get the picture.

Meanwhile in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, the average daily temperature is 26-27°C with clear blue days and a light breeze... and that’s why Dubai is still a

hugely popular destination even though the city’s economy has suffered in the downturn.

The way into Dubai is still through Dubai International Airport, and figures for movements confirm the city still has its pull.

It is expected to top 50 million passengers in 2011, a rise of 11 per cent on 2010 which was itself a record year. The rise is on the back of airlines entering new markets – 22 new routes were opened up in 2010 alone.

New infrastructure to handle growth is still going up which will mean it could handle 75

million passengers within a few years.

That incredible figure has not been dented so far by the prospect of the massive desert airport project that used to known as Dubai World Central (DWC), but has now been renamed Al Maktoum International in honour of the man who has bailed out so many of Dubai’s problems. Last July, DWC opened for cargo flights, the so-called Phase 1.

“Phase 1 is the first step in a long infrastructure development project that over time will see our new airport

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 31

airport FOCUS dubai business airport transformed into the world’s largest global gateway and a multi-modal logistics hub that plays an increasingly integral role in the ongoing economic and social development of Dubai,” said HH Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman of Dubai Airports. “It is a proud day for Dubai and an auspicious occasion for the future of global aviation.”

When completed, Dubai World Central-Al Maktoum International will be the largest airport in the world with five runways, four terminal buildings and capacity for 160 million passengers and 12 million tonnes of cargo.

“Although it is a long term project, the need for a second airport in the near to mid-term is clear,” said Paul Griffiths, the British CEO of Dubai Airports.

“Dubai International currently has capacity for 2.5 million tonnes of cargo while volumes are expected to increase 48% to 3 million tonnes by 2015. On the passenger side we expect to see numbers skyrocket from the 41 million that passed through Dubai International in 2009 to 98 million by 2020 and 150 million by 2030.”

Impressive figures – and they open up a tremendous opportunity for business and private aviation into the region. Not everyone wants to be one of 150 million passengers

32 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

funnelling through the terminals, stunning though they are. So good, in fact, that Dubai International won the Best Airport in the Middle East Award at the recent 2011 Business Traveller Awards for the fifth consecutive year.

As well as people visiting Dubai for the sunshine, golf, sports and shopping, there’s a large market on the doorstep. A January 2010 report by analysts Frost & Sullivan said the Middle East represents six percent of the global business aviation market with an annual growth rate of six percent. In contrast to Europe, a greater proportion of wealthy individuals in the Middle East fly by business jet and Frost & Sullivan estimate that by 2012 there will be around 700,000 persons of high net worth in the Middle East.

HIGH QUALITY At Dubai Airport, Executive Flight Services (EFS) is purely for the use of private flights.

The centre itself is located close to Terminal 2, and includes a 5,500sq-m main building, a 3,700sq-m hangar and a similar sized ramp area for aircraft parking, and a special VIP car park for long term parking.

There are dedicated immigration and customs sections, Duty Free outlet, a fully equipped business and conference centre, eight luxury private lounges and a limousine

service. The ramp area can accommodate up to 22 small private jets, eight to 12 medium sized jets, or up to three large sized jets such as the Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) or Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ).

With the main airport being so good and EFS even better, charter operators and FBOs based at Dubai have got to be excellent, offering immaculate service and premises to make the extra cost worthwhile.

The major league operators already have a significant presence at Dubai. One is ExecuJet Middle East which recently has received the Connoisseur Award for ‘Exceptional quality, unparalleled customer service and a complete sense of luxury’ by Gulf Connoisseur magazine. The awards ceremony took place at the prestigious Armani Hotel Dubai where leaders in luxury were invited to a red carpet reception followed by dinner in the Armani Hotel’s magnificent pavilion.

“To receive an award like this is a great honour as it reflects our commitment to continually address levels of customer service” said Mike Berry, Managing Director, ExecuJet Middle East. “Business Aviation requires the best service possible and we aim to provide that wherever we can.”

ExecuJet has been operating in the region for ten years, starting with a couple

A greater proportion of wealthy individuals in the Middle East fly by business jet

BELOW: step off the plane and feel the wall of heat envelope you!

Great if you've just arrived from winter in northern Europe!

of managed aircraft and now boasting a managed fleet of over 20 aircraft. It currently employs more than 195 staff and runs a state of the art maintenance and Fixed Based Operation. This year ExecuJet is adding two privately run aircraft to its managed fleet, including a Global XRS and Challenger 605.

“We are starting to see the first early signs of an upturn after what has been an unprecedented fall off in business aircraft flying in this region as a result of the global economic crisis, which has impacted tourism and progress on various regional development projects,” said Mike Berry.

Jet Aviation Dubai opened its maintenance and FBO operation in 2005 and is also located at Dubai Airport. The company provides scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, FBO services, aircraft washing and hangarage.

The facility is an approved repair station by the FAA, Bermuda DCA, Cayman CAA, Pakistan CAA, Saudi Arabia PCA and UAE GCAA. It is also a service centre providing maintenance and warranty support authorised

by Boeing for the BBJ, Gulfstream for the GIV and GV series, Dassault for the Falcon 900 and 2000 series and Hawker Beechcraft for the Hawker 800 series. Facilities include inhouse immigration and customs clearance.

Dubai is the headquarters for both

Dubai Airport has two parallel runway, 12L/30R and 12R/30L.

airport inForMation DUBAI INTERNATIONAL • IATA Code: DXB • ICAO Code: OMDB • ATC T: 00 971 4 216 6461 • ATC F: 00 971 4 216 2192 • Runway: 4000m/13,120ft • Time: UTC+4 • Hours of operation: 24hr • Fuel availability: Jet/Avgas • Customs (24hr) T: 00 971 4 702 3520 • Immigration (24hr) T: 00 971 4 216 2572 FBO/MAINTENANCE • ExecuJet Middle East www.execujet.net • Executive Flight Services ww.dubaiairport.com • Jet Aviation Dubai www.jetaviation.com • JetEx Flight Support www.jetex.aero • Swiftport www.swiftport.net • United Aviation Services www.uas-hdq.ae CHARTER OPERATORS • Royal Jet www.royaljetgroup.com • Western Aviation www.western-aviation.com • Aerogulf Services www.aerogulfservices.com

• Al Jaber Aviation www.ajaprivatejets.com • Arab Wings www.arabwings.com.jo • DC Aviation www.dc-aviation.com • Elite Jets www.elitejet.co.uk • Empire Aviation Group www.empire.aero • ExecuJet Middle East www.execujet.net • GainJet Aviation www.gainjet.com • Gama Aviation www.gamagroup.com • Gulf Wings www.gulfwings-fze.com • Hangar 8 www.hangar8.co.uk • Majestic Executive Aviation www.majestic.at • Princely Jets www.princelyjets.com • Rizon Jet www.rizonjet.com MAINTENANCE PROVIDERS • ExecuJet Middle East • Jet Aviation Dubai AIRPORT OPERATOR Dubai Airports T: +971 4 224 5555 E: diafeedback@dca.gov.ae

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 33

airport FOCUS dubai business airport FLIGHT TEST dassault FALCON 7X JetEx and Universal Aviation Services (UAS).

Jetex employs nearly 100 at its global HQ, located in the Dubai Airport Free Zone with all the advantages that entails. UAS says it is strategically linked to key destinations in Africa, Europe, Asia and North America, and is also located in the Dubai Airport Free Zone.

Among the charter operators frequenting Dubai, Abu Dhabi-based Royal Jet is one of the leaders in the region and is involved in two important Polo events, one sponsored by itself. The Royal Jet Cup was due to be played from 16-25 February 2011, followed by The Threadneedle Dubai Gold Cup on 2-11 March 2011. The two major polo events take place on the grounds of the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, at the Arabian Ranches Dubai.

Another regular operator at Dubai, Al Jaber Aviation (AJA), part of the Al Jaber Group based in nearby Abu Dhabi, recently outlined a bold strategic growth plan for 2011 and showed off its latest aircraft purchase, an Airbus A318 Elite.

"In less than two years of operations we have already a significant number of business jets,” said Mohammed Al Jaber, CEO of AJA. “Our plan going forward is to acquire more Airbus aircraft by 2013. This is part of our five-year growth plan. In addition, we as a group also proactively invest and promote green technology programs to control Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions. This is evident from our new fleet of Airbus aircraft which assures reduced environmental impact and lower emissions.

“AJA also operates an Embraer Legacy 600 and Lineage 1000. The two modern aircraft cater to the exquisite taste of our clients globally which include Royals, dignitaries, celebrities and the world's business elite among the many guests.”

Also expanding in the region with VVIP Airbus Corporate Jets is German operator DC Aviation. Michael Kuhn, CEO of DC Aviation said, "The Middle East is an extremely vibrant and promising market for us. We ascertain a growing demand for long-haul flights and our spacious corporate jets. With our three new VVIP aircraft, we want to offer customers in the region more highly customised charter services."

Empire Aviation Group (EAG) has joined forces with RMSI, the Dubai-based emergency medical services and clinical services specialist, to launch a new Intensive Care Air Ambulance service. Under the agreement, EAG will manage and operate a Hawker 800XP business jet which has been specially

RIGHT: jets parked on the apron. Weather is usually kind.

BELOW: one extreme to another, green golf to orange sand dunes.

converted to an air ambulance configuration on behalf of RMSI. The air ambulance is based in Dubai and will serve RMSI clients in the region, including global insurance patients, governments, corporations and private clients, as well as patients in caught hostile situations and on remote locations.

The Hawker 800XP was stripped out and refitted to air ambulance configuration and certified by the manufacturer and the civil aviation authorities. The spec is for an ‘Intensive Care Ambulance’, the gold standard for an air ambulance.

“Choosing Dubai as our regional hub and global HQ was a relatively easy task, given the Emirate's status as an aviation hub and a trusted medical centre of excellence,” said Robert Lamb, President and CEO of RMSI. “We are delighted to be working with Empire Aviation Group as our aviation partner because of their regional expertise and knowledge. Also, more specifically, because EAG Executive Director Paras Dhamecha gained air ambulance flight experience in the US and, as our aim is to match the standards of US and European operators, this experience is very valuable.”

10 things about dubai 1 Dubai has a sub-tropical, arid climate with sunny, blue skies most of the year. Rainfall is infrequent, falling mainly in winter. The mean daily maximum is 24°C/75.2°F in January rising to 41°C/105.8°F in July.

2 Islam is the official religion of the UAE, but foreigners are free to practice their own religion.

Dubai has a number of Christian churches.

3 Alcohol is available in hotel and club restaurants and bars, but not in restaurants outside hotels.

4 Tourist photography acceptable but it is considered offensive to photograph

Muslim women. It is also courteous to ask permission before photographing men.

Photographs of government buildings or military installations should not be taken.

5 Currency: the ‘dirham’ (Dhs) divided into 100 ‘fils’, also referred to as AED (Arab Emirate Dirham). Pegged to the US dollar, at a mid rate of US$1 to Dhs.3.6725.

6 Normal banking hours are Saturday to Thursday, from 08:00 to 13:00 or 14:00. Most banks operate ATMs. 7 Most shops, hotels and restaurants accept major credit cards (American Express, Diners

34 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

Club, MasterCard, Visa).

8 Business & social hours vary, with some people working a straight shift (usually 08:00 to 17:00) whilst others may work a split shift. Majority of larger shops and shopping malls are open throughout the day, closing around 22.00 or 23.00.

Friday is the Islamic holy day and a day off for offices and schools.

9 Tipping is up to the individual.

The usual amount is 10% and this covers most services.

10 Visas vary between nationalities. GCC nationals (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, The Sultanate of Oman and UAE) do not need a visa.

Nationals of the following countries will be issued, free of charge, with an entry visa valid for 30 days at passport control: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Leichtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, USA, Vatican City.

Other nationalities are responsible for obtaining visas for themselves.

special report BUYING AIRCRAFT

P PA RIC RA X E N 7-8 $9m GE 20 00 nm

6m $3.

ICE -5 R nm P 178 X4 PA NGE 1 RA

25m E$ m C I PR X 12 4010n PA NGE RA

36 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

BUYING AIRCRAFT: THE ESSENTIALS Choosing an aircraft is enjoyable but then follows hard work and expertise to make the purchase work properly. Aoife O’Sullivan explains the essentials

T

HE benefits of owning a jet for business or personal use have been well documented by commentators and sales teams alike. The statistics surrounding sales of jets and expected future sales suggest that the private or business jet's popularity shows no signs of abating.

Deliveries are expected to top 1,200 this year with sales over the next ten years being forecast to exceed $220 billion in value, with key markets identified as Brazil, China, India and Russia. Emerging markets are expected to include Turkey, Australasia and Africa.

There are a variety of ways in which the aircraft can be owned – direct ownership by an individual, ownership through a company (onshore or offshore), chartering, fractional ownership etc – the list is long and each carries its own advantages and disadvantages. Each situation is subjective and there is rarely a standard solution to suit all circumstances.

From the outset as a buyer, you will need to determine your requirements and desires for an aircraft – including what type of aircraft best suits your needs and if it is more cost effective to acquire a new or used aircraft, buy a fractional share or time or a combination thereof.

Whether the goal of ownership is supported by corporate justifications or personal convenience, ‘unbridled want’ rarely comes into play.

Buyers will need an aircraft and an ownership structure that satisfies the majority of their regular travel needs, keeping time and costs efficiencies intact, at a price that makes the aviation taxes and costs effectively balance out the cash outlay.

CHOOSING THE AIRCRAFT Determine the size and flying range you will need. Light jets ($1.5 million to $8 million) can take 5 to 8 passengers roughly 2,000 miles (3,219km); midsize executive jets ($9 million to $16 million) can take up to 9 passengers from 2,000 to 3,000 miles (3,219 to 4,828km); and large executive jets ($17 million to $45 million) can carry 12 passengers more than 4,000 miles (6,437km).

Do a cost-benefit analysis before

you opt for a private jet. Aviation experts suggest that 350 to 400 hours of flight time per year usually justifies full ownership of a jet.

Otherwise, you should consider other alternatives such as aircraft charter (eg Execujet Aviation, TAG Aviation), fractional ownership (eg NetJets) or jet cards. Consider the hidden costs. Along with a price tag that ranges from $6 million to $50 million for a new private jet, factor in necessities such as insurance, fuel, catering and pilots.

NEW OR PRE-OWNED? In the recent past in the corporate jet market, prices were rising faster than availability and most manufacturers had backlogs of orders. Demand for comparable used aircraft grew, driven by buyers requiring an immediate solution to their needs while they waited for their new aircraft.

The situation changed with the onslaught of the global recession in 2009 where the market became one of sellers looking to sell out of positions and aircraft quickly, saturating the market. Finance became tight with many financiers refusing to lend in such a volatile market.

According to GAMA chairman and Dassault Falcon president and CEO John Rosanvallon, “78 percent of US business jet purchases in 2010 were cash transactions [as opposed to financed], up by 13 percent over the figure for 2009. Finance for midsize, light and small jets remains limited.”

GAMA president Pete Bunce added, “For our companies that are building at the higher end of the spectrum of products, business is good because the part of the world that is buying these airplanes needs large-cabin, long-range capability.”

Based on the pattern of previous downturn recoveries, he said the traditional 18-month lag between the end of the recent economic disruption and the return of confidence for customers to resume orders would be ending around this time.

Buying an aircraft should not be undertaken lightly – it can be time consuming and very costly. Getting the price right is crucial in a difficult market. Choosing the right broker or dealer is an essential part of the

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Aoife O'Sullivan Gates & Partners London, UK www.gatesand partners.com Aoife is a partner at Gates specialising in private and business jet acquisitions

acquisition process. Many countries do not regulate such brokers (arguably you are better protected buying low cost housing from an estate agent) and there are many so-called experts in the field.

Choose a professional broker with experience in the acquisition and sale of aircraft from procurement to delivery. It is worth settling the high level terms of the acquisition with the broker from the outset to avoid expensive legal wrangling when it comes to documentation stage (see more below).

THE ACQUISITION PROCESS The purchase and sale of aircraft and engines is generally governed by ordinary sale of goods law. Standard purchase agreements will include the commercial terms and conditions (price, delivery schedule, description of aircraft), general terms (exclusion of liability, taxes and duties, warranties, assignment) and will append additional supporting documentation such as the bill of sale, warranty bill of sale, assignment of warranties and maintenance or support contracts and export licences. The acquisition process depends greatly on whether you are purchasing a new or secondhand aircraft

NEW AIRCRAFT New aircraft and associated equipment are usually purchased directly from a manufacturer pursuant to the manufacturer’s standard terms and conditions. The purchase agreement will incorporate a payment schedule setting out predelivery payments (PDPs) – stage payments to be paid by the buyer to the manufacturer up to the date of delivery of the aircraft.

It is possible to seek financing for the PDPs but financiers will usually insist on security to cover the perceived additional risk in financing PDPs. The concern is that as the aircraft will not be delivered until some point in the future, by which time the majority of the purchase price will have already been handed over, the Bank will not acquire security over the underlying asset (the aircraft) until delivery and so will require some form of additional or bridging security until that time.

Loans for PDPs will often be March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 37

special report BUYING AIRCRAFT obtained by giving the financier an assignment of the Buyer’s rights under the aircraft purchase agreement. This gives the financier a right to purchase the aircraft on the same terms and conditions as the Buyer should the Buyer default under the agreement.

Buyers should insist on warranties from the manufacturer which may be assigned to future purchasers of the aircraft. The warranties confer valuable rights on the purchaser and should warrant that the aircraft will conform to the detail specification and will be free from defects in materials, workmanship and design.

It is usual for the manufacturers to limit liability for any defects (eg limit the entitlement of the Buyer to call for repair or replacement of the defective item within a 36-48 month period).

The manufacturer will usually seek to disclaim all other warranties, express or implied and will seek to exclude all consequential or other damages.

An important point to note in the negotiation of aircraft purchase agreements for new aircraft is the delivery schedule. The manufacturer will try to seek to provide for a unilateral change to the delivery schedule in the event of any manufacturing delay.

A Buyer will usually try to limit the scope of this prerogative and in some cases may be able to negotiate discounts for heavy delays, where the delay extends well beyond the estimated delivery date.

PRE-OWNED AIRCRAFT

Purchase is not complete without proper and effective transfer of title

For secondhand aircraft, purchase agreements tend to be less standardised and generally open to negotiation. Many of the more professional brokers will encourage the use of a letter of intent (LOI) between Buyer and Seller. The LOI sets out the terms of acquisition and is the basis on which the legal documentation is drafted.

Such LOIs will include basic agreement as to price and deposit, place, date and location of delivery, the pre-purchase inspection process, and termination of the agreement if the sale does not proceed. The parties will then move to negotiation of an aircraft purchase agreement complete with the requisite bills of sale. Set out below are some of the typical clauses seen in an aircraft purchase agreement.

TRANSFER OF TITLE

BELOW RIGHT: A pre-purchase inspection is an important part of the process.

BELOW: Deal done, all signed and you can make use of the aircraft!

38 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

A purchase of an aircraft is not complete without proper and effective transfer of title. Transfer is effected by way of an aircraft bill of sale. The bill of sale will record the title transfer for registration purposes (but will not reveal the entire terms of the commercial transaction).

The Buyer’s lawyer will check that the Seller has proper title to sell the aircraft – many jurisdictions will enable title searches but in most cases the Buyer will need to rely on the Seller to produce evidence of title by way of

bills of sale. The Seller should be asked to produce evidence of title by way of a chain of bills of sale, in many cases back to birth.

Searches should be carried out on the aircraft at the registry where the aircraft is currently registered. If the registry has a mortgage registry attached, searches should be carried out to ascertain whether or not a charge attaches to the aircraft. Not all registries have mortgage registries and in many cases the Buyer will have to rely on the Seller’s assurances as to whether or not any charges or encumbrances exist on the title.

CAPETOWN CONVENTION The Capetown Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and the Protocol on Matters Specific to Aircraft Equipment (2001) (the ‘Capetown Convention’) provided for the establishment of an international registry (Aviareto in Ireland) for the registration of international interests in aircraft. The treaty’s Protocol applies to aircraft which can carry at least 8 people or 2750 kilograms of cargo, aircraft engines with thrust exceeding 1750 pounds or 550 horsepower, and helicopters carrying 5 or more passengers.

The registration of an international interest in the registry is intended to give public notice to all third parties of the existence of a charge and to give priority to that registered charge over

any charge subsequently registered.

The Capetown Convention came into force on 1 April 2004 and was signed by 28 countries. The Protocol (which applies specifically to aircraft and aircraft engines) took effect on 1 March 2006 when it was ratified by 8 countries: Ethiopia, Ireland, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Panama, Pakistan and the United States. The Convention still has some way to go before it has worldwide acceptance but it serves a much needed purpose, to bring more clarity and transparency to the industry.

PRICE AND DEPOSIT As a Buyer, it is important to insist that any deposit paid and subsequently the balance of the purchase price is held in a secure account. In many cases the Seller will be a special purpose vehicle whose only asset is the aircraft. Many Buyers call for the use of an independent escrow agent who is appointed to hold and protect the purchase monies on behalf of the Buyer and is instructed to release such monies to the Seller on strictly defined terms.

Sellers will try to insist that the deposit is released to them as soon as the aircraft has been technically accepted by the Buyer (following the pre-purchase inspection) and it is a matter for negotiation between the parties as to whether this is agreed. Clearly the risk for the Buyer is that the sale does not proceed

because, for example, the Seller defaults or the Buyer’s financiers refuse to complete the financing of the aircraft. Such matters should be carefully considered in the purchase documentation.

PRE-PURCHASE INSPECTION It is important for the Buyer to agree the process by which it will be entitled to formally inspect the aircraft.

The Seller will want some degree of commitment from the Buyer before it agrees to its aircraft being subjected to a full examination – this commitment can generally be met by way of payment of a deposit into escrow and execution of an LOI. The parties will then need to agree where the inspection should take place, who may conduct the inspection (a Seller will want to ensure only properly qualified personnel conduct the inspection to avoid damage to the aircraft) and what level of inspection is permitted – for example, will it include a test flight, a cold soak, boroscope or engine inspection; will the Buyer’s representatives be permitted to join the test flight.

Following such pre-purchase inspection a report is commissioned and agreed listing any discrepancies which will need to be fixed or in many cases, may lead to a renegotiation of the purchase price to account for the cost of rectification of such discrepancies.

Show me the money!

ARE the banks lending again?

Yes, but not on the same, some would say ‘crazy’ basis as they have done before. But what exactly are crazy deals?

The three main no-go scenarios are: • No 100% financing.

Aircraft values have taken a beating in the past two years. Don’t ask the bank for 100% nonrecourse financing. No ‘interest only’ with a big balloon payment, either.

• No “trust me, I’m good for it” loans. You may know someone famous, or rich, or rich and famous. It will take more than your word for the bank to lend money.

• No old aeroplanes.

There is still a glut of used aircraft on the market. The last ones moving generally are the oldest aircraft.

There's a rule of thumb here: the aircraft age at the end of the deal must not exceed 20 years. So if you want a 5 year loan, the aircraft must be no older than age 15 at the start of the period.

When we use the term ‘bank’ that means all financial institutions still writing leases and lending money for business aircraft.

Regardless of the size of the institution, they are saying the same things.

What you need for a loan or a lease of an aircraft are the good old fashioned banking requirements of Credit, Character and Collateral.

CHARACTER Who are you/ your business/your shareholders? Reliable, dependable, salt-of-theearth type character counts. A stable, well-run company with consistent financial performance is a big plus. Same thing for the individual.

Relationships matter.

If you have a long term, and significant, history with a financial institution, they should be your first stop when looking to finance an aircraft. They know you, your assets, and credit history and will be more likely to make the best deal in order to secure your business.

COLLATERAL No 100% financing means both a down payment and sufficient cash or cash-equivalents to secure the aircraft.

Today, as a rule of thumb, you will need 20% down payment on a new business jet. As the aircraft gets older, you will be asked to come up with a larger down payment. For a 10-15 year old business jet, 50% down is not unexpected.

Leasing follows similar requirements. One plus in today’s market is that short term leases (two to three years) may have more attractive rates as the banks are still looking to unload a lot of aircraft. Three to ten years is a typical lease.

Remember, plan carefully with a lease.

Trying to exit a lease early is easy, just pay off the remaining lease payments! You may wish to negotiate for an early buy-out option if you think you may not make the full lease term.

SOURCE Conklin & de Decker

CREDIT You need to demonstrate that you have the finances to acquire and operate the aircraft. Complete fiscal disclosure is needed.

Assets are not enough.

You need to show you have liabilities and income sufficient to

cover the deal.

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 39

special report BUYING AIRCRAFT DELIVERY The place and location of delivery under the contract is very important, not least because in many jurisdictions, the place of delivery will trigger the payment of taxes. For example, in the US, sales or use tax is payable by the Buyer in most states, unless an exemption applies.

Some states, such as Florida and Kansas have what is termed a ‘flyaway’ exemption for non-resident Buyers whereby the aircraft must be flown out of the jurisdiction within the 10 days following delivery of the aircraft. A supporting affidavit must be signed by the Buyer and lodged with the tax authorities.

From a Buyer’s viewpoint it is important that delivery of the aircraft be negotiated so that actual title transfer and physical delivery of the aircraft occurs in a tax friendly jurisdiction.

In many cases, the place of delivery will trigger the payment of taxes

GOVERNING LAW Choice of governing law is often overlooked but can form a crucial part of the purchasing process should a dispute arise. Both parties should insist on the agreements being governed by a stable and dependable jurisdiction with settled policies of law.

REGISTRATION

WARRANTIES The Seller should assign to the Buyer such rights as the Seller may have under any warranty with respect to the aircraft. This should include all warranties, guarantees, service and support contracts and contracts for the aircraft, engines and APU. The Seller will usually try to disclaim all other warranties and will include a statement to the effect that the aircraft is being delivered ‘as is, where is’, meaning the Buyer must agree to accept the Aircraft in exactly

the condition and location it is — if it is corroded, Buyer takes it with corrosion. If this statement is accepted (and it is standard to include such a statement in aircraft purchase agreements), the Buyer should seek to carve out any areas of concern and at least ensure the aircraft is delivered with a certificate of airworthiness.

Where is the aircraft to be delivered?

Think about the tax implications.

40 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

All aircraft from the Embraer Phenom to the Boeing Business Jet must be registered in an internationally recognised jurisdiction to provide proof of nationality and ownership. An aircraft assumes the nationality of the jurisdiction where it is registered and is therefore subject to the regulations laid down by the governing register.

The choice of jurisdiction will include considerations such as the advantages and legal tax savings by registering aircraft in certain jurisdictions, confidentiality and the protection and privileges offered by such registration.

Choice of registration will be dictated by the residency (and tax residency) of the owner, in which countries the aircraft will be mainly used, whether

the aircraft will be chartered to third parties or only privately used, etc.

Each jurisdiction has its own regulatory issues, some more lenient than others. EU countries are subject to EU regulation and individual country requirements. In most cases, the regulatory body will need to be satisfied on the key elements of ownership and control – who owns the aircraft and who controls or operates it.

Aside from these considerations, registration in some countries may require the formation of a local company in order to gain access to that country’s aircraft register.

Some registers such as the Isle of Man register, will only accept aircraft intended for private use. In addition, if the use or operation of the aircraft will involve transporting passengers for hire or as part of a business in return for valuable consideration (commercial use), an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) may be required and may be granted only after a detailed and exacting examination of the operator’s safety and management organisation.

The Buyer should insist on an export certificate of airworthiness for the jurisdiction in which the Buyer intends to register its aircraft.

For example, if the aircraft is being sold out of Kansas but is intended for the A6 register, the Buyer will need to seek an export certificate of airworthiness for Dubai.

SPECIAL REPORT BUYING AIRCRAFT OPERATION AND USE OF THE AIRCRAFT The simplest ownership structure will tend to be an acquisition of an aircraft by an owner for its exclusive personal or business use. The owner will need to carry all the costs (including of course the large capital outlay) and will need to hire its own crew and will be subject to regulation by the relevant aviation authority.

The financial benefits include tax depreciation and asset retention as well as the tax deductibility of certain costs of operating and maintaining the investment.

For a number of reasons, many owners choose to create a specially formed legal entity to hold the asset – whether for tax reasons or corporate structures or in some cases to gain access to an aircraft register (eg in the US, non-US citizens may not own a US registered aircraft but may hold it through a US trust).

The corporate concept of incorporating a limited liability

It is essential the operator relies on his insurance cover

company (or SPV) for each aircraft to ring-fence any liability attaching to that aircraft away from an individual owner or other companies in the same group does not generally shield the ultimate owner from operational liability.

The aviation authority will want to know who is responsible for operating the aircraft and will hold that person to order to ensure compliance with regulation, particularly if the aircraft is being used for business or commercial use and stretches into the realm of public transport, attaching heightened regulation.

It is absolutely essential therefore that the owner operator relies less on the limited liability of a corporate structure and more on his insurance cover as a means of protecting himself from operational liability.

A dry lease or an operating lease is one in which the owner of an aircraft leases the aircraft to a professional operator who assumes full responsibility and control of the

aircraft. In corporate structures for example a parent or SPV acquires the aircraft and leases to third party operator. In order to carry passengers, cargo or mail for payment, an operator of an aircraft must carry an operating licence.

To qualify for an operating license in the UK, an operator must meet a number of requirements, including those in respect of its safety and insurance arrangements and its nationality of control. For operators of larger aircraft with 20 or more seats, there are also financial criteria.

The financial benefits to the owner include the tax depreciation benefits of writing down the asset with a residual value at the end. Additionally the lease should generate income and a potential profit stream to the Owner Lessor. The operator will usually absorb all the costs and risk in maintaining and operating the aircraft and will also pay rent and maintenance reserves to the Owner Lessor.

When to replace an old aircraft?

By David Wyndham Conklin & de Decker www.conklindd.com SO when do you replace an aircraft because of age? As with pilots, there no set answer. However, our data suggests some guidelines.

In my company’s operating costs databases we use an ageing curve for the cost of parts and labour.

It is based on several studies of ageing aircraft, fleet data, and a lot of anecdotal evidence. We’ve even cross-checked that data with the published costs of parts for two business aircraft guaranteed maintenance cost programs.

The data, when plotted together, shows that ageing has a profound impact on maintenance costs.

The early years when the aircraft are young and warranties are in effect show very low maintenance costs – less than half of what they are at year 5.

However, when the aircraft is 30 years old and wear and tear

is taking its toll, the maintenance costs are typically more than double what they were at year 5. As with any mechanical device, this makes sense. The increased maintenance (parts and labour) is primarily due to unscheduled maintenance. Much of the unscheduled maintenance occurs as part of the scheduled inspections – during the scheduled maintenance check an item is found out of tolerance and is repaired, replaced or overhauled.

Ageing extracts an even greater toll in the areas of reliability and availability. Availability is defined as the number of days an aircraft is available for flight operations divided by the total number of days in the operating year. Reliability is usually measured as the percentage of departures that leave within a specified number of minutes of the scheduled departure time and is referred to as the ‘dispatch reliability’.

As the aircraft

42 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

ages, the increase in unscheduled maintenance associated with scheduled inspections means an increase in maintenance downtime. Our data suggests that availability drops from 95% for aircraft up to 15 to 20 years of age to an average of 70% at age 25 and 55% at age 30.

Looking at it another way, it takes two older aircraft to have the same availability as one newer one!

The in-service rate of older aircraft parallels the availability rate. We looked at a number of popular business jet and turboprop models. We looked at the number produced in any given year and how many were still listed as ‘actively in use’ after a number of years. Up to age 20, almost 100% of the aircraft produced are in service. At age 25, the average in-service rate is 90% but can be as low as 75% for some makes/models of aircraft. At age 30, the average in-service rate is just under 80% and below 50% for some makes/models. And at

age 35, the average rate is just about 50%.

Spare parts availability also plays a part in the aircraft availability equation. For aircraft with limited production runs, as they age and are withdrawn from service, the small fleet size offers little incentives for many suppliers to continue to make the parts. At some point, the fleet, due to retirements, will be too small to warrant extensive support.

My favorite anecdote (which may even be true) is when ordering a part for their 20+ year old aircraft, the mechanic was told the part was on ‘back order’. The mechanic asked when it would be restocked and he was told that the machinist who makes the part was ice fishing for three

weeks and would get to it as soon as he returned.

Unfortunately, there is no clear formula that spells out when an aircraft should be withdrawn from service.

Instead, what you need to do is to keep track of these key parameters: • Mechanical Dispatch Reliability • Aircraft Availability • Maintenance Cost per Flight Hour (both parts and labour) At some point, these issues will indicate that it is time to replace the aircraft. The ‘lost opportunity cost’ will outweigh the cost of acquisition for the new(er) aircraft. For the charter operator, the lost opportunity cost is the lost revenue. For the corporate operator, it means that you can’t do your job effectively.

Know More.

special report BUYING AIRCRAFT Crucial to the success of this kind of arrangement for an Owner Lessor is to know the operator or lessee – make sure they have the right licensing and insurance in place and incorporate into your lease terms provisions relating to maintenance of the aircraft during the term, crew provision, and charter rights.

INSURANCE Appropriate insurance cover in respect of the usual risks (eg hull, liability (third party and passenger) collision, personal injury, employer’s liability etc) must be obtained. There is high potential of exposure to significant third party risks.

Depending on the areas where the aircraft is to be operated, war risks cover may be desirable. With potential liability for death and personal injury, sometimes running into millions of dollars, substantial insurance cover is advisable, to put it mildly.

It is worth speaking to a broker or insurance lawyer early on in the purchase negotiations. We have found in the past for instance that aircraft registered in Switzerland and Lithuania were very difficult to obtain insurance for in Lloyds of London, as they required policies to be placed locally with their own country.

VAT, IMPORT DUTIES AND OTHER CHARGES No purchase of an aircraft should be conducted without a thorough

The best advice is to get early advice - equip yourself with a team

Buying a new aircraft is fun, but a complicated process.

44 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

review of the tax implications of the purchase. The place of delivery of the aircraft will be important for tax reasons, as will the country of residency of the owner. In most circumstances for business use, the tax benefits of depreciation of the aircraft can be used by the owning entity.

Incredibly, despite the fact that values for most models of business jet aircraft decrease slowly (and in some cases where demand is high, such as for the Embraer Phenom, values can increase), many tax authorities provide for a total write-off over a number of years and in some cases, most of the price can be written off in the first few years. In the US, legislation was introduced in 2004 which allows accelerated depreciation on business aircraft purchases which some argue has been a key factor in turning around the recovery in general aviation after the trauma of 9/11.

The operation of aircraft within the European Union (EU) can lead to the assessment of Value Added Tax (VAT) on aircraft. VAT applies to the sale of every aircraft which needs to be brought into free circulation in the EU. An aircraft that has been imported legally into the EU and has paid its duties is considered to be in free circulation.

Aircraft imported from outside the EU are in free circulation in the EU when all import formalities have been complied with and all duties, levies or

equivalent charges have been paid and not refunded.

The UK held the prestigious position of being one of the last places in the EU which allowed qualifying aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of over 8,000kg to be brought in to free circulation within the EU effectively free of VAT. Sadly, the 2010 Budget changed this position and all sales of such aircraft made on or after 1 January 2011 are subject to VAT at 20% unless the aircraft is a ‘qualifying aircraft’ and can avail of a 0% rate within certain conditions. Suffice to say, the VAT penalties can be high and need to be carefully examined on an aircraft purchase.

CONCLUSION Own or share a jet... dry lease, wet lease... go for a fractional share... use an aviation management company.

Different structures appeal to different Buyers. The best advice is to get early advice. Equip yourself with a team who has experience in aviation and can direct you in the right way. Initial outlay on getting the right structure and procedures in place will go a long way to prevent you having to unravel an unworkable structure and incur unnecessary associated costs.

The purchase of an aircraft in an international forum is not without its complications and it is important to have the right team on board from the outset.

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MAKE YOUR FLYING EASY! Let skybookGA™, the most integrated on-line pre-flight briefing service for the GApilot, take the pressure off planning your next flight OING flying this weekend? Will you be off to the south coast, working your way down through the busy air corridors of Luton, Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick plus a host of other active airfields?

Before you go, you need to know the best route, with the best information at your disposal. So, who do you turn to? It has to be the experts.

Turn to skybookGA, the most integrated briefing service available, which ensures the relevant information for your flight is available wherever you are, whenever you want, before you set off.

INDUSTRY EXPERTISE The service was created by flight planning experts Bytron, behind commercial flight briefing services used by major airlines, NATS and airport authorities. skybookGA is a spin-off from this professional commercial programme.

When Bytron was formed 1984, its objective was to provide electronic briefing systems that would dispense with the uncertainty of fax and paper trails that hindered reliable data provision.

Their mission to abolish unwieldy processes brought great benefits to professional pilots – and now GA pilots too. skybookGA benefits from the lengthy development process that went into the professional service. Rightfully known as ‘the

one-stop shop for pre-flight briefing,’ skybookGA offers comprehensive planning aids which allow pilots to easily customise routes, visualise them, and view in both Google Earth and Virtual Earth.

At the invitation of Thomas Cook Airlines, which uses Bytron’s eFlight Briefing package, Bytron is working with Rolls-Royce subsidiary DS&S to create its first fully-integrated and connected Electronic Flight Bag (eFB), allowing maintenance data and engine monitoring on a global scale.

FANTASTIC FEATURES FOR GA The beauty of skybookGA is the breadth of service it offers, catering well for the shortest low-level flight, all the way to upper level cross-border journeys – always being easy to use. skybookGA features include Personal Location Point information, which allows you to create waypoints and store them for future use. Airfield Brief is another brilliant feature, which allows search of airfields by name or ICAO and IATA codes. The information includes full airfield and runway details, plus all NOTAM/METAR/TAFS/ LTAFS/SNOWTAM affecting that airfield.

The Great Circle Route Briefing will route width and upper flight level, and create a route using the shortest course between the airfields. The brief calculates all FIR and airfields within the route’s width and upper limit with NOTAM and MET info.

SIGMET advises on potential weather hazards other than convective activity over a 3000 square mile area, generating data on icing, turbulence, dust and even volcanic ash. AIRMET’s regional weather forecasts cover regions within the UK and is updated regularly throughout the day.

Two of skybookGA’s integrated features that pilots particularly praise are the Quick Weather Maps and Danger Area Briefs. Quick Weather Maps allow you to view prevailing weather conditions and trends at a glance. They provide information on windspeed and direction, temperature, dew points, cloud cover and pressure. Danger Area Briefs allow searches for international and domestic NOTAM affecting Danger Areas by FIR, area name or number during specific time periods. It includes easy-to-view charts of UK Danger Areas.

International NOTAM contains information about the establishment, condition or change in any facility, service, procedure or hazard.

The most recent development is the Pilot Log (Plog), based on departure, destination, flight level and flight corridor, and even fuel burn. Routing data can be exported to GPs devices too.

It’s small wonder GA pilots cherish the comprehensive briefing data that skybookGA offers. They feel confident that every eventuality has been covered, before setting off to the airport.

NEW AND IMPROVED! skybook GA™ now has loads of new features, including: GPS ROUTE EXPORTER Easy to use, this feature enables you to convert and download the route plot created on skybookGA into 50 GPS file formats.

NOTAM F & G Has been added to all briefing packs: Plain language display of NOTAM upper and lower heights (F & G fields).

RAINFALL RADAR Met images are updated every 15 min. Shows the previous 3, 6, 9 and 24 hours and forecasts the next three hours’ expected rainfall.

RESTRICTED AREAS (TEMP) MAP This has now been updated so you can see multiple NOTAM that are centred on the same point.

SATELLITE IMAGES The display for satellite images has been updated to a carousel display to aid searching which now can be opened in a separate window.

METAR FEED This loads airfield METAR details onto Google Earth. Wind speed, direction and cloud cover are displayed. You can also seelive weather along your route.

For more details and all the latest updates visit www.skybookga.com SKYBOOK GA ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO IMPROVE OUR PRODUCTS, IF YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS LET US KNOW AT SUPPORT@SKYBOOKGA.COM TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SPECIAL ONE-MONTH FREE TRIAL OFFER, OR TO SUBSCRIBE, GO TO WWW.LOOP.AERO, CLICK ON THE SKYBOOK TAB AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. YOU’LL WONDER HOW YOU EVER COPED WITHOUT IT!

quick spin tecnam p2006T

Tecnam’s

Terrific Twin

Italian aircraft manufacturer Tecnam is picking up where its predecessor, Partenavia, left off and has launched a new light twin.

Stan Hodgkins flies it for P1

Tecnam's new twin, the P2006T, bears some resemblance to Partenavia twins.

46 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

ECNAM claims to have spotted a gap in the market when it first revealed the P2006T: a twin-engined fourseater that is lighter and more economical than many of its single-engined competitors.

The magic ingredient isn’t some unobtainable substance cooked up in an alchemist’s lair, but something rather well-known to aviation already – Rotax’s successful Rotax 912, now the engine of choice for light aviation worldwide.

Obviously based on his P68 Partenavia, Tecnam designer Luigi Pascale has taken advantage of the amazing little Rotax and produced a scaled-down, incredibly efficient little flying machine. The maturity of the Rotax 912 is beyond doubt and the current versions have a TBO of 2000hr/15yr.

THE DESIGN

INSIDE THE TWIN Entering the cockpit is easy as the seats slide rearwards a long way and there is no need to clamber over cockpit equipment.

Twinengine four-seater cheaper to operate than many singles

BELOW: roomy cockpit with Garmin glass.

Trailing link main wheels deal with bumps even on grass. Visibility out of the cabin is excellent.

need to use differential power. With some final checks and a run-up of the engines to 1650 propeller rpm – the propellers exercised in the normal way including feathering – we were ready for the off.

Takeoff provided no surprises.

Acceleration at our weight was brisk and the aircraft rotated at 65kt. Unstick occurred immediately at 70kt and we climbed away at 80kt, which is both Vy and Vx. The rate of climb was about 1100ft/min and the nose attitude quite high. A speed of 95kt is recommended for an en-route climb, giving a better view ahead with only a small penalty in the rate of climb. The low propeller rpm (max continuous is 2265) also gives a quiet climb.

Cruise power of 24in Manifold Air Pressure (MAP) and 2000rpm was set, which gave 125kt IAS. The aircraft was straightforward to fly with nothing out of the ordinary to remark on – how undramatic this sounds, yet how nice it is to experience!

Approaching the clean stall, the warning horn sounded at 68kt followed by light buffet at 61kt and the full stall at 59kt.

Recovery was immediate on relaxing the back pressure with power the loss of height in the region of 300ft. With approach flap and a little power, the stall occurred at 52kt with a gentle drop of the right wing.

All trim changes with flap and gear are mild and easily coped with. A few steep

GRAVITY ALONE The undercarriage is electro-hydraulically operated, and has an emergency system that uses a nitrogen bottle to send extra hydraulic fluid into the lines. The gear should also extend by gravity alone. The two emergency selectors are under an access panel on the floor in front of the pilot. Three greens and a red in-transit light are adjacent to the switch.

Between the seats to the rear of the pedestal is the rocker switch for rudder trim and the manual trim wheel for the allflying tail. Curiously, this is calibrated, but there is no pointer – trim position being shown on en electrical indicator on the pilot’s left panel. A central overhead panel contains switches for engine start, ignition, fuel pumps and the fuel cocks. Each engine has its own Andair fuel cock, which can be selected to either left or right tank.

The seats are very comfortable and all controls can be reached from either seat.

The view forward is excellent, but the view to the sides is a bit restricted by the windscreen arch. With two of us on aboard and 60 litres of fuel each side, our all-up weight was about 1020kg, leaving a further 159kg available for passengers and/or fuel – it's not a ‘heavy hauler’.

Taxiing out was simple, with the nosewheel turned by the pedals and no

PhotoS Dave Spurdens

The Tecnam's low-drag lightweight airframe combined with lightweight fuel-efficient powerplants gives quite exceptional performance and economy.

The airframe is a very clever design from the loading point of view. The wing is built around two wing spars that form a rigid torque box and the engine mounts are bolted to the front spar. This partly ‘buries’ the engines in the wing, reducing drag and saving weight, and also ensures a very stiff structure that concentrates the mass of the engines and fuel near the centre of gravity. The two 100-litre fuel tanks are located between the spars outboard of the engines. Below the spar is the spacious cabin and baggage compartment.

Approaching the P2006T, I start to put it in proportion. For a twin, it is small, with a wingspan of 11.4 metres – only slightly more than a PA28 Warrior. It sits close to the ground on its sturdy sponson-mounted undercarriage which is very reminiscent of the Dornier 228.

The cabin is quite spacious, and has a door on the port side for the pilots and one on the starboard side for the passengers and baggage. The engines are neatly cowled and the props are MT and fully feathering. The doors are very close to the propeller arcs so there is a clever solenoid-operated interlock and the doors cannot be operated while the engines are running.

Winglets are fitted and the laminar-flow wings feature frise ailerons, electricallyoperated slotted flaps and winglets.

Strangely, the fuel tanks are not painted, but have been left in natural aluminium finish, apparently an EASA requirement for minimising the risk of lightning strike…

The stabilator is very Piper, being all moving with an anti-balance tab that also doubles as a trim tab. The fin and rudder are conventional and of generous proportions.

The flat floor helps in this respect.

Entrance to the rear seats is equally easy and the baggage compartment is readily accessible as the rear seats fold forward.

With pilots’ seats adjusted, there is plenty of leg-room for passengers. The cabin interior is tastefully trimmed in cream with a dark blue-grey carpet, and there’s an escape hatch provided in the cabin roof in case of ditching – a good idea in a highwing aeroplane.

Once comfortably installed, the impression is one of neatness. The panel is dominated by the two large screens of the Garmin G950 Integrated Flight Deck System, with the GMA 1347 audio panel sitting between the big screens. It is similar to Garmin's G1000 but without the integrated engine monitoring system or embedded autopilot. Engine instruments are an analogue cluster including the fuel gauges to the right of the main panel, angled towards the pilot.

Flying controls consist of U-shaped yokes and normal rudder pedals with toebrakes. The ailerons are cable operated in the cabin area and connect to pushrods in the wing, while the tailplane is pushrod operated and the rudder with cables. All controls are low friction and pleasant in operation.

Centrally placed below the Garmin screens is a row of instruments – three standby flight instruments, a clock and a couple of fuel pressure gauges. To the left of the pilot’s yoke are cockpit light dimmers, cabin heat controls, pitot heat switches and trim indicators. Below the control yokes there are two sub-panels on the pilot’s side: an ADF and the landing gear switch and indicator lights.

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 47

quick spin tecnam p2006T

Flying low over the sands of north Norfolk in the UK, a beautiful area.

turns were flown without difficulty. In the cruise, the aircraft seemed very stable.

No autopilot is fitted as this machine will mainly be used for multi-engine pilot training.

In typical cruising flight at 3000ft with 75% power set, a true airspeed of around 138kt is achieved with a fuel burn of 38 litres/hr. With full fuel and realistically two occupants plus adequate baggage, this gives safe range of around 650nm. In the

cruise, it’s smooth, quiet and roomy and generally a very civilised way of travelling.

After simulating an engine failure, I was impressed by the lack of obvious yaw and instinctively applied far too much rudder – once I had located the slip indicator I realised this. That large fin and powerful rudder, coupled with the close inboard location of the engines, does make dealing with the asymmetric problem very easy compared to some other twins.

Plenty of leg and headroom for pax.

Engines mounted close to the fuselage.

48 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

It's smooth, quiet and roomy and a civilised way of travelling

Reducing to the ‘blue line’ speed of 80kt we carried out touch drills, and my co-pilot set zero thrust on the dead engine to simulate feathering the propeller. It was hardly necessary to trim out the rudder force – and with full power/maximum rpm on the good engine, the rate of climb settled at 270fpm. This compares well with most light piston twins I've flown.

Returning to the circuit, we descended at a reduced power setting of 14in MAP at 120kt and joined downwind. Setting 20in/2000rpm the first stage of flap and gear were selected and the speed reduced to 90kt. Reducing power to 16in on base leg gave an initial approach speed of 80kt, reducing to 70kt and full flap on finals. Full flap produces a lot of drag and the airspeed soon reduces to 65kt. The landing was straightforward; a demonstrated crosswind limit of 17kt is listed in the manual. I am sure that much

FAcT FiLE PERFoRMANCE VNE 168kt CRUISE 145kt RANGE 710nm CEILING 15,000ft (single engine 7000ft) TAKEOFF ROLL 225m LANDING ROLL 180m PoWER ENGINE 2 x Rotax 912S, four-cylinder, producing 98hp each PROP 2 x MT 2-blade constant speed, full feathering DIMENSIoNS WINGSPAN 10.6m WING AREA 14.4sq-m LENGTH 8.66m HEIGHT 2.85m CABIN WIDTH 1.2m SEATS 4 MTOW 1180kg EMPTY WEIGHT 760kg PRICE BASE 295,000 euro AS TESTED 340,000 euro www.tecnam.com

Compared to its main competition, the short field performance of the P2006T is outstanding. The takeoff and landing rolls

are given as 225 metres and 180 metres respectively and the obstacle clearance distances 420m and 340m. There would be no problem flying from a short grass field.

Running costs can be drastically reduced by running on mogas, which is also better for the engines, but, of course, this opens up the endless ongoing debate on the availability of mogas without all the additives that governments are forcing upon us. It’s all very well being able to run

Rotax engines tucked in tightly.

All-moving tailplane, similar to PA28.

higher crosswinds would be no problem with experience on type. Single-engine approaches are made at 80kt (blue line) with just the first stage of flap until a committal height of 300ft, when full flap is selected. VMCA is 62kt.

THE GRAND COMPARISON

It is cheap to operate and a very practical machine

on mogas with less than the 10% alcohol that EASA says we are allowed, but that’s not much use if it is just not available.

I wish I was in the market for one of these babies. It may well turn out to be the right aircraft for today for quite a few people, whether for training, light cargo or surveillance (Tecnam has produced a specialist version for this, the MMA). It is not hugely fast, nor yet a flying truck, but it is a cheap-to-operate and very practical machine. List price of around 300,000 euro is highly competitive when compared to its nearest rival, the Diamond DA42 turbodiesel twin, and running costs are good too. Although you can pick up old twins such as a Seneca for less, the running costs and ongoing maintenance are less attractive.

Oh yes, talking about attractive... I couldn’t help noticing as the P2006T took off… it’s quiet, pretty and Italian!

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 49

EBACE2011

BUSINESS AVIATION – LINKING COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIES

MAY 17, 18, 19, 2011 | GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

EBACE is the perfect venue for Companies who want to showcase the essential role business aviation plays in supporting jobs, mobility and economic opportunity in Europe.

This premier business aviation event will feature Exhibits, an incredible Static Display of Aircraft, Education Sessions and Maintenance & Operations Sessions (M&Os) – all located at the magnificent Geneva Palexpo and Geneva International Airport.

For more information visit: www.ebace.aero

products FOCUS SPRING CLEAN

Aircraft cleaning gets bigger New premises at Farnborough Airport, UK AIRCRAFT cleaning specialists Avialogistics, part of the Gama Group, is about to move into new, bigger premises at the UK’s Farnborough Airport.

“2011 promises to be a very exciting year for Avialogistics, with lots of developments and investments reaching fruition,” said Tracy Ring,

MD of the company. “Our new offices, home to 14 employees, overlook the airfield and provide a perfect vantage point to see customers’ aircraft land, enabling us to respond to their needs instantly.”

Avialogistics has ordered new access equipment and vehicles to strengthen its presence at

BELOW: Avialogistics team gets to work.

Farnborough and is now in talks with bespoke equipment manufacturers regarding a new system.

“This will enable us to offer even safer access and fall arrest when our experienced cleaning personnel are working at height. Working at height is a critical issue in this industry and we aim to be at the forefront regarding health and safety.”

Avialogistics is the UK’s oldest business aircraft cleaning company with more than 20 years’ experience.

It provides a full range of aircraft cleaning and restocking services (for both fixed wing and rotary aircraft) to base operators and visitors at all the London airports, for a full seven days a week.

Farnborough, Luton and Biggin Hill airports are the primary bases.

Cleaning support is provided to several handling agents, including TAG Aviation, Signature Flight Support, Ocean Sky Jet Centre and Biggin Hill Handling.

All Avialogistics staff are security vetted and cleared to work airside in restricted zones. The company is also testing a new range of 100% natural products, all aviation approved, in order to reduce its carbon footprint. www.avialogistics.com

Universal’s EU-ETS portal

Sporty’s iPad kneeboard

UNIVERSAL Weather and Aviation has launched a new European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) Emissions Reporting Portal service, combining online reporting tools and access to an accredited, experienced EU-ETS third party verifier.

The new service offering was developed to help operators who already have an approved CO2 monitoring plan.

Operators who have not yet completed a monitoring plan can learn more about taking this first important step at Universal’s free aviation EU-ETS Resource Centre, which includes tools, how-to videos, sample reporting plans and completed reports.

The new subscription service enables users to catalog all reporting data for flights into, out of, and between EU Member States in a secure online portal and then electronically submit

GOT an iPad? Use it in the cockpit? Accessories are already starting to flow for the handy tablet computer from US pilot supply shop Sporty’s.

First up is the compact, bifold iPad Kneeboard, which holds your iPad securely on the left side and has an adjustable stand to set the best viewing angle. A right side organiser section includes mesh pockets and a zippered compartment for storing charts, flight plan forms or checklists. An exterior storage pocket and an ID holder along with an adjustable leg strap and padded back complete the Kneeboard.

When closed, the Kneeboard offers complete protection for the iPad. Want more? Take a look at the iPad Flight Desk which has room for all your in-flight essentials while holding your iPad in place with an adjustable viewing angle. A left-side organiser section has

that information to CICS, Universal’s accredited partner for streamlined verification.

“By combining reporting and verification, we are able to reduce costs for the small emitter,” said Universal.

“Our reporting solution is specifically designed to already include the verification fee for submission to CICS along with full access to pre-populated flight planning data, reporting templates, and access to our EU-ETS experts within Universal’s Global Regulatory Services Team, all in one flatrate fee of $3,000 per year.” www.EU-ETS.aero

Universal's emissions portal.

pockets to store charts, flight plan forms and more. There’s a notepad to copy clearances or ATIS. With a built-in leg strap for stability, the iPad Flight Desk zips completely closed to protect your tablet and includes a handle for easy carrying.

Not gone to a paper-free cockpit yet? Sporty’s has also just reinvented its Flight Gear Mission Bag. “The bag has a sleek shape that takes up very little space, but has dedicated pockets for everything a pilot will need in flight,” said Sporty’s. www.sportys.com

Use your iPad in the cockpit.

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 51

The Executive Approach

Arrive in style with Sentinel; whether you are flying into town, or visiting the country; Sentinel’s presentation of low level charts and obstacles, coupled with traffic, weather and terrain information helps you to maximise flight safety.

Sentinel permits you to visually look forward with an EO/IR camera display interface on our new low profile OB3300 Remote Display. With Sentinel you can travel in safety and arrive in style.

Honeywell UK Limited (Skyforce) Enquiries: mission.systems@honeywell.com Website: www.skyforce.co.uk

F O R

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FASHION FOLLOWER

Eurocopter's Hermes-inspired EC135 is a very special helicopter. Dennis Kenyon flies this dedicated follower of fashion

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HERE aren’t many occasions when I’m lost for words. I’ve seen more than a few unusual machines in my time, radical designs, odd conversions, even a man powered rotary, but as startling as some were, I wasn’t fully prepared for this highly customised version of Eurocopter’s EC135, l’Helicoptere par Hermes.

Eurocopter’s EC135 is far from a new model. I first saw the type in Las Vegas at the 1999 Heli-Expo convention but its history goes back much further. The prototype was originally built at Bolkow’s Ottobrunn facility as an Allison engine B105/B108 series.

The design fell under the control of Eurocopter in 1992, when Aerospatiale and MBB joined forces to become the EADS conglomerate.

The specification was revised with the

addition of an all-composite, bearingless and asymmetric ten-blade ‘Fenestron’ tail-rotor system.

European certification was achieved in June 1996. The main rotor hub also incorporates the unique bearing-less configuration. It is a one-piece solid metal hub and all dynamic loads due to flapping, pitch change and lead/ lag are taken up within the material, hence zero requirement for hinges that require bearings and associated lubrication. A standard fit on most recent EC machines now and M/R hub failures are virtually extinct.

The type has been especially popular with aero-medical operators, police forces and the military flying the EC635 version.

The current EC135 is offered with two FADEC managed engine options being the Pratt & Whitney PW206B or Turbomeca Arrius 2B and is

54 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

MAIN: Eurocopter's EC135 light twin is popular with utility services.

Military fly the EC635 version.

single-pilot FAR Pt 27 and JAR 27 IFR certificated. Dynamic components have a 3,500 hour MTBR (minimum time before replacement) or can be maintained ‘on-condition’.

sOmeThIng sPecIaL This Hermes EC135 is something special. The moment Eurocopter's Nick Hardy slid back the door to the rear cabin was the moment I went quiet. The interior is spectacular, hand stitching by craftsmen using 19th century techniques. Attention to detail and finish everywhere. This is a true V-VIP helicopter, a bespoke passenger cabin to please the most discriminating oil-rich sheik or pop millionaire.

The man responsible is Italian freelance designer, Gabriele Pezzini, hired by Hermes for special projects.

Hermes uses such expressions as,

ec135 hermes ‘Power meets elegance’ and ‘Safety meets sensuality’, ‘Elegance in motion’.

The result is a refined, four passenger corporate mode of transport. Two seats are replaced by a single banquette. The landing gear is modified simply to achieve a cosmetic shape in keeping with the profile of the airframe, an exercise which required re-certification. A dedicated paint scheme incorporates the Hermes logo, represented by a multi-coloured ribbon blazing along the hull.

But it’s not just a pretty aircraft.

Take a look at the all-glass avionics specification of the latest EC135 T2+.

It has Garmin’s GC430 IFR avionics pack, interfaced with their FCDS (flight control display system) being duplicated for both pilot and co-pilot.

Then we have Chelton’s CDM451 DME package, a MEGHAS second FCDS, and a Garmin Mode S transponder

Power meets elegance...

Safety meets sensuality

naturally, Honeywell KRM-21 Marker Beacon lights and a KRA 405B Radar Altimeter which all sit nicely alongside Bose ANR low impedence headsets.

Now if that wasn’t enough, Eurocopter UK has added a Traffic Advisory System and a digital moving map display. Such items as a Chelton ADF, Honeywell’s RDR 2000 colour weather radar and an Iridium Satellite phone get lost in the specification.

I’m going to be flying the EC135 Hermes with Captain Dick Ormshaw who will be PIC so, using the fourpoint harness, I strap myself in the right-hand seat. Dick is a highly experienced ex-Royal Navy man who as Chief Pilot for Eurocopter UK, oversees the certification flight test programmes. He talks me through the first start of the day checks and explains that the glass-cockpit instrument layout is now common to

the Eurocopter fleet. This allows pilots to simply hop from the EC135 to the 145/155.

We run through the computer log to check the results and times of the last few flights. Dick also explains another interesting feature of the EC135. The type has an in-flight ‘training mode’ allowing a simulated engine-out ‘needles split’ emergency to be practiced, but with the safety of normal engine back up. The trainee pilot can then see all the instrument indications of a malfunction and adopt the appropriate handling, but without the risk!

I’m also intrigued by the small triangular MMI (Mast Moment Indicator). With the semi-rigid M/R system, it becomes important the pilot doesn’t input excessive loads by enthusiastic use of the cyclic which might exceed the load limits of

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 55

the design. The glass instrument presentation includes a triangular MMI to keep the pilot aware of the associated mast angle his control inputs are calling for.

Under Dick’s watchful eye, I run through the after-start checks, make a note of the ATIS information and with a release call to the tower, I pull on the collective lever while trying to remember to use my right foot against engine torque.

The hover? Not miles away from the handling of either a B206 or the AS355 Squirrel. Cyclic feedback is minimal and in my view, airframe response couldn’t be improved. I’m happy as I hold three tons of flying luxury in a stable, vibration free hover.

Sheer heaven.

Intriguingly, the cyclic is fitted with an auto-trim. The technique is simply to establish the required hover attitude and release the cyclic, whereupon the auto-trim maintains the chosen position. A stationary hover or perhaps a steady sideways drift. The 1,200-metre runway nips past as we pull power and with a touch of aft cyclic as we pass the 30 knot CDP, we rotate at 40 knots (VTOS) to the 65 knot best climbing speed (BROC).

Cabin visibility is nigh on perfect.

We select 2,000 feet and a northwesterly heading on the autopilot (ALT A) and precisely on cue, the EC135 levels at the assigned height.

I ask Dick to set up a comfortable cruise speed – the speed he uses with VIP passengers – and I study the ASI

56 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

BELOW: The test aircraft being flown through the centre of London.

as it creeps up the speed band and settles at 130 knots.

Vibration is still virtually non-existent and the only indication that both engines are running comes from the instruments, but of course a light the size of a golf ball comes up if one engine should malfunction. That along with the warning horn would get even a dozy pilot’s attention.

I’m settling in to appreciate the glass instrument and navigation presentation and, feeling comfortable, I ask Dick Ormshaw if he would demonstrate a double engine failure.

“Why would we need to do that?” came the confident reply, but he goes on to explain in the unlikely event of complete power failure, the pilot can hand over to the autopilot, which will

ec135 hermes adopt and maintain a 60 knot attitude.

His only task is to monitor rotor speed (NR) with collective lever. Flying IFR, the wind direction can be set on the autopilot which will bring the aircraft into wind.

I monitor the fuel burn on the FLI as the Turbomecas spin contentedly at three-quarters power. Just over 200kg an hour (250 litres) and quickly calculate that with a total uplift of the maximum 568kg (700 litres), we could easily make Paris in one hop and a flight time of well under a couple of hours. A 200-litre long-range auxiliary tank is available for ferry work.

The Hermes EC135 is everything the purchaser of a luxury enhanced helicopter expects. Spacious, comfortable, with twin-engine

safety and speed in a customised, exceptionally quiet cabin with a designer décor. Elegance in motion guaranteed. It’s fitted with big cabin doors both sides, and large windows.

There’s slightly more head room in the front seats, facing rearwards, than in the back row, which has the bulkhead just above. However, six-footers sitting in the rear during the flight said there was no problem.

Three-point car-type intertia reel seatbelts are fitted. Passengers reported the in-flight noise levels to be a bit more than they expected, making the headsets well worth putting on.

The Hermes fit includes V-VIP extras such as cocktail cabinets of course and smoked glass windows so the moment the cabin door is closed, the

Hermes fit includes V-VIP extras so the outside world is forgotten

world outside is forgotten. There is even a monogrammed glass partition to keep the flightdeck isolated from the passengers. At the rear, the EC135’s clamshell doors open for a spacious baggage bay.

Eurocopter says the 5.5m+ euro Hermes EC135 will be offered in several colour schemes and five have so far been produced. "The partnership with Hermès will enhance Eurocopter’s image on the top-of-the-range market by developing an overall strategy," said the French company. In addition to the EC135, Eurocopter is now looking at the possibility of working on other aircraft in our range.

Would I want one? An academic question but yes, I’d always be happy to fly one!

EUROCOPTER EC135 PERFORMANCE Max speed 140kt Cruise speed 137kt Ceiling 20,000ft Rate of climb 1,500ft/min HIGE 10,000ft HOGE 6,600ft Range 342nm SPECIFICATIONS Engines 2 x Turbomeca Arrius 2B2 or 2 x Pratt & Whitney PW206B2 gas turbines, producing 816shp Rotor ø 10.20m, 4 blades Tail rotor ø 1.0m Fuselage length 10.20m Height 3.51m Seats 1/2 pilots + 4/5 passengers Mtow 2,910kg Empty weight 1,455kg

Useful load 1,455kg Fuel capacity 560kg Baggae capacity 5.9cu m SPECIAL EQUIPMENT Hermes styling inside & out Full Thales glass cockpit MANUFACTURER Eurocopter Aéroport International Marseille-Provence 13725 Marignane Cedex, France T: +33 (0) 4 42 85 85 85 W: www.eurocopter.com OPERATOR Eurocopter UK London Oxford Airport OX5 1QZ T: +44 (0)1865 852400 W: www.eurocopter.co.uk

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 57

geneva stars

Supercars keep on coming Top end supercars are still in demand with Ferrari and Aston Martin launching

D

ESPITE the world going through near financial meltdown and an overwhelming push to become more ‘green’, two supercar manufacturers will be launching two new models at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, held at the Palexpo site next to Geneva Airport – yes, the same place as the annual aviation show EBACE. The Geneva Motor Show is one of the industry’s favourites. It’s annual (most are biannual), it’s in Europe’s Spring and the weather is usually benign, but best of all, the show is compact – you can get around the various halls and still be standing at the end of the day!

Anyway, the two makers are Ferrari and Aston Martin, producers of quite different types of car but both exquisite for petrolheads.

For weeks, Ferrari has been leaking still photos and now a video of its new FF four-wheel drive coupe. Aston Martin is showing the V8 Vantage S.

The FF (stands for Ferrari Four) is the Italian company’s first four-wheel drive car and is said to be replacing the 612 Scaglietti. The 4WD system is said to weigh half that of other 4WDs, and works with several electronic dynamic control systems to adjust the power delivery across the four wheels.

It’s powered by 6.3-litre V12 direct injection engine, producing a claimed 651bhp, enough to preopel the FF from 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds and give a top speed of 208mph. Production is due to start in 2012 with a price tag around £250,000.

Aston Martin’s Vantage S is claimed to offer a better driver experience thanks to a number of new features.

The headline items are an increase in power to 430bhp, a new seven speed Sportshift II transmission, looks inspired by the V12 Vantage, and a host of chassis improvements.

Dynamic revisions are central to the Vantage S, says Aston Martin, with

Ferrari has been leaking photos and video of its new FF

Ferrari's first 4WD car, the FF in testing conditions.

A driver's car – the Aston Martin Vantage S.

58 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

quicker steering, more powerful brakes, new springs and dampers, wider rear wheels and a new dynamic stability control (DSC) system.

Looks-wise, a new lower front bumper finished in carbon fibre houses a larger air intake feeding the engine and front brakes. The splitter combined with the extended deck lid ‘flip’ provides increased downforce at speed. New 19 inch ‘V’ spoke wheel styles are available as standard, and there’s an optional 10-spoke lightweight forged wheel.

The Vantage S is said to bridge the gap between road car and race car, and is influenced by the 2011 Vantage GT4 race car. The GT4 has the Vantage’s rigid bonded aluminium chassis and with safety modifications and weight savings is converted into a class winning race car. In 2010, the GT4 won its class at the Dubai 24 Hours, Nürburgring 24 Hours, Silverstone 24 Hours and Spa 24 Hours.

THEDOSSIER ALL THE BUSINESS JET STATISTICS, MARKETPLACE ANALYSIS AND INDUSTRY INFORMATION UNDER ONE ROOF

SALES OF PRE-OWNED BUSINESS AIRCRAFT UP

Jetnet figures show sales of pre-owned business aircraft up 16 percent year on year , but there are still challenging pockets within the market

INSIDE THIS MONTH

58 Jetnet analysis of pre-owned aircraft 61 Listings of new aircraft 66 Pre-owned: Cessna Sovereign THE BIGGEST AND BEST STATS WITHIN BUSINESS AVIATION THIS MONTH. SUPPLIED BY AVINODE

TOP TEN EURO DEPARTURE AIRPORTS JANUARY 2011(ULLI) 1. Vnukovo (UUWW) 2. Geneva (LSGG) 3. Le Bourget (LFPB) 4. Luton (EGGW) 5. Aix les Bains (LFLB)

S

ALES of pre-owned business jets were up 16 percent by the end of 2010 compared with the the ‘awful’ 2009, and also exceeded mixed year of 2008 by 4.8 percent. a These figures come from Jetnet, aviation e corporat of leading provider of information, released at the end January 2011.

Jetnet said, “New aircraft orders are based on the successful sale of existing good aircraft in the pre-owned market, a good first predictor. 2010 brought welcome Jet news with Pre-owned Full Sale Business .”

Transactions for the year improving The table of figures, below, highlights aircraft the key worldwide trends across all to market segments, comparing 2010 2009. Business Jet Inventory For Sale change, largest the shows percentage 14.8 to percent down 1.5 points, from 16.3 e percent. Most important is the percentag Jets change in Sale Transactions. Business

6. Pulkovo 7. Samedan (LSZS) 8. Cote d’Azur (LFMN) 9. Zurich (LSZH) 10. Domodedovo (UUDD)

IngS

nEw aIRcRaft lIStIng All you need to know about the world's business S aircraft in one place!

Facts and figures of current new business aircraf t, including jets, turboprops and high end piston aircraft at your fingertips

MOST POPULAR JETS PRICE COMPARISON THREE $4.643, 6mth ago $4,687) 1. Challenger 604 $4,784 (3mth ago ago $2,684) 2. Citation Excel $2,717 (3mth ago $2,694, 6mth ago $1,518) 3. Citation Jet $1,505 (3mth ago $1,531, 6mth surcharges) for the three most fuel + rate (taxi hour per price average Shows e outside America. Reference popular aircraft models in Avinode’s marketplac Excels and 26 Citation Jets. group consists of 33 Challenger 604s, 23 Citation

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Jetnet figures show worldwide improvement in sales of pre-owned aircraft

2010, 2011 DEMAND INDEX 2009, shift in demand

The crisis in Egypt prompted a major for at the end of January – up 100% and accounting popular 25% of all departure flights. Cairo was the most seeing departure airport with Luxor and Alexandria also a surge. Mid-size to heavy jets were the most requested, reaching levels not seen until April last year.

INDEX

PLACE DOSSIER THE MARKET

DOSSIER nEw aIRcRaf t lISt

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

LEARJET 60XR Find all the info you need on page 64

PlanE fOcUS BOEING 747-8 VIP Base price $300m Cruise 492kt Range 9,400nm WHAT IS IT? The BBJs are based on Boeing range of airliners so proven, with great worldwide support..

WHAT DO YOU GET? Whatever you want, pretty much. Extraordinary amounts of space to create such fantastic effects as this concept interior, left, plus a king-size bed! There's a total of 445sq m of space - more than the average house. Plus enough range to go almost anywhere you want non-

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

FLYING COLOURS DELIVERS 850

DEC

system including custom COMPLETIONS and touch screen cabin controls maintenance company and large cabin LCD displays.

Flying Colours Corp recently Flying Colours also installed a delivered its first Bombardier True North Global Broadband Challenger 850 to China for a system allowing the customer Hong Kong based client. The to have high-speed wifi aircraft will be managed by capability while in flight.

Hong Kong based Metrojet.

This is the first of five new The 14 seat executive aircraft AVRO JETSTREAM 41 Challenger 850 aircraft Flying and Base price $1.5m Cruise 295kt Range was elegantly 1592nm designed Colours is completing for finished throughout. The cabin Chinese based customers.

WHAT IS IT? The also consisted of a premium Jetstream gcolourscorp.com 41 isent a stretchedwww.flyin version of the digital cabin managem twin turboprop Handley Page regional airliner.

WHAT DO YOU GET? A roomy cabin due to the fact the wing is mounted below the fuselage. The all-new fuselage adds 16ft over the original design, demanding a greater wingspan, which include larger root fairings leading to increased baggage capacity.

The flightde

DOSSIER THE MARKETPLACE

THE BIGGEST AND BEST STATS WITHIN BUSINESS AVIATION THIS MONTH. SUPPLIED BY AVINODE

S

ALES of pre-owned business jets were up 16 percent by the end of 2010 compared with the ‘awful’ 2009, and also exceeded the mixed year of 2008 by 4.8 percent.

These figures come from Jetnet, a leading provider of corporate aviation information, released at the end of January 2011.

Jetnet said, “New aircraft orders are based on the successful sale of existing aircraft in the pre-owned market, a good first predictor. 2010 brought welcome good news with Pre-owned Full Sale Business Jet Transactions for the year improving.”

The table of figures, below, highlights the key worldwide trends across all aircraft market segments, comparing 2010 to 2009. Business Jet Inventory For Sale percentage shows the largest change, down 1.5 points, from 16.3 percent to 14.8 percent. Most important is the percentage change in Sale Transactions. Business Jets lead with the largest percentage gain, 16 percent, compared to 2009. All business and helicopter aircraft categories took longer to sell in 2010, ranging from 31 to 72 more days in the year-over-year (YOY) comparisons.

All pre-owned aircraft categories show a decrease in the average asking price, ranging from a low of -1.5% for piston helicopters to -18.5 percent for business jets.

The Pre-owned Piston Helicopter segment is the only sector down in sale transactions (a 8.6 percent drop) in 2010 compared to the previous year.

An analysis of the build-up in Business Jet For Sale inventory shows that it increased for 21 months, from 10.7 percent in October 2007 to 17.7 percent in August 2009. The percentage of jets for sale then slowly dropped for 16 months to 14.8 percent in December 2010. So we still remain in a buyer’s market, with business jets showing percentages greater than 10 percent for sale. A seller’s market is when 10 percent or less of the pre-owned business jets are for sale.

Looking back, the sharp reality is that in March 2008, YOY Pre-owned Full Sale Business Jet Transactions started to decline.

That trend has continued along with a huge build-up of aircraft for sale. Jetnet expected the “average days on market” numbers to rise with the increase in inventories, and they have. Jetnet expected dealers to drop their prices in reaction to this cycle, and they have. This trend is a typical indicator of a downward cycle.

So what were the underlying causes?

The difficult financial credit climate, coupled with the bubble in 2008 of higher fuel prices, no doubt reduced demand and reversed the run-up of higher aircraft

TOP TEN EURO DEPARTURE AIRPORTS JANUARY 2011 1. Vnukovo (UUWW) 2. Geneva (LSGG) 3. Le Bourget (LFPB) 4. Luton (EGGW) 5. Aix les Bains (LFLB)

6. Pulkovo (ULLI) 7. Samedan (LSZS) 8. Cote d’Azur (LFMN) 9. Zurich (LSZH) 10. Domodedovo (UUDD)

PRICE COMPARISON THREE MOST POPULAR JETS 1. Challenger 604 $4,784 (3mth ago $4.643, 6mth ago $4,687) 2. Citation Excel $2,717 (3mth ago $2,694, 6mth ago $2,684) 3. Citation Jet $1,505 (3mth ago $1,531, 6mth ago $1,518) Shows average price per hour (taxi rate + fuel surcharges) for the three most popular aircraft models in Avinode’s marketplace outside America. Reference group consists of 33 Challenger 604s, 23 Citation Excels and 26 Citation Jets.

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL Jetnet figures show worldwide improvement in sales of pre-owned aircraft

values of prior years. The good news is that in 2010 the business jet industry overcame the downward trend witnessed in late 2008 and 2009. There was a YOY Pre-owned Business Jet Transactions increase of 16 percent from 2009 to 2010, and of 4.8 percent from 2008 to 2010.

Other recent industry metrics reveal a mixed picture. The current average number of days that a pre-owned business aircraft remains on the market is 323 days, or 64 days more in 2010 than 2009. Also, the average asking price in 2010 fell by 18.5 percent compared to 2009, resulting in a very good climate for buying a business jet.

TURBOPROPS The inventory levels for pre-owned business turboprop aircraft for sale at the end of 2010 followed the same pattern as the business jet aircraft market. The percentage of pre-owned business turboprop aircraft for sale was 10.5 percent in December 2010, and has declined from the peak of 12.0 percent set in both May and June 2009.

The number of business turboprops for sale at the end of June 2010 was slightly less than 1,400 aircraft, nearly half the number of business jets currently for sale.

The number of pre-owned full sale

60 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

The reality is that the current down cycle is lasting longer than the industry would like

ABOVE: new jets increase pressure on values of older aircraft.

transactions for business turboprop aircraft increased by 4.4 percent in 2010 compared to the same period in 2009, which is good news.

However, it is taking longer (more days) to sell in the current market environment.

The average days on the market before business turboprop aircraft sold was 298 days for 2010, an increase of 11.6 percent, or 31 more days compared to the same period in 2009. Additionally, the average asking price decreased by 2.5 percent in 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.

HELICOPTERS (EXCLUDES CIVIL RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS) The number of pre-owned turbine helicopters for sale in December 2010 was slightly more than 1,200 helicopters, or 139 less than the business turboprop market.

The percentage for sale of 7.0 percent in 2010 (a buyer’s market) was higher than the 6.9 percent level of 2009. A buyer’s market in the helicopter world is when the percentage of helicopters for sale exceeds 5 percent of the fleet.

The number of pre-owned full sale transactions for turbine helicopters increased by 14.5 percent in 2010 compared to 2009. Again, this improvement in sales

The crisis in Egypt prompted a major shift in demand at the end of January – up 100% and accounting for 25% of all departure flights. Cairo was the most popular departure airport with Luxor and Alexandria also seeing a surge. Mid-size to heavy jets were the most requested, reaching levels not seen until April last year.

INDEX

DEMAND INDEX 2009, 2010, 2011

160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

FLYING COLOURS DELIVERS 850 +16% +16%

COMPLETIONS and maintenance company Flying Colours Corp recently delivered its first Bombardier Challenger 850 to China for a Hong Kong based client. The aircraft will be managed by Hong Kong based Metrojet.

The 14 seat executive aircraft was elegantly designed and finished throughout. The cabin also consisted of a premium digital cabin management

system including custom touch screen cabin controls and large cabin LCD displays.

Flying Colours also installed a True North Global Broadband system allowing the customer to have high-speed wifi capability while in flight.

This is the first of five new Challenger 850 aircraft Flying Colours is completing for Chinese based customers. www.flyingcolourscorp.com

+16% +16% Inside the China-bound 850 Challenger.

+16% is excellent news for the turbine helicopter industry.

The average days on the market for turbine helicopters was 309 days, or 70 days more in 2010 compared to 2009.

However, the average asking price fell by 13.2 percent in 2010 compared to 2009.

The number of pre-owned piston helicopters for sale in December 2010 was 629 helicopters, or nearly half the number of turbine helicopters. The percentage for sale of 7.0 percent (a buyer’s market) was only slightly below the 7.1 percent level from the same period of 2009.

The number of pre-owned full sale

transactions for piston helicopters decreased by 8.6 percent in 2010 compared to 2009. The average days on the market for piston helicopters was 281 days, or 72 days more in 2010 compared 2009. However, the average asking price for piston helicopters fell by 1.5 percent in 2010 compared to 2009.

CONCLUSION The reality is the current business down cycle will last longer than the industry would like. The good news is that the business aircraft and helicopter markets are on the right track.

WORLDWIDE SALES TRENDS SNAPSHOT: USED AIRCRAFT FOR SALE, AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE GLOBAL FLEET DEC 09 DEC 10 BIZ JETS 16.3% 14.8% BIZ TURBOPROP 11.2% 10.6% HELICOPTERS: TURBINE 6.9% 7% HELICOPTERS: PISTON 7.1% 7%

CHANGE IN % -1.5% -0.6% +0.1% -0.1%

OVERVIEW: 2010'S USED AIRCRAFT DEAL TRENDS BIZ JETS BIZ TURBOPROP NUMBER OF DEALS VS 2009 +16% +4.4% AVG ASKING PRICE, VS 2009 -18.5% -2.5% AVG DAYS ON MARKET 64 31

HELICOPTERS: PISTON -8.6% -1.5% 72

HELICOPTERS: TURBINE +14.5% -13.2% 70

CONKLIN & DE DECKER RELEASE BUDGETING TOOL DATA specialists Conklin & de Decker has announced the latest release of its Life Cycle Cost 2011. It provides aircraft owners and operators with extensive ownership and operating cost data for more than 380 jets, turboprops, helicopters and piston aircraft.

The software is part of a family of aircraft operating and acquisition products developed

by Conklin & de Decker that puts all cost aspects of owning and operating an aircraft into one program. Aircraft acquisition costs, operating costs, taxes, final residual values and revenues, if the user’s aircraft is used in commercial operations, are all included in this budgeting tool.

The latest update includes: • New 100% Bonus Depreciation tax calculation (US only) • Updated fuel surcharges that make Charter projections more accurate

• 12 additional aircraft added: Embraer Phenom 100, Embraer Phenom 300, Nextant 400XT, Blackhawk King Air B200 XP61 & C90 XP135A, King Air 350ER, Viking Air DHC 6-400, Cirrus SR22T GTS, Diamond DA 42NG, Piper Malibu Matrix.

Helicopters: Scott’s Bell 47-G3, Sikorsky S-76D. In addition, fuel and maintenance costs, as well as, aircraft acquisition prices have all been updated.

Other features include: • Edit the maintenance costs, or add your own data • Choose a guaranteed maintenance program, or ‘pay as you go’ • Name your own ‘Other’ cost per hour and ‘Other’ cost per year categories • Show managed aircraft with or without supplemental charter • Compare New versus Used with only a few clicks • Prepare cash flows.

Source: JETNET

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 61

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DOSSIER nEw aIRcRaft lIStIngS

nEw aIRcRaft lIStIngS All you need to know about the world's business aircraft in one place!

Facts and figures of current new business aircraft, including jets, turboprops and high end piston aircraft at your fingertips

LEARJET 60XR Find all the info you need on page 64

PlanE fOcUS BOEING 747-8 VIP Base price $300m Cruise 492kt Range 9,400nm

AVRO JETSTREAM 41 Base price $1.5m Cruise 295kt Range 1592nm WHAT IS IT? The BBJs are based on Boeing range of airliners so proven, with great worldwide support..

WHAT IS IT? The Jetstream 41 is a stretched version of the twin turboprop Handley Page regional airliner.

WHAT DO YOU GET? Whatever you want, pretty much. Extraordinary amounts of space to create such fantastic effects as this concept interior, left, plus a king-size bed! There's a total of 445sq m of space - more than the average house. Plus enough range to go almost anywhere you want non-stop.

WHAT DO YOU GET? A roomy cabin due to the fact the wing is mounted below the fuselage. The all-new fuselage adds 16ft over the original design, demanding a greater wingspan, which include larger root fairings leading to increased baggage capacity.

The flightdeck is fitted with a modern EFIS.

AIRCRAFT ESSENTIALS PERFORMANCE AIRBUS 1 Rond Point Maurice Bellonte, 31707 Blaganc, Cedex, France. T: +33 5 61 93 32 59 W: www.airbus.com A318 Elite CA $65m 2005 447 3,980 41,000 4,429 4,396 ACJ CA $80m 1999 486 6,100 41,000 616 A320 Prestige CA $85m 1987 486 4,950 41,000 A380 VIP CA $346m 2007 510 8,900 41,000 -

DIMENSIONS

CABIN

145,504 168,650 169,785 1,235,000

608,400

6,909 8,710 20,117 79,244

6,375 9,107 7,835 81,890

111.83 111.83 11.83 261.66

70.1 78 90.2 163.66

87.6 87.6 87.6 -

16,204 24,000 84,000

-

2,557 3,477 -

-

17.66 60.45 -

24.2 31.33 50.5

BRITTEN-NORMAN Bembridge Airport, Isle of Wight, PO35 5PR. T: +44 870 881 5060 W: www.britten-norman.com Islander BN 2T TPT $1.65m 1967 170 590 1,050 25,000 1,250 1,110 7,000 -

1,520

-

49

BOEING PO Box 3707, Seattle, Washington 98124-2207, USA. T: +1 312 544 2000 W: www.boeing.com BBJ CA $48m 1998 469 5,380 3,300 41,000 728 6,085 2,335 BBJ2 CA $58m 1998 469 4,750 3,100 41,000 763 7,000 2,490 BBJ3 CA $64m 2007 470 5,435 3,100 41,000 8,560 2,490 BBJ 747-8 VIP CA $300m 492 9,400 43,000 -

11,907 14,200 -

10,707 10,445 10,966 -

117.45 117.45 117.45 224.58

AVRO-BAE 1 Bishop Square, HatďŹ eld, AL10 9NE, UK. T: +44 1707 271777 W: www.regional-services.com Jetstream 32 TPT $0.6m 260 1,107 2,240 25,000 91 3,937 3,937 Jetstream 41 TPT $1.5m 1992 295 1,592 2,200 25,000 138 4,997 4,199 ABJ RJ70 CA $5m 350 1,620 31,000 856 -

171,000 174,200 187,700 975,000

95,960 103,220 110,350 -

Pow er ( lb t hru st)

Em pty (Ib ) Pay loa d ff Fue (Ib) l ca p( USG Wi ) ng spa n( ft) Len gth (ft) He igh t( Wi in) dth (in Sea ) ts ( m Eng ax) ine s

Cat ego ry Pri ce (ba se) TC (ye ar) Cru ise (k Ran tas) ge (nm Clim ) b( nm ) Cei ling (ft) Fue l bu Tak rn (Ib e-o /ft) ff d Lan ist (ft ) din gd ist ( f t) MT OW (Ib )

PlanE factS

POWER 146.5 146.5 146.5 259

VERDICT 2 x 23,800 2 x 26,500 2 x 26,500 4 x 70,000

Baby of Airbus corporate range ACJ? Airbus Corporate Jet Bigger ACJ Palace with wings

120 156 179 555

2 x CFM56-5B9/P 2 x CFM56B-5B7P 2 x CFM56-B4/P 4 x R-R Trent 900

71 73 70 73 69.5 129

19 30 -

2x Honeywell TPE331-12 2 x 940shp Dates back to 1965 Handley Page design 2 x Honeywell TPE331-14 2 x 1,650 Stretched version of the 32 4 x Honeywell LF507 4 x 7000 Corporate version of the BAe146

15.12

50

42

8

2 x Rolls-Royce 250-B17C

2 x 320shp

Land Rover of the skies

79.12 98.33 107.12 207.45

85 85 85 94

139 139 139 242

149 189 215 467

2 x CFM56-7B27/B3 2 x CFM56-7B27/B3 2 x CFM56-7B27/B3 4 x Genx-2B67

2 x 27,300 2 x 27,000 2 x 27,000 4 x 66,500

Smallest of the BBJ range Middle BBJ Bigger BBJ Another palace with wings

tURn fOR MORE MInI REVIEwS anD aIRcRaft factS March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 63

DOSSIER new aircraft listings PLANE FOCUS CESSNA CITATION CJ4 Base price $8.76m Cruise 435kt Range 1825nm

DASSAULT FALCON 900LX Base price $41m Cruise 474kt Range 4750nm WHAT IS IT? Cessna's latest Citation jet, certified earlier this year, and the result of lots of feedback from owners and operators.

WHAT IS IT? The 900 is Dassault's middle of the range Falcon and the LX is the long range version.

WHAT DO YOU GET? A luxurious interior that's the same width and height as the top of the range 7X, with full office and multimedia capabilities. Interior layout to your requirements. It has the same tri-engine layout as the 7X with three Honeywells producing 5000lb thrust each.

Travel from Dubai to Tokyo non-stop with 6 pax.

WHAT DO YOU GET? Big 51ft wingspan from the Sovereign and powerful Williams engines give the CJ4 plenty of performance. Features inside too with the Rockwell Collins Venue Cabin Management System which combines in-flight infotainment and air-conditioning. Cockpit is absolute state of the art.

AIRCRAFT ESSENTIALS

PERFORMANCE

CESSNA One Cessna Boulevard, Wichita, KS 67215, USA. T: +1 316 517 6000 W: www.cessna.com Skylane 182 SEP $0.4m 1956 176 915 1,039 20,000 - 1,385 SEP $0.535m 1997 191 1,395 1,225 18,000 - 2,300 350 400 SEP $0.62m 2004 235 1,250 1,400 25,000 - 1,900 Stationair 206H SEP $0.55m 1962 178 630 1,051 27,000 - 1,743 Grand Caravan SETP $1.93m 1985 184 917 975 25,000 58 2,420 Citation Mustang VLJ $2.76m 2006 340 1,150 3,010 41,000 100 3,110 Citation CJ1+ LJ $4.75m 2006 389 1,300 3,290 41,000 122 3,250 Citation CJ2+ LJ $6.67m 2005 418 1,613 4,120 45,000 137 3,360 Citation CJ3 LJ $7.49m 2004 417 1,875 4,478 45,000 156 3,180 Citation Bravo LJ $6.2m 1997 402 1,744 3,190 45,000 148 3,600 Citation Encore+ LJ $8.7m 2006 428 1,780 4,620 45,000 180 3,520 Citation CJ4 LJ $8.76m 2010 435 1,825 - 45,000 - 3,300 Citation XLS/XLS+ SLJ $11.86m 2008 441 1,858 3,500 45,000 211 3,560 Citation Sovereign MSJ $17.06m 2004 458 2,847 4,016 47,000 269 3,640 Citation X SMJ $20.67m 1996 525 3,070 3,650 51,000 298 5,140

DIMENSIONS

CABIN

Pow er ( lb t hru st)

Em pty (Ib ) Pay loa d ff Fue (Ib) l ca p( USG Wi ) ng spa n( ft) Len gth (ft) He igh t( Wi in) dth (in Sea ) ts ( m Eng ax) ine s

Cat ego ry Pri ce (ba se) TC (ye ar) Cru ise (k Ran tas) ge (nm Clim ) b( nm ) Cei ling (ft) Fue l bu Tak rn (Ib e-o /ft) ff d Lan ist (ft ) din gd ist (ft) MT OW (Ib )

PLANE FACTS

POWER

VERDICT

87 102 102 87 370 247 308 377 452 - 517 - 646 1,076 1,240

36 35.66 35.66 36 52.09 43.16 46.91 49.83 53.33 52.16 54.92 50.83 56.33 63.41 63.92

- - - - - 9.75 11.00 13.58 15.67 - 17.33 17.33 17.16 25.25 23.92

- - - - - 54 57 57 57 56 57 57 68 70 68

42 49 49 44 64 55 58 58 58 57 58 58 66 67 66

4 4 4 6 10 5 7 8 8 7 11 9 9 9 8

Lycoming TIO-540-AK1A Continental IO-550-N Continental IO-550-C Lycoming TIO-540-AJ1A Pratt & Whitney PT6A-114 2 x PWC PW615F 2 x Williams FJ44-1AP 2 x Williams FJ44-3A-24 2 x Williams FJ44-3A 2 x PWC PW530A 2 x PWC PW535B 2 x Williams FJ44-4A 2 x PWC PW545C 2 x PWC PW306C 2 x Rolls-Royce AE3007 C1

230hp 310hp 230hp 310hp 1262shp 2 x 1,460 2 x 1,965 2 x 2,490 2 x 2,820 2 x 2,877 2 x 3,400 2 x 3,400 2 x 4.119 2 x 5,770 2 x 6,764

Workhorse single-engine piston Used to be the Columbia 350 Turbocharged version of the 350 Another load-lugger, often jumpers At the heart of the SE-IMC battle Entry-level jet arrived at the right time Certified for single-pilot ops As CJ1+ but stretched Stretched version of the CJ2 Final new aircraft built in 2006 Used to be known as the 560 Top of the CJ range of Citation jets World's best-selling business jet Stretched version of the XL Fastest business jet at Mach 0.92

CHALLENGER Bombardier Aerospace, 800 Rene-Levesque, Montreal, Quebec H3B 1Y8. T: +1 514 861 9481 W: www.bombardier.com 300 SMJ $20.97m 2003 470 3,100 4,250 45,000 266 4,810 2,600 38,850 23,500 1,350 1,357 605 LBJ $28.08m 2006 470 4,045 4,300 41,000 258 5,184 2,777 48,200 26,985 1,315 1,917 850 SLJ $31.62m 1992 459 2,770 - 41,000 343 6,305 2,910 53,000 34,790 186 1,752

63.84 64.33 69.58

28.6 73 28.42 73 48.42 73

86 98 98

9 12 50

2 x HTF7000 2 x GE CF34-3B 2 x GE CF34-3B1

2 x 6,826 2 x 8,729 2 x 8,729

Clean sheet design, a best-seller Popular corporate choice, EVS available Flagship Challenger, based on CRJ200

CIRRUS 4515 Taylor Circle, Duluth, Minnesota 55811-1548, USA. T: +1 218 788 3876 W: www.cirrusdesign.com SR22 GT3 Turbo SEP $0.66m 2000 219 1000 1,400 25,000 - 1,594 2,344 3,400 Vision SJ50 PJ $1.3m - 300 1000 - 25,000 - - - -

1,350 2,350 2,600 1,395 1,795 2,380 2,590 2,980 2,770 3,180 2,770 2,665 3,180 2,650 3,400

3,100 3,400 3,600 3,600 8,750 8,645 10,700 12,500 13,870 14,800 16,830 - 20,200 30,000 36,100

2,082 2,475 2,575 2,349 5,013 5,550 7,020 7,950 8.700 - 10,500 - 12,800 18,120 22,100

2,320 -

508 313 413 746 1,548 600 560 745 660 736 1,130 - 860 1,214 1,369

High performance four-seater Single-engine personal jet, in development

558 -

92 -

38.33 -

- -

50 -

49 -

- -

1 x Continental IO-540-N 1 x 310hp 1 x Williams FJ33-4A-19 -

COMPAIR 900 Airport Road, Suite 3, Merrit Island, Florida, 32952 USA. T: +1 321 452 7168 W: www.compairaviation.com 12 SETP - 2010 310 2,535 2,800 - - - - 10,800 -

1,400

-

-

-

70

68

8

1 x Honeywell TPE331-14GR 1 x 1, 650shp Aiming for Type Certification

DASSAULT FALCON 78 Quai Marseille, 92552 St-Cloud, Cedex 300, France. T: +33 1 61 62 61 62 W: www.dassaultfalcon.com 20 MSJ - 1965 466 1,780 - 42,000 254 5,075 3,320 28,660 - 50EX SMJ - 1996 492 3,075 2,053 49,000 278 4,890 2,920 39,700 - 2000DX LBJ - 2007 476 3,250 2,412 47,000 244 4,800 - 41,000 23,190 2000EX LBJ $29.2m 2003 480 3,800 1,952 47,000 254 5.374 5,839 42,220 - 2000LX LBJ $29.77m - 493 4,000 - 47,000 - 5,878 2,630 42,200 23,465 900EX SLJ - 1995 474 4,500 3,880 51,000 267 5,215 3,522 48,300 24,700 900DX SLJ $35.55m 2005 474 4,100 2,055 51,000 265 4,890 3,530 46,700 24,470 900LX SLJ $41m 2010 474 4,750 1,950 51,000 - 5,050 2,400 48,300 25,080 7X LRBJ $45m 2007 515 5,950 - 51,000 - 5,505 2,262 69,000 34,272

- 2,380 3,410 1,450 2,275 2,800 3,600 2,420 2,988

- - 2,179 - 2,487 3,129 2,810 3,129 4,767

53.58 61.83 63.41 63.41 70.16 63.41 63.41 70.16 86

24.42 23.50 26.16 26.16 26.16 33.16 33.16 33.16 39.09

68 71 74 74 74 74 74 74 74

73 73 92 92 92 92 92 92 92

14 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19

2 x GE CF700-2D2 3 x Honeywell TFE731-40 2 x PWC PW308C 2 x PWC PW308C 2 x PWC PW308C 3 x Honeywell TFE730-60 3 x Honeywell TFE730-60 3 x Honeywell TFE730-60 3 x PWC PW307A

2 x 4,500 2 x 3,700 2 x 7000 2 x 7000 2 x 7000 3 x 5000 3 x 5000 3 x 5000 3 x 6400

The original business jet from Dassault Popular long-range corporate jet Smallest of the current Falcon range Longer range version Longest range Three engine, 8 pax Three engine, 8 pax Longest range version Top model, fly by wire controls

DIAMOND N A Otto-Strasse 5, A-2700 Wiener-Neustadt, Austria. T: +43 2622 26700 W: www.diamond-air.at DA42 TwinStar MEP $0.85m 2004 163 852 1,052 18,000 11 1,130 1,069 3,927 DA50 SuperStar SEP - - 160 1000 - - - - - 3,262 D-Jet PJ - 2009 315 - 1,666 25,000 - 2,034 - 5,071

2,804 2,172 2,831

837 576 500

52 50 167

44 38.33 35.09

- - -

39 - 56

46 - 55

4 4 5

2 x Austro AE300 1 x Continental IO-540 1 x Williams FJ33-4A-9

2 x 170hp 1 x 310hp 1 x 1,900

New engines for economical twin Cirrus-beater? Austro also available Personal jet nearing delivery

DORNIER 328 Support Services GmbH, PO BOx 1252, DO82231 Wessling, Germany. T: + 49 8153 881110 W: www.328support.de 328 LBJ - 1999 400 1,300 3,690 35,000 226 4,485 4,285 34,524 21,900

4,613

1,200

68.83

33.85

72

85.5 -

2 x PWC PW306B

-

Commuter airliner

ECLIPSE 2503 Clark Carr Loop SE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106-5611, USA. T: +1 505 245 7555 W: www.eclipseaerospace.net TE-500 VLJ $2.15m 2006 380 1,300 3,424 41,000 78 2,342 2,250 6,000 3,634

EMBRAER Av Brigadero Faria Lima 2107, Sao Jose Dos Campos, SP 12227-901, Brazil. T: +55 123 927 1000 W: www.embraer.com Phenom 100 VLJ $3.6m 2008 390 1,178 - 41,000 125 3,400 - 10,472 - Phenom 300 LJ $7.335m 2009 450 1,800 2,916 45,000 - 3,700 2,950 - - Legacy 450 SLJ $15.25m - 470 2,300 - 45,000 - 4,000 2,300 - - Legacy 500 MSJ $18.4m - 470 3,000 - 45,000 - 4,600 - - - Legacy 600 LBJ $25.41m 2001 460 3,250 3,052 41,000 299 5,453 2,685 49,750 31,148 Lineage 1000 SLJ $40.95m - 469 4,200 - 41,000 626 6,900 - 120,150 -

702

251

37.0

12.33

50

56

6

2 x PWC PW610F

2 x 900

Back in business

1,312 - 1,600 1,600 1,440 -

- - - - 2,712 -

40.33 53.16 - - 68.91 94.16

11 16 - - 49.67 85

59 59 72 72 72 79

61 61 82 82 83 106

6 8 8 8 19 106

2 x PWC PW617F-E 2 x PWC PW535E 2 x Honeywell HTF7500E 2 x Honeywell HTF7500E 2 x Rolls-Royce AE3007 2 x GE CF34-10E7

2 x 1,695 2 x 1,615 - 2 x 6,540 2 x 8,100 2 x 18,500

Very Light Jet, just certified Bigger brother, still flight testing Filling out Embraer's mid-size range As above Useful size corporate jet Top of the range

EPIC 22590 Nelson Road, Bend, Oregon 97701, USA. T: +1 541 318 8849 W: www.epicaircraft.com Dynasty SETP - - 340 1,874 2,777 31,000 - 1,600 Victory PJ $1.3m - 320 1,200 2,800 28,000 - - Elite jet VLJ - 2009 412 1,400 2,412 41,000 - -

1,200shp - 2 x 1,550

Future uncertain after going into administration as above as above

1,840 - -

7,300 5,500 7,700

4,000 2,700 4,000

1,350 - 900 - 1,330 -

43 36.3 44

15 14.5 17

59 53 60

55 6 56 5 57.6 8

1 x PWC PT6-67A 1 x PWC PW600 2 x Williams FJ33-4A

EXTRA 214 Overlook Circle, Brentwood, Tennessee 37027, USA. T: +1 615 564 1210 W: www.extraaircraft.com EA500 SETP $1.4m 2004 230 1,673 1,335 25,000 - 2,050 1,991

4,696

3,186

290

37.83

13.5

49

55

1 x Rolls-Royce 250-B17F/2 450shp

64 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

124

6

Unusual high-wing design

PLANE FOCUS HONDAJET Base price $4.5m Cruise 420kt Range 1180nm

TECNAM P2006T Base price 295,000 euro Cruise 145kt Range 710nm WHAT IS IT? The HondaJet will be Honda's first jet aircraft and a technological tour de force. First deliveries are planned for the third quarter of 2012.

WHAT IS IT? Newly certified piston twin powered by two mogas-burning Rotax engines. Main markets are for training, private flying and surveillance/aerial inspection.

WHAT DO YOU GET? The fastest, most efficient Very Light Jet. With an all-composite construction, natural laminar flow wings and two HF120 engines mounted on pylons above the wings and G3000 cockpit, nothing about the HondaJet is ordinary.

WHAT DO YOU GET? The most economical twin to buy and operate. High wing gives excellent down and side visibility. Cockpit options include analogue or electronic flight information system. Retractable undercarriage.

AIRCRAFT ESSENTIALS

PERFORMANCE

DIMENSIONS

GIPPSLAND Latrobe Regional Airport, PO Box 881, Morwell, Victoria 3840, Australia. T: +61 3 5172 1200 W: www.gippsaero.com GA8 Airvan SEP $0.46m 2000 124 930 787 20,000 - 1,548 1,218 4,000 2,233

40.75

-

GLOBAL Bombardier Aerospace, 800 Rene-Levesque Ouest, 29E Etage, Montreal, QC H3B 1Y8, Canada. T: +1 514 861 9481 W: www.bombardier.com 5000 SLJ $38.7m 2004 513 4,800 4,850 51,000 461 5,000 2,670 92,500 50,840 2,410 5,858 LRBJ $50.1m 2005 513 6,150 3,350 51,000 450 6,190 2,670 98,000 51,200 1,825 6,712 Express XRS

94 94

42.47 75 48.35 75

GULFSTREAM PO Box 2206, Savannah, Georgia 31402-2206, USA. T: +1 912 965 3000 W: www.gulfstream.com MSJ $15.05m 2005 459 2,950 3,340 45,000 197 5,000 2,880 26,100 G150 G200 SMJ $22.78m 1998 459 3,400 3,700 45,000 222 6,083 3,280 35,450 SMJ $24m 2011 470 3,400 - 45,000 - 4,960 3,180 39,600 G250 LBJ $31.96m 2004 459 3,800 3,960 45,000 399 5,050 3,260 70,900 G350 G450 SLJ $35.86m 2004 459 4,350 3,760 45,000 400 5,450 3,260 73,900 SLJ $40.95m 2003 487 5,800 3,950 51,000 343 5,150 2,770 85,100 G500 G550 LRBJ $48.99m 2003 487 6,750 3.650 51,000 360 5,910 2,770 91,000 G650 LRBJ $58.5m 2012 530 7,000 - 51,000 - 6,000 3,000 99,600

88

POWER

VERDICT

Turboprop version on the way

8

1 x Lycoming IO-540-KIAS

98 98

17 19

2 x Rolls-Royce BR710A2 2 x 14,750 Long-range large jet 2 x Rolls-Royce BR710A2 2 x 14,750 Even bigger

44.9 50

300hp

1,537 2,239 - 3,880 4,403 5,254 6,164 6,597

55.58 58.09 63 77.83 77.83 93.5 93.5 99.58

17.66 24.42 25.83 45.09 45.09 50.09 50.09 53.58

69 75 75 74 74 74 74 77

69 86 86 88 88 88 88 102

8 10 - 19 19 19 19 18

2 x Honeywell TFE731-40 2 x PWC PW306A 2 x Honeywell HTFE250G 2 x Rolls-Royce Mk611-8C 2 x Rolls-Royce Mk611-8C 2 x Rolls-Royce BR710 C4 2 x Rolls-Royce BR710 C4 2 x Rolls-Royce BR725 A1

HAWKER BEECHCRAFT 10511 E Central, Wichita, Kansas 67206, USA. T: +1 316 676 6614 W: www.hawkerbeechcraft.com SEP $0.6m 1947 176 1,063 1,230 18,500 16 1,913 950 3,650 2,530 Bonanza MEP $1.1m 1961 202 1,388 1,700 20,688 33 2,300 1,300 5,500 3,880 Baron King Air C90GTi METP $2.95m 2007 270 1,321 1,953 30,000 90 2,392 2,355 10,100 6,950 King Air B200GT METP $5.3m 2007 305 1,800 2,460 35,000 126 2,600 2,845 12,500 8,520 King Air 350 METP $5.97m 1990 312 1,765 2,731 35,000 127 3,300 2,692 15,000 9,326 Premier 1a/11 LJ $6.21m 2005 451 1,360 3,800 41,000 138 3,792 3,170 12,500 8,430 LJ $7.22m - 450 1,482 - 45,000 178 3,906 3,514 16,300 10,550 Hawker 400XP 750 SLJ $12.4m 2008 466 2,200 - 41,000 - 4,696 2,650 27,000 16,200 MSJ $13.78m 2005 448 2,642 2,990 41,000 277 5,032 2,650 28,000 15,670 850XP 900XP MSJ $14.29m 2007 466 2,950 3,750 41,000 - 5,032 2,650 28,000 16,420 4000 SMJ $20.89m 2006 482 3,280 2,642 45,000 253 5,200 2,995 39,500 22,800

619 309 - - 1,963 490 638 2,250 1,790 - 1,600

74 194 - - 539 548 733 - 1,492 - 2,180

33.5 37.83 50.25 54.5 57.92 44.5 43.5 51.33 54.33 54.33 61.83

- - 12.58 16.66 19.5 13.5 15.5 21.33 21.33 21.33 25

50 50 54 54 54 65 58 69 69 69 72

42 42 57 57 57 66 59 72 72 72 77.5

6 6 12 15 15 6 9 15 15 15 14

1 x Continental IO-550-B 1 x 300hp 2 x Continental IO-550-C 2 x 300hp 2 x PWC PT6A-135A 2 x 550shp 2 x PWC PT6A-60 2 x 850shp 2 x PWC PT6A-2A 2 x 1050shp 2 x Williams FJ44-2A 2 x 2,300 2 x PWC JT15D-5 2 x 2,965 2 x Honeywell TFE731-5BR 2 x 4,660 2 x Honeywell TFE731-5BR 2 x 4,660 2 x Honeywell TFE731-5OR 2 x 4,660 2 x PWC PW308A 2 x 6,900

Iconic piston single Equally iconic piston twin Smallest of the King Air range Workhorse of the range Flagship model, appeals to military Beechcraft's Very Light Jet Originally a Mitsubishi, renamed Derivative of the Hawker 800 800XPR under development Long-range version Carbon-composite construction

HONDA 6430 Ballinger Road, Greensboro, North Carolina 27410, USA. T: +1 336 662 0246 W: www.hondajet.com VLJ $4.5m 2012 420 1,180 3,990 43,000 - 3,120 2,500 - HondaJet

644

-

39.87

17.8

59

60

5

2 x GE Honda HF120

Technological tour de force

LEARJET Bombardier Aerospace, 800 Rebe-Levesque Ouest, Montreal QC H3B 1Y8, Canada. T: +1 514 861 9481 W: www.bombardier.com SLJ $11.8m 2004 465 1,975 2,630 51,000 214 5,040 2,660 21,500 14,094 1,594 905 45XR 60XR MSJ $13.7m 2006 466 2,338 4,450 51,000 204 5,450 3,420 23,500 15,081 759 1,181 85 MSJ - 2014 - 3,000 - 51,000 - - - - - - -

47.78 43.79 -

- 17.7 25

59 61.4 9 68.5 71.4 9 71 73 8

2 x Honeywell TFE731-20 2 x 3,500 2 x PWC PW305A 2 x 4,600 2 x PWC PW307B 2 x 6,100

Fabulous hot and high performance Fast and comfortable All-new composite under development

MOONEY 165 Al Mooney Road, Kerrville, Texas 78028, USA. T: +1 830 896 6000 W: www.mooney.com SEP - 2006 242 1,852 1,240 25,000 - - - Acclaim Type S

3,368

-

-

100

36.1

-

-

-

4

1 x Continental IO-540

280hp

Fastest piston-single tourer

PILATUS PO Box 992, 6371 Stans, Switzerland. T: +41 41 619 61 11 W: www.pilatus-aircraft.com SETP $4m 2008 280 1,573 1,920 30,000 58 2,650 PC-12 NG

1,830

10,450

6,557

1,029

402

53.33

16.9

58

60

9

1 x PWC PT6A-67P

1,200shp

Excellent handling workhorse

PIAGGIO Via Cibrario, 4, 16154 Genova, Italy. T: +39 10 648 1885 W: www.piaggioaero.com METP $6.5m 2006 402 1,407 2,950 41,000 94 2,850 Avanti II

2,860

12,100

7,800

1,499

418

46.3

14.9

69

73

9

2 x PWC PT6A-66B

2 x 850shp Stylish, with canard wing

PIPER 2926 Piper Drive, Vero Beach, 32960, Florida, USA. T: +1 772 567 4361 W: www.newpiper.com Seminole MEP $0.51m 1978 162 770 - 15,000 - 2,200 Seneca V MEP $0.76m 1971 197 828 - 25,000 - 1,707 SEP $0.76m 2008 215 1,367 - 25,000 - 2,090 Matrix Malibu SEP $1.41m 1988 213 1,345 - 25,000 - 2,090 SETP $1.9m 2000 260 1,000 - 30,000 41 2,438 Meridian PJ $2.2m 2011 360 1,300 - 35,000 - - PiperJet

1,490 2,180 1,968 1,968 2,110 -

3,800 4,750 4,358 4,358 5,092 -

2,609 3,393 2,937 3,153 3,436 -

483 562 701 485 559 800

108 122 120 120 170 -

38.6 38.9 43 43 43 33.66

- 10.33 12.33 12.33 12.33 -

- 42 47 47 47 -

- 49 49.5 49.5 49.5 -

4 6 6 6 6 7

2 x Lycoming IO-360 2 x Lycoming TSIO-360 1 x Lycoming TIO-540 1 x Lycoming TIO-540 PWC PT6A-42A 1 x Williams FJ44-33AP

2 x 180hp 2 x 220hp 1 x 350hp 1 x 350hp 1 x 500shp 1 x 2,400

Training piston twin Workhorse piston twin Cabin class piston single As above, pressurised As above, turboprop Under development

6,750

3,700

623

320

45

15.5

57

54

10

1 x PWC PT6A-34

1 x 750shp

Rival to the Cessna Caravan

SOCATA Aeroport de Tarbes-Lourdes, 65921 Tarbes, Cedex 9, France. T: +33 5 62 41 73 00 W: www.tbm850.com TBM 850 SETP $3m 2005 320 1,585 - 31,000 70 2,840 2,430 7,394

-

2 x 4,420 2 x 6,040 2 x 7,445 2 x 13,850 2 x 13,850 2 x 15,385 2 x 15,385 2 x 16,100

Gulfstream's first proper mid-size bizjet Originally the Astra Galaxy Much anticipated upgrade of the G200 Shorter range version of the G450 Replacement for GIV series Shorter range version of G550 Currently top of the range All-new design, fly by wire, due 2012

850 650 1,000 2,600 1,800 2,300 1,800 1,800

QUEST 1200 Turbine Drive, Sandpoint, Idaho 83863, USA. T: +1 208 263 111 W: www.questaircraft.com Kodiak SETP $1.2m 2007 179 1,032 1,540 25,000 47 - -

15,100 19,950 24,150 42,700 43,000 48,000 48,300 54,000

1,239

CABIN

Pow er ( lb t hru st)

Em pty (Ib ) Pay loa d ff Fue (Ib) l ca p( USG Wi ) ng spa n( ft) Len gth (ft) He igh t( Wi in) dth (in Sea ) ts ( m Eng ax) ine s

Cat ego ry Pri ce (ba se) TC (ye ar) Cru ise (k Ran tas) ge (nm Clim ) b( nm ) Cei ling (ft) Fue l bu Tak rn (Ib e-o /ft) ff d Lan ist (ft ) din gd ist ( f t) MT OW (Ib )

PLANE FACTS

2 x 1,880

4,589

895

292

47.6

13.25

48

48

6

1 x PWC PT6A-66D

1 x 850shp

Fast, excellent handling

TECNAM Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecnam srl , via Maiorise 81043 Capua , Italy tel. +39 0823 622297 W: www.tecnam.com P2006T MEP $ 2010 155 620 1260 15,000 - 1,476 1,050 2,601 1,675

926

-

37.4

11

-

48

3

2 x Rotax 912

2 x 98hp

New light twin

VIKING 9574 Hampton Road, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 5V5, Canada. T: +1 250 656 7227 W: www.vikingair.com METP $3.5m 2008 - 775 1,600 26,000 - 1,200 870 12,500 Twin Otter

3,086 378

65

18.42

59

-

20

2 x PWC PTA-34 or -35

2 x 750shp Updated version of the Twin Otter

6,881

March 2011 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | 65

DOSSIER pre-owned

Sovereign rules mid-size Spacious, long-range yet also with good short-field performance what is it Cessna Citation Sovereign Price: $11.995m Year: 2008 TTAF: 607.9hr TTE: 607.9hr Landings: 444

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INNER of the Super Mid-Size category in the annual Robb Report’s Best of the Best Awards, Cessna’s Sovereign has plenty going for it.

“The Cessna Citation Sovereign does a lot of things really well,” said the Robb Report. “It’s got a lot of range, a nice cabin, and carries plenty of baggage."

The Sovereign, type certified in 2002, is perhaps best known for its remarkable short-field performance – it can operate from a 3,600-foot runway, unheard of for an aircraft of this

size thanks to its moderately swept high aspect ratio wing, and (when light) 92 knot Vref speed. Even with its short-field performance, the jet still makes light work of trans-Europe flights with a max range of 2,847nm.

The aircraft is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306C turbofan engines with FADEC controls. It uses the Honeywell Primus Epic glass cockpit avionics suite, coupled with dual Honeywell Flight Management System (FMS) units.

The aircraft featured in P1's newthis-month Pre-Owned feature this issue is a 2008 Sovereign with a Scandinavian past – hence the Viking helmet complete horns embossed into the leather seats and also painted on the tail.

The aircraft is in nine-pax double-club configuration, with a

distinctive black interior – glazed black leather seats, cabinetry finished with black high-gloss laminate and polished chrome plating, and black pin-stripe cut pile carpeting. There’s a forward refreshment centre which includes a microwave.

Cabin spec includes 110v outlets in the cockpit and by seats 5,6,9,10, Aircell Axxess II Phone, a 6-disc CD Player, AvVisor Plus and enhanced stereo speakers.

The exterior finish is – appropriately – Nordic Grey with stripes and lower fuselage painted in gloss black.

The aircraft is for sale with Farnborough-based JetBrokers Europe and recently had the price dropped from $12.5m down to $11.995m – it’s a competitive market, said Brendan Lodge who is handling the sale.

This particular Cessna Sovereign comes with a black leather and laminate interior finish; full glass cockpit.

66 | P1 BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE | March 2011

EQUIPMENT AVIONICS • Honeywell Primus with four 8x10in LCDs • Autopilot: Honeywell • Radar: Honeywell Primus 880 • Comms: Dual Primus (8.33 Spacing) • Navs: Dual Primus (FM Immunity) • DME, ADF • Transponders: Dual Honeywell XS-857A (Mode S, Diversity) • Radar Altimeter: Honeywell AA-300 • HF radio: Honeywell HF-1050 w/ Coltech SELCAL • Traffic: ACSS TCAS 2000 (TCAS II w/Ch 7) • Terrain: Honeywell EGPWS (TAWS-A) • FMS: Dual Honeywell MC-850 OTHER • Extended range oxygen system • Data management unit • Life raft mooring ring • Six-person life raft with triple frequency ELTs • Flight Manual Steep Approach Supplement WHO’S SELLING IT? JetBrokers Europe Farnborough Airport, UK +44 (0)1252 526272 www.jetbrokerseurope.com

FUELED BY GREAT LOW RATES, NEW CESSNA BUSINESS jETS ARE MOVING FASTER THAN EVER. And with rates as low as these, it’s no wonder why. For anyone considering adding the productivity, flexibility and security of business aviation this year, consider this: with CFC’s exclusive financing, qualified buyers outside the United States now have exclusive access to financing at a 5.90 percent 10-year fixed rate.

But you have to act quickly: the program is available only on new Citation Cj4, XLS+, Sovereign and CX business jets that are delivered by june 30, 2011.

ContaCt us for details at 00-800-6060-0008 or www.p1.Cessna.Com.

CfC® exclusive financing

All terms subject to credit approval and may vary depending upon customer qualification. Nominal interest rate of 5.90%. Minimum 15% down payment. Maximum 10 year term and 12 year amortization.

Structuring and prepayment fees may apply. Standard loan and lease terms apply. Not available in all countries. Financing made available through Cessna Finance Corporation (CFC) and Cessna Finance Export Corporation. CFC reserves the right to change the terms of this program without notice.

Cessna110584 CJ4 Finance P1.indd 1 BAILEY

LAUERMAN

2/24/11 4:22 PM