NBAA Convention News 10-10-11 Issue by AIN Publications

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10•10•2011 Vol. 43 No. 21

NBAA Convention News

Honeywell Forecast

Wraps Off: Cessna

Market could turn around in 2012 Large-cabin and ultra-long-range aircraft and emerging markets such as Brazil, India and China will drive a modest market recovery to begin next year. Page 24

Today on AINonline

Airborne iPads

40 Years of AIN

Apple’s ubiquitous tablet

Four decades of industry news

The proliferation of apps–for everything from flight planning to avionics functions–in only a year and a half is a testament to how indispensible the device is to pilots. Page 38

Although the business aviation industry has changed plenty, what has not changed is AIN’s unflagging dedication to bringing readers the news they need. Page 82

> Comlux orders launch Sukhoi Business Jet > Bolen states bizav’s case against user fees >G 650 and Falcon 2000LX among static highlights

User Fees:

Not Dead Yet

The lady’s in black Smyrna Air Center’s Power90 King Air upgrade was one of the last aircraft to make the trip on Paradise Road to the Las Vegas Convention Center last Friday morning. n

by James Wynbrandt Like a monster that keeps coming back to life in a bad horror movie, user fees have returned in the form of a mandatory surcharge on every flight of a business or commercial aircraft proposed in President Obama’s jobs creation/deficit reduction plan unveiled in September. In the words of the plan, “This proposal would create a $100 per flight fee, payable to the FAA, by aviation operators who fly in controlled airspace…The revenues generated by the surcharge would be deposited into the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. This fee would generate an estimated $11 billion over 10 years.” The business aviation community, exhausted from battling the economic Continued on page 133 u

BARRY AMBROSE

Nextant delivering first 400XT

MARIANO ROSALES

by Mark Huber Nextant Aerospace (Booth No. C13113) will hand over the keys to the first of its remanufactured 400XTs at its booth here at 2 p.m. today. The company received supplemental type certificate (STC) approval from the FAA last week for its base-$3.795 million twinjet, which incorporates new Williams International FJ44-3AP engines and Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics. The company said yesterday that it is developing winglets for the jet that will extend its range 7 to 8

percent beyond the current maximum of 2,050 nm and is evaluating “three to four” other legacy aircraft models for its next refurbishment project. But an announcement on that is at least 12 months off, said company vice president Jay Heublein. Nextant currently holds 40 orders for the 400XT from fractional provider Flight Options and an additional 12 from retail customers. However, since receiving the STC last week, Heublein said customer inquiries had increased substantially.

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Nextant president James Miller estimates there is a market for between 200 and 250 Beechjet 400A/Hawker 400XP jets for 400XT conversions and that the company will ramp up to three per month by the end of 2013. The modified jet comes with a two-year, 800-hour warranty on the airframe, paint and systems. Nextant has appointed 10 authorized service centers in the U.S. and Europe. CAE will provide flight training in a Level D simulator. (See related story on Page 112.)

Challenge

the StatuS Quo Those who dare forge new standards shape our culture and the future. Such as gifted performer John Travolta, whose acting career spans four decades and countless legendary films. Also a demanding pilot, Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s need for a business jet of groundbreaking ability led him to the Challenger family of aircraft manufactured by Bombardier. These super-midsize to large business jets exceed every benchmark, offering you unrivalled comfort, efficiency, low operating costs and superior performance.

a Challenger. alwayS. bombardier.com

by Kirby J. Harrison Rockwell Collins v-p of sales and marketing for commercial systems Colin Mahoney took the floor yesterday in a media conference to emphasize “exponential growth in electronics technology” and the company’s most recent steps to stay ahead of the power curve. Among those steps is one aimed at bringing the capabilities of Pro Line Fusion avionics to turboprops and light jets. “Previously, advanced functionality such as

synthetic vision on head-up displays and automated weather radar were available only for larger aircraft,” said Greg Irmen, v-p and general manager, of business and regional systems. “Pro Line Fusion now brings these capabilities and more to the entire range of business aircraft–from turboprops to intercontinental business jets.” Rockwell Collins also announced that its Pro Line Fusion integrated avionics displays are now available as a retrofit display option from Hawker Beechcraft’s

Rockwell Collins is offering its Pro Line Fusion avionics for the Part 23 turboprop and light jet market.

4 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

An independent publication solely owned by the Convention News Co., Inc., Midland Park, N.J. FOUNDED IN 1972 James Holahan, Founding Editor Wilson S. Leach, Managing Director Editor-in-chief – R. Randall Padfield Editor – DOMESTIC show editions – Matt Thurber PRODUCTION DIRECTOR – Mary E. Mahoney PRODUCTION editor – Jane Campbell PRESS ROOM ADMINISTRATOR – Annmarie Yannaco PRESS ROOM Managing editor – Mark Phelps the editorial team Charles Alcock Jeff Apter Jeff Burger Bill Carey Thierry Dubois Curt Epstein Bernard Fitzsimons Ian Goold Kirby J. Harrison Mark Huber

David A. Lombardo Paul Lowe Liz Moscrop Robert P. Mark Nigel Moll Harry Weisberger Kim Rosenlof Ian Sheppard Mary F. Silitch James Wynbrandt

R A T the production team E B I N L Mona L. Brown Joseph W. Darlington John T. Lewis John Manfredo Lysbeth McAleer O R Colleen Redmond R T Y Y E A web Developer – Mike Giaimo ONLINE EDITOR – Chad Trautvetter Photographers – Barry Ambrose, Cy Cyr & Mariano Rosales S

Pro Line Fusion is tailored for Part 23 jets, turboprops

Global Customer Support for Pro Line 21-equipped King Airs. The Pro Line Fusion retrofit for the King Air features what Rockwell Collins claims is the industry’s first touchscreen flight displays, allowing gesture-based flight management to keep the pilot’s head up and eyes forward for greater situational awareness and enhanced safety throughout the flight. Another new feature is “autonomous backup with one-touch emergency control.” According to Mahoney, it is the first-ever one-touch emergency mode for business aircraft, affording disoriented pilots extra time to recover by putting the aircraft into a safe-altitude holding pattern with the push of a single button. It also provides guidance cues to the nearest airport during an engine-loss event. The first application of Pro Line Fusion in the light business aircraft market should be certified by the end of 2013, and this system will be available for new aircraft and for retrofit in Part 23 jets and turboprops. Rockwell Collins will also offer its new lightweight HGS-3500 head-up guidance system for the light jet and turboprop market, with certification expected in 2014 or 2015. For its Venue cabin management system, Rockwell Collins announced a series of innovative features, including a family of intuitive, touchscreen, high-definition monitors and cabin controls, a touchenabled version of its Airshow moving map and simultaneous audio/video on demand (AVOD). o

NBAA

Convention News

Cessna Aircraft’s new president and CEO Scott Ernest took the stage for the first time at NBAA yesterday, introducing his new leadership team and reaffirming the Wichitabased OEM’s dedication to the light-to-midsize jet and single-engine piston markets and remaining atop the customer support standings among aircraft manufacturers. Ernest took over the helm at Cessna four months ago and took advantage of a packed press conference to introduce the team: Brad Thress, senior v-p of business jets; Jodi Noah, v-p of single-engine/prop aircraft; and Mark Paolucci, senior v-p of sales and marketing. It is a team that Ernest expects to carry Cessna forward. Part of that movement is Cessna’s new Citation M2 light business jet, which makes its first public debut this week in the form of a cabin mockup on display at the Cessna

BARRY AMBROSE

by Kirby J. Harrison

product line and is now the basis for our cabin technology roadmap,” said Cindy Halsey, Cessna v-p of interior design, engineering and development. Clairity is standard on the new Citation Ten and is an option on the Citation M2, and may be applied to future aircraft models. In terms of marketing, Ernest suggested a futility in attempting to chase low-cost labor markets all over the world. “The reason for a presence in China,” he said, “is primarily to open that market.” In response to a question regarding the possibility of the sale of Cessna’s single-engine/ prop business, Ernest said there is no such intention, and added, “We need to continue to be in that business.” He also repeated Cessna’s intention not to revive the super-midsize Columbus program and suggested that at this time, Cessna has no interest in that particular market. Meanwhile, said Ernest, Cessna must continue to invest in the future, and added that he expects “a slight uptick” this year over last. It was a response echoed by Paolucci, who noted, “We can’t wait for the market to improve.” o

Cessna’s new leader maps out battle plans

Also on the agenda yesterday was discussion of Cessna’s Clairity, a scalable solution for controlling the cabin via an intuitive user interface. Developed by Cessna in partnership with Dallas-based Heads Up Technologies, Clairity ties into the avionics systems and can integrate cabin electrical sysexhibit (Booth No. C9044). It is an airplane, said Ernest, tems and data and communicafor which operator feedback tion sharing through a fiber-optic and owner insight has indicated backbone. It is controlled through interest. He added that Cessna either a touchscreen user interexpects to see the M2 draw cus- face at each seat or the customer’s personal electronic tomers new to the device, resulting in “the Citation family, as ultimate connectivity well as from the ranks experience.” of existing Citation The controllers, or Mustang owners and Wi Fi connectivity to from CJ1+ owners a personal electronic who want a new, more device, allow comadvanced Citation. plete control of cabin Officially launched lighting, window in September, the $4.194 million six-pas- New Cessna president shades, temperature, senger twinjet is posi- and CEO Scott Ernest audio (digital media, tioned between the Citation MP3 player, iPhone) and video Mustang and the Citation CJ (digital, Blu-ray and individual family. The preliminary specs interactive moving map). The call for a max speed of 400 knots basic system includes interacand a range of 1,300 nm. Thress tive moving maps and USB/ noted that it will fly 40 knots device inputs. Options such as faster than its Phenom 100 com- satellite radio, Blu-ray players, petitor from Embraer and have external cameras or high-speed a 37-percent better rate of climb. Internet browsing can be easThe prototype is on track for a ily added. Further, it is “comfirst flight later this year. pletely scalable across our

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The Convention News Company, Inc.– AIN Publications President – Wilson Leach Executive Vice President – John F. McCarthy, Jr. Vice President of Operations – R. Randall Padfield Treasurer – Jane L. Webb Secretary – Jennifer Leach English NBAA Convention News is a publication of The Convention News Co., Inc., 214 Franklin Ave., Midland Park, NJ 07432; Tel.: (201) 444-5075. Copyright © 2011. All rights r eserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of The Convention News Co., Inc. is strictly prohibited. The Convention News Co., Inc. publishes Aviation International News, AINalerts, AIN Air Transport Perspective, AIN Defense Perspective, AINmxReports, Business Jet Traveler, BJTwaypoints, ABACE Convention News, Dubai Airshow News, EBACE Convention News, Farnborough Airshow News, HAI Convention News, MEBA Convention News, NBAA Convention News, Paris Airshow News, Singapore Airshow News. Printed in Las Vegas by Creel Printing Computer Services: Rentfusion

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news clips z Constant Aviation Named Phenom Service Center Embraer selected Constant Aviation’s Cleveland facility to become an authorized service center for the Phenom 100 and 300. Under the terms of the agreement, the MRO will be able to provide complete maintenance and avionics services as well as modifications, composite repairs, as well as airworthiness directive and service bulletin compliance on both types. Constant will also use its previous experience working with Embraer on warranty claims to provide seamless service to Phenom customers. According to Constant president Stephen Maiden, the initial tooling investment will be approximately $150,000. “With more than 125 Phenom 100/300s currently in operation, this will be a good market for us. Initially we’ll be sending four technicians to school on the aircraft and increase that number over time as needed. It gives us an annual capacity of about 9,000 technician-hours,” Maiden told AIN. He said the MRO began its relationship with Embraer in 1996 as an ERJ 135 service center. In 2002, Constant Aviation (Booth No. C11518) became a Legacy 600/650 service center. “We currently perform about 70 percent of all available Legacy 600/650 scheduled maintenance services annually,” he said.

z NBAA Holds Session Covering iPads in the Cockpit NBAA will hold a program on iPads in the Cockpit tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Room N234. The program will cover how iPads and similar electronic devices can assist in pre-flight planning, as well as create an organized, efficient, safe cockpit environment for pilots. Speakers will be pilots who have implemented iPads in general aviation operations, as well as app providers who will offer tips on their use.

z Flying Colours Signs MoU with Metrojet Flying Colours (Booth No. N5500) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hong Kong-based Metrojet, signaling the Canadian company’s first international partnership. Under the MoU, Flying Colours will open a base of operation in the Asia region to support completion and refurbishment customers “and enhance its overall position in the international completion and refurbishment business,” according to the company. Details of the partnership’s structure and logistics are expected to be finalized in mid-2012. The new Flying Colours base will offer interior refurbishment services to midsize and larger business jets. “Metrojet is proud to embark on this venture and partner with Flying Colours, with whom we already have a very strong relationship,” said Metrojet CEO Bjorn Naf. “It will enable us to better serve the Asian market and to further enhance our service offering and product portfolio to our growing customer list. We look forward to a long term partnership with Flying Colours.”

z Odyssey’s Exuma FBO Gets New Home Bahamian FBO operator Odyssey Aviation (Booth No. C8526) announced that it expects to open its new permanent facility at Exuma International Airport (MYEF) next month. The company– which also runs an FBO at Nassau International Airport–has operated out of a rented office at MYEF since 2009. Construction on the new structure began in May and once complete it will be the first FBO building at the airport. According to the company, the decision to open a facility at Exuma was made based on the growing international private traffic to that destination and the demand for GA-specific services. Separate from the main airport terminal, the 2,500-sq-ft facility will feature standard FBO amenities including passenger and pilot lounges, a flight planning room and refreshment bar, along with available in-house Bahamian customs and immigration clearance. The FBO will also have its own private fuel farm and two acres of ramp space for aircraft parking. While it nears completion, the building has already proved its durability. As Hurricane Irene roared over the Bahamas leaving a trail of destruction in its wake, the late August storm caused no damage to the new structure.

AIN talks with Ed Bolen and Pete Bunce

For many years, but especially since leaders of the big three U.S. automakers failed to defend their use of business jets while testifying before Congress in 2008, business aviation has been under attack by ill-informed politicians and the public. The No Plane No Gain joint advocacy campaign by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) is designed to highlight the value of business aviation to citizens, companies and communities. Its goal is to inform and educate the public, government and the general media about the power of mobility and how business aviation is a multiplier of company resources and competitiveness. Through the No Plane No Gain website, the current program provides examples of how NBAA members can answer and counteract mainstream media bias against general aviation, and specifically how to respond to stories and broadcasts that contain factual inaccuracies and untrue or misleading statements. When news outlets, radio talk shows, Internet sites or television disseminate misstatements or mischaracterizations, the No Plane No Gain site has samples of effective yet tasteful letters to the editor, tips on responding to media interview requests and sample Op-Ed pieces to help correct the misinformation. The latter can be individualized with first-hand evidence of how business aviation serves valuable, practical purposes and helps a business become a more successful job provider and taxpayer. AIN recently spoke with NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen and GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce to learn more about the origins, goals and successes of No Plane No Gain.

No Plane, No Gain follows new course by Harry Weisberger Why was No Plane No Gain begun? Bolen: The original No Plane No Gain was established in 1993, with a narrow focus on investment analysts. They had a misunderstanding that business airplanes were not business tools. The program carried a message calibrated to the challenges of the time. Today we’re still saying No Plane No Gain. It’s a trusted industry moniker, but the program is far different from the original version. It re-launched in February 2009 with a target audience of policy makers and opinion leaders, including mainstream media. At that point we set a goal to have business aviation perceived and understood as an essential mode of transportation. We want to make sure those passing laws and making public statements are well informed and don’t repeat mischaracterization of business aviation, caricatures in conflict with reality. What brought about the latest iteration? Bunce: In the fall of 2008, auto company executives were attacked for using business aviation when they were summoned to the Capitol. At that point we determined to shift emphasis to informing the public and policy makers. Ed and I got together and decided to use No Plane No Gain, that tried-andtrue moniker, to go in a new direction, and it was revived quickly. In one sense this is a “grass top” effort, targeting federal, state and local policy makers. We’re having good success with that. Currently, we send out weekly updates to decision-makers at all levels. Although many legislators are quick to demonize general aviation and business aviation users, we’ve also recently seen a lot of retractions and some moderation in media attitudes toward business aviation. This version of No Plane No Gain is two-and-a-half years old. Is it working? Bolen: There is tangible evidence that it is working. Both the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate have created general aviation caucuses.These lawmakers have announced that they’re publicly supportive of this industry. They’ve become two of the largest caucuses in D.C. Today, one of every four House members and one

6 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

PHOTOS: MARIANO ROSALES

INTERVIEW

NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen

GAMA president and CEO Pete Bunce

of every three senators has publicly identified himself as a strong supporter of our industry. We have seen that 30 governors have issued proclamations of the value of general aviation to their states. All these people have said, in effect, “Count me as one who recognizes this essential mode of transportation.” Our four major message points are: business aviation creates jobs; business aviation allows economic development in communities with little or no airline service; business aviation allows companies to be productive and efficient; and business aviation facilitates our nation’s humanitarian efforts. No Plane No Gain is mutually supportive with the AOPA/NATA General Aviation Serves America, begun in April 2009. All work closely and collectively to educate legislators and policy makers. It’s important to understand that we want this to be more than a trade association campaign. We want it carried to the grass roots. We want individual members, the business airplane users, to be active in promoting that. . Is the campaign helping persuade companies not to keep their flight departments out of the limelight? Bolen: It is. Why hide something that’s making you efficient and competitive? We do see some companies opening the doors and proudly discussing their airplanes. There are website programs, like those of John Deere and others, telling how they’re using their airplanes. Bunce: A lot of companies that use business aviation are more comfortable now in talking about how they use their aircraft. Many were somewhat intimidated after the 2008 affair with the auto company executives. Now more are willing to speak out and publicize the positive aspects of their airplane operations. Can No Plane No Gain moderate the media’s sensationalizing of every civil aviation incident no matter how minor? Bolen: Sensationalism in the media is a reality. I don’t think it’s going away. That often means they’re looking for the anomalies rather than the routine. We know that these airplanes are business tools, used effectively to make companies more competitive and successful, and that ours is the safest mode of transportation in the history of transportation. The media will look to sensationalize anything out of the ordinary pertaining to aviation. They ought to at least know what the realities are. No Plane No Gain is providing tools to present those realities. 

GorGeous. And At 400 kts, it cooks, too.

IntroducIng the new cItatIon M2. Imagine a beauty queen with a double PhD in aerospace engineering and interior design who can run the mile in 8 seconds and keep on running for another 1,299 more miles. Max cruise of 400 kts. Impeccable style and comfort. And the Cessna Intrinzicâ&#x201E;˘ flight deck powered by Garmin G3000 avionics. Take a look and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll discover one more reason why the new Citation M2 is so stunningly beautiful: You can see yourself in it. citationm2.com

Piaggio names possible jet partners by Charles Alcock Piaggio Aero Industries will enter the business jet market only if it can line up an existing major manufacturer as a risk-sharing partner in the long-awaited program. Majority

shareholder Mubadala has identified Dassault, Gulfstream and Cessna as prospective partners for a Piaggio jet, according to Homaid Al Shemmari, executive director of the Abu Dhabi

group’s aerospace unit. Last month, Al Shemmari told AIN that Italy’s Piaggio is expected to deliver a full business plan and technical specifications for the new jet in

late 2011 or early 2012. This will clear the way for firm discussions with the prospective partners that could lead to a program launch next year. Possible Midsize Jet

Mubadala has previously declared that Piaggio, in which the Italian Ferrari family and India’s Tata group also are

shareholders, will have a business jet in service by 2018. Around the time of this year’s EBACE show in May it emerged that the company was in talks with prospective partners, but the identities of the OEMs in contention have not previously been confirmed. At the time, Piaggio indicated that it was just a few weeks away from completing the business case and specifications, but this timetable appears to have slipped. Al Shemmari indicated that Dassault is the most likely option, since the French airframer already has strong ties with Abu Dhabi through the sale of fighter aircraft to the wealthy Arabian Gulf state. He said that the Piaggio jet will fill a niche not served by existing models. Dassault has spent a long time developing plans for a new super-midsized jet (the so-called SMS or 5X), but appears to be in no rush to launch this product. It would be a big leap for Piaggio to enter this end of the market, and the light jet sector appears to be well populated already. Piaggio is also planning further improvements to its existing P.180 Avanti II twin pusherprop. Al Shemmari, who is expected to be here in Las Vegas, said that the company will hold discussions with existing and prospective operators at the NBAA show to find out what they might want to see in derivative versions of the Avanti. o

Shell points give $5,000 to CAN At approximately 3:30 p.m. today, executives from Shell Aviation will present a $5,000 donation check to the Corporate Angel Network (CAN) at Booth No. C10235. The amount represents the value of points donated by members of Shell’s AeroClass pilot loyalty program over the past year. “Corporate Angel Network’s sole purpose is to help cancer patients access the best possible treatment for their specific type of cancer by arranging free travel to treatment across the country using empty seats on corporate jets,” said Peter Fleiss, CAN executive director. “We depend on the generosity of many, including Shell AeroClass members, to arrange these flights.” Register for the AeroClass program by visiting www.shell. com/aeroclass/us. o

8 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

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TSA reworking maligned LASP by Paul Lowe When the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) first announced its Large Aircraft Security Program (LASP) in October 2008, it threatened to ground every general aviation

aircraft with a maximum certified takeoff weight of more than 12,500 pounds unless the nearly 10,000 aircraft operators complied with the security edict. The original plan would have

applied commercial air carrier security measures to GA aircraft regardless of the type of operation. GA associations argued that the proposal was burdensome and costly, calling as it did

for crewmember criminal record checks, watch list matching of passenger manifests, biennial third-party audits of each aircraft operator and new airport security requirements. It was greeted with unanimous scorn by the GA community, which let the federal government know in no uncertain terms that it was unacceptable as initially

presented. Eventually, after receiving more than 8,000 overwhelmingly negative public comments, the TSA scrapped the original LASP and went back to the drawing board in June 2009. According to Douglas Hofsass, deputy assistant administrator for the TSA’s transportation sector network management, the TSA met with select members of the industry to discuss where the rule should really go. Following discussions with several working groups, the TSA created a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking that has been approved by TSA administrator John Pistole and the Department of Homeland Security. It is now under review by the White House Office of Management and Budget before being reposted for public comments later this year. Securing Aircraft

Hofsass said the new version will focus on securing the aircraft, knowing who the passengers are, vetting the pilots and allowing an appropriate weight that allows the operators the flexibility to run their businesses and gives the TSA some security assurances, particularly based on what weight of aircraft poses a threat. He said the weight threshold is going up, and he described it as “appropriate.” In a recent interview, NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen alluded to the association’s old TSA Access Certificate (TSAAC) that was created several years after 9/11. Although the TSA bought into the concept, it was instituted only at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey and Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y. And while it was originally conceived as a GA security program that would allow entry into restricted airspace or access to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the TSAAC never got beyond providing a corporate waiver for international flights to and from the U.S. “A trusted pilot or a trusted operation was kind of at the heart of the TSAAC proposal,” Bolen recalled, “and I think it will be part of the Large Aircraft Security Program. It doesn’t make sense that two pilots could fly a 300,000pound airplane on the river approach to Reagan National, carrying guns, 200 people in back that they don’t know, land at Reagan National, and those same two pilots would not be trusted to then fly out in a Cessna 172.” o

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12 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

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Beach Boys to headline NBAA/CAN benefit by Jeff Burger The Corporate Angel Network (CAN) will once again be the beneficiary of NBAA’s charity benefit dinner/dance, set for tomorrow in the Grand Ballroom of the Bellagio Hotel from

6 to 11 p.m. The organization arranges free flights to treatment for cancer patients in available seats on corporate aircraft. The event will feature dinner, live and silent auctions and a concert by

the Beach Boys. Tickets (obtainable through NBAA ’11 registration) cost $100 for entertainment only and $295 for the reception, dinner, entertainment and auctions. Tables are also available.

“The support of business aviation is key in our ability to help so many patients receive the best possible treatment for their specific type of cancer,” said CAN executive director Peter Fleiss,

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16 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

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who noted that the NBAA benefit raised $220,000 last year. “NBAA has been a strong and long-time supporter of our efforts and the NBAA/CAN Charity Benefit is the newest example,” he added. “Not only are the funds raised extremely helpful but the resulting flightdepartment exposure generates new corporate participants, greater lift capacity and more patients flown.” CAN, which marked its 30th anniversary this month, flew 3,021 patients in 2010, an alltime record and a 21-percent increase over the previous year’s total. In September 2010, CAN transported its 35,000th patient, 16-month-old William Relyea, who traveled on a NetJets flight from Westchester County (N.Y.) Airport to his home in Syracuse, N.Y., with his mother and grandmother. He had been receiving treatment for neuroblastoma at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Corporate Funding

CAN–which relies on 530 participating corporations, six paid staff members and 50 part-time volunteers–continued to receive substantial corporate funding in 2011. In January, Safe Flight (which transported CAN’s first patient in 1981) donated $50,000. In March, Gulfstream Aerospace–which has provided CAN with seats on its corporate flights for more than 25 years–also contributed $50,000. And in April, the Greater Washington Aviation Open raised $82,000 for the charity. To date, this annual Washington, D.C. golf event has netted more than $1.6 million for CAN. The charity is also signing up more corporate participants as a result of the July 2010 hiring of Susan Cotton as manager of patient transport development. In this newly created position, Cotton works to increase the number of corporations donating business jet seats to cancer patients and visits cancer centers nationwide to familiarize them with CAN’s services. Fleiss credits her with helping the charity to add more than 50 corporate participants. Cotton, who has travelindustry marketing and sales experience, was a CAN volunteer before joining the organization full time. She also is a former flight attendant for American Express and contract employee for New York-area flight departments. o

Airbus ACJ319 bizliner on display at NBAA by Robert P. Mark Tens of thousands of NBAA members have arrived in Las Vegas expecting to see airplanes on display–plenty of them. And these days, no show is complete without at least one airliner manufacturer trying to coax a few largecabin bizjet owners to move up. Airbus is attempting to persuade a few customers in Vegas by parking an ACJ319 at the Henderson Executive Airport static display. This is, in fact, the first time an ACJ319 is on display at Henderson, although Airbus has brought an ACJ to NBAA in Las Vegas before. The aircraft on display, which is offered for VVIP charter by Farnborough, England-based Acropolis Aviation, includes an interior designed by Alberto Pinto Co. Airbus vice president executive and private aviation François Chazelle said the company has more than 170 jets in service with private companies.

“One-hundred-ten are from the ACJ318/319/320 family and 60 are VIP versions of the A330/340/380 aircraft,” he said. The OEM delivered 15 business airplanes in 2010 worth $1.5 billion, he noted, adding, “In 2011, we are delivering about one aircraft per month.” Reflecting the changes to the business aircraft marketplace in the past five years, Chazelle said, “50 percent of these new aircraft are headed for the Middle East, 25 percent to China and the rest to Europe, Africa and the Americas.” Cabin Outfitting

For an airplane with a voluminous 5,900-cu-ft cabin and the ability to fly 6,000 nm on a fillup, the ACJ319 has a surprisingly tiny footprint, about that of a Bombardier Global 5000 or Gulfstream G550. However, the latter two business jets’ cabins are considerably smaller than that of

the Airbus, at 2,022 and 1,669 cu ft, respectively. Those differences tend to make people sit up and take notice rather quickly, especially when they hear the price of an Airbus typically includes the cost of the cabin. Chazelle said that Airbus customers tell him how arduous they find the process of outfitting a large-aircraft cabin. “It is quite complicated and risky. That’s why we sell the cabin either through our Airbus corporate jet centers or through any of nine approved outfitters. It’s not something we push at all, but we have delivered about 60 percent of the aircraft cabins [on aircraft we’ve sold]. It’s what customers want,” he said. If ordered today, a new ACJ318/319/320 could be delivered by early 2013. “We have some reserve positions for the ACJ fleet coming down the [production] line,” Chazelle noted. Customers can choose an airliner to modify into an ACJ as little as 12 months before the delivery date, but an airliner version of one of these aircraft couldn’t be delivered until the 2014 to 2015 time frame. While the new engine option (Neo) was the talk of the Paris Air Show this year, Chazelle

Airbus brought an ACJ319, operated by Acropolis Aviation of Farnborough, England, to this year’s NBAA Convention. Alberto Pinto Co. designed the interior.

said that option “is a little too far out [timewise]” to plan for business buyers. But ACJ buyers can choose from two available powerplants: either a version of the CFM56 family or the International Aero V2500. Another option many do choose is the sharklets standing up from the wingtips. “These have a pretty good value and a nice visual effect,” according to Chazelle. Few customers probably realize the importance of which way the cargo doors swing on a large aircraft like the ACJ, but the direction adds value, according to Airbus. On the ACJ family, cargo doors swing out, while on

the Boeings they swing inward. The difference translates into the ability to easily add or remove extra fuel tanks depending upon whether the mission calls for additional range or the ability to add more passengers and cargo. Chazelle said the tanks can be changed by local maintenance technicians overnight. An ACJ319 can typically operate with as many as three additional fuel tanks. List price for an ACJ318 is $65 million, an ACJ319 $80 million and for the ACJ320 $85 million. Prices of aircraft in the A330/340/380 category are quoted on an individual basis. o

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Bolen: user fees still a threat by Paul Lowe Although user fees were debated on was asked about industry support for Capitol Hill in 2007 and 2008, NBAA the Block Aircraft Registration Request president and CEO Ed Bolen says they (Barr) program and its court status. “Our never seem to go away and remain a sig- expectation is that the entire legal process nificant threat in the current environment. should conclude somewhere in the JanuBack then, user fees were the subject of ary time frame,” he said. “And I think we lobbying campaigns by both the airlines feel optimistic about our chances.” and the Bush Administration, he recalled, Bolen acknowledged that NBAA and and the business aviation community AOPA have received a number of contriresponded vigorously to those challenges. butions for the legal defense fund from “And after a full and thorough debate, it companies and organizations. He said would be fair to say the majority of Con- NBAA is pleased by the number of local, gress agreed with our position, which is state and regional associations that have that fuel taxes work, user fees don’t,” Bolen made contributions to the program. said. “Or said another way, anything a user According to Bolen, about 700 comfee can do, a fuel tax can do better.” ments were received when the federal govWhat the business aviation commu- ernment’s plan to severely limit the Barr nity saw during this past summer’s debt- program was printed in the Federal Regisceiling debate, however, was that one side ter, and about 690 of those were opposed said, “Absolutely no new taxes,” and the to the changes. He noted that the House other side said, “Absolutely there of Representatives added language needs to be new revenues.” to the FAA reauthorization bill “I think it was in that envithat would prevent the Obama ronment that we heard Administration from carryrumors to the effect that ing out its plan to restrict said some type of perparticipation in Barr to flight fee–what we think those who can verify a of as a per-flight tax–was security concern. In addibeing bandied about,” tion, senators and repreBolen explained. While the sentatives have sent letters ultimate compromise that to transportation secrewas reached on the debt ceiltary Ray LaHood expressing Ed Bolen, NBAA president ing did not include any user objections to the DOT plan. and CEO fees, which he termed a very pos“Congress has clearly made their itive sign, he cautioned that the new position known and it’s a position of deficit “super committee” is going to look opposition,” Bolen said. “They have not for ways to reduce the size of the deficit, been able to turn their opposition into a either through spending cuts or revenue federal law yet because the underlying FAA increases, or some combination of the two. bill has been mired in other controversies.” “We as a community, I think, are ETS Unfair concerned about that idea, that user fees could be put on the table,” he said. On another front, Bolen said NBAA Indeed a $100 per flight fee has been pro- is opposed to the European Union’s plan posed, and this will be a key subject of to institute an emissions trading scheme discussion at this year’s NBAA show. (ETS) because “we think business avia“Our community has always said that tion has been singled out for unfair treatwe don’t want to pay any more than we ment.” He explained there are exceptions absolutely have to, but we do recognize a and credits that are part of the ETS where responsibility to contribute to the system. stationary emitters are given credits or are We believe the fairest, simplest, best way exempted below certain outputs, whereas for us to move money from our industry business aviation has no exceptions and to the federal government is through the does not have any credits. fuel tax. We want to pay at the pump.” “They may say, ‘Gee, we can have a coal plant in Europe, and even though it No Foreign User Fees is right here in Europe and everybody can General aviation, and specifically walk by it and see it emitting x-number of business aviation, doesn’t want foreign- tons per year, we have determined that’s style user fees or the bureaucracy that not a significant enough amount that we comes with them, he stressed. “So our are going to go tax that chimney,’” he said. hope would be that over the course of the “Nevertheless, when an airplane from the next several weeks and months in the leg- U.S. flies over, and you look at our total islative process, and with the new super footprint, and it is substantially less than committee, to have the opportunity to that stationary chimney, we’re going to pay for all of that. So I guess the question make our views known,” Bolen said. On a cautionary note, he quoted is: why are some groups given credits or Senate minority leader Mitch McCo- exemptions, and our community is not?” NBAA’s position, Bolen said, is that the nnell (R-Ky.) as saying he thought this new super committee would have more International Civil Aviation Organization power than any congressional commit- is the appropriate body to address this, and having a patchwork of emissions schemes tee over the past 50 years. o On another controversial topic, Bolen does not make sense.

Flying high with Comlux The all-new Sukhoi Business Jet lands its first order at launch. New to market, the Sukhoi Business Jet (SBJ) is already flying high with its first customer, Comlux The Aviation Group. Our thanks to Comlux for choosing to add the SBJ to its international charter fleet of corporate and VIP configured aircraft. Developed to be the most advanced executive business aircraft in service today, and only launched in June of this year, it’s safe to say that we are up and running with this inaugural, and much appreciated, order for 2+2 aircraft. Find out more at www.sukhoi-businessjet.com

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Uphill move to begin in ’12, Honeywell forecast predicts by James Wynbrandt After four years of decline, business aviation is poised for moderate recovery beginning in 2012, according to Honeywell Aerospace’s annual Business Aviation Outlook, released yesterday. Honeywell (Booth N4500) cites several leading indicators pointing to a modest recovery. First, order activity has shifted from severely net negative in 2009 to modestly net positive in 2010, and strengthened in the first half of 2011. Moreover, global recovery of business aircraft flights continued in 2011, though the pace of increase has slowed. Meanwhile, demand for large-cabin, ultra-long-range jets remains strong, while the supply of late-model aircraft on the used market is declining. Also, the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) countries, which have experienced strong growth in demand, have strong near-term

demand and the highest planned future purchase rate of all regions. (The 2011 forecast marks the first time Honeywell has broken out the BRIC countries as a region of its own.) Finally, five-year purchase plans, which have remained stable despite continuing economic uncertainty, suggest order intake should strengthen in 2012 and 2013. The Honeywell forecast is based on surveys of more than 1,500 flight departments around the world. “The key question is, ‘Do you plan to buy or replace or expand your fleet in the next five years,” said Rob Wilson, president, business and general aviation. “Based on the responses, we extrapolate purchase expectations.” The survey found that flight departments’ five-year purchase

expectations–the percentage that anticipate buying new or used business aircraft during the next five years–is 30 percent. The forecast broke out purchase expectations by regions. After the BRIC countries, Honeywell anticipates demand will be strongest in Asia, followed by the Middle East/Africa, Latin America, Europe and North America. Honeywell noted that with more than 70 percent of the world’s business aircraft, North America is a mature market and its lag in demand behind other regions is not remarkable. The survey also asks why flight departments plan to purchase aircraft. Aircraft age is always the number one reason cited. But for the first time, Honeywell noted, the second reason cited by the majority of purchasers across the globe is because they want aircraft with longer range. “I want to go longer distances, I want to have more productivity, I want to see more customers in more places,” Wilson said, paraphrasing the responses. While a turnaround is welcomed, near-term pain remains. Honeywell forecasts that deliveries of 600 to 650

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new business jets in 2011 will reflect a decline of 15 percent below the 732 aircraft delivered last year, while deliveries in 2012 are expected to rebound to a level still less than 700 airframes, though improved over this year’s total. Overall, during the next decade (20112021) Honeywell forecasts up to 10,000 aircraft worth $230 billion will be purchased. This represents approximately a 2-percent increase in total expected sales compared to the ten-year projections from the 2010 Honeywell forecast. This is the 20th edition of Honeywell’s annual forecast. Reading between the lines has often provided valuable insights for many in the industry and Honeywell itself. “The forecast allows us to invest in areas our customers say are important to them,” said Carl Esposito, v-p of marketing and product management. “As the potential expands for a new class of aircraft, potentially the long-range, midsize-cabin jet, we will be investing in the key technologies to make those aircraft as successful as the other classes are, and have been.” o

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PFM scheduling process aids CAN mercy flights

recip Versus quick trip The radial engine Waco YMF-5 and the Dassault Falcon 2000 twinjet present a study in powerplant contrasts as n they sit on the static display at Henderson Executive Airport south of Las Vegas.

24 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Professional Flight Management (PFM) of White Plains, N.Y., has developed a process that electronically transfers corporate flight schedules from PFM’s flight scheduling software into the Corporate Angel Network (CAN) database. CAN arranges flights for cancer patients to and from treatment centers aboard private aircraft. The new capability is expected to enhance CAN’s scheduling process, matching more cancer patients with corporate flights. More than 250 aircraft operators use PFM’s flight scheduling software, and those that also support CAN will automatically be able to send their flight schedules to the organization.

“This process ensures that we have the most current and accurate corporate flight information, resulting in better and faster response to patient needs,” said Peter Fleiss, executive director of CAN. “This eliminates a step for corporate dispatchers and reduces the workload for our own volunteers.” To date, CAN has arranged more than 38,000 flights and transports between 250 and 300 patients to and from treatment each month. “We stay abreast of the quick changes in this industry, and that flexibility will ensure maximum efficiency and speed of operations for Corporate Angel Network,” said –J.W.

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GE makes progress on jet, turboprop programs by Thierry Dubois GE is here with three major test is planned for next year. It programs at various stages of will represent the final engine development. The Passport 20, configuration. A high-pressure for Bombardier’s Global 7000 (HP) turbine aero rig test was and 8000 large-cabin business also successfully completed. At the engine core level, GE jets, has already passed some rig tests. The GE Honda HF120, is planning on using eCore2, for the HondaJet and the (cur- core engine technology that is rently suspended) Spectrum common with the bigger CFM Freedom, is scheduled for certi- Leap engine. However, the fication in 2012. Meanwhile, the manufacturer does not exclude HF80 turboprop is due for cer- the possibility of using technology from eCore1, which has tification later this year. The Passport 20 turbofan a single-stage (as opposed to (16,500 pounds of thrust, for- two-stage) HP turbine. Engimerly known as the TechX pro- neers are continuing with gram) is scheduled to make its eCore2 testing. Development of the first first ground run in 2013. Certification, however, has been fan blisk (short for fan-bladed integrated disk), a feature of the delayed from 2014 to 2015. A fan blade-out rig test, to Passport family, is “proceeding assess the composite fan case successfully,” the spokesman said. containment characteristics, GE has machined the first blisk was successfully completed in to support rig tests in the coming August, a GE spokesman told months. A subscale fan aero rig AIN. Building on the data gath- test is planned for later this year. The full-scale blisk will be 52 ered, a second fan blade-out rig 9-14 2011 THROTTLES NBAA_NBAA 2011 9/14/11 4:48 PM Page 1

inches in diameter. In a conventional design, blades are separate parts, held by a slotted disk or pinned holes, and air can leak between blade platforms, causing lost performance. Blades also can shift back and forth in their slot or on their pin, which causes wear and vibration. In a blisk, the blades and disk are one piece, which eliminates leaks, wear and vibration. In addition, the inner (hub) diameter can be made

third quarters of this year. All tests had “very positive results.” These tests and componentlevel tests included bird ingestion, fan blade-out, HP turbine aero-mechanics, oil interruption, vibration endurance, Fadec fault and ice slab ingestion. Next up is induction system icing testing at the Eglin Air Force Base icing chamber in Florida. The program is also

The GE Passport turbofan features a fan bladed integrated disk (blisk), a more efficient design.

smaller, allowing for a greater airflow within the same fan outer diameter. On the HF120 (2,095 pounds of thrust), GE Honda Aero has completed seven enginelevel tests in the second and

preparing for tests related to the low-pressure shaft stress. Endurance testing will help define initial maintenance inspection intervals. “We anticipate testing to spill over into early 2012,” the spokesman added.

Certification of the H80 turboprop (800 shp) is imminent, as GE has “completed all certification testing and has submitted the necessary documentation to EASA for certification,” the spokesman said. Certification is anticipated between November 20 and December 20. Once EASA certification is received, GE will seek FAA certification. Asked about PT6 competition for new turboprop products or upgrades, the spokesman answered that “potential customers naturally regard the H80 as an alternative to existing turboprop engines.” A Power90 engine STC exists on the King Air 90/100 with the M601 (the H80 predecessor), therefore, GE is expecting an H80 upgrade to that STC. The H80 flew on the Thrush 510G cropduster last year. Separately, as part of a 10-year agreement Russian manufacturer Technoavia has ordered 30 for production of a twin-engine aircraft, the Rysachok. o

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28 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

SkyBooks mx tracking is now iPad friendly Business aircraft and helicopter operators can explore the new look and feel of the SkyBooks maintenance tracking and flight operations software at Booth No. C12346. Launched in 2004 and acquired by Bell Helicopter in 2008, SkyBooks recently upgraded its aviation management solutions software with a new graphical interface, easier report access and a faster internal document vault. “[This] upgrade provides a rich customer experience, a new visual look and additional functionality,” said William Retana, SkyBooks director of IT and software engineering. SkyBooks is a web-based application consisting of four cohesive modules–Maintenance Tracking, Flight Operations, Inventory and Document Vault. Release 4.5 issued in June expanded SkyBooks’s list of compatible Web browsers to include Internet Explorer 7 and 8, FireFox, Chrome and Safari. The release introduced a new graphic interface and also iPad functionality, allowing customers to access SkyBooks from the cockpit via their iPads. “It’s a whole different program,” said SkyBooks training manager Elizabeth Howard. “We changed the look and feel and modified every screen to make tasks less complicated.” According to Howard, SkyBooks now anticipates the information the user requires on various screens and highlights the pertinent data field or fields. For example, if a component is being changed, the software highlights either the new or old component information depending on the screen currently being viewed. Screen-specific tutorial buttons also allow users to view video tutorials of steps associated with the tasks accomplished on the current screen. A new reports fly-out feature tab provides access to any report from any screen. Screens have been standardized and reports can be customized with oneclick sorting capabilities. The interface changes are not the only features of the new release, however. Release 4.5.1.1 launched in August added an internal Document Vault feature that allows customers to upload three gigabytes of data at one time. Previous versions of SkyBooks used a third-party document archiving program

SkyBooks’s maintenance and flight operations tracking software recently received an extensive makeover aimed at simplifying data input and access.

and facility. SkyBooks’s new Document Vault provides faster upload speeds and stores uploaded documents–usually scanned Adobe PDFs with large

file sizes–on SkyBooks’s own secure servers. The Document Vault also allows customers to customize new folders, organize documents and add searchable tags to any document. –K.R.

Turbine power with a twist.

What’s the twist? It’s not the luxurious interior or the state-of-the-art avionics suite, those are expected. It’s not even the undeniable ramp appeal or airstair door entrance, though certainly a bonus. It’s the value. With a normal cruise fuel burn of just 37 gph the Piper Meridian is the most fuel efﬁcient six-place turboprop available today – 30% more efﬁcient to be exact. The cost of this value? About one million dollars less than its closest competitor. I’ll take the turbine with the value twist, please.

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 29

Honeywell moves forward on head-down EVS/SVS combo by Matt Thurber The future is coming and it looks like this: the weather at your destination was supposed to improve, but it stubbornly remains below the 200-foot minimums. Of course you have plenty of fuel to make your alternate, but that airport is far from the meeting your boss is expected to helm. And while you and your flight crew team won’t let the boss’s desire to make it on time to the meeting affect your decision, it would be much more efficient to be able to arrive safely at your original destination. Fortunately, your jet is equipped and you and your first officer are trained for precisely this situation. The avionics meet the requirements of FAR 91.175, allowing descent below the 200-foot decision height to 100 feet, provided the pilot can see the runway environment on a head-up display (HUD). Today this means a system that displays infrared enhanced-vision system (EVS) images on the HUD, so the pilot can see the approach lights on the HUD before seeing the runway by the time 100 feet is reached. Both Honeywell and Rockwell Collins offer avionics that meet the 91.175 requirement, allowing pilots to descend below 200 feet during an approach, using EVS on the HUD. The HUD used is the Rockwell Collins head-up guidance system (HGS). There could soon be an alternative, however, and Honeywell has been testing a head-down system, which replaces the HUD with a combined-vision system (CVS). What CVS does is overlay EVS onto a synthetic-vision system (SVS) view on the pilot’s primary flight display (PFD). In this case, the pilot will use the CVS to look for the runway environment– approach lights–then transition to the

outside view at 100 feet and then complete the landing. Honeywell is actively testing CVS and working with the FAA to seek approval for the same credit to descend below 200 feet available in 91.175. The two avionics manufacturers’ approaches to this challenge are diverging. Rockwell Collins is firmly in the head-up camp, while Honeywell is betting big on replacing the HUD with a headdown display and CVS. Rockwell Collins is determined to make the HUD even more technologically capable than it has ever been before, while Honeywell is going down a different path, using the PFD to paint the desired picture and, hopefully, gain lower-approach credit for doing so. AIN recently had an opportunity to participate in a demo of CVS in Honeywell’s G450. Honeywell Demo

“What we’ve done is combined this infrared imagery on our synthetic vision to give you that real-time situational awareness of exactly where you are in the environment,” said Trish Ververs, Honeywell EVS/SVS project lead and human factors expert. “You obviously know where you are when you can see out the window; our biggest concern is when you can’t see out the window–low-visibility conditions.” Honeywell has been flight testing CVS–combining EVS and its SmartView synthetic vision–since June 2010, following laboratory testing using a simulator that found there were advantages to the company’s head-down philosophy. Flight tests were done in Honeywell’s Cessna Citation Sovereign and Gulfstream G450. “What we’re trying to prove is that what you have here is at

least equivalent to what they currently certify for a lower landing,” she said. But there’s more to what Honeywell is trying to accomplish with the head-down approach, and that is to deliver much more information on the PFD to help the pilot not only interpret what is going on in the outside world during low visibility but also to make the transition from looking head-down at the PFD during the approach and then head-up outside the window to make the landing, even at 100 feet height above touchdown. “What we are generally comparing it to is the system that is currently certified for lower landing minimums,” Ververs said, “and that is the HUD with the infrared camera under FAR 91.175. It says if you’re going to go below minimums–200 feet–the pilot has to either see the outside environment or, in this FAR, he or she needs to be able to see the image on the display of the runway environment, [and then] take that down to 100 feet. At 100 feet they have to transition to the outside environment. “But we want to enhance pilots’ ability to detect the environment around them,” she added, “and that’s why we’re adding that real-time data.” This data, by the way, is useful not only in the air but also on the ground; the EVS view helps the pilot see aircraft and ground vehicles and taxiway markings, which is especially useful in poor visibility. The real-time data that Ververs is referring to is not just the synthetic-vision view of the outside world or just the combined view with the infrared EVS image overlaying the synthetic vision. It is the way these elements are presented that offers the maximum benefit to the pilot. “We want to be sure we’re supporting [the pilots’] visual transition from inside the aircraft to outside the aircraft,” Ververs explained. “And the way we do that is build that picture. We build exactly what it is that they’re going to see prior to transitioning out the window, so they know where the mountains are, where the runway is, where their aircraft position will be with the flight path marker. So pilots are able to see all of that [on the PFD] then look out the window, and, lo and behold, it looks exactly like it did right in front of them.” A lot of human factors expertise–and software design–by EVS/SVS software lead Gang He–went into the development of Honeywell’s CVS. The key elements of the design of the PFD view for CVS include the flight path marker, the symbology for SmartView SVS and the way the EVS image is layered into the SVS view to create CVS.

MATT THURBER

The Big Picture

Honeywell’s combination of the enhanced-vision system (EVS) infrared view and synthetic vision delivers a lot of information on the PFD. Note how the top of the EVS is translucent, so the pilot can see cloud tops, mountains and other hazards. The goal is a seamless transition from the display to the view out the window.

30 NBAA Convention News • October 10s, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Avionics design is moving rapidly toward more representation of the outside world on displays inside the cockpit. That is, after all, what synthetic vision does. This capability is central to what Honeywell is trying to accomplish: elimination of the HUD and use of the CVS to achieve lower approach capability as currently allowed by FAR 91.175 for HUDs. “There are some people who might believe that you still need a HUD to do that,” said Honeywell chief test pilot

Jary Engels. “What we’re finding in our research is that the synthetic vision and the overlay of the EVS on the synthetic vision changes that game.” The standard “six-pack” instrument cluster that most pilots are familiar with forces them “to recreate in [their] minds what that picture is and then transition from this context into the context of the real world,” according to Engels. This can be difficult, and many accidents have resulted when pilots have lost the situational awareness picture that they had been trying to create in their minds. With modern displays and CVS, he argued, “We’re presenting the real world. What we’re finding in research is that you’ve already built that real-world picture in your head so that when you make the transition from head-down to head-up, you don’t have to change your context. You see [on the PFD] what you’re going to see when you look out, and when you look out, that’s what you see. “Why do we say that we can get down to 100 feet with this? When you put this terrain picture back in there, then it’s this natural thing that you’re looking at, and the workload gets reduced. This mental picture that you’re trying to draw, it’s already drawn for you, so the workload will, in essence, be less.” Flight Path Marker

The HUD has taught pilots a valuable lesson: how to use a flight path marker. “We recognized the advantages of a HUD are not just the fact that you’re looking through the HUD to the outside world,” said Engels. The flight path marker shows where the aircraft is going as opposed to its attitude. “The pitch attitude is where you’re pointing, the flight path is where you’re going. And that’s true both left and right and up and down. So if you take the flight path marker and put it on the end of the runway, you will end up on the end of the runway. That’s the beauty of flying with flight path as opposed to pitch attitude.” With the accuracy of GPS for positioning and a highly detailed terrain and airport database and a high-quality display, Engels explained, “You put the flight path marker on the synthetic runway, and that’s where you will end up. At 100 feet, if you have the flight path marker in the touchdown zone of the runway, when you look up, it better be there. And the transition from this to the outside world is seamless.” Symbology

Honeywell is using a track-centered approach to displaying information on the PFD. Engels said, “In a HUD if you have a strong crosswind you may be pointing this way and going [another] way, and if you get too strong of a crosswind, it can actually move out of your field of view.” On the Honeywell CVS, he added, “we center it on the track.” A small airplane symbol on the PFD shows exactly what the nose of the airplane is doing in a crosswind. If there is a strong wind from the left side of the runway, for example, the airplane’s nose must point to the left to allow

black-and-white infrared images. Imagine a colorful view of the outside world overlaid with infrared video. It wouldn’t look very good, and the EVS view would simply block anything useful on the SVS that sits behind the EVS image. One of the reasons that Honeywell prefers the head-down display route is that company designers believe they can do much more with the colorful PFD than with the HUD. “If you’ve ever seen an infrared image on a HUD, it’s all green,” said Engels, “as is the image on the HUD that’s drawn in your symbology, so everything kind of blends together.” Taking the infrared image from the EVS camera, Honeywell designers were able to colorize that image in such a way that it not only blends well with the SVS view but also remains distinct enough so the pilot can tell it is an infrared image. And, the top part of the EVS image can be made translucent, so that the pilot can see whatever would normally be covered by that part of the infrared view. If there are mountains in the background, for example, why not leave the top portion of the EVS Adding EVS clear so you can see those mountains The final key to combined vision is, as depicted by the SVS? And just below of course, combining the EVS and SVS that is the portion of the EVS that the views on one screen. This isn’t a sim- pilot really wants to see, like the runple matter. Sure, you could simply plop way environment during a low-visithe EVS view right onto the SVS view, bility approach. “On a HUD, all you JA_global_MRO_ads_AIN_NBAA.qxd 9/23/11 2:47 Pagerunway 1 would seePMis the symbol, these but raw EVS looks like ghostly reverse

little lights, and everything else would be green,” Engels said. “We have the advantage of head-down of being able to put the infrared image up as a different color and to overlay it with the important symbology in other colors,” he explained. Honeywell outlines the airport in light blue, and then as the airplane gets closer, that blue outline shrinks down

to the sides of the runway. “What you see in the blue is equivalent to the runway symbol that’s on the HUD,” he said, “and then when the infrared image comes into view and it sits right in that window, the pilot knows that the instrument-drawn runway symbol and the picture from the infrared image match. That’s the confidence factor

Continued on next page u

MATT THURBER

the airplane to track straight to the runway. The little airplane symbol makes this crystal clear to the pilot. “We use this airplane and other cues to give you the sense of crosswind so that you know you’re in a crosswind and you know where the runway is going to be,” he explained. “But the reality is that, at 200 feet or 100 feet, when you look down and look up, your windscreen is filled with runway. This track-centered [approach] keeps everything in the center, and we have data that shows you fly more accurately when you keep everything centered.” Another element that helps is the range rings on the SVS display. These give the pilot a quick aid for depth perception. “It’s that two-dimensional display trying to show a three-dimensional picture,” said Engels. “That helps a lot.” A line extends from the runway toward the bottom of the SVS display, showing the extension of the runway centerline. Matched against the little airplane symbol, the pilot can quickly see the crab angle in a crosswind and, of course, which way to fly to the runway.

Honeywell’s CVS designers believe the head-down display allows them to make use of the more colorful PFD. The system adds color to the infrared image from the EVS camera, matching it to the SVS image.

Jet Aviation St. Louis

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Honeywell cockpits uContinued from preceding page that everything is going to be where it’s supposed to be. And if the image were [way off] because of some error, that would be the clue to the pilot that he really shouldn’t be here and that he needs to go around.” “By incorporating all this information on the head-down display,” said Ververs, “every time you look out the window, it’s a completely unobstructed view of your environment. You’re not having to look through anything [like a HUD] to see the

actual environment.” And another benefit is that pilots can use this EVS view to look for other hazards that EVS helps spot, like thunderstorm cloud tops or animals on the runway. Testing

An obvious question for the head-up (HUD) versus head-down (PFD with CVS) debate is what happens when the pilot has to transition from looking at the PFD to looking out the window, and can this be done safely at 100 feet above the touchdown zone? The airplane is

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still descending as the pilot makes this transition, but with a HUD, the pilot is already looking out the window. According to Engels, who has flown a lot of tests and demonstrations of the head-down Honeywell system, a correctly designed head-down system makes the transition easy because the picture on the PFD is exactly the same as what the pilot sees looking out the window, if not better. “Look down, look up,” he said. “This picture and this picture are the same. That’s the message. The transition from [headdown] to [head-up] is seamless.” Honeywell’s testing has shown that the CVS on the head-down display works and that the transition can be done safely and pilots can still land with a high degree of accuracy. “We did a lot of flight testing in Santa Barbara,” said Engels. “Coastal fog is one of the hardest fogs for [infrared] to look through. It’s very, very dense, right until you get down to the bottom of it and then it’s clear underneath. What we found is we would see the runway 30 to 50 feet sooner with the infrared camera than we could with the naked eye. And when you’re going into airports and the weather’s down, 30 to 50 feet can mean a lot.” During testing, pilots were asked to stay head-down until 100 feet and then look up and land. If the weather wasn’t down to 200-foot minimums (testing couldn’t be done at lower ceilings without a complicated FAA waiver), pilots wore Foggles to obstruct the outside view, then flipped up the Foggles at 100 feet. In the December 2010 flight tests of head-down CVS versus head-up HUD, two corporate pilots and one flight test pilot flew 46 approaches to six airports, most ending with full-stop landings. Conditions included day IMC, day IMC with crosswinds and night VMC. Results showed no significant differences in all metrics (such as glideslope, airspeed, lateral deviation) between CVS and HUD, including overall workload ratings by the pilots. In the landing distance measurements, using one airport as an example, pilots were able to touch down within the specified area using the HUD and CVS (with a 100-foot headup transition). “Pilots say it’s a no-brainer transition,” said Ververs.

The results of all this testing have encouraged Honeywell to pursue lower landing credits, and the company is working on this with the FAA. “Next is more data collection,” she said. Honeywell is also working with key customers to generate interest in CVS. Ultimately, it will be up to the airframe manufacturers to decide what avionics populate the instrument panels of their next models of business jets. Avionics manufacturers develop all these products and technologies, but the airframers pay for all that development by selecting what they feel their customers will want to buy and fly. The Demo Flight

During a demonstration of CVS in Honeywell’s G450 in August, pilot John Tuten flew in the right seat while media pilots in the left seat observed approaches to Shenandoah Valley Airport in Virginia on a clear summer night. The first demonstration was of a normal approach using HUD. A second approach was then flown with the HUD tucked out of the way and looking down at the PFD with the CVS display. Tuten held a piece of paper over the windscreen to cover the outside view and instructed the left-seat pilot to keep looking at the CVS and not to look outside until reaching 100 feet above touchdown. The transition from head-down to head-up was easy and natural. There did not seem to be any difference in workload between the HUD-only view looking outside and the head-down/head-up transition from CVS to looking outside. The outside view perfectly matched what the pilots could see on the PFD, so there were no mental gymnastics required to interpret what the CVS was showing, making the transition very natural. Another benefit of having the SmartView SVS on the CVS display was evident as the pilots went around and flew the missed approach each time. They could easily see the mountains in the distance and understand why the missed approach procedure included a climbing turn. And when they arrived back at Dulles Airport, the EVS showed a clear picture of the lineman standing in front of the airplane as Tuten taxied into a parking spot. o

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MATT THURBER

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The EVS view in Honeywell’s combined vision system helps the pilot see aircraft and ground vehicles and taxiway markings in conditions of poor visibility.

TAC Air FuelBase aims to curb price volatility by Curt Epstein Aviation services provider TAC Air has unveiled a new product at NBAA (Booth No. C6927), which the Texarkana, Texasbased company said is aimed at helping flight departments protect themselves against drastic fuel cost fluctuations. Developed in cooperation with sister division TAC Energy, the FuelBase program analyzes a flight department’s fuel usage history through the application of a customized package of price risk management tools and helps sets a price

for the amount of fuel needed. “With FuelBase, flight departments can now remove the guesswork and risk of price fluctuations from their annual fuel budget,” said Matt Davis, TAC Air’s director of business development, who noted the recent volatility in the market. Over the past 12 months there has been a 45-percent swing in the underlying cost of jet-A, which was tame in comparison with 2008. That year saw a 211-percent differential between the lowest price of

TAC Air’s FuelBase price program lets customers lock in a purchase of a specified amount of fuel at a guaranteed fixed price, regardless of market2:48 conditions. JA_global_MRO_ads_AIN_NBAA.qxd 9/23/11 PM Page 2

jet-A and the highest price. Using the FuelBase program, customers can lock in a purchase of a specified amount of jet-A at a guaranteed fixed price no matter the underlying market price in the future. Customers can also choose to protect themselves by specifying a maximum price that will never exceed an agreed upon value. TAC Air doesn’t believe in a “one-size fits all approach” when creating these fuel plans. Flight departments can mix-and-match among the program offerings and the custom-tailored contracts can even be designed with escape clauses if the market price dips below the fixed price. “This is something that has not been made available to the general aviation industry before,” said Davis, who suspects that the volumes of fuel purchased by most flight departments are too small to draw the attention of firms that would typically handle this sort of trading. The FuelBase program will be implemented for fuel pumped at all 12 TAC Air FBOs, and the company says it has plans to expand it even further over the next few months. o

Guardian, Trend partner to provide global tracking Guardian Mobility (Booth No. C11210) has teamed with The Trend Group to provide customers with the ability to track engines using on-wing engine trend monitoring (ETM). The Trend Group, based in Clovis, Calif., provides turbineengine trend-monitoring analysis services and was the first approved by Pratt & Whitney Canada as a designated analysis center for ETM. Guardian Mobility provides global tracking, voice and data communications and flight data monitoring solutions. Guardian’s services support maintenance and flight operational quality assurance programs and are approved for government-mandated automated flight following. Ottawa, Ontario-based Guardian has acquired Alakai Technologies, which makes lightweight, low-cost data gathering systems and analysis software for flight-data monitoring. Guardian says it has an integrated solution to help clients gain operational

efficiencies, lower costs, increase cockpit safety and reduce risk. The acquisition expands key Guardian markets to include pilot training organizations, charter operators and business aircraft operators served by Alakai. The Guardian ETM approach automates a previous manual data collection process by leveraging its flight-data monitoring system and real-time communication network. Howard Pearl, Guardian Mobility president and CEO, said, “We teamed up with The Trend Group to give fleet operators with installed Guardian Mobility systems an automated and seamless way to track engine performance.” With the Alakai system, Guardian can sample and record 80 to 200 flight and engine parameters. The stored data is sent via wireless broadband on the ground to a server for replay, reporting and analysis. While in flight, the system can send exceedance data via satcom for immediate action. –H.W.

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www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 33

Embraer sees brighter future by Curt Epstein course, into 2012,” said Ernest Edwards, Embraer’s recently promoted president of the executive jets division. “The good thing from our perspective is that it seems like the U.S. economy has recovered,” he told a group of journalists at the end of August at the Brazilian airframer’s media tour. “If you look at the numbers here in terms of corporate profits, we’re doing better than we were just before the crash in 2007-2008.” Analysis of indicators such as U.S. corporate profits, which have surpassed pre-recession peaks, and the global stock markets, which had largely rebounded from the economic malaise of 2009 (at least in

early September), has led to an increase in flight hours both in the U.S. and Europe. “The other thing that we track that is really important is how many business jets are for sale on the pre-owned market, and this is good news for us as well,” said Edwards. Recent trends have shown a slow but steady decline in the number of available aircraft delivery positions and used (less than 10 years old) inventory since the peak in the first quarter of 2009. Ten-year Forecast Revised

Accordingly, Embraer’s market analysts have revised their 10-year forecast, which now calls for deliveries of 11,275

CURT EPSTEIN

While it has certainly felt the same pressures as its competition, Embraer expects a change in the bizjet market to come soon. Though the manufacturer saw its first-half business jet deliveries slashed nearly in half from 60 in 2010 to just 31 this year, it still expects to hand over 118 aircraft (100 Phenom 100/300s and 18 Legacy 600/650s and Lineage 1000s) by the end of the year, less than the 145 it finished with in 2010, but nearly the same total as 2009. “We believe 2011 was the trough, and we really believe and really hope that we’ve reached the bottom and that we’ll start seeing a recovery for the balance of the year and, of

Embraer anticipates a recovery in the business airplane market in the later part of the year and plans to deliver 118 aircraft by yearend. The Brazilian manufacturer reports that the market for larger aircraft has remained strong compared to that for smaller jets.

EMBRAER MARKET FORECAST – WORLD DELIVERIES (2012-2021)

Ultra large

Ultra-long range 1,600

Supermidsize 1,400

New bizjet deliveries (Units)

Large

Forecast

Midsize

Deliveries (Units)

Midlight 1,200

Light Entry

1,000 800 600 400 200 0 Source: ACAS and GAMA for historical data. BCA list prices and Embraer analysis.

34 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

new business jets over the next decade with a value of $260 billion, a $50-billion increase over last year’s forecast. Based on its prediction, Embraer sees a new delivery peak set somewhere in the 2018-2019 time frame as the market continues to climb. As to the geographic breakdown of those aircraft, the manufacturer sees 47 percent or 5,265 aircraft worth $109 billion going to North America; 3,415 jets (30 percent) valued at $88 billion destined for Europe, the Middle East and Africa; 1,690 aircraft (15 percent) worth $48 billion to Asia (excluding China, which will account for 635 business jets on its own, calculated at $21 billion); 905 units to Latin America (which, in Embraer’s accounting includes Mexico and all of Central and South America, as well as its home country, predicted to receive 550 aircraft worth $8 billion). Broken down by aircraft type, the forecast calls for a rebound in the light and entry-level segments, with the two accounting for 35 percent of the deliveries over the next 10 years. The large, ultra-large and ultra-longrange categories should total 28 percent. In dollar terms, the large-cabin aircraft and above will garner 60 percent of the expected $260 billion. According to Edwards, Embraer has no immediate plans to launch an ultra-long-range competitor to Gulfstream’s G650 or Bombardier’s growing Global family, citing other project priorities within the company, such as the military KC-390 and changes to its regional jetliner products. “We’d love another airplane to sell, for sure, but not in the foreseeable future,” he said. Well Situated in Market

Despite that gap and based upon that forecast, Embraer would appear to be well-situated in the market given its current product line-up, with the large cabin Legacy 600 (and its extended-range sibling, the Legacy 650, which was certified last year) and the bizliner Lineage 1000, and at the opposite end of the spectrum, with the entry-level Phenom 100 and light Phenom 300. As a result of the introduction of the Phenoms, Embraer’s share in the business jet market has jumped from a little over 3 percent in 2008 to 19 percent in 2010, trailing just Cessna and Bombardier. Such an increase lends credence to the company’s vision statement, which was adopted in 2005 with the founding of its executive jet division: to become

a major player in the business aviation market by 2015. Currently the company has more than 440 aircraft in operation worldwide, with the largest concentrations in North America (more than 170 aircraft), Europe, the Middle East and Africa (more than 150 aircraft), Latin America (approximately 100 jets, with 90 percent of them in Brazil alone) and fewer than two dozen in the Asia Pacific region. While declining to discuss actual numbers of deferrals in its order book, Embraer, like other OEMs, has noted some softness at the lower end of the market. “Certainly the entrylevel and light-jet category have been a challenge,” Edwards told AIN, noting the company has always strived to work with customers who wish to delay the delivery of their aircraft. “At the same time, there have been people who were at the tail end [of the company’s backlog, which at one point stretched into 2014] who have wanted to take earlier deliveries, so we’ve been able to blend the two to a satisfactory conclusion.” Since many of the delivery postponements were from orders placed early on at launch pricing, Embraer has also taken the opportunity to restructure the pricing on those aircraft deferrals. Moving to Melbourne

The manufacturer is currently in the process of relocating its U.S. executive jet division headquarters from Fort Lauderdale to Melbourne International Airport in Florida, where it has set up a second final assembly line for the Phenom 100. The first U.S.-completed example of the $3.9 million twinjet is to be delivered by the end of the year, and the airframer expects to ramp up production at the site starting next year. The $50 million Melbourne facility will also be home to the company’s U.S. sales and marketing efforts as well as a customer design center for its entire lineup. Also currently under construction is a 330,000-sq-ft manufacturing facility in Évora, Portugal, which is to produce structural components for the Legacy 450 and 500. The section that will produce composite structures, such as the vertical and horizontal stabilizers, is to be completed by the end of the year, with production to start in 2013. Building on the second part of the facility, which will manufacture metallic airframe structure such as the wings, is to commence soon. o

Quest polishes Kodiak with executive interior by Mark Huber The Quest Kodiak turboprop for the aircraft. “It works as well single is going upscale. Quest as one in a high-end automobile,” Aircraft is displaying an aircraft Thomas said. “Our engineers just at the NBAA convention cen- nailed it.” Quest also certified a ter static display with an execu- new cargo pod for the aircraft. Thomas said the company tive interior installed by St. Paul, Minn.-based Wipaire (Booth No. is working with customers C1150), a Kodiak factory-autho- who want truly custom execurized service center. Quest also is tive interiors while at the same soliciting design input at the show time it is developing the “Sumfor another factory-installed exec- mit” package executive interior utive interior offering called Sum- option. Currently Kodiak sales mit that it plans to unveil next are split in almost equal thirds year. The company was recently among those buying the $1.75 recapitalized and plans to place million (2012 base price) aircraft increased emphasis on selling the for utility, pleasure and business uses, but Thomas thinks as aircraft to business operators. “We’re trying to refine the many as 20 percent of Kodiak Kodiak,” said Lynn Thomas, customers may be looking for a director of technical marketing truly executive interior. Quest provides two cabin for Quest Aircraft. “We’ve got a great utility airplane, but our cus- seating interior options called tomers would like more refine- Tundra and Timberline, supment.” As part of that process, plied by Millennium Concepts, the company recently developed with seating for up to eight and certified a two-zone, $39,750 passengers. Both can quickly optional air-conditioning system be swapped out to convert the JA_global_MRO_ads_AIN_NBAA.qxd 9/23/11 2:49 PM Page 3

aircraft back to purely cargo use. A vendor for the Summit interior has yet to be announced. The Wipaire executive interior currently installed in the Kodiak demonstrator features six single, slide/swivel/reclining executive seats, sidewall tables, veneered cabinets, modular sidewalls with arm ledge, forward refreshment center for hot and cold beverages, premium carpet and a lavatory with electric flushing toilet and a privacy curtain. The Summit package does not include an in-flight entertainment system, but that will be offered in the future. The executive interior offering is expected to increase sales beyond the aircraft’s current customer base. Wipaire and Quest are currently working with customers to define a final custom executive interior that will be submitted for STC approval by year-end, according to Steve Zinda, Quest’s director of sales and marketing. Customers will be able to purchase this interior for new or used aircraft for retrofit. The company has the option of purchasing interior kits from Wipaire and installing them at its own Sandpoint, Idaho factory. Zinda said

The Quest Kodiak utility turboprop has gone upscale, sporting an executive interior installed by Wipaire. The company is seeking input on additional custom outfitting.

Quest’s goal is to keep the price of an executive-configured Kodiak at less than $2 million. “We want to see what the final configuration is, and that will determine the price,” he said. Based on customer feedback, Quest is contemplating a five- to six-seat cabin. A five-seat configuration “leaves a nice opening for passengers to get in and out of the cabin,” Zinda said. The Wipaire executive interior is expected to be highly optioned as not all customers want the same number of seats or want a lavatory space that cuts into luggage capacity, he explained. Originally designed to replace piston aircraft flying humanitarian missions in remote locations, the Kodiak recently

became available with Garmin GWX-68 weather radar. Standard avionics include a three-display Garmin G1000 suite with optional integrated syntheticvision technology. The Kodiak is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 (750 shp), cruises at 185 ktas and can carry a payload up to 3,325 pounds. At maximum takeoff weight of 7,255 pounds, the aircraft can take off in less than 1,000 feet and climb at 1,300 fpm. Range (45-minute reserve) at 12,000 feet varies from 979 nm (172 knots) to 1,113 nm (137 knots). More than 55 Kodiaks have been delivered since 2007 and approximately 12 of those are on Wipline 7000 floats. o

Jet Aviation Boston/Bedford

Count on our local expertise; benefit from our global MRO network Meet the team who can do it all. Jet Aviation Boston/Bedford provides base, airframe and line maintenance, avionics and overhaul services on Bombardier Challengers, Learjets and Globals, Cessna Citations, Dassault Falcons, Embraer Legacies, Gulfstreams, Hawkers and Beech aircraft including King Airs. And one call to 1-877-JET-HELP mobilizes the company’s 24/7 Jet Response mobile maintenance truck to assist operators with AOG services at other airports in the area. Our Boston/Bedford team takes care of you here while you benefit from our global network everywhere else. Personalized to Perfection.

Jet Aviation Boston/Bedford Tel. +1 800 538 0233 | AOG 24/7 +1 877 538 4357 jbed@jetaviation.com | www.jetaviation.com/bedford

Visit our global MRO locations: Abu Dhabi Al Bateen London Biggin Hill Basel

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www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 35

MedAire offers cholesterol checks Stop by the MedAire booth (No. N5921) to have your cholesterol checked for free, and after getting the result, stick around for a five-minute discussion with one of MedAire’s MedLink Global Response Center doctors.

They will calculate your 10-year risk of having a cardiac event, based on cholesterol results and other risk factors. “Cardiovascular disease is one of the most common causes for a pilot’s medical disqualification in

the United States and worldwide,” said MedAire vice president of aviation and maritime health Dr. Paulo Alves. “A series of risk factors can increase the likelihood of developing cardiac problems. Blood cholesterol is certainly a

MedAire is offering free cholesterol screenings at its NBAA booth. The company’s MedLink Global Response doctors are on hand to discuss the results with participants.

very important risk factor, since it is responsible for plaque formation within the arteries’ walls.” At the booth, you can also check out MedAire’s new products and services, including the updated and enhanced third edition of its Manual of In-flight Medical Care, now available as a weight- and space-saving electronic book easily displayable on iPads and other mobile devices. The company, based in Tempe, Ariz., also has a new one-day hangar safety training course and is offering its regular courses in more locations, allowing more flexibility for crews.

T R AINING

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MedAire has been supplying essential medical care and information to aircraft owners–and yacht owners–since 1986. In addition to its 24/7 Global Response Center, which provides remote medical care, security advice and emergency assistance, the company offers medical courses teaching basic and advanced life support skills. Students also learn crew resource management skills, how to contact MedAire’s MedLink service for advice and how to use its medical equipment for remote environments. The company’s range of medical kits include packages for in-flight first aid, medical emergencies, pediatric care, hangar safety, very light jets and a flu kit. MedAire’s Tempus IC transmits a passenger’s vital signs to MedLink. Three years ago, MedAire joined with International SOS, which has employees working in more than 70 countries to help manage the health and security risks facing member organizations’ travelers. The company also announced that Executive Air Services, based in Miami, became the first U.S.-based charter firm to provide its entire fleet with 24/7 access to MedAire’s medical and security services. “Our new relationship with MedAire will provide our passengers with expert in-flight medical care,” said Matthew Winer, president of EAS. “Our flight crew will be trained by MedAire to manage medical events.” –M.F.S.

Fuelerlinx adds feature for real-time pricing Aviation fuel-planning soft- Using the system, the compaware provider Fuelerlinx is ny’s software subscribers can on hand at NBAA to dem- enter a multi-leg flight that onstrate the latest features of will be displayed on the map its product. The San Fran- along with the aircraft’s maxcisco-based company’s newest imum and reserve range from enhancement is an interactive every stop along the route. The route map called Axiom Fuel system calculates range based Planner, which displays opera- on the jet’s make and model, tors’ own negotiated contract great-circle distance due to the curvature of the Earth and fuel prices. While other fuel plan- even live data on winds aloft. ning companies have offered Users can specify a radius map functionality in the past, between 25 and 125 miles from Fuelerlinx’s new patented fea- their destination to help simture affords operators the plify their fuel decisions. ability to compare not simply Streamlined Process the posted retail price for fuel, but real-time specific con“Before, operators had to tract fuel prices at all airports download spreadsheets from within range of every stop on their contract fueler, find their a flight plan. best price at each FBO for each “Until now operators have stop on their route and then never been able to see all repeat that process for every fuel of their contract fuel price network,” said Alexandra Wiloptions surrounding the stops liams, the company’s director of along their route,” said Kevin client relations. “With the new Moller, Fuelerlinx president. map feature 3:08 they PM can Page visualize JA_global_FBO_ads_AIN_NBAA.qxd 9/23/11 1

all that information at once.” Fuelerlinx–which is also accessible on Apple’s iPad–allows operators to compare not only their own negotiated fuel prices from different suppliers, but it also updates ramp fees for more than 600 FBOs. The system can identify price breaks at locations based on the volume uplifted and can reconcile fuel bills. Subscription rates begin at $149 per month and increases depending on the operator’s number of users and aircraft. According to Fuelerlinx, most customers find that the program pays for itself after the first few fuel uplifts. Fuelerlinx is raffling off six “retro” phone handset accessories for mobile devices at its booth (No. C12340) during the show. –C.E. Fuelerlinx’s interactive Axiom Fuel Planner provides graphical displays of a user’s contract fuel prices at airports along their flightpath. Top: range circles show the specific aircraft’s maximum range (red) and FAA 45-minute reserve range (orange). Bottom: an adjustable proximity range circle (green) identifies all suitable airports within a chosen radius of a destination and identifies the lowest priced fuel option in green.

Jet Aviation Teterboro

Enjoy our local hospitality; experience our global FBO network Meet the team who understands the needs of business travelers. At Jet Aviation Teterboro, our awardwinning FBO team provides efficient, friendly service with a can-do attitude at the nation’s busiest general aviation airport. Consistently rated among the top 30 FBOs by leading trade industry publications, our on-site ambassadors, concierges and wait staff greet your aircraft and attend to your passenger’s every need. Our fully-appointed lounge, fitness center and state-of-the-art flight planning resources benefit both passengers and crew alike. Our Teterboro team delivers the best in local service; our global network serves you everywhere else. Personalized to Perfection. Jet Aviation Teterboro Tel. +1 800 538 0832 | Tel. +1 201 462 4000 jteb@jetaviation.com | www.jetaviation.com/teterboro

Visit our global FBO locations: Boston/Bedford

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www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 37

apps

turn iPad into airborne solution

by Matt Thurber

pple’s iPad tablet computer is only about a year-anda-half old, and in a short period of time it has exploded into aviation, unleashing a furious expenditure of creative energy by developers of applications for the compact and powerful portable device. Apps range from preflight performance calculators to flight planners and in-flight moving maps. Pilots can even run synthetic vision, display XM WX satellite weather and live traffic on their iPads. All of this capability has been possible on other types of portable devices. Electronic flight bags, after all, pioneered portable electronic charts, moving maps, inflight weather and so forth. And other types of handheld devices have pushed the state of the art to the limits, such as True Flight’s Flight Cheetah and Garmin’s new area 796. Synthetic vision has been available on portable devices, too, including on the Flight Cheetah and the Mercury Computing VistaNav cockpit information system, which Honeywell licensed and has since discontinued. It might not have helped that the VistaNav cost about $4,000 (including AHRS) compared to the iPad at $499 to $829. The rise of the iPad is seen not only in the rapidly proliferating number of powerful aviation apps but also in the falling prices of competing devices. A few months ago, Garmin lowered the retail price of its 696 and street prices are down to $2,199 (when introduced, the 696 sold for more than $3,000). Some devices, like the Mercury VistaNav, have simply disappeared.

What makes the iPad so popular is that it is useful for multiple applications, it works easily and simply without the need to read a fat instruction manual, and the method for updating apps and data is incredibly simple. Jeppesen, which has steadily added products for the iPad, seems to have finally found a portable computing device that delivers what its customers want in a low-cost intuitive package. The company’s latest app, Mobile FliteDeck, replaces an entire worldwide Airway Manual subscription and includes en-route charts and airport diagrams with own-ship position display as well as terminal charts for almost every airport in the world. A frequent subject that comes up whenever pilots discuss iPads is whether they can be used legally in cockpits. The FAA is well aware that pilots in droves have adopted the iPad and that they are using the device not only for preflight planning but to display charts and as a backup navigation device. Replacing Paper Charts

Basically, for Part 91 operators, the FAA requires no special approval or permission, and pilots are free to use iPads to replace stacks of heavy paper charts. Also adopting iPads are commercial operators, including Part 91k fractionals, Part 135 air taxis and Part 121 airlines, but in these operations, FAA sanction is required, via approval of opsSpecs. Companies like Jeppesen and ASIG can help with iPad decompression and interference testing and approval processes. The FAA does not condone using iPads for primary

navigation under any circumstance (except, perhaps, during an emergency), but that doesn’t mean that the iPad isn’t useful to help pilots retain situational awareness using moving-map features that show the position (geo-referencing or own-ship) of the aircraft on charts and approach plates. Some apps include a button to turn off own-ship display, perhaps to mollify regulators who don’t think you should be able to use that feature, but it’s hard to imagine pilots turning that off. Pilots are responsible to ensure that any portable device they use while airborne does not interfere with installed avionics. And while iPads can be tested for decompression failure and interference, Sporty’s Pilot Shop offers a simpler alternative in its Flying with the iPad enewsletter–the “EFB statement” (right). For pilots who like the iPad, the rapid proliferation of aviation apps has been a boon, bringing features found in devices more sophisticated and more expensive than the multi-talented iPad. App developers are churning out new releases so quickly that it sometimes seems impossible to keep up, and yet the apps remain relatively inexpensive.

38 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Who would have thought, for example, that one could buy synthetic vision for the iPad for $99 (Hilton Software’s WingX; an AHRS from Levil Technology costs an extra $795), when certified syn-viz systems cost anywhere from $2,995 (Aspen) to $350,000 (Dassault EASy II). While this article includes iPhone/iPad apps that might be of interest to business aviation pilots, there are many more apps available for aviation operations and more under development

(as well as apps for Androidbased tablets). There is one app that everyone should have on his or her iPhone, however, and that is the AIN app, available free from the App Store. The AIN app conveniently delivers up-to-date news, with a headline view, along with categories such as bizav, maintenance, avionics, accidents, charter, rotorcraft, regulations and more. The app also includes contact information for AIN’s editorial and advertising personnel. o

EFB STATEMENT OF COMPLIANCE (Courtesy of Sporty’s Pilot Shop) The Apple iPad, model [xxxxxx], serial number [xxxxxxxx] (the iPad) is owned and operated by [name of operator], owner and operator of [aircraft type], [N-number], serial number [serial number]. Effective [date], the iPad is being used as a Class I Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) aboard [N-number] in lieu of “paper charts” in compliance with Advisory Circular 91-78. The iPad has been demonstrated as conforming to § 91.21, portable electronic devices, and does NOT interfere with navigation or communication systems aboard [N-number].

By:_______________________________

Date:_____________

[NAME]

Sporty’s Pilot Shop’s “EFB Statement of Compliance” includes references to applicable FAA Advisory Circulars and is a useful document to keep in the airplane.

Avionics Several companies are currently developing apps that permit integration of avionics with various mobile devices to render apps more useful to pilots.

Aspen Connected Panel–Aspen can store data on flash memAvionics introduced its new ory. The CG100 also contains Connected Panel system at security protocols, essentially the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh firewalling the installed avionshow in late July and expects ics from the iPad to prevent any the first applications to be available to customers by the end of the year. What the Connected Panel does is integrate certified avionics–in this case, Aspen’s Evolution Pro PFD and MFD products–with mobile devices. The first applications will be for the iPad, although Aspen is planning Android apps as well. “Many of these apps already being used and integrated effectively into cockpits,” said Peter Lyons, Aspen founder and vice president of product management. “We’re connecting the last dot. It allows apps to be more useful to the pilot in his curConnected Panel app frequency tuning. rent operation.” For Connected Panel to issues with the iPad corrupting work, an interface is needed the avionics. between the mobile device and “Our secret sauce,” said the installed avionics. This is Lyons, “is the way we allow provided by Aspen’s CG100 data to propagate into the sysbox, which is mounted behind tem and do it in a way that the the instrument panel. The FAA finds acceptable. We fireCG100 can connect to iPads wall the aircraft systems from and Android tablets via USB, malicious attack and things Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and it also that the FAA is concerned

FBOs Many FBO companies have created useful iPhone and iPad apps to help customers search and arrange for services. While these apps are helpful, most are only iPhone apps, and these companies need to update their apps for the iPad. This would be especially helpful for FBO-related apps that have onscreen forms for users to fill out.

Ac-U-Kwik (Booth No. C10518)– Ac-U-Kwik’s airport database of more than 8,000 airports and 3,400 FBOs is available in this iPhone app (annual subscription $39.99 for the world edition or $4.99 for North America). Also included is information on handlers, fuel suppliers, ground transport, cat ering and other airport-related bus inesses such as charter operators and maintenance providers. Ac-U-Kwik is working on an iPad version.

about. And we make sure there are no adverse reactions on certified systems.” What Connected Panel doesn’t do is allow an iPad or Android tablet to control the aircraft through the autopilot or manipulate critical data on the cockpit displays. “This is the most often misunderstood or misquoted aspect of our system,” Lyons said. The first Connected Panel system is Aspen’s Connected Pilot, which includes the CG100 and will sell for $2,500. Connected Pilot will require installation also of the BendixKing KSN 770 navcom/GPS navigator, and pilots will be able to us the Connected Panel iPad app to tune radios and cross-fill flight plans from the iPad to the KSN 770. Connected Panel is designed as an open-architecture system, and Aspen has invited developers to create apps that will bring additional functionality to the system. But, for now at least, Connected Panel will work only with Aspen Avionics Evolution Pro displays. ForeFlight is developing a Connected Panel app that will allow pilots to plan a flight on the iPad using ForeFlight Mobile and then load that wirelessly into the KSN 770. ForeFlight will also be able to tune the KSN 770’s radios by touching the iPad screen to

push a frequency from a displayed chart to the standby window in the navcom. Another developer, AvConnect, will allow automatic logging of aircraft performance data and pilot hours into the AvConnect iPad app. A big benefit of Connected Panel for iPad users is that GPS data from cockpit

Atlantic Aviation (Booth No. C8513)–All 63 Atlantic FBOs are accessible from the company’s iPhone app. Features in the app include directions to the facility, current fuel prices, a “call” link to customer service representatives and airport and FBO information.

Million Air (Booth No. C7411)– The Million Air iPhone app provides information on the FBO franchisor’s 29-member worldwide FBO network, including real-time weather at each location, airport diagrams, Arinc/Unicom frequencies, links to FBO personnel, amenities, a reservation form and comment card.

While the entire database isn’t available in the iPhone app, it is free for AirBoss members and also free for users who complete a survey for Piper Aircraft; otherwise, the app costs $4.99.

Avfuel (Booth No. N5121)– Avfuel’s FBO Locator iPhone app is free (also available on BlackBerry) and helps users search the Avfuel FBO network for facilities that offer contract fueling and Avtrip rewards points. A useful feaAirNav–AirNav’s iPhone app ture of the FBO Locator app provides mobile access to is the ability to display Avtrip the AirNav airport and FBO coupons on the iPhone or database, including AirNav’s BlackBerry screen instead of AirBoss fuel card program. having to print coupons.

Avfuel

navigators can easily be delivered to the iPad, eliminating the need for an external GPS or relying on the iPad 3G’s internal GPS. More than a dozen companies are planning Connected Panel apps, ranging from Jeppesen to engine instrument display maker J.P. Instruments to audio system provider PS Engineering. o

Classifieds The universe of preowned aircraft and more becomes more user-centric as an iPhone app facilitates searches.

Trade-A-Plane (Booth No. C9335)– Trade-A-Plane’s iPhone app makes searching for all of the aircraft, avionics, engines, jobs and other numerous categories offered much easier, although it’s still not the same as perusing the yellow pages of the ubiquitous publication. Searching is a matter of selecting a main category from the main search screen then selecting from a list that matches the paper version’s categories. The company search allows you to search by three criteria–location, name and product or service–and these are broken down into addiTrade-A-Plane tional detailed listings. In the location search, you can either find a location by typing it into the search box or by using a map and tapping a location where you’d like to search. In each main category, you can also search by typing in a term. o

Signature Flight Support iFBO (Booth No. N3900)– Signature Flight Support’s iFBO iPhone app has an interesting pricing calculator feature. You can select from the more than 100 Signature FBOs worldwide, choose from a comprehensive list of aircraft types and then specify the number of gallons needed (jetA, jet-A with Prist or avgas). The app instantly provides the price per gallon and also applicable handling fees. If you buy enough gallons, it will show whether or not the handling fee is assessed. The app also includes infor mation about each of

Signature Flight Support

Signature’s worldwide locations, with contact information for the general manager, a map of the FBO on the airport diagram (provided by AirNav) and amenities, including the traditional Starbucks coffee, Otis Spunkmeyer cookies and fresh popcorn. o Report continued on next page u

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 39

uReport continued from preceding page

position display on en-route charts and airport diagrams. Jeppesen is planning to add own-ship position display on approach charts in the future. It doesn’t yet offer flight planning on Mobile FliteDeck, but the app will highlight a route, including on either low- or high-altitude airways. Touching an airport, airspace, airway or other object detail on charts pops up information about that object, including restrictions, frequencies and so on. When the element is airspace, the selected airspace turns purple to highlight the area being viewed. The app also offers map feature filters to make viewing complex areas simpler. Buttons on the right bottom side of the app allow easy removal or addition of filters for airports, airways, waypoints, navaids, airspace and terrain. Jeppesen plans to add more features later this year, including flight planning and graphical and textual weather data. Under consideration is connection to inexpensive ADS-B receivers that are now available for the iPad and to Baron Services’ Mobile Link XM WX satellite weather receiver. The company is also planning to make Mobile FliteDeck available on Android tablets.

Flight Planning, Tracking, Charts and Moving Maps Flight-planning and navigation apps are becoming much more sophisticated, such that the iPad could probably replace a dedicated portable navigator. Many apps now offer geo-referencing (display of own-ship position) on maps and, in some cases, on approach plates as well.

Airguide Publications: iEFB– Airguide has, for many years, published the Flight Guide airport directory and now offers a full flight-planning and chart display app for the iPad. Airguide’s iEFB delivers seamless charts and, using Seattle Avionics ChartData, also offers ownship display on approach plates. The more than 5,000 airport diagrams in the Flight Guide database also display own-ship position on the airport surface. A unique iEFB feature is the ability to overlay approach plates or airport diagrams onto en-route and VFR charts. The iEFB app can also display traffic information via a Zaon PCAS XRX connected to Airguide’s iPad external Fly-Wi GPS ($299.99). The iEFB app costs $199.99 per year, including Seattle Avionics ChartData.

FlightAware’s online functionality, although not the company’s flight-planning capability. Flights can be tracked by flight number or N-number. Commercial flights can be tracked worldwide, but in the U.S. and Canada only general aviation flights can be tracked. Like the online version, you can also set the FlightAware app to notify you when a particular aircraft that you’re tracking files an IFR flight plan or departs or arrives. The app also shows a fullscreen view of Nexrad radar, which is handy for a quick look at the weather picture. FltPlan.com–FltPlan.com has long offered free preflight planning and flight-plan filing and

Arinc (Booth No. N4421)– Arinc is launching an iPad application here in Las Vegas to enhance the reach and versatility of its Arinc Direct flight planning tools. The app spent several months in live beta testing by corporate flight departments and pilot owner-operators. It will be freely available for download from the App Store, but to get past the log-in page, users will need to be Arinc Direct clients (who typically pay around $6,000 per year for its services). FlightAware (Booth No. C10424) FlightAware’s free iPad/ iPhone app makes tracking aircraft flying in the U.S. easy, and the app includes much of

FlightAware

FltPlan.com

currently is responsible for filing 80 percent of flight plans filed in the U.S. Now FltPlan. com has joined the iPad set with an app that leverages its many capabilities. Like other navigation apps, FltPlan.com offers a moving-map display showing own-ship position on maps and charts. You can download all the charts you need before takeoff and use them in flight, with or without the moving map. A neat feature on FltPlan.com is that when you download an airport’s charts, tapping on the airport diagram in the Approach Charts section expands the screen into a grid, showing all of the

charts as thumbnails. You can then quickly find the chart you need instead of picking from a list or scrolling through charts as is the case with other apps, although a list view is available, too. Note that own-ship position works on maps (sectionals and en-route charts) but not on approach plates. A variety of other features are available on the FltPlan. com app, including airport data, weather, navlogs and, of course, FltPlan.com’s signature flightplan filing services. You can start planning a flight on your computer, too, and then transfer the flight plan and navlog to your iPad. ForeFlight Mobile HD (Booth No. C9227)–ForeFlight Mobile started as a preflight planning tool but has evolved into a full moving-map app with a variety of features that make it competitive with dedicated portable GPS units. For a comprehensive preflight look at the weather, ForeFlight offers a variety of map views with overlays like radar, visibility, sky coverage, dew-point spread and so forth, plus the standard preflight weather imagery from meteorological sources, including from Canada, Mexico and Europe. Looking up airport information brings up that airport’s Metar, Taf and winds aloft forecast, all translated into plain English. ForeFlight stores ATC routing for various altitudes, and you can easily select any route on the list, which is then displayed on the map. If you need to route around a thunderstorm or make a routing change, ForeFlight has a rubber-band feature, where you can touch the route and move it to any other spot on the map. If the new spot is near a recognized feature like an airport, navaid, intersection, and so on, ForeFlight will ask which one you want to use as the new waypoint. But if you’re just routing around a storm, it will place the waypoint anywhere you choose. ForeFlight shows own-ship position on both maps and approach plates, and it does include an on-off switch for own-ship position, in case the FAA is watching over your shoulder and your opsSpecs

40 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

ForeFlight

don’t permit use of that feature. For writing notes or clearances, ForeFlight has a convenient scratchpad on which you can either draw or type. It also allows you to file flight plans and receive FAA-compliant weather briefings (via CSC Duats). ForeFlight costs $74.99 a year, or $149.99 a year including a subscription to Seattle Avionics charts, which provides own-ship position display on approach plates. Jeppesen (Booth No. C8810)– Jeppesen’s Mobile FliteDeck is a complete Airway Manual subscription, with coverage available worldwide or in small regional Express subscriptions. Mobile FliteDeck is a free download, and any Jeppesen electronic chart subscriber can use an available product key to download the same subscription on the iPad for no additional charge. The entire Jeppesen worldwide subscription–including terminal and en-route charts and Airway Manuals for all regions– is remarkably small and fills just 1.5 gigabytes on the iPad, thanks to the company’s vectorbased graphics engine. A new feature implemented on Mobile FliteDeck is own-ship

Jeppesen Mobile FliteDeck

Garmin (Booth No. N1704): Pilot My-Cast–Pilot My-Cast has grown more sophisticated and now competes with all of the major iPad moving-map apps, but with some different and interesting features. For example, Pilot My-Cast has a directto button in navigation mode, which makes it easy to reroute a flight, although it doesn’t offer route rubber banding. An especially useful feature is the layering offered in the planning mode. You can select from various maps (VFR, en-route charts, roads and borders) then layer on top of that one of 10 different functions like radar, lightning, winds aloft, fuel prices, TFRs and so on. When pilot reports are selected, icons pop up representing each report, and touching each icon pops up the actual report, plus the plain English translation. Garmin also includes its proprietary SafeTaxi airport charts for showing own-ship position on the airport and potential hot spots where risks of incursions are high. In the airport information section,

Continued on page 42 u

400XT

Cleared for Take-off FAA Certification Now Complete!

Announcing FAA certification of the world’s first remanufactured business jet. • 2,005 nautical miles of range (4 passengers, NBAA IFR reserves) • State-of-the-art engine, avionics and aerodynamic technology • The lowest operating cost per mile in its class And the first jet to make all of this available for under $4MM. Building on the renowned value, durability and technological sophistication of the Beechjet, Nextant has created a whole new category of business jets with more range, more fuel efficiency and most importantly more value. With deliveries beginning this Fall, the 400XT by Nextant Aerospace clearly trumps the competition.

Visit us at NBAA booth #C13113 Demonstration flights also available at NBAA.

The New 400XT from Nextant Aerospace, It’s What’s Next.

w w w. n e x t a n t a e r o s p a c e . c o m 8 8 8 . 8 9 3 . 9 0 01 sales@nextantaerospace.com

uReport continued from page 40

Flight Planning, Tracking, Charts and Moving Maps (cont’d) clicking on an airport shows all the available data for that airport, including current fuel prices and a list of nearby airports with their lowest avgas and jet-A prices, plus a symbol for weather (VFR or IFR). Like many other apps, Pilot My-Cast displays own-ship position on maps and on approach plates (Garmin FliteCharts). Airport data is provided by

Garmin

AOPA’s Airport Directory. Annual subscription for Pilot MyCast is $99.99, plus another $49.99 for own-ship position on approach plates and $29.99 for geo-referenced SafeTaxi charts. Hilton Software (Booth No. C8027): WingX Pro 7–Hilton Software’s WingX Pro 7 is pushing the iPad envelope and now offers synthetic vision (SV) on the iPad, including the ability to display accurate pitch and bank using an external wireless attitude heading reference system (AHRS) unit made by Levil Technology. The AHRS sells for $795, but it isn’t required to run SV on the iPad; without the AHRS, the SV still displays, but in a static mode without pitch and bank. WingX SV uses the high-resolution terrain database derived from NASA’s Space Shuttle ground-imaging program. In WingX SV, a zero pitch line shows the aircraft’s attitude in

Fuel Highly specialized app aids pilots by providing fuel pricing and airport facilities.

GlobalAir.com (Booth No. N5311)– Unlike many other aviation apps that try to cram in as many features as possible, GlobarAir. com’s FBO Fuel Prices app has only one purpose: to help you find the lowest 100LL and jet-A prices at airports in the U.S. More than 2,100 FBOs update their prices regularly and are available in GlobalAir.com’s online Airport Resource center

GlobalAir.com

and the FBO Fuel Prices app. FBOs that aren’t signed up with GlobalAir.com won’t show up in the app. The app sells for $3.99. You can search for airports using airport IDs or by city and state. A range selector lets you see fuel prices at nearby airports. After entering the airport, the app outputs a list of airports within the selected range, including the lowest price at each airport as well as its longest runway, the distance from the selected airport and whether the fuel is full or self-serve. The airports appear in two formats on a split screen. The top shows a Google map with pushpin symbols next to each airport, and you can touch the pin to pull up that airport’s information. The bottom of the split screen shows the listed airports. The list itself is a handy feature; you can quickly see that flying an extra 10 miles from

relation to nearby terrain. Terrain and obstacles above or slightly below the airplane’s altitude are color-coded red and yellow. Speed and altitude tapes display groundspeed and GPS altitude. Moving Map Displays

WingX also offers many preflight planning and weather download tools, but the app has a distinctively different approach in the navigation mode. On any map, you can click on different elements to learn more. For example, touch the edge of a class-B airspace boundary and a pop-up screen shows the altitude limitations. The same goes for airports, navaids and other features. With the moving map displayed, you can select between showing the map on the entire iPad screen or split that in two. Then you can choose to display in each section all of the available views, including VFR, enroute charts, approach plates, terrain or synthetic vision, route info or a notepad with up to five pages. The notepad a major metropolitan airport will save you dollars per gallon. Touch the airport and the next screen shows the FBOs at the airport and their fuel prices, including the last date that prices were updated. Each FBO has a contact button so you can email the FBO with arrival plans or questions about services, ramp fees and so on. Once you select an airport, you can click a “Show more about this airport” button that pulls up GlobalAir. com’s web page for that airport. This provides access to current weather data, charts and a wealth of information in GlobalAir.com’s Airport Resource Center. While FBO Fuel Prices needs to connect to the Internet to update the data and to connect to the Airport Resource Center, GlobalAir. com made it work offline, too. As long as you update the data before you take off, you can use FBO Fuel Prices in the air to pick a reasonably priced destination. Unless you have airborne Internet access via Aircell’s Gogo Biz or satcom, you won’t be able to email FBOs or use the show more information feature. o

42 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

doesn’t offer a typing function, just drawing. You may quickly find that it’s handy to display the approach plate in the top view with the enroute chart or sectional chart in the bottom view, and both will show your airplane moving along the map or chart. You can quickly swap the two views top and bottom using the swap button. Options within each view allow you to select how much detail is shown, including terrain, airspace, airways, jetways, fixes, runways, heliports, Metar cirHilton Software WingX with synthetic vision display. cles and, if you have calculators and a graphical a Radenna SkyRadar feature. ADS-B receiver, Nexrad air- weight-and-balance The full iFlite app functionalborne radar. Cessna has partnered with ity costs $9.95 for the app plus Hilton Software to offer $139.95 per year. WingX Pro 7 costs $99.99 per WingX app technology to owners and operators of its single- year, plus $99.99 for synthetic engine models. In addition to vision, $29.99 for fuel prices and normal WingX functional- $75 for Seattle Avionics Chart ity, Cessna’s iFlite adds take- Data (for geo-referenced ap off and landing performance proach plates). o

Logbooks Pilots have been using computers to replace paper logbooks for many years, and it’s natural that developers of mobile applications would make the transition to iPhone, iPad and Android logbook apps.

Coradine Aviation Systems allowing the data to be pre(Booth No. C10419): LogTen sented in a variety of forms, Mobile–Coradine is unique in including many standard that the company’s founder, logbook formats. You can customize LogTen Noah Lieberman, has resolutely stuck to developing the to fit just about any regulatoLogTen logbook software for only Apple products. LogTen is available on the Macintosh platform and also as a standalone logbook app for the iPhone or iPad. The iPhone/iPad versions also synchronize with the Macintosh version ($99.99), which is a good way to ensure the data is thoroughly backed up. Log Ten for the iPad is $79.99 and for the iPhone $49.99. LogTen comes popu lated with a large database of aircraft types and more than 28,000 airCoradine Aviation Systems ports worldwide. You can use local time or UTC, and ry environment and to track LogTen will automatically all sorts of criteria, includcalculate how much of the ing duty time, time in any airflight was done at nighttime. craft type or configuration Continued on page 46 u Many types of reports are available in LogTen, Report continued on page 44 u

Introducing the revolutionary Learjet 85 aircraft. Unequaled in performance and comfort. Unavailable from any other fractional jet program.

The Learjet 85* aircraft is here. The time to buy is now. Be among the ﬁrst to ﬂy the new Learjet 85 aircraft – the largest, most spacious Learjet* aircraft ever. A limited number of shares are now available exclusively from Flexjet at special introductory rates. Reserve yours at Ownthe85jet.com or contact an aviation expert at 866-884-9728. © 2011 Bombardier Inc. *Unregistered or registered trademark(s) of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

Visit Flexjet inside the Bombardier* chalet at the static display at Henderson Executive Airport.

uReport continued from page 42

Mounting Systems

Performance Calculators

Installing iPads and other mobile devices conveniently and efficiently in the cockpit or cabin requires mounting systems that offer a variety of possibilities.

Apps that allow downloading weather and approach charts, calculation of takeoff and landing performance limitations, weight and balance, flight planning and fuel loading are proliferating.

Flight Display Systems (Booth No. C11224)–Flight Display Systems offers a variety of ways to use iPads and mobile devices in cockpits and cabins. The FDARM mount allows for mounting an iPad at individual seats and includes a power supply to recharge the device, which converts the aircraft’s 28 volts to the five volts needed by the iPad. FDARMs are available for both the original iPad and the iPad 2. Once mounted, passengers can tilt the FDARM fore and aft 15 degrees in

Aircraft Performance Group (Booth No. N2324): iPreFlight– The Aircraft Performance Group (APG) iPreFlight iPad app offers Embraer and Cessna Citation pilots the ability to download weather and approach charts, conduct flight planning and perform run-

both portrait and landscape modes, according to Flight Display Systems. For pilots, a yoke mounting system is available for the iPad. The FDARM-IPAD-Y mount fits Gulfstream yokes and works with both the original iPad and iPad 2. A power adapter is optional for inflight charging, and the mount easily rotates and locks into portrait or landscape mode. RAM Mounts–RAM makes a variety of mounting systems for iPads and mobile devices. Mounts are available

Flight Display Systems iPad mount

for many types of yokes in different aircraft types. RAM also makes mounting systems using a base and ball that can be installed in other areas. The ball allows quick repositioning of the screen for optimum visibility. o

Weather Aircraft Performance Group

Currently there are two ways to receive live in-flight weather on an iPad: via WxWorx’s XM Mobile Link or using an ADS-B receiver. Fairly soon, aircraft equipped with the Aspen Avionics Connected Panel system should be able to view XM WX on iPads. And of course, if you have Aircell’s Gogo Biz broadband Wi-Fi system in your aircraft, you can easily pull up free weather data on an iPad. ADS-B (automatic dependent surveillancebroadcast) ground station coverage is growing rapidly and, currently, there are approximately 280 operational radio stations in the continental U.S. and Alaska. Completion of the ADS-B ground station network is planned in 2013. But, meanwhile, any aircraft can start using the free services delivered via the ADS-B stations, including weather, TFR and traffic information (where coverage is available). Radenna SkyRadar

WxWorx-Baron Services (Booth No. N1514): XM Mobile Link– WxWorx (Baron Services), the company that delivers XM WX satellite weather data to aircraft, has finally made XM WX available on the iPad. To use XM WX on the iPad, you’ll need software on the iPad that can display weather, a subscription to XM WX and two pieces of hardware: Baron’s Mobile Link ($199.99) and an XM receiver (about $550 and up). App-makers like ForeFlight, Hilton Software (WingX) and others are building XM WX into their iPad apps, so you’ll be able to view live weather on your iPad anywhere you can receive the XM signal.

Radenna: SkyRadar–The SkyRadar ADS-B unit is a small device that wirelessly communicates with the iPad. It can be placed anywhere in the cockpit where it can easily receive signals from ADS-B ground stations. The unit is powered by a 14- or 28-volt cigarette-lighter power supply and it also includes a GPS receiver and antenna. Radenna also sells its own moving-map iPad app. The SkyRadar receiver sells for $950. While FIS-B weather data is available via the receiver, TIS-B traffic will be available only if the aircraft is equipped with an ADS-B transmitter that signals the ground station to transmit traffic data.

SkyVision Xtreme: Xtreme Vision– SkyVision has recently made its Xtreme Vision ADS-B in and out sys tem usable with iPad and Android tablets, so users can view airborne weather and traffic. To use Xtreme Vision with an iPad requires SkyVision’s ADS-B transceiver, a Windowsbased display, a Bluetooth dongle to connect to the transceiver and an iPad app to display the ADS-B weather and traffic on the iPad. The entire SkyVision system costs $3,642, including the above equipment and a RAM mount. Users also will have to install one GPS antenna and one ADS-B UAT antenna. o

44 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

fuel reserves and alternate destinations, and also how the results change as temperatures change throughout the day. While iPreFlight must have Internet access for calculations, you can create an iPreFlight Books with weather data (including NOAA graphical products), FAA AeroNav approach plates, the flight plan, weight-and-balance data, and takeoff and landing performance data including runway limitations and V-speeds. All of this data can be consolidated into a flight release that you can email and bring along on the iPad during the flight. The iPreFlight Books can be prepared at any time in advance of the flight and then updated as needed before takeoff, a useful feature for operations that employ dispatchers. All of the APG runway analysis, weight-and-balance, weather and charts products are available as standalone modules in iPreFlight, or as part of the iPreFlight Books function. There are many other features available in iPreFlight, including a load chart, which shows how the payload is affected as temperatures vary at the departure and destination airports and a map tool that shows the route of the flight with a composite radar overlay and alternative airports along the route and their weather conditions.

way analysis and weight-andbalance calculations using the iPad. Here at the NBAA show, APG is demonstrating the latest version of iPreFlight, which has the ability to perform landing distance calculations without Internet connectivity so you can easily evaluate landing distance while airborne in case of runway condition or airport or runway changes. Embraer pilots can use iPreFlight for the Phenom 100 and 300 and Legacy 600 and 650. By the end of this year, a version is to be available for the EFB-Pro–The EFB-Pro iPad app Lineage 1000. Cessna Cita- by CAVU Companies calcution models for which Cessna’s lates aircraft performance, but CPCalc is available–currently without requiring an Internet about 18 models–can use iPre- connection. The app includes Flight. APG is hoping to work all the airport and aircraft perwith Bombardier for the next formance data needed. CAVU releases of the app. Continued on page 46 u The key feature of iPreFlight is the max payload estimator, which calculates available payload for a planned flight. Criteria that are taken into account include takeoff/landing performance limitations, weightand-balance requirements and weather. Current and forecast weather conditions are used to calculate fuel burn, reserve fuel, alternate airport and holding fuel. To help pilots decide on the optimum flight parameters, iPreFlight offers a matrix to show how much the airplane can carry between a city pair while maintaining necessary EFB-Pro

LINEAGE

1000

LEGACY

650

LEGACY

600

LEGACY

500

LEGACY

450

PHENOM

300

1 EXPO. 7 EXECUTIVE JETS. 3 DAYS. IT’S WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. EMBRAER PRESENTS: OUR AWARD-WINNING FLEET FROM ENTRY LEVEL TO ULTRA LARGE, YOU’LL EXPERIENCE UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF LUXURY AND TECHNOLOGY. JOIN US TO VIEW OUR JETS AT THE NBAA2011 STATIC DISPLAY FROM OCTOBER 10 - 12. U.S., Canada and Caribbean +1 954 359 5387 Europe, Middle East and Africa +33 1 4938 4444 Latin America +55 12 3927 3399 Asia Pacific +65 6734 4321 China +86 10 6598 9988 www.EmbraerExecutiveJets.com

PHENOM

100

uReport continued from page 42

Logbooks (cont’d) (tailwheel, for example) and also customizable fields. The certificates section is useful not only for keeping track of when recurrent items are due– such as a medical certificate– but it also lets you load a scan or photo of your certificate. You

can also add photos for your favorite aircraft and from trips. FlightLog–FlightLog is native iPhone app that offers a lot of features for its $4.99 price tag. You can input data into FlightLog using a huge number of

criteria, and once the data is entered, the query tool allows you to output reports based on any of those criteria. A unique feature is the ability to send information to a Dropbox folder as a means of backing up the data to the cloud. You can also email a printable version of a report. FlightLog is currently available only in an iPhone version.

Logbook Pro–Logbook Pro is not a standalone mobile device app but works with Logbook Pro PC Edition, so the free Android, iPhone, iPad app is useful as a way of inputting data then syncing with the PC software. And if you aren’t a Macintosh user, then it is an alternative to the Mac-only Coradine LogTen Pro software.

Logbook Pro costs $99.95 for the professional edition, which includes features for Part 121 and 135 operations. Cloud syncing is free for 30 days, but then costs $19.99 per year for one file. Logbook Pro tracks flight times, certificates, ratings, medicals, flight reviews, actual and simulated flights, and highlights currency status with color-coded flags. o

Performance Calculators (cont’d)

GE Aviation Business & General Aviation

keeps the performance from aircraft AFMs up-to-date, and EFB-Pro subscribers always have current data, as long as they download updates on a regular basis. Weight-and-Balance

To use EFB-Pro, you start by selecting an aircraft. If your aircraft is not in the database, CAVU will add it, including all weight-and-balance numbers. The weightand-balance function outputs a graphical view of the CG envelope. You can input the departure airport winds, runway slope and runway conditions as well as departure type (and whether there is a con trolling obstacle), departure procedure safety margin and desired gradients. Alternatively, you can select the departure airport and runway from the EFB-Pro database. Various flaps settings are available for takeoff and ice-on or -off selection, and landing mode offers the option of adding a 15-percent margin or using 60- or 80-percent landing factors. Once all this data is inputted, EFB-Pro shows takeoff results, including max weight, takeoff distance and V-speeds. Current EFB-Pro for Windows subscribers can access the app for $25 per aircraft per month. For new subscribers, the EFB-Pro app costs $50 per aircraft per month (which includes a license for two devices). o

The power to go where you want to go Introducing the GE Passport™ Integrated Propulsion System

NBAA’s iPad App

The GE Passport is the world’s first integrated propulsion system (engine, nacelle and thrust reverser) specifically designed for ultra-long range, large-cabin business jets. Incorporating advanced technologies, the GE Passport offers longer range from reduced fuel consumption, fewer emissions and enhanced cabin comfort created from reduced noise and vibrations.* With the GE Passport, you have the power to fly powerfully, more quietly and efficiently – anywhere you want to go.

Download NBAA’s 64th Annual Meeting & Convention app for your iPhone and get access to the exhibitor list, daily schedule and an at-the-show Twitter feed. You can also use the app to create your own schedule by bookmarking any event. The app includes maps of the two static displays and the exhibit hall and a link to NBAA-related YouTube videos.

To learn more, visit GE at Booth N1833.

*Compared to current ultra-long range business jet propulsion systems.

46 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com 67937_passport_m2m_fp4c_ain.indd.indd 1

9/30/11 12:11 PM

Towards a safer world

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Nagoya Airport is a haven for business aircraft, unlike Tokyo’s airports where operators struggle to get slots and parking and where their passengers face delays clearing customs and immigration.

Nagoya Airport offers bizav gateway to Japan by Charles Alcock As part of Japan’s resolve to get back on its feet after the devastation of the earthquake and tsunami that hit the eastern part of the country in April, Nagoya Airport has come to the NBAA show (Booth No. C8026) to make it clear that it is perfectly safe to travel to Japan. Officials with the local Aichi Prefecture are stressing that the region is not subject to unsafe levels of radioactivity from the Fukushima nuclear power station, which is more than 260 miles away to the northeast. What’s more, Nagoya still contends that it is the most convenient gateway for business aircraft to enter Japan, or even just to make a quick technical

stop. Tokyo’s airports remain very userunfriendly for business aircraft operators and their passengers. Nagoya, located in the center of Japan, is about 160 miles west of the capital but with open access and plenty of space for business aircraft, it makes a fair case for being a better option overall. Via high-speed bullet train, the ride into downtown Tokyo takes just an hour and 40 minutes–a longer ground transfer than from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, but at least operators are assured of being able to land and take off with flexibility. The airport, which is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. also is just 68 miles from the city of Kyoto, served by the Osaka

and Kansai airports, which also are problematic for business aircraft operations. Tokyo Access

Nagoya Airport offers business aircraft a dedicated ramp area directly in front of its executive terminal and separate from the terminal used for airline operations. Customs and immigration services procedures can be completed at the same site and travelers can be heading out of the terminal within 15 to 20 minutes of landing. This is far quicker than at Tokyo’s airports, and the transit time to the center of Nagoya (for connections to the bullet train) is just 15 minutes, with services to Tokyo.

S E T YO U R C O O R D I N AT E S

T ake a well-deserved break at the end of Day 1 and help us celebrate our new livery– re-energized outlook, updated brand, new website that makes it easy to do business with us. Check out our new safety initiatives, designed to deliver particular value for corporate operators. Meet our new Director of Aviation Safety Programs, Paul Ratté. He’s ready to help you keep your safety programs at peak effectiveness. Stop by and enjoy a free refreshment. We’d love to see you.

Ground-handling services, including arrangements for helicopter charters, are available from local FBOs Nakanihon Air Service and Aero Asahi Corp. Here in Las Vegas, Nagoya Airport is represented by its new director and officials from the Aichi Prefecture, the local government body that has owned it for the past five years. Landing charges run from approximately $10.50 per metric ton for jets weighing up to 25 metric tons (55,114 pounds). For instance, it would cost approximately $670 to land a Bombardier Global Express and $254 for a Learjet 31. Aircraft parking charges are far less than at the Tokyo airports and there are no restrictions on the duration of a stay. Congestion and slot issues have become so serious for operators heading to Japan that some have had to reposition aircraft remotely at locations such as Guam and the Philippines. 

TO OUR BOOTH

You’re Invited

Booth C10044 Mon | Oct 10 | 5 - 6 pm

AM E R I CA’S F IR S T NAM E I N AVI AT I O N I NS URAN C E usaig.com

212.952.010 0

11-USAIG-3674 NBAA-AIN-Ad2_07fa.indd 1

48 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

9/26/11 11:00 AM

Gore Design continues on a roll with first 777 Gore Design Completions (Booth No. N5716) is on a roll with a shop full of aircraft. It delivered its first Boeing 777 in early October and recently signed contracts for an Airbus ACJ320-200 and a larger Airbus ACJ330-200. The 777-200LR, for a central Asian head-of-state, was delivered a month early and after only 12 months of downtime at Gore Design’s San Antonio center.

While the workload is at near capacity, owner Jerry Gore emphasized that the delivery schedule has not suffered and includes on-time delivery of a head-of-state Boeing 767-300 earlier this year. “We have delivered two on-time widebody completions, while also working on another three widebodies and two narrow-body aircraft simultaneously,” Gore added. Design and engineering for

the 777 was completed at Gore Design before arrival of the aircraft. The interior includes a VIP suite, complete with stateroom, dressing room and lavatory. The main entry to the aircraft features inlaid motherof-pearl artwork and LED edge lighting, all machined at Gore Design. It is the third green completion the center has done for this customer. Even as the 777 was rolled out for delivery, Gore Design was making room for an ACJ330200 for a western Asia private customer and an ACJ320-200 for an Asian customer who will make the airplane available for charter. –K.J.H.

Gore Design delivered its first headof-state Boeing 777 a month early after only 12 months of downtime at its San Antonio center.

news clips z Universal Commemorates 30th with Literary Paean Universal Avionics Systems is commemorating its 30th anniversary this year and invites NBAA attendees to celebrate at its booth (No. C12222) tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. As part of the celebration, Universal is offering a special gift to customers, partners and associates: the history book Thirty Years of Innovation (also available online at www.uasc.com/history). According to the company, Universal Avionics founder Hubert L. Naimer “formulated the details of a ‘master navigation system,’ which led to the development of the world’s first flight management system.” “At Universal Avionics we are very proud of our 30-year history and excited about celebrating with our customers, associates and members of the press at the [NBAA] show,” said Ted Naimer, president and CEO. “While so much has changed in the 30-year history of the company, some things have not and that’s the entrepreneurial spirit of our workforce, our drive for quality and desire to keep our customers flying safely.”

z E-A-R Demos Cabin Sound Reality Thermal/acoustic specialist 3M introduced a new acoustic demonstrator from its subsidiary E-A-R Thermal Acoustic Systems (Booth No. N5930) here at the NBAA convention. The demonstrator was created to simulate not only interior noise levels of a typical business aircraft, but also the range of noise signatures with varying frequency content. For example, the demonstrator illustrates the difference between a 50-dB-sound intensity level (SIL) interior and a 52-dB-SIL interior, according to Brian Joyal, director of business development for E-A-R. “It also allows us to convey the importance of sound level and sound quality in creating a comfortable cabin.” As explained by E-A-R systems engineer David Gries, to achieve a truly comfortable cabin, engineers must pay attention not only to the sound (or noise) level, but to the sound quality.

z Two iPad 2s in Business Jet Center Photo Contest

Component Control launches Web RFQ MRO and logistics software company Component Control (Booth No. C10533) is announcing the formal launch of its new Web Online RFQ parts and services search software here at the NBAA show. Essentially a software plugin that allows any aviation company to quickly add parts and services search capability to its own website, Web Online RFQ is powered by Component Control’s StockMarket search engine. While StockMarket allows users to search through all 37 million line items posted on Stock Market. aero, Web Online RFQ returns search results from only the inventory and services available through the company hosting the search engine. Buyers can then submit a purchase order, request for quote (RFQ) or directly purchase selected parts, depending on the software configuration. “Through launching and

growing StockMarket.aero, we realized a lot of aviation suppliers wanted to promote their parts inventory on their own website as well,” said StockMarket.aero director Jason Cordoba. “Web Online RFQ technology shares the same robust structure as StockMarket.aero except that we exclude the public information, allowing the user to show results for their inventory and service capabilities.” Cordoba said that it takes Component Control personnel approximately 30 minutes to add the Web Online RFQ search capability to an existing website. If the customer also uses Component Control’s Quantum Control MRO and logistics software, inventory and service availability information can be updated automatically in real time. Purchase orders and RFQs can also be automatically handled through the Quantum software, saving data entry time, minimizing mistakes and decreasing

the amount of time it takes to get back to a prospective buyer. Non-Quantum customers update their inventory by sending a spreadsheet of inventory data to Component Control. “One of the great things about Web Online RFQ is that you don’t have to maintain the data; we maintain it,” said Cordoba. “For a Quantum user, the inventory is updated in about 10 seconds. For a non-Quantum user, we update the data within six hours of receiving your spreadsheet.” Customers have the option of including detailed inventory information, scanned documents and product images with their Web Online RFQ postings. Postings are not limited to parts inventory, however; manufacturing, maintenance, overhaul and distribution capabilities can also be listed. Approximately 40 companies have already incorporated Web Online RFQ into their websites following several soft launches of the product over the past year. o

Stop by the Business Jet Center booth (No. C10620) for a chance to win one of two Apple iPad 2s and to participate in a unique photo contest. The Dallas Love Field-based FBO is taking advantage of social media to create a “virtual Facebook photo contest” with an aviation theme. To participate, all you need to do is have your photo taken at the Business Jet Center booth, hopefully in an interesting and compelling way. Your photo, shot in front of a green screen, will then be superimposed on an aviation-themed template and posted on Business Jet Center’s Facebook page. Then it’s up to you to encourage your friends to log on to Facebook and “like” your photo. Business Jet Center will announce the winners of the photo contest and the iPad giveaway during the show.

z Wichita Marketing Campaign Under Way What’s the air capital of the world? Thirteen partners hope you’ll answer “Wichita,” at least after they finish their marketing campaign here at the NBAA show. The campaign claims the “air capital” title based on what its backers say is the city’s position as the number-one site for aviation manufacturing, skilled aviation workers and a robust aviation supply chain. Among those behind the public relations effort are Kansas state officials; the state chamber of commerce; the city of Wichita; such key Wichita-area manufacturers as Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft; and a variety of other companies, politicians and organizations. In conjunction with the campaign, the Wichita Aero Club has introduced an updated Air Capital logo, which it will feature at its booth (No. C12634). “South-central Kansas is known throughout the industry as one of only five global aviation industry clusters,” said David Franson, executive director of the Wichita Aero Club. “We’ve updated and reissued the new ‘Air Capital’ logo as a way to focus attention on Wichita’s great aviation heritage.”

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 49

PMS 289

Interior design courtesy of AirJet Designs

Bo PMS 873

Black

Cool grey 11

Cool grey 4

White

737 BBJ2

boeing.com/commercial/bbj

Accidents, fatals jump for bizav jets, tprops by Gordon Gilbert The number of accidents and fatalities for both U.S.-registered and non-U.S.-registered business jet and turboprop operations worldwide increased substantially in the first nine months of this year compared to the same period last year. According to statistics gathered by AIN, U.S.-registered business jets suffered 22 accidents in the first three quarters

of this year versus 11 mishaps in the same period last year. There was one fatal accident for U.S. business jets in each of the two periods–four people died in the April 2, 2011 accident (a Gulfstream 650 on a test flight) and two people were killed in the Jan. 5, 2010, crash (a Part 135 Learjet 35A on a Part 91 positioning flight). Of the 31 U.S.-registered

turboprop accidents worldwide in the first nine months of this year, 16 people died in seven accidents. In the comparable period last year, U.S.-registered turboprops were involved in 27 accidents, four of which killed 12. In September this year, 56 people were killed in two non-U.S.-registered charter jet accidents–a Boeing 737 in Canada, killing 12 people, and a Yak-42 in Russia, fatal to 44 people, including members of a noted Russian hockey team. Also in September, three non-U.S. registered turboprop fatal crashes (two in Indonesia and one in Canada) resulted in seven deaths. o

U.S.-registered Business Jet and Turboprop Accident/Incidents Worldwide (Nine Months 2011* vs Nine Months 2010) Business Jets

Total

Part 91

2011

2010

2011

2010

Part 91K 2011

Part 135

2010

2011

2010

Mfg. 2011

Public/Gov’t

2010

2011

2010

Nonfatal accidents

16(a)

4(b)

Fatal accidents

1(c)

Total accidents

Fatalities

Incidents

Business Turboprops Nonfatal accidents

Total

Part 91

Part 91K

Part 135

Mfg.

Public/Gov’t

2011

2010

2011

2010

2011

2010

2011

2010

2011

2010

2011

2010

20(d)

Fatal accidents

5(e)

Total accidents

Fatalities

Incidents

* 2011 data preliminary (a) Includes a U.S.-registered jet operating in Mexico at the time of the accident. (b) Includes a U.S.-registered jet operating in Switzerland at the time of the accident. (c) Fatal accident involving a Part 135 operator on a Part 91 positioning flight. (d) Includes a U.S.-registered turboprop operating in the UK at the time of the accident. (e) Includes a U.S.-registered turboprop operating in Nigeria at the time of the accident. Sources: FAA, NTSB, AIN research

U.S.-registered Business Jet and Turboprop Accident/Incidents Worldwide (3Q/ 2011* vs 3Q/2010) Business Jets Nonfatal accidents

Total

Part 91

Part 91K

Part 135

Mfg.

Public/Gov’t

2011

2010

2011

2010

2011

2010

2011

2010

2011

2010

2011

2010

Fatal accidents

Total accidents

Fatalities

Incidents

Business Turboprops

Total 2011

Part 91

2010

2011

Part 91K

2010

2011

2010

Part 135 2011

2010

Mfg. 2011

Public/Gov’t

2010

2011

2010

Nonfatal accidents

Fatal accidents

Total accidents

Fatalities

Incidents

* 2011 data preliminary Sources: FAA, NTSB, AIN research

50B NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

New EBAA boss sheds his airline background by Ian Sheppard Despite the deluge of negative news about Europe’s mounting financial crisis, things are not as bad as they might seem, according to Fabio Gamba, the new chief executive of the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA). The Brussels-based group predicts that business aviation is still set to grow by 4 percent this year, even in the face of a possible double-dip recession, with northern parts of Europe showing stronger growth Fabio Gamba compared with the weaker economies of the south. Nonetheless, the new EBAA leader was quick to acknowledge that these are extremely challenging times for many of his members. “We hope that the second dip of the recession will be less painful,” Gamba told AIN. “We can’t tell you yet but it looks like it will be a few tough months before we can say that we are in recovery mode.” Gamba has yet to fly in a business aircraft, but he is no stranger to air transport, having previously served as deputy general secretary of the Association of European Airlines (AEA). He takes over from Brian Humphries, who continues in his role as EBAA president. Earlier this year Humphries indicated to AIN that the association had been keen to recruit a successful airline lobbyist because it has seen how successful Europe’s airlines have been in protecting their interests–sometimes at the expense of business aviation (even if this was an unintended consequence of their efforts). “We need to be a bit more vocal in getting business aviation the recognition it deserves,” commented Gamba, while stating that EBAA has already made the sector “a force to be reckoned with.” As he starts to engage more directly with European politicians he intends to confront them with cold, hard facts to convince them that business aviation is something that deserves fairer treatment in the regulatory playing field. He will use

so-called key performance indicators (KPIs) to prove that business aviation is an integral contributor to Europe’s muchneeded economic recovery, rather than being little more than luxury for rock stars and their ilk. “We want to replace this with a more accurate image,” he explained. “We want to press on people’s minds the fact that business aviation has a direct impact on national economies. That it employs 200,000 directly is something that we repeat each time we see the political decision-makers.” In fact, he indicated that EBAA probably needs to come up with further studies to deliver more facts and figures, following on from the study it commissioned from accountancy group PwC in 2008. “What makes business aviation unique is that it allows companies to be extremely flexible–for example, to visit three or four cities in a day,” continued Gamba. “[And] there will always be a need for corporations to go and see, visit, and sign contracts and so on. But we need to quantify this, to show the advantage [of business aviation] to corporate Europe, so we want to extract examples and figures through our members.” Gamba will be turning to EBAA members to come up with the case studies that he and his lobbying team need to make a stronger case for business aviation by showing where its real added value lies. Essentially his message to those who would over-burden bizav is: “This is what we allow Europe to do, so imposing further taxes [on us] is just shooting yourself in the foot.” After taking office at EBAA on September 1, Gamba has quickly grasped how disproportionately regulation and a restrictive operating environment, by comparison with European airlines, can affect the business aviation industry. The burden of compliance with the European Union’s controversial emissions trading scheme is a prime example of this. o

TAG Aviation prepares Farnborough for arrival of 2012 London Olympics

by Charles Alcock host the 2012 Olympic Games, had to turn away about 1,000 the UK government is expect- requested weekend movements ing 3,000 additional business at Farnborough. As part of its campaign to aircraft arrivals at airports in the southeast of England dur- increase the number of permiting the Olympics period alone ted movements, TAG volun(July 14 to August 15) and TAG tarily committed to achieving Farnborough Airport CEO carbon neutral growth by 2019. Brandon O’Reilly believes that From Jan. 1, 2013, it will allow only Stage 4 noise-comhis facility may draw pliant aircraft to operate as many as 1,000 of at Farnborough–makthese movements ing it the only airport in during a month the UK to have this selfthat would ordinarimposed constraint. It ily be fairly quiet is taking steps to reduce (August). At an carbon emissions and October 4 press conwill purchase offsets for ference, he claimed any surplus that would that Farnborough stop it from achieving now handles more carbon neutrality. than 35 percent of The company business aviation Brandon O’Reilly already works with a traffic in the southlocal consultative committee to east of England. Also in 2012, the limit reduce the noise footprint of for weekend movements will the airport. It is now working increase to 6,600 (having been with air traffic control agency capped at 5,500 this year). NATS to establish more con“Weekends will always be trolled airspace around the airtight here and we expect to be port so that aircraft can climb to very constrained next year,” cruise altitude more quickly and said O’Reilly. In 2010, TAG efficiently.

BARRY AMBROSE

In November TAG Aviation will complete construction of a new three-bay hangar complex at the London-area Farnborough Airport. The new structure doubles available hangar space by adding 120,000 sq ft and also takes TAG’s total investment in the UK site well beyond $150 million. Despite relatively slow traffic growth this year (approximately 4 percent), the UK’s only dedicated business aviation airport is starting to benefit from a successful legal appeal earlier this year that cleared the way for a phased increase in permitted annual number of movements to 50,000 from 28,000 between 2011 and 2019. At the same time, weekend movements are being allowed to grow to 8,900 from 5,000 movements. This year, the movement ceiling is being increased to 31,000, with TAG (Booth No. C7626) expecting to reach 25,000. Next year sees a bigger expansion of available capacity when the movements limit increases to 37,000. With London due to

Is it permissible to fly through red lights? “I thought I told you not to take that second taxiway after we landed at McCarran International Airport.” There may have been more than a few people out on the town who rubbed their eyes Thursday night into n Friday morning as aircraft were towed up to the Las Vegas Convention Center static display.

The new hangar complex also includes 40,000 sq ft of new offices and storage space. The apron has also been extended by 32,000 sq ft, giving a total outdoor parking space of some 1.3 million sq ft. In March 2012, TAG will open a new 40,000-sq-ft building for storing all ground-support equipment at a central location. The historic “Black Shed” building, which was at the heart of Farnborough’s former role as a hub of British aerospace developments, has also been renovated and brought back into use. Looking ahead to next year’s London Olympics, TAG Farnborough Airport is already taking bookings for the slots that will be required for

operators a using some 40 airports around the UK capital and the southeast of England. So far, 18 operators (all based in the U.S.) have paid to reserve Farnborough slots during the Olympics period. O’Reilly indicated that airports will be able to exercise some flexibility in terms of exchanging slots among operators in the event that their planned arrival and departure times need to change. However, it is imperative that slots are secured ahead of time because all flight plans during the Olympics period will be required to have a corresponding airport slot or the flight plan will be automatically canceled. o

Innovative Advantage upgrades hi-def retrofit by Kirby J. Harrison The new Channel Tracker from Innovative Advantage (Booth No. N3229) is all about making something older new again in an existing cabin entertainment system. “Everyone is asking if there is a way to upgrade their customers’ aircraft to high-definition without tearing up the interior and putting in a brand-new system,” said Richard Morris, president of the Redmond, Wash. company. After extensive in-flight tests on a Gulfstream, the answer is Channel Tracker and it is available now. In its simplest form, Channel Tracker is an electronic card or series of cards that fit into a slot of the audiovisual display system (AVDS) node and connect to the existing cabin management system video switch. In the test aircraft, the existing video sources and a new Blu-ray player were connected to the AVDS video inputs and three new high-definition (HD) monitors were connected to the AVDS outputs. When the DVD was selected at each location with video control, the HD Blu-ray was routed to the appropriate monitor, explained Morris. Likewise, when Map was selected, the HD (VGA) signal was routed. The AVDS simply followed the video selections via the Channel Tracker card. Morris emphasized that there were no modifications to the existing CMS. The workings are relatively simple. The Channel Tracker card outputs test signals to the existing video switch and then monitors the outputs to determine which source has been

selected. The AVDS is then configured as a slave and follows the source selection. AVDS provides HD audiovisual switching over fiber optics around the aircraft cabin and supports 1080p, HD-SDI, DVI-D, component, composite and VGA signals, as well as digital audio, Dolby, digital DTS pass-through and analog audio. The result, said Morris, “is uncompromised video available at every monitor on the aircraft.” The AVDS distributed-network, he explained, provides “unsurpassed video quality” using a fault-tolerant network and eliminates single-point failure. Further, fiber-optic connections mean less wiring, less weight and no compression artifacts or lip-sync issues. A single-card box costs approximately $14,000 and a multiple-card box runs up to about $20,000. “It’s the perfect way of upgrading older systems in which there’s no way to get a vendor to make hardware or software upgrades,” said Dave Garing, v-p of business development. “There are no carved-up drink rails or panels to be ripped out. Put simply,” he said, “if you have an existing system that’s so old or so dumb that nothing else will work, Channel Tracker will.” Buyers should be aware, however, that true high-definition is dependent on HD end-toend; that means an HD Blu-ray player and Blu-ray disks at the source, Channel Tracker in the middle, and HD monitors at the display end. o

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 51

Loft offers Citation ratings in aircraft and sims by Matt Thurber

For pilots who need a Citation type rating, Carlsbad, Calif.-based Loft offers an alternative to the big three simulator

training companies (FlightSafety International, SimCom and CAE SimuFlite). Formerly known as Flight Crew Systems,

California, Here We Come! Vice President, California and Western Region

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Loft offers both simulator and in-aircraft training for Citation pilots, and the company has its own Level C-certified CitationJet simulator as well as a Touch Flight cockpit trainer for differences and avionics training. Loft is a first-time NBAA exhibitor (Booth No. C9438). Loft is a Part 142-approved school that specializes in the entire Cessna CitationJet (Model 525) line from the CJ1 to the CJ4 and the Citation 500 series through the 560 (but not including the XLS), according to company part-owner, instructor and vice president of sales Richard Sears. The CJ training is done both in the simulator and in a CitationJet, while the Citation 500-series training is done in a Citation. Both aircraft are based at McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, and the simulator is housed off-airport, about 1.5 miles from Loft’s airport offices. “We can do the same type of training that the big guys do,” Sears said. “The atmosphere is more personal, with a much smaller class size.” Loft is unique in that it combines simulator and in-aircraft instruction, unlike most simulator training companies, although SimCom instructors often fly with trainees in the customer’s own airplane. “It definitely sets us apart,” said Sears. “Few [companies] can do in-aircraft training.” “People don’t want to touch just the simulator; they want to fly the aircraft,” said Christina Middleton, director of training and a Loft principal. Like most of the Loft personnel, Middleton is an experienced charter pilot and teaches in both the Citations and the simulator. Principal Noel Yantos is an experienced charter, corporate and airline pilot and also teaches at Loft.

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The advantage of being able to train in both the simulator and the jet is that a pilot who is obtaining a jet type rating for the first time can remove the supervised operating experience (SOE) restriction. By training in the Loft simulator and then flying in the CJ1, the 25- to 50-hour SOE requirement is removed when the student graduates with the type rating. “It looks better on the résumé,” Middleton said. Loft customers can get a single-pilot or crew type rating in the CitationJet, entirely in the simulator or all in the aircraft (at additional cost, of course) or combined for SOE removal. The 10-day CJ type-rating course costs $11,550 and includes six days of ground training (eight hours per day), 12 hours in the fullmotion simulator, all materials and the check ride. SOE removal costs an additional $3,750 (in the CitationJet). In the Citation 500, the type-rating course costs $10,900, but this is done entirely in the jet, which is a two-pilot airplane. Loft also offers recurrent training, either in the simulator or the jets. o

Lord controls active vibration, shock and noise Lord Corp., perhaps best known to many as provider of Lord mounts for aircraft engines, is at Booth No. C11836 to showcase its wide range of products and services to improve aircraft reliability, maintainability and passenger comfort by controlling vibration, shock and noise. The company has developed a variety of ways to meet the requirements of business aircraft, from traditional elastomeric products to electromechanical systems. Cary, N.C.-based Lord’s FAA-/JAAcertified repair station conducts parts remanufacturing and overhaul. Products with business aviation potential fall into the general categories of engine attach systems, adhesives, interior motion and noise isolation, coatings and electronic materials and products using magnetically responsive technologies. Here at the NBAA show, Lord is featuring its latest engine attach systems recently selected for the Learjet 85 and Embraer Phenom 300, while displaying a variety of parts that visitors may examine and handle. A senior technical group is on site to describe new technologies and answer questions, and the company is distributing information pamphlets and promotional items to visitors. The company has implemented a training class titled “Vibration and Isolation 101” at customer locations, and it is available to companies that want their employees to gain an understanding of vibration theory. Founded in 1924, privately held Lord Corp. has sales in excess of $610 million and employs more than 2,400 worldwide with manufacturing operations in nine countries and offices in 15 major business centers. –H.W.

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Honeywell’s EMS highlights Aspire comm package solutions for mobile networking, rugged mobile computers and satellite communications. At NBAA, EMS Aviation has its own exhibit (Booth No. C7327) as well as a visible presence at the Honeywell exhibit.

EMS is highlighting its satcom terminals, antennas, in-cabin network devices, rugged data storage systems and surveillance applications for use on aircraft and on other data-gathering platforms.

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54 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

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EMS Aviation is appearing at NBAA ’11 for the first time as a member of the Honeywell Aerospace family. As part of the acquisition of parent company EMS Technologies for $491 million, EMS Aviation became

9/7/11 11:09 AM

EMS Aviation’s Aspire 200 LG airborne communication package includes a network designed to deliver feature-rich voice and data connectivity.

Among newer EMS products on display here is its Aspire 200 LG airborne communication package, which Anderson Aviation, a charter operator based in Vancouver, B.C., recently selected for a Citation Sovereign. The system includes a CNX 200 network accelerator and, according to EMS Aviation, “is designed to deliver featurerich voice and data connectivity to owners and operators of small- and medium-size business aircraft.” EMS claims the Aspire system can be easily upgraded without rewiring the cabin or changing out the avionics racks. Aspire is an Inmarsat SwiftBroadband satcom offering data rates ranging from as much as 200 kbps with a low-gain antenna to 300 kbps with an intermediate-gain antenna and 432 kbps with a high-gain variant. Anderson explained that the owner of the Sovereign flies regularly to South America and Europe and needs voice and data contact during the long flights. In August, EMS Aviation announced that São Paulobased Avio Corp Equipamentos Aeronáuticos is now an EMSauthorized dealer. Avio Corp offers EMS Aviation’s entire line of in-flight communication solutions, including eNfusion and Sky Connect. “Staying connected while in flight is an essential element of aircraft operation and the Aspire system’s small installation footprint, ease of upgrade and pricing structure makes it a perfect solution for small and medium aircraft,” said EMS Aviation v-p and general manager John Jarrell. Earlier this summer, EMS Aviation entered into an agreement with Fort Lauderdalebased Banyan Air Service (Booth No. N4726) to obtain certifications for the Aspire 200 LG and eNfusion systems and associated products on the Gulfstream GII and GIII. Also planned is EMS Aviation’s CNX Cabin Gateway series Wi-Fi solution for Gulfstream’s GIV. Banyan is a supplier of services for Latin American operators. –K.J.H.

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Foreground: Ralph Sorrells (MHIA) “Stan” Yokoi (MHIA); Background: Rick Wheldon (TAS) Pat Cannon (TAS); Not pictured: David Finley (TAS)

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’’

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To learn more about the MU-2 experience visit www.mu-2aircraft.com or contact Pat Cannon at 972-248-3108.

56 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Elliott weathers recession and is poised for growth While celebrating its 75th year at NBAA ’11, Elliott Aviation is also celebrating an end to the longest and deepest recession in the industry’s history and the beginning of new opportunities. According to chairman and CEO Wynn Elliott, the company (Booth No. C11218) anticipated the recession, reducing its sizeable parts inventory and selling off most of its aircraft inventory. “We entered the economic decline in the best cash position in the company’s history. We rode out the recession in really good shape and came out prepared for opportunities,” he said. Among those opportunities was aircraft sales. With aircraft sales traditionally making up one third of the Moline, Ill.-based company’s business, Elliott was pleased to see this market segment become extremely active in recent months. “There are a lot of people buying airplanes, if they’re priced right,” he noted, “and Elliott is now selling out of inventory and brokerage.” Elliott Aviation brought a Citation Bravo and Beechjet to sell at the static display here in Las Vegas. Other opportunities cited by Elliott include an expansion of its maintenance business and moving into servicing larger aircraft in the midsize category. The company is now an authorized Hawker Beechcraft service center and is aggressively courting contracts for work on Hawker 800s and 900s.

hiring a good number of people over the next six to twelve months.” Among the more recent hires are three sales executives Elliott described as “good moves.” Gregory Sahr was hired as v-p of sales, marketing and business development, reporting directly to Wynn Elliott. Andrew Camp, after a short hiatus, rejoined Elliott as a regional sales manager based in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Kevin Breeden was hired as regional sales manager for the central U.S. Elliott’s boss is also happy with the ISO 9001 and AS9100 certification granted to its headquarters facility at Quad City International Airport. Particularly gratifying, he said, is the fact that

Beech King Air Upgrades

Elliott has also begun offering the Garmin G1000 avionics suite as an upgrade for European Union-registered Beech King Airs. It has already installed and certified a G1000 package in the King Air B200 owned by Trond Harald Klavness, president and CEO of the Torvald Klavness Group of Norway. Earlier in the year, Elliott announced G1000 retrofits for the Super King Air 300 and 350 models, and FAA certification for the installation is expected this month. A King Air 350 with the Elliott-installed Garmin G1000 is on display at the company’s NBAA static display at Henderson Airport. To accommodate the move into midsize jet maintenance and to keep up with an expanding backlog, the company is expanding its Moline footprint, said Elliott. The avionics backlog, he added, is already at six months and the overall activity pipeline is growing. Up and running as of July is a new accessory repair and overhaul shop on the Moline campus. And there is sufficient growth at the company, said Elliott with a chuckle, “that we immediately became a customer to meet our own needs.” All this increased activity has also translated to an “aggressive recruiting and hiring program that includes in particular experienced technicians,” Elliott said. “The company has been in a hiring mode for about six months and we will be

Karl Ott, Hawker team leader at Elliott Aviation’s Moline, Ill. headquarters, performs routine maintenance on a Hawker 800.

it required only six months for ISO 9001 approval, “which tells me we had been operating pretty much at that level even before certification.” Looking at an industry recovery, Elliott noted that 2010 was the third or fourth best year in the company’s 75-year history, and he projected that 2011 will be another good year. But he dances around the term “recovery,” preferring to describe it at this point as more of an increase in opportunities. Elliott Aviation has endured a lot of up and down cycles, he explained, and this time the cycle has been longer and deeper and the recovery isn’t going to be fast or steady, he said, “but it will have opportunities for those who are ready.” Elliott sees this NBAA convention as one of those opportunities –in particular, it allows the company to lift the veil over its main Moline facility and its satellite locations in Des Moines, Minneapolis and Omaha that have been perceived as a bit of a well-kept industry secret. “We’re bringing the full campus to NBAA,” he said, “complete with a virtual tour of our Moline capabilities.” –K.J.H.

Conklin industry data helps users navigate uncertainties by Harry Weisberger how his firm can help operators weather the uncertainties facing the industry. One factor that he believes is contributing to that uncertainty is a U.S. President who denigrates corporate aviation, believes it should pay more taxes and calls business aircraft owners “fat cats.”

At its NBAA exhibit this year, Conklin & de Decker is asking, “Why gamble on your costs?” In keeping with that theme, the company’s booth (No. N2317) features a roulette-style spinning wheel where lucky players can win free database products and other prizes. Conklin & de Decker has been providing research, consulting and educational services for corporate aircraft acquisition, operation and maintenance for more than 25 years. In addition to instant winners, the name of the grand prize recipient of a netbook computer loaded with the complete library of Conklin & de Decker databases will be drawn tomorrow afternoon. The netbook will be sent to the winner if he or she is not present. Instant prizes include USB drives with Conklin & de Decker demos, Cost Report software for an aircraft of the winner’s choice and an entire Conklin & de Decker database. To get a spin and to qualify for the grand prize, attendees need to drop a business card into the drawing pot. Company co-founder Bill de Decker is here at the NBAA convention to discuss

Emissions Trading Scheme

Adding to a chilling effect on corporate operators’ plans to acquire or upgrade aircraft, he noted, is the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme, which is scheduled to become effective on Jan. 1, 2012, and will require international flights originating or terminating in Europe to pay a tax on fuel burned for the entire trip. “Right now, even a simplified emissions reporting scheme is up in the air,” he said. “Add that uncertainty to the general business climate and it really puts a damper on the use of business aircraft. These are difficult times, particularly for corporate aviation–but it’s a resilient business. We’ve bounced back before and I’m sure we will again,” de Decker predicted.

This week the company is featuring its Life Cycle Cost 2011–Volume II, the latest release of its aircraft budget and financial analysis tool. Life Cycle Cost provides ownership and operating cost data for nearly 400 jets, turboprops, helicopters and piston aircraft. Updated aircraft acquisition costs, taxes, fuel, maintenance and all other operating costs are included in this business aviation budgeting tool. Prices for LCC database software

(delivered in North America) are $695 (jet), $550 (turboprop or helicopter) and $450 (piston). The fractional ownership database is free with purchase of any other Life Cycle Cost database. The updated version adds several aircraft and includes new features allowing subscribers to calculate 100-percent bonus depreciation tax, edit each engine’s costs, make warranty adjustments for re-engined aircraft and benefit from the change in the residual value data entry. o

Meridian OK’d for unpaved strips Piper Aircraft has received fleet-wide approval for Piper Meridian single-engine turboprops to operate from unpaved runways. “The ability to land and depart from unpaved runways adds increased operating flexibility to an already outstanding aircraft through a change to the POH [pilot operating handbook] and without Piper’s Meridian turboprop is authorized to operate from grass and dirt strips.

requiring any kind of airframe modifications,” said Randy Groom, Piper executive vice president. The approval allows the Meridian to operate from grass and dirt strips. Changes to the Meridian POH include the addition of required runway lengths for takeoff and landing from dry, grass runways. For takeoff, the baseline (paved) ground roll is 1,650 feet; for the unpaved (dry grass) operations, the ground roll is 1,980 feet. For landing, the baseline ground roll is 1,020 feet; for dry grass strips, the ground roll is 1,224 feet. Approval for unpaved operations was accomplished with extensive flight testing by Piper’s engineering team. o

quick, find the runway

BAILEY LAUERMAN Honeywell quick, find the runway Honeyw112292 Pub: AIN NBAA Convention News - Day 1 Color: 4-color

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ABS Jets plans to open Prague FBO by 2013 by Charles Alcock ABS Jets is accelerating its development as a comprehensive business aviation services group and is here at the NBAA show (Booth No. C13618) to explain how it can support U.S. operators in central and eastern Europe. On September 27, the Czech-based company opened its second hangar at Prague’s Ruzynˇe Airport and from January it will be able to provide handling there for other operators. It plans to open a full-service FBO by 2013. The new 65,000-sq-ft hangar has tripled the size of ABS’s space in Prague. The group also has a base at Bratislava, capital of the neighboring Slovak Republic, which it recently expanded with the addition of 4,300 sq ft of offices and crew rooms. It wants to add a hangar at Bratislava, too. The company’s core business is aircraft management and charter with a fleet of 12 aircraft, including six

Embraer Legacys and a mix of Gulfstreams, Bombardier Lear jet 60s and Cessna Citation Bravos. In Prague, ABS operates an Embraer authorized service center for the Legacy and Phenom jets. It can provide line maintenance for these aircraft in Bratislava, as well as support the Citation Bravo. In addition to holding approvals to work on Europe-registered aircraft, ABS is cleared to support aircraft registered in the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates. The company also acts as an Embraer sales representative in the Czech and Slovak Republics. Commercial director Antonia Tomkova told AIN that ABS is targeting further expansion in the Slovak Republic and it has plans to develop an operation in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev. Tomkova also indicated the company would like to spread its wings into other eastern European locations such

Daniels introduces wire tool

applied with a properly matched tool a union is established, which has both good electrical and mechanical characteristics. The tool should provide these requirements consistently, reliably with repeatability.

Daniels Manufacturing (Booth No. N2915), a manufacturer of tools for the high-reliability wire harness market, is introducing a new ratchet-controlled hand crimp tool at NBAA. The Daniels GMT1090 crimp tool was developed for new TE Connectivity (formerly Tyco Electronics) cold-applied environmental splices, which provide wire termination and environmental sealing in a single step. The GMT1090 crimps cold-applied splices sizes 26-20, 20-16, and 16-12 American wire gauge (AWG) diameters. No heat is required to terminate wires, so there is no need to de-fuel aircraft. Crimping is a method of firm ly attaching a terminal or contact end to an electrical conductor by pressure forming or reshaping a metal barrel, together with the conductor. The forming of a satisfactory crimp depends on the correct combination of conductor, crimp barrel and tool, Daniels says. When

Ratchet-controlled

Equivalent to TE Connectivity’s AD-1381 crimp tool, the GMT1090 is ratchet-controlled to ensure full crimp force is applied. The handles will not open until they have been fully closed and the crimp completed. The jaws include a min/max wire strip gauge to help ensure proper strip lengths. The tool is equipped with a locator, which is

Daniels Manufacturing’s ratchetcontrolled hand crimp tool provides wire termination and environmental sealing in a single step.

ABS Jets wants to develop itself as a full-blown business aviation services group, serving central and Eastern Europe from its headquarters in the Czech capital Prague. Commercial director Antonia Tomkova, right, said the company is also targeting further expansion in, Kiev, the capital of Ukraine.

as Sofia, Bulgaria. “We want to help U.S. operators coming to Europe by providing a good location for fuel stops and layovers,” she said, adding that ABS is also attracting customers from Brazil. The ABS support team can help operators with flight planning, she said. Fast-growing Company

ABS, which was formed in 2004, is owned by European finance groups J&T and PPF, and employs around 200 people. According to chief executive Vladimír Peták, the company wants to grow its fleet to at least configured to hold the splice in the correct location while either wire is being terminated. The GMT1090 is 8.75 inches long and weighs .75 pounds. It is sold separately or included in Daniels Manufacturing wiring system tool kits. “The rugged construction of this tool assures repeatability and durability,” the company says. Daniels Manufacturing, based in Orlando, Fla., offers products including manual, batterypowered, pneumatic, electric and hydraulic crimping tools; backshell and accessory torque tools; contact insertion and removal tools; EMI/RFI shielding band tools, Alphatron wire crimp pull testers; fiberoptic cleave tools, Safe-T-Cable and tools; wire strip and prep tools and aircraft maintenance support tool kits. All of the company’s tools are made in the U.S., and have been used in defense and aircraft programs and land, sea and space systems. Daniels Manufacturing’s full-service Orlando facility has qualified staff to recalibrate tools and to refurbish tool kits. The company has a network of professionals in 17 countries to field technical questions, process orders for complete kits and individual tools, design new service kits and modify existing kits. –B.C.

58 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

30 aircraft, which he considers to be the optimal size in terms of cost-efficient operations. ABS Jets estimated that, as of late August, its fleet has been flying about 12 percent more than it was in the first eight months of 2010. In recent months, when the European charter market has generally been difficult, the company has felt able to increase prices slightly, but rates are yet to recover to where they were in 2008. With private aircraft charters still relatively novel in central and eastern Europe, the relatively small number of

operators trading there have arguably not felt the squeeze of reduced demand seen in the west of the continent. “In our region the market is still pretty new,” commented commercial director Tomkova. “There is still slow growth and we expect to see some new operators entering the market.” o

First-time exhibitor Ram shows solenoid wares Ram Company, a specialist in electromechanical and fluid management design, is exhibiting at the NBAA show for the first time and is promoting its solenoid valve line and the company’s next step involving solenoid/manifold integration. “It’s something more and more of our customers have expressed an interest in,” said Brian McCann, materials manager for the St. George, Utah-based firm (Booth No. C11736). Ram is best known for its solenoid valves, check and relief valves and pressure switches, found on aircraft ranging from Cessna Citations to the new Boeing 787. The next step made sense in terms of meeting market demand, explained McCann. For the most part, Ram works with systems suppliers, such as Parker Hannifin and Meggitt Aerospace, among others. “Lately, we’ve been working with engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Canada in development of a solenoid valve for one of its turbofan engines. It had issues with an

earlier product, and we were among those asked to redesign it,” said McCann. “We think we’ve got a very good shot at winning the contract.” Ram, founded in 1975, is family held, with Kevin Ganowsky as president. While founders Ray Ganowsky and wife Melzie Ganowsky are in their late 70s, said McCann, they still come in every day and take an interest in the company. Ram currently employs 155 people at its 55,000-sq-ft plant and has just purchased 20,000 additional square feet of storage space. McCann said Ram doubled its total square footage in 2008, and long-range plans might again double its holdings sometime within the next five years. Judging by the last two years’ revenues, Ram has survived the recession, and McCann anticipates better times ahead. “Our best year ever was 2008; 2009 was a bit flat by comparison and 2010 was up about five percent,” said McCann. “And we’re pretty happy to see that in 2011; we’re growing at the rate of about 20 percent.” –K.J.H.

Induction oven eases food prep

Quiet Wing offers winglets, fuel tank mods and more Wing-tip extensions–known as winglets–that reduce aerodynamic drag and improve fuel efficiency and range have become familiar features on a variety of business and commercial jets. Quiet Wing Technologies (Booth No. N2526), Redmond, Wash., says it was the first company to certify winglets on a transport category aircraft–the venerable Boeing 727, many of which are still in operation as VIP-configured aircraft. Winglets are just one of a range of products offered by Quiet Wing, which specializes in aircraft system design, analysis and certification. The company’s other products include auxiliary fuel tanks, fuel tank inerting systems, a fuel quantity indicating system and a Class 2 electronic flight bag. It has designed and certified reinforced cockpit security doors operating on Boeing 727 and 737 classics and the Convair 580 and stretched Convair 5800. The company also offers a Boeing modification package that includes winglets,

Quiet Wing-designed winglets were installed on Donald Trump’s (former) Boeing 727.

auxiliary fuel tanks and interior restructuring. Interiors come in four different floor plans. “To reduce the time and cost it takes to complete a typical VIP interior, Quiet Wing is in the process of developing certified modules such as lavs, dividers and showers that can be readily adapted to a specific interior layout,” according to Quiet Wing. “As these modules will be FAA approved, the time from concept to installation is dramatically reduced.” The first 727 winglets, developed by Valsan Partners and marketed by Quiet Wing, were installed in 1993. The system consists of the winglets and a patented flap system modification. The company is in the process of certifying new winglets for the Boeing 737-300, 400 and 500 series that will help reduce fuel consumption by up to 6 percent and improve payload, climb and thrust performance. –B.C.

Food preparation on a business jet is often a challenge. The new multi-function AAD4-27 induction oven from Iacobucci Group (Booth No. 2526) subsidiary Modular Galley System (MGS) is designed to make on-board food preparation easier. The induction oven measures 11.3 inches wide, 22.1 inches high and 22.4 inches deep and weighs 108.2 pounds. The exterior presents a modern stainless steel appearance with piezo switches. The heating box has been developed for fresh, on-board preparation and is suitable for roasting fish and meat. Pasta and rice dishes also can be successfully prepared in the large casserole. Inserts are available for toasting, grilling and frying eggs. The re-heating tray will warm precooked meals in standard aluminum foil in about 12 minutes, half the time of a conventional oven. The AAD4-27 oven’s doors are equipped with steam outlets. Induction power interfaces inside the oven operate fans for the steam exhauster, and a filter inside the steam exhauster absorbs grease and odors. MGS claims there is an additional safety factor in that neither the oven nor any of its parts becomes hot during operation. Also new from MGS is the MR4AA1 microwave oven, which the company

claims is suitable for both commercial and business aviation aircraft, “a perfect complement” to its new induction oven. The microwave oven has an energy-saving rotating plate and a programmable digital pad with software that permits the user to customize heating programs, from popcorn to defrosting to baby-bottle heating. The MR4AA1 weighs 30.86 pounds and comes in three- and four-layer models. According to MGS, both the induction and microwave ovens are certified and available for shipment. –K.J.H.

News Note Safran’s Microturbo and Hamilton Sundstrand have partnered to develop new-generation electrical and bleed APUs for business jets, and the first application is for Bombardier’s Global 7000 and 8000 long-range, large-cabin jets. Bombardier selected Hamilton Sundstrand to supply the APU. Under the partnership, Microturbo is designing, certifying and supplying major APU modules and components and the installation system. Safran Group (Booth No. N2721) companies include Microturbo, engine manufacturers Snecma and Turbomeca, avionics manufacturer Sagem and many other aerospace suppliers. n

Head Up vs Head Down in Extreme Conditions. Compare these two synthetic vision approaches at QuickFindTheRunway.com Scan this code to view the video and decide for yourself

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Rockwell Collins HUD gets synthetic vision

Flying SVS on HUD Rockwell Collins demonstrated SVS on a HUD in the company Challenger 601 during a flight from Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids to La Crosse Municipal Airport in Wisconsin. Senior captain Tom Yerke flew

left seat with an observer in the right seat. A broken layer of clouds topped out at about 4,000 feet, with the ceiling at 2,100 feet, a good way to demonstrate the capabilities of SVS on the 601’s HUD. The 601 was equipped with Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics on the pilot’s side and Pro Line Fusion’s huge landscapeoriented displays on the right side. Approaching La Crosse, the Fusion PFD on the right showed an impressive SVS view, large and

colorful and easy to interpret. The left Fusion MFD was used to show the ILS Runway 18 approach plate and system synoptics. Rockwell Collins does display own-ship position on the approach plates. The view through the HGS-6000 HUD mirrored the SVS, except with only a single (green) color. The difference when looking through the HUD, however, was that I could see both the SVS rendering of the land and lakes below, and also because I was looking through the HUD, the clouds outside the window. It was strange but soon became natural, and I appreciated being able to watch the weather first-hand–with my eyeballs–instead of looking down at the PFD and then up at the outside view, then down again, and up, and so on. Rockwell Collins outlines the location of the destination and alternate airports with a dome symbol (see photos, left, top and bottom). As you get closer to the airport, the dome gradually becomes transparent. The selected runway is highlighted with a dashed extension line (see photo below, right). With SVS on the HUD, I could clearly see the cloud layer as well as the rendering of the ground and obstacles, the dashed runway centerline and all the important symbology on the HUD (which is also the same symbology on the PFD). Even though I flew just one approach using SVS on the HUD, it seemed like it wouldn’t take long to become comfortable with the technology, to the point where looking down at the PFD would be redundant.

Synthetic vision on the Rockwell Collins HGS-6000 head-up display depicts the destination airport dome in the center, left. The green highlights are the synthetic view of the ground, but the pilot can also see the actual clouds through the HUD and through the Challenger’s windscreen.

The extended centerline is highlighted by dashed lines and the ground is outlined in the synthetic-vision view (green highlights) as the Challenger is on final to Runway 18 at La Crosse, Wis. Note the ease of viewing the clouds through the HUD and cockpit windscreen.

The overwhelming desire Safety Foundation, according to when looking at the Pro Line Peterson, found that “38 percent of Fusion system in the Rockwell all accidents were likely or highly Collins Challenger 601 on which likely to have been prevented if we took a test flight is to keep the pilot had an HGS. It came to looking down at the colorful and a conclusion that 69 percent of all huge displays, fixed in landscape landing and takeoff accidents and orientation and showing a detailed 50 percent loss-of-control could view of the outside world as rep- have been avoided if a pilot had resented by synthetic vision. But access to the information on a look up through the windshield head-up guidance system.” and through the HGS-6000 headOne problem with HUDs is up display and there’s a bonus: that they take up a lot of space the synthetic-vision view from in cockpits, and this is why they the head-down display is have been limitalso running on the headed to large aircraft. up display (HUD). The smallest new The synthetic-vision jet with a Rockwell system (SVS) on the Collins HGS will be HUD isn’t in any color Gulfstream’s G280, other than the standard which will also feaHUD green, but the idea ture the Pro Line Fuis that it allows pilots to sion cockpit, brandabsorb the same infored as Gulfstream mation as on the headPlaneView 280. A down PFD and could typical Rockwell allow them to land more Collins HGS-6000 safely in low-visibility Sarah Barber, Rockwell HUD installation inconditions, lower than Collins principal cludes a heavy prothe Category II 200 feet systems engineer of jector mounted on concepts, is and possibly even lower advanced the ceiling behind the studying growth aspects than is permitted under of SVS. pilot and a combinFAR 91.175 (down to er screen installed in 100 feet). view of the pilot so he or she can Currently, the 91.175 allow- see the outside world through the ance is permitted for airplanes screen while also viewing inforequipped with HUD that displays mation displayed on the HUD. infrared images from enhancedCompact HUDs vision system (EVS) cameras. But Rockwell Collins researchers What if a smaller lower-cost believe they can go steps further HUD were available and able to with SVS on the HUD. An EVS be installed in a wider variety of view will also be available on aircraft as small as single-engine Pro Line Fusion, but switchable turboprops? Rockwell Collins is with SVS, not combined with the trying to answer that question and SVS view. Honeywell is pursu- earlier this year introduced the ing a different approach: SVS and HGS-3500, a compact HUD that EVS combined on the head-down eliminates the big projector. panel-mounted display, with no The HGS-3500 costs about HUD to supplement that view. one fifth the price of a typi“We’ve been working with cal long-range jet’s HUD and head-up guidance systems for weighs just 12 pounds. Everyover 30 years,” said John Peter- thing is included in a single LRU son, director of avionics and flight mounted on the windowsill beam controls marketing. Rockwell in front of the pilot. The developCollins and Kaiser Aerospace ment of the HGS-3500 is just one founded HUD-maker Flight of Rockwell Collins’s strategies to Dynamics in 1981, and Rockwell bring the safety benefits of HGS Collins jointly purchased the rest to more aircraft. of the company in 1999. Since the At the same time, the company first sale of head-up guidance sys- is announcing here at the NBAA tems (HGS) to Alaska Airlines in show that its Pro Line Fusion systhe early 1980s, used as an alter- tem with a new touchscreen internative to Category III autoland face will become available for systems, Rockwell Collins has smaller aircraft. Thus, not only delivered more than 4,500 HUDs will pilots flying larger Part 25 to airline, military and business aircraft enjoy the benefits of the aircraft operators. touchscreen, but Part 23 aircraft A 2009 report by the Flight pilots will have the option of

PHOTOS: MATT THURBER

by Matt Thurber

Rockwell Collins’s Pro Line Fusion PFD with synthetic vision shows the airport dome at the test flight Challenger’s destination of La Crosse, Wis., in the left center of the display.

flying with a HUD and a touchscreen. Add SVS display on the HUD, and Rockwell Collins’s “heads-up, eyes-forward” philosophy clicks into place. Looking Ahead

“We’ll be the first to bring synthetic vision to the head-up guidance system on the Global 6000,” said Peterson. The Bombardier Global 6000 will be the first jet to be certified with the new Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics suite with SVS on the HUD. “And that brings an unprecedented level of situational awareness to the pilot,” he added, “particularly in terrain environments with low weather conditions. With the tests we’re doing and the information we’re collecting so far, we’re finding that on ILS tracking we’re getting [an improvement of] 70

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percent laterally and 25 percent vertically when SVS is displayed on the HUD.” “The idea is that you have all the flight information you need to fly the airplane head up,” said Peter Howells, principal systems engineer of head-up guidance systems, “so you’re already head up. And the pilot is looking at where the flight-path symbol is, which is where the runway will appear when he or she will ultimately able to see it.” Adding SVS to the HUD picture, he noted, “gives that additional situational awareness and the ability to see the outside world artificially, without using natural eyes.” One of the key reasons Rock well Collins prefers the use of HUD to shoot low approaches as opposed to Honeywell’s headdown display philosophy is the transition from head-down to

head-up at a critical time during the approach, just before landing. Sarah Barber, Rockwell Collins’s principal systems engineer of advanced concepts, is participating on the RTCA’s SC-213 committee, which is studying the issue of how low pilots ought to be able to fly during an approach using new technologies like SVS and EVS. Barber is a type-rated jet pilot and holds a master’s degree in human factors. “Pilots, as part of SC-213 and NASA, have been doing some experimentation and providing data to the FAA,” Barber said. “Apart from the time it takes for pilots to transition from headdown to putting their eyes outside and accommodating to the outside scene, it’s interesting to note how many times they bring their eyes back in to Continued on page 62 u

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uContinued from page 60

viewable in all sorts of lighting conditions. At night, there’s no problem. But during the day, especially when clouds are broken and the airplane is flying in and out of bright sunlight and gloomy clouds, the challenge is more difficult. This is much less of an issue for the head-down Honeywell philosophy. “The image has to be very bright,” said Howells. “This has limited the alternatives to this type of technology, so we’re excited about this new optical configuration on the compact HGS-3500. What we’re using is substrate-guided optics. The idea is to be able to view an active-matrix LCD image source through this device but have it overlaid on the outside world and have the image collimated so it is focused the same as the outside world. And that was a big technology challenge. The second big challenge was to make it bright enough so a pilot could see the symbology

nonconformal at that point. But for any normal approach with a normal crosswind, the flightpath symbol stays on the screen and it’s conformal. “We’re able to display a flight path overlaid on the outside world showing where the airplane is actually going so the pilot can use the flight-path symbol to guide himself to the runway. The pilot can then visually evaluate where the airplane is going and monitor both its energy and stability in terms of where it is going. We think this is an important safety step for this category of airplanes [using the lightweight HGS-3500]. It really wasn’t available until fairly recently.” This means that smaller aircraft will eventually be able to display not only SVS on the HUD but also elements found on larger aircraft, including windshear alerting, unusual attitude information and TCAS and TAWS alerts. “All can be displayed on the HUD with the

Rockwell Collins used its Challenger 601 to demonstrate that synthetic vision added to a HUD can show pilots the same information as a head-down display and to make the case for lower landing minimums for aircraft with SVS on the HUD.

In the NASA studies, Peterson added, “research has shown that [during the] transition, for pilots to look heads up and acquire the runway and then look heads down to get the information they need and look heads up again, it takes about three to four seconds to make that transition and then make a decision about what they’re going to do with that information.” During a typical jet approach on a three-degree glideslope, he said, “[in] that three or four seconds, pilots are looking at about 40 foot of vertical descent in the period of time when they’re collecting information and making a decision. So if they’re heads-up throughout that whole transition, particularly at lower minimums, having to make a three- or four-second decision, obviously the reaction time with respect to lower time [at] lower minimums would be a benefit.” Making the HUD Work

One challenge for Rockwell Collins in adding SVS to the HUD is to make the SVS images

on bright backgrounds–such as a sunlit cloud–and that took a lot of technology as well.” An advantage of head-down displays is that it’s simpler to see the effect of crosswinds and maintain situational awareness. Rockwell Collins handles this issue on HUDs by making the field of view wide enough, Howells said, “so we can use it in crosswind landings. We came up with a field of view of at least 15 degrees. We thought, if we can get anything over 15 degrees lateral field of view, we will be able to accommodate lots of the crosswind landings an airplane of this type would experience. “This means that the flight path symbol is still on the screen, and it’s live, it’s conformal. It has to be wide enough to be able keep the flight-path symbol on the screen in the certified crosswind limit of the airplane. For example, if there’s a 100-knot crosswind, we lock [the flightpath symbol] at the edge of the screen and dash the line to make sure the pilot is aware that it’s

pilot still being able to see the outside world,” Howells said. Flying Lower?

While the benefits of HUD with SVS (and also EVS; the two technologies will be switchable by the pilot in Pro Line Fusion cockpits) are primarily safety-related, pilots also want to know if the system will allow lower approaches. And that is exactly what Barber and the SC-213 committee are working to achieve. At present, with EVS displayed on a HUD, pilots can descend to 100 feet. SVS gives no similar credit but enhances situational awareness. “We’ve been working on getting operational credit for synthetic vision and increasing the operational credit for enhanced vision for most of the last year-and-ahalf to two years,” said Barber. So far, RTCA has published a minimum aviation systems performance standards (Masps) document, DO 315:2011. This document outlines operational credit capabilities, including

62 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

MATT THURBER

refer to airspeed and altitude, to check the instrumentation once that transition takes place from the head-down display to headup. Typically, when they do that transition at 200 feet, between 200 feet and landing [their eyes] actually come back inside the flight deck four or five times.” This was verified by a NASA study conducted earlier this year. And even after deciding to continue beyond decision height to land, the study found, pilots averaged more than two headdown to head-out transitions, according to Rockwell Collins. At decision height, Howells explained, “the key is the acquisition of the runway. The longer that takes, the more likely a pilot is to do a go-around. If he has to keep looking down to check speed and things like that, then he’s looking back up. And there’s an accommodation there, and apparently it depends on age, too, how quickly the eyes can refocus.”

Rockwell Collins uses this simulated ProLine Fusion cockpit in the lab to test new technologies, such as the touchscreen control capability, shown on the center MFD.

EVS, to be used down to landing in 1,000 feet runway visual range (RVR) as long as the pilot has at least 2,400 feet worth of visibility through the EVS. According to Barber, DO 315 also covers some operational credit for SVS, including “how we can use SVS to get operational credit on certain ILS facilities down to 150 feet as opposed to the 200-foot decision altitude.” The next task, she said, is to work on a new version of DO 315 that would address more credit for SVS “in several other places. We haven’t come to a conclusion as to which ones or how many of them we will tackle in which order.” But the plan is to seek credit for an ILS approach down to 100 feet using SVS or 150 feet on LPV approaches. “Also we’re looking at whether there’s any way we can actually use the capabilities of synthetic vision in terms of its ability to help constrain flight technical error, whereby we could get some additional credit for its use on RNP approaches. We’re looking at those three areas; we’re not quite sure yet in which order we’ll deal with them,” she said. On the EVS front, the committee is considering an entirely new document that would address EVS used for approach, landing and rollout down to 300 feet RVR. “So, pretty much that’s getting to the point where the sensors on board the airplane are necessary not just to get the airplane on the ground but also to allow it to taxi around the airport and get to the FBO,” she said. As usual, technology is rapidly outpacing the ability of regulators to keep up. Any FAA rules to address these technologies would take years to develop. “The question is not so much about having a system that is capable of performing to the Masps,” she explained. “The issue is how long it would take the FAA to adjust its approval process. Right now the approval process for special authorization Category I is fairly

similar to a Cat II approval process, which is fairly lengthy. “We’re hoping that the FAA is going to be working with us to simplify that approval process so it becomes appealing to a lot of the operators to go for this credit. Many of them today don’t bother going to Cat II because it takes so long to get approval, and it’s very onerous to maintain that approval. That’s where we think the big advantage will be: simplifying that approval process.” HUD/SVS in Operation

Given Rockwell Collins’s move toward HUD-centric cockpits, an advantage of having the HGS-3500 out in the field will be that more pilots will become comfortable with flying with a HUD. “Once pilots see a HUD and use a HUD, they never want to go back,” Howells said. “The concept of being able to see the flight-path conformal on the ground is such a compelling view that they rarely want to go back to having to look down [at the PFD] and interpreting what’s being displayed. We see a side benefit of being able to put systems on smaller airplanes; those pilots will demand them on the bigger airplanes as they go up. Having a HUD, particularly in new small jets where everything is happening so much quicker, will help the pilots understand what’s happening and manage their energy.” HUD also offers the opportunity to help with guidance on the ground while taxiing. “We can provide information that makes sure the pilots stay on the taxiway and know where they are,” Howells said. “They can be given a sign: ‘Here comes taxiway Delta to the left,’ and present all this information heads-up. So they don’t have to keeping looking down at a paper map or an iPad or taxi map in the center console. That’s something we’re looking at as a future technology. It’s a sort of natural extension of synthetic vision.” o

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64 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

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Model 900 joins ranks of API-wingletted Falcons

Aviation Partners received an STC for Blended Winglet wingtip extension modifications for all in-service Dassault Falcon 900 series aircraft.

extensions. What API bills as “the world’s first high-Mach blended winglets” are currently flying on more than 100 Falcon 2000s and are OEM standard on the Falcon 900LX. The increase in range of up to 5 percent at Mach 0.80 and up to 7 percent at long-range cruise speed enabled by the blended winglets have been proven aboard the Falcon 2000. The winglet-modified Falcons and other aircraft types also achieve higher initial cruise altitudes and faster climb to altitude. More than 20 orders for Falcon 900 retrofits were in hand at the time of certification, and 10 of those are expected to be installed and the aircraft back in service by year-end. Installation downtime is approximately four weeks. Authorized installers for the Falcon 900 blended wingtips, designed in collaboration with Dassault, are: Duncan Aviation, Lincoln, Neb., and Battle Creek, Mich.; Hawker Pacific, Singapore; Jet Aviation, Cahokia, Ill.; StandardAero, Houston; TAG Aviation, Geneva; and West Star Aviation, Alton, Ill. API’s patented blended winglets are certified for other business aircraft and airliners, including Boeing, Falcon, Hawker and Gulfstream models. The API blended winglets flying on more than 4,900 aircraft are estimated to have saved about 2.9 billion gallons of fuel. API says it is developing additional airframe programs for existing blended winglet technology and also designing future winglet configurations to provide significant improvements in performance, fuel savings and emissions reductions. Blended winglet retrofits for the Falcon 50 series are planned for next year. Dunn said that more than 50 percent of the Falcon 900 orders already on the books are from U.S.-based operators, with some European and Canadian clients. Examples of the Falcon 900 blended winglet and those for other aircraft, along with future concept models, are on view at the API booth, and the blended winglets can be seen on several Dassault aircraft at the static display at Henderson Executive Airport. o

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Cobham’s Commercial Systems division provides integrated avionics suites featuring large-format syntheticvision flight displays for the Skylander SK-105 utility turboprop and Embraer EMB-312 Tucano trainers.

Cobham to create flight decks for Skylanders and Tucanos by Bill Carey Demonstrating its technological range and capabilities, UK-based Cobham (Booth No. C10124) is highlighting recent platform wins by its Commercial Systems business unit. The company will provide an integrated avionics suite for the new Skylander SK-105 utility aircraft, and it has been tapped by Embraer (Booth No. N5132) to provide an advanced flight display system for 14 EMB-312 Tucano trainers being upgraded for the Columbian air force. Cobham created the Commercial Systems business unit in February by combining its former avionics strategic business unit with the consolidated emergency beacon capabilities of the group. Commercial Systems provides integrated, end-to-end avionics systems for general aviation, special mission, military training and commercial aviation markets. The company offers avionics systems, including its synthetic-vision electronic flight instrument system–approved on 740 fixed-wing and helicopter models–individually or integrated as a cockpit suite. Earlier this year, the FAA granted supplemental type certification to Cobham’s HeliSAS autopilot and stability augmentation system for the Eurocopter AS350 and EC130 helicopters, and for the Bell 206B, 206L and 407. HeliSAS is a twoaxis autopilot that provides precise control during all modes of flight, regardless of wind conditions or shifts in weight. Cockpit Suite for Skylander

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66 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Engineering firm GECI Aviation of Metz, France, has also selected Cobham to provide the cockpit suite for the highwing, twin-turboprop Skylander SK-105, planned for certification and first delivery in 2013. Powered by Pratt & Whitney PT6-65B engines, the SK-105 will carry up to 19 passengers or 2.7 tons of cargo. It also can be configured for maritime patrol, paratroop and medevac missions. The flight deck features Cobham’s large-format synthetic-vision flight displays with advanced flight management capability, audio/radio management system, navcom radios and digital autopilot with 3-D autoflight capability and automatic stall/overspeed protection.

GECI Aviation develops, produces and markets twin-engine turboprops, including the Reims-Cessna F406 Caravan II. The Skylander is being developed by subsidiary Sky Aircraft, located at Chambley air base in the Lorraine region of France. At the Paris Air Show in June, GECI Aviation announced a memorandum of understanding with Kan Air of Thailand, a scheduled air carrier and charter operator, for five SK-105s. Two years earlier, at the Paris Air Show in 2009, Trans Asia placed an order for five. The company said more than 30 SK105s are listed in MoUs signed with operators in countries that include Thailand, Mali and Indonesia. PT Sky Aviation of

The Skylander SK-105 twin turboprop can be configured for 19 passengers, 2.7 tons of cargo or special missions, including medevac.

Jakarta, Indonesia, signed an MoU with Sky Aviation at this year’s Paris show for 10 Skylanders, with 10 options. The UAE “also confirmed the validity of the MoU previously signed for ten Skylander SK105s,” GECI said. Production of four Skylander SK-105 prototypes has begun, with first flight of the aircraft planned in June 2012. Flight Displays for Tucanos

Beginning in 2012, Cobham also is to provide an advanced flight-display system for the Columbian air force Embraer EMB-312 turboprop trainer Tucanos. The Cobham integrated avionics suite features large-format synthetic-vision flight displays, integrated hazard alerting and integrated engine displays and master caution system. Growth options include digital autopilot with 3-D auto flight capability, automatic stall/over speed protection and simulated tactical radar training using virtual scenarios. o

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Eclipse is delivering upgrades by Mark Huber Eclipse Aerospace CEO Mason Holland said the company is currently building two refurbished Total Eclipse jets a month and hopes to eventually start up a new aircraft production line. “We’ve got pretty good throughput now,” he said, adding that the company’s top priority is supporting the 260 aircraft that came off the production line at the original Eclipse Aviation before it cratered into bankruptcy in 2008. Holland credited the substantial minority investment Sikorsky made in the new Eclipse Aerospace last year in enabling it to better serve customer needs. He said the investment went beyond just money and managing the company’s supply chain. “The Sikorsky partnership is a lot deeper than just a supply chain contract and minority interest. They have a major investment financially and a major commitment to the company with their team. “This includes our board of directors. Four prominent [executive]-level Sikorsky leaders are on our board and they take the time to attend our board meetings every six weeks. They are putting time and money behind the advancement of Eclipse.” Sikorsky executives on the Eclipse board include Shane Eddy, vice president of global supply chain; Samir Mehta, vice president of Sikorsky Aerospace Services; Carey Bond, president of Sikorsky Global Helicopters; and Ed Beyer, vice president of Sikorsky Global Helicopters. “We can lever anything Sikorsky has to make Eclipse stronger and better,” Holland said, adding that he sees that eventually including Sikorsky unit Derco Aerospace, a worldwide logistics and parts company. Derco currently supports military and commercial fleets in more than 65 countries. “We anticipate digging into Derco as time goes on,” he said. For now, Eclipse Aerospace (Booth No. C12012b) is structured with headquarters in Charleston, S.C. The main manufacturing plant and engineering and service center remains in Albuquerque, N.M., with additional service centers at Chicago Executive Airport; Boca Raton, Fla.; and Istanbul, Turkey. Ekim Alptekin, chairman of Turkey’s EA Aerospace, is also Eclipse Aerospace executive vice president, Europe. Albuquerque and Chicago employ more than 30 service technicians each and there are also additional engineering

Total Eclipse

70 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

personnel at the Chicago facility. Holland said Eclipse continues to aggressively reach out to customers of the original 260 aircraft who basically took delivery of jets that were incomplete and who were left holding the bag for promised upgrades and improvements when Eclipse Aviation filed for bankruptcy. Holland himself lost a $1 million deposit on a new Eclipse when the old company folded. “Our roadmap is heavily influenced by what the pilot wants to see in his panel and what the guy sitting in back [and writing the checks] wants,” Holland said, noting that the current ownership mix is divided approximately evenly between owner-pilots and non-pilot owners. “We reach out to our customers regularly,” he said. “We have lists of customers we want to see and we have delivered lots to them over the last 20 months because of customer input.” Training Options

Accomplishments of the new company include entering into a training agreement with SimCom, establishing the current service centers, providing an enhanced windshield and numerous avionics upgrades including for the Avio integrated flight management system (IFMS) by Innovative Solutions & Support, flightinto-known-icing approval, instituting an aircraft insurance program, obtaining FAA approval for return to flight at 41,000 feet and launch of the Total Eclipse aircraft re-manufacturing program. Eclipse also re-established an onboard Iridium link that allows the aircraft to pass real time engine data directly to Pratt & Whitney Canada. Holland said as part of that capability the company has set up dedicated servers and provisioned the aircraft for an optional satphone. For $2.15 million customers receive a completely remanufactured aircraft with new paint, new interior, the Avio IFMS, a complete factory warranty, enrollment in an engine service plan and replacement of what Holland called “infant mortality parts.” “We are forcing ourselves to deliver better and more complete products. We are much more about delivering than promising to people. We are sort of a diamond in the rough,” he said. o

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DOT regs and illegal charter top agenda for broker group by James Wynbrandt Founded to promote self-regulation among air charter brokers, Acana (Air Charter Association of North America) has become the brokers’ alphabet group, taking the lead on issues affecting the charter brokerage business. These issues–most

prominently impending broker regulations from the Department of Transportation (DOT) and illegal charter activity–will be the focus of the panel discussion at Acana’s forum at the NBAA convention today in Room N117 from 1 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

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The DOT released an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for charter broker regulations in 2007, and after multiple delays says it will release the NPRM before the end of this year. The regulation’s primary goal is “ensuring that consumers who use the services of air charter brokers are adequately protected against unfair and deceptive practices,” according to the agency. “We welcome regulations, as long as they are fair and allow brokers to do their work and apply to all who engage in charter brokerage, including limos and hotels that offer to arrange charters as part of their services,” said David McCown, Air Partner vice president and Acana chairman. Acana met with DOT officials earlier this year to provide input on the proposed rules, and McCown will brief forum attendees on their discussion. The problem of illegal and cornercutting brokers–perceived to be growing–that sparked the DOT action has numerous legitimate brokers supporting the concept of government regulation. “Ignorant, uneducated so-called brokers are coming out of nowhere,” said Wayne J. Rizzi, president and CEO of charter broker Air Royale International (ARI), who supports DOT regulation. “They’re dangerous for consumers and they’re giving transparent, ethical and professional brokers a bad reputation.” Possible consequences of engaging in illegal charter were dramatized in

September when federal prison terms of 30 and 18 months were handed down to the founder and co-founder, respectively, of Platinum Jet Management for charges arising from the Feb. 2, 2005, crash of an illegally chartered Challenger 600 in Teterboro, N.J. Additional topics on the forum agenda include due diligence responsibilities and liability as an air charter broker, intent disclosure and transparency in charter agreements and relationships between charter brokers and charter operators. Scheduled panelists are aviation attorney and author Kent Jackson; Joel Thomas, president and CEO of Stratos Jet Charters and Acana president; Brent Moldowan, managing director of Wyvern Consulting and Acana v-p; Michael Hackert, v-p sales and marketing of Miami Air; Steve Lister, v-p of Jet Select; Tracey Deakin, COO of Le Bas International; and McCown and Rizzi. Acana, which promotes best practices that all affiliated charter providers pledge to observe, is co-exhibiting in the Avinode booth (No. C7818). “The broker industry is a very important growth engine for the business aviation market,” McCown said. “Acana was formed because we’re proud of what we do, and we want to help those [brokers that are] not as professional and informed do it properly, and [let them] know that there’s an organization that can help them.” o

Sennheiser launches iPad app with iFlightPlanner.com

Headset manufacturer Sennheiser and logs, VFR and IFR charts, as well as online flight-planning provider iFlight- approach plates while in flight and without Planner.com have formed a partnership a data connection. After landing, the app and announced the formal launch of an allows pilots to electronically close their integrated flight-planning application flight plans and automatically log the flight designed for use with the iPad and iPad 2. details in the iFlightPlanner.com log. In addition to route planning, certiThe app is being demonstrated here at the AOPA Aviation Summit booth fied weather briefings, weight-and-bal(No. 439) and at the Sennheiser booth ance calculations and filing of VFR and (No. N6113), where the company’s IFR flight plans, iFlightPlanner.com also pilot headsets–including the new S1 offers pilots: • seamless VFR and IFR charts and Digital–are on display. high-resolution imagery on Google The app is integrated with iFlightmaps; Planner.com and is expected to • detailed navigation become available this month as a free logs containing forecast download in the Apple App Store. winds, temperatures, fuel “The iFlightPlanner.com for burn and ETAs; iPad app is part of a com• airport/facility direcprehensive flight-plantory with airport diagrams, ning solution, which enables procedure charts and business pilots to plan their flights indepenlistings; dent of where they are and what [elec- S1 Digital • an integrated digital logbook that tronic] device they’re using,” explained Christian Plum, director of strategic permits pilots to maintain online records planning for both iFlightPlanner.com of flights; • and a searchable flight instructor and Sennheiser. “With one touch, iFlightPlanner. directory, providing CFIs opportunities com enables pilots not only to plan their to build their student base. “What it comes down to,” said Plum, flights but also to sync all data seamlessly from their iFlightPlanner.com account,” “is that with the app, we’re offering the portability of the iPad with the ease of said Plum. Once they download the app, pilots may online flight planning. It really is the best view flight details, including navigation of both worlds.” –K.J.H.

CMY

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Annual static display setup is always a logistical challenge by Robert P. Mark Katrina Bradshaw, NBAA’s vice president of static displays and forums, said the association realized early in the planning process for this year’s show that it was running out of parking spaces for the static display at Henderson Executive Ad_NBAA100818.pdf

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Airport just seven miles south of Las Vegas’s McCarran International. “At Orlando, we have much more space,” she said, adding that, fortunately, the approval for the extra spots needed to accommodate 74 aircraft came through

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The spacious static display area in Orlando at last year’s NBAA Convention was a distant memory when the NBAA’11 staff took on the monumental task of arranging this year’s contingent at Henderson Executive Airport. Fortunately, the months of preparation have yielded another impressive presentation of business aviation.

without a hitch. In an innovative move, this year the association is hosting an additional display of 14 aircraft outside the Las Vegas Convention Center, as well as the usual complement of aircraft brought inside the facility for the event. Bradshaw said the static displays have always been a huge draw for the show, even during lean economic times. “Sixty percent of the people who attend the show head for the static displays,” where a considerable amount of buying and selling takes place, she said. Organizing which aircraft fit where is “like a big puzzle,” Bradshaw said. Even with the extra spots at Henderson, she said the association doesn’t think of static aircraft by numbers, but rather by square footage, much like floor planning for a retail operation. “And when we fill up, we have to cut off more reservations,” she explained. Despite the need for hangar-planning software to make the layout work, she added, “We’re always triple-checking our measurements just to be sure everything will fit.” Most of the OEMs were committed to the show by early summer, which meant the extra space could then be divvied up among the independent dealers and brokers. Bradshaw said NBAA began the planning process for the static displays back in the spring, although the chessboard game of being sure every aircraft really does fit the space outlined actually began on September 29, “when we started measuring out the spaces [at Henderson].” Tents for static display exhibitors blossomed on the airport ramps the next day. Hawker Beechcraft was the first company to arrive at Henderson Executive

on October 5 to begin installing its pavilion. That was the lead off to more trafficcop duties for the NBAA crew because parking the aircraft in the right locations is as much about timing as it is the skill of the wing walkers and tug drivers. Bradshaw said the first OEM aircraft arrived at about 9 a.m. on October 8. “We’ve all worked together for so long that the OEMs realize how important it is to the overall success of the show that everyone arrive within 30 minutes of their plan.” Luckily for Vegas, weather is seldom a concern, although airline traffic at busy McCarran International could always be a factor. “We try our best to accommodate late arrivals, but we don’t have much room to move aircraft around if someone is late,” Bradshaw said. The aircraft parked outside the convention center entrance to wow passersby flew into McCarran. While the aircraft certainly couldn’t taxi the one mile from the airport to the static display, they were able to be towed down the main streets of Las Vegas in the wee hours of the morning of October 6. “We had to obtain a number of special-event permits from the city,” Bradshaw said, “not to mention engaging quite a few police to handle the ground traffic. “It takes a village [of people] to move all these airplanes,” she said. For the static-display team, however, dealing with the automobiles or spectators out on the street at that hour was the least of their concerns. “We had curbs to climb and street signs to move or take down to allow the aircraft to pass,” Bradshaw explained. “Then there were the restaurant signs that need to be negotiated, as well as ditches, culverts and trees.” o

NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee Offers Scholarship Opportunities

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74 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

The NBAA Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee wants to remind potential scholarship applicants that the deadline for 2012 awards is rapidly approaching. Applications need to be submitted by October 17. Awards are either monetary (up to $10,000) or training programs (up to 12 different awards) and offer outstanding opportunities for qualified applicants. For more information, applicants can contact NBAA at 202-783-9250, email info@nbaa. org or check out the Schedulers & Dispatchers scholarship webpages at www.nbaa.org/ n prodev/scholarships/sched or www.nbaa.org/prodev/scholarships/schedtrain.

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Operators favor investing in Jet-Care engine and oil tests

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76 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Business aircraft operators may be closely at key engine parameter data, battling to control costs, but they aren’t such as shaft speeds, turbine temperature cutting back on the oil and engine debris and altitude, comparing it to standardanalysis services provided by Jet-Care ized performance models for that power(Booth No. N4916). In fact, growing plant-and-airframe combination. demand for tests has prompted the comBy identifying looming problems in the pany to increase the size of its facilities on engine and by monitoring wear trends, the both sides of the Atlantic. tests allow operators to plan maintenance In July, Jet-Care completed a $2 mil- events more efficiently. GPA can allow lion refurbishment of its facility in Cedar operators to understand why, for instance, Knolls, N.J., which has increased the avail- their engines may be delivering less-thanable laboratory and office space by more efficient fuel burn rates. Each engine has than 60 percent to around 16,000 sq ft. a “fingerprint” that Jet-Care recognizes in Meanwhile in the UK, its sister com- its database, so excessive wear on any parpany Spectro has begun redevelopment ticular component can be checked against work for a new headquarters in Odiham, pre-determined limits and tracked trends. close to the London-area Farnborough Online Reporting System Airport. Next year, Spectro will move into the similarly sized complex, having The company has also developed its developed a 21st century technical center own reporting program called Engine from buildings that were built in 1780. Condition Health Online (Echo). This is Oil and engine-debris analysis is not supplied at no extra charge, allowing cusmandated under regulatory maintenance tomers to access electronic reports about requirements, although their samples. The proit is required under the gram also allows reports warranty terms of sevto be created in Adobe eral engine manufacturPDF format and disers (see below). So why played as detailed figures do growing numbers of or easy to read graphs, operators invest in havwhich can then be neting these tests done on a worked through mainregular basis? tenance departments. Naturally, safety is Jet-Care is in the process the main driver. Systemof developing upgrades atic laboratory testing of to Echo to further engine oil and debris can enhance the service. reveal early symptoms of Jet-Care currently potential problems. The holds approvals from the resulting data can allow following manufacturoperators to identify posers: CFM International, sible wear trends that Jet-Care touts its oil testing system Williams International, a means of spotting potential could compromise safety as Honeywell; Pratt & problems early on. at a far earlier stage than Whitney Canada, Messiermight be revealed in other ways during Dowty, Eurocopter, Sikorsky, Turbomeca scheduled maintenance. Though not spe- and ZF Gearboxes. In some cases, OEMs cifically identified in the new requirements require operators to use the Jet-Care tests for safety management systems (SMS), as part of their warranty terms. The powerthe data from the Jet-Care tests could con- by-the-hour support contracts offered by tribute to an operator’s obligation under Honeywell and Williams require analysis SMS to analyze and assess all safety risks. as part of their programs. The Jet-Care labs also test fuel, According to the group’s sales and hydraulic fluids and filters. Tests involve marketing manager Alan Baker, one of the use of the latest analysis equipment several factors that sets Jet-Care apart to assess debris, filters and fluids, check- from other laboratories is that clients ing for factors such as oil viscosity, acid- have direct access to its technicians, if ity and contamination. they want to ask further questions about results. As business aviation spreads globOptical Microscopes ally so does Jet-Care’s customer base. The recent introduction of new opti- Baker told AIN that the company is workcal microscopes in Jet-Care’s labs have ing with growing numbers of clients in the enhanced its filter and debris analysis. Middle East, Latin America, Africa and Jet-Care can now send operators images Asia. For the time being, its labs in the detailing what they find on the patches U.S. and Europe (it also has one in Basel, Switzerland) can cope with the volume of used to collect debris from filters. There is also an added-value element tests, but the company hasn’t ruled out to the process, and this is where the com- the need to open another in one of these pany’s engine trend monitoring using gas emerging markets (most likely Asia). Jet-Care currently monitors more than path analysis (GPA) completes the pico ture provided by the lab tests. GPA looks 14,000 engines worldwide.

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Dallas Airmotive to provide worldwide AOG support 24/7 by Kim Rosenlof When Dallas Airmotive (Booth No. 3900) celebrates its 80th anniversary next year, it will be able to provide live AOG service in nearly any language through First Support global command centers strategically located on three continents. A division of London-based BBA Aviation, Dallas Airmotive opened its initial First Support center at its Grapevine, Texas facility in September 2010 to provide “superior” AOG response. To more effectively service the center’s more than 1,000 monthly calls from customers around the world, Dallas Airmotive will open First Support centers in Portsmouth, UK, by the end of this year and in Singapore in mid-2012. “At that point we will be globally connected,” said Hugh McElroy, president of BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaul (ERO) Group. “In terms of First Support duty cycle, Asia will work from morning to night, then hand

off to Europe, who will then hand off to the United States, and back to Asia. So you’re not relying on someone who’s groggy in the U.S. at 3 a.m. to resolve a problem in Mogadishu or Brisbane.” Staffed by Regional Controllers

The new European and Asian centers will be staffed with regional controllers familiar with customs, cultures and languages of the area. “When you’re talking about Asia Pacific, you’re talking about a vast number of languages,” said McElroy. “You need personnel in region who have not only technical capability but also insight to cultural and linguistic nuances of the region.” Dallas Airmotive’s First Support center consists of eight control stations, each with its own networked computer and three screens to allow controllers to view several types of data at once. Controllers have access to real-time tracking of field

Dallas Airmotive’s new mobile service vehicle is equipped with the tools, equipment, personnel and space required to complete various inspections and engine repairs inside the unit.

Dallas Airmotive To Open New Regional Turbine Center in Singapore Dallas Airmotive recently announced that it will open a new Regional Turbine Center (RTC) at Singapore’s Seletar Airport in February 2012. Initially launching as a Honeywell authorized service center, the facility will offer line maintenance and major periodic inspections on Honeywell TFE731 turbofan engines and line maintenance on various Honeywell engines and APUs. “All indications are that the timing is right for establishing an engine service facility in the Asia Pacific region,” said Hugh McElroy, president of BBA Aviation’s Engine Repair and Overhaul Group, which includes Dallas Airmotive and four other companies. “The agreement between Honeywell and Dallas Airmotive is indicative of both companies’ commitment to serving this high-growth market.” While the Singapore RTC will initially concentrate on servicing Honeywell engines, Dallas Airmotive is already poised to expand the location’s capabilities in 2012. McElroy indicated that the agreement with Honeywell doesn’t preclude Dallas Airmotive from servicing other manufacturers’ engines and that it is likely the center will see an expansion into servicing other products. The company is also making plans to install a First Support global command center at its new Singapore location, with a target opening date of mid-summer 2012. Other Dallas Airmotive RTCs have also recently expanded their capabilities. Already a Pratt & Whitney Canada designated overhaul facility, the Dallas Love Field RTC is now offering PW306C hotsection inspection services in anticipation of the first round of inspections required for the engines powering the Cessna Citation Sovereign fleet. Dallas Airmotive do Brasil also recently added Honeywell TFE731 and 36 series APU authorizations to its capabilities. –K.R.

78 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Dallas Airmotive’s Love Field (Texas) regional technical support center, already a P&WC designated overhaul facility, is offering PW306C hot-section inspections in anticipation of the first round of inspections that will be required for the engines powering the Cessna Citation Sovereign fleet.

personnel, mobile vehicles, rental engines, parts inventories and other information pertinent to scheduling AOG repairs. However, with instant access to technical information, airworthiness requirements and other reference materials, First Support controllers resolve about 25 percent of issues over the telephone at no charge to the customer. “If we can get the customer flying over the phone, that’s our preference,” said McElroy. “We’re there to help the customer get home safely. And if they have a longer-term issue, we have instant access to 115 service technicians around the world tethered to this system.” If a call concerns a customer in the mid-western U.S., Dallas Airmotive’s new mobile service trailer may be dispatched. Based in St. Louis, Mo., the mobile service unit is housed in a 28-foot custom trailer pulled by one of Dallas Airmotive’s eight service-capable pickup trucks. The trailer contains the space, equipment and parts required to perform engine changes, line-level repairs, hotsection and other engine inspections, line-replaceable unit (LRU) removal and installation and other repairs. If necessary, the trailer can be disconnected and left onsite to complete one job while the truck can be dispatched to another job. “Mobile teams have been out there for years, but we’ve created something new,”

said McElroy, “The trailer is uplinked to the [BBA Aviation] ERO system, and it’s also connected to First Support. So it’s in a state of perpetual connectivity.” The connectivity allows the mobile technicians unprecedented access to resources. For example, technicians can perform a video borescope of parts in question at the customer site and broadcast the video to the First Support center where engineers and product support specialists can provide real-time analysis and suggestions for additional testing or resolution. Although Dallas Airmotive’s service trailer is currently available to service customers within driving distance of St. Louis–including Chicago–the company also maintains a fleet of four box trucks with similar capability stationed around the U.S. Technicians can be dispatched in these or other vehicles from any of Dallas Airmotive’s 12 Regional Turbine Centers (RTC) located in the U.S., the UK and Brazil, with a new RTC opening in Singapore in February 2012. “Recently we’ve been talking to customers in Asia Pacific and Latin America to take a very close look at what they want,” said McElroy. “We know there is an overarching preference for customers to have great service. We’ve spent a lot of money during arguably the most difficult downturn that most living adults have been through to provide that service.” o

Zodiac focuses on growth strategy Zodiac Aerospace comes into NBAA 2011 buoyed by an agreement with its banks to increase the amount and maturity of its financing. According to the French aerospace equipment and systems provider (Booth No. N6229), the agreement “reinforces the group’s financial capabilities and gives it the possibility to actively pursue its external growth strategy.” Renegotiation of a June 2010 “club deal” (assumption of controlling interest) agreement with its banks, effective August 29, provides for a waiver allowing a drawing authorization from $1.402 billion to $1.822 billion. It also extends the “in fine” (final payment) term from June 29, 2014 to June 29, 2015. Part of the company’s external acquisition strategy includes most recently the acquisition of Heath Tecna of

Bellingham, Wash., in September. Heath Tecna is a global supplier in the design, manufacture and certification of highly engineered interior products. The company has 600 employees and generated revenues of $78 million in 2010. Zodiac companies and products cover three key areas: aerosafety and technology, aircraft systems and cabin interiors. One of Zodiac’s most well known divisions is Esco, which makes engineered material arresting systems (Emas and EmasMax) a crushable cellular cement that replaces runway safety areas. Emas is credited with a number of saves, preventing injury and loss of life during runway overruns. Total worldwide, Emas installations have reached nearly 60, including some at general aviation airports such as Teterboro. –K.J.H.

Compared with other non-airline segments, business jets and turboprops are involved in relatively few serious accidents, so typically it takes only one or two accidents to change the overall safety picture dramatically. This is evident in the fatal and nonfatal accident statistics for U.S.-registered turbine aircraft and fatal non-U.S. registered business jets and turboprops in the first six months of this year compared with the same period last year. Both the U.S.-registered business jet and turboprop segments worldwide experienced more fatal accidents in the first half of this year, compared with the same period last year, according to preliminary figures compiled by AIN. In the first half of this year business jets and turboprops combined were involved in five fatal accidents resulting in 17 deaths versus four fatal crashes that claimed the lives of nine people in the first six months of last year.

In each period there was one fatal accident of a jet. Two pilots were killed last year; this year, four crewmembers died in the crash of a Gulfstream G650 being flown by factory test pilots as part of the new airplane’s certification flight-test program. With turboprops, four accidents killed 13 people in the first half, compared with three fatal accidents that killed seven people in the year-ago period. One of the fatal accidents, in which two people died, involved a U.S.-registered King Air C90 on an evaluation or test flight in Nigeria. In the first half, jets and turboprops each had 18 nonfatal accidents, but that was an increase of 12 accidents for the jet segment and just one more for the turboprop fleet, compared with last year. Three of the nonfatal jet accidents in this most recent period occurred while operating under Part 135 compared with no Part 135 accidents or incidents last year. The

nonfatal jet accidents in the current period included a U.S.-registered Hawker 125 that overran a runway and went into a bay in Mexico. Turboprops experienced two nonfatal accidents in the first half of this year versus five last year. This year’s record to date for fatal accidents involving nonU.S.-registered turbine airplanes is a darker one compared with

the same period last year. In total, the accidents involved one jet and three turboprops and were fatal for 29 people in last year’s first half versus 46 people killed in the crashes of three jets and six propjets in the first half of this year. The two pilots were killed in the single business-jet accident in the first half of last year–a Citation on a ferry flight. Twelve people died in the three

fatal jet crashes in the first half of this year. At press time, the most recent non-U.S.-registered fatal accident on record in the first half of this year occurred to an air ambulance Pilatus PC-12 turboprop single. It crashed in India, killing the four people aboard and another three people on the ground. No foreign-registered aircraft suffered a serious accident on U.S. soil. –G.G.

U.S.-registered Business Jet and Turboprop Accidents (1H/2011* vs. 1H/2010) Business jets Nonfatal accidents

Total 2011 2010 18 6

Part 91 2011 2010 14** 5

Part 91K 2011 2010 1 1

Part 135 2011 2010 3 0

Public/Gov’t 2011 2010 0 0

Mfr. 2011 0

2010 0

1***

Fatalities

Incidents

Fatal accidents Total accidents

Business t’props Nonfatal accidents

Total

Part 91

2011

2010

Fatal accidents

Total accidents

Fatalities

Incidents

2011 14 4****

Part 91K

Part 135

Public/Gov’t

Mfr.

2010

2011

2010

2011

2010

2011

2010

2011

2010

*2011 data preliminary** **Includes a U.S.-registered jet operating in Mexico at the time of the accident.

Sources: FAA, NTSB, AIN research

Accidents, fatalities rise in first half of this year

***Fatal crash involving a Part 135 operator on a positioning flight under Part 91. ****U.S.-registered turboprop operating in Nigeria at the time of the accident.

79 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com blackyellowmagentacyan

686510

meritorious service AWARD >

MERITORIOUS SERVICE TO AVIATION

Clay Lacy honored for his contributions to aviation

AWARD WINNERS HALL OF FAME

Winners of NBAA’s Meritorious Service Award constitute a veritable who’s who of aviation. The r equirements are so demanding that, in years such as 1952, 1955, 1990 and 2000, when no one person stood out, NBAA’s top honor was not awarded.

2010

Arnold Palmer For lending his voice to the No Plane No Gain advocacy campaign and for being a staunch supporter of Business aviation.

1979

Dr. Charles Stark Draper For developing inertial navigation instruments and guidance systems.

2009

Serge Dassault For steadfast advocacy of business aviation.

1978

2008

Phil Boyer In recognition of his advocacy of general aviation as president of AOPA.

r. Richard Whitcomb D For designing aircraft to reduce drag and increase speed without the need to add power.

1977

William Remmert and D. Robert Werner For their contributions to making business a viation a safe, efficient and practical transportation tool.

1976

George Haddaway For his dedication and unflagging spirit in s upporting business aviation.

1975

William Lear, Sr. For contributions of incalculable value in aviation safety, navigation and operation.

1974

Edward Swearingen For perception and leadership in expanding the nation’s business aircraft fleet.

1973

Dwane Wallace For leading general aviation to its position in the world’s transportation market.

1972

NBAA Silver Anniversary member companies: The American Rolling Mill Co., Burlington Mills Corp., Corning Glass Works, General Electric Co., Republic Steel Co., Reynolds Metals Co., Wolfe Industries.

1971

Michael Murphy (Marathon Oil Co.) For creating a corporate/executive flight operation that is recognized for safety and excellence.

by Mary F. Silitch Clay Lacy will receive NBAA’s Meritorious Service to Aviation Award tonight. The honor is presented annually to an individual who has made significant, identifiable contributions that have materially advanced aviation interests. Lacy’s varied aviation career has ranged from serving as a U.S. Air Force pilot to flying as an airline pilot and national air racer to heading an FBO as CEO and finally “going Hollywood”

Clay Lacy

as a movie director. He attended his first NBAA convention in 1958. A native of Wichita, Lacy had his first flight “at the age of seven; then,” he said, “at 12, I started working at Cannonball Airport receiving flight time for pay.” In 1952 he flew for United Airlines as a copilot on Douglas DC-3s, taking military leave to attend U.S. Air Force pilot training. After returning to United he continued flying with the California Air National Guard. From 1956 to 1964 he was in charge of flight operations for California Airmotive, which operated Beech 18s, DC-3s, Martin 404s, Convair 240s, Learstars and de Havilland Doves.

He subsequently became a manager of Learjet sales for California Airmotive, which was the Learjet distributor in the western U.S. He based the first business jet at Van Nuys (Calif.) Airport and was one of the first pilots type-rated in the Learjet. In 1968, Lacy established the first jet charter service west of the Mississippi River, at Van Nuys. He now owns Clay Lacy Aviation, a full-service FBO with a Part 135 charter and aircraft management operation with a fleet of 65 jets, including Learjets, Gulfstreams and Boeing Business Jets. The company, based at Van Nuys, has approximately 90 pilots and a total of 230 employees. Flying a P-51 Mustang, Lacy won the 1970 Reno Unlimited pylon race, becoming the national champion. He went on to win numerous other races. In 1988, he set an around-the-world speed record in a United Boeing 747 SP, raising $530,000 for children’s charities. With his exclusive Astrovisionequipped Learjets, Lacy has shot video footage for nearly every airline commercial and for the aircraft industry and U.S. military. Lacy has flown more than 200 different aircraft and he holds an ATP certificate endorsed with 32 type ratings. Last year he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame, he received a Pathfinder Award at the Seattle Museum of Flight and was awarded the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Certificate by the FAA. Asked his favorite corporate airplane to fly, Lacy told AIN: “I like them all, but Gulfstreams and Learjets are high on my list.” o

Women in Corporate Aviation announce $38K in scholarships Women in Corporate Aviation (WCA) will be awarding the following scholarships during this year’s NBAA show: Two Women in Corporate Aviation Career Scholarships. WCA Aviation Management Scholarships.

$2,000 ea. up to $5,000

Susan C. Friedenberg Corporate Flight Attendant & Consulting Scholarship.

$3,800

FACTS Training–Initial or Recurrent Training Flight Attendant Training Scholarship.

$4,765

Universal Weather and Aviation Dispatcher License Training.

$3,495

FlightSafety International Flight Attendant Initial Course. MedAire Training Scholarship– Two-day Initial MedAire Management of In-flight & Illness Course. Four Beyond and Above Corporate Flight Attendant Initial Training. Environmental Tectonics Corporation NASTAR Center Two-day Upset Prevention and Recovery Training Course.

N/A

Bryan Moss For his leadership at Gulfstream Aerospace.

2006

Archie Trammel In recognition of his weather radar training programs.

2005

E dward Stimpson Instrumental in crafting the Aviation Trust Fund while serving at the FAA.

2004

Stuart Matthews For his leadership as president and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation.

2003

r. Sam Williams D For developing small gas turbine engines and fan-jet engine technology through his company, Williams International.

2002

James Raisbeck F or the innovative modification and enhancement programs he and his company have created over the past three decades.

2001

Paul Poberezny For his contribution to aviation through the Experimental Aircraft Association.

2000

No award given

1999

Donald Engen For a lifetime of dedication to aviation.

1970

Juan Trippe For his pioneering spirit in developing international air travel.

1998

harles Coppi C For his 40-year career dedicated to the Gulfstream line of corporate jets.

1969

Olive Ann Beech For her dedication and contributions to business aviation.

1997

R. Dixon Speas For a distinguished lifetime of dedication to aviation.

1968

Henry Schiebel, Jr. (Grumman Aircraft) For his contributions to the development and progress of business aviation.

1996

r. Leonard Greene D For his role in developing the stall-warning indicator and as a supplier of air-safety and performance technology to the world’s major air carriers.

1967

Henry Dupont For his encouragement of the business aviation industry.

1966

1995

Russ Meyer For tirelessly championing passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act, and for pledging resumption of production of single-engine Cessnas.

James McDonnell For his contributions to the progress of civil and military aviation.

1965

1994

Allen Paulson For his contributions to the development of high-performance, long-range business aircraft.

E.B. Jeppesen For the development of aerial cartographic and information services.

1993

ee Howard D For his substantial contributions to the progress of civil aviation in the inventions and innovations that have improved safety, performance and utility.

1963

1992

James B. Taylor In recognition of 50 years of leadership in the development, manufacture and marketing of business aircraft.

Edwin Alber Link For his contribution to flying safety through his Link Trainer.

1962

1991

.L. Ueltschi A For his innovative leadership and tireless dedication to aviation safety through quality flight training for over 50 years.

Senator A.S. “Mike” Monroney In recognition of his contributions to safety in the air.

1990

No award given

1961

1989

J ohn Winant In recognition of many years of service to NBAA.

William Piper, Sr. In recognition of his vision and determination in bringing the realm of flight to thousands of pilots.

1988

E d King In recognition of his 40 years of service to general aviation.

1960

Donald Wills Douglas For his contribution to the advancement of the aeronautical sciences.

1987

ick Rutan, Jeana Yeager and Burt Rutan D For their service to aviation.

1959

James Doolittle For being a pioneer in instrument flight.

1958

No record of award

1986

Air traffic control system For dedication through 50 years of service and meeting the challenges of an ever-expanding airspace system.

1957

Igor Sikorsky For his development of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft.

1985

NASA space shuttle crews For personifying all that is best of current advancements in aviation and aerospace technology.

1956

1984

. Scott Crossfield A For being in the right place at the right time with the right stuff in developing aviation technology.

Eddie Rickenbacker For his contributions to military and commercial aviation.

1955

No award given

Senator Barry Goldwater For being an outspoken aviation advocate and bold supporter of American leadership in aeronautics.

1954

1983

Donald Stuart (Civil Aeronautics Administration) F or his development of aerial navigation systems.

harles “Kelly” Johnson C For attaining goals never before imagined.

1953

1982

Charles Lindbergh For his many contributions to aviation.

1952

No award given

1981

Robert Hotz For his ability to motivate and promote the wisdom of advancement in air transportation, space and defense.

1951

Col. J. Francis Taylor, Jr. In recognition of his development, testing and evaluation of aerial navigation aids.

1980

Sir Frank Whittle and Hans von Ohain For their separate and independent development of the jet engine.

1950

Arthur Godfrey For his outstanding contribution to the use of aircraft as a business aid.

$1,040 $3,300 ea. $3,000

Corporate Air Parts FAR 135.331 Emergency Evacuation Crewmember (Pilots) Training.

$475

Corporate Air Parts Cabin Service Training Class.

$595

Two Survival Systems USA Aircraft Ditching Courses.

2007

$650 ea.

80aNBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

William Schulte 1964

(Asst. Administrator for General Aviation, FAA)

For his untiring efforts to present business aviation’s requirements to the highest government levels.

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Please visit us at NBAA, Hall C, Booth 9812.

Compact head-up display Globally networked mission-critical information

, tions a c i l ub IN P A f ditor o e a l y l db bre duce e um o h r t e p r at th nde ws, u h e c d N a e sh Le ntion n S. publi e o s v w l i n o ut to o n W o , C r e e d g gazin ue of NBAA sales mana ater branche site a m this e first iss year) and founders l , and onf o y estr years to th arlier this The two show c o n ation p i a x v e . a E e 0 o 0 i 4 9 li s h Th I He ti, O rned back sines a u A u s t n b e H e n o i h c inc ore (wh gazin try’s C m n a s stret a u n m i h d d s n la n w an s Ho ter i entio ws e ne e p v o h o t m n h c a s o i , l J C s ished e l e h b w c A u e a e A p p N th NB first nal aeros o i e at l s t t 1972 e a i a a s n w on atio n, tern nd th n o n u h i r I t o s e i r a t l i a on av pub at in busy nal viati s g o A i m n i g a . h e d r inue te is t e l n g b d w o n o u n l i c l a p t grow gs fo 95, i rcial n 9 e e i 1 h r A t m e e com gath NBA sinc kept , t y h s l i s c h i t h nd usine mon 77 a on w d 9 e s 1 of b h e l s in ip bli . princ nthly r. Pu o a c N.M i e m t – y i s . i b l h 2 a c 7 journ in 19 ar ea d d d i n e l e o d l s ca un e as fo ld th w o h s p w to u n Ne o i t n ve Con

O R T Y

R S

C E L

A T I N B R G

AIN co-founders Jim Holahan (left) and Wilson S. Leach.

“Wilson and I started this company by each investing $5,000 in publishing at the 1972 convention in Cincinnati. We coped with our problems together, and there were plenty of them–primarily deadlines. We were always fighting with deadlines and with being beholden to contractors doing page paste-up. In New Orleans one year, our editorial facility for the convention was an empty funeral parlor. I remember racing to the printer at the end of the day, alongside the levees, and then starting the night’s work holding the printer’s hand.” “We had no idea bizav was going to take off and that the whine of turbine engines would be sounding all over the country and in Europe. We had no idea bizav would be so widely accepted. Crossing the Atlantic in 1972 was heralded as a prime accomplishment for bizav.”

Reflections from Wilson Leach “We built a solid foundation, first with convention news coverage. Our trademark was legitimate news written on site by professional reporters.” “A key part of our ultimate success was the fact that we went international early in our development.” “I am concerned that there is such a sea change in terms of how news is delivered and how it’s being generated. Not one media company I know has come up with a definitive answer or business model of what it’s going to be like five years from now.”

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Visit us at NBAA Exhibit C11838.

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Recollections from Jim Holahan

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2:04 PM www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention 9/6/11 News 83

BLR P2v AIN2011.indd 7

Ikhana extends Twin Otter life Engineering modification house Ikhana Aircraft Services (Booth No. C7116) expected to receive FAA supplemental type certification (STC) of its DH-6 Twin Otter fuselage life extension by the time the NBAA show

began, adding to a range of other upgrades the company offers for the twin-engine turboprop. DHC-6 airframes are fatiguelife limited at 66,000 hours or 132,000 flights, whichever occurs first, according to Ikhana. The

wing-box life limit is 33,000 hours or 66,000 flight cycles, about the half-life of the aircraft. Ikhana’s RWMI DHC-6 relife fuselage, developed by its formerly named RW Martin, Inc. subsidiary, extends the life Ikhana Aircraft Service is awaiting an STC for its DH-6 Twin Otter life-extension fuselage modification.

ISO-AS9100 & AS9110 Certified Facility

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But don’t take our word for it. Read what David Anderson of Clay Lacy Aviation said. Then discover the BizJet difference for yourself.

Brian Barber Vice President, Sales & Marketing

Kai Roepke President & Chief Executive Officer

Mike Rausch Vice President, Engines

With over 50 engines serviced by BizJet, in addition to all of the times I have contacted them for troubleshooting without an engine at their facility, I know I will always receive unparalleled support. BizJet truly raises the bar for precision engine service and support. They keep our fleet running strong throughout the year – no exceptions. David R. Anderson Director of Maintenance

Clay Lacy Aviation

COME VISIT US AT NBAA IN THE LUFTHANSA TECHNIK BOOTH: C9919 BizJet International / 3515 N. Sheridan Road / Tulsa, OK 74115 / +1.918.832.7733 / Toll Free (US Only) 888.388.4858 / Email: bizjet@bizjet.com / www.bizjet.com

84 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

of the rugged commuter plane. The fuselage modification, combined with other Ikhana STCs for the Twin Otter including the RWMI DHC-6 re-life wing box and DHC-6-200HG increased gross weight product “essentially transforms a DHC-6-200 into a DHC-6-300,” the company says. Ikhana, based in Murrieta, Calif., also offers DHC-6 modifications for camera hatches, wing hard points, air-conditioning, enhanced-vision system, bubble windows and Vistaliner enlarged windows as used by scenic tour operator Grand Canyon Airlines. The company says it has seen demand for upgraded Twin Otters from markets including VIP transport, business shuttle, scientific missions cargo, skydiving and resupply of remote outposts such as oilfield rigs and Arctic research stations. Ikhana recently accomplished its 100th wing-box life extension. Viking Air of Sidney, B.C., Canada, which owns the DHC-6 type certificate, says more than 800 aircraft have been built. Viking launched the Twin Otter Series 400 production program in 2007, and reports a backlog worth more than $300 million through 2014. Ikhana, formed in 2007, changed the names of its RW Martin and Total Aircraft Services subsidiaries last October, bringing them under the umbrella of Ikhana Group. The company also has experience with Beechcraft King Air and Gulfstream airframes. It is located at French Valley Airport in Murrieta, where a 45,000-sqft facility supports aircraft modifications, heavy maintenance and major repairs. The former RWMI operates as an FAA-approved Part 145 certified repair station and is an official Viking factory-endorsed service center for DHC-6 and DHC-7s. The factory designation allows it to provide support of legacy de Havilland aircraft as well as the Twin Otter Series 400. Ikhana’s aircraft engineering services are based in a 6,000-sqft facility adjacent to Van Nuys Airport in California. –B.C.

Bonner R&D muscling into refurbs and completions

The Bonner R&D motion-controlled bed is designed to automatically compensate for the aircraft deck angle so that the bed always remains “flat” in relative terms.

by Kirby J. Harrison Jeff Bonner has roots in the aircraft MRO and completion/refurbishment businesses that go all the way back to Dee Howard Company of San Antonio, Texas, where Bonner was head of research and development. Today, he is the founder, president and CEO of Jeff Bonner Research & Development–still based in San Antonio–and head of a company that is beginning to flex some muscle in the world of cabin completion and refurbishment. Here at the NBAA convention, Bonner’s company, an executive aircraft component, prototype developer and subassembly fabricator (Booth No. C12044), has announced a new era in cleanliness at 41,000 feet, one that features a line

of showers that take the concept well beyond a simple stall with running water and a drain. “We reviewed what we had been doing over the years and decided to make benchmark products using twenty-first century manufacturing techniques, products and design ideas,” said Bonner. Using new, lightweight materials, most of the shower assemblies weigh no more than 130 pounds finished. Among the features are rain showerheads, flexible showerheads, multiple showerheads, LED lighting and motion sensors that will activate and deactivate the shower’s water system. The motion sensor will also activate an instant-hot-water supply when a presence is detected in the shower stall.

Bonner R&D Begins Nextant 400XT Nacelle/Cowling Deliveries Jeff Bonnner Research & Development of San Antonio, Texas, (Booth No. C12044) recently delivered the first four nacelle/cowling systems for the Nextant 400XT aircraft program by Nextant Aerospace. The Cleveland-based “re-manufacturing” company has orders for 40 of its 400XT “makeover” of the Beechjet 400A/XP. The upgrade includes new Williams FJ44-3AP engines. Nextant (Booth No. C13113) has placed an order with Bonner R&D for a total of 15 nacelle/cowling assemblies. –K.J.H.

With partners Bob Sawyer and Ed Harris, who pioneered the two-piece selfstanding aircraft shower, Bonner R&D has also produced a line of lightweight toilets, bidets and toilet shrouds. Among Bonner R&D’s more recent and more innovative creations is a motion-controlled bed that automatically compensates for the deck angle in normal flight. And unlike most in-flight beds, the Bonner R&D motion-controlled bed is a turnkey product that includes the bed frame and bed shroud. “We do it all under one roof, including the final finishes,” said Bonner.

The typical Bonner R&D shower motion sensor not only activates and deactivates the shower water system, but also features an instant-hot-water supply package.

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Please visit us at NBAA 2011 Static Display. AIN AD_NBAA.indd 1

9/21/11 7:43 PM

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 85

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I NG RE D I E NTS : E XPE RI E NC E T HE

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RELIAB ILIT Y E SS ENCE

O F

LO WER GREAT

P E R F E C T

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news clips z Garrett Leather Revolutionizes Stingray Embossing Garrett Leather, a supplier of Italian upholstery leather (Booth No. C12444), is introducing its new Shagarrett–“the only full-grain, stingray-embossed Italian leather available in full hide sizes with no unsightly plate lines.” The technique eliminates the stress of working with and matching half-hides and dealing with unattractive plate marks, according to the company, which added that Shagarrett hides have “a beautiful dual tone texture that accentuates the stingray pattern.” Hides average 45 sq ft and Garrett does not impose additional cutting fees for half-hide purchases. All 16 Shagarrett colors are certified by the Greenguard Environment Institute and in stock for immediate shipment.

z iPhone 4S Giveaways at Ross Aviation Booth If you’re lusting after one of Apple’s newly introduced iPhone 4S models, you’re not alone. But you could be alone in getting one for free. Well, almost alone: FBO operator Ross Aviation will be giving one away every day here at the show. The company–which operates FBOs in Alaska and Hawaii, Denver, Miami, Scottsdale and several other cities–is at Booth No. N3621. The iPhone 4S is Apple’s latest version of its iconic mobile phone series and features an eight-megapixel camera and new Siri voice-control capability.

z Business Pilot Recounts GA Benefits Custom rifle maker Charlie Sisk–who uses a Cessna 182 to help him meet with customers and build his business–will be on hand at the Corporate Aviation Training booth (No. 2125) to discuss the ways business aviation has aided his career. You can meet with him on Monday (8-11 a.m.), Tuesday (2-5 p.m.) or Wednesday (8-11 a.m.). “When I first completed training for my private pilot’s license back in 2006,” Sisk said, “it didn’t take long to realize my plane was a valuable business tool.” He added that, thanks to the aircraft, he is able to visit customers “to find out exactly what type of rifle would fit them best.” Then he hand-delivers the finished product and provides face-to face instruction in its use.

z Vector Aerospace Promotes Executives

Business ramping up at Greenpoint by Kirby J. Harrison Greenpoint Technologies (Booth No. C9423), which recently delivered its 17th Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) five weeks ahead of schedule, is working in what it considers an increasingly healthy business environment. This month, the Kirkland, Wash.-based center is well along in outfitting its eighteenth BBJ and expects to see the nineteenth arrive this month. Greenpoint expects to deliver both in 2012. Also in the pipeline is a 747-8 completion job that has the company hiring additional technical talent and adding infrastructure to accommodate an aircraft of that size. “Additionally, we have added several in-house facilities including VIP cabinetry, aerostructures and a CNC five-axis-equipped machine to provide dedicated production capability,” said Sloan Benson, executive v-p and president of Greenpoint’s Denton, Texas facilities. Annika Wicklund, Greenpoint design manager, is leading the architecture and design creation, “materializing a client’s vision.” Meanwhile, the company continues expansion of its facilities in both Washington and Texas including additional manufacturing capability that will contribute to a stable workforce

able to deliver projects on time. Elsewhere, Greenpoint Products and Services (GPS) is in the final testing and production phase for its new 747-8 Aeroloft retrofit kits. The kits, to be installed in the upper “hump” of

interior programs,” said GPS director of operations Tim Abuhl. Greenpoint Technologies has also launched a startup venture–Greenpoint Aerospace Company–which will focus on government and military clients,

The bizav completions business at Greenpoint Technologies points to an increasingly healthy environment. The company is now outfitting its 18th Boeing Business Jet and expects to see its 19th arrive this month.

the aircraft, include sleep berths for eight, a stairway and a foyer. The company, located in Marysville, Wash., about 20 miles north of Boeing’s 747-8 factory, already has firm orders for two kits. “The Aeroloft manufacturing program is forming a solid foundation for future VIP and custom

as well as special projects. The wholly owned subsidiary will be headed by GAC’s first president, Brian Hellings, who brings a familiarity with government and commercial derivative programs, as well as 35 years of experience at Boeing and prior service with the U.S. Air Force. o

Toronto-based MRO Vector Aerospace (N6234) has revamped its management team. Brian Thompson, who had been president of Vector Aerospace Engine ServicesAtlantic (VAESA), will now be senior vice president–global engine services, with responsibility for fixed-wing engine sales coordination and operational integration. Jeff Poirier, formerly vice president of customer and technical services with VAESA, has been promoted to fill Thompson’s prior job as president of that organization. “Brian and Jeff have consistently demonstrated exceptionally strong leadership capabilities,” said Vector Aerospace president and CEO Declan O’Shea. “I am confident that in their new senior management roles, they will help elevate the company to the next level.”

Maintenance technicians can look forward to revitalized hiring opportunities this fall. “Companies should begin recruiting in October, November and December,” Jeff Richards, JSfirm.com’s business development manager, told AIN. A recent JSFirm.com internal study indicates most job seekers begin hunting in the last three months of the year, and many begin a new job in January. JSfirm.com (Booth No. C6932) is an aviation-specific job board serving more than 4,000 companies and 425,000 job seekers annually. Richards said about 40 percent of companies looking to hire someone underestimate the two months that the process will take. “The company that hires the wrong person in haste gets hit twice economically. There’s the initial hiring and training costs plus the lost productivity, customer dissatisfaction and the need for another employee to do the job over. Overall it can cost a company tens of thousands of dollars,” he said.

MARIANO ROSALES

z Hiring Outlook for Maintenance Techs Improving

Plane parking paradox Now if we move the CJ4 more to the right, we should be able to squeeze the inbound King Air into that spot. With the Stratosphere and the mountains forming the backdrop, there is no doubt that NBAA has landed once again in Las Vegas after a seven-year hiatus. The shot was taken at Henderson Executive Airport.

86B NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Falko salutes 007’s ‘Q’ with Avro jet concept by Kirby J. Harrison Recent start-up aviation asset manager Falko (Booth No. C8030), teamed with design consultancy Design Q, has unveiled its final concept for the Avro Business Jet (ABJ) line, an airplane “that James Bond would have loved,” according to Design Q director Gary Doy. The executive variant of the four-engine Avro RJ regional jet is called the ABJ-Q, in homage to the famous “Q” who specializes in creating gadgets neatly hidden in everyday objects in James Bond films. The ABJ-Q, said Falko, is designed “to appeal to dynamic and forward-thinking owners who live life in the fast lane; the interior is bristling with technology and gadgets that are discretely concealed in

the hand-crafted furnishings but available at a moment’s notice.” Falko technical sales executive Chris Sedgwick said, “Once more, working with Design Q, we have created a special interior for the ABJ that opens new horizons and shows just what is possible by marrying together a cost-effective and spacious platform like the Avro Regional Jet with the latest in interior treatments and design philosophies.” Other ABJ variants from Design Q include: the Explorer One and Explorer “go anywhere” airplanes for those with a spirit of adventure; the ABJ Fusion for the high-end luxury market; and the ABJ Eleganté for individuals or companies requiring a highly sophisticated, luxury interior for

Interior of Avro Business Jet pays homage to “Q,” who created gadgets for superspy James Bond.

shorter duration trips. The lounge in the ABJ-Q has a principal seat with a control center allowing the passenger to change all aspects of the cabin environment with “intuitive movements of the hand.” Monitors and a refreshment center are embedded in bulkheads and “magically” appear at a touch.

A barreled ceiling has a unique LED lighting system that delivers a new twist on mood and accent lighting and a full daylight-like working environment. The active desk is equipped with printers, computers and smaller pop-up monitors. Finally, a fingerprint recognition system is used to gain access

to all these items, in addition to locking and unlocking a safe created to store confidential documents and valuables. “There is a freshness and excitement in this [cabin] concept that could result in a very special interior should it be taken through to completion,” said Doy. o

JSSI sees growth in China, Brazil by Kirby J. Harrison

it all depends on your viewpoint

MARIANO ROSALES

Looking a lot like a giant erector set, this scissor platform makes a very serviceable adjunct control tower at Henderson Executive Airport, site of this year’s primary static display. The lone occupant has a magnificent view of Las Vegas and McCarran International Airport, about eight miles to the north. n

Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI), an hourly cost maintenance program provider for airframes and engines, has 110 employees worldwide and a footprint on every continent. And it’s not enough. Among the countries JSSI sees in a rapid growth pattern are China and Brazil. According to chairman and CEO Lou Seno, the Chicago-based company (Booth No. C8920) participated in the Business Aviation Summit sponsored by the Asian Business Aviation Association in Hong Kong in March and expects to have a large presence at the ABACE Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition next March. And he noted that JSSI now has a tech advisor in London who covers Asia. To create a fulltime presence in the region, JSSI is in discussions with a technical organization based in Asia to represent the company. “Chinese buyers are purchasing new and longer-range airplanes, and that fits our market sweet spot,” he said. Seno also pointed out that JSSI had a large presence at the Latin American Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition in São Paulo, Brazil, this year and “it was a very, very active show.” In the last two years, Seno said

88 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

JSSI’s two client advisory boards– one domestic and one European– have made an impact. The more recent is the European board, launched two years ago at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE). “We’ve now had two meetings at EBACE and a third is scheduled for the same show in 2012.” In an interview with AIN, executive v-p and general counsel Susan Marr said JSSI recognized that the engine rental pool has become rather shallow, so it is searching for a solution that will ease customer access to engines during an overhaul period. Last year, JSSI announced a supplemental lift program for is customers that would provide supplemental lift or cover the cost of charter if a temporary replacement engine was not available. While the program has proven popular, explained Marr, it isn’t the ideal solution that JSSI is looking for. On a broader note, Seno said JSSI has weathered the storm of the economic downturn. “Our enrollment tracks aircraft transactions, and while enrollments have been sluggish, we have stayed financially healthy and been able to keep expanding. “We have made a substantial investment in people, such as the technical advisors we have

just hired, and an investment in infrastructure as well.” JSSI recently announced the hiring of industry veterans and RollsRoyce engine experts Edward Ballif as a product line specialist and Zane Cox as a technical advisor. He concluded that although enrollments “are not ticking along at a fast pace, there was an increase in flying this summer that we hope continues through the fall and the end of the year. With that and a relaxing of fuel prices, maybe people are getting back into the business of doing business.” o

News Note Bell Helicopter (Booth No. C9044) has opened a new customer call center for its Tennessee-based Aeronautical Accessories repair and overhaul operation. The center is designed to better and more quickly channel customer inquiries and to respond faster to AOG situations. Separately, Bell announced that the 120,000th student had graduated from the Bell Helicopter training academy. Shannon Halter, a licensed A&P mechanic at United Rotorcraft Solutions in Decatur, Texas, completed the Model 407 field maintenance course. n

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY > Hawker Beechcraft

Airframer steps up efforts to create a leaner operation by Kirby J. Harrison Asked recently how Hawker Beechcraft the same time, a growing number of supis doing, company chairman and CEO plier parts have been outsourced to MexBill Boisture’s answer of, “We’re doing all ico and to third-party vendors in Wichita right,” was abbreviated at best. The long and other parts of the U.S. “We’re on schedule with that plan [and] answer is more enlightening. “The progwhile not all the jobs have been moved, ress we’re making in transformation of the a majority will be moved by yearcompany through Project Challenge end,” Boisture said. By the is very significant,” Boisture said, end of 2011, some one milanswering more at length. lion square feet of Hawker Project Challenge was Beechcraft space in Wichita launched in August 2010 and will be closed, and by Febimplemented “a large-scale ruary 2012 the Chihuahua transformation that would facilities will total about reduce annual operating costs 500,000 square feet. The through changing the strucworkforce there, expected ture of the company and repoto total 1,000 by year-end, sitioning for the future,” Boisture explained. And he added that the produced 14,000 parts in the restructuring includes a reduclast week of August alone, tion of facilities, outsourcing of according to Boisture. Bill Boisture, Hawker He also noted “a very noncore activity, supply chain Beechcraft chairman and CEO good five-year agreement” rationalization and implemencompleted with the International Aerotation of lean manufacturing initiatives. Plant closings in Wichita have been space Machinists union in August. “It fits the current times we are in and lets proceeding, along with the transfer of some jobs to growing Hawker Beech- the union and company benefit from an craft facilities in Chihuahua, Mexico. At upturn when it occurs. It has [the union]

sharing in performance of the company with all of us when we hit our goals.” Deal with State of Kansas

Another step toward stability came last December when Hawker Beechcraft signed an agreement with the state of Kansas that requires the presence of the company in Wichita over the next 10 years, and that it maintain current product lines there and retain at least 4,000 jobs. Also, part of the $40 million incentive package from the state is related to Kansas’s Impact educational assistance program and includes $10 million over three years for tuition reimbursement and training in the first year. It also calls for $5 million each year for the next four years as part of the state’s Major Project Investment program. Boisture said in the last eight months since signing the agreement: 337 people have enrolled in the tuition reimbursement programs in degree or nondegree programs; approximately 400 people have gone through lean manufacturing refresher training; 215 went through technical training; and 190 went through project management training. Programs Move Along

That said, Boisture turned to airplanes and production, noting FAA certification of the Hawker 800XPR in August, and certification by the agency in the

same month for the “Load 20” avionics upgrade of the Hawker 4000. The Load 20 software upgrade from Honeywell is part of a more extensive and ongoing Hawker 4000 “upgrade and enhancement” program, which is free for existing Hawker 4000 owners. Certification by EASA of the Load 20 package on the 4000 is expected in November. “We’re also in double-digit orders for the Hawker 200 program, with four airplanes now in the flight-test program,” he said. And he added that the flight tests are showing considerable improvement in the expected performance numbers, including lower fuel consumption, lower emissions and higher cruise speeds. Now in production on the Hawker lines are the 4000, 900XP and 750 models. The Beechcraft production line includes the Premier IA; King Air models 350i, 350ER, 250, C90GTx; the Baron G58 and Bonanza G36. Production of the Hawker 200 will not begin until next year, when its predecessor the Premier IA goes out of production. “Suspension” in production of the 400XP was announced last year at the NBAA convention because of “the challenging market and weak demand being faced by all light-jet manufacturers.” Boisture said that in terms of research and development, the company has no new aircraft in the works and is currently

Continued on next page u

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention Newsaa89

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY > Hawker Beechcraft uContinued from preceding page

investing in upgrades to the existing fleet; “working off the good platforms we have and making improvements in aircraft variants like the 800XPR” and the King Air 350, from which a special-mission variant was created and introduced in June at the Paris Air Show. The Hawker 400XPR upgrade of the Model 400 includes replacement of the original Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-5 engines with Williams International FJ44-4A-32s, winglets and optional Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics. A major investment is being made in

Global Customer Support (GCS), said Boisture. In September, the company announced the selection of new base locations for its Mobile Technical Support team’s fleet of ground support vehicles. “Speed of response is critical,” said v-p of Global Customer Support Christi Tanahill. “Positioning of the teams in [other] locations complements the company’s extensive network of factoryowned and authorized service centers throughout the U.S.” GCS has also finalized agreements

with the Delaware River and Bay Authority and the Delaware Economic Development Office to open a new authorized aircraft maintenance facility at New Castle Airport in Wilmington. It is expected to open in the second quarter 2012. Also in the planning is “a new facility in the Northeast”

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ILG Welcomes Hawker Beechcraft 90aaNBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

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Hawker Beechcraft received FAA certification of its 800XPR–with more powerful engines and winglets–in August.

that is expected to open in the second quarter 2012. More “global” in nature is the authorization of ExecuJet in Lanseria, South Africa, as a Hawker Beechcraft service center. In 2010, ExecuJet was named an authorized sales center for King Air products. Military programs continue to carry much of the revenue load at Hawker Beechcraft. Boisture pointed out that Hawker Beechcraft has already delivered more than 700 variants of its T-6C high-performance turboprop trainer. More recently the company delivered 12 T-6C military trainers to the Royal Moroccan Air Force. In July, Hawker Beechcraft was at the 40th Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in the UK, highlighting its T-6C and the AT-6 light attack/reconnaissance variant. The company was there to leverage its successes as a supplier of its T-6C to militaries around the world as a means of promoting the AT-6. Boisture said the company anticipates a good order book for the AT-6. At NBAA, Hawker Beechcraft is highlighting its latest aircraft upgrades. On the static display line is a Hawker 4000, Hawker 900XP, Hawker 200 mockup, Hawker 400XPR and Premier IA. From the Beechcraft line is a King Air 350ER (special-mission demonstrator), a King Air 250 and a King Air 90GTx. On the smaller side are a Baron G58 and a Bonanza G36. The Hawker Beechcraft exhibit hall booth (No. C7809) is devoted primarily to the company’s Global Customer Support organization. While Boisture was limited in any forward-looking statements by Hawker Beechcraft’s financially public status, he did say the company is “making very good progress to reposition the company to cope with business in a smaller market.” As for the current economic crisis and the possibility of a double-dip recession, he was reluctant to refer to the current industry gains as a recovery. “I don’t know what you call it, but I can tell you that the business and general aviation market is very slow. It’s a difficult environment. We had planned to do all this during the slower period of this downturn,” he concluded. “Unfortunately, we’re going to have longer than we expected to get it done.” o

Yankee Pacific divisions supply custom cabinetry

a reputation for quality.” While production is in Lewisville, the company’s design, engineering and certification office is located in Tulsa. “Our business model,” he explained, “is to be a first-tier subcontractor to the entire industry. And at this point, we’re providing support to almost every major completion center.” A recent job was a Boeing 727 refurbishment by Cabin Innovations that required stripping and re-covering virtually every monument in the cabin. Currently, Jormac is providing liner systems for a major Boeing Business Jet interior being completed by JetTech in Spokane, Wash.

by Kirby J. Harrison When Yankee Pacific president and CEO Ken Goldsmith says his sprawling company of cabin completion subcontractors started small, he isn’t being disingenuous. The company began in 2002 with a single office in Tulsa, Okla., and a staff of 24 providing single- and twin-aisle executive aircraft engineering services, mostly to the German cabin completion and refurbishment giant and then-partner Lufthansa Technik. Two years later, Yankee Pacific acquired Lufthansa Technik’s share and launched itself anew as a subcontractor to the completion and refurbishment industry. The company has grown steadily since. The Yankee Pacific boss works out of his headquarters/home in Rye, N.H., where he can take a break to go jogging or head downstairs for a

workout in the gym. Staying in shape is a small part of a routine that keeps Goldsmith busy and on the road a considerable amount of the time to visit the somewhat far-flung Yankee Pacific business entities. Cabin Innovations

There are two main divisions of Yankee Pacific. Jormac Aerospace in Clearwater, Fla., employs about 80 and specializes in cabin liner systems–sidewalls, under-floor structures, overheads, bulkheads and attach fittings for seats and monuments. Jormac engineers also conduct cabin stress and decompression analyses. In Lewisville, Texas, Cabin Innovations specializes in custom cabinetry manufacturing–from the galley to the lavatory. With a core group of 55 in a new 40,000sq-ft facility, said Goldsmith, “we’ve built up capability and

Single-Aisle Segment

Over the next several years, Goldsmith foresees the single- and twin-aisle cabin completion segment going through a “sorting out” process as the executive Boeing 747-8 and 787 backlog grows and as new executive Airbus A350s begin arriving at about the time Boeing completions begin to peak. And he noted as well that growing numbers of single-aisle Airbus ACJs and

Continued on next page u

Yankee Pacific division Cabin Innovations specializes in custom cabinetry manufacturing. It recently installed cabinetry on a BBJ2, top, and created an Airbus A320 galley for Comlux USA, bottom right. Jormac Aerospace, a second Yankee Pacific division, specializes in cabin liner systems such as sidewalls and bulkheads. It provides turnkey liner kits, bottom left, for both BBJ and Airbus widebodies.

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www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 91

ACES Systems offers variety of test equipment ACES Systems, a division of Technology for Energy Corp. headquartered in Knoxville, Tenn., is at Booth No. N2311 to acquaint NBAA

convention-goers with its line of aviation vibration and acoustical analysis and balancing equipment for airframe and engine ground test and test cell

applications. These encompass fixed-wing and rotorcraft platforms along with turbofan, turboprop and piston engines, including radial and horizontally opposed powerplants. The ACES Systems Viper 4040 analyzer can be used on a variety of turboshaft and turbofan engines. The system’s blade optimizer eliminates the

need to install new matched pairs of fan blades when only one is damaged. This function allows the user to remove only the damaged blade and enter the moment arm for the single replacement blade and all remaining blades on the disk. The optimization of weight moment distribution results in a balance condition, which often

eliminates the need for a follow-on fan trim balance after the blade replacement. Savings realized when using this feature may completely pay for the analyzer in little more than three uses, according to ACES Systems. Other cost-saving functions include transient vibration surveys, multi-plane balance and the ability to collect tracked engine vibration data. ACES is also promoting its 560 jet engine data acquisition module, which communicates with the Pratt & Whitney Canada MonEEC personal digital assistant application to gather data for troubleshooting the JT15D-5/5R and PW530A/535A. The module is energized by the power supplied to the engine control and requires no external power connections. Outside the U.S., ACES Systems has four service centers–one each in Australia, Asia, Europe and South America. –H.W.

Yankee Pacific supplies interiors uContinued from preceding page

Boeing Business Jets start coming due for 12-year inspections. A lot of those airplanes haven’t had a major cabin upgrade since delivery, and Goldsmith expects that to be a major driver in the refurbishment business. Goldsmith saw the current economic downturn begin earlier than most, in late 2007. But despite an industry hit hard by the recession and political and media criticism, he allowed as how “there has been a surprisingly steady flow of [narrowand widebody] executive aircraft for completion. Last year was flat but it was a good year, considering that we had expected it to represent a downturn.” As for what many perceive as an industry recovery, he said, “It isn’t as robust as we’ve seen in the past, nor as robust as we had expected it to be.” As for 2011, Goldsmith expects the single- and twinaisle airliner refurbishment business to be better than in 2010. “We think 2012 and 2013 will be pretty busy. In fact, we’re already seeing capacity constraints.” o AINonline iPhone App NOW AVAILABLE

92 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

AL UELTSCHI AWARD >

Senator Frist honored for humanitarian work by Mary F. Silitch The NBAA Al Ueltschi Award for Humanitarian Leadership seems designed specifically for former U.S. Senator William Frist, M.D. The award, initiated in 2006, “recognizes the spirit of service demonstrated by humanitarian leaders within the business aviation community.” It is named for FlightSafety International founder Al Ueltschi, who helped launch Orbis, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing blindness and saving sight. Frist, a pilot who soloed at age 16, has used aviation throughout his careers as hearttransplant surgeon, U.S. Senator and humanitarian. As a pioneering heart-transplant surgeon, Frist said such procedures would not be possible without general aviation, as donor hearts have to be swiftly delivered to recipients within four hours.

In reflecting on those days, he explained that he didn’t just wait for a heart to arrive; he went a step farther–he flew to perform the harvesting operation on the donor, then flew the heart back to the Vanderbilt Transplant Center (which he organized 20 years ago) and implanted it in the recipient. As a Republican Tennessee senator from 1994 to 2007, Frist, who rose to serve as Senate majority leader, spearheaded efforts to improve medical access for Americans and others worldwide, notably leading on bills like the Medicare Modernization Act and the passage of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. While in the Senate, Frist told AIN, “I used aviation to stay in touch and engage constituents across Tennessee, which is 560 miles long.” He could leave Washington in his Cessna 441

Conquest II (which he co-owned with former Tennessee Senator Howard Baker), “fly to east Tennessee to do an event, then to west Tennessee and do an event and then back home to Nashville all in the same day. General aviation allowed me to travel to all 95 counties, each session of Congress, and to do multiple events every day.” (He noted, “I had to foot the bill for this!”) Working in Africa for many years, Frist flew a Caravan there to deliver supplies to war-torn Southern Sudan, to perform surgical procedures and to outfit an entire hospital with equipment and supplies. In flooded Bangladesh, he worked with Save the Children and Samaritans Purse, using floatplanes to deliver aid and medicine. Just after the levees broke when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005, Frist flew in his Conquest to provide emergency aid to the stranded residents. “I could not have done what I did over those days from a medical standpoint without my plane getting me there and without the helicopter donated by the sheriff to get me around,” he said. After the earthquake hit

Former Senator Bill Frist, the recipient of NBAA’s Al Ueltschi Award for Humanitarian Leadership, worked in Africa for many years, delivering supplies to war-torn Sudan, performing surgical procedures and outfitting hospitals with equipment and supplies.

Haiti in January 2010, Frist said donated corporate aircraft flew in a volunteer surgical and medical team of seven doctors and nurses, which he led. Frist said he became interested in flying when his oldest brother, Tommy, took him up at the age of eight in his 1948 Stinson Station Wagon. “I was mesmerized by the experience. My dream to fly myself was born,” he recalled. “Bill Frist has combined his skill as an aviator with his expertise in medicine to reach people in need of life-saving treatment at home and all over the world,” said NBAA President and CEO

Ed Bolen. “From piloting his own aircraft throughout Sudan to give surgical care, to using aviation to reach and treat victims days after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the senator and doctor truly ‘walks the walk’ in assisting those most in need of help. He exemplifies the humanitarian spirit that’s always been a part of business aviation, and we are honored to recognize his pioneering work with this award.” The NBAA Al Ueltschi Award for Humanitarian Leadership will be presented to Senator Frist at the Opening General Session today. o

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 93

Falcon 2000S

New Business Jets 2011 Gaggle of new business jets on short final

PAGE 95

PAGE 98

PiperJet Altaire F Diamond D-Jet F Cirrus SF50 Vision F Stratos 714 F HondaJet

PAGE 96

Cessna Citation Ten Learjet 85 F Embraer Legacy 450 & 500 F

PAGE 100 F F

Gulfstream G280 Dassault Falcon 2000S

PAGE 102

Cessna Citation M2 Hawker 200 F Nextant 400XT & Hawker 400XPR

Dassault SMS Gulfstream G650 F Bombardier Global 7000 & 8000 F Sukhoi Business Jet F

by Mark Huber

Ever since automaker CEOs went private jet-in-hand to Washington seeking bailout bucks in 2008, business aircraft have become the political pinata of choice for certain members of the elected, who see attacking executive contrails as surefire re-election rhetoric. This, even as business aircraft makers and their suppliers have laid off tens of thousands as the market all but evaporated into recessional winds before coming back to life, albeit with a weak pulse, this year. In 2010 there was blood in the streets of Wichita and it was a particularly gruesome time for almost everyone. The numbers don’t lie: Cessna saw its backlog collapse by $2 billion and lost $29 million for the year. Its CEO was unceremoniously “retired” shortly thereafter. Hawker Beechcraft posted a $173.9 million loss–after an even worse hemorrhage of $712 million in 2009. In its 2010 annual report, Bombardier promised “brighter skies ahead” after noting its business jet deliveries were down 19 percent from the previous year. Dassault’s new F alcon deliveries were strong,

but orders for the year were actually a net negative after cancellations. Gulfstream saw the lower end of its product line– G150s and G200s–get hammered, delivering just 24 of both models combined. A lot of this can be blamed on junked orders from the fractionals or high-profile publicly traded U.S. companies, especially those that benefited from the federal Troubled Asset Relief Program. However, the entropic global economy prompted individuals and private businesses to be protective of their cash as well, especially in the light to medium categories. Not even the lure of U.S. bonus depreciation and overly generous trade-in values could move a big chunk of this market. Against this backdrop it would be easy to assume that the OEMs were pulling in their sails by canceling or deferring new programs. There was a little of this, to be sure. Just about every upstart “paper airplane” company–those with an idea as opposed to an actual flying airplane–attempting to enter the bizjet market has gone quiet or away; thanks largely to vanishing venture capital, their development usually stops at the patent office or the wind tunnel. This includes the much-touted supersonics. On an August 31 conference call, Bombardier executives acknowledged that they were moving certain capital expenditures associated with new business aircraft programs “to the right” but insisted the adjustment would not affect program timetables. Hawker Beechcraft finally put the vampire stake in the Hawker 450XP, rebranded the long-awaited Premier II

94 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

the “Hawker 200,” and shifted its initial delivery date to late 2012 or early 2013. Gulfstream stood down flight testing of the new, near-supersonic G650 for eight weeks following the fatal crash of a test aircraft on April 2, but the hiatus is not expected to delay deliveries next year. However, rather than retrenching during the downturn, just about every OEM is pursuing significant new product offerings–from single-engine personal jets to $65 million long-legged, lux-liners–that are timed to hit the market near the time a presumed global economic recovery is expected to begin next year. The aviation industry is, by nature, optimistic. Its products are expected to fly and customers are inclined to buy. But this fresh crop of aircraft seems to recognize aviation’s new reality, embodying a laser-like focus on value. Some of these new aircraft are real game changers,

PiperJet Altaire

offering unprecedented amounts of cabin connectivity, space and comfort for passengers while giving pilots easier-to-use and more comprehensive avionics that promise unparalleled safety. New/reworked engines are quieter, cleaner and more reliable. Increased use of composites yields lighter structures and more cabin volume. Some products–such as the Learjet 85 and the Embraer Legacy 500–actually create new market niches. Others, such as the Falcon 2000S, attack existing ones, by raising the bar and dropping the price. Still more, such as the HondaJet, Cessna Citation Ten, Gulfstream G280 and G650, and the new Bombardier Globals, seek to perfect them. Early next year Boeing will start delivering new twin-aisle 787s and 747s to VIP completion centers. A 787 VIP can stay in the air unrefueled for 22 hours. The future’s promise has convinced some established business turboprop

makers, including Daher-Socata, Piaggio and Pilatus, to think about getting in the jet game. Some other nontraditional players are lining up as well. At this year’s Paris Air Show plans were announced for a $50 million “Sukhoi Business Jet” from Russia. Other previously announced programs subsequently left for dead are seeing new cash and new life. This includes most of the single-engine jet sector. Just how optimistic is the new jet market? Daher-Socata is thinking about resurrecting the moribund Grob SPn utility jet. At Oshkosh this year Aerostar showed up with an experimental variant of the iconic aircraft that had a pair of PW615 turbofans slung under the wings in place of the piston engines and propellers. Along with the global economy, the bizjet market has changed. It is more export-driven than ever, with more choices and sportier price competition. All the OEMs are wresting costs from the production cycle with more efficient practices. There is an abundance of innovation and new value propositions. It all adds up to good news for buyers–in any category.

The Singles PiperJet Altaire

MATT THURBER

A nonconforming prototype first flew in 2008, but that was constructed around Piper’s Malibu/Meridian-class fuselage. It soon became apparent to the company’s new owners, Brunei-based Imprimis, that the 1980s-vintage fuselage was wanting, and the company set about a redesign that should make its first flight next year. The revised fuselage is an aerodynamic oval that yields 260 cu ft of cabin volume and 60 cu ft of baggage space divided between compartments in the nose and in the cabin.

Cirrus Vision SF50

MATT THURBER

Diamond D-Jet

HondaJet

Standard cockpit/cabin layout calls for the two pilot positions followed by a lav seat, a club-four grouping of single seats and accessible baggage storage behind that. The cabin measures 211 inches long. Along with a larger fuselage the aircraft gets a bigger wing that is relocated below the fuselage, longer engine nacelle, and a shorter tail that is positioned farther aft. Piper has more than 200 engineers tasked to the program, has begun cutting metal for conformal aircraft and is in the midst of remodeling a production building in Vero Beach for final assembly of the aircraft. The company plans to have four test aircraft flying next year and is aiming for certification in 2013, with deliveries beginning in 2014. The Altaire’s maximum range is targeted at 1,300 nm, with a maximum cruise speed of 360 knots. The airplane’s range is 1,200 nm with a payload of 800 pounds. Price for a typically equipped aircraft is $2.6 million. Power comes from a single Williams International FJ44-3AP turbofan (2,500 pounds of thrust) mounted in the tail. Piper has selected the Garmin G3000 avionics suite for the aircraft.

Diamond D-Jet After essentially shuttering the program in March after the Canadian government turned down a loan request, Diamond appears to have restarted the D-Jet program. Over the summer the company announced a significant cash infusion from an unidentified investor and in September the first test aircraft returned to flight status. Diamond said it is using the new investment proceeds to build a fourth conforming test aircraft and finish certification, but hinted that additional funds may be needed to

actually put the aircraft into production. Last announced price for the five-seat, Williams International FJ33-5A-powered aircraft was $1.89 million (2009 $). The aircraft is expected to employ the Garmin G1000 avionics suite. Maximum cruise speed is 315 knots and typical cruise speed will be around 240 knots. The aircraft has a service ceiling of 25,000 feet and a maximum range of 1,350 nm.

Cirrus SF50 Vision This appears to be another case of “back from the dead.” Cirrus co-founder and CEO Dale Klapmeier said the company’s recent majority acquisition by China’s stateowned Caiga/Avic will provide the necessary capital to restart the moribund SF50 single-engine jet program. He said Cirrus has completed a new business plan for the jet at the request of Caiga and that he expects to add engineering and manufacturing staff soon. “We have to ramp back up and get 20 to 30 more engineers on staff and have all the plans in place to get them working productively. After that it is a three-year program.” There are approximately 425 position holders for the aircraft. Cirrus began flying a non-conforming prototype in 2008, but as the company struggled to survive the economic downturn, the value of that aircraft was marketing bait for pumping its upgraded, but still anemically selling, piston-engine aircraft at sales road shows. The SF50 currently is designed for a top speed of 300 knots, a service ceiling of 28,000 feet, payload of 1,200 pounds, and a maximum range of 1,100 nm. Full-fuel payload is 400 pounds. Original plans called for a flexible seating layout for five to seven. The last price

announced for the aircraft was $1.72 million. The production aircraft is likely to be powered by the Williams International FJ33-5A (1,900 pounds of thrust) and have an avionics suite based on the Garmin G1000 system. Over the last few years Cirrus executives said some changes to the production aircraft from the “proof of concept” currently flying include a new engine thrust angle, a redesigned nose, elimination of the ride-side passenger door and a refashioned wing root fairing.

Stratos 714 Earlier this year Stratos announced it had begun one-eighth-scale-model wind tunnel testing for the four- to five-seat aircraft. The company is seeking additional development financing. Preliminary plans call for the aircraft to have a service ceiling of 41,000 feet, a maximum cruising speed of 415 knots, and a range of 1,500 nm. The 714 is to be powered by a Williams FJ44-3AP (3,030 pounds of thrust).

Entry Level Twins HondaJet This is what patient capital can do. The HondaJet grew out of a research project that began in 1986, and today the 425-knot, $4.5 million entry-level twinjet is well on its way to certification next year. A fleet of conformal test aircraft (that look almost identical to the prototype flying since 2003) is currently racking up hours. More than 600 employees are now working at Honda’s massive 83-acre Greensboro, N.C. campus, which has 500,000 sq ft under roof,

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Stratos 714

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 95

New Business Jets 2011 uContinued from preceding page

CY CYR

ROBERT P. MARK

and when production is fully ramped up it is expected to be able to turn out 70 to 100 aircraft per year. The first two years of production are already sold out. The HondaJet uses a composite fuselage mated to metal wings. Its unconventional design features over-wing pylons that actually reduce drag and eliminate the need to area-rule or taper the aft fuselage. Among the benefits this yields are increased cabin volume (290 cu ft), 66 cu ft of baggage space, room for an aft cabin lavatory and a quieter cabin with less vibration. Overall, the cabin measures 17.8 feet long, 5 feet wide, and 4.94 feet tall. Exact cabin configurations and available color and fabric palettes remain under study. Currently, Honda has divulged just one cabin configuration: a single-place, side-facing kibitzer opposite the entry door followed by club-four seating and an aft-cabin lavatory. The jet is expected to have an IFR range of 1,180 nm and a ceiling of 43,000 feet and will be certified for single-pilot operation. Key suppliers on the HondaJet include

GE Honda Aero Engines for the HF120 engines (2,050 pounds of thrust each); Garmin for the G3000 touchscreen-controlled avionics; and Emteq for its SkyPro HD IFE and cabin management system, which features touchscreen monitors, AVOD, interactive 3-D moving map, exterior camera and cabin control. Touchscreen monitors will be available at each seat and function as IFE, CMS and lighting controls. With the XM satellite radio option, passengers can select their own station presets at individual seats.

Cessna Citation M2 Cessna announced a new twinjet derivative in September to serve as a step-up for Mustang owners or as a higher Citation entry level between the Mustang and CJ2+. Called the M2, the new entrant revives the CJ1+ airframe but with a Garmin G3000 avionics suite, tweakedFadec Williams FJ44-1AP-21 engines (1,965 pounds of takeoff thrust each at static sea level), subtle winglets and, compared with its predecessor, higher-quality interior furnishings and greater speed. Cessna has a fuselage/ cabin mockup at the NBAA Convention. Perhaps more important, however, the M2 lops about $800,000 off what the CJ1+ cost when Cessna quit building that airplane earlier this year. Compared with the Mustang, as an entry-level Citation the M2 offers a bigger cabin, more seats, an aft lavatory and improved speed and range. Competing nose-to-nose Total Eclipse with Em braer’s Phenom

Hawker 200

Cessna Citation M2

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100, the M2 carries a price tag of $4.195 million. According to M2 business manager Brian Rohloff, the cost savings stemmed mostly from switching to a Garmin suite (in place of the CJ1+’s Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 suite) and in negotiating with Williams on the price of the FJ44s. For the purposes of certification and pilot type ratings, the M2 retains the type designation C525. Among the M2’s specs: max cruise speed, 400 knots; time to climb to 41,000 feet, 24 minutes; mtow, 10,700 pounds; mission fuel, 3,309 pounds; and full-fuel payload with one pilot, 500 pounds. Cessna says the prototype will fly in the first quarter of next year, followed by FAA certification in 2Q13 and entry into service in 4Q13.

Total Eclipse These remanufactured light twinjets are currently selling for $2.15 million each and the company is making approximately two per month, according to Mason Holland, Eclipse Aerospace’s CEO. For that price, customers, get an aircraft with updated avionics, new paint and interior, enrollment in an engine ESP program and a full factory warranty. Owners of current Eclipses are not eligible for the upgrade yet. Rather, Eclipse buys used aircraft off the market and refurbishes them, a process that includes replacing various “infant mortality parts,” Holland said. The typical Total Eclipse customer wants new-aircraft reliability and support “from day one” and Holland said the company is succeeding at providing it.

Light Twins Hawker 200 (formerly Premier II) The crunch at Hawker Beechcraft has moved this program two full years to the right, with deliveries into service not expected now until the end of next year or early 2013. The $7.55 million Hawker 200 was formerly known as the Premier II and is the follow-on aircraft to the Premier IA. It features a redesigned ventral fin, more powerful Williams International FJ44-3AP engines, Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics with multiscan weather radar and ADS-B out, and winglets that are expected to shorten time

Nextant 400XT

to climb and increase speed, payload and range. Cruise speed is to increase by 23 knots, to 473, and range will jump 20 percent, to 1,500 nm. Payload at that range increases by 530 pounds. Four aircraft are currently in flight test. Like the Premier IA, the Hawker 200 is to be certified for single-pilot operations. At last year’s NBAA Convention, HBC unveiled an interior “concept mockup” for the aircraft that featured a redesigned galley and lavatory as well as flexible passenger seating configurations for four to eight plus the flight crew. The standard cabin layout has four forwardfacing seats. A fifth passenger can sit in the copilot position. A sixth and seventh passenger can be accommodated with a side-facing seat aft and a belted lavatory seat. An eighth seat can be installed in place of the galley, leaving room for a smaller refreshment center. High-definition audio/video and a high-speed Internet package are expected to be offered as optional items. HBC has yet to make final decisions on which cabin options and configurations will be offered on the 200.

Nextant 400XT & Hawker 400XPR Like the Total Eclipse, these also are remanufacturing programs. Clevelandbased Nextant is giving old Beechjet 400As/Hawker 400XPs new engines and avionics and a refreshed interior for a base price of $3.9 million, which includes the cost of acquiring a used aircraft for modernization. The upgrade increases range 50 percent, cuts climb times by one third and chops operating costs 29 percent. It also makes the airplane marginally faster. New installed components include a pair of Williams International FJ44-3AP engines, glass-panel Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics, new paint and an upto-date interior that replaces the soundproofing blankets, refoams and recovers the seats, and adds new headliner, window liner, drink rails, sidewalls, carpeting and veneer. Customers can choose from four floor plans, all with single seats for five to seven passengers. Nextant is seriously looking at making a 60-inch-long, three-place divan available opposite the entry door to accommodate passengers

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New Business Jets 2011 with mobility issues and pets. The revamped aircraft made its first test flight in March 2010 and customer deliveries are expected to begin later this year. Nextant’s goal–unlike that of many past re-engine and refurbishment programs–is serialized production. Therefore, rather than having individual customers bring their airplanes in for conversion, the company is buying used aircraft and converting and selling them. Nextant is slated to deliver about a dozen 400XTs this year, reaching an average annual production rate of 38 by 2014. Already, the program has received an order worth $150 million to convert forty 400A/XPs for Flight Options. In October 2010, Hawker Beechcraft announced its own conversion program for the 400A/XP, called the 400XPR. The $2.24 million XPR package requires customers to bring their own aircraft to a Hawker Beechcraft service center. Like the Nextant program, this one adds Pro Line 21 avionics and Williams engines (in this case, the FJ44-4A-32), and a refurbished interior. It also adds winglets.

Midsize Jets Cessna Citation Ten At last year’s NBAA Convention, Cessna announced a major block change to its midsize Mach 0.92 Citation X speedster, renaming it the Ten. It gets winglets, tweaked engines that are marginally more efficient, a new glass-panel Garmin G5000 avionics suite, a whizbang cabin management system co-developed by Cessna and Heads Up Technologies, sportier seats, extremely hip LED cabin lighting and a 15-inch cabin stretch. The main object of the airplane appears to be to give the owners of the existing fleet of more than 300 Citation Xs somewhere to go when they are looking for an upgrade. With this newest block change, Cessna is attempting to address the airplane’s perceived shortcomings by providing a complete cabin makeover with new styling, more space and more storage. The cabin stretch yields nearly nine inches of additional legroom in the forward club passenger seat grouping and almost five in the rear club. There are larger fold-out tables in the forward club area, which becomes a snack drawer in the folded position. A clever storage shelf above the table shroud contains retractable cup-holder tabs and room for personal electronics. This ledge also contains the controls for the new fiber-optic cabin management system. The unobtrusive CMS control panel contains a screen about the size of an iPhone. High-speed Internet, satellite radio and cabin Wi-Fi are available options. Phone service will be provided via the Aircell Axxess II system, while Internet will be available via the Aircell ground-based system or Inmarsat SwiftBroadband. The aircraft offers new standard and optional galleys and also features a new lefthand forward closet, a new vanity and new latchware throughout. Cabin lighting has

been updated as well. The overhead white ambient lighting is lensed, dimmable and warmth-adjustable. The LED accent lighting on the side ledges, aisle and cabinetry is fully RGB color-adjustable. Cockpit aesthetics are dramatically improved thanks to the three-screen Garmin G5000 avionics system with touchscreen controllers and the addition of metallic accents. Overall aircraft performance improves slightly with the addition of winglets and updated Rolls-Royce AE3007C2 engines with high-flow-fan turbines, rated at 7,034 pounds of thrust each, that deliver a 4-percent boost in takeoff thrust, 9 percent better climb performance, 7 percent more cruise thrust and a 1.4 percent improvement in specific fuel consumption. The new engines feature a more efficient fan with 38.5-inch compound swept fan blades, which Rolls-Royce says are more durable and improve stability. The engine will also have a larger LP turbine to improve durability and HP compressor vane schedule for efficiency as well as new Fadec software with improved engine health monitoring and engine start logic. The changes yield a variety of performance improvements. Payload increases by 214 pounds, range at high-speed cruise increases by 211 nm to 3,107 nm and the initial cruise altitude increases to FL450 from FL430. Time to climb to FL450 is 23 minutes; to FL350 (anti-ice off) it is 13 minutes. The Ten will have a higher initial maximum cruise altitude and be able to fly faster at various altitudes; cruise speeds will increase by between two and 19 knots, depending on altitude. At FL350 high-speed cruise increases from 525 ktas to 527 ktas, while at FL490 it bumps from 460 ktas to 479 ktas. However, you still have to step climb this airplane after that to get up to the aircraft’s maximum cruise altitude of 51,000 feet. Cessna estimates that on the average transcontinental trip the new airplane is two minutes faster and burns 22 gallons less fuel. A hard top speed for the aircraft remains undefined, so it may be possible that the new Ten will lose the corporate jet speed crown to the $65 million Gulfstream G650, which last year flew at Mach 0.995. However, the Citation Ten will continue to be the fastest midsize-cabin bizjet. The new Citation Ten is scheduled to fly at the end of this year and to enter service in 2013. The price has been initially set at $21.495 million (2010).

The “Tweens” Learjet 85 The Learjet 85’s cabin is one third larger than the 60XR’s, yet slightly smaller than a true super-midsize. In a world of niche marketing run amok, the 85 might be more accurately characterized as “midsize plus.” Bombardier remains confident it can bring its allcomposite, $17.2 million Learjet 85 to market by next year. The OEM is relying on its composites plant in Queretaro, Mexico, to fabricate the structure. Final assembly is to take place in Wichita. The 85 is likely to be the first

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Learjet 85 Embraer Legacy 500

CURT EPSTEIN

uContinued from page 96

Cessna Citation Ten

all-composite business aircraft certified under Part 25. While the 85 will weigh one third more than the 60, it will need only 20 percent more thrust, fly 500 more miles on a load of fuel and actually have a slightly higher top cruise speed–all while offering better specific fuel consumption. Bombardier claims the 85 will have 19 percent more cabin volume than its closest competitor. Indeed, for a midsize, the 85’s cabin is already capacious: 24 feet, nine inches long; six feet, one inch wide; and six feet tall, yielding 665 cu ft of passenger space and 130 cu ft of luggage stowage, including three large cabin closets with a combined 30 cu ft of storage. Several different configurations will be available, including eight single executive seats in a double-club layout or six single seats and a three-place divan. The single seats are pitched at 30 inches and recline into full-berthing positions. (A maximum of four can be berthed at any one time.) The divan and the berthing seats reflect the 85’s 3,000-nm transcontinental/

transatlantic design range (four passengers). This longer-legged Learjet also features a full galley and an aft cabin lavatory. Like several other contemporary cabin designs, the 85 will feature larger passenger cabin windows, 12 by 16 inches each, and more monolithic, streamlined headliners and sidewalls. Bombardier has tapped Lufthansa Technik to provide the cabin management system, Rockwell Collins for a three-screen Pro Line Fusion avionics system with advanced capabilities including synthetic vision, and Pratt & Whitney Canada for new PW307B engines (6,100 pounds of thrust each). High-speed cruise is Mach 0.82 and the aircraft’s service ceiling will be 49,000 feet.

Embraer Legacy 450 and 500 Embraer’s formal entry into the quasimidsize market came in 2008 when it announced development of a pair of flyby-wire aircraft that share the same wings,

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New Business Jets 2011

Gulfstream G280 (née 250)

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empennage and cabin cross-section. However, the 500’s fuselage will be approximately six feet longer than that of the shorter-legged 450. Embraer says both aircraft will have a six-foot stand-up cabin with a flat floor, a fully equipped galley and an externally serviced aft lavatory. The 500 is being designed to have a range of 2,800 nm with eight passengers, at Mach 0.80 and NBAA IFR reserves. The 450 is being designed to have a range of 2,300 nm with four passengers at longrange cruise and NBAA IFR reserves. The $18.4 million (2008 $) the 500 is expected to enter service in 2013, and the $15.25 million 450 in 2014. The 500 can be configured to carry up to 12 passengers in a cabin that is near super-midsize, and there is a generous amount of baggage space: 150 cu ft (110 external). The cabin measures 26 feet, 10 inches long and 6 feet, 10 inches wide. Embraer says several different cabin layouts will be available. Customers can choose between a large forward galley opposite galley annex storage or a single, side-facing seat ideal for a cabin attendant. Or they can have a side-facing, two-place divan opposite a small refreshment center. The wet galley features hot and cold water, four gallons of potable water, crystal storage, an ice drawer, compartments for china and silverware, 110V power outlet and optional monitor and espresso maker. Behind that is the two-zone main cabin with seating for eight or nine more passengers. Possible configurations include two club-four groupings of single seats or a forward club-four followed by a halfclub with a three-place, berthing divan on either the right or left side. Half-club pairs of single seats can be rotated back-to-back and then recline together to form a comfortable sleeping surface. With the seats positioned and folded down in this manner, the 500 provides comfortable sleeping accommodations for up to four passengers. Behind that is the lavatory complete with solid door, vanity, basin and vacuum toilet. The seats and the cabin tables were revised to better reflect customer tastes after Embraer showed the preliminary cabin mockup to its customer advisory panel. As on its smaller Phenom jets, Embraer collaborated with BMW Group DesignworksUSA on styling the 500’s cabin. The 500 will be equipped with

Honeywell’s high-definition, touchscreen Ovation Select cabin management system (CMS). It can interface with high-speed satellite communications and a variety of wired and wireless consumer electronics, including iPods, MP3 players, AppleTV and gaming systems. Cabin altitude will be 6,000 feet at the 500’s maximum cruising altitude of 45,000 feet. In the cockpit, the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics system features four large, active-matrix LCDs in the panel that connect the pilots with synthetic vision with an optional headup display, electronic charts, maps and graphical weather depiction from a MultiScan weather radar. The 500’s Honeywell HTF7500E engines (6,540 pounds of thrust each) use a package of proprietary technologies that improve fuel burn and reduce the production of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, unburned fuel emissions and smoke. The 500 is expected to fly in this year’s fourth quarter.

revised electrical system incorporates large-aircraft features that include independent generators on each engine and a quieter auxiliary power unit. The redesigned transonic wing shortens the G280’s required takeoff distance with a full load and the aircraft will now be able to use 5,000-foot runways comfortably. Range increases to 3,400 nm at Mach 0.8. Up front, the G280 will be guided by a PlaneView cockpit built around the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion system. It features three large, high-resolution 15-inch LCD displays and can be outfitted with synthetic and enhanced vision. While the G280’s fuselage is unchanged from that on the G200, Gulfstream optimized it by moving all the fuel into the wings, which created more usable cabin space as well as inflight access to the 154-cu-ft baggage compartment. Three basic cabin layouts are available in eight-, nine- and 10-passenger configurations, including doubleclub and club with half-club opposite a three-place, side-facing aft divan. Overall cabin length is now 25 feet, 10 inches from the forward edge of the lavatory to the aft edge of the galley. The lavatory is 48 inches wide on the G280 compared with just 26 inches on the G200. The G280 lav has a wardrobe closet, two large windows and a sink

by offering it with a standardized cockpit and three prepackaged cabin “harmonies” or color and fabric combinations and one standard, 10-passenger seating layout based on what most F2000 customers wanted–all single seats. It features a forward club-four grouping followed by six narrower conference seats that can be arrayed around a hi-lo table. The seats are resculpted and Dassault Falcon selected a new seat frame supplier, B/E Aerospace. Dassault Falcon will decide whether or not to offer additional configurations after the first 20 aircraft are delivered, beginning in early 2013. There is a new modular cabin management system aboard called Falcon Cabin HD. Based on the Rockwell Collins Venue system, it enables Blu-ray media on wide-screen monitors and can be commanded via iPod Touch or iPhone. A custom app controls video playback, electric window shades, and adjustments to temperature and lighting. The AirCell Axxess II Iridium satcom is the standard communications package. Up front the EASy II avionics are new, too. Dassault says functionality is improved and there are more options, including synthetic vision, XM weather and ADS-B out. The cockpit is refreshed with new trim and paint. Dassault trimmed extra weight from

The Super-Mids Gulfstream G280 Gulfstream renamed its remake of the super-midsize G200 earlier this year due to cultural sensitivities related to the number 250 in Asia. Certification of the $24 million (2008 $) G280 is expected later this year. The aircraft is built by IAI in Israel. Gulfstream will own the type certificate and install the interiors. The first production G280 is currently having its interior fitted at Gulfstream Dallas. Gulfstream acquired the G200 when it bought Galaxy Aerospace in 2001. The aircraft offered a unique value because its ovoid fuselage actually allows for more headroom than a fullsize Gulfstream GIV (with a tube that is only two inches narrower), seating for eight to 10 passengers, true transcontinental range, a 45,000-foot ceiling and a top speed of Mach 0.85. The thin wings and smallish engines gave the aircraft good fuel economy for its size, but they also gave the G200 poor takeoff performance when heavily loaded, gave it useful-load problems and required some fuel to be stored in the fuselage. Honeywell’s HTF7250G turbofans (7,445 pounds of thrust each) will power the G280 up to 41,000 feet in 20 minutes and reduce cabin noise. The G280’s

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Gulfstream G650

with a raised ledge. It also has a vacuum toilet system. The redesigned galley has increased stowage space, a gaspercooled ice drawer and a sink with slideout work surfaces. Natural lighting comes from 19 cabin windows and LED lighting. In-flight entertainment packages include Iridium satcom system with three headsets, highdefinition television and larger, 17-inch flat-panel standard cabin displays. LCDs bigger than 17 inches are a contemplated option. The G280 will be outfitted with a variant of the proprietary wireless Gulfstream cabin management system the company developed for the larger G650.

Dassault Falcon 2000S Earlier this year Dassault Falcon announced the 2000S, a $25 million variant of the popular twinjet aimed squarely at the super-midsize market. Dassault Falcon wrested cost from the aircraft

the cabin by going with a new cabin shell that has built-in insulation and by painting unseen cabinet and drawer surfaces as opposed to laminating them. However, the biggest weight saving comes from dropping a fuselage fuel tank. It cuts range to 3,350 nm from the 4,000 on the $32.1 million 2000LX. Inboard wing slats and standard autobrake were added, cutting the approach speed to 108 knots and allowing the 2000S to use airports with shorter runways and steeper approaches. High/hot performance also improves. Thanks also to the reduced weight, the aircraft can fly shorter flights and climb faster to 41,000 feet. It also benefits from the addition of the same winglets fitted to the 2000LX. The 2000S gets revised P&WC PW308C engines (7,000 pounds of thrust each) fitted with new Talon II combustors that cut emissions by

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The King Air dynasty has a new ruling glass: Garmin G1000® retrofit avionics. Now, every Beechcraft turboprop in the current line – from the flagship King Air 350 and 300 to the 200/B200 and C90 models – is ready for the crowning touch of an all-glass Garmin G1000® flight deck. Available through a top-level network of installation centers, this upgrade suite combines “dual-everything” avionics with integrated FMS through our Garmin digital autopilot. Optional SVT™ synthetic vision adds 3D situational awareness. And other notable highlights include: Satellite-guided WAAS LPV approach capability. Highly detailed moving maps, electronic charts and SafeTaxi® diagrams. Garmin ESP™ stability augmentation. Class B TAWS terrain alerting. RVSM compliance1. Proven digital AHRS. Onboard radar. Plus, a choice of standard XM satellite weather2 or optional Iridium-based worldwide weather service3 with available voice, text messaging and global data link capability. To learn more, see our King Air video at www.garmin.com. Or call Dave Brown at (913) 440-1406. NASDAQ GRMN

Follow the leader.

RVSM applies to King Air 200/B200 and 300/350 models only. Subscription required for XM weather service (sold separately). Uses optional GSR 56 Iridium network transceiver (subscription required).

www.garmin.com

New Business Jets 2011 uContinued from page 100

up to 40 percent. Combined with the winglets, this helps the 2000S burn “10 percent less fuel than aircraft that are 20 percent smaller,” according to Dassault. The company claims the 2000S “is a large-cabin aircraft with fuel economy and operating costs that are much less than smaller aircraft in the midsize business jet category.”

Large Jets Dassault SMS Virtually nothing concrete is known about this in-development twinjet outside Dassault and its suppliers. The airplane is slated to enter service in 2016. The “SMS” moniker could be surmised as “super midsize,” but even that is believed to be some intentional misdirection. Based on thrust requirements, the SMS is likely to be in a new category between the super-mids and the large-cabin aircraft. The company is not expected to release any details on the aircraft until 2013. Approximately 1,000 people are working on the program and it has progressed to wind-tunnel testing. Speculation suggests the aircraft will have fly-by-wire controls and will be powered by the Snecma Silvercrest engine.

Gulfstream G650 The fatal crash of a test aircraft in April held up the flying part of the program by less than two months and it is likely that Gulfstream’s new $64.5 million fly-by-wire flagship will earn certification late this year or early next. The new airplane will offer the longest range, fastest speed and largest cabin in the Gulfstream fleet. It will have a range of 7,000 nm at Mach 0.85, 5,000 nm at Mach 0.90 Mach and a maximum operating speed of Mach 0.925–making it the fastest civil aircraft flying. Power will come from a pair of new 16,100-poundthrust Rolls-Royce BR725 engines controlled by Goodrich Fadecs. The engines are more efficient, have lower exhaust emissions and are 33 percent quieter than their predecessor, the BR710. Noise level is 17 decibels below Stage 4 standards. The engines not only enable the G650 to conform to all existing and anticipated airport noise restrictions, they also make for a quieter cabin. The PlaneView II avionics system is derived from the Honeywell Primus Epic system and incorporates both Honeywell’s synthetic vision-primary flight display and the Kollsman EVS II enhanced vision system.

Gulfstream has dramatically enlarged the dimensions of key interior components. The cabin entry door is almost 75 inches high (as opposed to 59.25 inches on the G550). The baggage area provides 195 cu ft of space and is accessible in flight at all altitudes through the aft lavatory. The external baggage door has been enlarged by 8 percent compared with the G550 and lowered four inches to provide for easier loading. The G650 will have both forward and aft lavatories equipped with IWG-A6 ultraviolet water treatment and purification systems. The pressurization system delivers a cabin altitude of only 2,800 feet at an altitude of 41,000 feet and increases to only 4,850 feet at 51,000. The aircraft incorporates Gulfstream’s “100 percent fresh air” system and the lavatories are now independently vented. The wider floor allows for larger seats, a wider aisle and three-across seating options in conference and dining groupings. The fuselage’s oval shape is more aerodynamically efficient than the G550’s round-tube design and offers more cabin space. The unfinished cabin measures 102 inches wide and 77 inches high (75 inches finished). The G650’s floor is 80 inches wide (15 inches wider than the G550’s) and the interior sidewall-to-sidewall width (at shoulders, seated) is 98 inches. This means more seat recline, legroom and stateroom options as well as larger galleys, lavatories, baggage and crew-rest areas. The single executive seats are 28 inches wide, two inches wider than those in the G550.The G650’s 16 cabin windows each measure 28 inches by 20.5 inches and will be the industry’s largest, 16 percent larger than those on the G550. Gulfstream developed its own fiberoptic Gulfstream cabin management system (GCMS) for the G650 and has since scaled it for the G280. The GCMS uses the Apple iPod Touch, synched to individual seats, to control the CabinView AVOD system, lighting, window shades, temperature, monitors, speakers and attendant call. Gulfstream’s proprietary graphical user interface will be developed for other personal systems, such as the Android or Microsoft Windows 7 Mobile and any others that are viewed as industry standards.

Bombardier Global 7000, 8000 Bombardier’s answer to the G650 is to offer a pair of new aircraft with more range and fuel efficiency than the company’s current Global XRS flagship. Both aircraft use the current Global XRS fuselage but stretch it (the 7000 by 11 feet, 3 inches and the 8000 by two feet, three inches) and provide larger windows.

Bombardier Global 8000

102 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Proposed VIP Boeing 787 lounge from Greenpoint Technologies

Not all details for the aircraft, which are scheduled to enter service in 2016 and 2017, respectively, have been announced, but Bombardier has said that the aircraft will use a new thin high-speed wing, fuelefficient GE TechX engines (16,500 pounds of thrust each) and Global Vision avionics (likely Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion). Bombardier also said that both aircraft will beat the G650’s range at Mach 0.90; the G650’s range at this speed is 5,000 nm, while at that speed the Global 8000 will be designed to go 5,650 nm and the Global 7000 5,100 nm. At Mach 0.85 the range bumps up to 7,900 and 7,300, respectively. Range numbers assume 10 passengers and four crew on the 7000 and eight passengers and four crew on the 8000. Maximum ramp weights for both aircraft top 105,000 pounds. The price is expected to be in the $65 million range (2010).

Sukhoi Business Jet (SBJ) Here come the Russians. Plans for the $50 million Sukhoi Business Jet (SBJ) were formally announced at this year’s Paris Air Show. The aircraft will be an executive version of the Sukhoi 100 (SSJ100) Superjet, a 75- to 95-seat regional jet currently undergoing final EASA certification. It is being built by United Aircraft, a partnership of Italy’s Alenia and Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau–with technical and marketing support from Boeing. More than 200 of the $32 million Superjets are on order, primarily from airlines in Russia and Asia. For years, United Aircraft has made no secret of its interest in offering an executive version of the model to fill a niche it sees between large-cabin bizjets such as Gulfstreams and Bombardier Globals and the even bigger, single-aisle twinjets such as the Airbus Corporate Jet and Boeing Business Jet (BBJ). Carlo Logli, CEO of Superjet International, the SSJ100’s marketing arm, estimates that between 80 and 100 Sukhoi Business Jets could be delivered over the next 20 years, with sales centered primarily in North America, the Middle East and Russia. Fitted with auxiliary fuel tanks, Superjets could have a range of

4,300 nm, which would put them headto-head with Embraer’s Lineage 1000. The aircraft has a ceiling of 41,000 feet and cruises at 448 knots. Superjet predicts initial deliveries in 2014.

Really Big BBJs

Boeing is offering its new twin-aisle 787 twinjet and 747-8 Intercontinental four-holer for Boeing Business Jet customers, and the orders already are piling up; VIP customers have ordered nine of the 747s and 12 of the 787s. “Right now our backlog of twin-aisle airplanes is larger than our backlog of 737-based airplanes,” said BBJ president Steve Taylor. “I don’t think any of us saw that coming.” Deliveries of the $318 million (green) 747 BBJ into completion centers are scheduled to begin late this year, depending on results of the flight-test program. In VIP configuration the aircraft will have an unrefueled range of 9,260 nm with 100 passengers and a top speed of up to 533 knots. The cavernous 4,786-sq-ft cabin has already captured the fashion of leading designers, who are planning to outfit it with balconies, loft suites and ground-tomain-deck elevators. In VIP configuration with 24 to 35 passengers sharing the 2,400-sq-ft cabin, the 787-8 twinjet will be able to remain aloft for nearly 22 hours and fly 9,590 nm nonstop, connecting virtually any two points on the globe. In the belly there is space for 4,400 cu ft of cargo. A follow-on stretched model, the 787-9, will add 300 sq ft of cabin floor space and fly 400 miles farther. Some designers have already fielded ambitious interior concepts for the aircraft that include a second level, giant bigscreen theater room, band stand, full bar, transparent floors, fitness center, sauna, library, walk-in shower, formal dining room and gourmet kitchen. Boeing has authorized six centers to provide VIP completions for the 787 and the first one is scheduled for delivery into completion early next year. Price of the basic “green” aircraft before completion is $185 million. o

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104aaNBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Don Spruston honored for lifelong support of bizav by Mary F. Silitch operational rules and safety for genDon Spruston, director general of eral aviation worldwide. NBAA called the International Business Aviation the feat “a milestone in the history of Council (IBAC), is the 2011 recipient IBAC” and credited Spruston’s leaderof the NBAA John P. “Jack” Doswell ship for the accomplishment. Award, granted each year for lifeWhen asked how he became long individual achievement interested in aviation, Sprusin supporting business aviton told AIN, “Aviation has ation. Spruston has been been part of my life from director general of the birth. One of my first memIBAC since 1999. ories was walking out the In announcing the front door of our home in award, NBAA said, Trenton, Ontario, and into “Under Spruston’s leaderan open-cockpit biplane.” ship, IBAC has effectively He started flying on his advocated for the interown a few years later at the ests and concerns of business Royal Military College of Canaviation before the InternaDon Spruston ada, soloing in 1963 after his sectional Civil Aviation Organization ond year at the university. He went on (ICAO)–the global standards-setting to earn his ATP certificate. He then body for civil aviation around the world, became a managing partner of Canaincluding for safety and operations dian Aviation Safety Associates. He standards.” Spruston led the developevaluated civil aviation authorities and ment of new safety standards, NBAA was an advisor to ICAO in establishing said, for Annex 6, Part II of the Chicago Convention governed by ICAO, its Universal Safety Oversight Audit which addresses the modernization of Program. Spruston’s favorite airplane to fly was the historic Lockheed JetStar, which was also the first corporate Doswell Award History airplane that he flew. From 1988 to 1991, Spruston served NBAA established the Doswell Award in as director general of aircraft services 1988 to honor the memory of John P. “Jack” for Transport Canada and managed a Doswell. It is presented each year to an individflight department operating more than ual “for lifelong achievement on behalf of and 90 aircraft. In 1991 he became director in support of the aims, goals and objectives of general of civil aviation, managing the business aviation.” Jack Doswell flew B-24s in Canadian aviation safety regulatory World War II, C-54s in the Berlin Airlift and was program. He conducted evaluation a member of the Special Missions Air Squadron flights for Transport Canada, checkbefore retiring from the Air Force in 1950 and ing out new safety equipment that was becoming director of flight operations for Flightsubject to potential regulatory requireSafety International. n ments, including ground proximity warning systems, and navigation equipment for development of airspace criteria, such as MLS and Rnav. DOSWELL AWARD Spruston writes often about aviation LEGION OF HONOR safety. Among his many honors, he has 2010 Chuck McKinnon received the Transport Canada Safety 2009 Richard Van Gemert Award, the Canadian Owners and 2008 George A. Saling Pilots President’s Award and the Cana2007 E. Patrick “Pat” Epps dian Aeronautics and Space Institute 2006 Jim Waugh C.D. Howe Award. 2005 Ronald Guerra “The global business aviation community would not be the same without 2004 Allan Lane visionaries like Don Spruston,” said 2003 Byron “Skip” Reed II NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. 2002 Robert Duncan “He has been a tremendous advocate 2001 Myron Collier and leader in promoting the industry’s 2000 Rod Kauber agenda and furthering its cause. NBAA 1999 Paul Stevens is pleased to recognize his outstanding 1998 Milton H. “Milt” Pugsley contributions.” 1997 J. Sheldon “Torch” Lewis The Doswell Award will be pre1996 Raleigh Drennon sented to Spruston today at the VIP 1995 Preston Parrish luncheon (by invitation only). o 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989

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SAFE FLYING AWARDS > Pilots

Pilots credit discipline, training by Mary F. Silitch

The National Business Aviation Association presents Pilot Flying Safety Awards each year to the member company pilots who have exemplary safety records. To be eligible for an award, a pilot must have flown corporate aircraft 1,500 hours without an accident, but the actual number of safe hours flown by many of the 2010 top pilots are above 20,000 hours, and the top recipient, T. William White, chief pilot of the Keller Companies, has logged 31,264. Like White, Paul Stinebring, director of International Operations for Emerson Flight Operations, second on the list with 26,930 hours; J. Paul Boening of Keller Companies; Ken Qualls of Flight Management Solutions and George Thomsen of ACP Jets, have appeared in these pages before. AIN this year talked with four other top pilots–Bill Starnes, Stuart Swanson, Norman Anderson and Dennis Oliver–to learn their safe-flying secrets. The Flying Safety Awards will be presented today, at the VIP luncheon (by invitation only).

Bill Starnes Chief Pilot

K-VA-T Food Stores/Food City Aviation Abingdon, Va. 26,500 hours

Bill Starnes flies all three of Food City Aviation’s aircraft–a Cessna Citation Bravo, Hawker Beechcraft King Air 200 and a Bell Helicopter 407. Currently, said Starnes, the aircraft are a partnership with Central Coal, based in Bristol, Va. K-VA-T Food Stores operates a chain of

Bill Starnes, chief pilot, K-VA-T Food Stores/Food City Aviation

food stores in Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia. The flight department started with a Piper Seneca and a Navajo. Starnes has been with the company for five years and previously worked for Pittston Coal. He said he got interested in aviation at an early age. His father was a private pilot and owned a Cessna 172. Starnes was a military pilot for 39 years, flying “all helicopters–Bell 205 Hueys, Bell AH1G/F Cobra gunships, Hughes LOH6s and Bell 206s.” Not surprisingly, when asked what was his favorite aircraft to fly, he said, “The helicopter.” He attributes his long safety record to: “Military training and being fortunate enough to have had experienced instructors,

both military and civilian, and, hopefully, common sense.” Stuart Swanson Pilot-Captain, retired

Michelin North America Greenville, S.C. 22,113 Hours

Stuart Swanson retired from Michelin Tire April 15 after flying for the company for 24 years. Based at the Greenville/ Spartanburg (S.C.) Airport, the Michelin flight department operates two Hawker 850XPs with six full-time pilots, three aircraft technicians and one flight dispatcher. The flight department runs daily weekday passenger shuttles to its North American plants. The Michelin flight department started 25 years ago in October 1986, with one Cessna Citation III. Swanson told AIN, “I have been interested in aviation since I was eight years old. I would watch the small airplanes fly over my parent’s farm in southwest Minnesota and I knew then I was going to be a pilot.” He said that he kept focused on that goal through high school and college, and after getting his certificates, he became a flight instructor, charter pilot and mail pilot for an FBO in Sioux Falls, S.D., flying a Beech 18. “I then did some corporation flying and had a small stint with Western

Airlines, based at Los Angeles International, until I was furloughed,” he said. “I went back to fly corporate and enjoyed finishing out my career with a great company–Michelin.” When asked about his exemplary safety record, he replied: “I have contributed to my safety record with self discipline, awareness, crew coordination and especially flying with other high-time qualified experienced co-captains as pilots.” Norman Anderson Director of Operations, Line Captain Skybird Aviation Van Nuys, Calif. 21,330 Hours

Norman Anderson, who has been with Skybird Aviation for 35 years, trained as an aircraft mechanic in the U.S. Navy and became crew chief on the A-3D. After leaving the military, he went to work for Western Airlines as a station agent. He used the GI Bill to earn his commercial, instrument, multi-engine, CFI and ATP certificates and ratings, as well as A&P certificate. He then worked for Jet Avia as a pilot and there met the owner of Skybird Aviation. When Skybird’s owner bought his first airplane, a Learjet 24E, to operate in charter service, Anderson joined the company.

Retired pilot Stuart Swanson, seventh from left, with the Michelin North America team.

106 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

NBAA 2010 Pilot Safety Awards Over the years, NBAA has recognized many safe pilots with NBAA Pilot Safety Awards. The top 25 recipients for the year 2010 are listed below, in order of the number of safe hours flown during their careers as corporate pilots. Name

Company

Hours

T. William White

Keller Companies, Inc.

31,264

Paul Stinebring

Emerson Electric Flight Operations

26,930

Bill Starnes

K-VA-T Food Stores

26,500

Paul. J. Boening

Keller Companies

25,053

Anthony Del Vecchio

Emerson Flight Operations

22,699

Stuart Swanson

Michelin North America

22,113

Fletcher Rawls

Jet Aviation Holdings USA

22,019

Kenneth Qualls

Flight Management Solutions

21,452

Norman Anderson

Skybird Aviation

21,330

George Thomsen

ACP Jets

21,276

Dennis Oliver

Dennis L. Oliver

21,018

Richard Bradley

Constellation Leasing

20,337

A. Lin Entz

Sho-Deen, Inc. Flight Office

20,134

Roger Lipcamon

Knapheide Manufacturing Company

20,071

William Loughrey

Office Depot

20,066

Dan Weber

Humana

20,023

James Topalian

Skybird Aviation

19,708

George Hunyadi

BankNote Aviation Corp.

19,295

William Pagnella

Jet Aviation Holdings USA

19,202

Robert Smith

Steelcase

19,078

Robert Agostino

Group Holdings

19,065

Dennis Taylor

Xerox Corp.

18,652

William Weiss

ConocoPhillips Alaska

18,390

James Radcliff

SunTrust Banks

18,245

Chris Ulrich

Hill Air

18,073

“In 1977, I held the titles of director of operations, chief pilot and director of maintenance,” Anderson told AIN. “We added aircraft at a rate of about one every three years. Eventually, Skybird operated a fleet of five aircraft–a Lear 24D, a 28, a 55, Gulfstream II and Gulfstream IV. I am typed on and have flown all of these aircraft. “We now operate only one aircraft: a Gulfstream 550. Most of our flights are dispatched with three pilots and a flight attendant as transcontinental flights. Our most frequent destinations are Brazil, Russia, western Europe and Asia.” Anderson said that his favorite corporate aircraft to fly is the G550. “It’s a wonderful aircraft. I have been flying it for five years now and I still marvel at what it can do with long trips and short runways.” When asked to what he attributes his long safety record, he replied: “What I’ve learned about flying is: one, always have a good, solid alternative; two, never fly the airplane where your head

has not already been; three, your next flight is the most important flight of your career; four, if you don’t want to embarrass yourself, check the Notams; and five, never try for the first turnoff with passengers on board.” He added, “I have always enjoyed hard work and accomplishing the task at hand. I have always tried to anticipate what the boss wants. Early on, I recognized that I needed to protect my integrity. I feel strongly about helping to further the careers of the people I work with. I get involved only with win-win business relationships. If I can’t make the customer happy, I pass.” Dennis Oliver Williamsburg, Iowa 21,018 Hours

Dennis Oliver flew for corporations in the financial arena from 1970 to 1994, when he left the corporate world and started flying for his own agricultural company, raising registered quarter horses, cattle and exotic animals such as buffalo, camels and Continued on page 108 u

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SAFE FLYING AWARDS > Pilots Safe pilots credit training, discipline uContinued from page 106 alpacas. The company is based on the family farm, where he first flew at an early age from the farm strip with his mother, who was a pilot. He now keeps his Decathlon there, which he uses most

mornings to fly over the pastures and check on the animals. “If I spot a problem, I take a pickup [truck] to investigate.” He keeps the company plane, a Cessna 421C Golden Eagle, at the Eastern Iowa Airport at Cedar Rapids and flies the big twin all over the country for business. In his last corporate job, Oliver flew the Beechcraft Super

King Air 300, his favorite corporate airplane. “It had the big engine and was a great performer,” he told AIN. “When I was in the commodity business, I loved flying into Meigs Field in Chicago, especially at night when you had the lights of the city contrasting with the darkness of Lake Michigan.” Meigs, only blocks from his destination

at the Chicago Board of Trade, is now closed. Another airport he misses is Washington National, access to which has been severely limited following the 9/11 attacks. Oliver also flew air taxi in a variety of airplanes. He said he had never had an accident, incident or violation in his 21,018 flight hours. Situational awareness had kept him safe, he

Dennis Oliver, farmer and pilot

explained, and when focusing on weather, it’s important to know what conditions to expect. “There are times when you can’t go,” he said. “You could, but it would be prudent not to.” On June 21, 1980, Oliver and a friend set a Guinness world record in a Beechcraft Bonanza for the most takeoffs and landings in one day–138. Two years ago, he received the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the FAA. “Flying,” he concluded, “is an amazing phenomenon.” o

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108 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com Attention: Tom Hurley, Production Mgr (203) 798-2104 thurley@ainonline.com

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MU-2 programs geared for current and future aviators by Harry Weisberger Barrington Irving, the youngest pilot and the first African American to fly solo around the world, will welcome 50 students from Las Vegas’s Rancho High School to hear his inspirational story and view NBAA convention center exhibits

tomorrow. Irving will meet the students between 9 a.m. and noon at the Intercontinental Jet Service booth (No. C6920). NBAA show attendees are welcome as well. Irving, who grew up in a poor Miami community and overcame economic and

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social obstacles to become a pilot and and techniques, engine operations and educator, leads the Mitsubishi MU-2 safety management systems. Dream & Soar Program in the U.S. Honeywell TPE331 engine courses will “NBAA supports efforts to inspire be offered on the Wednesday and Thursthe next generation of visionaries to con- day prior to the PROP seminars at Dallas sider careers in aviation,” said Ed Bolen, (March 30 and 31) and Columbus, Ohio NBAA president and CEO. (May 18 and 19). SimCom’s non“We salute Mitsubishi Heavy pilot demonstration courses will Industries America and Bartake place on the second day rington Irving for their outof all PROP seminars. The other standing work to ensure locations are Orlando (April 13 that our nation’s youth have and 14) and Reno (May 4 and 5). access to the exciting and The first PROP was held in rewarding opportunities the 1982, discontinued for a time, industry has to offer.” and then held regularly from Said Irving, “It’s excit1994 to the present. PROP inforing for me to see the wonder mation is attuned to the threein the students’ eyes as they Barrington Irving leads year-old SFAR requiring initial, view the exhibits at NBAA, Mitsubishi’s MU-2 Dream recurrent and requalification and I will do all I can to stoke & Soar Program. training for all MU-2 pilots. The that fire of excitement and motivate a stu- SFAR and PROP are a large factor in the dent to become a professional aviator.” MU-2’s greatly improved safety record– The Mitsubishi MU-2 Dream & only one fatal accident in the last five years. Soar Program has been sponsored by Those interested in attending PROP 2012 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America can visit www.mu-2aircraft.com for details. (MHIA) for the last four years for stuMU-2 product support is adminisdents in cities across the U.S., reaching tered by Turbine Aircraft Services (TAS) at an estimated 10,000 young people with Addison Airport near Dallas, Texas. “We interest in math, science and aviation. will continue to concentrate on the most pressing operational techniques and funPROP Programs damentals,” said Pat Cannon, TAS presiMHIA also joins with SimCom and dent. “The nonpilot demonstration course, Honeywell to make the biennial Pilot’s for instance, is designed for a passenger Review of Proficiency (PROP) program to get the plane on the ground without a free to the MU-2 community and others pilot’s help and to be able to walk away.” AIN subscribers voted the MU-2 who may want to attend. Four cities will host the 2012 PROP seminars, which are product support program the leader for credited with resulting in safer flying for 10-year-and-older turboprops in the magazine’s 2011 Product Support Survey. Mitsubishi MU-2 owners and operators. Attendees at the two-day seminars will Cannon called the recognition “one of the cover technical issues, accident analysis, most prestigious and meaningful awards use of Nexrad, review of the MU-2 train- in general aviation. Good product support o ing special FAR (SFAR), operational tips and education literally save lives.”

Mitsubishi partners with SimCom and Honeywell to offer the Pilot’s Review of Proficiency program to the MU-2 community and others. The series is credited with resulting in safer flying for MU-2 owners and operators.

Aviation and labor groups lobby against user fees

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110 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Twenty-six aviation and labor associations representing virtually the entire U.S. aviation industry now “strongly oppose new or increased taxes and fees on aviation as part of the White House proposal to address the nation’s deficit and jobs crisis.” President Obama has proposed a $100 per-flight tax for turbine aircraft flying on IFR flight plans and called to reduce depreciation allowances for business jets, which combined would increase government revenue by some $15.6 billion over 10 years. A joint letter from the 26 groups to

the leadership in the House and Senate, as well as the 12 congressman on the “Super Committee” charged with finding deficit-reduction solutions, urges them to reject “adding fees and taxes onto an industry that represents more than 5.6 percent of the nation’s GDP and supports 11 million jobs.” NBAA took an early stand against the new taxes and said it is “pleased to join with dozens of other major aviation groups in a strong showing of united opposition to more fees.” o

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Nextant planning winglets for 400XT, future projects by Mark Huber Nextant Aerospace is ramping up production of the 400XT conversion for the Beechjet 400A and Hawker 400XP and hiring new talent to handle the influx of work. The company also announced that it is beginning a program to offer winglets on the jet and already has begun to study

the next aircraft for conversion, according to Nextant president James Miller. Nextant has four completed aircraft here at NBAA: one at its booth (No. C13113), one at the static display and two available for demonstration flights to qualified customers from the Flight Options

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Nextant’s 400XT conversion package for the Hawker 400XP includes new engines and avionics upgrades.

facility at McCarran International Airport. The $3.9 million 400XT base package includes acquisition of the used aircraft and replacement of the original Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-5 engines with Williams International FJ44-3APs, Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics, new paint and an up-to-date interior that replaces the soundproofing blankets, refoams and recovers the seats and adds new headliner, window liners, drink rails, sidewalls, carpeting and veneer. New in-cabin closet storage increases the overall baggage capacity to 53.2 cu ft or 800 pounds. Customers can choose from four floor plans, all with single seats for five to seven passengers. Interiors can be further enhanced from a list of options relating to in-flight entertainment equipment and LED lighting. The Rockwell Collins Venue cabin management system is a $120,000 option. Venue includes a high-definition media center with file server; Blu-ray player; HD video wired to each seat; dual 1080p 10.6inch HD monitors; four iPod/iPhone docking stations; 3-D moving map; programmable switches at each seat position, in the galley and the lav; downwash, seat, and table lighting controls; cabin temperature controls; and controls for optional I-Shade electronically dimmable window shades. I-Shades provide a range of tints from 99.5-percent light blockage to fully clear. More monitors can be added at additional cost. Passenger device power and connectivity comes from 110-volt AC and Ethernet receptacles mounted on either side of the cabin in the lower sidewalls near the aft edge of each fold-out table. Airborne connectivity is via Aircell’s Axxess (Iridium) voice and data communication system. Serialized Production

Nextant’s goal–unlike that of many past re-engine and refurbishment programs–is serialized production, although it has sold conversion packages for several customer-owned airplanes. However, in the main the company is buying used aircraft and converting and selling them. “The vast majority of our customers want to buy the 400XT like you would buy a new airplane, with a deposit, progress payments and final payment,” Miller said. Nextant is slated to complete eight to 10 aircraft this year, deliver 26 Continued on page 117 u

Trimble official disputes LightSquared GPS claims by Harry Weisberger

Nexcelle nacelles set to envelop new GE engines by Mark Huber Nexcelle (GE Aviation, Booth No. 1833) is developing the nacelles for two new engines from GE Aviation and CFM International, a partnership between GE and Safran for business and commercial aircraft: the GE Passport 20 and the CFM International Leap-X1C. The Passport 20 (formerly TechX) is being developed for the new Bombardier 7000 and 8000 long-range heavy business jets that are slated to enter service beginning in 2016. China’s Comac C919 twin-engine regional jet will be powered by the Leap-X. Cincinnati-based Nexcelle is a joint venture between Middle River Aircraft Systems and Aircelle, suppliers of nacelles, thrust reversers and aerostructures. Nexcelle president Steve Walters said the nacelles and thrust reversers are

of both surface and aviation GPS service. “GPS receivers do not encroach on LightSquared’s spectrum and are designed appropriately,” Kirkland’s letter to the House committee noted. It added, “LightSquared’s contention that GPS receivers should have been designed differently…to avoid interference depends entirely on its inaccurate claim that the FCC authorized nationwide terrestrial service and terrestrialonly services in the MSS band in 2005. GPS receivers were designed in expectation that the ‘quiet neighborhood’ in which MSS service was originally authorized would be maintained.” Furthermore, the coalition charges that “LightSquared is directly responsible for interference to high-precision GPS receivers, but still refuses to accept responsibility for costs of replacing these receivers if and when new technology becomes available.” The letter cites both the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the FCC as calling for “more testing of GPS devices in the presence of signals from LightSquared’s lower 10 MHz of spectrum.” The letter to Congress concludes by noting a substantial cost impact of interference to GPS and the adverse effect of LightSquared’s planned implementation on the nation’s military forces. GPS currently fuels annual economic activity of between $68 billion and $122 billion, and “an estimated $3 trillion worth of commerce relies on GPS for tracking, timing and navigation” worldwide. o part of an integrated propulsion system (IPS) being developed in close cooperation with the engine manufacturer that will employ common design, operational practices and supply chains to speed development and simplify customer care once the engines are in service. Walters said the new nacelle anti-icing technology on the Passport 20 and LeapX engines use directed-flow pneumatic nozzle technology that was first developed for the GE/Honda HF120 engines on the HondaJet. The directed-flow nozzle technology more efficiently distributes or swirls engine bleed air than traditional nacelle deicing systems and therefore requires less bleed air. Walters said it demonstrated Nexcelle’s ability to leverage technology across the spectrum of GE engine platforms. The IPS will also include target thrust reversers with movable “kicker plates” that mitigate aerodynamic leakage and turbulence while the aircraft is in flight. The plate moves in place while the engines are in forward thrust and retracts when the engines are placed into reverse. Walters estimates that the plates will save an average 0.25 percent in fuel burn. o

if it’s monday, it’s wash day

MARIANO ROSALES

The Coalition to ‘Save Our GPS,’ through vice president and general counsel Jim Kirkland of founding member Trimble, has responded to claims by LightSquared, which is seeking approval for a terrestrial broadband communication service in a frequency spectrum very close to that of GPS. Writing to the Strategic Forces Subcommittee of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, Kirkland categorically refuted claims by made by LightSquared. Specifically, the coalition stated that, “General Shelton is correct that LightSquared has proposed a new and fundamentally different use of the MSS band adjacent to GPS.” Its plan, the letter continues, “would represent a major policy change as well as a major change in spectrum use.” The coalition also pointed out that various assertions made by LightSquared are “clearly calculated either to hide or justify a multibillion-dollar spectrum windfall for its owners.” The mobile satellite spectrum that Harbinger Capital acquired from LightSquared’s predecessor in March 2010 was originally awarded for free, the coalition noted. Its current value, if limited to satellite use, is estimated at $2 billion, “but $12 billion if it can be used for unrestricted terrestrial mobile broadband services,” said the coalition. It added that the White House has pressured the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fast-track the LightSquared application, despite warnings from military and industry experts that the LightSquared plan, as presented, would jeopardize the integrity

With the 64th NBAA Convention opening today, everyone is busy glamorizing their offerings for those who kick tires and light the fires.

Danny Suber, Vice President Sales & Marketing:

Jet Parts, Inc. has been supporting Falcon and Hawker Flight Departments for 18 years. Our mission since inception has been to provide an affordable alternative for parts support compared to the aircraft manufacturer. Right now, the OEM's are beginning to lock up the aftermarket parts support due to the fact that the economy has shifted and new aircraft are no longer able to sell. Now more than ever, it is important that as an operator of an aircraft, you have options in order to create savings within your organization. When it comes to spares, Jet Parts, Inc. is able to provide OEM overhauled units at a discount and the most important part of it is that we have always valued the classic fleet. Since ILS and Partsbase came into existence, it has become common knowledge that most people respond to the lowest possible price only to find out later on that additional bills are sure to follow. Jet Parts, Inc. believes in providing options to avoid this, rentals, exchanges, cost plus transactions and more. I am the first to say that we are not the cheapest, but that is because we try to quote our customers an OEM quality part the right way the first time. It's about trust and we aim to earn your trust. You can't do that by listing parts that you don't have, or quoting exchanges below the cost of Overhaul to get an operator to provide you the PO just so you can make it up later which has become a very common practice. Jet Parts, Inc. will continue to provide this publication to inform our customers as to specific market changes. Each quarter, we will focus on

very specific issues that affect your aircraft and your parts. We specialize in parts and we feel it is our responsibility to inform our customers as to what is happening with the parts that make your airplane operate/perform!

Pick up Your Copy of Parts Perspective Visit us at BOOTH #N2111 www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 113

news clips z Tempus Jets Buys Global Trip Support Tempus Jets has purchased Global Trip Support, which will now be called Tempus Global Trip Support. The acquired company, which had been based in Las Vegas, will move to Pagosa Springs, Colo., where it will continue to offer flight-planning services for individuals, corporations and governments. According to Tempus, which is exhibiting here at Booth No. C13525, the acquisition allows it to expand its aviation service capabilities, which include charter brokerage and aircraft sales and management. At the same time, Global Trip Support gains access to Tempus’s worldwide offices and resources, including what Tempus says is the world’s largest fleet of Bombardier Global Express jets.

z Hawker Shanghai Wins First Part 145 Ticket Hawker Pacific Shanghai (Booth No. N2501) has become the first dedicated business aviation center to receive Part 145 maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). Located at Shanghai’s Hongqiao International Airport, the 4,000-sq-m facility can accommodate aircraft up to Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 size. The announcement came at the NBAA show this week, when general manager Carey Matthews said, “With this final piece of the jigsaw, we now have the fundamentals in place to provide new levels of confidence in aircraft ownership to both aircraft owners and manufacturers alike.” His point is pertinent, because facilities and skills shortages are key barriers to growth to the potentially large corporate aviation market in China. Several OEMs have provided extra technical support to operators to support the arrival of their products into the country. Hawker Pacific’s flagship FBO, which opened in 2010, is next door to the new MRO facility and will play a key role in next year’s Asian Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (ABACE), scheduled for March 27-29, 2012. This marks the fourth edition and resumption of the show, which is jointly sponsored by the NBAA and the Asian Business Aviation Association. ABACE was cancelled in 2009 because of the economic downturn, but organizers are confident that next year will be a success, with most of the major business jet manufacturers already signed up to exhibit.

z CAN Receives $21K Donation Corporate Angel Network (CAN)–which flies cancer patients and their families to treatment using donated space on business jets–will receive a $21,000 donation here at the show. The money represents proceeds from an advertising campaign that recognizes corporate flight departments for their participation in the program. Safe Flight Instrument, ConocoPhillips and Business & Commercial Aviation magazine cosponsor the annual campaign, which began in 2001. CAN participants being honored this year are Nestle Purina PetCare, ParkerHannifin, ITT and Cigna. The $21,000 check will be presented to CAN executive director Peter Fleiss at 4 p.m. tomorrow at the ConocoPhillips booth (No. C10620).

Bizav boutique opens in posh London ’hoods by Charles Alcock The Jet Business is taking aircraft sales right to billionaire main street with the opening in London of what it claims is the first storefront retail outlet of its type. The first store in the new chain is due to open this week at Hyde Park Corner right where three of the UK capital’s most exclusive neighborhoods–Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Mayfair–converge. Now it is laying plans to open a store in the Chinese capital Beijing and, eventually, another in New York City. Right at the heart of the business aviation boutique is a mockup of an Airbus ACJ319 cabin with a sample interior that can be removed to allow other manufacturers’ cabins to be represented in the space. At the front end of the ACJ cabin, which has been developed by UK-based interiors specialist Design Q, is a conference room area, which leads back into a bedroom. Beyond the cabin mockup is a private meeting room featuring a large video wall on which sample interiors can be displayed, as well as extensive data about available aircraft options. On the other side of the store, separated by a 26-foot video wall, is a “trading floor” area with six workstations–designed to look like cockpits–where The Jet Business’s team of sales executives and technical experts work to match the preferences of prospective clients with available aircraft. The store also has legal and financial expertise on site to help to close deals on the spot. The move into direct retailing

of private jets is the brainchild of Steven Varsano. He told AIN that after 32 years in aircraft sales it still amazes him that people are willing to buy and trade aircraft with little or no face-to-face contact. In his view, business aviation could significantly expand its client base–especially in emerging markets–if customers had a more user-friendly way to get acquainted with what it has to offer. The company mainly trades in preowned aircraft but can also get involved in transactions for new aircraft delivery positions. Personalizing Business

Since 1979, Versano has completed more than 300 aircraft transactions with a combined value of more than $3 billion, more often representing buyers rather than sellers. “The lack of personalization still amazes me,” he commented, pointing out that he will make a two-day trip for a one-hour meeting with key clients. In Versano’s view, today there is even more need for places where buyers can get independent advice about aircraft options, because so many new customers from markets such as the Middle East and Asia have had no previous exposure to business aviation. “Buyers today are often not educated as to the available options,” said Versano. “Part of this is due to the arrival of instant wealth and the fact that people are not following the normal progression [of starting out with a small aircraft and working up through product lines].” Versano believes that some

well-qualified would-be aircraft buyers have simply walked away from business aviation because they find the existing sales process so unsatisfactory. In his view, it is simply too inconvenient for them to have individual meetings with all the aircraft manufacturers, in each case only being shown options from that company’s portfolio. The Jet Business store is intended quite literally as a one-stop-shop where buyers can view an array of available options and discuss these in a neutral environment. During visits to the store, clients can sit down with The Jet Business team and use customized iPads to work through various options and sets of data (all of which can be viewed on the large screens). The company has developed its own application for the aircraft selection process, prompting buyers to address four core questions: how much do they want to spend on an aircraft, what payload and range do they need and what is their preference in terms of aircraft age. So why start in London, given that the UK economy is hardly in robust health? Very simply, London continues to be the world’s busiest hub for ultrahigh-net-worth individuals from around the planet. Within walking distance of the new store are neighborhoods that are heavily populated by massively wealthy expatriate communities from across the Middle East, Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, Asia and Africa. The store’s discrete entrances and exits allow these prospective aircraft buyers to come and go as they please, and the windows can be dimmed for even more privacy. They will enjoy generous hospitality during their visits. “Think of it as free Starbucks for billionaires,” said Versano. o

no Tow zone The Stemme S10-VT parked amongst the myriad business steeds at Henderson Executive Airport requires no external assist to get aloft. Look closely and you will see the spinning prop.

Visitors to this year’s NBAA show can wave goodbye to sore shoulders with a brand new app from SmartBag. The company’s new Digital Tradeshow Bag uses Quick Response (QR) code technology, which enables iPhone users to scan icons displayed on participating booths. Attendees can then download exhibitors’ marketing materials directly to their own devices. The software saves time and money, while cutting paper waste. The SmartBag is available for Apple platforms today, with Android and BlackBerry versions coming soon. Users wishing to try the new tool should go to www. digitalsmartbag.com and look out for QR codes at the show.

114 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

MARIANO ROSALES

z SmartBag Saves Sore Shoulders

news clips z Barden To Address Employee Shortage Sheryl Barden, president of Aviation Personnel International, will be a panelist at the NBAA Safety Town Hall tomorrow. The session, set for 9 to 11 a.m. in room N232, will cover ways to develop and train business aviation safety professionals; ways to foster and measure change regarding safety, equipment, data collection and other key areas; and ways to recruit effectively and avoid personnel shortages. San Francisco-based API, which is celebrating 40 years in aviation, claims to be the longestrunning recruiting business focused exclusively on corporate and private flight departments.

CY CYR

z Briley Aviation Buys Compliance Group

winging it A worker assembles a model of the Falcon 7X at the Dassault Falcon Jet exhibit. Even replicas of the real things occasionally need a little TLC from a well-trained professional.

GE Aviation’s IVHM boosts fault detection by Harry Weisberger will be included in the G650 type certificate when the aircraft enters service, expected in 2012. One of its main advantages, Baker said, is that the IVHM can predict maintenance issues, turning unscheduled events into manageable scheduled maintenance before a part or system becomes an issue. As a recent example, Baker said, an operator was trying to solve an aircraft system issue. “There were about 16 days’ worth of indications–but within limits– on the systems that could have helped them understand what was happening. On the 16th day a light went on, the system was squawked, but nothing out of line was found. The aircraft was dispatched. After another three days the light went on again. The assumption was a

z Honeywell and Universal Team On Service Universal Weather and Aviation (Booth No. C8926) and Honeywell (Booth No. N4500) have joined forces to provide extra flight services support for business aviation operators. Honeywell will augment its Global Data Center (GDC) offering with flight permits plus global ground handling, concierge and security services provided by Universal Weather. Meanwhile Universal Weather’s customers will be able to access Honeywell’s GDC and Flight Sentinel real-time flight following packages. GDC facilitates flight planning, while Flight Sentinel mitigates air traffic delays in the U.S. The companies will not charge subscribers extra for the upgraded services, which are “avionics agnostic,” according to Carl Esposito, Honeywell v-p of marketing and product development. However, he added that the GDC tools work particularly well with the company’s Primus Epic cockpits. Esposito said that his company has no immediate plans to offer Flight Sentinel internationally, but he does not rule out the possibility for expanding the service beyond the U.S. in the future.

z Rockwell Taps FlightApps for FOS Support Avionics manufacturer Rockwell Collins (Booth No. C9812) has selected FlightApps of San Francisco to deliver supplemental services including installation, training, customer consultation, application support and hosting for Rockwell Collins’s Ascend Flight Operations System (FOS) software. FlightApps has been providing application hosting services for the FOS software since 2008, and Rockwell Collins purchased the rights to the software in January. FlightApps hosting is expected to bring a new level of mobility and accessibility to flight departments using FOS. “We are very proud to work with Rockwell Collins,” said Dave Purvis, vice president of professional services for FlightApps. “Their road map for the development of the application along with our technical resources and support will surely bring valuable tools to the industry, many of which have not yet been seen in business and general aviation.”

z Nextant 400XT Gets True Blue Power

BARRY AMBROSE

GE Aviation has been awarded two contracts from Gulfstream Aerospace to provide Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) technology for the Gulfstream G650 business jet. IVHM will power Gulfstream’s PlaneConnectHTM (health and trend monitoring) system as it continuously manages and analyzes data throughout the flight, logging health information for engines, avionics, power, cabin and other aircraft systems. Wireless connectivity links every aircraft to a ground services network, which will provide a Web-based service delivering a real-time picture of aircraft health. Both GE Aviation (Booth No. N1833) and Gulfstream are showcasing IVHM capabilities here at the NBAA show. GE is running video that addresses the advances in predictive data analysis and anomaly detection. Meanwhile Gulfstream, at its display, is providing a walk-though demonstration and video of the PlaneConnectHTM process. Norm Baker, GE Aviation director of vehicle health products and services, explains what is billed as the first comprehensive health management system for business jets, which Gulfstream and the operator can access 24/7 from anywhere in the world. GE’s IVHM technology

false sensor. Our system predicts an incipient failure before it actually manifests. We actually showed that 16 days earlier they had an issue with that system, and pinpointed it to a faulty valve. “The IVHM on board looks at influence factors; how the system interacts with itself. It will point you right where you need to look,” said Baker. GE’s IVHM, predictive rather than reactive, simplifies the troubleshooting procedure. With an open standard architecture it can bring consistency to a mixed fleet, minimize non-critical maintenance and, allow quicker return to service. GE has also developed technology with prognostic capabilities that will become the future of health management in business and general aviation. The system leverages GE’s experience in aircraft health diagnostics and prognostic analytics dating back to 1991 when GE developed the world’s first certified health and usage monitoring system (HUMS) for helicopters. o

Briley Aviation is expanding its involvement in the private aviation field by purchasing Assessment Compliance Group (Booth No. C12140), a manual- and SMS-development, training and online technical support services company based in Annapolis, Md. ACG, which was founded in 1996, has developed a proprietary online safety management center as well as more than 2,000 manuals. The company has assisted 220 operators, which is nearly half of the IS-BAO-registered operators that have developed a flight operations manual and implemented a safety management system. Briley Aviation is part of the privately held Briley Group, a multinational company with holdings valued at more than $2 billion.

Gulfstream is providing a walk-through demo and video here of the PlaneConnect HTM process. GE Aviation has developed the IVHM technology.

True Blue Power (Booth No. N1911) announced that it is providing its MD835 nanophosphate lithium-ion emergency power supply on the Nextant 400XT, replacing the lead-acid emergency power supplies on the Beechjet 400A. The Nextant 400XT is a re-engined and refurbished derivative of the 400A and the Hawker 400XP. True Blue says its new power supply has twice the life expectancy of the old lead-acid battery systems.

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 115

Standard Aero fulfills old promises

Augusta, Ga. service centers. New PW305 engine service adds to StandardAero capabilities that already include the Honeywell TFE731, TPE331, HTF7000 and CFE738 engines, the GE CF34 and the Rolls-Royce AE3007, as well as Honeywell’s APUs. Also noted was StandardAero’s FastLane guaranteed 14-day compressor zone inspection turn-time, which is now averaging just 11 days and in some cases as low as six days. StandardAero announced an expansion into parts trading as part of a strategic business focus that includes buying and selling parts for business aviation aircraft. This includes APUs, whole engines, avionics and airframe components. “Given the breadth

by Kirby J. Harrison the promises made at last year’s NBAA convention. Among the promises kept is an expansion of its mobile service teams in North America, bringing the total to 11, with a twelfth planned by the end of the year. While based in North America, the teams provide worldwide coverage. The two most recent additions to the network include one in Scottsdale, Ariz., and one in Dallas, Ga., near Atlanta. The twelfth team is to be located in northern Delaware, likely Wilmington. Also planned is a Northeast-based mobile service team specializing in avionics. StandardAero has also continued to move ahead with its StandardAero’s Marc McGowan says the company is busy fulfilling promises made at last year’s NBAA convention.

Comlux launches bizav Sukhoi Superjet 100 by Jeff Burger SuperJet International, manufacturer of the new Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional airliner, announced here at the NBAA show that Comlux The Aviation Group will be the launch customer for an executive variant of the aircraft. The agreement covers two Sukhoi Business Jets (SBJs) and options for two more. Each aircraft costs $50 million (including interior completion), so the deal is worth $200 million. “Comlux is a very impressive company,” SuperJet CEO Carlo Logli told AIN. He added that the deal “was a logical step to increase our product portfolio and increase our sales forecast.” Comlux president Richard Gaona said his company expects to begin operating the airplanes by 2015 and is buying them “to prepare ourselves for the future.” He added that Comlux may well “extend the deal for another six or up to 10” additional aircraft. The company already has 19 business aircraft and has eight more on order or in the completion phase. SuperJet International expects to sell an additional 80 to 100 SBJs over the next 20 years, according to Logli. The company anticipates much higher sales– about 1,000 aircraft over the same

period–for its 100-seat, $32-million regional airliner, which first entered service last April. The company has already taken orders for 168 of these, including 30 each from Russia’s Aeroflot, Bermudabased Pearl Aircraft and Indonesia’s Kartika Airlines. “Of course, we cannot survive with [just the SBJ’s sales] volume but it’s a profitable segment [of the market], which can increase our brand image,” said Logli, who noted two key differences between the executive and regional versions of the aircraft. The executive jet, he said, has a 4,300-nm range–more than double that of the regional airliner version–thanks to its six

support of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW300 series with the introduction of PW305 service at the StandardAero facility in Houston. The company is also planning to expand worldwide through a series of new partnerships. While the greater part of its business is in North America, the new partnerships will begin in Europe and move on to the Russia, India and China markets. The company is also expanding its engine product lines to match its airframe capabilities as part of its CompleteCare service philosophy. At this point, all maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) support for the PW307 and PW308 engines is in Springfield, Ill. Additional PW300 series service rollouts are planned at the Los Angeles and

Larger BBJs delayed by Mark Huber

additional fuel tanks. The other major difference is that the SBJ offers a spacious and “completely fresh” interior designed for VIP passengers. At 4,192 cu ft, it is “the largest [cabin] in its category,” claimed Logli. While Logli said that his company’s business model offers a “similar layout” to Boeing’s BBJ and Airbus’s ACJ, he emphasized that SuperJet International doesn’t intend for the SBJ to compete with such aircraft, which have significantly greater range and larger cabins. The executive version of the Superjet, he said, competes more directly with Embraer’s Lineage 1000, which has a similar price tag, cabin size and range. “We’re talking about 4,300 nautical miles,” Logli said. “This is our segment. In our segment, we are definitely very well placed.” SuperJet International is a joint venture by Rome-based Alenia Aeronautica and Russia’s Sukhoi Holding (49 percent). o SuperJet CEO Carlo Logli (left) and Comlux president Richard Gaona shake on the deal.

116 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

MARIANO ROSALES

StandardAero is here bearing the fruits of its labors over the past year. And according to v-p of business development strategy Marc McGowan, it is in no small part a matter of fulfilling

and global reach of StandardAero’s MRO network, we recognized the business synergies involved in parts selling and trading, and integrating it into our core operational strategy,” said senior v-p for business aviation Scott Taylor. Finally, StandardAero announced that it has entered into an exclusive agreement with Honeywell for shop-level maintenance of TFE731 rental bank engines. The first rental bank engine was recently received at StandardAero’s Los Angeles facility. “By maintaining a bank of rental engines, our customers are assured that their downtime will be kept to a minimum and their costs the lowest possible,” said Taylor. o

Boeing Business Jets president Steve Taylor yesterday revealed at NBAA 2011 that the well-publicized delays of the company’s commercial 787 and 747-8I twin-aisle aircraft programs would affect deliveries of these models to VIP completion centers. Delivery of the first 787 BBJ is now slipping to 2014 from 2012 and the first 747-8I VIP slipped from late this year to early next. Even though that 747-8I had been built months ago, it was awaiting the incorporation of minor changes based on program flight test, before aircraft certification and delivery. Taylor likened it to crossing the Ts and dotting the Is. “It’s not a big deal; it’s not big news,” he said. He also confirmed that the bulk of the BBJ backlog is now in the new twin-aisle jets and that it was likely that the first single-aisle BBJ with the new CFM Leap-X engine would be based on the 737 MAX-8, an aircraft equivalent in size to the current BBJ-2. “The backlog includes as many twin-aisles as it does 737 variants,” he said. Ordered VIP 787s currently stand at 12. Orders of 747-8I VIPs have grown over the summer from eight to nine. Year-to-date, Boeing had taken orders for five BBJs– two BBJs, one BBJ-C, and one 747-8I VIP. Additionally, the company had delivered five aircraft: four BBJs and one BBJ-C. The bulk of BBJ customers continue to be governments and private individuals who together account for 87

percent of all BBJ sales. Taylor also noted the growth of BBJ charter operators, particularly in Asia, with four different charter BBJ operators there: Beijing Airlines, Deerjet, Korean Airlines, and Metro Jet. Taylor also said Boeing is working more with Asian designers, including Air Jet Design of Shanghai. Boeing also recently licensed its first Asian completion center, Taeco. The 787 delays mean that four of the 12 VIP aircraft on order will be delivered in 2014. Boeing originally hoped that a more staggered delivery schedule with allowances for “lessons learned” for those aircraft would help it avoid technical and schedule difficulties akin to those on the original green BBJ deliveries of 737-based jets in the late 1990s. Taylor said that three of the first four 787 BBJ deliveries would be truly “green” or uncompleted aircraft but that the second will be delivered with an all-business-class-type, airline-style interior. He also repeatedly has cited Boeing’s improved data sharing and engineering support for completion centers as strategies likely to mitigate any future difficulties. As the BBJ fleet gains in maturity (more than 90 of the 205 BBJs now have more than 10 years of service), Boeing Commercial Aviation Services is coming up with retrofits and modifications for them. Taylor specifically mentioned a new carbon brake retrofit that takes 700 pounds off the empty weight of a 737-based BBJ. o

uContinued from page 112

400XTs in 2012 and approximately 36 per year thereafter. Already, the program has received an order worth $150 million to convert 40 Model 400A/XPs for Flight Options, a sister company to Nextant. Flight Options is the nation’s secondlargest fractional share program and at one time operated 120 Model 400A/XPs. Through August, Nextant had 53 orders in hand including those from Flight Options. Miller said that the company is in the process of staffing up to 105 employees

by year’s end and had plans to add 30,000 sq ft to its current 100,000-sq-ft main hangar, shop and office facility. “We’ve got some great talent from Wichita and Tucson,” he said, referring to business jet OEMs in those locations that have had large layoffs. Over the summer Nextant worked to train staff and to implement lean manufacturing processes that have driven conversion times down from 14 to eight weeks. Miller thinks that can ultimately be reduced to seven. In October 2010, Hawker Beechcraft

The 400XT’s interior upgrade includes replacing the soundproofing blankets, refoaming and recovering the seats and adding new headliner, window liners, drink rails, sidewalls, carpeting and veneer.

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announced its own conversion program for the 400A/XP, called the 400XPR. The $2.24 million XPR package requires customers to bring their own aircraft to a Hawker Beechcraft service center. Like the Nextant program, this one adds Pro Line 21 avionics and Williams engines (in this case the FJ44-4A-32), and a refurbished interior. The 400XPR also includes winglets. Developing Winglets

Miller said Nextant is working with Winglet Technology to develop winglets for the 400XT that will be similar in appearance to Winglet’s Cessna Citation X products. Nextant plans to begin flying shapes early next year. The winglets’ performance design goals are to increase range by 8 percent on a five-hour trip to near 2,200 nm and achieve overall fuel burn improvement of 6 to 8 percent. The winglets should also give the 400XT significantly better high/hot performance. Nextant hasn’t yet set a price or delivery date for the winglets, but Miller predicted that the price will be “very attractive.” Nextant will likely make an announcement about a follow-on project to the 400NXT by year’s end. “It will be a bigger airplane, but not too much bigger,” Miller said. “Like the 400 it will be a basically solid airframe that needs more power, better fuel burn, new avionics, an aerodynamic cleanup and more baggage space.” o

GLOBAL EXPRESS STC

Mark your calendar for these upcoming NBAA events 2012 Jan. 15-18 Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, San Diego Feb. 22-23 Annual Leadership Conference, San Diego March 12-15 International Operators Conference, San Diego March 27-29 Asian Business Aviation Conference and Exhibition, Shanghai, China May 14-16 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland Oct. 30-Nov. 1 65th Annual Meeting & Convention, Orlando, Fla. 2013 May 14-16 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland October 22-24 66th Annual Meeting & Convention, Las Vegas 2014 May 13-15 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland Oct. 21-23 67th Annual Meeting & Convention, Orlando, Fla

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www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 117

Aerion’s tech subsidiary brings laminar flow to subsonics by Bill Carey Supersonic business jet developer the [Aerion Technologies] initiative Aerion Corp. (Booth No. N5707) says we have engaged with a number of it has gained traction among aircraft OEMs on their internal projects and manufacturers with its new aerody- we continue to work with them on namics consultancy–Aerion Technol- those projects.” Barents declined to idenogies–since the subsidiary tify the aircraft manufacwas launched in May at the turers with which Aerion European Business AviaTechnologies is worktion Convention and Exhiing, but said the subsidbition (EBACE). iary is “under contract and Aerion Technologies actively involved” in spewas formed to help origicific projects using its NLF nal equipment manufacturdesign tool in high subsonic ers (OEMs) apply its natural and transonic flight regimes. laminar flow (NLF) airfoil design expertise for faster and Aerion CFO Doug Nichols explained, “The projects more efficient subsonic airare focused on assessing the craft. Aerion, based in Reno, performance improvements Nev., says it has developed Aerion vice chairman Brian that can be gained from an one of the industry’s most Barents, formerly chief application of Aerion techextensive portfolios of NLF executive of both Learjet nology, either in terms of test data and methodology and Galaxy Aerospace substantially higher speed for aircraft design, manufacor substantially improved efficiency– ture and operation. “We’ve been quite busy,” Aerion that is, longer range for a given fuel vice chairman Brian Barents told load or substantially less fuel for a AIN. “Since the time we announced given mission, which then involves this

JC_AIN_Sept11_JC_AIN 15/09/2011 12:50 Page 1

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Aerion continues development of its eight- to 12-seat, Mach 1.6 supersonic business jet. The company says its has $4 billion in orders for the future jet and is seeking manufacturing partners for the project.

virtuous cycle of lower gross weight, lower fuel, lower thrust.” Mach 1.6 SBJ in the Works

Launched in 2002 and led by billionaire businessman and philanthropist Robert Bass, Aerion continues engineering development of its own design–the eight- to 12-seat, Mach 1.6 Aerion supersonic business jet (SBJ), although the company had no manufacturing partners at this writing. Aerion says it has $4 billion in orders for the future jet, based on letters of intent (LOI) backed by $250,000 refundable deposits. The LOI establishes a base price for the SBJ of $80 million in 2007 dollars; identifies a base configuration for the aircraft, including range, maximum weight and general interior

configuration; and ensures a delivery position. Aircraft deliveries would begin five to six years after the formation of a joint venture to complete SBJ development, production and certification, the company has said. The LOI backlog has held up through the economic downturn, said Barents, formerly chief executive of both Learjet and Galaxy Aerospace. “We’ve had some movement in and out of the order book. For all intents and purposes, we’re at about the same level [of $4 billion]. We look at that as being successful, particularly considering that we haven’t had any major announcements to make with regard to putting together the consortium to develop and build the airplane.” With regard to manufacturing partners, Barents said, “I don’t think there’s

ANALYSIS SERVICES DRIVEN

any question that the state of the economy has had some adverse effect on discussions with potential risk-sharing partners to develop the supersonic airplane. Having said that, looking at the market in general, it’s almost been bifurcated such that the small and medium-size jets are still struggling, but the larger airplanes that sell for in excess of $30 million or $40 million are still doing quite well, not only in the U.S. but in some of the developing markets around the world. From an interest point of view of the Aerion airplane, we’ve been in that category.”

The first test article “was instrumented in such a way that we could really understand the very complex aerodynamic flows underneath the aircraft, given that it’s a fairly dirty environment with the large inlets of the engines and all of the other flows that are going on where the test article is attached,” Nichols explained. “The key engineering challenge was to accurately map those existing aerodynamic flows so our instrumentation could account for them, and we could then accurately collect and understand the data we’re going to develop under F-15B Test Bed this next series of tests.” At last year’s NBAA ConHe described the next test vention, Aerion announced article as “a representative, preliminary results of five nearly full-chord, but limdata-gathering flights using ited-span airfoil. It’s more a flat-plate aerodynamic test than a flat plate.” The strucarticle mounted on an F-15B ture would be attached to fighter operated by NASA’s the underside of the F-15 Dryden Flight Research Cen- Aerion Corp. CFO Douglas to measure laminar airflow ter. Static pressures recorded Nichols, formerly CFO of over its surface. “This series at 60 points on the flat plate at Boeing Business Jets of flight tests will be focused varying speeds and altitudes on a test article that will were compared with values predicted by allow us to assess surface quality robustaircraft computer models. The test flights ness requirements in order to maintain a were designed to map the flow field under large expanse of laminar flow across full the F-15 in order to calibrate instrumenta- chord,” Nichols said. “This next phase is tion for the next test article, which Aerion important to us and we expect to complans to fly by year-end, subject to the avail- plete it by the end of the year, subject to ability of NASA’s aircraft. NASA’s schedule.” o

BY QUALITY AND EXPERIENCE

Aerosonic avionics is aboard first KAI T-50 for export sale by Bill Carey Avionics manufacturer Aerosonic (Booth No. C13225) received a new purchase order from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) this summer to supply air data systems for T-50 Golden Eagle jet trainers sold to Indonesia, Korea’s first T-50 export customer. Aerosonic, based in Clearwater, Fla., supplies precision flight products for commercial, business and military aircraft. The company’s range of primary flight and standby instruments and displays provide altitude, airspeed, rateof-climb, cabin pressure, differential pressure, angle-of-attack, vertical speed and cabin rate-of-change readings. The company also manufactures the Oasis battery-backup standby instrument, which measures a compact three inches and comes with its own sensor module. Oasis displays airspeed, altitude and attitude and offers optional heading, vertical speed, slip/skid and rate of turn. The T-50 is an indigenous Korean supersonic trainer and light attack aircraft powered by General Electric’s F404-GE-102 turbofan. In late May Indonesia’s Defense

Ministry selected KAI to provide 16 T-50I trainers in a transaction valued at $400 million. The aircraft are to be delivered by the end of 2013. In July 2010 Aerosonic received an order from KAI to provide air data test equipment to provide in-country support of components used on Korean T-50s. The latest order includes the company’s integrated multifunction probe and related equipment. The multifunction probe provides angle-of-attack, indicated total pressure and indicated static pressure readings. It has added sensing ports for impact and static-like pressure on the rotating sensor probe that are used to calculate pitot/static, airspeed, Mach number and altitude. New shipments to KAI are to begin next March, and will ship concurrently with existing orders. “We are proud to play a role and share in the success of the T-50 program and this very important win for Korea Aerospace Industries in their first international T-50 export sale,” said Doug Hillman, Aerosonic president and CEO. o

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James Cannon honored for his advocacy of bizav by Mary F. Silitch This year’s winner of the NBAA John Navy, instructed in A-4 advanced jet trainH. Winant Award is James Cannon, whose ers, teaching carrier landings. He then flew as a Gulfstream II copilatest project is a textbook on business aviation, written with Dr. Frank Richey lot for W.R. Grace and flew a Bombarof Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univer- dier Challenger and GIIB for Texaco. sity. Called Practical Applications in Busi- Cannon and several friends put together ness Aviation Management, the book is to an aviation personnel company, Jet Probe published in November and become a fessionals, which they later sold. He then text for graduate students studying busi- flew a Challenger for Haemonetics, flying ness aviation management. The Winant around the world each quarter. Cannon later joined Home Depot as Award recognizes former NBAA directors chief pilot and, as aviation whose service to business avidirector, built up the flight ation continues well beyond department. With Home their tenure on NBAA’s Board Depot, he said, “I built the of Directors, said NBAA in Global Express from scratch announcing the award. with Bombardier.” After “Jim Cannon has been a being asked by the Home steadfast, effective advocate for Depot CEO to set up a family business aviation in the years operation with a Gulfstream following his work on NBAA’s IV, Cannon flew for the family Board of Directors,” said until he retired in 2008. NBAA president and CEO “I’ve done a lot of interEd Bolen. “His many contriJames Cannon, NBAA’s national flying,” he said, butions have strengthened the John Winant Award winner “and worked with a lot of business aviation community and his legacy of service to the industry has great people.” Cannon is type rated in set a standard for others to follow. We are various Falcons, the Westwind, Gulfhonored to recognize Jim’s dedication with streams and the Bombardier Challenger and Global Express. His favorite corpothe John H. Winant Award.” After he retired from corporate fly- rate airplane? “It’s a tough question,” ing, Cannon told AIN, he “reinvented he said, “but the GIV was probably my himself.” He worked as an International favorite; it’s so versatile.” Cannon served on the NBAA Board Standard for Business Aircraft Operators (IS-BAO) auditor for a year before of Directors from 1995 to 2000, when Don Spruston, director general of the he knew John Winant, who headed International Business Aviation Council the association for many years and was (IBAC), called to ask if he would be IS- associated with the organization for five BAO program director. IS-BAO is a code decades. He has also served as chairman of safety best practices produced by the on the NBAA local committee. In addiIBAC. (Spruston is this year’s recipient of tion to his other activities, Cannon has written more than 60 articles for various NBAA’s Doswell Award.) Cannon found himself in an airplane–a publications. He told AIN that he sold his T-34 trainer–for the first time in 1967 when first article–about speculation on delivery he started training as a U.S. Navy pilot. positions for the Challenger 600 when it He went on to fly carrier-based Grumman was introduced–to Jim Holahan, foundE-2 Hawkeyes, served two deployments to ing editor of NBAA Convention News o Vietnam and, for the last two years in the and Aviation International News.

Start Pac Offers High-Power, Low-Weight Power Supply Las Vegas-based Start Pac is at Booth No. C11040 giving convention-goers a look at its latest lightweight, high-capacity power units for aircraft and airport vehicles. Its new Model 53300 provides DC output up to 300 amperes at 28.5 volts, with over-current, over-voltage and over-temperature protection along with forced-air cooling. The 53300 weighs 40 pounds, including an eight-foot long power cable. Start Pac says it is the lightest 300-ampere power supply on the market and that its dimensions of 20 inches long, eight inches wide and 13 inches high make it one of the smallest. It is one of five power supplies offered by the company, whose inventory also includes nine portable starting units, eight ground power units

120aaNBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

and accessories. The latter comprise 110 and 220 VAC aircraft extension cords, connectors, voltage regulators and covers. Start Pac also markets refurbished units at reduced prices. Start Pac emphasizes the American-made nature of its product line and says it is the “only company to feature the latest technology in lithium batteries and portable battery packs.” The company’s products serve markets ranging from aviation, marine and surface transportation to industrial, construction and mining. The lithium batteries, Start Pac points out, have twice the service life of lead-acid batteries of equivalent energy output and are 42 percent lighter and 32 percent smaller. The company also claims its products are “virtually maintenance-free.” –H.W.

BAe 146 jetliner keeps flying with support from BAe, Falko by Ian Goold Corporate versions of the British Aerospace (BAe) 146 and other variants of the regional jetliner will continue to be supported by the OEM following the $187 million disposal of the company’s assetmanagement division and commercialaircraft lease portfolio. The business, previously part of BAe Systems Regional Aircraft (BAeRA), has been sold to affiliates of certain funds managed by New York-based global investment-management company Fortress Investment Group and now trades as Falko Regional Aircraft. Falko has acquired an operation that manages more than 150 commercial aircraft worth up to $400 million. Previously owned by BAeRA, the fleet includes BAe 146/Avro RJ regional jets, ATP and Jetstream turboprops and other airliners owned by third parties. The business, which boasts 16 lease customers in 11 countries, is said to be the world’s second largest regional jet lessor by fleet value and the tenth biggest by fleet size. First established in 1993, the mainly UKbased BAeRA asset-management activity had concluded more than 1,800 lease,

sale and other transactions valued at more than $3.1 billion. As the OEM and type-certificate holder, BAeRA will support existing and future operators of the fleet in all matters of continued airworthiness, spares, logistics, rate-per-flying-hour spares programs, technical services and modifications. Its maintenance and engineering capacity will be “made available to Falko as required,” said the manufacturer, which supports more than 600 other BAe Systems-built aircraft worldwide. Leasing Business Grows

Soon after opening its books for business, Falko revealed a radical departure from BAeRA’s established pattern: it would buy regional aircraft for lease, rather than mainly manage disposal of a fleet on which the OEM had held leases that originally involved large expense and generated little or no income when not in operation. CEO Jeremy Barnes said Falko would focus on leasing regional aircraft, avoiding larger single-aisle designs dominated by Airbus and Boeing models. “The portfolio

Among early agreements established by Falko Regional Aircraft is the lease of a BAe 146-200 regional jet that Romanian carrier Romavia will operate for presidential and government flights.

yield averages around 20 percent, which compares favorably with most aircraft [lessors],” he said. Barnes’s team includes several former BAeRA managers, including asset-management executive vice president Paul Stirling, senior sales and marketing vice president Steven Doughty and market analyst Rob Morris. Just as BAeRA’s priority when setting up its asset-management division had been to get all the aircraft back into the air at almost any price, so Falko is seeking initially to maximize cash flow from the existing fleet. But, said Barnes, “as an investment-led company we plan to invest in selective acquisitions of used and [later] new aircraft.” Contributing to cash flow will be the sale of assets “when appropriate,” leasing “where possible” and lease extensions to key customers. With completion of the deal–essentially a management buy-in by former BAeRA executives–Falko inherited a mandate to sell a 50-seat Bombardier Dash 8-Q300 on behalf of Morocco’s Royal Air Maroc. Falko also picked up almost 40 other

aircraft available for sale or lease under third-party remarketing mandates. Among early agreements is the lease of a BAe 146-200 for presidential and government flights to be conducted by Romanian carrier Romavia and the sale of two 94-passenger 146-300s to African start-up airline Starbow, which operates from Ghanaian capital city Accra. Another carrier buying the 146 is Indonesian charter operator Aviastar Mandiri, which has added a Series 200 to two examples already flying from Jakarta and Denpasar. The three aircraft are used to connect Indonesia’s principal islands and within central and western Kalimantan. Falko also has arranged the sale of three MD-83s for Colombia’s Avianca, two to Missouri-based Jet Midwest and one to Dallas-based Sierra American. Two other marketing mandates cover surplus ATP freighters for Scandinavia’s West Atlantic and Jetstream 41 freightconversion modifications for South African operator SA Airlink. o

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 121

SAFE FLYING AWARDS > Maintenance/Avionics

Top techs keep the fleet flying by Mary F. Silitch Each year, NBAA recognizes the top aviation maintenance and avionics technicians with excellent safety records who work for member companies. Maintaining corporate aircraft or avionics for three accident-free years is the minimum requirement for an NBAA Safety Award but the actual number of years for many of the top technicians adds up to four decades or more. We have covered the top three–W.L. Kobs of Tri C (47 years of safe operation), John Bahrenburg of Meridian Teterboro/Meridian Air Charter (45 years) and Alberto Martinez of Honeywell International (43 years)–in these pages before. AIN talked with other top A&Ps and avionics technicians for 2010 to learn about their backgrounds and their safety philosophies.

Timothy Detwiler

Chief inspector Johnson & Johnson West Trenton, N.J. 41 Years

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Timothy Detwiler has been with Johnson & Johnson for 13 years and has been chief inspector for the past 10 years. The Johnson & Johnson flight department is based at Trenton Mercer Airport in West Trenton, N.J., and currently operates a Gulfstream G550, a G450, a GIV and a Sikorsky S-76C+ with 18 pilots and 12 maintenance personnel. He told AIN that his favorite aircraft to work on is the Sikorsky. Detwiler started out in aviation when he was in high school. He worked for a local helicopter operator, Carson Helicopters in Perkasie, Pa., part time during the school year and full time in the summer. His job

included traveling throughout the country with the company’s utility/external-lift operations. “I believe that is what sparked my interest in aviation,” he said. After working for Carson, he worked for the Sikorsky Aircraft Division of United Technologies for 10 years, then for Warner Lambert’s flight department for 10 years, before joining Johnson & Johnson. When asked to what he attributed his long safety record, he replied simply: “Attention to details.” Thomas Anderlik

Director of maintenance CNH America Waukegan, Ill. 40 Years

Thomas Anderlik has been director of maintenance with CNH America for 17 years, working on the Dassault

2010 NBAA Top Maintenance/Avionics Awards Presented for maintenance and avionics technicians in recognition of their years of accident-free service.

Name

Company

Years

W.L. Kobs

Tri C, Inc.

John Bahrenburg

Meridian Teterboro/Meridian Air Charter

Alberto Martinez

Honeywell International

Eric Welch

Jet Aviation Holdings USA

Timothy Detwiler

Johnson & Johnson

Forrest Thornton

The Coca-Cola Co.

Thomas Anderlik

CNH America

Robert LeMay

Aerodynamics

Charles Lester

IBM Flight Operations

Donald Wilson

ConocoPhillips Alaska

John Rahl

Marathon Oil

Paul Urevitch

Jet Aviation Holdings USA

Fleet of nine research aircraft, both fixedand rotary-wing

Kenneth Haas

Jet Aviation Holdings USA

Michael Van Buren

The Coca-Cola Co.

Flight simulator model development services

Salvatore Agosta

Jet Aviation Holdings USA

Specialized pilot and engineer training

Gerald Divis

Weyerhaeuser Co.

Richard Nicols

WCF Aircraft

Jay Nielsen

Global Services

Peter Young

FHC Flight Services

Harold Eichholtz

The Coca-Cola Co.

Dan Jasperse

WestShore Aviation Management

Jim Miller

Crownair Aviation

Lawrence Mooney

Humana

Robert Noel

Mayo Aviation

David Romeu

Standard & Poor’s Securities Evaluations, Inc.

Bill Vituj

Amway Aviation

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FILENAME: AD_fl ight-test_BW_E_FINAL_AIN 122 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com AD SIZE: 4.875” w x 6.1875” h

Falcon 900EX, Cessna Citation X and Piaggio Avanti II. The flight department has four fulltime pilots, four part-time pilots, two full-time mechanics and one part-time mechanic. There are also two dispatchers and one office billing person. Before joining CNH, he worked seven years for FMC, which operated a Falcon 20, a Sabreliner 60 and a King Air 90. He spent 17 years at America National Can as director of maintenance, working on a Sabreliner 60 and 65 and a Challenger 600. He worked at Case Corp., which operated a Cessna Citation VII, when it merged with New Holland in 1999, creating CNH. Today CNH comprises three

ADI is a full-service FBO, based at Oakland County International Airport, with Part 121, 135, 125 and 91 operations and a Part 145 repair station. ADI is a Hawker Beechcraft piston aircraft service center and the repair station works on all Beechcraft products plus all the 550 series Cessna Citations, all models

of the CitationJet plus the Gulfstream II, III and IV and Learjet 35, 45 and 60. LeMay attributes his safety record to “excellent management. Our number-one goal is always safety first. We take pride in delivering a 100-percent squawk-free airplane. To achieve that obviously takes good training. The biggest factor is the

Robert LeMay

[founder], Frank Macartney, who started the company in 1959. His love for ADI and his mentoring of all employees is outstanding and he’s made it a first-class operation.” o

A joint venture between Lufthansa Technik AG and Panasonic Avionics Corporation

See us at NBAA 2011,

Booth C9625

Thomas Anderlik

agricultural brands (Case IH, New Holland Ag and Steyr) and three construction equipment brands (Case Construction Equipment, New Holland Construction and Kobelco). In the U.S. Air Force Anderlik did line maintenance on T-33 and T-39 jets. Anderlik told AIN that his favorite aircraft to work on is the Falcon. When asked to what he credited his long safety record, he replied: “Training. Training. Training. From FlightSafety and CAE SimuFlite.” Robert LeMay

Vice president, regional sales representative Aerodynamics, Inc. Waterford, Mich. 40 Years

Robert LeMay earned his A&P certificate while in the U.S. Air Force, working as a jet engine technician. When he completed his military service in 1970, he went to work for Aerodynamics, Inc. (ADI) and he’s been there ever since. LeMay told AIN that his favorite airplane to work on is the Beechcraft King Air B200, although he has moved into management with ADI, be coming vice president, regional sales representative four-and-a-half years ago after serving as vice president/general manager since 1992.

The greatest ideas are simple. This one also flies. In-Flight Entertainment Communications Cabin Management System Media Engineering & Certification

There is a clear idea behind IDAIR. Two industry leaders have joined forces to provide the smartest, most advanced and best designed entertainment and communication solutions for VIP customers. Using the latest technology and the combined innovative power of Lufthansa Technik AG and Panasonic Avionics Corporation, we are set to help you take your travel experience to the next level. See us at booth C9625 and find new ideas for your VIP cabin. IDAIR GmbH Weg beim Jäger 193 · 22335 Hamburg, Germany · Phone +49 40 5070 69416 · info@idair.aero · www.idair.aero

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 123

Associated sees demand for ACJ, BBJ completions by Kirby J. Harrison As demand ramps up for refurbishment and green completion of Airbus ACJs and Boeing Business Jets, Associated Air Center of Dallas is ramping up to capture a goodly market share. The company (Booth No. N6116), part of the StandardAero group, recently delivered its 16th Airbus completion–an ACJ319 for a Russian customer. It is also nearing delivery of its 22nd Boeing Business Jet to an unidentified owner. More to the point, the center has just signed its 17th ACJ green completion job, and said executive v-p and general manager Troy Jonas, “We had a good year in 2010 [and] we’re on track for a better 2011.” Looking ahead to growing demand for cabin refurbishment of ACJs and BBJs that are also coming in for a 12-year s cheduled maintenance event, Associated is prepared, according to Jonas. “The majority of those airplanes haven’t had a cabin upgrade since they were delivered, and those analog electronics are long overdue,” he explained. “Some systems, like high-speed Internet connectivity, weren’t even available then.” Part of that scheduled maintenance is

a major landing gear overhaul that takes 45 days, which executive v-p of sales and marketing Patrick Altuna says is just about right for a quality refurbishment. Altuna also noted that a lot of the original interior outfitting was done at centers that have since closed, “and we’ve already captured some of that business.” “Over the last couple of years,” said Jonas, “we’ve really focused on process

To meet increased demand, Associated has one hangar dedicated to MRO and refurbishment, above, and another, right, dedicated to BBJ completion work.

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124 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

improvement.” That includes the adoption and maintenance of Six Sigma lean process systems. The center is approaching ISO 9100 quality system certification in 2012. “And this year we’ve invested in a fullsize BBJ airframe mockup center to be used for creating and testing new designs, fabrication and systems,” added Jonas. He said that the airframe mockup is expected to reduce aircraft downtime by as much as 10 percent. The re-engineered fuselage allows full-scale fit-checks for cabin components, reducing downtime by allowing work to begin on items such as galley and lavatory cabinetry. And Associated also expects to develop a similar mockup for ACJ completion work.

Associated also expects to modify an existing hangar to allow access for a new Boeing 747-8. The Boeing Business Jets order book for executive conversions of the 747-8 VIP is approaching 10 aircraft and the book for the new 787 VIP is “nearly a dozen.” What this means is that many of these new twin-aisle airplanes will be delivered in a relatively short time-span, and completion centers like Associated are expecting, at least for a time, that demand will outstrip completion center capacity. “We’ve been in this market in the past and we plan to be in the future,” declared Jonas. At this year’s NBAA convention, Associated is sharing space in parent company StandardAero’s new exhibit. o

VT Miltope showcases custom network system VT Miltope is featuring, here at the NBAA show, a network product family with the functionality to create custom airborne systems in the same way business office networks are created. The company, with headquarters in Hope Hull, Ala., is part of VT Systems and a subsidiary of ST Engineering. It specializes in rugged computers

and peripherals “for military, industry and commercial applications where reliable operation of the equipment under demanding

environmental conditions is of paramount importance.” The airborne networking equipment available from VT Miltope supports a variety of telecommunications functions, including communication, WLAN and network management, intranet and Web services, recording and delivery of flight operational quality assurance

data, ACARS communication over Internet protocol and other system software applications. VT Miltope (Booth No. C8023) has added to its family of network products a multifunction access point (nMap) conforming to the IEEE wireless networking 802.11n specification. Developed to incorporate the latest security enhancements,

including WPA and WPA2, nMAP offers the latest technology and operational features for aircraft applications. VT Miltope also makes maintenance computers, Arinc-compliant airborne printers, airborne servers, mass and n etwork storage devices, Ethernet switches, network control panels and portable maintenance access terminals. –H.W.

Catering logistics made easier Just two years old, InflightEx Technology continues to expand and streamline the business and private aviation catering process. The London-based firm provides a direct Web link between schedulers, dispatchers and air crews and quality in-flight caterers at more than 250 U.S. airports and 70 international cities. The InflightEx service is accessible 24/7 from any computer or smartphone Web browser. Among InflightEx’s more practical features is the ability to view costs at the same time as an order is being built. There are built-in system reporting tools to help manage and budget actual catering costs and simplify accounts-payable reconciliation. The user can also ensure detailed preferences by creating aircraft profiles, including galley equipment and food storage restrictions. The InflightEx process also permits creation of comprehensive passenger and crew profiles with dietary needs, allergies, food preferences and favorites for service, atmosphere and entertainment. And if the desired catering is not in the InflightEx database, a simple click on the “other” link allows the user to continue the order. Perhaps most important is order confirmation and constant feedback throughout the entire process. No private information is disclosed by InflightEx, although it does require input of the aircraft’s registration number to track the catering and services orders. Passengers do not need to be identified by their real names if security is a concern. InflightEx is exhibiting at Booth No. N2718. –K.J.H.

Trip Planners:

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 125

Killick secures financing for engine mx Killick Aerospace has completed a series of financing agreements totaling $160 million. Proceeds will be used to

retire existing debt as well as fund continued growth at Killick companies Prime Turbines, CT Aerospace and Kansas

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Aviation. The increased capital will also enable Killick Aerospace to make acquisitions to complement existing product and service offerings. “The $160 million financing will allow Killick Aerospace to respond to organic growth possibilities for Prime Turbines and strategic acquisition opportunities as they arise for us and our sister companies,” said Joe Kolo, vice president and general manager of Prime Turbines (Booth No. N5115). “Prime Turbines is committed to leading the repair and overhaul market. This significant increase in the balance sheet of Killick Aerospace, our parent company, will help Prime Turbines acquire more inventory including whole engines and aircraft for our sister company. “Prime Turbines offers custom enginebuild specifications, and we keep our customers satisfied by providing a variety of options to control costs, unsurpassed turnaround time, superior on-wing performance and exceptional customer service, which ensure continued reliability and performance after the engine leaves the shop,” he added. Prime Turbines is an FAA-approved overhaul facility specializing in the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A series. It operates facilities in Dallas; Hyannis, Mass.; and Pittsburgh, Pa. It provides PT6A engine services to regional airlines, agricultural operators, aircraft sales and leasing companies, corporate flight departments, cargo services and FBOs. “The completion of these [financial] transactions represents a milestone in the development of the Killick Aerospace Group of companies. It will also allow us to continue to invest in product development at our Prime and Kansas subsidiaries,” said Russell Starr, president

FILENAME: AD_re-evaluate_BW_E_FINAL_AIN

Pratt & Whitney PT6A

and CEO of Killick Aerospace. Dallas-based CT Aerospace purchases, overhauls (via third-party FAA-approved MRO facilities) and sells new and used aircraft engines as well as engine and aircraft parts to MRO facilities, leasing companies, aircraft operators and other engine parts distributors and dealers worldwide. Kansas Aviation, located in Independence, specializes in the overhaul and repair of oil/air/fuel-related engine accessories on the PT6A, PT6T, PW100, PW300, JT15D, CJ610, CF700, Allison 250, CF34 and PW901 engines. –D.A.L.

CRS gives away another Harley Aftermarket parts supplier CRS Jet Spares will hold its annual NBAA Harley Davidson motorcycle giveaway contest at Booth No. C10829 tomorrow at 3 p.m. An NBAA exhibitor for more than 20 years, CRS will give one lucky convention attendee a 2011 Harley Davidson Sportster SuperLow XL883L. The company invites all corporate operators, jet owners and maintenance departments here this week to participate in the drawing. CRS Jet Spares also announced that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Gulfstream Aerospace that will allow it to promote, use and provide many Gulfstream services directly to operators. As a Gulfstream Aerospace-approved Harley Davidson Sportster SuperLow XL883L

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126 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com 75627-Million_Air-B-Maintenance_r2.indd 1

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supplier, it supports GII, GIII and GIV models. CRS also supplies operators of a variety of aircraft around the world with component exchanges, sales, provisioning packages, repairs and rental options. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla. company has signed its first Asian total support program operator for one of the newest CRS services. The total support program was developed to assist operators of out-of-production non-warranty Gulfstreams, Challengers, Learjets, Falcons and Hawkers with flexible total support. Jack Caloras, CRS vice president of sales and operations, said, “Our program has been created with the primary focus of providing the operator of an aircraft with peace of mind.” According to CRS, the total support program will help operators achieve savings of up to 25 percent on parts, repairs and administrative costs. –H.W.

Vegas, and on nights when the club is open, the party spills onto the XS pool patio adjacent to Botero’s patio.

The Country Club at Wynn Located in Wynn Las Vegas 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South Reservations optional (702) 248-DINE $$$

Las Vegas

p u d n u o R

Restaurant

“The Secret Pizza Place”

hen dining in Vegas, there are so many options, one can quickly become overwhelmed. With hundreds of steakhouses, sushi bars and other eateries, trying to pick a place just to grab a sandwich can be a challenge.

For example, even though it’s lunch, you might need reservations. You should leave early to get to a

restaurant. The hotel next door is farther than you think. If you have a time constraint, you need to tell your server in the beginning of the meal–that way, you won’t miss a single moment of “O.” You could very easily spend the better part of your evening just choosing where to dine. On the bright side, there’s something for everyone here in Vegas–from a Three-Michelin star restaurant that doesn’t disappoint, to a three-dollar slice of pizza that satiates your late-night cravings. No matter what your budget or favorite cuisine type, Las Vegas has it.

Aureole

Located in Mandalay Bay 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South Reservations recommended (702) 632-7401 $$$

Not many restaurants have a four-story tower of wine bottles in the middle of their dining room. In fact, there’s only one in Las Vegas–and it’s at Aureole. Enter the Adam Tihanydesigned restaurant on the upper level and follow the walkway that winds down around the impressive tower to the main dining room. There, you can watch the wine angels float around the wine tower and choose your favorite bottle of chardonnay. Aureole Las Vegas features seasonal and innovative cuisine from one of America’s top chefs, celebrity chef Charlie Palmer. The menu rotates based on what’s available and in season, but a good way to try the highlights is to let the chef create a tasting menu. One recent interesting offering was braised veal shank with kumquat gremolata, cannellini beans, prosciutto ham tortellini and amaretto cremata.

You can also request a wine pairing with your meal to ensure the wine angels float to the perfect bottle to complement your blue-cheese crusted tenderloin.

Botero

Located in the Encore Las Vegas (702) 248-DINE $$$

Named after Fernando Botero, a Colombian figurative artist, the restaurant at Encore features a giant sculpture of his “Seated Woman” prominently displayed on a centrally located platform. The savory steakhouse menu features cuts of prime beef, such as filet mignon and perfectly seared rib-eye. A nonbeef highlight on the menu is brioche-crusted rack of lamb–a

by Nikki Neu triumph, served with creamy goat cheese polenta. From the sea, Botero offers crispy-skin branzini, a European sea bass, as well as a duet pairing of wild salmon and Arctic char. However, the amazing desserts at Botero make it stand out. Try the peanut-butter pretzel bread pudding with salted caramel popcorn or an amazing blueberry-and-peach crumble with a bourbon cream sauce and toasted almond ice cream. The only thing missing if you choose the s’mores brioche doughnuts–tender donuts coated with graham cracker and served with toasted marshmallow and a rich chocolate ganache–is the campfire. Botero neighbors XS, one of the hottest nightclubs in Las

Botero

128 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Overlooking the 18th hole of the Wynn golf course, the Country Club at Wynn offers classic American cuisine with a Creole twist. The restaurant is situated near the golf course locker rooms and has an old cigar-club feel–oversized leather furniture in the lounge, dark wood accents and plaid papered walls. Of course, nothing beats the view, which is why the dining room features a floor-to-ceiling glass wall and a tranquil outdoor patio. On Sundays, plan to enjoy the Jazz Brunch 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Saturday’s brunch runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Both offer a delicious array of traditional breakfast items like eggs, pastries and pancakes, but also feature shellfish such as oysters, jumbo shrimp and crab legs, as well as house-made smoked whitefish and fresh salads. Spicy Bloody Marys and mimosas are on the menu–just in case you want something more than coffee.

The decor is reminiscent of a Mediterranean ship with nautical lanterns, exposed natural wood elements and oversized Greek urns. There are two private dining rooms available, a bar area and an outdoor patio.

Joël Robuchon

Located in the MGM Grand Reservations highly recommended (702) 891-7925 $$$$

The only Three-Michelin Star Restaurant in Las Vegas, Joël Robuchon is a true triumph. The fine dining room is opulent, over-the-top and everything you would expect from the proclaimed chef of the century. Rich, luxurious purple velvet banquets provide seating in the dining room, where an exquisite crystal chandelier adds elegance to the gold-trimmed off-white walls. A floor-to-ceiling fireplace serves as the room’s focal point. The outdoor garden room is bordered by tall green hedges and is a semi-private dining area. There is also a smaller completely private dining room and a bar area with vibrant red walls. Though the menu rotates seasonally, highlights that may appear include caviar served over crabmeat and presented to the Joël Robuchon

Estiatorio Milos

Located in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas 3708 Las Vegas Boulevard South (877) 893-2003 $$$$

Estiatorio Milos offers authentic Greek cuisine. The restaurant on the third floor of The Cosmopolitan features fresh Mediterranean seafood flown in daily from the East Coast and invites guests to the “market” to select their choice for the evening. Most of the cuisine is fresh and on the lighter side–so no greasy moussaka or gyros here. For appetizers, try the delicious Milos Special–crisp-fried, paperthin slices of eggplant and zucchini, cubes of saganaki (a firm fried cheese) served with a thick house-made tzatziki sauce. For main courses, choose from a variety of fish, including snapper, sea bass and langoustines and order by the ounce. The Loup de Mer is a specialty. The fish is cooked in sea salt to keep it as juicy as possible, and then finished with extra virgin olive oil and capers and served whole at the table. Milos also offers an extensive Greek wine selection that can be paired with your meal.

table in a small caviar tin. In addition you may enjoy “la langoustine,” fresh langoustine ravioli served with truffle and cabbage. Though you can order à la carte, the best way to dine at Joël Robuchon is via a tasting menu. But, the pièce de résistance at Joël Robuchon has to be the 16-course degustation menu. It begins with a cherry gazpacho, takes you through a mélange of vegetable, pasta, seafood and beef creations before closing the experience with La Mangue and Le Caramel. Price for this three-star adventure? A pricey $395 per person.

Lemongrass

Located in Aria Las Vegas 3730 Las Vegas Blvd. Reservations optional (877) 230-2742 $$

Lemongrass is a great place to go for lunch or dinner. The Continued on page 130 u

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exhibitors from 47 countries at the 2009 show

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Sage

Located in Aria Las Vegas 3730 Las Vegas Blvd. Reservations highly recommended 877-230-2742 $$$

Lemongrass

STK

Las Vegas

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uContinued from page 128

restaurant in Aria features authentic Thai cuisine, including spices from the region. A word of caution: On a spice scale from one to 10, 10 may cause third-degree burns, so take it easy when choosing a number. Warnings aside, the food at Lemongrass is fresh and well executed. For appetizers, the fish cakes are tender and flavorful, as are the Lemongrass prawns with plum sauce. For main courses, traditional dishes like sweet-and-sour chicken or pineapple-fried rice can satiate your appetite. If you’re feeling more adventurous, try the jellyfish or salt-and-pepper lobster. The curries at Lemongrass are sensational and made to order. The Penang duck is a great standby, but if you want to indulge, try the yellow curry with fresh Dungeness crabmeat. There are also plenty of noodle options in various sauces available. For dessert, the bua loi–a sticky rice dumpling in warm coconut milk–is the ultimate comfort food.

Mon Ami Gabi

Located in Paris Las Vegas 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South Reservations optional (702) 944-4224 $$

Mon Ami Gabi is a lively place that you’ll like especially if you like to dine al fresco. The French brasserie-style restaurant has a large outdoor patio that sits on the Las Vegas Strip and features a view of the Bellagio Fountain show, just across the street. It also affords some of the best people watching in Las Vegas. Inside, the restaurant is usually busy. The French brasserie theme is carried throughout with dark wood accents, wall sconces, black-and-white tile and smoky, gilt-edged mirrors.

Food at Mon Ami Gabi includes mouth-watering steaks, flaky fish and French favorites such as escargot, a choice of cheeses and a large wine selection. A couple of special dishes include the warm Brie with blackpepper honey and hazelnuts and a chicken liver mousse spread on country bread. Mon Ami Gabi also features a great weekend brunch complete with a help-yourself Bloody Mary bar.

Onda Ristorante

Located in the Mirage 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South Reservations optional; closed Tuesday and Wednesday (702) 791-7354 $$

A hard-to-find gem nestled in a corner of the Mirage, Onda offers rustic Italian cuisine like osso bucco, gnocchi and roasted sea bass. You can choose from a variety of pastas, meats and seafood options. An Onda specialty is its “taste of Italy” menu, which is a three-course prix fixe presentation. Each month, the menu changes, highlighting a different region of Italy. Check with your server for the current selection and matching wine pairings. Among recent offerings has been roasted branzini (European sea bass) prepared with lemon olive oil, pepper purée and capers. If you are a chocolate lover and are fortunate, the dessert menu will include Chioccolato, a flourless chocolate torte served with

hazelnut ice cream. The main dining room décor comprises natural woods and a modern design. The front bar area seats 58 diners and is light and airy with exposed painted brick and the bar itself is made of marble. Wine cabinets line the walls and mirrors across create the impression of a larger space. You can order from the full menu in either room. At the wine bar, you can enjoy a complimentary wine tasting every Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and all-you-can eat mussels Sunday through Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Range Steakhouse Located at Harrah’s Las Vegas 3475 S. Las Vegas Blvd. (800) 392-9002, ext. 5084 Reservations recommended $$$

The Range Steakhouse presents a glimpse of old-school charm. Several stories above ground, The Range offers a great view of the Las Vegas Strip via floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The bar and lounge area sometimes features live music that spills into the main dining room. If you’re an escargot fan, try The Range’s creative take on the traditional French dish. Tender snails are served with button mushrooms in garlic and herb drawn butter, then the dish is covered in a dome of flaky puff pastry for an extra rich treat. At The Range, you can dine on a variety of steak options, including a succulent 24-ounce porterhouse and an eight-ounce Wagyu (Kobe-style beef) steak. Seafood options include succulent Alaskan king crab legs with drawn butter and Maine lobster with black truffle butter. One of the house specialties is a chilled seafood tower that includes shrimp, oysters, Alaska King crab legs and lobster tail.

STK

Located in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas 3708 Las Vegas Blvd. South Reservations Recommended (877) 893-2003 $$

The Range Steakhouse

Onda

130 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

At STK, you go for the food and stay for the party. The restaurant inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas offers dishes from Chef Stephen Hopcraft, a former “Top Chef ” competitor. Highlights on the menu include a savory mushroom pot pie, perfectly cooked steaks and foie gras French toast–something you have to try to believe. There are lots of steaks on the menu, including the ubiquitous filet mignon, but here the filet is presented in different sizes, so if you’re a light eater or just not that hungry, you can order accordingly. After dinner, head to the lounge area where you can sip a cocktail and enjoy the relaxed musical atmosphere created by the in-house DJ.

For a truly unique culinary experience, head to Sage. Chef Shawn McClain’s menu changes seasonally, but one highlight includes foie gras crème brûlée. A different approach to foie gras, this dish has a creamy mousse consistency with a crunchy top and is served with grapefruit slices. The elegant dining room, enhanced with classic 1930s French chandeliers and bathed in purple-and-gold ambient lighting provides a comfortable clubby atmosphere. The specialities include an absinthe tasting–have the absinthe cart pull up tableside and let the presentation begin. Sage also hosts an enticing bar menu for lighter fare and superb cocktails created with infusions of fresh fruit purées, boutique liquors and homemade bitters.

Sage

“The Secret Pizza Place”

Located in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (702) 698-7000; call The Cosmopolitan and ask for the “pizzeria”! Reservations not taken $

If you’re on the run and need a quick bite, head to the pizzeria at The Cosmopolitan: the secret pizza place–that is, if you can find it. On the third floor of hotel, a hallway plastered with vintage LP album covers leads you to some of the best New York-style pizza in Las Vegas. At first glance, the place isn’t much–hammered-tin ceiling, a counter with four or five pies, a bit of counter space and a few mismatched stools to lean on while you’re eating your slice– but make no mistake, this pizza is good, inexpensive and available for lunch, dinner or latenight munching. Oh, and don’t forget to play a round of pinball before you leave; yes, “Tommy” there’s a pinball machine! Continued on page 132 u

SINGAPORE AIRSHOW 2012, WHERE MINDS MEET AND DEALS ARE SEALED Asia’s largest aerospace and defence event will once again attract the biggest names in our industries. In 2012, we’ll be welcoming the heads of the international aviation community, international government delegations, key political and military leaders and many more. Attend Singapore Airshow 2012 to tap into the unprecedented business opportunities in Asia Pacific’s fastest growing market. Register from 20 to 26 June 2011 via www.singaporeairshow.com and enjoy a waiver of registration fee.

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Restaurant uContinued from page 130

Tao

Located in the Venetian 3377 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Reservations Recommended (702) 388-8588 $$

The ultimate party center, Tao Las Vegas is part nightclub, part day club, part lounge and part restaurant. The restaurant displays collectable items from Asia and offers an alluring exotic ambiance. Upon entering, you tread a path lined with tubs filled with Tao

and traditional-style Italian cuisine for dinner. Among several house-made pastas is Verandah’s signature “La pasta cotta nel vaso,” artichoke pasta cooked in a jar with scallops, calamari, langoustine, shrimp, tomato and basil. Any of these may come to a close with Verandah’s signature “sharing” dessert: Amaretto tiramisu with Italian gelato and cinnamon-flavored cotton candy.

Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill Located in MGM Grand 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South Reservations optional (702) 891-3000 $$

rose petals and, occasionally, girls. A wall of warrior statues surrounds the bar. The two-story walls glow with candlelight, and vibrant red and orange hues permeate the restaurant. The food includes an assortment of sushi, hot and cold appetizers and main courses with an Asian flair. Celebrities flock to this mega-club and restaurant: actress Demi Moore, Grammy Award winner Bruno Mars, reality TV star Kim Kardashian and “Glee” star Mark Salling have all been spotted partying here.

If you dine at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, you might encounter the best blue-cheese truffle potato chips you’ve ever had. These aren’t your average bagged chip: start with homemade potato chips, add a chunky, tangy Maytag blue cheese sauce and a drizzle of truffle oil for a flavor-packed crunch in every bite. Signature dishes include wood-oven baked pizzas and beef burger with cheddar and onion marmalade. Wolfgang’s Farmer cheese ravioli with hazelnut brown butter and aged balsamic is a favorite, as are baked Manila clams. And then there’s the Ricotta gnocchi with sweet fennel sausage. The restaurant is located adjacent to the casino floor of the MGM Grand and is perfect for a business lunch or casual dinner.

Verandah

Located in the Four Seasons 3960 Las Vegas Blvd. South Reservations optional (702) 632-5000 $$

A tranquil getaway from the hustle and bustle of busy casinos and the Las Vegas Strip, the Four Seasons hotel offers uncompromising service in a boutique hotel feel. Poolside at the Four Seasons, lies Verandah, an Italian restaurant with a large outdoor patio. The patio is decorated in lush, tropical style, with large white archways draped in green-and-white and potted palms amid other foliage. Inside, there is a main dining room, bar area and private dining room for larger parties. Verandah is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as weekend brunch. The cuisine varies from meal to meal, with American favorites for lunch and dinner

Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill

The decor is sleek and modern with a glass wall that allows you to see the chefs at work in the kitchen. The enclosed private dining room features a half-wall of paned windows through which diners can view a distinctive black-and-white photo gallery. o Nikki Neu is the hotel and food writer for Vegas.com. Follow her on Twitter @ nikkineu for updates on restaurants and all things Vegas.

Learjet 85 production officially begins by James Wynbrandt

Filmmaker Heather Taylor Honored for Film about 1929 Air Race Filmmaker Heather Taylor will leave the NBAA convention $20,000 richer. That’s the cash that accompanies the Ninth Annual Combs Gates Award from the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Taylor won the award for writing, directing and producing Breaking Through the Clouds, a film that documents the First Women’s National Air Derby, a nine-day race from Santa Monica, Calif., to Cleveland that occurred in 1929. The film, which Taylor spent 13 years creating, incorporates never-before-seen footage from the derby plus re-creations of portions of the event, which featured such legends as Louise Thaden and Amelia Earhart. Taylor’s award will be presented here at the convention on Tuesday. After the award ceremony, Taylor will be greeting show attendees at the Hall of Fame’s exhibit (Booth No. C7135) and showing clips from the film. –J.B.

Acs repeatedly referred to his major responsibility as “risk reduction,” and to that end production facilities and suppliers have been tasked with refining the quality and reliability of parts and assembly techniques. “Many [aircraft development] programs wait until entry to service

Bombardier’s Ralph Acs reveals that Learjet 85 production has begun.

CY CYR

Bombardier Aerospace announced yesterday that production of the new Learjet 85 has officially begun and reaffirmed its commitment to a 2013 certification. With the aircraft level critical design review completed, “The next natural step is fabrication, taking parts and putting them together,” said Ralph Acs, v-p and general manager, Learjet, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “We’ve got a lot of momentum, a lot of great work has been completed and we’ve got a solid, experienced team.” The Learjet 85 is made almost entirely of composite materials. The fuselage will be constructed in Queretaro, Mexico; the wing components in Belfast, Northern Ireland and wing assembly in Queretaro; and additional components made in Montreal, Quebec, with final assembly taking place in Wichita. Forty-one suppliers around the world will make parts for the aircraft. In recent months Bombardier has been setting up the production facilities, putting tooling in place and building parts to perfect manufacturing techniques. Several test fuselages and key elements of the composite structure have been produced to validate manufacturing and assembly processes, and production of the first-flight test vehicle is under way. “It’s all been about trying to tune the manufacturing recipe to allow repeatability,” Acs said. “We looked for quality, and that gives you confidence to go [forward]. So we’re proud to say we’re going.”

to get reliability right,” Acs said. “We’re trying to pull that together earlier.” Approximately 40 percent of dedicated supplier test rigs are operational, and as part of Bombardier’s technology readiness program, more than 12,000 test pieces have been produced to date. The first FAA structural certification test project was successfully completed this summer. The company has also been working with the National Institute for Aerospace Research to refine composite production techniques, such as the resin transfer infusion process used in the wing construction. “The whole idea is to work with them

User fees uContinued from page 1 slump, has reacted with more puzzlement than outrage. “A lot of us are scratching our heads wondering why the President put this proposal forward, especially when the House and Senate have rejected per-flight fees,” said Paul Feldman, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association’s vice president of government affairs. But the plan does raise some puzzling questions, such as: how did the government calculate the $11 billion revenue figure? How would the fees be collected, and what would the cost of the collection be? Where would the money go? And what impact would such fees have on business aviation? The source of the $11 billion estimate seems as elusive as the reason for the proposal. “The administration hasn’t provided any background on the assumptions behind the figure,” said Feldman. “We really need to know more about the assumptions. We should not take that [figure] on faith.” As for how the fee would be collected, “If you read the legislative proposal, clearly there’s an idea this would require a fee collection agency with the FAA that would be a bureaucracy unto itself,” Feldman said. “There would be bills to send out and disputes to be resolved. Furthermore, there would be an impact on the individual pilot or company, who would have to review and reconcile charges, and in the event of a dispute, deal with somebody in Washington

about what they were being charged.” Feldman notes that some years ago the FAA made an effort to collect fees from Canadian pilots who transited U.S. airspace but never landed in the U.S. “It was a very targeted effort to capture that rather small population [of pilots], and even with something relatively small, the FAA had a lot of difficulty dealing with that.” The costs of such a collection agency cannot be determined, Feldman said, because the proposal doesn’t provide enough information about the proposed user fee program. But assuming the some portion of the $100 would be left over, where would the money go? “It’s a little vague,” Feldman said. “As we understand it, it would go to replace the general fund contribution [to the FAA]. Basically overall spending for aviation would remain the same or decline, but the government would charge the industry more. It doesn’t increase spending for NextGen or other important aviation infrastructure. “The aviation industry currently funds about 75 percent of the FAA’s activities,” Feldman continued. “Twenty-five percent has been historically been looked at as providing a public benefit,” and thus is supported by tax revenues. “This would reduce that 25 percent even more, when users of other modes of transportation aren’t expected to pay for those kinds of things.” While the impact on the fortunes of business aviation are unknown, other countries that have imposed such charges provide clues. “The examples of the consequences are all bad,” Feldman said. “In

and develop a lot of what we need. This doesn’t end,” Acs said. “The next phase is about entering service, but we always have another phase,” which includes developing repair procedures and product improvement. The first phase of expansion of the Wichita final assembly facility is complete and ready for assembly to commence. Tooling for the final line is arriving, and assemblers have begun developing final assembly processes and techniques. Phase two of the expansion plan, which includes building a new production flight test facility, is scheduled to begin in 2012. The paint facility and a new delivery center are scheduled for completion in 2013. “It’s a huge footprint expansion,” Acs said of the facility. “We’re the only OEM [in Wichita] that’s expanding.” The Learjet 85, announced in 2007, is positioned between the midsize Learjet 60XR and the super-midsize Challenger 300 jets. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307B engines, the Learjet 85 is expected to have a high-speed cruise of Mach 0.82 and a transcontinental range of up to 3,000 nm. The cockpit will feature Bombardier’s Global Vision flight deck, based on Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion avionics. A customized cabin management system developed by Lufthansa Technik will feature a high capacity ethernet network with open architecture, enabling easy integration of third-party equipment. o Europe these kinds of fees had a dramatic impact on the industry in a negative way.” And if and when a collection mechanism were put in place, what is the possibility that fees would soon escalate? “I think that’s a very real concern,” Feldman said. “If this gets on the books, I think aviation will be looked at again and again as a place to collect more and more funds.” And charging per flight without distinguishing between private and commercial flight seems unfair to some. “Somebody with a small aircraft who goes to multiple locations in a couple of states is charged $500,” said Feldman. “Meanwhile a passenger plane flies from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. [and the airline] would pay only $100. So inherent in this fee are some equity issues.” Legislative blowback against the fee proposal has been encouraging. The House General Aviation Caucus sent a letter to the White House opposing the proposal, and more than 125 Democrat and Republican Congress members joined in signing a letter opposing the fees. In perhaps the strongest slap, Senate majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) removed user fee provisions from the jobs bill introduced in the Senate on October 5. Yet those who have seen this monstrosity before aren’t about to declare it dead. At several press conferences here at NBAA, business aviation companies have noted important legislative issues are currently under discussion and urged attendees to get involved. Perhaps such activism could be the silver stake that can take down the specter of user fees once and for all. o

www.ainonline.com • October 10, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 133

today at

NBAA

EXHIBIT HOURS Monday, October 10

10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Tuesday, October 11

9 a.m. - 5 pm

Wednesday, October 12

9 a.m. - 4 pm

STATIC DISPLAY HOURS Monday, October 10

9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Tuesday, October 11

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Wednesday, October 12

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

What’s Happening at NBAA 2011

The NBAA 64th Annual Meeting & Convention offers an expansive schedule of education sessions,

The NBAA 64th Annual Meeting & Convention (NBAA2011) offers an expansive schedule of Education Sessions, Maintenance & Operations Sessions (M&Os) and special events, such as the Opening General Session on Monday, October 10. Other event highlights will include the NBAA/CAN Charity Benefit on Tuesday, October 11, featuring Live and Silent Auctions in support of the Corporate Angel Network’s philanthropic mission.

Mon. 10/10/2011 7 a.m - 6 p.m.

Exhibitor, Press & Attendee Registration

Lobby between North and Central Halls

maintenance & operations sessions and special

7 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.

No Plane No Gain Media Kick-Off Breakfast

By invitation only

events in addition to a multitude of exhibits at the

8 a.m - 6 p.m.

Exhibitor, Press & Attendee Registration

Central Hall C2 Exhibit Floor

8:30 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Opening General Session

Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition dozens

9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Static Display Open

10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Exhibit Halls and Silver Lot Static Display Open

of aircraft are on display at Henderson Executive

10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Business Aviation Flight Department e-Training & e-Recordkeeping

N237

Airport, with a smaller number on display in the

10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) - Business Aviation’s Safety Management Systems (SMS) “Gold Standard”

N234

convention center’s parking lot. Shuttle buses

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Vetting Your Vendors & Service Providers

N232

10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Governing Board Meeting

N243

are operating between the convention center and

10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

IFR Safety Focus - FAF Inbound

N242

the Henderson Airport static display. For up-to-

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Hot Topics for Asset Recovery/Aviation Insurance Claims

N231

12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Bombardier General Session

N258

the-minute show information, a comprehensive

12 p.m - 3 p.m.

Hawker Beechcraft King Air M&O

N259

1 p.m - 4 p.m.

Pratt & Whitney Canada 300 M&O

N264

1 p.m - 2:30 p.m.

Global Business Aviation Update

N234

1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Flying to London Summer Olympics 2012, What’s Involved?

N237

1 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Honeywell Leadership Kickoff

N252

1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Maximizing Benefits and Minimizing Costs of Your Business Aircraft

N242

1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Tactics to Avoid and Survive an IRS Audit

N219

1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Traffic Flow Management - Identifying and Avoiding Delays

N232

1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Update on Current Operational Challenges Facing Part 91 and Part 135 Operators

N223

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Business Aviation & Asset Management - Cost Center or Profit Driver?

N231

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Honeywell Avionics M&O (Pilot Focus); TFE 732, HTF7000 & CFE 738 APU M&O

N252

1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Bombardier Challenger 300 Technical Session

N260

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Coffee Social

N2504

2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Connecting Your Aircraft with Satellite Communications: the Equipment Providers

N237

2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Passing FL180

N242

2:30 P.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Honeywell CFE738, APU & Avionics Technical, TFE731, HTF7000 M&O

N252

3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Hawker Beechcraft Premier M&O

N259

3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Certified Aviation Manager (CAM) Program Update

N219

3 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Opportunities for Business Aviation in China/Asia

N234

3 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Scheduling the Scheduler: A Manager’s Guide to Operational Efficiency

N232

3 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Taking the Fear Out of OSHA for Business Aviation

N231

3:30 P.m. - 5 p.m.

Meet the Regulators

N223

3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.

All the Satellite Communications Services You Want: the Multi-Service Providers

N237

3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Bombardier Challenger 600 Series Technical Session

N260

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Honeywell TPE331, TFE731 & HTF 7000 M&O

N252

4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Aircraft Tire Safety Best Practices

N242

exhibitor list, static display maps and Twitter feed, download the NBAA iPhone app. Log onto AINtv.com and AINonline.com for exclusive video and in-depth Web coverage.

R A T E B I N L

G S

T Y

A Y E

NBAA

Convention News

Room N112 (702) 943-3705 email: mthurber@ainonline.com AINtv: Charles Alcock (702) 943-3705

134 NBAA Convention News • October 10, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

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