NBAA Convention News 10-11-11 by AIN Publications

PUBLICATIONS

TUESDAY 10•11•2011 Vol. 43 No. 22

NBAA Convention News

Luminaries Open Show

Light Business Aircraft

Eclipse Restarts Production

Gulfstream Program Update

Bizav’s biggest show kicks off

NBAA welcomes owner-pilots

Revitalized VLJ coming in 2013

Progress report for G650, G280

Washington insiders are among the attendees at this year’s show, and they made it clear they know the value of business aviation and will take the message back to Capitol Hill. Page 24

The association is ramping up its efforts to bring owner-pilots into the fold, and this week’s convention is chock full of information sessions for those who fly and sign the checks. Page 74

With financial support from minority stakeholder Sikorsky, Eclipse Aerospace will begin producing the 550, featuring upgraded avionics and autothrottles. Page 76

Certification of Gulfstream’s flagship G650 will take place in two stages, the company announced, and performance specs for the G280 have been improved. Page 93

Today on AINonline > Dassault, Embraer score in China > Honeywell sees short-term pain, long-term gain >C harter gurus remain upbeat

Cessna bets on Latitude MARIANO ROSALES

by Nigel Moll

Embraer unveils a model of the new jets it is making for their new Chinese partners, Minsheng Financial.

Embraer logs sale of 13 Legacy 650s to Minsheng

New Cessna CEO Scott Ernest has taken the helm at a time when all eyes are on how the iconic Wichita airframer confronts the Embraer threat. Last month the company announced a revitalized CJ1+ known as the M2 to compete with, among others, the Phenom 100. More significantly, here in Las Vegas yesterday the company took the wraps off a long-overdue enlargement of its midsize cabin in an addition to the Citation line

called the 680A Latitude. Cessna is in the Latitude’s sights. betting that the currently depressed At first blush the new airplane market for most business jets other looks like a Sovereign, but the interior than the large-cabin, ultra-long- reveals a Garmin cockpit, 72-inch range segment will turn around in stand-up headroom in a flat-floor sync with its development and cer- cabin and bigger windows higher up tification schedule, which envi- the fuselage for a less hunched view sions first flight in mid-2014, FAA of the world. When viewed from the approval in mid-2015 and entry into outside, sleeker nose lofting, curved service in the second half of 2015, windshield panels and subtle 787followed by EASA certification in style wingtip treatment distinguish the first half of 2016. Cessna says the new airplane. With a list price of the Embraer Legacy 450 is squarely Continued on page 93 u

by Liz Moscrop

Cessna took the wraps off its new Latitude, which the company admits is aimed squarely at the Embraer Legacy 450. The new midsize 680A is slated for entry into service in the second half of 2015.

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BARRY AMBROSE

They’ll be cracking open the caipirinha bottle in São Jose dos Campos, Brazil, this week as Embraer celebrates a sale of 13 Legacy 650 jets to China’s Minsheng Financial Leasing. First delivery is slated for the end of this year, with the remainder due into China over the next five years. The order forms part of the memorandum of understanding signed in July between the two companies, whereby Minsheng will take up to 20 Embraer aircraft. Minsheng chairman Kong Linshan said that the company had sold 13 of the corporate jets already and is analyzing the Phenom. Minsheng has also sold a Lineage 1000, which will be delivered into China next year. Kong added that Chinese aviation is accelerating at an amazing speed and joked that when he was a child his main transportation had been a horse and cart. He said, “We have taken a huge leap and arrived at business aviation.” Critical to Minsheng’s purchasing decision is the support offered by manufacturers. China is desperately short of skilled mechanics able to support the burgeoning corporate aviation market, and Zhang Bo, Minsheng’s vice president, pointed out that the product support offered by the manufacturers is as crucial as the product itself. “The buying decision is affected as much by the parts and support availability in the region,” he said. Embraer recently appointed Hong Kong’s Metrojet as its first authorized service center in the China region. Ernest Edwards, president, Embraer Executive Jets, said that the airframer foresees a market for 630 bizjets in China over the next ten years worth $20 billion. Kong put that at the slightly higher figure of 1,000 jets. o

FRANK GEHRY

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Engine redesign adds delay to HondaJet by Mark Huber blades and the fan hub. While the setback to the HondaJet program was disappoining to Honda, better news was the announcement of a new $20-million maintenance center the company said will open in 2013 on its 83-acre Greensboro, N.C. headquarters, R&D and production

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

This is the sixth consecutive year Cessna has taken on the sponsorship. The event is held during the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in and typically raises as much as $2 million for programs such as

the EAA Young Eagles and the Air Academy. Speakers at the fundraiser have included such aviation luminaries as Bob Hoover and Chuck Yeager and astronauts Jim Lovell and Gene Cernan.

Business Jet Traveler Wins The entire team at AIN is proud to announce that Jeff Burger, editor of AIN’s sister publication Business Jet Traveler, received NBAA’s Gold Wing Award “for excellent and insightful reporting on the most important issues impacting business aviation.” Burger accepted the award on behalf of the entire BJT staff for a 10-page special section that made the case for business aviation and against the onslaught of negative public perception. Joining Burger on the stage was Jennifer English, editorial director of BJT.

4 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Correction: Yesterday’s issue of NBAA Convention News (“GE makes progress on jet, turboprop programs, page 28) included incorrect information about the GE Passport 20 certification schedule. The Passport 20 is not delayed, according GE, and is on track for certification in 2015. n

MATT THURBER

by Kirby J. Harrison

In 2012, the event is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, July 26, at the EAA AirVenture Museum. Of more immediate interest to those attending NBAA is the EAA’s annual sweepstakes, for which raffle tickets are available here at the EAA exhibit. This year’s winner will fly home in a “lovingly restored Piper J-3 Cub.” Included is a set of skis for winter flying, plus sport pilot certificate and/or tailwheel endorsement training, if desired. The sweepstakes, one of the longest-running airplane giveaways in the world, supports the EAA’s educational programs. o

Cessna again backs EAA fundraiser

CY CYR

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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

A late-stage redesign of the HondaJet engine has pushed deliveries back to at least mid-2013.

Cessna Aircraft has renewed its support as presenting sponsor of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) “Gathering Of Eagles” fundraiser, it was announced yesterday at the EAA exhibit (Booth No. C10604).

NBAA

Convention News

or exceeded planned performance parameters, including a maximum altitude of FL430, maximum cruise speed of 425 ktas at FL300, and a demonstrated climb rate of 4,000 fpm. He also revealed more details about the aircraft’s interior and its cabin management system. Passengers will be able to control window opacity, lighting, in-flight entertainment systems and cabin temperature via small touch screens that fold down from the cabin ceiling, or wirelessly via personal devices. The HondaJet can be seen at the Henderson static display. o

Deliveries of the HondaJet will be delayed until at least mid-2013 because of a latestage redesign of the GE Honda Aero HF120 engine that powers it. The engine fan has undergone the redesign following a failure during an on-ground ice ingestion test, Honda Aircraft president Michimasa Fujino revealed here yesterday. Fujino said he expected the revamped engine to be certified sometime in the second half of 2012. He called the delay “regrettable.” A spokesman for GE Honda Aero said the redesigned fan blades are slightly thicker, but that the redesign would force a considerable portion of the “air work” performed on the original design to be repeated. Also complicating the redesign is that the fan is made from a blisk or single forging that includes all the

campus. Six hundred are currently employed there, and Honda already has invested more than $100 million in infrastructure. The plant is designed to build up to 100 aircraft per year. Fujino said the second conforming flight-test HondaJet likely will fly next month but that a third needed to await the redesigned engines. Honda’s test program is scheduled to employ four flight-test aircraft and the prototype as well as two static articles. Fujino said that test aircraft flown to date had met

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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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Caravan re-engine pack grows by Mark Huber TPE331-12JR engine and develop 850 to 950 shp. Both the Honeywell installations and the Blackhawk retrofits include the capability for flight-intoknown-icing approval. Aero Twin was the first to receive STC approval for the TPE331 and offers it rated at 850 shp for the Caravan and 950 shp for the Grand Caravan. The $720,000 conversion includes the engine, new propeller, a battery tender and a new standby vacuum pump. The old engine, propeller and other parts are returned to the customer. “It is easier and cleaner if the customer does all of

MATT THURBER

Another player has joined those offering engine upgrades on the Cessna Caravan. Earlier this summer, Blackhawk Modifications (Booth No. C6516) received FAA supplemental type certificate (STC) approval for its conversion that replaces the aircraft’s stock 675-shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-114A with an 850shp PT6A-42A. The company is ramping up to do three conversions per month and estimates installation time at two weeks. Blackhawk now joins Alaska-based Aero Twin and Texas Turbines in offering an STC’d turbine retrofit for the Caravan. The former use the Honeywell

Blackhawk Modifications now offers an engine upgrade for the Cessna Caravan. The $605,000 conversion replaces the aircraft’s 675-shp P&WC PT6A-114A with an 850-shp PT6A-42A.

Lexavia nears STC approval for AS355 TwinStar EVS by Harry Weisberger A new entrant to the infrared enhancedvision system (EVS) market, Lexavia, is about to receive FAA certification of its first camera/display installation, on a Eurocopter AS355 TwinStar law-enforcement helicopter. Chuck Crompton, business development director for Pensacola, Fla.-based Lexavia Integrated Systems, said the STC will soon be followed by several others. “We’re already looking at our next-generation system even as we’re taking our first systems to market,” he said. “We’re in the starting gate.” He added that Lexavia will soon introduce even smaller and lighter infrared cameras with the same or better performance. “The [infrared] detectors themselves are getting smaller, so we’ll be offering higher resolution in a smaller package.” One, about the size of a GPS antenna–the smallest and lightest EVS sensor ever, according to Crompton–is on display at the company’s booth (No.

N517). Lexavia’s low-profile LFS 6000 weighs 5.6 ounces and is designed for high airspeed environments. Lexavia is showing a wide selection of EVS sensors including long-, mediumand short-wave infrared with several resolution levels. The company is entering the low-price end of the EVS market with small, uncooled infrared cameras in a variety of airframe mounting options. The EVS cameras feed a multiple choice of small Lexavia cockpit display units with positioning options from flexible eye-level viewing screens to panelmounted multifunction displays. The company’s offerings will include the LSF 3000 fixed field-of-view system, and the LZS 5000, with full optical zoom capability and the highest magnification level of any EVS to date. The first Lexavia AS355 STC is for installation of the LFS 3000. The standard LSF 3000 offers four system optics choices for the best match

6 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

that themselves,” said Brian Goode, the company’s sales director. Jason Kepler, Aero Twin’s chief engineer, said his company’s engine installation, canted to the left and down, virtually eliminates P-factor on takeoff rolls. “You basically take off with your feet on the floor even though you have 950 horsepower.” Kepler also noted that the single power lever and automatic torque and temperature limiting sensors on the engine significantly reduce pilot workload on takeoff. “You don’t have to be staring at your torque gauge all the way down the runway.” Texas Turbines received its STC for its “Supervan 900” conversion in 2008 and has sold approximately 20 to date, said company president Bobby Bishop. Installations take place at Texas Turbines or at authorized dealers in the U.S. and abroad, including Banyan Air, Intercontinental Jet, Wipaire, CJ Aerospace (Australia) and Air Alliance (Germany). Bishop said conversion customers run the gamut from high-net-worth individuals to commercial operators to sky diving schools, the latter representing approximately 50 percent of his business to date. The $570,000 conversion cost is based on the exchange of a stock run-out PT6A114A and includes an engine core credit of approximately $100,000. Bishop said the Honeywell engine has distinct advantages over the stock Pratt in the 208 including a 7,000-hour TBO, halving runway requirements; four to six fewer gallons per hour fuel burn at the same speed; 12 to14 knots faster with the same fuel flow, or 35 to 40 knots faster “if you don’t care about fuel.” Blackhawk spent $3 million and 35,000 man-hours developing the P&W conversion which costs $605,000,

assuming engine core trade-in. It includes a new composite cowling, twin Frakes exhaust stacks, new oil cooler, new engine gauges, a new 100inch Hartzell four-blade propeller and enrollment in the Camp Systems maintenance tracking system. The new oil cooler is 40 percent larger than the one it replaces, particularly useful in hot climates where stock Caravans idling with their prop in feather can easily exceed maximum oil temperatures, particularly in the Middle East. The converted aircraft also is approved for flight-into-known-icing conditions. “With the stock engine, when you load up with ice, you are going to start drifting down,” Blackhawk president Jim Allmon said. “We tested this airplane for an hour with over five inches of ice on it. The slowest speed that we could maintain at full power was 170 knots.” As part of the test regime it also did 115 spins. Blackhawk initially has 20 orders for the conversion, with heavy interest coming from the skydiving market. Allmon said the conversion in the 208B will allow skydive operators to carry an additional three to four jumpers per hop and fly an extra one or two jump runs per hour. “One skydive operator told me that his [converted] airplane would make enough money in one season” to pay for the cost of conversion. “His income will almost double,” Allmon said. All of the conversion providers noted that the retrofit could be done only to legacy aircraft as Garmin has yet to provide engine parameter data on its G1000 avionics system in newer Caravans. They also all said that they expect demand for their conversions to increase substantially once the 208B Grand Caravan is certified for float operations. o

of peripheral view and magnification. Its long-wave infrared sensors are the same as those in currently deployed military surveillance programs. Both the standard 320-by-240-pixel array and a 640by-480 option are available. Both include 2X digital zoom capability. The LFS 3000 price of about $25,000 is less than half that of a comparable previous-generation EVS, Crompton said. The LZS 5000 system, designed for long-distance EVS performance, has fully variable 3X optical zoom and two digital zoom levels for added 6X or 12X magnification. With the 640-by-480 array, system performance is outstanding, said Crompton. “Even with added capabilities and options, the LZS 5000 is still priced lower than its nearest sameclass competitor,” he added. He said the possibility that the FAA may grant low-visibility landing credits for systems that display a fusion of EVS and synthetic-vision system (SVS) imagery on head-down MFDs is attracting strong interest from EVS and SVS providers. Currently, the only EVS systems eligible for landing credits are those certified with outputs viewable on a head-up display. Lexavia plans to offer high-definition color cameras specifically for business

Lexavia’s small lightweight LFS 6000 EVS camera is among the units on display at the company’s booth.

jets. Previously used primarily for video entertainment in the cabin, these cameras, mounted on the cockpit glarescreen, will allow passengers to see the same view as the pilots. Mountings are adaptable for placement on various airframe locations to monitor control surfaces and landing gear position. o

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by Matt Thurber Hawker Beechcraft’s 800XPR upgrade for the Hawker 800 received FAA supplemental type certification in mid-August

and EASA certification on September 28 and customer deliveries have begun. The Hawker Beechcraft

(HBC) Global Customer Support upgrade replaces the Hawker 800’s Honeywell TFE731-5R engines with more powerful TFE731-50Rs, and includes new composite winglets designed by HBC. Buyers of the 800XPR upgrade can also opt for new Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics. The 800XPR upgrades

8 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

include winglets similar to those installed on the 850XP and the TFE731-50R engines that power the 900XP. HBC service centers can install the full engine and winglet 800XPR package on the 800XP, 800XPi and the engine upgrade on the 850XP. The TFE731-50R engines replacing the -5Rs feature a new wide-chord fan, single-crystal

PHOTOS: MATT THURBER

HBC certifies, delivers upgraded Hawker 800

Hawker’s 800XPR features more powerful Honeywell engines than its predecessor and composite winglets (below).

turbine blades, improved blade and vane cooling, compressor improvements and a new N1 digital electronic engine control. The 5,000-pound-thrust engine is flat-rated to 4,660 pounds, delivering 7 percent lower specific fuel consumption and longer maintenance intervals (3,000-hour MPI, 6,000-hour CZI) than the -5Rs, lowering Honeywell maintenance service plan costs by 32 percent and carbon smoke number by 72 percent. Compared to the TFE731-5R, the -50R engines deliver up to 24 percent range improvement when departing from hot-and-high airports. Buyers of the 800XPR qualify for zero-cost enrollment in the Honeywell MSP. Installation of the winglets on the 800XPR includes structural modifications inside the wing, the same as the design of the 900XP, instead of a strap on the underside of the wing. The composite winglet is fitted with LED position lights and conventional strobes faired into the winglet contour. The LED lights have a mean time between failure of 5,000 hours. The winglets add more than 100 nm of range and reduce time to climb by 5 percent. Combined with the engine mod, this allows a max-weight direct climb to FL410 in 25 minutes, 2,825-nm NBAA IFR range (200-nm alternate) with four passengers and full fuel and improved takeoff field length. At sea level with six passengers, the 800XPR rotates 311 feet before the 800XP. At a 5,000 foot airport with the same payload, the 800XPR rotates 1,743 feet before the 800XP and can fly 913 nm further. HBC Global Customer Support delivered the first 800XPR, which was used for the certification program, to Denmark’s JoinJet last month. o

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GA rallies to burnish its image by Paul Lowe General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) president and CEO Pete Bunce says recent general aviation rallies held following disparaging remarks about business aviation by President Obama actually go back to the end of 2008 when the CEOs from the Big Three automakers took separate company airplanes to testify before Congress. “When the auto execs came to town

and we had the debacle of them when they failed to answer questions posed to them by Congress about the use of corporate jets,” he recalled, “that snowballed. And then we had a lot of politicians, the President [Obama] included as he took office, who started bashing corporate jets.” To counteract that, the GAMA board of directors in February 2009 authorized a program called “grass-tops” to

Easy Come, Easy Go

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reach out to policymakers at and with cameras rolling, it the state and local level to try sends a very powerful mesto make them understand the sage, he said. “So we followed impact of general aviation on that with a rally in Ohio… the economy, and that it really then we had one in Savannah, was a jobs message. Georgia, where we basically The first rally in Little Rock, got everybody. I think we had Ark., that year attracted both the entire congressional deleU.S. senators and the governor, Pete Brunce, GAMA gation and the governor.” president and CEO and GAMA saw the value of These were followed this the gathering. “It went extremely well,” year by a similar event in Wichita that Bunce said, “and we see the value of attracted transportation secretary Ray these rallies still pays off today.” It gets LaHood and others in Iowa and South political leaders in front of constituents Dakota. The message hasn’t changed, who are in this industry as a profession, Bunce said, and the message is jobs. “We’re very unhappy with this administration, that they are just unable to connect the dots and able to see that their negative rhetoric toward the industry is hurting jobs and hurting our ability to sell airplanes,” he asserted. “And yes, we will continue [holding rallies] because it is extremely valuable.”

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On another front, Bunce said bonus depreciation was used as way to jump start sales during the recession that followed 9/11, and it proved successful. “Obviously, we didn’t need bonus depreciation during the heyday years leading up to 2008,” he explained. “But then the collapse happened in the economy. We started asking for bonus depreciation again and we were able to get it approved. And it wasn’t just for aviation; it was for a lot of manufacturing.” Last year, during the tax compromise, there was a one-time depreciation, which he characterized as “bonus depreciation on steroids.” Instead of being able to just accelerate the depreciation schedule, which is what bonus depreciation is, “we got what’s called 100-percent expensing, so [businesses are] able to depreciate everything up front in a single year if that works well for a company in their tax range.” According to Bunce, one of GAMA’s member companies attributed 40 percent of its sales last year to bonus depreciation. “We likewise are hearing that the orders being placed right now are from people who want to take advantage of this bonus depreciation/100 percent expensing that’s available to them,” he added. “And they also can do it for engines and avionics, as well, if they put in the order by the end of the year. “So that’s why it’s somewhat schizophrenic that…the President, who all of a sudden is calling what he agreed to– which is stimulating manufacturing with bonus depreciation–an egregious tax loophole,” Bunce said. “You can’t reconcile it logically. “On one hand, you think it’s smart in 2010 to give it, but in 2011 you want to call it egregious. That’s why everyone knows, on both sides of the [political fence], that it’s just politics; it’s just talking points. Everyone knows that depreciation works for manufacturing, and that’s why people can depreciate for their businesses computers and cars and everything else.” Calling it a long

Aviation Int'l News_ 2011.indd 1

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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

ViaSat Yonder now in Latin America ViaSat, a Carlsbad, Calif. provider of satcom voice and Internet services over Ku-band satellites, now offers its Yonder service in most of Latin America. According to ViaSat, Ku-band data and voice is faster than Inmarsat SwiftBroadband

and Aircell’s Gogo Biz air-toground service, and Yonder airtime costs are generally lower. The size of Ku-band equipment limits it to larger business jets, but ViaSat says its airborne equipment and Yonder service give business jet passengers

uninterrupted Internet access rivaling the latest home and office network speeds. ViaSat now offers Yonder coverage in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia and Ecuador to serve maritime and aviation customers in cooperation with

regional provider Andesat. The latter leases bandwidth on the Intelsat IS-14 satellite and also operates teleport facilities in Santiago, Chile, where ViaSat has installed a regional gateway. “We have completed coverage over South America,” said Don Buchman, ViaSat director of mobile broadband, noting that the addition keeps ViaSat on

A joint venture between Lufthansa Technik AG and Panasonic Avionics Corporation

See us at NBAA 2011, Booth C9625

target to complete its worldwide network by the end of 2012. At that time ViaSat expects to cover the entire globe with the exceptions of far northern Canada, Sub-Saharan Africa, northeastern Siberia, Madagascar and Papua New Guinea. ViaSat is planning a shift to Ka-band through partnership arrangements with Eutelsat (Europe) and Yahsat (Middle East), and expects to launch its own ViaSat-1 Ka-band satellite late this month. Bombardier has selected ViaSat to provide airborne communications terminal equipment in a new high-speed Internet option on the Global 5000 and Global 6000. The equipment combines the ViaSat VMT-1500 shipset along with the EMS Aviation CNX-200 high-speed router to provide Internet access and voice services. network, email with attachments and VOIP. The Yonder network delivers typical data speeds to the aircraft of 1 to 2 Mbps and up to 512 Kbps of data from the aircraft to the satellite. –H.W.

Genav rallies to burnish image

The ultimate global communications solution Connectivity Global Television Channels VPN – Corporate E-mail & Data Access Mobile Telephony & Data Services In-Seat Telephony via VoIP Services 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 to learn more about VIP and business aviation communications solutions. Powered by Panasonic Avionics Corporation IDAIR GmbH Weg beim Jäger 193 · 22335 Hamburg, Germany · Phone +49 40 5070 69416 · info@idair.aero · www.idair.aero

16 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

uContinued from page 12 and complicated story, Bunce emphasized that it ultimately goes back to stimulating jobs. On another topic, AIN asked Bunce whether the formation of the FAA Part 23 reorganization Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) will be a shot in the arm for general aviation manufacturers and how long a new regulation might take. “We’re hoping that the process will move quickly through the different wickets that have to happen, so we’re very happy with the creation of the ARC,” he responded. “It looks like we’re going to be able to man it with representatives from the manufacturers across the spectrum of products, and that will give us a very good basis to work with the FAA on this.” But he said he is “extremely excited” about the FAA apparently being willing to allow other aviation authorities to participate as official observers in the process. “So we obviously would have EASA at the table, and Transport Canada, [and] our Brazilian authorities and our Chinese authorities, and... if we do this right, we’ll have a framework for a global, common regulation for these types of aircraft, which will absolutely be a shot in the arm,” Bunce asserted. o

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Dueling duo offers mobile Duats access Even though the FAA’s Direct User Access Terminal (Duat) service has been providing weather, Notam and flight-planning

information for 22 years, many pilots don’t realize that two completely different companies fulfill the contract to provide that

data. One is Data Transformation Corp. (DTC) and the other is Computer Sciences Corp. (CSC). Each company functions as a backup to the other. Watch closely for the differences when logging onto their websites. DTC’s URL is duat.com, while CSC’s is duats.com (with an “s”). The FAA let the contract to help reduce the strain on the nation’s

CSC Duats recently unveiled a new user-friendly website that offers considerably more storage capabilities than the earlier version and will soon offer trip kits and the ability to download approach plates for multiple airports with a single keystroke.

struggling Flight Service Station system, the same system that the agency eventually contracted to Lockheed Martin. According to CSC Duats director Leon Thomas, the most important differentiator between Duats and other higher-visibility weather and flight-planner brands remains constant: “Everything we do is still free. We have more than 500,000 registered pilots in our system,” he said, many of whom are members of the business aviation community. At Duats. com, users can plan a flight, download all the required terminal procedures and also file a flight plan at no charge. User-friendly Website

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20 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com Attention: Tom Hurley, Production Mgr (203) 798-2104 thurley@ainonline.com

Client: Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support

CSC Duats recently unveiled a new, more user-friendly website that Thomas said, “is really our main bread and butter.” The site offers considerably more storage capabilities than the earlier version and will soon offer trip kits and the ability to download approach plates for multiple airports with a single keystroke. The new home airport-based user webpage can be set to the latest local radar, satellite and both surface analysis and weather depiction charts. One clear item of differentiation between the dueling Duat providers is mobile access, especially for iPhone users. DTC supplies an app for accessing duat.com via the Apple smartphone, while CSC users must access duats.com via a browser. However, they can place an icon on a mobile device for quick access to duats.com. The advantage of the browser version over the app is simple. If you’re like some DTC users who forget to visit the App Store for the latest updates, you might not see the freshest Duat features on the iPhone. With CSC, simply logging in brings pilots face to face with everything up-to-date every time, Thomas said. –R.P.M.

We have a leg up on the competition 400XT - 2005nm @ a cost per mile of $2.13**

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The 400XT By Nextant Aerospace Forget everything you ever knew about the Beechjet’s “short-legs.” The 400XT modernization and remanufacturing program pays its largest dividends in range and operating costs, delivering a 50% improvement over the Beechjet 400A/XP, to a best in category range of 2005nm (4 Pax NBAA IFR Res). 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 speed, more fuel efficiency and most importantly more value. It’s time to get a leg up on the competition.

FAA certification now complete, Visit us at NBAA booth #C13113 Demonstration flights also available at NBAA. The New 400XT from Nextant Aerospace, It’s What’s Next. Performance data for competitive aircraft taken from 2010 BCA Purchase Planning Handbook (4 passenger NBAA IFR range, 100nm alternate) ** Operating cost per mile is based on NBAA IFR 1,000nm mission with 4 passengers at $4.90/gallon. *

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Jack Olcott of AeroMechanical Services (right) speaks to the media about the company’s automated flight information reporting system as president Richard Hayden looks on.

news clips Here in Las Vegas, aircraft management and charter company Talon Air (Booth No. C7818) introduced a new chief operating officer, announced the addition of an aircraft to its fleet and revealed the impending opening of a new hangar at its Farmingdale, N.Y. base. Richard O’Hanlon, a retired Navy rear admiral, has been named COO, with responsibilities for charter, operations and the company’s Part 145 repair station. Talon Air has also added a Cessna Grand Caravan modified for float operations to its charter fleet of more than 20 fixedwing, rotor and amphibious aircraft. The company is in the process of adding Aircell broadband Internet systems with Wi Fi to the fleet, and installations on eight aircraft have been completed. Talon Air operates four Hawker 4000s, one of the largest fleets of the biggest Hawker jet in the charter industry. Talon Air will officially open its second hangar and office facility at its Republic Airport base later this month, boosting its hangar space to 100,000 sq ft.

z Conklin & de Decker Awards Scholarship Aviation research specialist Conklin & de Decker (Booth No. N2317) has awarded its fourth annual Alan H. Conklin Business Aviation Management scholarship prize to EmbryRiddle senior Christine Dow. She will receive $5,000 toward her studies, having won the award for her passion for aviation. A dean’s list student with a 4.0 grade-point average, Christine is also vice president of the local chapter of Women in Aviation International and is working on her private pilot’s license. The annual scholarship honors the firm’s founder Alan Conklin, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served on the NBAA Operations Committee until his retirement in 2003. He died in 2006. The company will present Christine with her prize here at NBAA ’11. Conklin & de Decker has also released its latest Aircraft Cost Evaluator (ACE), an extensive operating costs database that covers more than 500 jet, turboprop, helicopter and piston aircraft. This year’s edition contains seven more aircraft: the Gulfstream G650, the Boeing 737-900ER, Hawker Beechcraft’s King Air 250 and 350iER, the Eurocopter AS350B3e, the Piper Archer LX and the Tecnam P2006T. Another new feature is the addition of Part 91 and Part 135 landing distances. ACE subscribers can also now access cost reports online via any browser, including mobile devices.

z London Oxford Upgrades as Traffic Builds London Oxford Airport (Booth No. N616) recently installed what it says is a “latest generation” radar system and has had its runway’s weight-bearing strength verified. It also took delivery of a new fire tender, an investment of £500,000. The airport is home to seven charter companies and five MRO support businesses. Last year, the airport’s business aviation traffic increased 18 percent (jet traffic was up 31 percent), while traffic increased just 5.3 percent throughout Europe during the same period. London Oxford, which is now the fifth busiest business aviation airport in the UK (just behind London City Airport), is exhibiting here at the NBAA show for the first time.

z Goodrich Buys Winslow Rafts Goodrich announced September 30 that it has acquired privately held Winslow Marine Products, maker of aircraft life rafts. Winslow (Booth No. N2935) was founded in 1941 and employs approximately 70 in Lake Suzy, Fla. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Days earlier, Sikorsky and Pratt & Whitney parent United Technologies announced its intent to acquire Goodrich for $16.5 billion. Winslow makes the Ultima and Ultra-Light life rafts for corporate aircraft, and these are packed in compact abrasion-resistant, urethane fire-retardant valises or reinforced plastic hard packs. The rafts are designed to fit most interior configurations and survive extremely severe sea states and conditions. The company says it is the only raft-maker that tests and calibrates each inflation valve.

CY CYR

z Talon Air Bolsters Aircraft Management Services

Flyht verifies Afirs 228 ability to data-stream by Jeff Burger Calgary, Alberta-based AeroMechanical Services (Booth No. C11546) provided an update on its Flyht next-generation automated flight information reporting system, the Afirs 228, which was tested in May on a Hawker 750. The test confirmed the system’s ability to automatically and continuously stream flight and 4D GPS position data, even during the sort of extreme maneuvers that would typically cause interruptions in satcom links. Now, the 228B–the first release in the Flyht series of 228 products–is nearing completion of DO-160F environmental certification testing. “The equipment has performed perfectly to date,”

according to CEO Bill Tempany. The DO-160F testing is the last step before completion of supplemental type certificates (STCs). Flyht will complete STCs for the Hawker jet series, Bombardier CRJ 900 and Challenger 300, Boeing 737 NG, 757-200, 767 and 777 and other models. By early 2012, the company expects the Afirs 228 family to be fully certified to provide safety services, voice data, text and electronic-flight-bag integration. The Afirs 228 will be the first safety-services-certified platform to offer real-time data streaming through FlyhtStream, which can be triggered in three ways: automatically, in the event

AeroMechanical Services Technology Meets BEA Data-streaming Requirement AeroMechanical Services (Booth No. C11546) has developed technology that meets the French Bureau d’Enquetes et d’Analyses (BEA) recommendation for mandatory triggered data-streaming technology on passenger aircraft. The recommendations were made following the crash of Air France Flight 447, an Airbus 330, from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on June 6, 2009. Called Flyht, the new technology automatically transmits the exact position of an aircraft and key black-box data in real time. The BEA recommendation for passenger transport airplanes flying over maritime or remote areas was one of 10 new safety recommendations issued in its third report on the accident issued July 29. AeroMechanical Services, based in Calgary, participated in the BEA’s Data Recovery and Triggered Data Transmission working groups and demonstrated FlyhtStream on the company’s Hawker 750 to representatives from international organizations, manufacturers and operators. FlyhtStream can be activated automatically by a set of predetermined criteria, by the pilot or by ground personnel. Once activated, it provides position and other data to subject matter experts, air traffic control and search and rescue, and also provides audio and visual messages in operations control centers and delivers critical details to cellphones or pagers to ensure all essential personnel are notified of the situation. –M.S.

22 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

of a predefined abnormal airborne event; by the crew, with a single button push; or from the ground over Iridium satcom to Afirs by authorized personnel. It is designed mainly as a remote troubleshooting tool, though its automated triggered transmission capability makes it ideal for alerting crew and tracking an aircraft during an emergency. In other Flyht news, the company has been working with Skyblue Technology Development–exclusive distributor of Afirs products in China–to obtain bandwidth approval for the equipment in that country. That approval has now been renewed for the third time, allowing Afirs equipment to be installed on aviation assets in China until the end of 2017. Flyht also announced here that it is offering its fuel initiative reporting system tracker (First) to business aircraft operators. The fuel reporting system, which is already being used on a fee-forservice basis by several of Flyht’s transport customers, is designed to help operators develop, adopt and monitor their own best-practice procedures in each phase of every flight to document and reduce fuel burn. Practices for reducing fuel burn include reduced-flap takeoffs and landings; reducing acceleration altitude; one-engine-out taxi; low-noise/low-drag approach; idle reverse landing; and limiting unnecessary APU usage. Once desired best practices have been determined, the Afirs system monitors aircraft parameters in each phase of flight and compares the data with optimum execution. An operator that evaluated the Afirs and First system from 2009 to 2011 reported fuel savings of approximately 4.5 percent. o

News Note National Jets, which is based at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, has added a Learjet 45XR to its fleet. The family-owned and -operated business, which dates from the 1940s, now offers executive charter, aircraft management and the National Jets Air Center, an FBO. National Jets also offers BBJ completion management, avionics repair and installation and air ambulance service. The company is exhibiting here at the show at Booth No. C10620 in the Phillips 66 chalet. n

UPGRADE TO VENUE.™ Every day, people around the world count on Rockwell Collins to help them be as productive in the air as they are on the ground. Our Venue cabin management system transforms your aircraft into a high-tech business center with access to real-time information and support for portable devices such as your smartphone. And when it’s time to relax, you can view movies and other digital content on high-definition wide-screen displays, listen to your music, or dim the lights and enjoy the ride. All at the touch of your finger. Let us configure the perfect Venue for you. For more, call 319.295.4085 or visit www.rockwellcollins.com/venue.

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

Luminaries jump start NBAA 2011 by James Wynbrandt A roster of aviation and political luminaries welcomed an energized crowd to the NBAA ’11 opening general session yesterday morning. Joining NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen onstage were U.S. Senator Joseph Manchin III (D-W.Va.), FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, NTSB chairman Deborah Hersman, Dave Everitt, John Deere Agricultural and Turf Division president, and former U.S. Senate majority leader Bill Frist of Tennessee. In opening remarks Bolen announced that the 64th annual gathering had more display

aircraft, more exhibitors and already more registered attendees than last year’s convention. Keynote speaker senator Manchin, a longtime pilot, recounted how as governor of West Virginia he reorganized the state’s aviation assets and bought new aircraft, despite concerns of others who said the public would disapprove the expenditures. “I opened the door and showed the people of West Virginia what we were buying, and that transparency helped us immensely,” Manchin said. Noting the political gridlock that has seized the federal

government, Manchin said, “I want to apologize for the inactions of Washington. I can assure you there are those not looking at politics, but who are looking at the next generation, and willing to step out and make the tough votes, both democrats and republicans, and we’re going to do so.” FAA Administrator Babbitt highlighted the safety and efficiency benefits of NextGen and noted that “For us to achieve these benefits does depend on operators willing to make the necessary investment in equipment and training to

Ed Bolen Dave Everitt

best,” she said, concludutilize these new Dr. Bill Frist ing her account of the techniques.” He also stressed the need for the FAA parallels his practices hold for to receive proper funding lev- the aviation field. “Take the lesels and decried the short-term sons from Number 9 [Williams’s extensions the agency has been Red Sox uniform number] and operating under since 2007, par- make your flight department the ticularly with the need to move best in human possibility.” Everitt, of John Deere, forward on NextGen. “If we delay investments, the cost will explained the importance of the far exceed the cost of going for- flight department in the comward today,” Babbitt said. “We pany’s success and addressed can’t afford not to invest in the myths and misconceptions that harm the business aviation NextGen.” NTSB chairman Hersman industry. “Those who think it’s implored attendees to take the a perk for the rich and famous, lessons of baseball legend Ted you don’t understand that busiWilliams and his commitment ness aviation is critical to operatto studying data and training in ing successfully,” he said. Everitt their approach to safety. “You noted that the John Deere flight are here because you value the department and fleet–a GV, G550 and two Citation Xs– had enabled him to travel more A stellar cast of notables was on the than 175,000 nm to and from 20 dais for the opening ribbon cutting at countries in the past year. o this 64th annual NBAA Convention.

LAS Vegas Luck yields Hole-in-one

PHOTOS: CY CYR

Russell Rice of Rice Aviation garnered a hole-in-one during the NBAA Chairman’s Challenge Golf Tournament at the Revere Golf Club Sunday. The shot came on 223-yard hole No. 8 of the Lexington Course.

Bombardier fleshes out long-range Globals by Mark Huber On Monday, Bombardier announced more suppliers and a few additional design and production details for the new Global 7000 and 8000 longrange business jets that are scheduled to enter service beginning in 2016. New program suppliers include Rockwell Collins for the avionics and primary flight control computer; Parker Aerospace for the hydraulics and fly-by-wire flight control technology; Messier-Bugatti-Dowty for the landing gear; Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems for the wheels and braking system; Liebherr-Aerospace for the airmanagement system; Apparatebau Gauting, for the water and

waste system; and Arrowhead Products for the ducting system. Previously announced program suppliers include Aerolia for the center fuselage, GE for the engines/integrated propulsion system; Hamilton Sundstrand for the electrical, APU and high-lift system; Intertechnique for the fuel, fuel inerting and oxygen systems; and Triumph Aerostructures for the wing. Bombardier vice president and general manager of the Global program Bassam Sabbagh said the decision had been made to use metal construction as opposed to composites for the 7000/8000’s transonic wing; other company executives said a decision on the new wing’s

exact metallurgical content had yet to be made, but that lithiumaluminum alloy was under consideration. While the aircraft’s industrial plan remains under development, Bombardier has decided to assemble the airframe at its Toronto facility and install the interior at its Montreal completion center. Sabbagh said Bombardier is leveraging other company programs and capabilities for the new Globals. Rockwell Collins is the current avionics supplier for the Global Vision avionics suite for the Global 5000/6000 models, and these avionics are based on Collins’s Pro Line Fusion system. The avionics in the Global 7000/8000 are also branded Global Vision. Parker Aerospace is currently working with Bombardier to develop the fly-by-wire system for the new CSeries single-aisle airliner the company currently is developing. o

24 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

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JetTech BBJ completion boasts unique acoustics by Kirby J. Harrison Pick any half-dozen Boeing Business Jets, line the cabins end to end and walk through them. Odds are there would be little more difference among them than between a half-dozen containers of vanilla pudding. But occasionally, typically among private rather than corporate owners, there comes a BBJ interior that is far enough from ordinary that Boeing Business Jets (Booth No. C9210) expects it to be a demo example of a functional cabin that is at the same time, elegant and original. The airplane will be operated on behalf of its owner and based in Medford, Ore. The finish is being done by BBJ boutique completion specialist JetTech in Spokane, Wash. Mike Plymale, director of aviation for First Virtual Air, is coordinating the completion process for the owner, and he is in many ways responsible for the end product.

“The process used to get the project where it is today is unique,” said Plymale, who had filled the same completion management role on the company’s two Global Expresses and a BBJ currently in service. “We had the design package and engineering specs done before we even began to look for a completion center.” Acoustically Unique Cabin

Infusion Design of Bonner Springs, Kans., was one of several studios asked to create proposals, explained Plymale. And while Infusion’s designs were original and creative, he said, “what they represented to us was also buildable.” No less important, it also met the requirements of the owner’s family. Those requirements emphasized an “acoustically unique” airplane that had a “very, very quiet” interior. To that end, Flight Environments of Paso Robles,

JC_AIN_Sept11_JC_AIN 15/09/2011 12:50 Page 1

JET-CARE.COM 1 973 292 9597 Please come and meet the Jet-Care team at Booth #N4916

Completion specialist JetTech created this lounge for a BBJ featuring a flat-screen television and Honeywell’s Ovation Select cabin management system.

Calif., was contracted to create the thermal/acoustic package, and Otto Pobanz of Cincinnati, Ohio, provided acoustic consulting to further reduce cabin noise. Other factors also contribute to a quieter cabin, such as the liberal use of sound-absorbing leather and ultra-suede with foam backing to cover everything from sidewalls and bulkheads to monuments. The fact that there are no hard-surface veneers in the interior also contributes to a quieter cabin. The sleeping accommodations are rather unusual for a BBJ, with a large personal stateroom with king-size bed and private lavatory and shower as well as a smaller guest stateroom. “Including two side-facing divans that convert to beds, we’ll be able to sleep as many as eight on a long trip,” said Plymale.

The owner and family very rarely carry a flight attendant and prefer to prepare their own meals, so the forward galley is “pretty much what you would have in your own house,” said Plymale. One example is a center island similar to that in a typical kitchen. Appliances include convection and microwave ovens, a refrigerator, wine cooler and trash compactor. Electronic Goodies

Also in the forward section just aft of the cockpit is a crew rest area that includes basic access to the audio/visual on-demand (AVOD) entertainment system. The cabin management system is Honeywell’s recently certified Ovation Select, and the entertainment package includes 42-inch and 46-inch high-definition monitors from Aircraft

Cabin Systems (ACS) of Redmond, Wash. (Booth No. N4629). The sound system was created by Alto Aviation of Leominster, Mass. (Booth No. C7038). Other electronic amenities include a Honeywell SwiftBroadband satcom for air/ ground communication and Internet connectivity during travel abroad, and Aircell’s GoGo Biz for the same purpose during travel within the U.S. Plymale said he is also working with Honeywell (Booth No. N4500 to create an app that will allow passenger control of the entire cabin via an iPad. Plymale pointed out, that with seven auxiliary fuel tanks from Pats Aircraft Systems of Georgetown, Del. (Booth No. C7430), he expects 5,500- to 5,600-nm range at Mach 0.80– equivalent to about 12 hours nonstop flight time. The current BBJ in service has an auxiliary fuel system with six tanks and will be made available for lease when the new aircraft is delivered in December. On Time and On Target

A major element in getting what the owner wanted, said Plymale, was in the talent

ANALYSIS SERVICES DRIVEN

available at JetTech “and the fact that we had some control over the project.” He said the contract was structured differently from most. “Many completion agreements are structured with penalties for being late. Instead, we created incentives for being early. Starting with the assumption that there will be penalties seemed like a bad way to begin a partnership,” he said. He added, “At this point, the airplane is within 30 days of the scheduled delivery date, costs are in line with expectations and the quality is as good as or better than I’ve ever seen.” The green BBJ was delivered to JetTech on Dec. 22, 2010, after installation of

the auxiliary fuel system. According to Colt Mehler, v-p of completions at JetTech, pricing, from the completion center’s perspective, was also outside the usual parameters. “We do a complete transparency analysis so the customer will see the markup. We don’t quote a price written on a napkin over lunch. Our order of priority is quality, schedule and price–in that order.” Neither Plymale nor Mehler would discuss the cost of the completion, except to say that it is not out of line with the typical price of a highly personalized BBJ cabin–something approaching $30 million. o

The main stateroom of this JetTech BBJ design features a king-size bed, private lavatory and shower. A smaller guest stateroom has two side-facing divans that convert to beds.

BY QUALITY AND EXPERIENCE

Custom Control teams with L-3 on VIP 747-8 Custom Control Concepts announced a major partnership with L-3 Platform Integration (Booth No. C8132) to provide the Waco, Texas cabin completion specialist with a cabin management system and highdefinition entertainment for a head-of-state Boeing 747-8 completion project. The highly customized interior will showcase the latest cabin management and entertainment systems, said Custom Control Concepts v-p of business operations Serae Jemera. “We’re working closely with L-3’s design department to ensure that each custom switch panel, HD monitor and touchscreen menu is exactly what the client envisions and adds to the elegance of the aircraft interior.” At the Custom Control Concepts (CCC) exhibit (Booth No. C11028) are monitors, source equipment, speakers, iPad/iPod/ iPhone remotes, audio/video on

demand (AVOD), the SkyShow 3-D moving map and more. The monitor lineup includes the newest 11.6-inch, LED touch-screen monitor with integrated AVOD. Not only are they more efficient than traditional LCD monitors, said Jemera, “we offer products that weigh less, take up less space, require less wiring and feature a lower box-count.” Jemera added that CCC is also introducing a new line of EMI connector back shells. Produced with the company’s proprietary 3-D manufacturing techniques, the shells “ensure a custom fit for each application and a substantial reduction in electromagnetic interference.” CCC was launched in 1998, and the company’s legacy business is in large executive airliner reconfigurations, ranging from the Airbus ACJ318 to the Boeing 747. President and CEO Kurt Mayhall figures that, to

date, CCC systems have been installed in more than 125 single- and twin-aisle jets. But he added that CCC’s systems are easily scalable and have been installed in a number of smaller fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, including 15 Sikorsky S-92s. “Along the way,” said Mayhall, “we have designed, manufactured, tested, certified and delivered more than 90 unique and proprietary controllers.” Part of the CCC process of putting together a cabin package is a bench test of the entire finished system in its own integration lab, “where the customer can come in and push all the buttons and is encouraged to make any changes before the system is packed and shipped to the completion center for installation,” explained Mayhall. The most recent test was for an Airbus A340 cabin electronics package that was installed by Gore Design Completions (Booth No. N5716) in San Antonio, Texas. This year, said Jemera, “is a big year for Custom Control Concepts.” In addition to the new 747-8 project, CCC is expanding its facilities and adding machine tooling. –K.J.H.

Phenom 100

Light Jet Report Pre-owned Market Holds Some Bargains by Cyrus Sigari Three years ago, in October 2008, I was sitting in the back of a Citation CJ1+ headed to the NBAA convention in Orlando, Fla. Lehman Brothers had collapsed two weeks earlier and there was a sentiment of caution and confusion surrounding the financial markets. NBAA 2008 ran from October 4 to 10. On October 3, the Dow Jones Industrial Average opened at 10,325 points. On October 10, it closed at 8,451 points. The largest stock market crash in U.S. history happened during the NBAA show. Fast forward to today, even after three years of excruciating effort, the general aviation industry has struggled to regain its footing. Despite contributing more than $150 billion to the U.S. economy every year and 1.2 million high-wage, stable jobs, general aviation continues to be one of the popular targets of our current administration. A direct indicator of the industry’s recovery (or lack thereof) is pre-owned aircraft pricing, which ultimately has a direct correlation to demand for factory new aircraft. This market report gives a snap shot of how the preowned light jet market has fared since the report published by AIN at last year’s NBAA convention.

Eclipse 500

The history of the Eclipse 500 very light jet remains one of the most fascinating to reflect on. In July 2009, Eclipse Aerospace resurrected the Eclipse 500 from bankruptcy. The new company is now supporting the 260 Eclipses in service, and customers feel that Eclipse Aerospace is here to stay. While factory-new Eclipse 500 production has yet

to start up, Eclipse Aerospace has certified and retrofitted many new improvements to the original design. As there are somewhere on the order of half-a-dozen different configurations for the Eclipse 500, pricing is varied across the board. For the earliest serial numbers without the heavy extended tip-tank modification or Avio NG avionics, pricing ranges from $600,000 to $800,000. Eclipse Aerospace’s Total Eclipse, which includes all of the upgrades and modifications to the Eclipse, including the Avio Integrated Flight Management System, is being sold by the factory at $2.15 million. Preowned aircraft with the majority of the upgrades are trading in the low- to mid$1 million range. Eclipse 500

Premier I

will have an increased maximum altitude of FL450 compared to FL410 on the Premier IA, a range increase of about 200 nm and an increase in maximum cruise speed to 470 knots. Combined with a much-improved “Hawker style” interior, the Hawker 200 stands to be a big win for Hawker Beechcraft. Cessna Citation Mustang

Hawker Beechcraft Premier I/IA/Hawker 200

With just under 300 Premiers in operation today, the Premier and the Premier IA continue to provide owners with the largest cabin and fastest speed in its class. Thirteen percent of the in-service Premier Is and 17 percent of the IAs are currently for sale. Prices vary from below $2 million for an older Premier I to the mid-$3 million range for a lower-time, younger preowned Premier IA. Hawker/Beechcraft’s newest Premier, renamed the Hawker 200, will be available starting in the fourth quarter of 2012. The numerous improvements to the Hawker 200 over the Premier IA should significantly increase Hawker Beechcraft’s competitive strength in this category. With the addition of the Williams FJ44-3AP engines, the Hawker 200

28 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Cessna’s smallest jet has proven to be one of the most successful models in the company’s history. With what has turned out to be an almost cult-like following by owner/operators, the Mustang provides relatively few barriers to entry for owners considering their first jet. With nearly 400 aircraft produced in just five years, the Mustang continues to provide excellent efficiency and operational simplicity, combined with Cessna’s strong service and support. High pedigree, appropriately priced Mustangs do not sit on the market for long. Current pricing for preowned Mustangs ranges from about $2 million for a higher time, low-serial-numbered unit, to the mid $2 million range Citation Mustang

for a younger machine. Over the past 12 months Cessna has been aggressive with factory incentives to move new aircraft off the production line, which has ultimately put a dent in the pre-owned market velocity and strength. The fact remains that the Cessna name and service creates a great deal of owner loyalty, and the Mustang provides a solid platform for both novice and experienced jet owner/pilots. Embraer Phenom 100

The light jet market has suffered for many quarters, but the Phenom 100 may be an indication of what is to come. With prices remaining fairly consistent through most of 2011, the Phenom 100 pre-owned market is experiencing high demand and historically low availability. Since June the average days on market for the 100 have fallen to fewer than 90 days, seemingly insignificant until compared with the combined average of 270-plus days on market average of six months ago. Embraer has cautiously adjusted its production rates and refrained from discounting new Phenoms, bolstering preowned markets. Early model Phenom 100s are trading in the high $2 millions to the low- to mid-$3 millions for a lowtime, high-serial-number Phenom 100. Buyers are still looking for bargains, but will pay a premium for a well-maintained, low-time Phenom 100. With the pre-owned Phenom 100 inventory rapidly shrinking over the past quarter, low-time airframes with a clean history and enrolled in maintenance programs are highly sought after. This equates to market opportunity for owners of the Phenom 100 that may be looking to upgrade while retaining the most value for their current aircraft. A strong market exists outside the U.S., with the distribution of the fleet showing significant operations in Europe and South America (about 20 and 30 percent of the fleet, respectively).

Light Jet Report Phenom 300

Embraer Phenom 300

With massive fleet orders from both NetJets and Flight Options, Embraer has positioned the future of the Phenom 300 well. The largest of the single pilot jets in production today, the Phenom 300 has been very warmly received by early adopters. With roughly 40 Phenom 300s delivered to date and no pre-owned transactions to report, pricing of available Phenom 300s for sale ranges from the high $7 millions to the low $8 millions and new Phenom 300s price out close to $9 million. By this time next year, there should be more data to report with respect to the market price for pre-owned Phenom 300s. Cessna CitationJet/CJ1/CJ1+

The legacy CE 525 market (1993 to 2000 year models) has yet to truly recover from the perils of 2008, with 60 CitationJets currently for sale, representing 17 percent of the CitationJet fleet. Average pricing for the original CE 525 has steadily inched down to a market-wide average

of approximately $1.5 million, providing buyers with the opportunity to own a single-pilot, eight-seat light jet for a significant discount when compared to previous years. The CJ1 market (2000 to 2005), with 29 units currently for sale representing 11 percent of the available fleet, boasts stronger liquidity for owners as compared to the legacy 525. Prices for CJ1s range from the high $1 millions to mid $2 millions. Pricing for the most recent model of the CE 525–the CJ1+ (2005 to 2010)– ranges from the high $2 millions to mid $3 millions. With Citation CJ1 CJ1+ production halted at the beginning of this year and the new Citation M2 525 variant in the works, buyers are likely to see continued softening of the CJ1+ market over the coming years, independent of outside economic factors. Cessna CJ2/CJ2+

Pricing for the CE 525A market (2000 to 2005 models) ranges from the high $2 millions to the mid $3 millions. With just fewer than 40 units for sale representing 15 percent of the available fleet, great buys still remain for those interested in purchasing

Cessna CJ2

a 1,500-mile, nine-passenger jet. Liquidity for the CJ2 market is relatively tempered, with only three retail transactions in the CJ2 market over the last quarter. The CJ2+ market (2005 to 2011 models) reveals a different story compared to the legacy CE 525A. Currently only 8 percent of the CJ2+ fleet is available for sale with prices ranging from the low $4 millions for a higher time, lower-serial-number unit to the high $5 millions for a low-time, higherserial-number unit. Cessna CJ3

The CJ3 market remains the most dynamic of the Citation markets. Though only 6 percent of the fleet is currently for sale, the majority of on-market CJ3s are coming up for sale because owners are taking deliveries of CJ4s. Also, Cessna is offering sizeable factory incentives for new CJ3s, so it’s a great time to be a CJ3 buyer. CJ3 pricing ranges from mid to high $4 millions for an earlier-serialnumber CJ3 to the low $6 millions for a younger bird.

Cessna CJ3

Cessna CJ4

Cessna’s largest single-pilot jet, the CJ4, has made large strides in 2011. As of this writing, there are a few more than 40 CJ4s in operation, with many operators being former CJ3 or CJ2+ operators. As the CJ4 is so new, and so few aircraft are in operation, there have been few retail pre-owned transactions to report. However, pricing on new CJ4s is approximately $9 million, with pre-owned aircraft currently projected to be in the high $7 million to low $8 million range. o Cyrus Sigari is president and co-founder of jetAviva, a light jet sales and acquisition firm based in Santa Monica, Calif.

quick, find the runway

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Legacy 500 expected to enter flight testing by year-end Work is progressing on Embraer’s newest offering, the midsize Legacy 500, and the Brazilian airframer says it is on schedule to fly the $18.4 million twinjet by year-end. Designed to fill the gap in the manufacturer’s lineup between the $8.5 million light Phenom 300 and the large-cabin $27- to $30-million Legacy 600/650, the Legacy 500 and its slightly smaller sibling, the Legacy 450, were announced as concepts at NBAA in 2007, and the pair of jets was formally launched half a year later. At a pre-NBAA tour at the company’s São José dos Campos headquarters near the end of August, Embraer showed off the fuselage of the first prototype of the midsize jet, which was about to receive its wings. In a nearby hangar, the type’s second prototype had just completed the mating of its three fuselage sections. The 500 will enter flight testing first, to be followed, according to plans, a year later by the mid-light 450. The pair are clean-sheet designs that are intended to have 95 percent systems commonality, including sharing the same wing and engines, and Embraer is staggering their development so as to not have to make any design changes (if required) to both aircraft. Due to the high similarity planned for the two twinjets, the manufacturer intends to achieve a common type rating for the pair just as it did with its E170 and E190 commercial jets. FBW Expertise

In addition to sharing the Rockwell ollins Pro Line Fusion cockpit with synC thetic-vision system and sidestick flight controls, both twinjets will feature full flyby-wire (FBW) flight control systems that will offer a wide range of pilot and operator benefits such as optimized performance, enhanced flight safety, enhanced passenger comfort and reduced operating costs. Embraer has experience with FBW, having introduced the technology for the rudder and spoiler of its AMX military jet developed during the 1980s and in its 170/190 class E-Jets and Lineage 1000, which feature FBW flight control in the pitch and yaw axis. Full FBW systems are currently in

use on the Boeing 777 and 787 as well as on Airbuses and, in the business aviation realm, on the Dassault Falcon 7X and Gulfstream’s G650. Embraer’s introduction of the system on the 500 and 450 will make these the only aircraft below the $50 million price bracket to offer such technology. The FBW applications on the new jets will include rudder, spoilers, elevators, flaps, ailerons and horizontal stabilizer, providing closed-loop control on all three axes and allowing maximum maneuvering capability in the aircraft’s normal flight envelope. With the side stick in neutral, the system will maintain trajectory, compensate for pitch and yaw in turns and automatically compensate for roll with sideslip. If the sidestick is moved out of neutral for maneuvering, once it is returned to neutral it will gradually move the airplane back to within the “soft limits” of the normal flight envelope. In case of dual or conflicting input from the pilot and copilot, the system will issue tactile, aural and visual warnings. The FBW system’s angle-of-attack limiter will provide stall protection by permitting lower margins over the airplane’s stall speed limits, which will permit the aircraft to employ lower landing and takeoff speeds. Embraer calculated that for operations at airports with limited runway length such as London City, application of the angle-of-attack limiter will result in an increase in usable payload of nearly 1,000 pounds. During an engineering test simulator demonstration at Embraer’s engineering facility, the aircraft’s FBW system quickly responded and compensated when faced with an engine-out-on-takeoff scenario. Such quick responsiveness will also reduce oscillations during turbulence to improve passenger comfort. Through the adoption of the FBW system and its built-in envelope protections, the OEM was also able to gain weight savings in structure due to lower loads in specific areas. In terms of range, the aircraft designers had firm goals in mind, according to Cláudio Camelier, Embraer’s vice president for market and product strategy.

Embraer’s Legacy 450 will share the same fuselage cross section as the Legacy 500 and will have 95 percent systems commonality. The 450 is expected to enter flight testing at the end of next year.

30 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

CURT EPSTEIN

by Curt Epstein

At a pre-NBAA tour of the company’s Brazil headquarters, Embraer showed the fuselage of the first prototype of the Legacy 500 midsize jet. The 500 is on schedule to enter flight testing by year-end.

The cabin of the Legacy 500, designed by BMW Group Designworks USA, can seat up to 10 passengers with an optional belted lavatory seat. It will feature unique lighting and a 12-speaker entertainment system.

“These airplanes were defined on very clear product requirements. For the Legacy 500 we wanted this airplane to be a real U.S. coast-to-coast-capable airplane that could fly with a full passenger load in any wind condition,” he said. The Legacy 500 is expected to have a 3,000-nm range with four passengers and 2,800-nm range with eight passengers. According to Camelier, that will make the Legacy 500 the longest range aircraft in its class and endow it with only slightly shorter legs than the super-midsize Bombardier Challenger 300 and Hawker 4000. The Legacy 500 will be able to fly city pairs such as Los Angeles-Honolulu and New York-London. Interior Defined by Customers

In the four years since the Legacy 450/500 were introduced, the interior, which was designed in conjunction with BMW Group Designworks USA, has been refined based on customer feedback obtained in surveys. The cockpit, as seen in the mockup at the company’s booth (No. N5132), is “99 percent representative,” according to Alvadi Serpa, Jr., head of the company’s 450 and 500 strategy team. The selection of the sidestick control not only adds to the feeling of spaciousness in the cockpit but also resulted in weight savings when combined with the FBW system. Unique among their respective classes, the 450 and 500, which share the same fuselage cross section, will offer a flatfloor, stand-up cabin and a 6,000-foot cabin altitude at the aircraft’s maximum altitude of 45,000 feet. The 500 can seat up to 10 passengers with an optional

belted lavatory seat. Options include either eight seats in a dual-club arrangement, or four seats plus either one or two divans replacing a pair or all of the second set of seats. Each facing pair of seats can be folded down and combined to make a full-length flat bed. The 500 also offers a wet galley with hot and cold water and can be equipped with microwave and convection ovens, a refrigerator and an espresso maker. A range of real stone flooring options is available for the galley area. Overhead, the cabin features separate upwash, downwash and valance lighting, which can be dimmed or adjusted in various lighting tones. The passenger entertainment system has 12 speakers plus subwoofer arranged around the cabin for surround-sound capability. The highdefinition video system can play media from the iPod dock, a Blu-ray disc player or from a variety of consumer electronic devices streamed through an auxiliary panel located above the foldout tables. Touchscreen units provide control for audio and video, lights, window shades, seat temperature and lumbar support. The baggage capacity of 150 cu ft is the same for both the Legacy 450 and 500. The main externally accessible compartment is eight feet long and has a volume of 110 cu ft, with optional heating available. The 40-cu-ft heated and pressurized internal baggage area is accessible in flight through the lavatory compartment. Brazilian ANAC and FAA certification of the Legacy 500 is expected in the second half of next year, with the 450 to follow about a year later. o

Mid Continent offers hi-def cabin by Kirby J. Harrison Mid Continent Controls is taking advantage of the NBAA stage to introduce its new PulsenHD cabin management system and in-flight entertainment package that has all the goodies expected by a completion or refurbishment center, and more. The Derby, Kans.-based company (Booth No. C10634) says the 100-percent digital system has an Ethernet backbone and is high-definition (HD), with 1080p HD distribution throughout the cabin. “We’re introducing it here

and we expect to begin shipping units before the end of the year,” said director of sales and engineering Mike Freel. Pulse-nHD, said Freel, supports high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), high-definition serial digital interface (HD-SDI), component, composite and VGA inputs. This permits other electronic devices to be connected to source equipment adapters and thereby allows integration into the Mid Continent system. It

allows up to 20 video sources to be streamed simultaneously throughout the cabin. Pulse-nHD also has highbandwidth digital control protection (HDCP), “a copy protection package to eliminate the possibility of intercepting digital data midstream between the source and the display,” explained Freel. According to Freel, the system is market-positioned for new aircraft programs but can also be easily retrofitted for older aircraft.

Mid Continent’s Pulse-nHD cabin management system and in-flight entertainment package positions a touch screen at each passenger location, so every passenger can control all cabin electronics–from lighting to temperature–from the seat.

And it is also highly scalable and adaptable, he added, “from the smallest to the largest aircraft.” Among the features: • It supports USB storage devices through a wide range of auxiliary ports that permit passengers to use devices such as iPods and gaming consoles, as well as share with other passengers throughout the cabin. • A dual-disk Blu-ray player accommodates CDs and standard DVDs. • There is full digital audio distribution throughout the cabin to headphones and a Mid Continent high-power, multichannel amplifier. • Every passenger location within the cabin can access all information located on the network via an individual touch-screen. • Touch-screen switch panels in various display sizes and individual touch-screen panels control all cabin electronics, from lighting and audio/video to cabin temperature. • The graphical user interface can be fully customized. To increase reliability and ease of maintenance of PulsenHD, a diagnostics system

recognizes all equipment connected to the network and provides diagnostic health monitoring, including component temperature, input voltage, output loads and fault indication. Diagnostics can be made remotely through an Internet connection. In addition, no fans are required for the low powerusage system components. Mid Continent is using an iPad at its exhibit here to demonstrate the integration of carry-on electronic communication devices with Pulse-nHD. In addition, Mid Continent is introducing a new line of monitors, starting with a 12.1-inch HD screen that serves dual use in a seat or in a bulkhead mount. At its booth, it is showing its 21.5-inch HD monitor, which it claims is the brightest in the industry at 1,200 nits (units of visible light intensity). Both monitors accept HDMI, HD-SDI, component, composite or VGA signal. Freel said the company is already at work to further expand the monitor line. Mid Continent also is introducing in-seat power outlets that it says are smaller and lighter than existing versions. o

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Avfuel continues to grow, seeks overseas alliances by Curt Epstein Amid the recent announcements of major fuel companies withdrawing from the general-aviation arena, independent fuel provider Avfuel continues to see growth and opportunity in the market. Over the past year, the Ann Arbor, Mich.based company has added 57 new FBOs

to its distribution network, bringing its total to well over 600 locations nationwide. As its name would suggest, Avfuel (Booth No. N5121) is an aviation fuel distributor and serves virtually all segments of the industry, including airlines and military and cargo operators, as well as FBOs

IN WHAT LIGHT ...DO YOU WANT TO BE SEEN?

BOOTH C9039

and corporate flight departments. According to Joel Hirst, the company’s eastern vice president of sales, Avfuel currently supplies approximately 22 percent of the GA fuel in the U.S. “When we look at our branded dealer network, we’ve got pretty nice coverage [across] the country,” Hirst told AIN. “We can compete with anybody in any region in the [United] States.” Recent strategy changes instituted by long-time industry stalwarts such as Chevron (which said last year that it would cease marketing aviation fuel in 27 states) and ExxonMobil (which announced its plans in July to dissolve its Avitat-branded FBO network and stop providing aviation fuel in the U.S.–a decision that affected approximately 150 locations) have no doubt helped and will continue to fuel Avfuel’s network recruitment efforts. “Our biggest strength has been our stability and track record,” said Hirst, l ooking back on the company’s nearly 40-year history. “We’ve seen [companies] come and go, while we have tried to, year-after-year, be a consistent fuel supplier and address the current needs of the FBOs.” As for business this year, the company said its fuel sales, which have closely followed the stock market, were strong in the early part but leveled off over the

Left to right: Graeme Campbell, managing director, Eurojet Aviation; Craig Sincock, president and CEO, Avfuel; and Mark Beattie, operations director, George Best Belfast City Airport reached an agreement for Avfuel to supply fuel to Eurojet.

summer. Avfuel of late has seen its largest share of fuel sales growth come through the addition of new customers. Long-legged Models Impact Sales

[PEOPLE + INNOVATION + EXPERIENCE]

32 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

The company has also noted some deep-rooted recent changes in the fuel supply industry, with regard to the economies of aircraft operation, changes that have caused the company to reexamine its fuel sales models. “If you look back to the big fallout of ’08, the stock market going down like it did, it really pushed a lot of older heavy fuel-burning jets out of the marketplace,” said Mark Haynes, Avfuel’s western vice president of sales. “Those airplanes are gone, never to return again, for the most part.” The departure of those fuel guzzlers coupled with the arrival on the market of new aircraft incorporating the latest fuel-efficient technologies has altered fuel usage patterns. “It certainly has led to extreme competition between FBOs in fighting for those gallons,” said Hirst. In this new paradigm, FBO operators are no longer

challenged simply by the other providers on their field, but by those around the country, given the range and economy of the latest generation of aircraft, which can fly two or three more legs before needing fuel. As a result, flight departments now have many more options when it comes time for fueling. Some long-range aircraft could alter that equation even more. “You take these operators that are operating [Gulfstream] 450s or 550s or [Bombardier] Globals, who have their own fuel farm at their home base, they are probably not buying fuel from anybody in the United States,” said Haynes. “That airplane can leave Dallas and go to Seattle and back and not need fuel. They take the approach that they will just pay the user fees.” Faced with those variables, Avfuel has continually added programs to increase the number of “touchpoints” a flight department has with the company. Through its Avplan flight-planning division, the company can handle all details for a trip anywhere on Earth. It can arrange fueling at more than 2,000 locations worldwide through its contract fuels system, and its Avtrip pilot loyalty program helps steer traffic to its network of branded FBOs. Partners with Eurojet

Avfuel last month announced the establishment of its first branded FBOs outside North America. The company has partnered with European FBO operator Eurojet to provide fuel, fuel purchase solutions, credit processing equipment, marketing support and its customer loyalty program at its location at George Best Belfast City Airport in Northern Ireland and at a new facility being built at Birmingham International Airport, scheduled to open in time for next year’s Summer Olympics in London. European airports typically have only one fuel supplier, but as the management at Belfast City seeks to expand its general aviation share, they believe the introduction of Avfuel there could have benefits. “Introducing an alternative fuel supplier allows us to be more competitive, which will ultimately drive more business aviation traffic to the airport,” said Mark Beattie, the airport’s operations director. The airport, the second largest in Northern Ireland, serves approximately 2.7 million passengers a year. While the announcements mark the first overseas branded locations for Avfuel, the fuel provider expects these will be the vanguard of its international expansion. As some global fuel providers scale back their general aviation commitments abroad, Avfuel believes it will see more opportunities to spread its network, and like most in the industry, it is looking toward Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America. “There are 2,000 locations around the world where we can fuel aircraft and we are trying to cement those locations with more [FBO] brandings internationally,” said Hirst. “It’s not just about connecting domestic U.S. operators but connecting flight departments abroad, tying them into the Avfuel system so when they come to the [United] States, we keep them in our network.” o

bratio ele

Sm the ar

rtS t pa c years

Jo n - in

We thought of a surprise party But with Smart ServiceS there are no SurpriSeS. In 1986, we pioneered cost per flight hour budget protection for Bombardier* aircraft with the introduction of the Smart Parts* program. Now, with more than one thousand aircraft enrolled and over four million flight hours covered, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of Smart Parts and the success that has led to the creation of the Smart Services* portfolio of budget protection programs. Thank you for making the Smart Parts program the longest running budget protection solution for Bombardier aircraft.

Celebrate with us!

Come by booth N6000 for refreshments on tuesday, october 11th from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. ÂŠ 2011 Bombardier Inc. All rights reserved. Bombardier, Smart Services, Smart Parts and You. First. are registered or unregistered trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

Gulfstream picks Aircell Axxess for G650 by Kirby J. Harrison

In-flight connectivity specialist Aircell (Booth No. N3527) has been selected by Gulfstream to provide the Aircell Axxess

communication system for the new largecabin, ultra-long-range G650. Aircell Axxess provides global voice

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

Jet Support Services, Inc. is the largest independent provider of hourly cost maintenance programs for aircraft engines and airframes. In response to our continued growth in California, we are opening a new JSSI office at the Pentastar Aviation facility in Van Nuys. We are searching for a Vice President, California and Western Region, to lead our sales effort in this part of the country, build strong relationships with all levels of our organization and lead through influence. The successful candidate will have an extensive background and knowledge in Business Aviation, with a strong knowledge of finance, maintenance programs and business development. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of ten years’ experience in California, with extensive hands on experience working with leading Aircraft Management Companies, Dealers, Brokers, Lenders, Aviation Attorneys, Consultants and MROs.

Qualified candidates should submit cover letter, resume and salary history via e-mail to human.resources@jetsupport.com or via fax to +1 (312) 896-5587 www.jetsupport.com

service and narrow-band data capabilities via the Iridium Satellite network. Integrated cabin handsets allow passengers and crew to place calls to, and receive calls from, anyplace in the world. “Since Aircell Axxess is also offered on several other Gulfstream aircraft, fleet commonality will help passengers feel right at home as they communicate with family, friends and colleagues as they fly,” said Aircell v-p and general manager John Wade. Aircell is displaying its entire range of in-flight connectivity and communication systems at its exhibit. Meanwhile, Cessna Aircraft has announced that it will offer Aircell’s GoGo Biz high-speed air-to-ground Internet capability as a factory option for the Citation CJ4 beginning in the first quarter 2012. Cessna’s efforts to engineer and certify the system on a CJ4 platform are already well under way and scheduled for completion in January. GoGo Biz enables broadband Internet access by passengers and crews at altitudes above 10,000 feet in the continental U.S. and portions of Alaska, using their own Wi Fi-enabled laptops, tablets, electronic flight bags, smartphones and other mobile devices. In other Aircell news, the Broomfield, Colo.-based company’s Aircell Axxess and Data Interface Unit (DIU) have received approval in SITA’s validation, assessment and qualification (VAQ) program. As FANS-over-Iridium (FOI) technology continues to emerge, explained an Aircell spokesman, “this qualification is a critical milestone because it validates that Aircell’s satcom equipment meets all the performance requirements for operation

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3475627-Million_Air-A-Experience-r2.indd NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com 1

9/30/11 7:31 PM

in a FANS [Future Air Navigation System] environment.” Aircell has published a new technology brief for the business aviation market titled, “Understanding FANS Over Iridium (FOI).” Aircell describes the brief as a plain-language “must-read” for any aircraft operator conducting certified, non-VHF safety services messaging. The document is available on Aircell’s website. Elsewhere, repair station MSP Aero at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport has received certification for installation of GoGo Biz in the Gulfstream G200. MSP Aero notes that GoGo Biz is “up to 56 times faster than dial-up connections and significantly faster than most satellitebased solutions.” According to director of business development Jon Ness, MSP Aero plans to target additional airframes with plans to develop installation kits to provide a seamless solution for cabin completion jobs. o

Universal Wx strengthens data collection for EU-ETS Universal Weather & Aviation (Booth No. C8926) has enhanced the services available on its European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) resource center. The center offers calculators, sample reporting plans and how-to information. It also offers the ability to present the information to an accredited verifier with which Universal has a relationship in the format the verifier requires. The Houston-based trip support services provider says that it has seen increased activity on the portal as the deadline for ETS reporting for operators flying in Europe looms nearer. Carbon monitoring and reporting for EU-ETS is now in its second year, and operators must submit their emissions reports by March 31, 2012. Randy Stephens, Universal Weather’s divisional v-p of product management and specialty products, pointed out that although the U.S. government is opposed to the legislation, the scheme is presently compulsory. He said, “Operators must comply with the regulation and submit a verified annual emissions report by the deadline.” He added that Universal Weather has observed that one issue that has emerged has been slowness in submitting information. This could potentially cause problems in the future, because a key issue for operators is that there are few certified verifiers. Universal Weather’s resource center is available for free, but paying subscribers can also collate their information and present it to a verifier of their choice. The company will be demonstrating the portal at its NBAA booth. –L.M.

The Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse factory makes airmanagement systems for a number of airliners and is adding the Learjet 85 to its capabilities.

Liebherr air-management system on Lear 85 by Bernard Fitzsimons Bombardier’s new Learjet 85 is the latest in a growing line of business jets to feature an integrated air management system from Liebherr-Aerospace & Transportation (Booth No. N5307). The company’s expansion into business aviation is in line with its aim to become the world leader in civil aircraft air systems. As one of 10 divisions that make up Germany’s Liebherr Group, Aerospace & Transportation makes landing gear and flight controls as well as air and actuation systems at its Toulouse, France, facility. Current programs include the air-management systems for the Boeing 747-8, Bombardier CSeries, Comac C919 and Sukhoi Superjet 100 airliners as well as the Embraer KC-390 military tanker/ transport, the nose landing gear and slat actuation for the Airbus A350, flap actuation for the Learjet 85, landing gear for

the C919 and CSeries and the engine bleed air system for the new Airbus A320neo and its CFM Leap-X or Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines. The traditional approach to air-management, according to Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse board member Francis Lehmann, involved buying a plethora of separate systems to handle engine bleed air, air-conditioning, cabin pressure control, airframe and engine ice protection, fuel inerting air, cabin air quality and additional cooling for avionics, galleys, hydraulics and electronics. That changed with the integrated airmanagement system that Liebherr developed for the Bombardier Global Express, Lehmann said at the opening last month of the company’s new air systems integration development and test center. Since then Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse has built a

market share of 40 percent in air systems for civil aircraft on platforms ranging in size from the Airbus A380 to Eurocopter and AgustaWestland helicopters. The Bombardier Challenger 300, Global 5000 and CRJ series all feature Liebherr integrated air-management systems while the two Globals and the Dassault Falcon 7X also use the company’s cabin humidification system. Other Falcon models have Liebherr air-conditioning, cabin pressure control and bleed air systems. The new development and test center represents a $36 million investment in the Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse site that is responsible for air systems development and production. It will support the development of future technologies as well as supplying the pressurized air and other facilities for testing production equipment in simulated operational conditions.

Lehmann said the company’s success in the air systems market has been based on mastery of the key system components such as air-cycle machines, highpressure and high-temperature valves, heat exchangers, compressors, power electronics and control electronics. Non-core components are outsourced but the company builds components such as heat exchangers itself. “We used to buy them [from a supplier] but 10 years ago we decided to develop an in-house capability,” said sales and marketing executive vice president Nicolas Bonleux. Heat exchangers for aerospace applications differ in qualities and performance from those used in the automotive industry, “so there were a lot of reasons to develop the capability.” Among the innovations Liebherr has brought to air management are air-bearing turbocompressors, which use pressurized air to support the rotating mass and eliminate the ball bearings and associated oil injection used in most compressors. As well as reducing friction and so improving reliability, the compressors improve cabin air quality by eliminating the potential for air contamination by oil droplets. They have been taken up by the automotive industry to supply oil-free pressurized air. o

www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 35

Living wall ‘greens’ BBJ cabin by Kirby J. Harrison the lounge. Each wall is completely covered, end-to-end and top-to-bottom, with ferns; all evergreen variants that do not shed their leaves, do not attract insects and are known for their non-allergenic properties. Water and plant food are provided through an irrigation system, for which Doret may apply for a patent. Sunlight is provided through a series of mirrors that channel light from the cabin windows and supplemented by artificial light, both of which can be blocked temporarily. Another special requirement is for a gardener

Pilatus displays cloak and dagger Spectre platform by James Wynbrandt Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus Aircraft is displaying the Spectre, a variant of its popular PC-12 NG single-engine turboprop reconfigured for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaisance (ISR) missions, at the convention hall’s outdoor static display area. “We want to get the word out about its ISR capabilities to potential customers,” said Bryan Anderson, Pilatus’s senior manager of government programs. “We’ve talked to some people who said, ‘The PC-12 is too nice’ to serve as an ISR platform. But it’s also a workhorse.” Anderson noted that in an era of declining budgets, the PC-12 NG Spectre is the best choice for agencies looking for cost-effective ISR solutions, particularly when measured against the cost of a twin-engine solution or the more limited capabilities of a non-pressurized single-engine turboprop. The Spectre has two primary features that distinguish it from a standard PC-12 NG: an electro-optical sensor concealed in the tailcone that is lowered during ISR operations and an onboard operator’s station where the images can

who can come in periodically and give the walls a nice trim. According to Doret, the cost is “only slightly more” than for a typical fabric- or leather-covered wall. Here at the NBAA show, a video animation of the Living Wall is being shown at several exhibits; Boeing Business Jets (Booth No. C9210), Emteq (Booth No. C9039) and L-3 Platform Integration (Booth No. 8132). L-3 in Waco, Texas, has been selected to do the completion work on the aircraft. The 787-9 is scheduled for delivery in 2015 to an unidentified owner. o

be monitored. The data can also be archived, and sent via datalink to ground stations in real time. Pilatus began selling the Spectre in the 1990s, but sales have increased in recent years as the need for ISR platforms, and the Spectre’s suitability for the role, have been recognized. Tom Aniello, the company’s vice president of marketing, said Pilatus has a goal of selling five to 10 Spectres per year and is on a mission of its own to boost those sales. “We’re shifting a lot more focus to the military and law enforcement markets,” he said. Clients have included law enforcement agencies, customs and border patrol services, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Canada’s RCMP and other government entities, “some that we can’t name,” Aniello said. Conklin & de Decker calculates the Spectre’s operating costs are less than $600 per hour. The aircraft’s high-speed cruise of 280 knots, loiter time in excess of eight hours and ability to operate on unimproved airstrips provides operators with great mission flexibilitiy, said Anderson, who, as a former U2 pilot, knows something about ISR platforms. An additional operator’s station can be installed on the Spectre, and many customers install customized ISR equipment and communication gear after delivery. For the first nine months of this year, the mission-capable rate for the global Spectre fleet was more than 99 percent, Anderson said. Sold as an option on the stock PC-12 NG, the Spectre is priced at a little less than $500,000 more than the standard version. o

MARIANO ROSALES

The Pilatus PC-12 NG is on static display in its Spectre ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaisance) mission configuration.

36 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Edese Doret’s Boeing 787-9 interior design features living walls made of ferns. The walls include an irrigation system to carry both water and food to the plants.

Ruag shows multimission Dornier 228 ‘new gen’ by Harry Weisberger Ruag Aerospace Services is here at NBAA ’11, exhibiting on the Henderson Executive Airport static display line with an example of something sort of old and something quite new, the “New Generation” Dornier Do228NG multimission turboprop twin. Last year the aviation division of Swiss holding company Ruag began delivering new examples of the model first manufactured in 1981. Originally built as a regional airliner, its latest iteration is being marketed for several special missions with an all-glass cockpit, 715-shp flat-rated Honeywell TPE331-10 engines and five-blade propellers. First delivery of the newly built 228NG was in September 2010 to a Japanese operator. Current production rate at the Ruag final assembly facility in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, is four airframes per year. As with previously built Do 228s, fuselage, wing and tail sections are being built by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) in India and shipped to Bavaria. Ruag’s Alexander Müller said Sunday that 28 percent of Do 228NG content is currently American–primarily engines and avionics– but that number may soon rise to as high as 50 percent. The aircraft can be configured in a variety of ways, as a 19-seat passenger transport or corporate shuttle, a medium-range cargo transport, high-endurance sensor platform, medevac, maritime surveillance or border patrol aircraft. A 78-knot stall speed gives the Do 228NG excellent short- and unpreparedfield performance, with a balanced field length of just under 2,000 feet at max gross weight. Ruag is willing

to renovate and modify existing Do 228 airframes to NG configuration, but representatives said there are no such aircraft currently available. Approximately 250 Do 228s are flying worldwide today. The Do 228NG’s primary rivals in the special mission arena are the Czech-built LET 410 and deHavil-

CY CYR

The idea of a “living wall” in a business jet cabin was something designer Edese Doret says he had been thinking about for about a year. After running the idea by a designated engineering representative (DER) and several engineers, he suggested it to a client, and he said, “and he loved it.” So New York-based Edese Doret Industrial Design was off and running. The end result is four Living Walls to be built into a privately owned Boeing 787-9– one wall each in the stateroom, the passageway, the lavatory and

Klaus-Peter Leinauer, left, vice president of sales and business development of Ruag, and Alexander Müller, right.

land-Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter (now manufactured by Viking Aircraft). Ruag produced figures showing the -228 having better speed, range, payload and hourly operating cost numbers than those of competitors. Price of the new production Do 228NG varies widely depending upon the mission equipment specified, from a low end of $8.7 million to as high as $40.2 million. The aircraft’s utility and ease of mission equipment installation is enhanced by its slab-sided, unpressurized fuselage and large roller door that can be opened in flight. It will accommodate a wide variety of sensors including Flir, laser illuminator, 360-degree surveillance and side-looking radars. o

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STATE OF THE INDUSTRY > Gulfstream

Savannah airframer weathers storms by Nigel Moll Class warfare is much in the for the first half of both this headlines of late, and there’s a year and last year. However, Jay sort of parallel in business avi- Johnson, CEO of parent comation. While the wealthiest cit- pany General Dynamics (GD), izens and corporations are noted in his first-half earnsitting on mounds of cash for ings announcements that Gulffear of investing it in the wrong stream’s second-quarter orders place in troubled times, the mid- were the healthiest the company dle class, the poor and many has seen since the start of the small businesses are feeling the downturn in 2008, leading to financial deprivation of this an increase in its backlog for the downturn day-to-day. So goes it third consecutive quarter. Between Ap ril and June, in the hierarchy of business-jet Gulfstream’s backlog climbed manufacturers. Between them, GAMA goli- $428 million to $18 billion, aths Bombardier and Gulf- representing an 18- to 24-month stream account for $4.25 billion supply for in-production largeof the 21 GAMA OEM mem- cabin jets. Seventy percent of first-half orders were from cusbers’ $7.3 billion in first-half billings this year. Gulfstream tomers outside North Amer(with first-half billings of $2.1 ica and 50 percent were from billion) is doing relatively well the Asia Pacific region. Notably, however, orders from North selling in the top stratum of dedicated business jets–those America doubled from the first with the most cabin volume, the quarter to the second quarter. Among recent deals is the highest performance and the loftiest prices–while OEMs (in- signing of an MOU with Chicluding Gulfstream) catering to na’s Minsheng Financial Leaspotential buyers of lesser air- ing for the purchase of up to 50 large-cabin and midsize planes are for the most part aircraft with a potential struggling to sell them. value of $2.6 billion. Both Bombardier and Johnson said during Gulfstream are develthe first-half earnings oping new flagships call that Gulfstream to be ready for duty is on track to deliver in better economic 80 large-cabin and up times; Gulfstream’s to 20 midsize jets this Mach 0.925 G650 will year, compared with be first in service when 75 and 24, respectively, deliveries of green airlast year. craft begin, possibly beThe Savannah, fore year-end. Larry Flynn, Gulfstream saw Gulfstream president Ga.-based OEM suffered a tragic setback total deliveries in the first half of this year drop by 16 on April 2 this year when G650 percent, attributable to eroded S/N 6002, one of four program demand for its smaller jets, but test aircraft, crashed beside the the large-cabin aircraft (G350 runway in Roswell, N.M., while through G550) duplicated last performing a single-engine takeyear’s first half exactly, with 20 off as part of the type’s certificaaircraft shipped in each quarter tion program; the accident killed

pilots Kent Crenshaw and Vivan group, enabling him to “spend Ragusa and flight-test engineers additional time ensuring that David McCollum and Reece both Jet Aviation and Gulfstream Aerospace are focused on meeting Ollenburg. After a hiatus of nearly two months, G650 flight- their customers’ requirements,” testing resumed on May 28 and according to a GD spokesman. Gulfstream still expects to receive Jet Aviation president Peter FAA certification this year. The Edwards resigned in June, havcompany holds orders for more ing held the position since 2007, than 200 G650s, and it expects and Lombardo assumed temporary leadership of Jet Aviation that up to a dozen of the 80 until the July appointlarge-cabin jets shipped ment of former Gulfthis year will be G650s. stream CFO and senior Among business jet v-p Daniel Clare as manufacturers, Gulfpresident of the interstream and its largenational aviation sercabin jets continue vices provider. to reign in AIN’s anFlynn had been nual product support senior v-p of marketing sur vey, in which readand sales at Gulfstream ers rate manufacturers since 2008, and before for their after-sale service, that he had a successand a prime architect of Joe Lombardo that consistently strong GD executive v-p ful seven-year stint as support structure is now aerospace group president of Gulfstream product support. At the leading the company. GD named 59-year-old Larry time of the announcement of Flynn president of Gulfstream in Flynn’s appointment as president, August, and he took the reins on Lombardo said, “Larry Flynn September 1. His predecessor, Joe has a broad base of operational Lombardo, retains his GD title and customer-focused experience of executive v-p of the aerospace that will serve him well as he leads Gulfstream into the future. His direction of Gulfstream’s marketing and sales organization has given Larry exceptional insight into the needs of our increasingly international customer base.” Gulfstream’s decision to change the name of the G250 to G280 this year is not the first time a manufacturer has had second thoughts based on connotations in international markets–in the 1970s the Sikorsky S-76 was originally known as the S-76 Spirit until negative connotations in South America prompted the Gulfstream is on track for certification of its helicopter manufacturer to drop flagship G650 later this year. the name and go with just the number. In Mandarin Chinese,

38aaNBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

In an effort to appeal to international customers, Gulfstream recently renamed its G250 the G280.

the number 250 is a slang term for “stupid person,” although the closest Gulfstream would come to confirming this was vague: “As demand for Gulfstream business jets grows around the world, the move was prompted by the company’s sensitivity to the varied cultures of its international customer base.” The first production G280 was delivered from Israel Aerospace Industries to Gulfstream’s completion center in Dallas in early August for interior outfitting and paint, and the companies expect the airplane to enter service later this year once it has achieved certification by the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel (CAAI), then EASA and the FAA. o

News Note Ship It AOG is at the NBAA show introducing its FireFighter containment bag, a safety device for handling fires in battery-powered devices carried on aircraft. “If a laptop, cellphone, iPad or other lithium ion-powered device suffers an electrical malfunction,” said Ray Goyco, the firm’s COO, “place it in the fire-containment bag, which absorbs energy and fire while minimizing the escape of smoke.” The Dallas-area company is demonstrating the containment device at its booth (No. C10912). Goyco calls the Fire-Fighter bag a “safe, simple way to control potentially dangerous incidents while in the air.” A variety of sizes are offered in addition to the standard 20-inch by two-inch bag, which weighs five pounds when empty. Protective fire gloves are included in the Fire-Fighter kit, which is priced at $975. That kit, along with a variety of other items, will be awarded in drawings at the Ship It AOG booth during the convention. n

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FAA Adminstrator Babbitt urges early NextGen equipage by Paul Lowe

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FAA Administrator Randy Bab- specific, airplane specific or a combination. bitt says convincing operators to equip “They are sort of a layering combinatheir aircraft for NextGen is a big issue, tion,” Babbitt said. “As a generic name I which is one of the reasons why the would call them continuous descent proNextGen Advisory Committee has a lot file, optimized profile descent. There’s a of industry representation on it, includ- variation called tailored arrival, but let’s ing NBAA and AOPA. just call it optimized profile descents. “I think there is a business case for it,” Yes, they are airport specific because you the former airline pilot and labor leader need a procedure.” Again, following the told AIN in a telephone interview just days path of where there will be the biggest before the NBAA convention. “Remem- return, Atlanta was a natural, he said, ber that when we go in 2020, when every- and the FAA also got a great deal of body is required to have ADS-B out, that’s experience in Seattle because of its high clearly an obligation and one whose cost, volume of traffic. I believe, will come down dramatically as “You need an airport that has, or the units come into mass production.” will need, some type of standard instruThe other aspect of manment arrival–a STAR,” datory equipage is that operBabbitt said. “So you take ators can get rid of other the STAR and add to it the navigational equipment optimized profile. In order onboard as they transition to do a true optimized proto GPS-based navigation, file, on the third leg of this and as ADS-B is used for little journey you’ve got to surveillance. have an airplane that under“You improve situational stands how to manage its awareness, and I think in the own energy. You’ve got to long run you are going to have an airplane that has save money,” he said. “We vertical descent capabilities are on a very high-profile Randy Babbitt, in the autopilot. So you say path to make certain that FAA Administrator to the autopilot: I want to we’ve got approaches where arrive at such-and-such a fix people–not just from the metroplex areas, eight miles from the airport; I want to but from lots of small airports–are get- arrive at that at 3,000 feet and I want to ting GPS-type approaches so that they be going 200 knots–and you program it. can do LPVs. These will give them lat- And you say, by the way, pull the throteral and vertical guidance to an airport, tles back at the last possible moment. improving safety and, in some cases, pro- That’s the optimized profile. Down it vide access to an airport that otherwise comes. It’ll follow that profile, throttles would have no approach facility.” go to idle. It’s energy management. You want to stay up high as long as possible.” Logical Approach to Implementation

One of the reasons the NextGen Advisory Committee was formed is to make certain that the path the FAA is pursuing for NextGen is what the industry wants. There are options and there is a flow order to consider. “We elected to put ADS-B into the Gulf [of Mexico] for a good reason,” Babbitt said. “It’s a huge return. Operators there move 10,000 people a day in and out of rigs in the Gulf. The number of people moved there every day is phenomenal and the amount of traffic there is so much safer. “We knew we would get a big return on our investment. You can talk to the helicopter folks [about] their fuel savings, their time savings and their ability to go direct now instead of through the grids. It’s been a wonderful cooperation and partnership between the industry on the civil side and the federal government. What’s next? Help us put the things in place that the industry will use more quickly and get benefit from quickly.” Another component of NextGen is continuous descent approaches, and AIN asked whether these approaches are airport

40 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

FAA Reauthorization

Asked about the long-delayed FAA reauthorization, Babbitt said he wants to focus Congress on the need for a multi-year bill. “The shutdown put a big bright light on it when we went without an extension and had to furlough 4,000 employees and do the other things that we had to,” he said. “That had a longlasting, negative impact. It was expensive and there were consequences. And now we have that debate. Many people understand there are negative consequences to not funding for a long period of time–a four- or five-year reauthorization.” As case in point, Babbitt said, any new project the FAA would start now would have only four months of funding that the agency knows about. “That could be taken away from us,” he explained. “So who’s going to start a two-year project, or design a two- or five-year project, or a 10-year plan for runway renewals across the country? Who’s going to start a project like that when they have only two, three or four months’ worth of money. If you did, it could be stopped and you would have wasted all that money.” o

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Shannon Airport offers U.S. preclearance service by Charles Alcock Assuming you have an aircraft with intercontinental range, you could have arrived here in Las Vegas nonstop from Europe, without any of the considerable inconvenience of having to clear U.S. customs and immigration procedures at one of the portof-entry airports designated by the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agency. Your journey would have been via Shannon Airport (Booth No. N415) on the west coast of Ireland because this remains the only European airport yet cleared for CBP’s special preclearance process. Preclearance has been available since 2009 but the process has just been significantly speeded up thanks to a decision to allow operators to keep their aircraft powered up while on the ground. This means that the procedures can be completed in just 45 minutes from chocks-on to chocks-off, as compared with at

least 80 minutes when all aircraft power had to be shut down. CBP has ruled that aircraft operators can keep their APUs running as long as the outlets for them are at least eight feet above the ground. Alternatively they can keep the aircraft under power with ground power units. U.S. officials had been concerned about their staff being injured by hot exhaust from APUs, and also that powerplants could interfere with the radiation isotope identifier equipment they use to scan aircraft. Being able to keep aircraft powered up means that crew no longer have to reboot the flight management system and reenter the flight plan. According to Derek Collins, manager of Universal Weather & Aviation’s Shannon FBO, operators have been discouraged from using the preclearance facility because of the delays in getting airborne again

DTC delivers weather, free iPhone, iPad app At the DTC Duat Services booth (No. C11236), NBAA attendees can check out the free DTC iPhone/iPad app, which provides mobile access to features such as flight planning and filing, weather briefing and graphics and a convenient way to check for TFRs before takeoff. Of course, all of these features have long been available on the DTC Duat website. Duat is the FAA’s Direct User Access Terminal service for pilots, and Data Transformation Corp. is one of two contractors that provide the service (the other is CSC Duats). Duat allows pilots to obtain a legal preflight briefing and file flight plans. The service is free to qualified pilots, dispatchers and other authorized users. Reading DTC Duat’s weather briefing has been made easier. Pilots can request a standard route briefing and use the buttons located at the top of the results page to view pertinent reports, instead of having to wade through the entire briefing. Clicking on each button pulls up the desired information, including area forecasts, Metars,

Tafs, pilot repots, Notams, and so forth, making it much easier for the pilot to interpret the results. Buttons are also available for planning the flight and filing the flight plan, both for domestic U.S. flights and ICAO flight plans. Briefings are available in normal abbreviated format, plain English or both. A new DTC Duat feature is en-route low- and high-altitude charts, which can be displayed in

to cross the Atlantic. In addition to Universal (Booth No. C8926), the service is also available through the FBO operated there by Signature Flight Support (Booth No. N3900). “We haven’t had as much takeup as we had hoped,” said Collins, explaining that while one operator had used the service 10 times, Universal’s team usually gets only a couple of clients each month. The flight planning and support group now expects demand for preclearance in Shannon to grow substantially in view of the faster turnarounds. Aircraft that are precleared in Shannon can fly directly into more than 200 U.S. airports, as if flying domestically. Shannon Airport also has made a further improvement to the CBP screening facilities, reducing the distance that business jet passengers need to walk to complete the preclearance. They can also complete the process in a more private area, away from airline passengers. Since introducing the preclearance option last year, U.S. officials have since extended it to cover both private and commercially operated business aircraft. Nonetheless, demand user-selected transparency levels, showing surface details behind the airways. Airport charts and data are also available. An enormous amount of preflight information is available on the DTC Duat website and via the iPhone/iPad app. A great place to begin using the service is the “interactive overlays” link, which shows a map of the continental U.S. or of Alaska. Users can select data to overlay on the map, including terrain features, time zones, nuclear plants and stadiums, and a variety of weather data. This gives pilots an instant look at the weather picture over a large area. –M.S.

DTC Duat features en-route low- and high-altitude charts, which can be displayed in user-selected transparency levels, showing surface details behind the airways.

42 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

for the service has been fairly slow to take off, with operators apparently discouraged by the extended periods taken to complete the CBP process. Aircraft can use the preclearance facility at Shannon from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday through Friday, and from 7 a.m. through 3 p.m. on Saturdays (with the last appointments being one hour earlier than these closing times). Operators of Part 135 charter aircraft have to give 48 hours’ notice to use the preclearance

service. For private aircraft, only 24 hours is required. Shannon Airport charges a fee of €10.50 ($14) per person to use the preclearance service, with a minimum charge of €150 ($210) per aircraft. The airport has invested almost $25 million in the new facilities for CBP officials. Here at the NBAA show, officials are also eager to promote the airport as a base for business aviation companies, offering a convenient location within the European Union. o

Last year, the crew and passengers of this business jet became the first group to preclear U.S. customs and immigration procedures at Shannon Airport in the west of Ireland. The process has become faster and more straightforward since then.

Oviv Sentinel guards parked business jets Merignac, France-based Oviv Security Technologies used last year’s NBAA Convention to launch a new remote control for its Sentinel 100L ground security system. According to the company, the remote features a user interface with a clear and simple ultra-large touchscreen display. Oviv (Booth No. N2116) designs and manufactures security systems for the aeronautics industry, with a specific focus on business jets that are parked on the ground. The system houses a highly sensitive, radar-based motion detection system that establishes a secure perimeter around the aircraft and provides alerts in case of an intrusion. The Sentinel 100L provides accelerated and easy access to all system functions in all conditions. This means that aircraft owners, operators, security officers and airport handlers can easily manage and operate the system anywhere in the world by using the best available communication option, whether GSM, Internet-based GPRS or Bluetooth. With the remote, the user can access password-protected

administration parameters, if authorized, manage profiles and define an unlimited number of message recipients. The system allows the user to choose between video on demand or intrusion notification only, and to access time-stamped intrusion reports and videos. The Sentinel 100L protects and monitors the total “integrity” of business aircraft from all threats, including damage on the ramp, tampering, vandalism or stolen fuel. “The rise in insurance premiums coupled with an ever-increasing number of security threats means that aircraft security on the ground is of paramount importance,” said Oviv CEO Bruno Combe. “Our systems are designed to secure and monitor aircraft in any situation and contribute to meet FAA, EASA and NBAA recommendations for business jet security.” Earlier this year, Oviv entered into a worldwide distribution agreement with Aerospace Products International (Booth No. N1916), a provider of distribution, supply chain and MRO services. –P.L.

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STATE OF THE INDUSTRY > Cessna

by R. Randall Padfield Like most other manufac- $5 million, which compared to turers in the aviation industry, $3 million last year.” Through the business of building, selling the second quarter of this year, and supporting business aircraft Cessna had delivered 62 jets. continues to be a financially Cessna’s order backlog mixed bag for Cessna Aircraft, is also down from last year, with some things better, some although Paolucci said it is things worse and some things now stable. Closely related to more or less stagnant. order backlog are cancellations Meanwhile, in a deliber- and “whitetails,” completed ate move to secure the Wichita, aircraft that await customers. Kan.-based OEM’s future, Scott Paolucci declined to be specific Ernest, the company’s new CEO about either, but did confirm since late May, has shaken up that Cessna has had its share the corporate organization. Tex- of both. “We have fewer unsold tron chairman and CEO Scott aircraft this year than we had Donnelly, speaking during Tex- this time last year. In 2009 we tron’s second-quarter earnings were still delivering a lot of aircall in July, said Ernest’s actions planes that we had sold ear“should have a meaningful lier, and I’m not sure we had impact on [Cessna’s] growth any inventory at the end and performance sucof 2009,” he said. “We cess going forward.” didn’t have much at Cessna is a division the end of last year, of Textron. but we have fewer “Based on overthis year than we all customer activity did in 2010, year to and the availability date.” of depreciation tax Cessna is worktreatment for orders ing hard to “keep placed by the end of production at order the year,” said Donrate so we can deliver nelly during the earnings what we’re building,” call, “we’re still plan- Cessna CEO Scott Ernest Paolucci said. “For ning for full year jet me right now, it’s deliveries to be slightly higher hand to mouth,” meaning, he than last year.” explained, “I’m right there with Echoing this just before the production, so that as soon as NBAA convention opened its airplanes are finished we get doors, Mark Paolucci, Cessna’s them delivered. In some cases, senior vice president of sales, we’re selling and delivering airtold AIN, “Compared with planes in the same month.” sales in 2009, sales of new airConfirming what CFO craft this year are much better.” Conner had reported in July, However, the number of Paolucci said sales of used airbusiness jets Cessna has deliv- craft have been very good for ered so far this year is slightly lower than the number delivered to date in 2010. “We expect to pick up the pace of deliveries to at least match last year’s,” Paolucci said. The company delivered a total of 178 jets in 2010, 289 in 2009 and 466 in 2008, its peak year. Frank Conner, Textron CFO and executive vice president, provided details about Cessna’s earnings through the second quarter. “Revenues were up $17 million on a year-over-year basis, primarily due to growth in our aftermarket business [sales of used airplanes],” he said, speaking with Donnelly during the earnings report. “Jet deliveries of 38 units were down from 43 in last year’s second quarter. We posted an operating profit of

Cessna this year. “We have a smooth flow of used aircraft taken in trade and resold. For the first time in a long time, we have actually sold an airplane we have not yet taken in trade. That was usually pretty typical before, but we haven’t seen that over the last three years. Now we’re starting to almost feel normal in the used aircraft market.” Sales in Emerging Markets

From Paolucci’s perspective of his 33 years at Cessna, he said the company is selling aircraft within its typical range of domestic-to-international ratios, which vary between 72 percent domestic, 28 percent international and 55 percent domestic, 45 percent international. For 2011, he expects domestic sales to be about 65 percent and international about 35 percent. (Cessna defines the segments as “domestic is the 50 states in the U.S and international is everything else.”) But overall, Paolucci described the current business jet market as “brutal.” He said, “I’ve never seen a time when jet sales have been so difficult over such a long period of time, especially in the light, midsize [categories]. Every deal is competitive. It’s always been that way in the aviation industry, but it’s harder. There’s a lot of competition. We work hard for every deal. That being said, I think we’re holding our market share pretty well.” As many others in the industry have noted, sales of larger

44aaNBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

business aircraft–the Bombar- different from their approach to dier Challengers and large- buying,” he said. Another reason the recession cabin Gulfstreams, as Paolucci characterized this segment–have has had little effect on largebeen holding up better than cabin airplane sales is the that smaller ones, such as the Gulf- people who can afford large airstream G250s and below, which craft can afford them in good times or bad, Paolucci said. “So are Cessna’s bread and butter. Donnelly mentioned this it really is a matter whether they during the July earnings call. need the aircraft or not.” “We now are trying to mar“In terms of aircraft mix,” the Textron CEO said, “what ket differently in China,” he we’ve seen is a bias toward the said, “in the sense that we are larger Citation jets, so XLSs presenting the aircraft differand the CJs and Sovereigns– ently than before and focusing on our Sovereigns, Tens, more slanted away from the XLS Pluses–our larger Mustang, although Muscabin airplanes, to tangs are doing okay. make sure we’re getBut we expected that, ting as much play out compared to the last of them, especially couple of years, we internationally.” would start to see Elsewhere outa move toward the side the U.S., South larger aircraft. And America is very that is what we are strong for Cessna, he seeing.” said, primarily BraPaolucci pointed to zil. “It’s always been emerging markets, para strong Citation ticularly China, as a Mark Paolucci, territory.” primary reason that senior v-p of sales CFO Conner sales of larger business jets have been holding so said in July that international well. He related a conversation demand had been “reasonably he had the last time he was in strong” during the first half of China, during which he spoke this year. He mentioned Southwith several customers and east Asia and Indonesia as prospects about their reasons areas that have been good for for buying aircraft. “They said Cessna “on both the Citation Chinese customers buy aircraft jets as well as the Caravan [turto display their wealth, rather boprop]. The eastern European than strictly as a business tool. and Latin American markets In China, they are making a are still strong. So it’s been fairly balanced.” statement by their purchase.” So Paolucci took a look at Cessna’s New Matrix the sales brochures Cessna was Organization using in China. “The focus of the brochures was on how senAs he finished his opening sible and economical Cessna’s statement during the earnings airplanes are, with their low pur- call, Textron CEO Donnelly told chase prices and operating costs. listeners, “At Cessna, I believe These were not the things being we’re taking the right actions mentioned by the customers. So to position the business for the our approach in selling was very Continued on page 46 u The market for Cessna’s larger aircraft–the CitationJets, Citation XLS and Citation Sovereign–has been holding up better than the market for the entry-level Mustang.

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STATE OF THE INDUSTRY > Cessna uContinued from page 44

future.” As he had explained a few minutes before, these actions, which had already been implemented by Ernest, include “a regular integrated operations review cadence focused on improving the accountability and cross-functional coordination in the business.” AIN asked Paolucci what

these changes meant to him and his sales organization. “What Scott [Ernest] has done to drive accountability for the profit and loss of particular products is put a matrix organization in place where there are people responsible for jet products, propeller products, after-sales and service of the aircraft, defense

products and CitationAir. These people also report to the president.” So now the leadership team includes not only the functional heads, such as Paolucci for sales and marketing, but also the people responsible for specific product lines. The sales force is now tasked with providing sales service to all the commercial products. The Citation Mustang will make up part of Cessna’s expected domestic sales of about 65 percent and international about 35 percent.

“This causes us to communicate cross-functionally much more and as a consequence we are a lot more coordinated,” Paolucci said. “Our manufacturing is better coordinated with sales, which is better coordinated with engineering. Like the head of an IT department, I, as Cessna’s sales leader, am responsible for providing sales expertise to the business leaders that need it. So, if the business leader of jets develops a new product, I’m responsible to sell that product.” ‘One Cessna’

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46aaNBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

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The company has also made two significant decisions regarding sales and marketing, Paolucci explained. First, it has combined the sales teams of Cessna and CitationAir–the fractional share, charter and management division–and second, it has decided to double the size of its sales force within the next 12 months, to make sure that not only Cessna gets its fair share of sales, but to also make an attempt to increase the size of the market. “We now go to market as one Cessna,” Paolucci said. “Being a full aircraft-solutions provider, I can sell customers 50 hours on a jet card for use on a CitationAir airplane, or a Cessna 162 Skycatcher with flight training, or all the way up to a Citation Ten.” In the U.S., Cessna has hired people to look for “concept customers,” those high-net-worth people who have never used or owned an aircraft before but have a need for private air transportation. “Outside the U.S., we are adding people in the four corners of the world to capture more of the international market,” said Paolucci. Is the “Help Wanted” sign hanging on Cessna’s door? “We are actively recruiting and hiring sales people today,” Paolucci answered. o

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CSSM cuts parts costs, increases turn times by David A. Lombardo Bohemia, N.Y.-based Corporate Service Supply & Manufacturing (CSSM) is celebrating its 35th anniversary as a helicopter and fixed-wing accessory and component repair facility at

NBAA with a drawing for a new Apple iPad. CEO Gene Portela invites visitors to stop by Booth No. N2012 to enter the drawing and to learn about new strategies implemented by the company.

“We’ve reviewed all our pricing policies and reduced mark-ups on parts,” Portela said. “We’ve made investments in parts cleaning equipment that helps reduce the need for

armature and stator rewind, which translates into a lower cost to the customer and a faster turn time.” CSSM is renovating its 9,000-sq-ft facility and adding shop space. “We found we had so

much wasted space that we can increase space where we need it without having to increase the size of the facility,” he said. By the end of this year, CSSM’s on-hand rotable exchange pool will increase by 25 to 30 percent, and Portela plans to double the inventory pool next year. To keep up with the growth, increase efficiency and hold down overhead, Portela said CSSM recently selected Component Control to provide the company’s new operating software. “Component Control will permit better trend monitoring and historical data of our customer’s units,” he explained. “It also allows us to manage our inventory to reduce the need to place last-minute orders and decreases transportation expenses. It will have a significant impact on controlling the cost to the customer and allows us to provide a more comprehensive and detailed work order and faster ability to quote jobs.” FAA Repair Station

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50 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

CSSM employs 18 technical and administrative personnel. “We anticipate growth through 2012, which will require hiring more technicians,” he said. The company is an FAA Part 145 and EASA certified repair station and has an FAA unlimited rating for accessory repair. “You essentially can’t get [an unlimited rating] today, “ Portela said, “but we’re grandfathered in. We work on Class 1, 2 and 3 mechanical and electrical accessories, and that is a major advantage. If we don’t have a given component on our capability list and we can get the technical data and appropriate tooling, we can work on it without additional FAA approval.” Portela began his aviation career in 1984, hiring on with Raytheon Beechcraft in Farmingdale, N.Y., as an aircraft washer. Within seven years he had worked his way up to parts department supervisor where he remained during his 10-year stint with the company. His next job was as parts department manager at Eastway Aircraft Services, which subsequently became ExcelAire. During his 18-year tenure at ExcelAire, Portela managed the company’s repair station then became general manager of ExcelAire’s FBO at Islip Airport. After four years running the FBO, Portela was offered the CSSM position. Portela is also president of the Long Island Business Aviation Association. o

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StandardAero celebrates 100 years by Kim Rosenlof Global MRO provider an interview at the company’s StandardAero (Booth No. Tempe, Ariz. headquarters. N6116) kicked off a series of “We recently honored Winni100th anniversary celebrations peg employee John Ouendag, in September at several of its 26 who had 50 years of service, and worldwide service and support every month I personally call several employees to locations, starting congratulate them on with its Winnipeg, their 20-year service Canada facility. The anniversaries.” largest single site in Mionis said the the StandardAero company’s 100-year network with more anniversary celebrathan 1,000 employtion symbolizes three ees–more than a key facets of Stanquarter of its total dardAero’s success: workforce–Winnia focus on people, peg is also the comtrust built on lonpany’s birthplace. gevity and the com“[StandardAero] pany’s breadth of started off as a fam- StandardAero president services. “Business ily-owned business, and CEO Robert Mionis aviation is relationand that sense of family, that culture and spirit ship-based,” he said. “Customstill survives,” said president ers bring their aircraft back to and CEO Rob Mionis during our shop because they want to

go back to the mechanic who worked on their job last time, or who has been working on their aircraft for several years.” Founded in Winnipeg as Standard Machine Works in 1911, the company began by repairing, overhauling and rebuilding car, truck and tractor engines, but added aircraft engines soon after. It incorporated as Standard Aero Engine Limited in 1949, acquired two U.S. aircraft parts distributors in the 1980s and opened regional service centers in the U.S. and Canada. The “new” StandardAero was launched in 2008 after its new owner, Dubai Aerospace Enterprises (DAE), merged Standard Aero with Dallas-based completions company Associated Air Center (AAC), Cincinnatibased component overhaul shop TSS Aviation and Tempe-based Landmark Aviation (formerly

VisionSafe clears cabin smoke VisionSafe (Booth No. N1726) is demonstrating its emergency vision assurance system (EVAS) here at the NBAA convention as a survival factor in the event of a smoke-filled cockpit. The company notes that while the FAA uses only a small amount of temporary smoke in its aircraft certification process, VisionSafe’s EVAS allows pilots a clear view of the instruments and out the windscreen in a worst-case, smoke-filled cockpit scenario. The Kaneohe, Hawaii-based firm emphasizes the need for such a safety-enhancing package, quoting the Airline Pilots Association: “There are an average of three smoke incidents daily in the U.S. [and] on average one out of three requires an emergency landing due to smoke.” And VisionSafe added that over the past 50 years, U.S. and international foreign accident investigation authorities have made numerous recommendations to eliminate the unsafe conditions

VisionSafe’s EVAS gives pilots a clear view of the aircraft’s instruments.

associated with smoke in the cockpit that can’t be stopped. VisionSafe believes its EVAS is the answer and has found a growing number of clients that believe the same. One of the most recent is UPS. The global package carrier, at the encouragement of its UPSIndependent Pilots Association Safety Task Force, is in the process of equipping its entire fleet of some 200 aircraft with EVAS. Task force member Capt. Bob Brown lauded the cooperation between union and company, describing the decision as “an important step forward” in terms of safety enhancement. A UPS Boeing 747-400 crashed on Sept. 3, 2010, in Dubai following what is suspected to be a lithium-battery-fueled fire. Ross Lewis, a GIV captain, had occasion to deploy the EVAS during a smoke-filled cockpit event and wrote to VisionSafe: “In a smoke environment like we just had there would be no way that somebody could land this aircraft under those circumstances with that much smoke in the cockpit unless he had a unit like this.” According to VisionSafe founder and CEO Bertil Werjefelt, the EVAS is FAA certified and can be designed to fit any aircraft model. And he noted that Bombardier, Dassault Falcon and Gulfstream offer it as a standard option. Werjefelt said VisionSafe is aware of three deployments of the EVAS on corporate aircraft and

that, “In all cases, EVAS played an important role…preventing what we call the smoke trap.” EVAS has a retail price of $17,000 per unit uninstalled. Installation requires from two to eight hours, depending on the aircraft and the complexity, and installation drawings can be seen on the VisionSafe website (www. visionsafe.com). –K.J.H.

A retired 737-300 fuselage is prepared for a new life as a BBJ interior completions mockup at StandardAero’s Associated Air Center facility in Dallas.

Garrett Aviation/Honeywell). The combination of these entities provides a breadth of services that allows StandardAero to expand and innovate even through tough economic times, according to Mionis. Standard Aero’s sales are divided about equally among business aviation (25 percent), airlines (30 percent) and government/military (30 percent), but that doesn’t always mean each segment gets the same share of investment dollars. “Each of our businesses has approached growth in a different way, and the downturn in a different way,” said Mionis. “In the past we have cut bizav a little too deep to make up for the cycle. Our view right now is to put the investment back into bizav, which is what we’ve been doing the last couple of years.” Mionis points to some of the recent upgrades at StandardAero facilities completed within the last 12 months, including new hangar ventilation systems and paint at the Augusta, Ga. facility, expanded avionics capability to include the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 4 to Pro Line 21 cockpit upgrade on the Falcon 50EX

and expanded MRO capabilities at facilities in Illinois, Nebraska and The Netherlands. “We’re able to invest in bizav because of the diversification of our overall portfolio,” Mionis said. “Because we’re not pure bizav, we can ride the storm out.” Another significant investment in business aviation recently occurred at StandardAero’s Associated Air Center VIP completions facility. AAC developed a full-scale Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) mockup center to create and test new interior designs, fabrications and systems. Created from a retired Boeing 737-300 fuselage, the mockup center allows customers to “proof” their chosen interior components prior to installation. According to StandardAero spokesman Steven Kelley, the BBJ mockup significantly reduces aircraft downtime. “Using the mockup, we can ensure the fit of all of the elements that go inside the aircraft ahead of time,” he said. “By the time the customer brings the airplane in, we have already worked out any installation pitfalls on the mockup, and the time the aircraft spends in our shop is greatly reduced.” o

BLR STCs King Air upgrade package BLR Aerospace has achieved FAA certification for its latest upgrade package for the King Air 200 series turboprops. The Everett, Wash.-based performance enhance ment specialist’s new Ultimate Performance Package (UPP) for the B200GT, developed in conjunction with Hawker Beechcraft, includes the BLR winglet system, the Raisbeck ram-air recovery system and Hartzell’s newest composite four-blade propellers. While each individual system has already earned an STC, BLR (Booth No. C11838) has integrated them under its own STC, which includes King Air B200GTR an FAA-certified flight manual supplement. Hawker Beechcraft is marketing the same aftermarket package as the King Air 200GTR, and according to the manufacturer, it will allow the turboprop twin to take off from sea-level runways and clear a 50-foot obstacle in 2,100 feet, an improvement of 23 percent over the performance of a base 200GT. Such an increase would give the modified aircraft access to

52 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

1,000 more airports globally than a standard 200GT. “The Ultimate Performance Package is just that,” said Dave Marone, BLR vice president of sales and marketing. “These certified upgrades provide measurable advantages that combine to multiply productivity for operators who demand the most from their assets.” Taken individually, the BLR composite winglets reduce drag and improve low-speed handling, while the Raisbeck ram-air recovery system allows the PT6A engines to maintain more available torque at higher density altitudes. The composite Hartzell props offer reduced weight while simultaneously increasing strength and durability and improving short-field and climb performance. Other benefits of the combination include an approximate 8-percent reduction in fuel burn during climb, increased maximum operating speed of up to 36 knots and a range increase of more than 225 nm at max range power. EASA and Brazilian ANAC certification for the upgrade package are pending. –C.E.

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Piper says 80 percent of the detail design work on its single-engine Altaire jet is complete as it aims for a first flight in 2012.

Piper’s Altaire preps for first flight in ’12 by Mark Huber Piper is getting ready to fly its Altaire single-engine jet next year and is doing the spadework to place it into economical production. That is the message from vice president Randy Groom, who said that 80 percent of the detail design work is complete, sheet metal components are in fabrication, vendor selection is finished and the first assembly tools have arrived at the company’s Vero Beach, Fla. factory. Groom said not to expect a rollout this year, but Piper will complete “substantial pieces of the aircraft,” including wing structures and parts of the fuselage, by year-end. He also said it expects to complete five of the six test aircraft (four flying, one static, one fatigue) in 2012. Piper says it remains on track to certify the $2.6 million Williams FJ44-3AP-powered single in 2013 and commence deliveries in 2014. More than 200 aircraft are on order, and production is sold out through 2016. While the design is subject to change based on flight test, Groom said Piper is fairly confident in the data gleaned from the proof-of-concept (POC) aircraft that began flying in 2008. Last year the OEM abandoned that design, based on its 1960s vintage square-oval fuselage, in favor of a virtually clean-sheetof-paper approach. The new design mirrors the proof-of-concept’s engine-in-tail configuration but has a larger and more aerodynamic oval fuselage, a larger wing that joins at an under-fuselage fairing, a more rounded nose, a longer, slimmer engine nacelle and a shorter vertical tail that is located further aft. A three-foot-wide main cabin entry door makes the aircraft a good candidate for air cargo or air ambulance missions. The redesigned fuselage delivers substantially more cabin space compared to the POC,

with a cabin that is nine inches taller and four inches wider and with a wider sunken aisle. The Altaire’s 260-cu-ft cabin measures 211 inches long; both width and height are 55 inches. There is 60 cu ft of luggage space divided between a compartment in the nose and onboard storage areas in the cabin, primarily aft of the forward facing club four seats. Three Color Palettes

Three basic color palettes are planned for the interior, now named Northstar, Glacial and Heron. The first combines cream and dark colors, the second has gray with blue hues and the third is khaki. The interiors were designed for ease of manufacture and to reflect differing global tastes, according to Piper. For instance, gray is more popular with European customers, while khaki is popular in the U.S.. While the aircraft’s design is largely done, the company is still working out certain issues, such as seat sculpting and cabin connectivity via the Garmin G3000 avionics system. Groom said the seats are being slimmed and given improved armrests. The passenger seats in the club-four area are pitched at 40 inches, have breakover backs and can be folded forward. The two forward-facing seats in the array recline to approximately 32 degrees. Piper is required to install 30g seats on the Altaire

in exchange for a waiver on the FAA’s 61-knot maximum stall speed requirement for Part 23 single-engine airplanes. The Altaire is likely to stall at approximately 68 knots in landing configuration. The seat frames are constructed of precision CNCmachined parts as opposed to traditional welded assemblies. Passenger seats will be equipped with a three-point restraint system, and Piper is currently looking at adding seat belt airbags. The seats are equipped with energy absorbers in the seat pan and feature bolsters around the torso and thighs. The flight crew positions have four-point restraints, adjustable height, floor tracking and lumbar support. Based on sled crash test data, Piper is confident that the seats will satisfy the FAA requirements. Wireless Cabin

Engineers continue to evaluate the finer points of cabin wireless capabilities. Plans now call for power/USB ports at each passenger position. Other cabin features include LED downwash and passenger position lighting; a two-zone individually controlled environmental control system designed to deliver an 8,000-foot pressure cabin at the Altaire’s 35,000-foot maximum altitude; and optional layouts in the area opposite the cabin entry door that include an additional passenger seat, storage, a refreshment/entertainment center or an electric flushing toilet. The Altaire is more than just a new model for Piper, it represents a new way of building aircraft. More than 200 engineers are now at work on the program and the OEM is both hiring additional personnel and pulling people from other parts of the company as component production ramps up. Groom also said that the company is instituting new lean manufacturing practices that will be instituted on the Altaire. In August Piper sent out a request for proposal to training and simulator providers and the company is in the process of adding dealers and authorized service centers, he said. o

The interiors of the Piper Altaire are designed for ease of manufacture and to reflect differing global tastes. The company is still working on seat sculpting and other issues.

54 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Jetcraft bullish on large-cabin market Jetcraft president Chad Anderson sees a ray of sunshine through the dark clouds shrouding business aviation skies, with strong demand for new longrange, large-cabin business jets and excellent opportunities for buyers of select pre-owned aircraft. The Raleigh, N.C.-based business aircraft sales, trading and brokerage firm has three aircraft for sale at the Henderson Executive Airport static display. “Fundamentally, Jetcraft’s market outlook remains unchanged despite recent financial uncertainties in Europe and the U.S.,” said Anderson. “Specifically, we see two trends we believe represent the international business jet market. First, prices at the top of the market– new long-range, large business jets–have stabilized significantly, largely driven by strong demand from Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South America. We see continued demand recovery in North America, from both public companies and highnet-worth individuals. Second, a healthy inventory of legacy business jets, about 15 percent of the worldwide fleet total, remains.

Aircraft such as the Bombardier Challenger 604, the Gulfstream GIV or the Dassault Falcon 900B may offer exceptional value.” Jahid Fazal-Karim, Jetcraft coowner and board member, added, “We believe business jet market confidence is holding, because transaction volume has remained quite stable. Business jet purchasers are generally acquiring aircraft based on anticipated lift requirements six to 18 months from today. This illustrates continued confidence as globalization of business continues. The need for long-range business jets, particularly in emerging markets, is here to stay. Furthermore, access to credit and financing has not been noticeably impacted by recent macroeconomic events. Jetcraft is guardedly optimistic. On balance, we expect our sales to remain very favorable through year-end.” Jetcraft has sales offices in five U.S. cities, Basel, Switzerland, Dubai and Moscow. Jetcraft Avionics, a Jetcraft subsidiary, distributes HUD-compatible enhanced-vision systems from Elbit-Kollsman for aftermarket installation in business jets and widebody VIP jets. –H.W.

Tiny portable borescope shows high-rez results 1800Endoscope.com is displaying its new 1800TVS4 portable borescope at Booth No. C6915. List priced at $999 plus shipping and handling, the fourmillimeter, battery-powered, palm-sized unit has a built-in high-resolution display. Here at the NBAA show, the company is accepting entries for a drawing, the winner of which will receive a 1800HS Handyscope borescope, a $300 value. The drawing takes place at 4 p.m. today at the 1800Endoscope booth, and the winner will be notified if not present. Based in Bradenton, Fla., 1800Endoscope.com provides fiberscopes, videoscopes, borescopes and endoscopes for a wide range of medical, veterinary and industrial applications, including aircraft and engine inspection. New and used borescopes and videoscopes are available for sale or exchange. 1800Endoscope also offers custom design services as

well as daily, weekly or monthly borescope rentals. The company has an in-house laboratory for warranty and trade-in repair along with quality inspection of outgoing and incoming equipment. One of 1800Endoscope’s most active markets is Latin America, where the company has a strong presence in Brazil. Borescope models applicable to aviation maintenance range in price from $100 to $3,500. New fiber-optic borescopes from 1800Endoscope retail from $300 to $2,000. A rigid probe video borescope is $800, and the wireless PortaScope video borescope, “for more demanding applications,” is priced at $3,500. 1800Endoscope also provides both halide and halogen borescope light sources. –M.T.

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Precision Turbines boosts National Guard C-38 readiness by Bill Carey Engine MRO specialist Precision Turbines (Booth No. C12944) recently won several contract renewals as a result of its support of customers’ maintenance operations and reliable performance of aircraft in the field. Precision Turbines, based in Boca Raton, Fla., helped boost the missioncapable rate of the U.S. Air Force Air National Guard fleet of C-38 Courier (IAI Astra SPX) jets by more than 100 percent in just three months, according to statistics compiled by the 201st Airlift Squadron at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, which operates the C-38s. The C-38 is a military version of the Astra SPX business jet, later manufactured by Gulfstream as the G100. The 201st operates two C-38s for government and military VIP transport and specialty missions. Mission-capable rate is an important yardstick of a military aviation unit’s performance. In the six months before the Precision Turbines contractor logistics support (CLS) contract with the Air National Guard took effect in April, the mission-capable rate of the C-38 fleet never rose above 35 percent. In the first month of the contract, the rate more than doubled over the previous sixmonth high and continues to increase, having reached 77.5 percent through June, according to Precision Turbines.

on the five-year CLS agreement. “Precision Turbines’s depth of knowledge and expertise has made a positive, measurable impact on our mission,” said Capt. Jason Kunik, 201 squadron deputy maintenance commander. “We have experienced a dramatic increase in our mission capability.” Confidence in the maintenance support provided by Precision Turbines led to a recent extension of the company’s multi-year contract to overhaul engines on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fleet of de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter turboprops. The Twin Otters, powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 engines, play the lead role in NOAA programs to monitor and protect marine mammals throughout North America. Precision Turbines was awarded a fiveyear CLS contract with NOAA in September 2010. Prime Turbines of Dallas (Booth No. 5115), an independent PT6A repair and overhaul facility, serves as prime subcontractor for the engine overhauls. NOAA cited that partnership and Precision Turbines’s previous work maintaining the now-retired Citation 500, as key factors in awarding the CLS. Cmdr. Carl Newman, NOAA Aircraft Operations Center maintenance officer, noted that the agency’s four Twin Otters operate at low altitudes in remote

See the ped QS3-equip® I GII m Gulfstrea A A B at our N y. la p Static Dis

Precision Turbines’s MRO support of U.S. Air National Guard C-38 (IAI Astra SPX) jets based at Andrews Air Force Base increased their mission-capable rate by more than 100 percent in the first three months of its contract.

QS3 and The Science of Quiet are trademarks of Hubbard Aviation Technologies, LLC. Gulfstream is a registered trademark of Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation.

56 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

At the same time that C-38 mission readiness improved, the squadron’s Total Not Mission Capable for Supply metric of out-of-service aircraft declined by almost two thirds, the company says. The rate declined from an average of 26.3 percent over the six months prior to the CLS contact, to an average of 8.5 percent in the first three months of Precision Turbines’s support contract. Under the CLS contract, Precision Turbines provides depot-level aircraft modifications and field teams to support the airlift squadron’s maintenance personnel, and handles all repairs and overhauls of spares and support equipment. The company has established a contractor-operated and -maintained base supply facility at Andrews AFB. In September, the Air National Guard exercised the first one-year renewal option

locations, putting a premium on engine reliability. “Taking an engine and putting it on your airplane and flying it requires a lot of trust,” said Newman. “Precision Turbines works hard and consistently meets our requirements.” Precision Turbines was founded in 2007 by Robert Spahr, an active Boeing 777 captain and former naval aviator. The company has extensive experience on turbine engines including the Honeywell TFE731 and Williams FJ44, as well as the PWC JT15D, PT6A and PW100 engine families. The Precision Turbines service range includes engine overhauls, upgrades, leasing and sales and airframe modifications for a variety of jet and turboprop aircraft. Ancillary services include line maintenance, depot maintenance, paint, interior and avionics installations. o

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AERObridge helps bizav in disaster relief by Robert P. Mark AERObridge is an organization easy to understand. Formerly known as Corporate

Aviation Responding in Emergencies (C.A.R.E.), AERObridge has been endorsed by

NBAA to coordinate assets, such as business aircraft, during catastrophes when traditional institutions require help. That means the organization is good at funneling help to the center of one global mess after another for NGOs and local governments. Two of AERObridge’s most recent operations include relief flying in the aftermaths of

Hurricane Katrina and the Haitian earthquake. The all-volunteer group, which is essentially on call 24 hours a day until another disaster strikes, was inactive in the years between Katrina and the Haitian crisis. It recently became an official 501c3 nonprofit and also was presented the National Aeronautics Association’s teamwork award.

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After the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, AERObridge helped deliver 1.4 million pounds of supplies to the country.

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58 Jeppes112213 NBAA BA Convention Nav_02.indd 1 News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com BAILEY LAUERMAN

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Immediately after the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, AERObridge (Booth No. N3107) began coordinating missions into the Caribbean island and helped the first flights arrive within 48 hours. It provided critical passenger and supply transportation into and out of Port-au-Prince prior to the resumption of regular airline service. By the time the relief effort eventually slowed, some 125 aircraft had flown 715 flights carrying 3,800 passengers and more than 1.4 million pounds of critical supplies. AERObridge says the business aviation efforts in Haiti were valued at $5 million. Some of the passengers included relief workers, injured patients and newly adopted children. The organization’s Hurricane Katrina operation included 155 flights carrying approximately 1,000 people and 250,000 pounds of critical supplies. Turning its attention to the U.S., AERObridge has identified five geographic locations where it would prepare major logistical staging areas in the northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast and central regions. It has already begun negotiations in the metropolitan New York, Jacksonville and Denver areas. At each staging area, it plans to have a fleet of aircraft prepared for mobilization. In order to support the program, AERObridge looks for donated hangar space and discounted fuel, as well as a ready source of first responders and medical personnel. The organization also hopes to equip its regional teams with satellite communications and datalink systems, and enough food and water to support the team for a week. NBAA is partnered with AERObridge, and other aviation partners include Jeppesen, JetNet and the Pilatus Owners and Pilots Association. The association’s board members include Marianne Stevenson, Noel Fournier, Douglas Schultz, Stephen Patterson, retired Congressman Vernon Ehlers and CEO Alan Klapmeir, former Cirrus chairman and current Kestrel chairman. o

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Fargo Jet Center provides wx research, mod programs by Harry Weisberger Mark Twain is said to have remarked, “Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it,” but Fargo Jet Center (FJC) and Weather Modification, Inc. (WMI) qualify as exceptions. The two, joined at the hip on Hector International Airport, Fargo, N.D., are actually doing a lot about the weather. Representatives of FJC and WMI are at the Fargo Jet exhibit at the Avfuel booth (No. N5121). The sister companies work closely together, according to Darren Hall, FJC marketing vice president. WMI partners with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) on a variety of weather research and modification programs and also fields aircraft for customers needing cloud seeding and other specialmission applications. Fargo Jet Center evolved out of WMI in 1995. “WMI is Fargo Jet Center’s largest customer,” he said. “We do all its aircraft maintenance and modifications. The FJC presence around the world builds its business, and WMI projects generate work for FJC. “We believe the professionals at WMI are the most experienced and expert in the

atmospheric sciences and weather modification,” Hall said. WMI has been modifying and operating aircraft for cloud seeding and atmospheric research since 1961. Today it maintains and operates a fleet of more than 35 twin-engine aircraft in various configurations to meet the needs of every client. The two companies are currently working on a supplemental type certificate to give the Honeywell TFE731 turbofan engine a heavier duty, hail-resistant inlet. “We use several aircraft models in our own operations, although we can adapt our weather equipment to virtually any platform for specific customer needs,” Hall said. WMI has STCs for cloud-seeding equipment on the Hawker 400; King Air 350, 200 and C90; and the two companies can provide either already modified aircraft for specific missions or modify customer aircraft to perform the operations required. WMI also performs requested maintenance and/or upgrades during the modification process. WMI/ FJC modification specialists accommodate missions that include VIP transport,

CLIMBING

Fargo Jet Center, a full-service FBO located at Hector International Airport, is an Avfuel dealer and operates an FAA Part 145 repair station offering aircraft maintenance and avionics services.

air ambulance, aerial photography, remote sensing, telemetry, environmental monitoring, cloud seeding, atmospheric chemistry and measurement, all with 24/7 worldwide flight operations and maintenance support. The FBO is an Avfuel dealer and operates an FAA Part 145 repair station offering aircraft maintenance and avionics services as well as aircraft sales, a Cessna Pilot Center flight school and an Argus Gold-rated charter service. Soon, FJC

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will host Hector International Airport’s U.S. Port of Entry with a new permanent office connected to the FBO terminal. Currently, Hall said, “Ninety-nine percent of [international] passengers clear through our terminal with on-site customs. The new facility will serve all international departures and arrivals right here.” Hall said FJC plans “to resume an international training program to meet a worldwide pilot shortage.” o

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60 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

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by Liz Moscrop Embraer’s new brand ambassador will be able to forget Rush Hours at airports around the world when he takes delivery of his new Legacy 650 later this year. Famous for his death-defying stunts as much as his acting, Jackie Chan will become the first owner of the aircraft type in China. The aircraft is due for delivery later this year.

Speaking via video at Embraer’s press conference at the NBAA show yesterday, the star said, “I am looking forward to flying in this marvelous aircraft, soon. China has become a very important market for executive aircraft and I am honored to be a part of Embraer’s efforts in my home country.”

Although Chan was not present at the show, his business partner was on hand to explain the vibrant red and yellow livery on the jet. Jackie Chan designed the paint scheme, which displays his logo, a dragon image and his son’s initials. Ernest Edwards, president, Embraer Executive Jets, said, “I have spent some time with Jackie recently and five minutes in his presence are uplifting.” He added, “Jackie’s ebullient personality, spirit of relentless innovation and commitment to society echo the core values of Embraer. His worldwide prestige makes him

Jackie Chan gives two thumbs up for a deal that nets him a Legacy 650 and a job as Embraer spokesman.

an ideal brand ambassador.” Market watchers at the show will not be surprised at the Brazilian airframer’s choice of spokesman. China is consistently cited as the fastest-growing market

Piaggio refines Avanti, but P1XX jet lurks by Mark Huber

BARRY AMBROSE

Piaggio Aero general manager Eligio Trombetta announced that the company is currently working several new product upgrade programs for its P.180 Avanti II twin turboprop pusher, including new and quieter propellers, an improved environmental control system (ECS), a digital cabin management system (CMS) and anti-skid brakes. He said some of those improvements could start showing up as early as 2012, but was noncommittal on a

Piaggio Aero’s Jose DiMase (left) and Piero Ferrari were tight-lipped about a Piaggio jet.

Avfuel booth prize is two-year BMW lease by Jeff Burger

Avfuel, which supplies fuel and flight planning/handling services worldwide and has more than 600 branded dealers, is showcasing its offerings with a competition at Booth No. N5121. The prize: a two-year lease on a 2012 BMW 650i convertible. To compete for the car, visitors to Avfuel’s booth will collect a set of keys that they can bring to representatives from 28 Avfuel-branded FBOs at the booth and to several other participating FBOs at the show. Each FBO will add a stamp to a key, and each stamped key equals one chance in the drawing for the BMW lease. “The more FBOs you visit in the Avfuel booth, the more chances you get

firm timeline. He said these new features also would be made available as retrofits to owners of existing aircraft. Meanwhile Piaggio Aero co-chairman Jose DiMase remained intentionally vague about Piaggio’s long-rumored P1XX jet development program, saying “now is not the time” to reveal program details. However, he did say that the company did not necessarily need to form a partnership with another OEM to develop the aircraft and that any final decision in that regard would largely rest with the company’s two majority shareholders, Mubadala and India’s Tata Group. “We are exploring whatever opportunities that make sense,” DiMase said. “The final strategy rests with the shareholders.” Sales for the P.180 appear to be holding even with 2010 results and could even improve slightly, said Piaggio Aero America president John Bingham. Last year the company sold 11 aircraft and year-todate it has sold eight. Bingham said the to win, while at the same time becoming more familiar with the Avfuel-branded dealer network,” said Marci Ammerman, the company’s director of marketing. Meanwhile, that network is growing. Avfuel announced that Jet Systems at Westchester County Airport (formerly Avitat Westchester) in New York has selected Avfuel as its fuel and service supplier. In other Avfuel news, the company is working with Eurojet Aviation to provide fuel, sales and marketing for Eurojet’s newest planned FBO location at Birmingham Airport, northwest of London. In addition, Avfuel is enhancing its Avtrip rewards program to allow faster accumulation of points. Finally, the company has announced the winners of its 2011 Avtrip Scholarship. Eric Lucas, a charter/corporate pilot from of Wilbraham, Mass., will receive $2,000 toward his aviation education. Runner-up Allison Hoyt of Fort Worth, Texas, will get $500. Each will also receive a $500 U.S. savings bond. o

company had made significant progress recruiting new service centers and gaining foreign certifications, noting that the company recently received approval from Brazil’s national aviation authority, ANAC, and Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC). In Brazil, Piaggio has paired with Algar Aviation as its authorized sales and service partner. The company also added Corporate Jet Management as its exclusive dealer in the UK and Ireland

CY CYR

Jackie Chan putting his brand on Embraer

for new business jets. Embraer is also still in negotiations with Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) about establishing a Legacy 600/650 production line in China. o

and Alkan Air to service Egypt. Currently, 213 Avantis have been delivered to date, and of those, 114 are in the Americas. Florida-based fractional operator Avantair remains the largest commercial fleet operator of the type with 56 aircraft in service, each averaging more than 100 flight hours per month. The company (Booth No. C6632) currently is building a new factory in Italy at the Villanova d’Albenga International Airport, scheduled to open in 2013. The new facility will be used to manufacture the Avanti and aircraft and helicopter engines Piaggio currently builds under contract. o

Al Toimil, President: Jet Parts Inc. will celebrate its 18th birthday this year. We thank the multitude of you who have unconditionally supported Jet Parts, Inc all these years. As an established and respected company, Jet Parts, Inc’s goal has been to improve every year, adjusting to markets and customer requirements. As we experience the many industry changes and cycles of today's complex world, adjustments need to take place. Jet Parts, Inc offers a wide array of customized transactions. As Mr. Danny Suber, Vice President of Jet Parts, Inc marketing and sales team cites, "aircraft manufactures and OEM's in general are beginning to focus more on the aftermarket due to declining new aircraft sales". The good news is that we remain very optimistic in our outlook for Corporate Aviation, particularly the parts aftermarket. Jet Parts Inc. fills a very unique niche as we are focused on providing "best value per dollar spent". We aim to “Own the Solutions" to parts needs with integrity, urgency and care while keeping operational budgets in check. Unfortunately, as we experience attrition and consolidations in the industry we see the levels of service, care and commitment beginning to erode. There is no question that companies like Jet Parts, Inc have made a significant impact on larger firms, and particularly how OEM’s treat their customers. We hope to have sparked positive improvements both in service levels, pricing, warranty and overall customer support. It is flattering to hear from our customers and others like us that we are making a difference. Here at Jet Parts, Inc we will continue to be more than a parts supplier, we view our role as problem solvers who genuinely care for our client base! We at Jet Parts, Inc look forward to providing our outlook and perspective in the future via "Parts Perspective" from Jet Parts, Inc. We welcome any comments or suggestion as well. In the meantime we look forward to your visits at the NBAA Booth #N2111.

Pick up Your Copy of Parts Perspective Visit us at BOOTH #N2111

www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 61

news clips z Banyan Rebrands Fort Lauderdale Aviation Store The aviation store at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, which had been known as Hangar63, has been renamed Banyan Pilot Shop. Its online store, TropicAero.com, has become BanyanPilotShop.com. “This is being done to take advantage of the strength of the Banyan brand,” said Nancy Bouvier, Banyan’s director of marketing. “This change will make it easier for Banyan to market its retail store and online store to the aviation community.” In other Banyan news, the company recently added a second work shift and nine technicians and now has the capability to service the Learjet 40 series. In addition, the company’s maintenance team recently partnered with Texas Turbine Conversions to perform the engine upgrade from a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A to a Honeywell TPE331-12JR. The conversion included replacement not just of the engine, propeller, wiring and batteries but also a redesign of the cowlings and exhaust system. Banyan is exhibiting here at the show at Booth No. N4726.

Ergo app solves ETOPS puzzle by Matt Thurber When flying long distances over large bodies of water or far away from suitable airports, there’s a lot of calculation involved in figuring out if there’s enough fuel and oxygen to divert in case of a pressurization problem or engine failure or other emergency. A company called Ergo Systems has developed an iPad app that makes the process simple, tapping the device’s big screen to illustrate not only the consequences of

can save an operator a lot of money on fuel, according to Stabile. ADS doesn’t just make the Ergo iPad app but has developed software that helps operators manage oxygen, making sure there is always enough carried on board for the number of passengers and crew. ADS also offers the 02Go2 iPhone app to measure and monitor oxygen consumption. “All we’re doing,” he said, “is saying ‘convert oxygen require-

z Avtrak Opens Three International Offices Avtrak, an aviation maintenance tracking and consulting firm based in Englewood, Colo., has announced the addition of three international offices within the past 12 months, in Toluca, Mexico; São Paulo, Brazil; and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The facilities join the company’s U.S. locations, which include Wichita, Boston and Dallas. “Operators in Latin America, South America and Europe have historically had very few options when it comes to analyst-supported maintenancetracking services,” said Dennis Steinbeck, vice president of business development for Avtrak (Booth No. N4416). “We are now positioned in the best way possible to support our current and future customers in each of these regions.”

z Advanced Aircrew Academy Expands Training Charleston S.C.-based Advanced Aircrew Academy now offers two international procedures training options as well as a new OSHA training course for aircraft maintenance technicians and pilots. International procedures training can be accessed through the company’s online distance-learning system or in classroom sessions conducted at the customer’s facility. Training modules can be tailored to the requirements of each operator’s local international procedures manual, ops specs or letters of authorization. The OSHA online course satisfies IS-BAO Chapter 13 requirement for occupational health and safety. Some course topics include aircraft fueling, blood-born pathogens, hazard communication and electrostatic discharge and lockout.

Once a few data fields are entered, the Ergo app draws two circles on a world map around the ETP. One is red for fuel range and the other is yellow for oxygen range. If the diversion airports are inside both circles, that’s a safe solution. If either airport is outside either circle, that presents a problem. Above, an ETP calculation

z Landmark Acquires Miami FBO Landmark Aviation has purchased the assets of the Falcon Trust Air FBO at Miami’s Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport. The deal includes an 18,000-sq-ft facility with a library, gym, media room, pilots’ lounge, flight-planning center, passenger lobby, sleep rooms, VIP suites and a conference room. There are also 42,000 sq ft of corporate hangar space, 25 T-hangars and 11 box hangars. Landmark–which is exhibiting here at the show at Booth No. C10350–operates FBOs throughout the U.S., Canada and Western Europe from its base in Houston. The Miami acquisition represents its 50th location.

z NationAir Launches iPhone App NationAir Aviation Insurance has debuted a free iPad/ iPhone app that gives clients one-touch access to its brokers, account executives and risk-management partners. The app, which can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store, also includes a claims checklist and allows clients to begin the claims process right from the app in the event of an accident or incident. Chicago-based NationAir, which has been in business since 1978, insures more than $40 billion in aviation assets nationwide. The company is exhibiting here at the show at Booth No. N2314.

“wet footprints,” but also how to quickly devise safe and reasonable alternatives. Ergo is a partnership between Aeronautical Data Systems (ADS) and supplemental oxygen systems manufacturer Pacific Precision Products (PPP) and is exhibiting here at the PPP booth (No. N4326). Jim Stabile, ADS vice president and an airline pilot, is demonstrating the new Ergo time-based oxygen-management system on an iPad, but the actual app is in the queue at Apple, awaiting approval for release into the App Store. One of the key benefits of managing oxygen is that it

62 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

ments into fuel savings. You can’t just fill [the tanks] up. Those days are gone.” What Stabile is referring to is the ETOPS requirements that forces pilots to “carry enough fuel to drop to standard atmosphere (10,000 feet) at the equal time point (ETP) and proceed to the nearest airport at that altitude,” according to a document that he has written on oxygen systems. As he noted, just knowing the pounds per square inch (psi) of oxygen onboard provides scant information about how long that will supply all the humans being carried. By using oxygen management software, pilots can determine exactly how long the oxygen will last at a specific altitude and adjust fuel loads accordingly. Using the new Ergo app, pilots can not only determine proper fuel and oxygen levels before

takeoff but also dynamically while en route or during an emergency situation. Managing fuel and oxygen loads thusly can save a Gulfstream or Falcon operator that flies 500 hours a year $40,000 to $50,000 in fuel not carried, according to Stabile. The Ergo app begins by asking for a few data fields, including the aircraft, zero fuel weight, number of crew and passengers and two diversion airports. The next mode is flight planning, where the pilot enters ETP altitude, time, fuel, oxygen psi and latitude. Once this information is entered, the app draws two circles on a world map around the ETP. One is red, for fuel range, and the other yellow, for oxygen range, and the actual distances to the edges of each are shown. If the diversion airports are inside both circles, that’s a safe solution. But either airport outside of either circle indicates a problem. In this example, Stabile used 22,000 feet as the ETP altitude. But if a lower altitude, like 14,000 feet is selected, the oxygen can last longer, thus broadening the oxygen circle and narrowing the fuel circle (trading oxygen range for fuel range). The new solution delivers the desired result, because at 22,000 feet, the fuel range to either diversion airport is more than enough. And the solution delivers total fuel savings, too, because the airplane doesn’t need to carry as much fuel as the pilots initially calculated. Once en route and if an emergency occurs, the pilot pops up the Ergo app in Actual Mode and inputs current altitude, time, fuel on board, fuel burn, true airspeed, oxygen psi, latitude and longitude. Ergo draws circles on the map showing how far the jet can fly before running out of fuel or oxygen. The map shows airports, which can be clicked on for more information, quickly showing alternates that are within range. Stabile believes that the growing safety management system movement is going to force operators to assess risk more carefully when it comes to ETOPS trips and that software like the Ergo app can help make this process simpler and promote safer operating practices, not to mention fuel savings. “It’s just the beginning,” said PPP sales manager Mike Dunham. o

Convergent Performance vows to bolster professionalism

BARRY AMBROSE

by Robert P. Mark

‘Honey, I Think I drank too Much Last night’ That may have been the reaction of some Las Vegas Monorail riders upon passing the convention center station in recent days. Bright and shiny airplanes had replaced the four n wheelers that usually occupy the Las Vegas Convention Center parking lot.

Convergent Performance today publicly stated its intention to lead a global effort aimed at removing professionalism from the NTSB’s “Top Ten” hot-button list of most needed safety improvements within five years. “Aviation has led the world in safety innovations for decades, and the stain of unprofessionalism must be removed if we are to continue to lead, or even maintain the public trust,” said Convergent CEO Tony Kern, the NTSB’s 2010 conference keynoter on “Professionalism in Aviation.” Kern is adamant that more regulation is not the solution. At this year’s NBAA show, Kern said that Convergent is rolling out a new grassroots challenge to anyone with “a stake in this game, including the military, manufacturers, insurance companies, airports, pilots, air traffic controllers, organized labor, associations, industry and passengers.” By visiting a Convergent weblink, aviation workers can add their name to a “Pledge for Professionalism” that supports the idea of reinvigorating the industry’s focus on this hot-button item. In research leading to the development of the pledge,

Convergent also realized there was no established definition of professionalism. The company subsequently developed three levels of professionalism, any one of which should be enough to qualify anyone. Convergent’s manager of customer care and development, Kacy SpeikerVorce, added, “People have been resting on their laurels, sitting at good enough for far too long. This is really less about us asking pilots [questions] and more about someone seeing the resources we offer and letting people self-assess to begin with. Industry employees ready to take the pledge need only click the link, which asks for an email to send follow-up information. To view the weblink, see www.surveymonkey.com/s/ AviationProfessionalismPledge. Kern warned about the consequences of no action. “Public trust is a fickle thing,” he said. “There is little doubt that in the absence of a proactive effort to deal with the perceptions and reality of unprofessional behaviors, regulation will flow into the vacuum. Our industry is too good to let that happen.” o

We’re expanding! Starting with a ramp extension of over 50,000 sq. ft.

Visit us at the avfuel booth n5121.

apa, denver, CO www.xjetworld.com flights@xjetworld.com 303-649-9538

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www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 63

z Pratt & Whitney Canada Shows Off PT6Nation Pratt & Whitney Canada is showcasing PT6Nation, its award-winning social network microsite, at a kiosk at its booth (No. N5633). Visitors to the booth will be able to take a tour of the microsite and register as members. The microsite, which made its debut last December, allows customers to share their thoughts with the company and lets fans of the iconic PT6 family of engines exchange stories and stay up to date on developments. Since its debut last December, the microsite (www.PT6Nation.com) has already attracted more than 42,000 unique visitors. Approximately 1,100 of them have registered with the site. To further increase those numbers, Pratt & Whitney Canada has launched an advertising campaign that features four customers who talk about their experiences with, and affection for, the PT6 engine.

z Million Air Adds Mississippi FBO Million Air has added a $12 million facility at Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport (GPT) to its chain of FBOs. The project includes 200,000 sq ft of ramp space, a 20,000-sq-ft hangar, a 12,500-sq-ft passenger terminal and a 3,600-sq-ft U.S. Customs facility. The FBO, which is in a foreign trade zone, also includes an 80,000-gallon fuel farm that the company says will provide immediate savings for both inbound and outbound international transient aircraft operators due to federal and state fuel discounts. Million Air (Booth No. C7411), claims that the FBO will produce 40 new jobs “plus an infusion of millions of dollars to the economy from new South American traffic, an enhanced military presence and the opening of the new air corridor for immediate European tech stop business.”

z Fargo Jet Center Aids Cow Lift to Kazakhstan Fargo Jet Center, an FBO at North Dakota’s Fargo International Airport, is assisting with a global beef airlift to Astana, Kazakhstan. Starting this month, about two flights will depart for Kazakhstan per week, each loaded with approximately 195 North Dakota cattle. A total of 14 flights are scheduled. This year’s operation will for the first time employ Korean Airlines and Boeing 747-400s, according to Darren Hall, Fargo Jet Center’s vice president. “We are again excited about the opportunity to support the growth in exports from North Dakota and in cargo operations at Fargo’s Hector International Airport,” Hall said.

z ViaSat-1 Comm Satellite Launch Set for October 19 Launch of the ViaSat-1 high capacity Ka-band spot beam satellite has been set for Wednesday, October 19 at 18:48 GMT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan aboard a Russian Proton M launch vehicle. The satellite will enable the broadband multimedia Internet access that ViaSat, of Carlsbad, Calif., expects to provide over the next decade to meet an accelerating growth in airborne bandwidth demand. ViaSat-1 has planned coverage of North America and Hawaii carrying WildBlue services for the U.S. and Xplomet in Canada. ViaSat says that, with an estimated data rate of 140 Gbps, it will become the highest capacity satellite in the world once safely on orbit. The ViaSat-1 launch can be viewed on the ViaSat update page at www.viasat.com/viasat-1-launch.

z MedAire Acquires Yacht Lifeline MedAire, which provides international aviation and maritime clients with medical and security services, acquired Yacht Lifeline, a supplier to the high-end yacht market of medical aid, kits and training services. “The merger of brands and products delivers a higher level of medical and travel safety for owners, captains and management companies,” according to Grant Jeffery, MedAire’s CEO. “Our business and general aviation clients who own or charter yachts will now be able to access the same benefits and confidence whether they are in-flight or at sea.”

Pro Line Fusion panels offered for HBC planes by Liz Moscrop Hawker Beechcraft Global Customer Support (GCS) announced yesterday that, together with Rockwell Collins, it has launched an aftermarket program to offer new Pro Line Fusion avionics to all fielded Pro Line 21-equipped Hawker and Beechcraft airplanes. The Fusion upgrade features large-format, landscape-oriented, touchscreen displays that come standard with synthetic vision and visual flight management system capability, with a target price of less than $300,000 installed. Hawker Beechcraft GCS (Booth C7809) will initially offer upgrades to the King Air fleet, followed by Hawkers and Premiers. Certification is expected before the end of 2013. “In today’s world, touchscreen technology is changing how we interact with our handheld devices,” said Christi Tannahill, Hawker Beechcraft v-p of global customer support. “Making it available to our existing fleet of aircraft further enhances the value of those aircraft and the environment they operate in.” Hawker Beechcraft also announced that synthetic vision will be available on all Pro Line 21-equipped Hawker and Beechcraft platforms, with first customer delivers planned in late 2012. Features included with this upgrade include Rockwell Collins integrated flight information system (IFIS), enhanced vision video window and wall-to-wall ADI displays. The new Pro Line Fusion touchscreen displays will be globally networked with Rockwell Collins’s Ascend Flight Information Solutions, meaning that users can update their onboard navigation and maintenance databases wirelessly and easily transmit information from the aircraft to ground-based systems such as maintenance-monitoring programs. Databases that can be updated include FMS, IFIS, TAWS and surface management system. Additionally, Safe Flight’s AutoPower automatic throttle system is now available for retrofit on Hawkers equipped with Pro Line 21 avionics. The system provides precise engine target settings, using the airplane’s existing thrust levers. Any Hawker Beechcraft Services or West Star Aviation facility can

64 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

install the system. HBC has also now certified a three-display Pro Line 4 to Pro Line 21 upgrade for the Hawker 400XP/Beechjet 400. The new system replaces the existing Pro Line 4 displays and upgrades the flight management system to FMS 6100. Operators now have access to electronic charts, XM WX inflight weather, Waas/ LPV, ADS-B out, VHF datalink and an upgrade path for future airspace requirements. A twoyear corporate aircraft ser-

traveling half the distance between specified departure and destination airports within the ETOPSallowed 180 minutes after the loss of power in one engine. According to Hawker Beechcraft, these new profiles that should be allowed by the exemption “support several over-water missions currently desired by Hawker [charter] operators.” Hawker Beechcraft expects the exemption to be granted and operating manual revisions available in early 2012. Hawker Beechcraft has also broken ground on a new 48,000sq-ft factory service center at the General Mariano Escobedo International Airport in Monterrey, Mexico. The facility, scheduled to open in the spring of 2012, will include a 13,400sq-ft paint hangar in addition to

Hawker Beechcraft chairman and CEO said, “We have sold out planned 2012 positions for the 400XPR.”

CY CYR

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vice program warranty on new and existing Rockwell Collins equipment is included with the upgrade. Tannahill explained that the next step in the Hawker 400XPR certification program is a fourdisplay Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 avionics upgrade, and this will be certified by early 2012. That will be followed by certification in mid-2012 of the new Williams International FJ44-4 engine upgrade by mid-2012. “Excitement and orders for the airplane are building,” she said. The OEM will offer customized XPR upgrade packages for existing aircraft owners, including for the Hawker 800XPR engine and avionics mod program (See story on page 8). The airframer also said that it is petitioning the FAA to allow Part 135 charter operators of Hawker 800XP, 800XPR, 850XP and 900XP models to conduct extended over-water operations such as a routing between San Francisco and Hawaii, without requiring the agency’s extended twin-engine operations standards (ETOPS) approval. The company’s analysis has determined that these models are capable of

a 24,000-sq-ft maintenance hangar and 10,700 sq ft of office and customer hospitality space. This new center adds to Hawker Beechcraft’s facility in Wilmington, Del., and will also offer interior modifications. The company’s huge static display at Henderson Executive Airport features most of its commercial aircraft from the Hawker 4000 to the Bonanza A36 as well as the debut of the aftermarket upgraded Hawker 400XPR and the company’s special missions demonstrator King Air 350ER. o

News Note Lake Texoma Jet Center is giving away an Apple iPad 2. For a chance to win, register at the FBO’s booth (No. C7014). Already have an iPad? You can also win a getaway weekend at Tanglewood Resort on Lake Texoma. The FBO, which is an hour north of Dallas, features what it describes as “big-city amenities” at an airport with 9,000 feet of newly resurfaced runway, an ILS approach, control tower and no landing or ramp fees. n

A-Pro offers repair and overhaul by Harry Weisberger Alex Tearle, president of Aero Precision Repair & Overhaul (A-Pro), returns to NBAA this year to share anecdotes about the Golden Age of the airline business and the formative years of corporate aviation as well as to showcase A-Pro’s

landing gear, hydraulic and flight control system repair and overhaul capabilities. A-Pro is a joint venture of Dassault Falcon and Messier Services and is sharing space at the Dassault booth (No. N2104). Celebrating more than 20 years

in business, A-Pro employs 85 people at its 41,000-sq-ft Deerfield Beach, Fla. facility. It offers repair and overhaul capabilities for Falcon landing gear, wheel and tire refurbishment; brake overhaul for the Falcon 900 and 2000; and high-volume overhaul

Spirit developing anti-ice systems by Kim Rosenlof Taking a proactive approach toward the anti-icing regulations proposed by the FAA in June 2010–and still unscheduled for adoption into the FARs–Spirit AeroSystems (Booth No. C11720) has been working with Wichita State University and an undisclosed supplier to develop two new anti-icing systems for nacelles surrounding large aircraft engines. Spirit’s electro expulsive de-icing system (EEDS) uses an electromechanical “thumper” to tap the nacelle from the inside to shed ice. Spirit

research-and-development manager Daryl Tasker estimates EEDS will weigh less and consume 85 to 95 percent less power than comparable bleed-air deicing systems. “Similar types of systems have been implemented on aircraft leading edges and on unmanned aerial vehicles, so this isn’t completely new,” said Tasker. “It’s just new as far as a nacelle application. The nacelle is a lot more intricate.” If adopted as written, the proposed FAA regulations will

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require airplanes most affected by supercooled large droplet (SLD) icing conditions to meet certain safety standards in the expanded certification icing environment, including additional airplane performance and handling qualities requirements. Currently it’s not clear how much ice airframe and engine induction de-icing systems must remove to comply with the proposed regulations. Because EEDS can leave trace frost behind, Spirit also developed the hybrid ice protection

and repair for the Embraer 135/145 and Legacy, ATR 42/72, Piaggio Avanti P.180, Eurocopter Super Puma and SA360 Dauphin and Sikorsky’s S-92. One of A-Pro’s core functions is to ensure support for operators of older Falcons. “Dassault has expressly requested that A-Pro redouble its continued support for operators of early Falcon 10s and 20s,” Tearle said. “Flat rates, system (HIPS), which adds an electric heating element to the system to melt any residual frost. “If the system must be completely evaporative to support the SLD requirement from the FAA, then you won’t even be able to have frost,” said Tasker. “[HIPS] incorporates an additional element that applies heat electrically to complement the thumper on EEDS. Some OEMs think they will need [HIPS], some don’t,” he added. Currently EEDS and HIPS have been tested only in wind tunnels, but Tasker said the program is ready for flight test. No launch customer has yet been identified for either system; certification is likely at least two years away. o

competitive loaner/exchange programs and aggressive pricing are some tools we’re using to bring multi-generational operators back under the OEM support umbrella. The Falcon 50 is 32 years from launch, so it is refreshing to see that Dassault still considers support of all operators of significant importance.” Tearle became involved in aviation through his father, Walter. “My father was on the team of engineers developing the Whittle jet engine with Frank Whittle,” he said. The elder Tearle worked for Frank Piasecki, developer of the tandem-rotor helicopter that became the Chinook, and later at Eastern Airlines, where he helped prepare Eastern’s repair shops to accept the airline’s first Airbus A300s, “delivered for $1 each,” according to Alex. He recalled that when the deferred purchase price came due, “that’s when Eastern’s problems really began.” Tearle observed that business “is much better than it was after 9/11. We have overhauled over 35,000 landing gears and more than 50,000 hydraulic components.” o

Jet Aviation St. Louis

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www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 65

SAFE FLYING AWARDS > Commercial

Charter ops win kudos for safe flying

Crow Executive Air

Millbury, Ohio 63 Years 137,203 Hours

by Mary F. Silitch

Each year the National Business Aviation Association recognizes member companies that have superb safety records. The commercial (Part 135) flight operations of Crow Executive Air, Seneca Foods and Skybird Aviation are the top three being honored in that category for the year 2010. AIN spoke with representatives of two of the top companies in the commercial category to find out more about their operations and their safety success.

Eric Barnum has been president of Crow Executive Air, an FBO and Part 135 air carrier, since 1982. He told AIN, “Our company is a family business and I grew up doing nothing

See us at booth C10629

Specialists

in Products for VIP Interior Completions Design, engineering, certification and fabrication of completions structures, components and systems

• Global leader in turn-key interior liner systems for Airbus and Boeing aircraft. • Composite component manufacturing. • Designed, certiﬁed, and fabricated structural aircraft components. • Environmental control systems design, certiﬁcation, and fabrication. • Design and fabrication of VIP shower enclosures. • New state of the art 48,500 sq ft facility. • www.jormac.com

• Leading supplier of turn-key galleys and cabinetry, mechanical components and systems. • Design, engineering, certiﬁcation, fabrication and installation services. • Proprietary, state of the art solid-modeling processes and methodologies. • New state of the art 40,000 sq ft facility. • www.cabininnovations.com Contact us at NBAA 2011:

but airplanes.” His father headed the company before him. He’s now retired but several years ago he brought a Grumman Mallard amphibian back from Fiji. Over the years, Crow has operated “Piper Cubs; Grumman Widgeons and Mallards; Beechcraft Staggerwings; Lockheed 10s; Beech 18s; numerous models of Aero Commanders; all manner of Piper twins; Fairchild Metroliners; Beechcraft King Airs (90 and B100); a Cessna Conquest II; Learjet models 24, 24B, 24D, 24DXR, 25B, 25BXR, 35, 35A; a Hawker 400/731; Hawker 700 and a few dozen others!” said Barnum. Today, Crow operates four Learjet 35As and a Beechcraft King Air B100, with 14 crewmembers and a dozen or so support members. In addition to FBO and charter operations, the company offers maintenance and aircraft management services. Headquartered at Toledo Executive Airport, Crow also has bases in Scottsdale, Ariz.; Albuquerque, N.M.; and Omaha, Neb. “Although we offer charter services to a wide range of clientele, and services such as corporate, leisure travel, air freight, airline crew and maintenance support,” Barnum said, “we are currently heavily involved in the air ambulance and organ procurement business. “I am not a professional pilot by trade,” Barnum replied to a question about his favorite corporate aircraft, “but I enjoy being moved around in a Lear 35A.” Barnum attributes the company’s long record of safe operation primarily to an attitude of safe operations throughout the company, regardless of regulations, and going beyond what is required. He said the company itself must have an attitude of safety regardless of the demands of customers or of the bottom line. Skybird Aviation

Steve Jourdenais 813.417.6956 Frank Nelson 727.560.9854 Mike Goldman 210.849.4192

Rick Richardson 918.607.3355 Danny Wintz 940.453.3527

Yankee Pacific Aerospace companies serve completion centers, aircraft owners and manufacturers, and major subcontractors worldwide.

66 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

www.YankeePacificAerospace.com

Van Nuys, Calif. 35 Years

Skybird Aviation is a Part 135 jet charter operation based at Van Nuys Airport in California. The company started in 1976 with two pilots and a dispatcher operating a new Lear 24. In just the first five years, it operated a Lear 24E, 23D, 28, 35 and 55E. In 1979, Skybird added a Gulfstream and in 1987 became the operator of the first GIV built, which it traded for a

2010 NBAA Commercial Business Flying Safety Awards new GIV-SP after 14 years. Skybird now operates a Gulfstream 550, with four fulltime pilots, one mechanic, one flight attendant and a scheduler, Raquel Cabrera. Cabrera, who has been with the company for 16 years, said she is responsible for other functions such as accounting and administrative duties as Skybird is a small company. Before joining Skybird, she worked at Clay Lacy Aviation and for the Van Nuys airport. Norman Anderson, director of operations and line captain for Skybird, is a recipient of this year’s Top Pilot award. He has been with the company for 35 years. He told AIN, “I attribute Skybird’s good safety record to hiring the right people.” Cabrera added, “We have experienced pilots and don’t take any shortcuts.” o AINonline iPhone App NOW AVAILABLE

Presented to NBAA Part 135 member companies in recognition of the number of accident-free hours flown. The Top 25 are listed here in order of the number of hours flown.

Company

Hours

Mayo Aviation

150,719

Crow Executive Air

137,203

Key Air

123,486

International Jet Aviation Services

85,922

Meridian Teterboro/Meridian Air Charter

82,626

Aero Charter

79,041

Central Flying Service

76,563

FlightWorks

75,907

Seneca Flight Operations - A Seneca Foods Company

71,714

Northern Jet

69,557

Travel Management Company

58,802

FL Aviation Corporation

43,412

Executive AirShare

39,280

Associated Aircraft Group

37,493

Skybird Aviation

30,226

ExecuJet Charter Service

27,318

TWC Aviation & ACM Aviation

26,838

Air Services

26,266

Solairus Aviation

23,673

Corporate Flight Alternatives

16,145

Jet Logistics

13,539

Executive Airlines Pty.

13,348

R & M Aviation dba AeroCare Medical Transport System

11,800

Polygon Air Corp.

10,864

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10,820

Vision shades, windows shield pax from sun Vision Systems (Booth No. C9926) is exhibiting new products for solar protection, both conventional shades and dimmable windows, as well as a new iPad support arm for cabin applications. The conventional Comfort Shade Dual features two electrically powered roller shades in a single system. The first shade protects from UV rays; the second, made of fabric or leather, is for blackout. For both shades, several colors are available. The two motors are independent. A spokesperson for the Francebased company pointed out that the system includes an anti-jamming device. The Comfort Shade Dual can be controlled by the passenger or the flight attendant. More up-to-date in technology is the window-dimming Noctis, which has no mechanical system. “We combined two technologies to reach 99.7 percent opacity,” the spokesperson explained. It protects from both

light and heat. The passenger or the flight attendant can vary the level of opacity “at a fast and consistent speed.” It can be switched instantly from transparent to dark. Noctis is more expensive than Vision Systems’s pre-existing Nuance system, the opacity of which stops at 99 percent. “You can see the difference,” the spokesperson told AIN. Nuance takes five seconds to switch from clear to dark. Both the Noctis and Nuance systems can be used on windows and cabin dividers. For iPad tablets, the company is offering a motorized deployment arm that stows in the passenger’s armrest. It is also available in a non-motorized version. In addition, the firm is developing an iPad solution for multimedia and cabin management. The aeronautics division of Vision Systems, headquartered in Brignais, west of Lyon, had revenues of €8.8 million ($12 million) in 2010. 

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www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 67

Preowned Report by Bryan A. Comstock

few years ago at the NBAA show we witnessed more than 1,000 Dow points melt away during the three-day convention. That was the beginning of the biggest downward trend that corporate jet sales had ever experienced, and the remnants of the price carnage that ensued are still with us. Today it’s a tale of two markets, with some–the large-cabin, long-range current production types–in favor, actively trading and with notable price recovery. Others, such as third-generation variants, the owner-flown segment and mid-cabins, have taken considerably longer to revive. The resuscitation has been in terms of aircraft sales, not aircraft prices, which are still on life support and appear to be grasping blindly to feel for a price floor. Alas, as some of these aircraft started selling for about 25 cents on the dollar from the peak this brought about renewed vigor into this group that had clearly fallen out of favor with buyers. “Can you believe what you can buy that for?” seems to be a topic common among purveyors of used jets. This refrain applies to a large number of models, from a sub-million-dollar Astra that can get you from the U.S. mainland to Cessna Citation XLS

Hawaii, or a $1.495 million asking price set on a higher-time Falcon 50 or a $5 million GIV. Throw-in-the-towel pricing such as this has brought about renewed interest in a number of aircraft, including those mentioned above.

Operating Costs With pricing like this, the decision is all about operating costs of an aging aircraft rather than acquisition cost. At these prices we now have throwaway aircraft. Buy it, fly it, write it down and write it off. Any residual value at the end of ownership becomes a bonus. While these sales and asking prices represent sector lows, it’s not likely deals will go away anytime soon. Given the economic challenges that beset regions with the greatest population of jets–the U.S. and Europe–these areas are not likely to be fertile grounds for jet buyers into the extended future. Many aircraft model types currently are available in numbers well above the 10 percent of their production run considered by many to be a normal supply. In fact, seeing 20- to 25-percent availability of a particular model type has not been uncommon over the last few years, and some show these percentages today. Gulfstream GIV-SP

68 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Opportunists are providing the silver lining in today’s otherwise cloudy backdrop. They have actually pushed inventory down to a point below where it stood three years ago as the market tanked. In fact, following 2008 when it all started, inventory worldwide peaked in 2009 and then began slowly ratcheting down to the point we are today, at a three-year low, just a few ticks under where it was at the NBAA’08 convention. This significant reduction comes amid a growing worldwide fleet and could be the result not just of outright sales, but perhaps owners refusing to–or unable to– accept current fair market value for their aircraft and withdrawing them from the market. Others may have gone the way of the stagecoach as the market crushed some values so badly, while some wings were clipped and parted out, worth more in pieces than as a whole. If some of those 10,000-hour-plus wings could talk, just think of the stories they’d tell. From the day they rolled off the manufacturer’s floor into the hands of a new pilot at the beginning of a burgeoning new era that has become known as corporate aviation, to the stress of breaking in a new pilot, to shooting approaches with what are now

considered antiquated steam gauges that most new pilots wouldn’t recognize. There’s no pleasant retirement party for these aircraft, but certainly a testament to the longevity of the product and with no inherent planned obsolescence that impacts the market and values. The general public doesn’t chase after 30- to 40-year-old cars unless they’re fans or collectors, whereas the same vintage aircraft can serve a viable role for a company for decades. A few upgrades along the way and an aircraft’s sunset can be extended. This is one reason why we are beginning to see new life breathed into this segment of the market. Of course, with an older-generation aircraft come higher operating costs. The severe drop in prices seems to have more than offset this part of the equation as buyers have begun to descend upon the market like it’s a yard sale and they’re rummaging around looking for a treasure. A couple of years ago buying these aging aircraft–20-years or older– was difficult because many finance institutions were shying away from this market segment. While there are still lenders in this segment, the collapse in pricing could see more buyers just writing a small seven-figure check.

Cessna Citation Excel

Preowned Report Euro Focus

China, have a preference toward buying new. Another bright spot has been South America, where a significant number of aircraft have been going in recent years.

No longer can you talk about used aircraft and have a U.S.-centric conversation. In fact, if you break out model Back and Forth year 2000 or newer aircraft that are currently for sale, just a tick over half–406– The ebb and flow of aircraft movare in the U.S. Europe now accounts for ing to one region only to reverse direcone third of all aircraft from 2000 and tion is not uncommon. Like the Asian newer that are in operation and are for contagion of the late 1990s and Mexisale, leaving a balance of slightly more co’s peso crisis earlier in that decade and than 100 that are based in other parts of more recently the U.S.’s financial chalthe world. lenges, it’s not uncommon to see aircraft When you look at older aircraft–model sold off. Now the focus seems to be on years ranging from 1980 to 1999 that are Europe. Trade links and financial chanfor sale–you see that the U.S. offers nearly nels can spread the ugliness over country 75 percent of them, compared to 15 per- borders in a short amount of time and cent of this same group that are for sale can create great buying opportunities. in Europe. In both the newer and older One noticeable difference today is aircraft groupings the totals between the perhaps a lower dealer participation U.S. and Europe combined account for rate to inventory these aircraft. Some85 percent of the worldwide fleet for sale. times these purchases, while great valInterestingly, Europe’s late-model offer- ues, can be trying on a retail buyer and ings equal twice the percentage of the are best carried out by seasoned proolder group, while the U.S. has a greater fessionals. I recall when one of my percentage of older aircraft for sale. co-workers was purchasing a Citation Consider that 80 percent of the Cessna out of Indonesia in the late 1990s and Citation Excels, 70 percent of the Hawker the civil unrest hampered the deregis850XPs and all eight of the G550s tration process as some governmental (excluding positions) offered for sale are agencies were either closed or operating based outside the U.S. Clearly there is at half staff; not to mention some nergrowth in other parts of the world. In vous moments of being in-country dursome cases there may be more aircraft ing this unsettled period. going into regions of the world than While these economic hiccups or heart are coming out, as some countries, like attacks their havoc, once the dust JA_global_MRO_ads_AIN_NBAA.qxd 9/23/11 2:49wreak PM Page 3

settles, the affected countries always seem to recover and shortly thereafter start receiving an inflow of aircraft, both new and used. While this doesn’t happen overnight, it does happen. As we move through the final quarter,

typically an upbeat one for aircraft sales, buyers continue to flow into the market, picking up good aircraft at great prices and with enough supply among many model types to ensure that bargains for buyers abound. o

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www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 69

Flying Colours busy with 850s, ExecLiners by Kirby J. Harrison million to $6 million. In the end, said Gillespie, “What the customer is getting is a large-cabin executive jet at less than half the cost of new.” Making the deal still more attractive, Flying Colours holds the STC (including SFAR 88 approval) on the auxiliary fuel system. With its additional fuel tanks the auxiliary system extends the range to approximately 3,000 nm. Green 850 Completions

While CRJ conversions, Gillespie said, have been “key to our growth,” a partnership with Bombardier since 2008 as a preferred completion center for the Canadian OEM’s green Challenger 850 has also helped the company flourish. The choice of Flying Colours is logical because the 850 is a direct descendant of the CRJ200 regional jet in terms of the airframe and much of the engineering. The 850 also has a range of approximately 3,000 nm. Flying Colours has delivered seven 850s since the first one was delivered to the company in 2009. The most recent were one each to a Middle East buyer and a Russian customer. Four more are in various stages of outfitting–three in Peterborough and one at JetCorp. Perhaps more telling in terms of a global market is that four of the first seven deliveries were to customers in Asia. The company expects to deliver a total of six in Asia by the end of 2012. One 850 went to aircraft charter and management provider ExecuJet Middle East. It went well beyond the standard

Twins Sean (left) and Eric Gillespie are co-directors of completion sales and management. Their sister is director of interior design and father, John, is the founder, president and CEO.

PHOTOS: KIRBY J. HARRISON

Flying Colours makes its nest in the peaceful Canadian city of Peterborough, Ontario, and over the past five years has emerged with a lock on the CRJ reconfiguration market and has become the go-to center for the outfitting of green Challenger 850s. It’s rather a niche market, but an active one. In the past five years, the family-owned completion and refurbishment center (Booth No. N5500) has delivered nine converted CRJs and a tenth is scheduled for delivery later this year. Three more are in the pipeline, two to be outfitted at Flying Colours’s Peterborough Municipal Airport center and the third at JetCorp, the company’s St. Louis-based subsidiary. “This demonstrates the continued demand for conversions as the market recognizes the economic and practical value of converted aircraft,” said Sean Gillespie, who with twin brother Eric is co-director of sales and completion management. It is a demand that has spanned the globe, with orders for what Flying Colours has branded the ExecLiner from customers in Lebanon, Macau, Malaysia, Russia and the U.S. The cost of a low-time, used CRJ airframe may range from $5 million to $7 million and, depending on the condition of the airplane and demands of the customer, the outfitting (including inspection, maintenance, installation of an auxiliary fuel package, removal of the old airliner interior, new executive interior, avionics update and exterior paint) costs from $5

three-zone cabin and showcased Flying Colours’s ability with highly customized airplanes. The aircraft features walnut (European) burl veneer, customized gold inlay and a full package of in-flight connectivity, including the True North Avionics Simphonē broadband satcom with Wi-Fi capability and iPad functionality.

Green Challenger 850s, above, are a familiar sight in the Flying Colours hangar. The Peterborough, Ontario completion and refurbishment center has delivered a total of seven 850s since the first in 2009. Flying Colours can handle airframe modifications, avionics upgrades and exterior paint, in addition to cabin completion and refurbishment. Below is a completed Challenger 850 cabin.

College Training Program

Understandably, Flying Colours is hiring. And to further ensure a pipeline of skilled workers, the company has launched a training program with nearby Fleming College. Students who complete the training may go on to a three-month trial period at Flying Colours before being offered full-time positions. According to Eric Gillespie, 70 percent of the 15 to 20 individuals who complete the training and trial period are hired. Along with the growing demand comes expansion, and the company is in the early planning stage for a new hangar that would add 60,000 sq ft to the existing 110,000 sq ft. The new hangar will be sufficient to accommodate single-aisle airliner conversions as large as an Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) or Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), said Eric Gillespie, “if we choose to go that route.” Construction is expected to start in 2012. A nearly completed upgrade of Peterborough Municipal Airport to a regional airport status will support such an expansion by Flying Colours. According to airport assistant operations coordinator Kyle Bruce, federal, provincial and municipal governments have invested close to $28 million in improvements that include more apron space for aircraft parking; an additional 2,000 feet to extend the

70 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

current runway to 7,000 feet; and an increase in load-bearing limits that will allow access by aircraft as large as the ACJ and BBJ business jet families. Service and Mod Center

Flying Colours in Peterborough has Transport Canada and EASA and FAA repair center certification. It is also a Bombardier-approved service center and can handle airframe modifications, avionics upgrades and exterior paint, in addition to cabin completion and refurbishment. According to Sean Gillespie, as the facility continues to grow, so will the association with Bombardier to include more green completion work on the OEM’s other business jets. While the center in Peterborough occupies itself primarily with CRJ ExecLiners and 850 green completion work, JetCorp handles a much broader variety of business aircraft interior work, and the occasional 850. JetCorp also was the recent recipient of a contract from an as-yet unidentified fractional

operator to install Wi-Fi on 40 aircraft. Approximately 70 percent of the work at Flying Colours is from completion and refurbishment and 30 percent from maintenance contracts. At JetCorp, the division is about 60/40. In business as Flying Colours for 22 years, the company looks forward to another 22, with a growing worldwide market share. Founder John Gillespie purchased the company in 1989 when it was a small paint shop. The acquisition was meant to serve the family’s Rapid Aircraft Repair shop, which morphed into Flying Colours. John remains president and CEO and is still active in its operation. His daughter, Kate Aherns, is director of interior design. Based on a steady increase in orders since the beginning of the first quarter 2010, the company anticipates a continued demand for midsize refurbishments from both corporate and private owners who are looking to re-enter the aviation market, said Sean Gillespie. o

BJT survey reveals preferred models by Jeff Burger

operation, age of aircraft and runway performance. Finally, respondents were asked to rank manufacturers of aircraft they own or have recently owned. Based on the percentage rating more comfortable flights bus each company “excel(44 percent), privacy (37 Tr iness ave jet lent,” Gulfstream came percent), the ability to ler out on top for reliabilwork en route (34 perity (82 percent), aircraft cent) and security (29 technology (66 percent), percent). (Percentages REPO R value for price paid (53 don’t total 100 on some CARD T percent), cockpit technolquestions because the ogy (68 percent) and prodsurvey allowed responuct support (71 percent). dents to select multiDassault scored highest for ple answers.) cabin amenities (67 percent) Fractional share, and overall satisfaction (77), jet card and charter cuswhile Bombardier got the most tomers gave generally The first BJT readers’ high marks to their pro- survey revealed what users want “excellent” ratings for cost of maintenance (30 percent). viders, but charter users from their airplanes. For full survey results, see the October/ seemed most satisfied overall, with 75 percent saying they would definitely do November issue of Business Jet Traveler, business with the company again and which is available here at the show. Or you recommend it to others. Fractional, can visit BJTonline.com, where you’ll find a jet card and charter users all gave high PDF of everything that appeared in print, grades to customer service and cleanli- plus demographic information on the surness of aircraft. The lowest grades went vey respondents as well as their comments o to peak-day policies and pricing (jet about flying privately. card and charter customers) and residual-value terms (fractional customers). BJT also asked survey respondents to rate the aircraft features that mattered most to them. Range topped the list, followed by cabin size, economical Maxim

If you could receive a complimentary year of flying privately on any aircraft, what make and model would you choose? That was one of the questions in the first annual Readers’ Choice Poll conducted by Business Jet Traveler, a sister publication of NBAA Convention News, which drew responses from nearly a thousand readers. Thirty percent of respondents to the above question said they’d opt for a Gulfstream, with the GV-SP, G500, G550 and G650 among the most frequently cited models. Cessna came in second with 19

percent yearning for Citations such as the X, “Ten,” CJ3, CJ4, Excel, XLS and XLS+. Behind Cessna were Bombardier (chosen by 16 percent of respondents), Dassault (12 percent), Hawker Beechcraft (7 percent), Embraer (4 percent) and Boeing (2 percent). Another key survey question asked readers to indicate the three most important reasons they fly privately. The ability to save time (selected by 77 percent) and reach more airports (69 percent) both scored much higher than other reasons, which included

What are the most important reasons you fly privately? 77%

Save time

69%

Ability to use airports that the airlines don’t serve

44%

More comfortable flight

37%

Privacy Ability to work en route Security

34% 29%

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Readers rated two reasons for choosing business aircraft as significantly more important than the other four. 3:08 PM Page 1

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www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 71

SAFE FLYING AWARDS > Part 91 Companies

‘Culture of safety’ pervades ops at member companies by Mary F. Silitch The NBAA Corporate Business Flying Safety Awards for 2010 have been awarded to a number of member companies, the oldest of which, ExxonMobil, has flown 300,394 safe hours over the past 79 years. AIN interviewed representatives of the five companies that have the greatest longevity in the corporate category to find out more about their operations and their safety successes. The number of years of safe flying they’ve logged and the number of safe hours flown are shown as a testament to their accomplishments.

ExxonMobil Dallas, Texas

79 Years 300,394 Hours James Johnson, manager, aviation services

Over the last 79 years, ExxonMobil has operated a great variety of aircraft ranging from Beech Staggerwings and Douglas DC-3s to Gulfstream IVs and Bombardier Global Expresses. Today, the 68-member flight department operates a Gulfstream 550, three Global Expresses and five Challenger 300s. Seventy-nine years is a long time to fly so extensively without an accident. James Johnson, who joined the company in 1991 and became the manager of aviation services in October 2007, told AIN that the good record is due to the company’s “strong safety culture throughout every affiliate, a very robust safety management system and all of the current and past employees of our aviation department.” He said Exxon Mobil received its IS-BAO phase I certification in 2010 and phase II is scheduled for 2012. Johnson said his own love of aviation started when he watched airplanes fly over his backyard. His parents took him to the local airport to see an airplane up close and, he said, “I was hooked from then on.” He served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years, flying the OV-10, B-52G, T-39 (Sabreliner), C-141, C-140 (JetStar) and

Betty Uhrig, Chevron’s general manager of aviation services

Gulfstream III. “My last job in the military was with the 89th Military Airlift Wing, Washington, D.C., working in the Presidential Pilots Office.” He retired as a lieutenant colonel. When asked which was his favorite corporate airplane to fly, Johnson replied: “I have enjoyed all of the aircraft I have flown, but probably the Global Express because of the range, speed and comfort it provides.” Chevron Aviation Services Oakland, Calif.

65 Years 101,161 Hours E.K. (Betty) Uhrig general manager of aviation services

Betty Uhrig has been general manager of Chevron’s Aviation Services flight department for three years. The company operates a fleet of aircraft that provides global transportation service for Chevron executives and employees. Chevron employs approximately 58,000 people in many countries around the world. Through 2010, Aviation Services had flown 101,161 hours of accident-free flight operations. Before joining Chevron, Uhrig served in the U.S. Coast Guard for 24 years, having joined just as the Coast Guard opened up flying to women. She started as an aviation mechanic and went on to fly C-130s and a Gulfstream III for the Coast Guard commandant. Her favorite corporate aircraft to fly, she said, is the Gulfstream G550. “It’s a pretty sweet airplane,” she commented. When asked about Chevron’s exemplary safety record, Uhrig replied: “Aviation Services achieved phase I certification in IS-BAO last year. IS-BAO certification was just another step in our quest for always keeping safety at the forefront of our world-class flight department. At Chevron, we aim to complete every task the right way every time and our safety management system helps achieve this goal.”

Uhrig credited Chevron’s safety record to “continual awareness of the risk out there, good training and reinforcement of the importance of safety from our top executives.” Eastman Kodak Rochester, N.Y.

65 Years 114,857 Hours Christopher Lima director of aviation

Eastman Kodak’s flight department is based at Rochester Airport. It started in 1945 with the acquisition of an exmilitary Douglas DC-3 and made its first corporate flight on July 29 that year. During its 65 years of operation, the Kodak flight department has flown a Gulfstream I, and GII, GIV and Bombardier Challenger 600 series jets. In those three-and-a-half decades, it has logged 114,857 hours, the most recent of which were in a Challenger 604 and a Global Express. Christopher Lima has been with Kodak for 12 years. He served as chief pilot for six years, then became director of aviation two-and-a-half years ago. He said he enjoyed flying the Global Express most. Lima became interested in aviation in the sixth grade, when he took his first flight–to Disney World–and saw all the pilots at the airport. He earned a B.S. in aviation management, with a minor in flight technology, from Florida Tech, and joined the ROTC while in college. He then served in the Massachusetts Army National Guard, flying helicopters. Before joining Kodak, he flew for Seneca Foods in Penn Yan, N.Y. When asked about the company’s 65 years of safe operation, Lima said, “It all comes down to the people, from the corporate level to the great people in the flight department.” He added that in the last six years, eight of the 11 people

72 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

2010 Corporate Business Flying Safety Awards Presented to Part 91 companies. Listed here are the the top companies by number of accident-free years. Company

Years

Hours

ExxonMobil

300,394

Chevron USA

101,161

Eastman Kodak

114,857

Owens Corning

96,068

Idaho Power

26,212

AK Steel

110,316

Koch Industries

112,495

CSX Corporation Aviation Department

111,607

3M Company

210,538

Citigroup Corporate Aviation

142,050

The Kroger Co.

53,798

PPG Industries.

52,601

Federal-Mogul

51,640

Archer Daniels Midland

89,256

Newell Rubbermaid

87,417

The Dow Chemical Co.

143,230

Nationwide Mutual Insurance

67,103

The Coca-Cola Co.

85,714

Dot Foods

26,700

El Paso

288,339

Hormel Foods

43,440

Travelers Indemnity Co.

98,133

Sprint Flight Operations

59,151

Hess

55,650

Cargill

73,505

Caterpillar

54,370

VF Corporation Aviation

85,032

in the department have gone through NBAA’s Certified Aviation Management program. He credited the company’s record to the corporate culture of safety. On the department’s 60th anniversary, NBAA presented Eastman Kodak chairman Antonio Perez with a commemorative plaque. Owens Corning Toledo, Ohio

65 Years 96,068 Hours Terry L. Smith director of flight operations

The Owens Corning flight department, based at Toledo Express Airport, flies mostly in North America, with occasional European and Asian trips, said Terry Smith, director of flight operations. Owens Corning is a global company that produces glass fiber and foam insulation, roofing and composites. The flight department, which

has a 65-year history, now operates two Cessna Citation Sovereigns and a Citation Encore. The department consists of nine full-time pilots, including Smith, and three contract pilots and employs a total of 19 people. “Our retention rate is high,” he said, “more than half of our people have been here more than 20 years.” Smith has been employed by Owens Corning for 32 of the flight department’s 65 years, 17 as director of flight operations. He has logged approximately 17,000 hours. His favorite corporate airplane to fly is, he said, “without a doubt, the Falcon 900EX.” Smith’s father, still an active private pilot flying an RV9A at age 88, gave Terry his first airplane ride when he was 15. While enrolled at The Ohio State University, he earned his instructor’s certificate in the first quarter and worked as an instructor for the next four years Continued on page 78 u

Comlux America has refurbished its large completion hangar, and another is under construction.

Comlux expanding Indy headquarters by Charles Alcock and Kirby J. Harrison The recent award of three new completions contracts for VIP versions of Airbus and Boeing aircraft has prompted Comlux America to begin construction of a new hangar at its Indianapolis headquarters. The 64,500-sq-ft building is due to open in the second quarter of 2012 and will be able to accommodate four jets up to the size of a Boeing BBJ3. The expansion plans should generate around 100 new jobs at Comlux America, which with its Comlux Aviation Services division has almost 300 on its payroll. In May, Airbus appointed the company as a factory-approved completions center for its ACJ family, and it has already performed full completions of a VIP Airbus ACJ320, as well as one for the rival BBJ3. It will soon be preparing interiors for Superjet’s new Sukhoi Business Jet. The second Indianapolis hangar will incorporate shops dedicated to the various completions and refurbishment skills. Customers will enjoy direct access to their aircraft during projects from client offices also colocated with the new structure. Comlux America has just completed an extensive refurbishment of a Boeing 767-200, which has just entered service with the company’s aircraft management and charter division Fly Comlux. The 767, which had to be recertified for its new commercial VIP role, has been

registered under Comlux’s new Aruban aircraft operating certificate. Fly Comlux already holds AOCs in Switzerland, Malta (part of the European Union) and Kazakhstan. The new Aruba operation now provides another offshore registration option for management clients. Between its various cabin compartments, the 767 can carry up to 60 passengers in 1,700 sq ft of deck space. According to Comlux The Aviation Group president Richard Gaona, the extensively remodeled widebody is likely to find favor as a charter option for heads of state, royal families and government delegations. He expects it to prove popular in both African and Middle Eastern markets, since it is able to offer nonstop service between city pairs such as Riyadh and Washington, D.C. The aircraft will be based in Bahrain and is the first Boeing type to be operated by Comlux (Booth No. N5700), whose fleet already includes several ACJs and nine members of the Bombardier Global Express family. In December, Fly Comlux is due to take delivery of the first of three Embraer Legacy 650s that it ordered earlier this year. The other two will arrive in 2012 and all three are to be operated under its AOC in Kazakhstan, where the Legacy’s range will be appreciated, because it is a six-hour flight from one end of the former Soviet republic to another. Gaona claimed that the

charter market has recently recovered. “We have achieved the shape that we want [with the Comlux group] and now we have to consolidate the business,” he told AIN. “The Arabic revolutions have made it tough in that region so we can’t rely on this alone, and we have to ensure that growth in any part of our business can support the other parts.” Gaona believes that the Comlux group’s focus on the largest end of the business aircraft market has been vindicated, because this sector has held up better than smaller types in challenging trading conditions. He believes that when the first VIP versions of the new Boeing 787 and 747-8 start to enter the completions stage, this will once again squeeze capacity for BBJ and ACJ completions, further working to Comlux’s advantage. He estimated that Boeing and Airbus are each delivering around 10 of these jets each year. Meanwhile, Comlux Aviation Services–also based in Indianapolis–has received FAA approval

to extend the capability of its Gulfstream repair station to cover GIVs and GIV-SPs. It is already approved to work on the older GII, GIIB and GIII models. The Indianapolis facility has a 30-plus-year heritage in business aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul, which predates its

Comlux Recruits Middle East Veteran Comlux The Aviation Group has appointed Ali Al Naqbi as a new member of its board of directors, on which he will serve as senior vice president for business development. A 20-year industry veteran, Al Naqbi started his career with Abu Dhabi’s Presidential Flight as vice president of finance and administration and he subsequently helped to form the Royal Jet management and charter company established from the government operation. He also founded the Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) and still serves as its chairman as well as its elected representative on the International Business Aviation Council. “It is an honor for me to be part of such a prestigious company as Comlux,” said Al Naqbi. “The company is expanding quickly, worldwide, and I am very pleased to bring my experience at the most strategic level of the group. As I am residing in the Middle East, I will work also with the Comlux Middle East team to develop our presence on the market and to acquire new VIP clients in the region.” –C.A.

MARIANO ROSALES

TEB honors quiet fliers Teterboro Airport Monday honored 19 individuals and companies operating from the northern New Jersey field with its “Good Neighbor Awards,” presented annually at the NBAA convention since 2004. The program recognizes quiet flying at TEB through adherence to the airport’s voluntary restraints on late-night and Stage 2 jet operations. Recipients have had no violations or warnings under the airport’s mandatory noise rules. The awards program has become part of the Teterboro Airport Industry Working Group, formed to improve More “Good Neighbor Awards” are being presented to individuals and companies operating from Teterboro Airport.

ownership by Comlux. Comlux Aviation Services is also approved to provide support for Bombardier business aircraft. According to Gaona, the facility now has a backlog of work spanning three or more months, which is busier than it has been since Comlux took over. o

safety and security and reduce noise at the airport. The group includes NATA, NBAA, GAMA, AOPA, Teterboro FBOs and other major operators including NetJets. This year’s recipients, honored

for exemplary conduct during 2010, are: AB Flying, American General Finance, Barnes & Noble, C&S Wholesale, Cool Stream, David Edell, Eagle Air, Evertz Microsystems, Instant Aviation, JetSmart, Jon A. Wurtzburger, M&M Baron, Meredith Corp., NCR, R&F Wings, Red Wing Aeroplane, Robert J. Borghi, Travelers and White Mountains Capital. –H.W.

Saudi Arabia To Be Home for Two New Airbus VIP Aircraft Airbus has announced that Aviation Link–an aircraft management services company based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia–will manage two new Airbus aircraft, an ACJ319 and an A319. Both will have their cabins outfitted by Airbus at its facility in Toulouse, France, and will be delivered in the second half of next year. Firm orders for Airbus corporate jets now total more than 170, including 110 ACJ318s, ACJ319s and ACJ320s, plus more than 60 VIP and government widebodies. Airbus is exhibiting at Booth N1304. –J.B.

www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 73

A full menu of LBA events attracted the owner-flown crowd to the Las Vegas Convention Center, including Cirrus co-founder Alan Klapmeier, now CEO of Kestrel.

Aviation in Houston. Also unveiled here in Las Vegas is a new Flight Display Systems iPad arm mount that can be installed in just 10 seconds. For well over a decade, said Gray, passengers were forced to use clunky LCD screens mounted in the side-rail.

“Considering how many people routinely carry their files and media with them these days,” said Gray, “we at flight Display Systems thought this was a pretty sorry state of affairs.” The Flight Display arm mount is a simple, drop-in replacement, “reverse engineered” to

be compatible with any system. And Gray pointed out that arm mount base receptacles are standard on most private aircraft built between 1996 and 2011, including all models of Gulfstream, Global Express, Citation, Falcon, Hawker Beechcraft and Learjet. o

BARRY AMBROSE

NBAA would like to ramp up its effort to get those pilots into the fold. And for the association, the value is often felt when an influential LBA pilot is able to present the business aviation perspective to government officials–sometimes at surprisingly high levels. To serve this pilot constituency better, this week’s convention kicked off yesterday with a full-day Single-Pilot Safety Standdown, sponsored by NBAA and Cessna. The agenda

featured peer-to-peer information sharing, focus on emerging technologies and decision-support systems that enhance safety. Later in the day, a “safety focus” session titled “FAF Inbound” zeroed in on the final approach segment of flight. And NBAA leveraged its business expertise with a session for LBA pilots titled, “Maximizing Benefits and Minimizing Costs of Your Business Airplane.” Finally, “Passing FL180” touched on high-altitude flying, addressing issues of safety and operational elements found in the flight levels, and perhaps new to owner-pilots stepping up to more capable personal airplanes. Today’s LBA sessions are both focused on the business and financial regulatory aspects of personal business flying: “Getting Reimbursed for Flights– What do the FARs Say?” (10:30 to 11:30) and “Tax Benefits when Using Business Aircraft” (1 p.m. to 2 p.m.).

And then there are the benefits that transcend numbers and spread sheets. There’s no more glowing example of the best use of a light business aircraft than how Kestrel Aircraft CEO Alan Klapmeier chose to use his Piper Meridian over the past week. A family member in Minnesota, now in the late stages of cancer, had a long-time, unfulfilled wish. Klapmeier said, “He’s a big [University of Minnesota] Gopher fan, and for years he and a friend had talked about making a long ‘road trip’ to an away game. Minnesota was playing Purdue this past Saturday, and I was able to take him and his friend. Except, I teased him it was an ‘air’ trip, instead of a road trip.” Sounds simple enough, until Klapmeier described his itinerary over the past several days. He flew from home in Duluth to the Kestrel facility in Brunswick, Maine, on Wednesday followed by a short business trip to New Hampshire on Thursday, then back to Minnesota on Friday. He flew his relative down-andback to the game in West Lafayette, Ind., on Saturday and then flew here to Las Vegas on Sunday for the NBAA show. o

Light business aircraft crowd has plenty to see and do at NBAA 2011 A glance outside the window at the Las Vegas Convention Center parking lot this week should be all you need to appreciate NBAA’s commitment to the light business aircraft (LBA) segment. It’s chock-a-block with the kinds of airplanes typically flown by their owners. Those aircraft operators who occupy the left seat, as well as sign most of the checks, are important to the association for a number of reasons. And NBAA would like to make the feeling mutual.

The result is a full slate of programs, seminars and work sessions here in Las Vegas devoted to owner-pilots in the LBA segment. “A lot of the advocacy work NBAA does has a direct benefit for LBA pilots as well as NBAA’s traditional professional crews and flight departments,” said Mike Nichols, v-p of operations, education and economics for the association. “But we don’t necessarily do a good job communicating to those pilots how much they mean to us.”

Flight Display’s CMS puts a techie in your seat by Kirby J. Harrision In a media conference yesterday here at the NBAA convention, Flight Display Systems explained carefully that cabin electronics is sexy, “in spite of the messy nature of the retrofit business.” But it was all good-natured fun as founder and president David Gray unveiled a cabin management system “operator lifeline” good for anyplace in the world. “With our Cloud CMS Support system software, wherever you go, a Flight Display Systems engineer is with you,” he said. Gray added that it is a poorly kept secret that an aircraft’s cabin management system, including the inflight entertainment hardware, is a maintenance manager’s worst nightmare. And he added that business jet passengers interact with the CMS more than any other hardware on the airplane and they immediately notice when a button does not flick on the lights or an LCD monitor does not change video channels as commanded. With the Cloud CMS Support software, Flight Display customers have real-time access

to Flight Display troubleshooters at the company’s Alpharetta, Ga. headquarters from anywhere in the world, on the ground or in the air. And those same engineers can access the aircraft’s CMS using any PC laptop with an Internet connection. According to Gray, during a test, the troubleshooting team at FlightSafety International was able to access the CMS on a Russian owner’s aircraft while in flight on the other side of the world. “Not only did they have access, they were able to turn cabin lights on and off for him.” Gray said the Cloud CMS Support software upgrade is available now at no cost to new customers of the Flight Display Systems CMS and as a retrofit upgrade for existing customers, also at no cost. “We can now remotely troubleshoot, upgrade or modify all aspects of the cabin management system,” said Gray. “This is truly an industry first.” The launch customer for Cloud CMS Support was a Gulfstream GIV for Gulf Coast

BARRY AMBROSE

by Mark Phelps

Fire in the hold An attendee-volunteer tackles a simulated in-flight cabin fire during a demonstration of the Aircare Solutions cabin fire trainer, which is used to practice putting out galley, cabin and lavatory fires.

74 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Innotech expands its Montreal, Toronto digs by Kirby J. Harrison Innotech-Execaire Aviation renovated facilities feature new (Booth No. N5915), in the avi- customer offices, high-tech conation services business for more ference rooms, welcoming recepthan 50 years, is investing in the tion areas and sit-down lounges. expansion of both its Montreal The lounge renovation at the and Toronto facilities “to sup- Toronto facility also supports port growing customer require- Innotech’s Cessna Aircraft sales team, along with Toronto-based ments,” said the company. Construction will begin this year on Innotech’s 29,000-sq-ft hangar extension at the 180,000sq-ft facility at MontréalTrudeau Airport in Dorval, by Charles Alcock Quebec. The new hangar will ExecuJet Europe is further accommodate two aircraft the expanding its growing network size of Bombardier’s new Global of FBOs with its appointment 7000 and is scheduled for comby the UK’s Cambridge Airpletion in the spring of 2012. port to run its FBO. The SwitThe new facility is part of zerland-based group has won Innotech’s business plan to supa competitive tender to operport year-over-year growth, which ate a branded FBO in its own president Kirk Rowe believes will name at the airport, which is hit 12 percent this year. located 70 miles northeast of Innotech has also recently London. opened newly renovated and Under the terms of a fivemodernized customer areas in year, risk-sharing contract with Montreal and Toronto. The 9-14 2011 Speed Control NBAA_NBAA 2011 9/14/11 4:49 PM Page 1

aircraft management customers. Also a growth area is Innotech Aviation’s maintenance, cabin completion and refurbishment, paint and avionics services for a range of aircraft, in particular Bombardier’s Global business jet platforms. According to Innotech director of sales and marketing Tony Rawlinson, there are more than 400 aircraft of Bombardier’s Global family in service worldwide, and those delivered in the late 1990s are coming due for an 8C/10-year major inspection. Innotech, he

added, is now seeing these early Globals being booked for inspection, as well as other work such as cabin refurbishment, almost a year in advance. With Innotech’s Montreal facilities located in the same “aerospace cluster” as Bombardier, a Rolls-Royce engine maintenance and overhaul center and landing gear specialist Messier Dowty, “Innotech can deliver faster service than any other competitor,” Rawlinson said. “In fact, our average downtime for a Global 10-year inspection is an

industry-leading 56 days.” Also on the same site is Innotech’s 41,000-sq-ft paint prep and application facility, which Rawlinson noted has been running at full capacity since it opened in 2008. Here at NBAA ’11, Innotech announced that Esoteric’s SkyPad wireless inflight entertainment system app is now available for download at the Apple App Store. The new app allows users of Innotech’s I-ku broadband system to employ their own personal iPads as the controller of the SkyPad cabin entertainment system. o

Cambridge Airport (Booth No. N1622), ExecuJet will directly employ the existing FBO staff. It expects to appoint a new manager for the facility, but to launch the new operation in January the company will temporarily redeploy one its own FBO managers from another location. Like its other handling operations, the Cambridge facility will be integrated with the

network via Amsterdam Software’s FBO One software, which is used to coordinate customer service. Cambridge staff will travel to ExecuJet’s Zurich headquarters for training. Cambridge Airport is to free up hangar space immediately adjacent to its recently renovated and expanded FBO building. It operates a longestablished Cessna Citation service center next the facility. o

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ExecuJet brands its own FBO chain

Archie Garden (left), director of Cambridge Airport, and Cedric Migeon, managing director - Europe for ExecuJet, are happy with the deal.

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www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 75

by Kirby J. Harrison is currently operating a fleet of 10 Citation Xs, nine Challenger 300s and a Challenger 605, all of them Wi Fi-enabled using Aircell’s GoGo Biz broadband Internet system. “The growth of our business demanded a third fleet type,” said XOJet CEO Blair LaCorte. “We looked at available options for an aircraft that would match the unmet needs of our network and the clear standout was the Hawker 800XPR.” The Hawker XPR program includes airframe modifications,

MARIANO ROSALES

Charter operator XOJet yesterday announced a firm order for seven Hawker 800XPRs, with delivery of all seven scheduled before the end of the year. With an order option for an additional five aircraft, the value of the deal “represents a potential commitment of up to $50 million,” according to Christi Tannahill, Hawker Beechcraft vice president of Global Customer Support. The acquisition adds a new mid-size dimension to Brisbane, Calif.-based XOJet, which

(l to r) XOJet’s Mark Long and Blair LaCorte; Christi Tannahill and Brian Howell, both from Hawker Beechcraft.

Eclipse restarting production of VLJ by Harry Weisberger A new revitalized Eclipse VLJ is rising from the ashes of bankruptcy with a boost from Sikorsky’s substantial minority investment. Eclipse Aerospace announced yesterday that it will restart production of new Eclipse jets, dubbed the model 550. A factory-new Eclipse 550 will carry a price “under $3 million” according to Eclipse Aerospace CEO Mason Holland, $2.695 million (2011 $) to be exact. That was the figure Holland named at a Monday press briefing hosted by Sikorsky. AINonline iPhone App NOW AVAILABLE

He added that current plans call for production of all-new airframes to commence in 2013. The 550 will be built under the same type certificate as the model 500, with the same airframe, weight and Pratt &Whitney Canada PW610F engines, but with updated and enhanced avionics as well as autothrottles. Holland said Eclipse Aerospace is now taking orders for future production and holders of early positions will not be charged cost-of-living price increases and will receive approximately $124,000 worth of options. Sikorsky Aircraft president Jeff Pino, himself an Eclipse owner-pilot, said Sikorsky has concluded a memorandum of understanding with its Polish affiliate PZL for fabrication of fuselage, empennage and wing

structures in Poland, with final assembly to take place at the Eclipse plant in Albuquerque, N.M. He called Sikorsky’s participation “an extremely disciplined approach” to putting the Eclipse back in production, adding, “We have a business plan to make it happen.” That, he noted, includes a supply chain already in place. Holland said Eclipse Aerospace expects to eventually reach a 50- to 100-per-year production rate for the Eclipse 550. Meanwhile, Innovative Solutions & Support (IS&S), provider of the Avio integrated flight management system for current Eclipse 500s, has also entered an OEM agreement with Eclipse Aerospace to supply its Vantage Premier avionics suite. The Vantage system will include primary flight and multifunction LCD displays with an electronic flight bag system. New features will include autothrottle, synthetic vision, enhanced vision, dual-mode FMS, TAWS, TCAS1, ADS-B, radar, radar altimeter and iPad data entry. o

76 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Million Air facility is FBO of the Year by Jeff Burger Million Air–which has more than two dozen FBOs in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean–announced here at the show that its Alexandria, La., facility is its FBO of the Year award winner. Meanwhile, the Salt Lake City location won NetJets’s FBO of the Year award. Million Air also announced that Andrea Commarto of its Albany, N.Y. facility is its Million Air COO Terry Cross

MARIANO ROSALES

XOJet orders seven Hawker 800XPRs

such as winglets as well the replacement of the existing Honeywell TFE731-5BR engines with the more fuel efficient TFE731-50R. XOJet, eager to get the new Hawkers into play, will initially fly them with the older engines, replacing them with TFE73150Rs as they become available. The new XOJet aircraft will also get an avionics upgrade to the Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 system, major interior outfitting and custom exterior paint. “XOJet’s 40-percent growthto-date in 2011 clearly demonstrates that its innovative business model has been wellreceived by the private aviation market,” said Tannahill. According to LaCorte, XOJet has experienced 130-percent growth over the past three years, despite the negative impact of the recession on the industry as a whole. XOJet now has 250 employees at operations in Sacramento, Los Angeles, New York, and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. And LaCorte expects to add another 13 aircraft to the fleet by the end of this year. Also in 2011, the company built a new 22,000-sqft operations center, added more than 50 new pilots and launched two new programs: Coast2Coast for transcontinental fliers, and Preferred Access which allows customization of each flight. o

JetNet forecasts better days for bizav by Jeff Burger Aviation data supplier JetNet (Booth No. N3335) announced the latest results of its IQ research here at the NBAA show, and the results should come as good news to those awaiting a bizav turnaround. The company–whose surveys involve 80 countries, 1,500 operators and 3,500 aircraft–forecasts that 11,381 business jets valued at $258 billion will be delivered between now and 2020. The total includes 625 this year, 785 next year and 978 in 2013. Deliveries will peak in 2018 at 1,514, predicts the company, before declining a bit to 1,276 in 2020. JetNet also projects that flying hours will increase 6 percent in the next 12 months and 9 percent in the following 12 months. Here at the show, the Utica, N.Y.-based firm introduced a quarterly business aviation

customer service professional of the year and Bryant Wade, at its Tallahassee, Fla. FBO is service professional of the year. Million Air (Booth No. C7411) also announced three new locations. In Reno, Nev., it is operating out of temporary quarters while awaiting construction (set to begin next June) of a $20 million facility. In Yuma, Ariz., franchisee Freeman Holdings Group opened a $2.2 million, 9,600-sq-ft facility and has added 8,800 sq ft of hangar space. In Calgary, where Million Air is adding its third Canadian FBO, construction is set to begin this year on a $12 million facility. Speaking of Million Air’s Canada facilities, the company also announced that its Vancouver facility has been named Best FBO in Western Canada by Wings magazine. o

index called JetNet IQ Fly/ Buy Index, a composite figure that measures expected flight activity and new aircraft orders over the next 12 months. JetNet established the index at the beginning of 2011 with a base value of 100. In the second quarter, it rose to 113.6 and in the third quarter it dropped slightly to 112.1. That still indicates a 12.1 percent increase in owners’ and operators’ intent to fly and buy. Rolland Vincent, creator/director of JetNet IQ, described that project, which was launched last January by JetNet and Texas-based Rolland Vincent Associates. According to Vincent, JetNet IQ offers quarterly reports, networking conferences and consulting services. Vincent reported on some of JetNet IQ’s latest findings. He said that JetNet surveyed owners and operators regarding brand reputations and that, on a 1-to-10 scale, Gulfstream scored highest at 8.6 followed by Dassault (8.0), Cessna (7.9), Bombardier (7.7), Hawker Beechcraft (7.5) and Embraer (7.3). The good news for Embraer was that it ranked highest on the list of brands most likely to improve over the next 10 years. o

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SAFE FLYING AWARDS > Part 91 Companies uContinued from page 72

while attending classes. Smith said Owens Corning has an unconditional commitment to safety, and that commitment has led to its impeccable record for flight operations. “We firmly believe that all accidents are preventable and that safety is everyone’s responsibility,” he said. Another reason for the

many years of continuous safe operations is the extraordinary talent that makes up the flight department. “Everyone in the flight department is fully engaged and they are top performers,” he told AIN. The Owens Corning flight department is IS-BAO phase III certified. “Our safety management system has changed the way

Rick Johnson, foreground, Idaho Power’s chief pilot in front of the company’s Cessna Citation II.

we operate on a daily basis,” said Smith. “However, it takes 100 percent of participation to have a successful system in place. We continue to strive for excellence in every aspect of the operation.” I daho Power Co. Boise, Idaho 64 Years 26,212 Hours Rick Johnson chief pilot

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Idaho Power, the state’s largest utility, provides electric services to nearly 500,000 customers in a 24,000-square-mile service area in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon. It has 17 low-cost hydroelectric projects and employs 2,000 people. The flight department’s early aircraft included a Cessna 180 and a Piper Aztec, a Navajo and a Cheyenne. It now operates a Cessna Citation II with two fulltime pilots. Rick Johnson has been working for Idaho Power for 12 years, four as chief pilot. He told AIN that he wanted to be a pilot, “even before starting grade school.” He joined the U.S. Army and retired as a major. A Master Army aviator, Johnson flew fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft first as an attack helicopter pilot in the UH-1B/C and then as a multi-engine fixed-wing pilot in the RU-8D. In the Army, he also flew TH-13s, T-41s, T-42s, U-21s, O-1s and C-12s. After leaving the military, he said, “I flew fixedwing life flight for a company serving a Boise Hospital.” The reason for Idaho Power’s long safety record? “Safety is a value at Idaho Power,” Johnson explained. “The company is extremely safety conscious in all areas. Pilots are held to high standards of training and operation.” o

News Note BLR Aerospace (Booth No. C11838) celebrated delivery of its 300th winglet system for Hawker Beechcraft King Air turboprops in August, including 100 for the King Air 90 family. BLR winglets increase overall wingspan by three feet, five inches, lowering induced drag and helping reduce fuel consumption at higher cruise speeds. The 300th winglet system was delivered to Augsburg, Germany-based BLR dealer Beechcraft Vertrieb und Service. The Hawker Beechcraft Services facility in Tampa, Fla., installed the 100th King Air 90 system on serial number LJ-1901. 

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Skyservice celebrating silver anniversary here by Harry Weisberger Skyservice, a Canadian provider of business aviation services, is at Booth No. C7123 celebrating 25 years of continuous operation. Now with full service FBOs in Canada’s three largest markets–Montreal, Toronto and Calgary– Skyservice operates a total of 60 owned and managed business jets, most of which are available for charter. Beginning in 1986 with a single FBO at Montreal’s Dorval Airport, Skyservice has since grown into a multi-faceted organization managing more than 20 aircraft types worldwide. In addition to fixed-wing air ambulance services, Skyservice offers extensive maintenance capabilities as a factory-recognized Bombardier, Hawker Beechcraft and Dassault Falcon service facility. It also provides avionics installation and repair and is a sales and

service center for Honeywell and Rockwell Collins. Skyservice CEO and founder Russ Payson developed a concept in a school paper he penned many years ago into today’s reality. “When we started Skyservice,” he said recently, “we had a goal of bringing world-class service to the Canadian market. We saw the opportunity to make our business unique in a growing industry. Our first fixed-base operation in Montreal was the beginning of that realization, with Toronto added in 1994 and, most recently, Calgary. I salute those who have shared the passion with us and look forward to the next 25 years.” “For a business to reach 25 years,’’ added Marshall Myles, Skyservice president, “everyone on our team works to the highest standards of quality and safety. This has earned us an unprecedented level of trust

from those we serve and support. We are all working to make our company live up to its slogan: air travel evolved. “What I think makes our story unique,” Myles continued, “is that over that time Skyservice has grown from a single FBO in Montreal to a truly global company, providing FBO facilities from three locations as well as operating aircraft and providing maintenance services for clients around the world. Our business includes highly skilled maintenance teams, outstanding FBO operations and facilities, an air ambulance service and first-class business charter and aircraft management services.” From a modest beginning with 15 Montreal-based employees, Skyservice today employs more than 500 people. The company implemented a Transport Canada-approved safety management system in 2003 and has been awarded the Platinum rating by Argus International. It is also the first non-U.S. charter operation to successfully complete the Air Charter Safety Foundation audit. o

Skyservice operates full-service FBOs in Montreal, above, Toronto and Calgary, below. It also owns and/or manages 60 business jets, most of which are available for charter.

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80 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

CIVIL

DEFENCE

SPACE

UAS

SECURITY

FUTURES

Passur makes new data tools available to business aviation by Bill Carey Flight data provider Passur Aerospace (Booth No. N2214) has expanded its network of secondary surveillance radars as well as the databases and analytical software tools it makes available to customers, including corporate flight departments, FBOs, airlines and airports. Its recently launched Passur integrated traffic management (PITM) platform, a suite of software tools for airlines and airports, is being rolled out to corporate aviation. A web-based decision support aid, PITM for airlines and airports is a single interface and platform with solutions addressing “disruption events” in the lifecycle of a flight, such as ATC ground delays, departure queues and diversions. “We’re doing exactly the same for the corporate market,” said Ron Dunsky, Passur Aerospace senior v-p of marketing and communications. “We’re taking all the different modules and pulling them together into a single platform that’s going to look and function a lot like the integrated traffic management platform we developed for the airline and airport group. But in this case it’s focused on corporate aviation, primarily

corporate flight operators and FBOs.” Traffic management tools give corporate operators “an unusually strong ability to be more proactive about how they manage their flights in relation to what’s going on in the airspace,” Dunsky said. “Corporate operators typically rely heavily on the NBAA Help Desk. This [Passur platform] puts a set of robust tools in their hands that typically airline/ATC guys have from us. Now they have access to it.” Shared Situational Awareness

The corporate aviation management suite includes software tools for customer service, relationship management and analysis of flight activity and fuel usage at home and at nearby airfields. A corporate flight operator and FBO can coordinate aircraft movements on a shared situational awareness display called the Corporate Portal. The tool also allows FBOs “to track who’s going where and what their fuel uplift potential is, so they can develop marketing and pricing plans for the operators they want to target,” Dunsky explained. Passur, based in Stamford, Conn.,

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82 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Passur Aerospace’s Corporate Portal allows a corporate flight operator and an FBO to coordinate aircraft movements on this shared situational awareness display. FBOs can track aircraft locations, fuel lifts and more.

operates what it contends is the world’s largest private surveillance network, consisting of 155 passive “radar” sites in North America, Europe and Asia, which can detect transponder signals from overflying aircraft. Newer sites are capable of receiving automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) out signals. Surveillance data acquired by the network and other data streams are integrated in databases, and Passur software uses this data to predict operational outcomes and generate recommendations. Information is translated into operational and business metrics and presented in a “dashboard” format so users can view operations data and use that to make decisions. Passur has added data feeds from FAA’s airport surface detection equipment, model

X (ASDE-X) system. ASDE-X, deployed at 35 major U.S. airports, fuses information from surface movement radar, transponder multilateration sensors and ADS-B out to display aircraft ground position on ATC tower displays. Passur integrated ASDE-X on a pilot basis for a year and now is offering it as a separate surface management application. “We’re moving aggressively into surface management and surveillance,” Dunsky said. “We marry that with our traditional airborne coverage, and now you have a gate-to-gate, air-to-ground coverage that covers the entire flight.” In June, Passur announced a teaming agreement with air traffic management engineering firm Mosaic ATM, Leesburg, Va. The company will add products and

Continued on facing page u

Perrone quilted leather now covers custom seats Perrone Aerospace is at NBAA’11 with “a full selection of its finest leathers and textiles, created specifically for the corporate and private jet market.” In particular, the Fultonville, N.Y.-based company (Booth No. C9426) is previewing its new custom-quilted leather for seating design alternatives. The line will allow customers to select from standard designs or submit their own unique designs. Among Perrone’s current production products on display are: • Monarch leather, representing luxury and selected from the finest quality full-grain European cowhides. The hides are then minimally finished to enhance quality and improve lifetime performance while preserving the elegance in a durable “near-naked” leather. • Duchess leather, which is “supple to the hand and velvet to the touch.” It yields a luxurious tactile presentation as

well as superior performance for the long-term durability, according to the company. • Suma Suede, a faux suede ideally suited for headliners,

sidewalls and seating accents. • Mirage Plus and Mirage SS, distinctive leather alternatives that are easy to clean and created specifically for seamless applications, such as headliners and dado panels. • Symphony, a fabric in a broad spectrum of colors designed for curtains and headliner applications.

The company uses a laserguided, water-cut cutting bed for leathers, which minimizes the excess leather discard and assures lower costs. Perrone also does not charge to ship whole hides to the upholstery shop. “You don’t even pay international duty since Perrone-cut goods are shipped as aircraft parts,” a spokesman said.

Perrone is a Boeing and Airbus BFE/SFE-approved catalog supplier, and its leathers and textiles are AS9100 and ISO 9001 compliant. The company’s FAA and EASA Part 145 compliant V1VR130X repair station refurbishes and repairs leather dress covers. It also provides a full line of cleaning and maintenancecare chemicals. –K.J.H.

Passur data tools available for bizav uContinued from preceding page services for departure metering, networked surface man agement and integrated traffic management using Mosaic’s advanced surface management technology. Mosaic technology also will be integrated into the PITM platform. Dunsky said Passur’s departure metering program at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York represents an early form of the capability that will be offered, “but we’re now taking it to a much higher level of automation.” Departure metering provides for efficient sequencing of departing flights during bad weather, construction projects or peak operating times when demand exceeds airport capacity. Passur serves dozens of airlines, more than 50 airports, some 200 corporate aviation customers and U.S. government agencies including the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In June the company won a one-year, $2.9 million contract extension with the FAA and the TSA for aviation security applications. Passur also recently added aircraft manufacturers to its client list. Airframers see value in tracking flying patterns and fuel use, Dunsky said. o www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 83

The biggest FBO chain you’ve (probably) never heard of by Curt Epstein While most FBO chains go to great lengths to emphasize their branding and the extent of their network, one marches to the beat of its own drum. Denver-based Ross Aviation has quietly assembled a portfolio of 14 locations, but not a single

one has the name Ross in its title. “Lots of people, including some of our best customers, don’t know that we do have 14 FBOs sprinkled around the United States,” said Jeff Ross, the privately owned company’s president and CEO. “We don’t intend to

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be a stealth FBO chain, but what we have is a philosophy that we firmly believe in and that is FBOs are local businesses and are best run by local managers.” Sadly for sign makers around the country, that philosophy extends to maintaining the names and identities of the acquired FBOs as is. “We keep the existing name because that is part of what we purchased,” said Ross. “We want to take advantage of the customer relations and the favorable interaction with transients and based customers and we don’t think that’s benefited by having a single national name.” In selecting an FBO for acquisition the company looks for locations in “a large enough market,” with a good reputation, whose owners are seeking to either exit the aviation service market or scale back their economic commitment. “What we’d like to do is capitalize on the 10 to 30 years of customer service that our predecessor at the FBO has successfully delivered,” Ross told AIN. “If he hadn’t done a good job, we wouldn’t be interested in going there and we wouldn’t be interested in acquiring such an FBO.” Prior to an acquisition, the company speaks with the long-tenured employees of the FBO to learn everything about the location and the market. After an acquisition, Ross Aviation (Booth No. N3621) brings its marketing and financial resources to the table along with its leverage in areas such as insurance purchasing.

locations throughout Hawaii (although the Lanai site offers customer service and parking, it does not sell fuel). The company was started six years ago after Ross, who had assembled a previous small portfolio of FBOs, sold it to one of the major chains. He then began accumulating another group under the Ross Aviation umbrella. Like most in the industry, the company rode the economic roller coaster over the past few years. “The first six months of 2011 were our best six months ever,” said Ross. “We enjoyed a good recovery in 2010 from the challenges that everybody in the industry faced in 2008 and 2009.” While Ross noted the company’s fuel volume has recovered considerably, he said it still remains approximately 20 to 25 percent below the peaks set in 2007 and the beginning of 2008. According to the company, each of its FBOs is an individual stand-alone entity responsible for maintaining its own financial statements. The chain’s most recent acquisition was the Stevens Aviation location at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, which it merged into its existing Denver Air Center in April. As part of the agreement, Stevens continues to provide maintenance at the site. The chain has two other instances where it has acquired a competitor at an airfield. At Santa Fe Municipal Airport

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Ross Aviation’s most recent acquisition was the Stevens Aviation location at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport, which it merged into its existing Denver Air Center, above, in April.

While most of its locations are owned 100 percent, the company says full ownership is not necessarily a criterion for its decision to acquire a location. “We are happy to let the existing owner maintain a meaningful equity piece and continue to run the operation,” said Ross. “If you think about it, presumably the owner-operator has lots of personal relationships with customers, with the airport and with businesses and charities in the locale and we want to continue all of those.” To that end, the FBO’s management is usually maintained and, in cases where the operator wishes to exit the business, the company seeks to promote from within the FBO. Ross Aviation has locations sprawled all across the United States from Trenton, N.J. (Ronson Aviation at Trenton Mercer Airport), in the northeast, to Miami (Miami Executive Aviation at Opa-Locka Executive Airport) in the southeast, and from Anchorage (Great Circle Flight Services at Ted Stevens Anchorage International) in the northwest, to Scottsdale, Ariz. (Scottsdale Air Center at Scottsdale Airport), in the southwest. The company’s purchase of the Bradley Pacific chain approximately four years ago gave it six

in New Mexico, the company bought the former Million Air facility in 2006, which it operated as Capital Aviation, independently from its existing Santa Fe Air Center, for three years before finally merging the two FBOs during the sputtering economy of 2009. This past January, Ross Aviation acquired the former Atlantic Aviation FBO at California’s Fresno Yosemite International Airport and merged it into its Corporate Aircraft facility. For those keeping score, it means the company has successfully acquired 17 FBOs in its existence, though it lists only 14 on its website. According to Jeff Ross, the company is actively seeking to expand and expects to add more locations by the end of the year. As the chain continues to grow, Ross believes good service and internal referrals will draw customers to its other locations. “Most of our lobbies have a big map showing the location of the other FBOs,” he said. “Every so often one of our customers will come up and say, ‘Oh, you’ve got a facility in Scottsdale? I’ve been using your competitor.’” Ross usually replies, “Our competitors are great people, but I wonder if you would give us a chance?” o

Baldwin brings safety systems to small flight departments by Robert P. Mark There’s only one thing more difficult for a pilot to deal with than being part of a small flight department and that is being a one-person show that often transforms that single employee into the chief pilot, maintenance director, scheduler, fueler and catering director, not to mention administrative assistant. Many operational errors occur when one person wears too many hats and especially when one of those people happens to be flying single-pilot highperformance aircraft such as the new light jets. That problem–keeping things in order for flight departments, especially small ones–so intrigued Don Baldwin, a retired Coca-Cola pilot and former NBAA board member, that he formed Baldwin Aviation Safety & Compliance in 2005. The company focuses on what some still believe to be mundane business aviation topics, like safety compliance. “We’re a resource for small flight departments,” Baldwin said. “We help them develop their operations manuals and emergency response systems,” as well as complete safety management systems (SMS) that offer small flight departments a glimpse inside the operations of similar companies for safety best practices. Baldwin is here in Las Vegas (Booth No. N2621) walking clients through hands-on demonstrations of his company’s latest offering: SMSace. The new product was “developed specifically for owners and operators of light business aircraft,” a focus of this year’s NBAA show. Sold on a subscription basis, the product’s roster of potential clients includes operators of light jets, single- and twin-engine turboprops, helicopters and single-engine high-performance piston aircraft, such as the Cirrus SR22 or Piper Malibu. Trip Assessments

In addition to developing operations manuals to keep the owner/operator out of regulatory trouble, a Baldwin subscription teaches pilots to accurately assess their trip risk level–due to weather, lack of recent experience, fatigue and so forth–before they take off. At the completion of each flight, Baldwin encourages operators to load their personal assessment of that flight into the database to track their own risk exposure. If things went well, they can note that. But with access to the Baldwin database available from any web-connected device, even an iPhone, owner/operators can discuss in complete confidentiality what might not have worked out quite as planned. Baldwin subscribers can review data from other operators, with the identifying information removed, to learn how those pilots dealt with similar situations. One month an operator might be reading about the lessons someone else learned,

while next month a pilot might be inputting his or her own experiences for someone else to take advantage of. SMSace is not a safety-only system. “As a small flight department resource, we help owner/pilots cope with deviations of company procedures,” said

the subscription service, he noted, “is that we not only develop the manuals, but insure that the operators remain current on an annual basis.” An initial assessment by a Baldwin team member costs as little as $500 with a monthly commitment of $125, no matter how often one accesses the database. “We offer a reasonable, effective SMS program and are giving NBAA attendees easy access to watch our products in action,” Baldwin said. “It’s almost a nobrainer when we see such positive change in the culture of the companies that implement our systems.” o

Baldwin, “so they can better understand what happened and how to prevent the same issue from recurring.” All of Baldwin’s product line, from the SMSace through the more complex SMSprime, are IS-BAO compliant when the subscriber completes all the required steps. The IS-BAO link means subscribers can measure themselves and their flight operations against a known performance standard. Subscribers are audited to insure that compliance, Baldwin said. “That’s a big benefit from both an insurance and a regulatory standpoint.” A benefit of

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Atlantic’s newest location at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City (OKC) opened its doors over the summer. The 28,000-sq-ft hangar can accommodate aircraft up to a Bombardier Global or Gulfstream G450.

Atlantic Aviation expands ops and enhances rewards program by Curt Epstein FBO services provider Atlantic Aviation has made several recent additions to its location roster. The Plano, Texas company expanded its Pacific-Northwest footprint when it acquired the FBO assets of Portland, Ore.-based Flightcraft, which operated bases at Oregon’s Portland International Airport and Mahlon Sweet Field in Eugene. “Flightcraft has an excellent reputation throughout the industry, and we feel fortunate to be able to step in as the owner of these fine operations,” said Atlantic CEO Louis Pepper, who added that Atlantic will continue to provide a full range of aviation services at the two locations. The Atlantic chain also inaugurated its newest facility during the summer when its location at Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City opened its doors. The new FBO, located on the east side of the airfield adjacent to Runway 17L/35R, features a 12,000-sq-ft terminal building and a 28,000-sq-ft hangar large enough

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The new 12,000-sq-ft terminal at OKC features an atrium with a soaring 34-foot glass enclosed ceiling with five separate passenger seating areas.

to house an aircraft the size of a Bombardier Global 5000. Atlantic Aviation’s location at South Bend Regional Airport near Notre Dame’s campus in Indiana was approved during the summer as one of the gateways in the Transportation Security Administration’s DCA Access Standard Security Program (DASSP). The FBO is certified to provide the proper security measures required for general-aviation flights into Washington’s Reagan National Airport, and its approval marks South Bend as the 50th airport in the country so designated. Atlantic Aviation has also made some network-wide changes. Citing studies that have shown many ramp accidents take place while an individual is distracted by a cellphone or other wireless device, the company instituted a ban on their use by Atlantic ground operations workers. “In the ongoing effort to provide the safest possible environment for business aircraft, Atlantic enforces a strict policy that no Atlantic employee may perform any ground operations while using a cellphone or other type of media device,” said Todd Smith, the chain’s director of safety and risk. To recognize returning customers, the company has enhanced its Atlantic Rewards customer loyalty program. In addition to its normal reward of $5 for every 100 gallons of jet fuel purchased (accumulated in American Express prepaid cards), the program will issue double rewards, if the customer takes a specific amount of fuel for each particular aircraft type. “The program has been extremely popular since its inception,” said Sue Sommers, Atlantic vice president of sales and marketing. “The double rewards are our way of saying a special thank you to our loyal customers.” o

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GKN brings tech savvy to business aviation by Ian Sheppard Aerostructures specialist GKN Aerospace (Booth No. C7127) is looking to leverage its expertise in commercial airliner technology to break further ground in the business aviation world. The UK-based group is promising breakthroughs that could shave hundreds of valuable pounds off aircraft structural and system weights. According to GKN technology director Rich Oldfield, the company has entered a new chapter after winning roles in several key bizav programs. Earlier this year, Honda selected it to build the entire composite fuselage for the new HondaJet, and Dassault announced that it will use GKN to make wingmoving surfaces for its Falcon models. Meanwhile, Gulfstream continues to work with GKN on future wing research. “The Dassault program is the first new program that we have won out of Filton,” said Oldfield, referring to its wing factory near Bristol in England, which it acquired from Airbus last year. “The HondaJet is a good opportunity to get into fuselage manufacturing; it’s an interesting space we can go into and expand.” Oldfield pointed out that with the next completely new commercial airliner programs

likely to be some years away (with Boeing and Airbus, in particular, choosing to re-engine their narrowbody aircraft), regional and business aviation offer far more opportunities to apply next-generation technologies to new platforms. A Complete Portfolio

Examples of this abound. “We can offer manufacturers a complete portfolio,” Oldfield told AIN. “On the composites side there is a focus on low-cost, high-rate manufacturing processes, which we want to make accessible to the bizjet guys. Lots of technology from our commercial and military programs is applicable.” He believes that a step-change reduction in manufacturing costs of 20 to 25 percent could be achieved, “depending how radical you want to be. Other technology will also become applicable; for example the HondaJet is clearly a laminar-flow aircraft,” he said. “We have new coating technologies, sensing and damage protection, and ‘ice-phobic’ coating for which we are currently testing formulations.” This could eliminate deicing systems, saving power and weight in what he described as a “cascade effect” in terms of

GKN manufactures the nacelle system for the Honeywell HTF7000 series engine, left. Above, a technican works with composite technology. Although it is not likely to be as widespread as in airliner structures, advances in composite technology continue to simplify structures and reduce waste in manufacturing.

both improved aircraft performance and also by avoiding peak demands on aircraft power. “There is always a cascade effect–for example, when you need power for the landing gear is also when you need power for de-icing,” added Oldfield, referring to the sort of “worst-case scenarios” that have to be built into aircraft designs. GKN can draw on vast experience, encompassing the following programs: the Boeing 787 floor structures (and the composite front fan case for the General

Steinbach unveils new compressor kit Steinbach & Associates, developer of STCs for R-134a conversions, is at Booth No. N713 showing how its R134a air-conditioning system compressor can replace old R12 Freon coolant compressors. Scott Steinbach, president of the Waco, Texas company, told AIN that since R12 was phased out of production, a new compressor and accessory components are necessary to use R134a to full advantage. The new ConversionAir S6 compressor kit offers greater performance in a package 54 percent lighter than the 36-pound A6 compressor it replaces, and the S6 requires less horsepower to move the same volume of air. Prices for the new S6 compressor kit, including hoses, expansion valves and receiver-dryer, range from about $4,000 for piston singles up to $8,000 for cabin-class

turboprop twins and business jets. Steinbach & Associates–doing business as ConversionAir–has delivered more than 400 R134a kits in the 15 years since R12 coolant was ordered to be phased out. The compressor conversion

The ConversionAir R134a compressor kit will be installed in King Airs.

kits engineered and supplied by ConversionAir include new Stratoflex hoses to contain the smaller molecules of the R134a coolant, new expansion valves

and receiver-dryer along with installation instructions and documentation. Aircraft modified with the compressor kit can be returned to service using an FAA Form 337. Steinbach said installation times average 40 man-hours, “obviously different for a Piper Cherokee than for a King Air or Lear 60.” Steinbach & Associates is an active member of the Waco Aviation Alliance (Booth No. N713), which promotes Greater Waco as a center of aviation excellence. The alliance is touting the area, with three airports, three colleges and more than 30 aviation companies, as ideal for aviation businesses needing facilities and a highly skilled workforce. –H.W.

88 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Electric GEnx engine that powers it); Airbus A350XWB wing spar, flaps and cabin windows; fuel tanks for Predator UAVs and the EC135 helicopter; engine nacelles for regional airliners like Bombardier’s Dash 8 family; and other engine work including acoustic nacelle linings and turbine blade manufacturing. Additive Manufacturing

Oldfield highlighted what he called “additive manufacturing,” such as powder build-up techniques that it has developed in conjunction with Rolls-Royce for turbine blades, as representing probably the most promising future technology. This eliminates wasteful machining away of material from the blade structures. “We are close to being able to do with metals what we do with polymers already, making designs more easy to modify, for example,” he said. Despite GKN’s strengths in

composites, Oldfield said there are good reasons why these materials have not become as prominent in business aircraft designs as they have with larger airliners, mainly because the performance benefits they bring are not as significant. This is why metals such as aluminium alloys have held their own in bizav, which is fine by GKN because it believes that metals can represent smart t echnology too. “There are some very interesting things happening with metallics, such as friction stir welding, which may be about to find its way onto more new products,” explained Oldfield. These materials also have other advantages, such as less waste, the use of existing manufacturing infrastructure, ease of repair, impact resistance and the ability to conduct lightning. What’s more, rising oil prices are pushing up the cost of composite materials because energy is expended at both the processing and manufacturing stages, meaning that OEMs are essentially “buying the oil twice.” o

News Note ECAS, a stocking distributor of aerospace mil-spec hardware and electrical components, announced it intends to open a Las Vegas distribution center on Jan. 3, 2012. ECAS maintains an extensive inventory of AN, MS and NAS fasteners and O-rings. During the past 20 years, the Melbourne, Fla.-based company has assembled one of the largest inventories of Cherry rivets, Hi-Loks, Camlocs and Dzus fasteners in the U.S., along with electrical components to fit a wide range of aircraft and aerospace applications. The new distribution facility will provide West Coast clients with the same level of service enjoyed by customers of the current ECAS Melbourne center. Representatives are on hand at the ECAS booth (No. N6214) to make arrangements for ordering and delivery of ECAS products n from the new distribution site.

Ex-airline Aaxico is worldwide parts supplier by Harry Weisberger Aaxico, a stocking distributor for factory-new aircraft parts and a manufacturer of parts under FAA parts manufacturer approval (PMA) regulations, is showing its wide range of capabilities here at NBAA in Booth No. N3204. Since its founding 59 years ago, Aaxico has established a comprehensive range of products through a worldwide network of support centers and sales offices. Its operations include stocking facilities in the UK, Singapore and China, as well as sales offices in Fort Myers, Fla.; Phoenix; Geneva; Hamburg; London; Toulouse; São Paulo; and Tokyo. Customers include business aircraft operators, major and regional airlines, OEMs and maintenance facilities. Aaxico (American Air Export and Import Co.) had its genesis in an airline founded in 1946 in Miami Beach as one of several post-war startup flight operations. Aaxico Airlines’s initial service consisted of five daily DC-3 flights from New York to Atlantic City, N.J., serving the horse racing industry. It also flew charters with Curtiss C-46 and Douglas C-47 piston twins and four-engined DC-6s carrying both cargo and passengers in North and South America. In addition, the airline was a key operator of the U.S. Air Force Logistics Airlift for many years, and at one time flew under a Defense Department contract transporting 25,000 pounds of cargo a day. Aaxico purchased Saturn Airways late in 1965 and took that airline’s name. CEO Bill Korth, son of Aaxico parts company founder James Korth, said the aircraft parts business was established in 1952 as a support arm for the airline to ensure parts availability to maintain the fleet. “Through several acquisitions of large inventories it soon became a full trading company and established the base for today’s support business,” he explained.

With 75 employees across the globe, Aaxico is enjoying business growth in a

less-than-robust aviation economy. The company’s main OEM warranty repair customer is Goodrich, with which it partners along with a number of other major original equipment source companies to facilitate warranty and ongoing product support. The company’s Aaxico Technical Services subsidiary has

obtained 1,066 PMA approvals since 1996 and claims 11,087 documented subassemblies. It provides its partners with part design engineering, manufacturing expertise and certification capability to produce PMA replacement spares to FAA standards. The company maintains a comprehensive inventory of OEM products

at worldwide locations, coupled with component exchange programs to ensure prompt response to customer needs. Aaxico has enjoyed a regular presence at NBAA over the past two decades and plans a special celebration of its 60th year in the parts business at next year’s NBAA convention in Orlando. o

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www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 89

Aviation International News

FBO SURVEY 2 0 1 1

•

T H E

A M E R I C A S

Pilots choose FBOs by service, facilities by Curt Epstein Each year, AIN surveys its readers about their experiences with FBOs at more than 1,000 airports around the world. This year’s results show once again that service and facilities are the most important criteria used by pilots, schedulers and dispatchers and flight department managers in selecting and returning to an FBO. In AIN’s 2011 FBO survey, the top North American FBO was J.A. Air Center at Aurora Municipal Airport in Sugar Grove, Ill. The two-year old FBO, which made its top ten list debut, provides aircraft charter, management and sales, a Part 145 repair facility and one of the largest avionics shops in the country. Recent facility upgrades at the airport have drawn customers from nearby DuPage Airport. After several years in the survey’s top slot, Global Select (formerly City of Sugarland) at Sugarland Regional Airport in Texas moves into second place. While the name might have changed, the high level of service has remained the same at the FBO, which rebranded itself over the past year. While the BP Oil platform explosion and subsequent spill that occurred last year was a disaster for much of the Gulf Coast, the FBO received a silver lining of sorts in the form of a steady stream

#3 XJet

of business aircraft traffic, shuttling BP executives and engineers from its U.S. headquarters in Houston to the response sites and back. Another relatively new FBO making its debut in the top 10, XJet at Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colo., occupies the third-place position. It describes itself as so radically different that its advertising slogan proclaims, “It’s not an FBO–it’s XJet.” The service provider opened for business four-and-a-half years ago as a private club for a group of wealthy jet owners, and was granted approval by the airport authority to begin offering FBO services soon after. The FBO has 14 members in Denver who pay a premium for service and facilities. According to the company, the “dues” from those 14 members cover the FBO’s operating costs, so that it does not have to rely on fuel sales, a revenue structure the company says gives it an advantage over the three other service providers on the field. While fuel is provided to the members at cost, XJet says it is able to charge nonmembers a margin small enough to make for attractive fuel pricing. A concierge who greets each arriving aircraft extends the club atmosphere to all of the facility’s customers. Occupying this year’s

#1 J.A. Air Center

#2 Global Select

number-four spot is Pentastar Aviation at Oakland County International Airport in Waterford, Mich. The company, which began in 1964 as Chrysler’s inhouse flight department, relies on its facilities and the quality of its service to attract customers. Pentastar offers a 130,000sq-ft Part 145 repair station; an Argus Platinum-rated aircraft charter management department; an aircraft brokerage; and Fivestar Gourmet, its own in-house catering company. Since it occasionally hosts professional sports teams visiting Motor City, Pentastar has its own attached jetway for large aircraft that leads into a building staffed by U.S. customs.

90 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Hangar 10 at Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport in Kansas City, Mo., earned fifth place this year. The newest of the aviation service providers to make this year’s top-10 list, Hangar 10, which opened in May 2009, moved into a new facility last October. Among the amenities offered is a fitness center. Another appealing feature is the company’s own in-house catering department, which can prepare virtually anything at a price it says is lower than that of most outside caterers. In keeping with that customer-value theme, the company is eschewing ramp fees. In business for just over six

years, Tampa International Jet Center at Tampa International Airport moves into sixth place this year. The company has developed a set of minimum service standards that are applied to every airplane that pulls up on its ramp, whether it’s a single-engine airplane or a large-cabin jet. The FBO features a 12,500-sq-ft canopy and on-site catering through a thirdparty vendor. Tampa International Jet Center recently ended its affiliation with AirBP, switching to Avfuel as its fuel provider. Wilson Air Center at Memphis International Airport lands this year in the survey’s seventh slot. AIN’s readers regularly Continued on page 92 u

Aviation International News

FBO SURVEY 2 0 1 1

•

T H E

A M E R I C A S

Top 40 rated FBOs – The Americas (according to overall average)

uCContinued from page 90

The annual AIN FBO Survey lists top-rated facilities according to the responses from pilots, dispatchers and u sers of FBOs. This year, the Top 40 FBOs in the Americas received overall averages of more than 8.00. The categories that users were asked to rate were line service; passenger amenities; pilot services; and facilities. Duplicate rankings indicate a tie. Rank 1

#5 Hangar 10

place Wilson Air Center’s Memphis facility on the top-10 list, due in no small part to a simple mandate from the company’s ownership: never say no to a customer. Over the past year, the company made a “significant upgrade” to the entire facility, including a remodeled lobby. Recently added at all the Wilson locations were pilot “relaxation rooms,” a blend of pilot lounge and snooze rooms, with subdued lighting, soothing music and water features. One of the most popular features at the FBO is its 26,000-sq-ft canopy, which enables customers to deplane at its front door. Wilson Air Center recently began participating in the Shell AeroClass rewards program and has instituted a more aggressive fuel pricing program to boost business. Occupying the suvey’s eighth-place slot is Fargo Jet Center at Hector International Airport in Fargo, N.D. The upper Midwest airport boasts a 9,000-foot runway, 24-hour manned control tower and U.S. customs and a full-time crash rescue team (courtesy of the Air National Guard, which occupies part of the field). The FBO prides itself on quick turnarounds and a friendly staff. In addition to the approximately 170,000 sq ft of hangar space (more than half of which is heated), the FBO also has maintenance and avionics shops, a charter department, flight school and aircraft sales division. Wilson Air Center’s Douglas International Airport facility in Charlotte, N.C., jumped from 19th place last year to ninth place this year. This facility is the company’s largest and busiest. The FBO, the only GA services provider on the airport, recently underwent an interior refurbishment that saw a newly remodeled lobby, VIP lounge, conference rooms and pilot business center. The airport features runways up to 10,000 feet in length, and in addition to catering to CLT’s general aviation needs, Wilson Air provides ground handling for charter airliner flights, servicing aircraft up to the size of Boeing 767s.

Rounding out this year’s Top 10 is Banyan Air Service at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport. As part of the emergency response to the Haiti disaster in January last year, company owner Don Campion offered the use of his facility as a staging area for the loading of aircraft on mercy missions. Banyan features a new onramp restaurant, turbine engine shop, maintenance and avionics facilities, one of the largest pilot shops in the country, and it is home to approximately 100 turbine-powered aircraft. The c ompany recently leased two new 20,000-sq-ft hangars to supplement its existing space for transient customers. Banyan is also a gateway FBO to the B ahamas and works closely with the island chain’s ministry of tourism. Outside the U.S. Top North American FBOs outside the U.S. include Irving Aviation Services at Gander International Airport, Newfoundland, Canada; and Skyservice Avitat at Lester B. Pearson Airport in Toronto. In the rest of the world, Tag Aviation’s Farnborough, UK FBO scored top billing, followed by Hong Kong Business Aviation Centre at Hong Kong International Airport in second place. Third place went to Harrods Aviation at London Luton. Signature Flight Support at Munich Airport in Munich lands in the fourth place slot. Rounding out the Top 5 was Tag Aviation in Geneva. The Methodology The AIN FBO Survey asks readers to rate FBOs that they frequent in four key categories: line service, passenger amenities, pilot amenities and services; and facilities. For each of these categories, the participant is asked to assign a number from one to 10, one being the lowest and 10 being the highest. The survey was designed and administered by Forecast International of Newtown, Conn. o

#6 Tampa International Jet Center

92 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Overall Average

FBO

Airport

J.A. Air Center

Aurora Municipal Airport (ARR)

9.52

Global Select (formerly City of Sugar Land)

Sugar Land Regional (SGR)

9.45

XJet

Centennial (APA)

9.16

Pentastar Aviation

Oakland County International (PTK)

9.14

Hangar 10

Charles B. Wheeler Downtown (MKC)

9.10

Tampa International Jet Center

Tampa International (TPA)

9.07

Wilson Air Center

Memphis International (MEM)

8.98

Fargo Jet Center

Hector International (FAR)

8.94

Wilson Air Center

Douglas International (CLT)

8.93

Banyan Air Service

Fort Lauderdale Executive (FXE)

8.90

Jet Aviation Palm Beach

Palm Beach International (PBI)

8.88

Meridian Teterboro

Teterboro (TEB)

8.87

AirFlite

Long Beach Airport Daugherty Field (LGB)

8.83

Del Monte Aviation

Monterey Peninsula (MRY)

8.72

Signature Flight Support

St. Paul Downtown-Holman Field (STP)

8.72

Business Jet Center

Dallas Love Field (DAL)

8.71

Irving Aviation Services

Gander International (CYQX)

8.70

Swift Aviation Services

Sky Harbor International (PHX)

8.69

Texas Jet

Meacham International (FTW)

8.69

Million Air

Indianapolis International (IND)

8.67

National Jets

Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL)

8.67

Premier Jet

McClellan-Palomar (CRQ)

8.67

Scottsdale Air Center

Scottsdale Municipal (SDL)

8.67

Million Air

Addison (ADS)

8.60

Signature Flight Support

Minn./St. Paul International (MSP)

8.60

Million Air

Hobby (HOU)

8.58

Skyservice Avitat

Lester B. Pearson International (CYYZ)

8.55

Avitat Boca Raton

Boca Raton (BCT)

8.54

Million Air

Salt Lake City International (SLC)

8.53

Jet Aviation

Teterboro (TEB)

8.50

Cutter Aviation

Sky Harbor International (PHX)

8.44

Enterprise Jet Center

Hobby (HOU)

8.43

Monterey Jet Center

Monterey Peninsula (MRY)

8.43

First Aviation Services

Teterboro (TEB)

8.39

Galaxy Aviation

Witham Field (SUA)

8.38

Vail Valley Jet Center

Eagle County Regional (EGE)

8.36

Million Air

San Antonio International (SAT)

8.35

SheltAir Aviation Services

Jacksonville International (JAX)

8.35

Atlantic

Hobby (HOU)

8.34

Avitat Westchester

Westchester County (HPN)

8.34

Wilson Air Center

Hobby (HOU)

8.33

Denver jetCenter

Centennial (APA)

8.31

Galaxy Aviation

Orlando International (MCO)

8.31

Business Jet Center

Metropolitan Oakland International (OAK)

8.30

Tac Air

Centennial (APA)

8.29

DuPage Flight Center

DuPage (DPA)

8.27

Flightcraft

Portland International (PDX)

8.26

Million Air

Bob Hope (BUR)

8.24

Jet Aviation

Dallas Love Field (DAL)

8.22

Panorama Flight Service

Westchester County (HPN)

8.22

Atlantic

Chicago Midway (MDW)

8.19

Source: AIN 2011 Americas FBO Survey. Data compiled by Forecast International of Newtown, Conn.

Gulfstream says G650, G280 near certification Gulfstream Aerospace announced that it has significant advances toward certification of its ultra-long-range G650 and super mid-sized G280 business jets at the NBAA show. Gulfstream president Larry Flynn also announced the company has an $18-billion backlog of orders among all models and that “orders are exceeding deliveries.” The G650 program’s timeline calls for FAA certification this year, and at the press conference Flynn said the company is pursuing a two-step certification process. The company is employing the provisional type certification process and expects to gain a provisional type

certificate this year. Gulfstream has used provisional certification before, on the GV program. Eclipse Aviation received provisional certification for the EA-500 very light jet, too. According to Pres Henne, senior vice president for programs, engineering and test, provisional certification of the G650 will allow it to complete production aircraft in a standard configuration. Gulfstream then expects to receive a full type certificate for the G650 early in 2012. A Gulfstream spokeswoman told AIN that its sales contracts allow for the recognition of a provisional type certificate as meeting certification

milestones. Deliveries will commence in the second quarter of 2012 “as we said years ago,” Flynn said. The four G650 aircraft in the flight-test program have accumulated more than 2,000 hours of flight time in more than 600 flights, Henne reported. Flown at speeds of Mach 0.995, altitudes of more than 55,000 feet and on legs of more than 14 hours, the G650 has successfully demonstrated its high-speed performance and confirmed its long-range flight projections. The jet has an all-channel fly-by-wire system that uses two hydraulic systems and an electric power source backup system, and the performance of the backup electric flight control system has also been successfully demonstrated. The company has some 200 orders for the G650, with delivery dates extending into 2017.

Latitude

442 knots true, Mmo Mach 0.80 and max range 2,000 nm (NBAA IFR with four passengers, 200-nm alternate). Along with its 72-inch aisle height and flat floor, the passenger cabin will stretch more than 16 feet, but the 100 cubic feet of baggage stowage (same as the Sovereign’s) is external and unpressurized. The Latitude’s airstair entry door will be 31 inches wide and actuated electrically, with no cables, and it will be more easily rigged than on other Citations for consistency of installation and operation– an early example, says project manager Joe Hepburn, of Cessna’s emphasis on better manufacturing. Standard seating accommodates nine passengers in a single-club arrangement with a forward two-place sidemounted couch facing the door. The six pedestal seats track forward-and-aft seven inches and laterally four inches on the seat base, with 180-degree swiveling. Cessna has done its language homework on the name Latitude, noting that in Mandarin Chinese the word means “freedom.” And as senior vice president of sales Mark Paolucci notes, tongue in cheek, a stretched Latitude to replace the Sovereign could be called the Longertube. Such an airplane, however, would require a new wing to carry enough fuel for 3,000-nm range. In the Latitude’s cockpit, the Garmin G5000 avionics will include three 14-inch-diagonal partitioned liquid-crystal displays, four touch-control screens and a Garmin autopilot, much

like the suite intended for the Citation Ten. (Even Cessna people are struggling with the self-imposed confusion of this name, calling the new airplane the “Tee-Ee-En,” so maybe there’s hope for a rethink before deliveries of the stretched Citation X begin in mid- to late 2013. The wings and engines are on the first aircraft, and Cessna expects to fly it this year.) Flight controls on the Latitude remain fully mechanical (no fly-by-wire), which Cessna justifies by citing simplicity and swifter certification. Flaps will be electrically actuated, and a single hydraulic system will actuate the spoilers and speed brakes. The hydraulically actuated landing gear will provide dual nosewheels (with hydraulically powered steering) and dual mainwheels. A tailcone-mounted APU will be standard on the Latitude, providing bleed air and electrical power and approved for start and operation in flight. A single air-cycle machine will provide dual-zone cabin temperature control, and the ozone-filtered cabin altitude at FL450 will be 6,000 feet. Maximum takeoff weight is pegged at “just over 28,000 pounds,” but Cessna is not revealing its target empty weight yet. Like its recently introduced M2 stablemate, the Latitude will incorporate Cessna’s new Clairity fiber-optic cabin management system, developed in collaboration with Heads Up Technologies and controlled by passengers through smartphone apps. o

by James Wynbrandt

uContinued from page 1 $14.995 million (2011 $), the Latitude sits between the $12.295 million XLS+ and $16.995 million Sovereign. “We will offer initial [Latitude] buyers a $1 million discount, but we aren’t saying how many of those initial buyers will get that,” said a Cessna spokesman. Powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW306D turbofans, capable of delivering 5,700 pounds of thrust, the Latitude will have a full-fuel payload of 1,000 pounds, according to Cessna, and with max fuel it will take off in 3,900 feet (sea level, ISA, dry runway). The new Citation will climb direct to its 45,000-foot ceiling, and time to FL430 will be 23 minutes. Max speed at FL350 will be P&WC Picked for New Cessna The new Cessna Latitude midsize jet announced with great fanfare yesterday will be powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada’s PW306D. Rated at up to 5,700 pounds of thrust, the Fadec-controlled PW306D joins the PW300 family, which has seen 3,500 engines built in nine models. PW300s have logged more than 9.3 million flight hours. Pratt & Whitney Canada (Booth No. N5633) is celebrating the PW300’s 20th anniversary. First flight of the Latitude is expected in mid2014 and certification and entry into service in 2015. – M.T.

As for the G280 program, Henne said performance specifications for the aircraft have been upgraded, based on results of flight testing. Range with four passengers has been increased to 3,600 nm from 3,400 nm, opening the city pairs of New York-London and Singapore-Dubai to the aircraft. Specs for balanced field takeoff length for the G280 at maximum takeoff weight have been reduced by 210 feet, to 4,750 feet. “At certification, the G280 will lead its category in every significant aspect of performance and comfort,” said Flynn. “The G280 will offer unsurpassed mission flexibility for a business jet of this size.” Gulfstream is currently building green G280s and expects the aircraft to receive full

certification and enter service by the end of this year. Gulfstream is also debuting a new 7,200-sq-ft exhibit booth display at NBAA, where the company is highlighting its product support initiatives. Attendees can view products such as the new PlaneBook iPad app, which stores and displays the flight manual, operating manual, checklists and quick-reference handbook; PlaneDeck, a cockpit retrofit that upgrades CRT panel displays to LCD displays; and PlaneParts, a spare parts subscription service. At its static display area, Gulfstream is showcasing its complete line of business aircraft models: the G250, G280, G450, G550 and G650. (Tours of the G650 are available by appointment only.) o

China lessor Minsheng signs MoU with Dassault by R. Randall Padfield Charles Edelstenne, chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, and Kong Linshan, chairman of the board of Minsheng Financial Leasing, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for 10 Falcon 7X and 10 Falcon 2000S business jets yesterday morning at the NBAA show. Zhang Bo, vice president of Minsheng Financial Leasing, also signed the agreement, which Dassault Falcon officials expect will be finalized in the coming weeks. The non-deposit MoU follows firm orders for five Falcon 7Xs that Minsheng Financial placed earlier this year and a sixth order for a Falcon 900LX. Some of these five 7Xs have been delivered. “This simple document means a lot to us,” said John Rosanvallon, president and CEO of Dassault Falcon, speaking directly to Kong and Zhang at the signing. “It reinforces an already strong relationship that’s been established between Falcon and Minsheng. Both companies wish to offer our customers the best possible solutions for business aircraft in China.” The signing ceremony, which took place in the executive boardroom of the Hilton Hotel, was conducted in English and Chinese through an interpreter. Kong explained that Minsheng Financial was established in 2008, with a focus on shipping

and large-scale financing. The company entered into the aviation financial business about two years ago, he said, and had already signed for 90 business jets (not including this MoU). He said that when Minsheng started, company officials expected to be leasing 100 business jets in five years. Now Kong thinks the company will reach this level in two years and he explained that Minsheng already has customers lined up for the 7Xs in the MoU. He also predicted that the China, as a whole, would be home to 800 to 1,000 business jets by 2020. While the 7X can cover a long list of city pairs linking Beijing and Shanghai with popular destinations, the Falcon 2000S, which was announced at EBACE 2011 in May, offers low operating costs, numerous standard options and a low acquisition price for an aircraft in its class. Dassault claims the 2000S has the “greenest footprint” of any comparable aircraft. Dassault officials said the French OEM expects to sell 25 aircraft in China this year and to deliver 15 there next year. o AINonline iPhone App NOW AVAILABLE

www.ainonline.com • October 11, 2011 • NBAA Convention News 93

What’s Happening at NBAA 2011 Tuesday, 10/11/2011 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Corporate Aviation Management Committee (CA.M.C) Meeting

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Exhibitor, Press & Attendee Registration

8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Gulfstream Operators Regional Forum (all models)

N250

8 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Hawker 400 XP/Beechjet M&O

N259

8 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Bombardier Winter Weather and Winter Accident Scenarios

N258

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Exhibit Halls, Silver Lot Static Display and Static Display Open

9 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Bombardier Learjet 40/45 Technical Session

N260

9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Joint CDM and NextGen Weather Public Meeting

N256

9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Steps for a Successful Cross-Border Flight

N237

9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Implementing a Practical and Compliant Safety Management System

N219

9 a.m. - 10 a.m.

Value-Based Leadership in the Aviation Department

N242

9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Buying a Business Aircraft: Lessons from the Trenches

N211

9 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Safety Town Hall Meeting

N232

9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Aviation Association Presidents Round Table

The NBAA 64th Annual Meeting & Convention

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

NextGen Equipage: What's in it for Business Aviation?

N223

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

iPads in the Cockpit

N234

offers an expansive schedule of education sessions,

10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Daher-Socata TBM M&O

N262

maintenance & operations sessions and special events

10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Dassault Falcon Jet General Session

in addition to a multitude of exhibits at the Las Vegas

10:15 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

National Aviation Hall of Fame Combs–Gates Award Presentation

Hall C2

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

Pilots' Round Table

Hall C2

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

Getting Reimbursed for Flights–What Do the FARs Say?

N242

today at

Convention Center. In addition dozens of aircraft are on display at Henderson Executive Airport, with a

N221

Hall C2

N255

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

Dassault Falcon Jet Falcon 10/20/50 Series M&O

N255

smaller number on display in the convention center’s

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

Dassault Falcon Jet Pilot Session

N253

parking lot. Shuttle buses are operating between the

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Bombardier Learjet 60 Technical Session

N260

convention center and the Henderson Airport static

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Professional Development Program (PDP): How to Become an NBAA PDP Provider

N219

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Managing Major Engine and Airframe Event Costs

N237

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

NBAA Overcoming Legal Impediments to Safety Management Systems (SMS)

N237

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Pilatus PC12 M&O

N264

11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Defining a "Just Culture"–What It Means For Business Aviation

N232

12 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Flight Attendants Committee Meeting

N221

12 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Hawker 125 Series M&O

N259

12 p.m. - 1 p.m.

Deep-Dive into the Jeppesen Mobile FliteDeck App

N234

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Bombardier Customer Roundtable

N258

12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Dassault Falcon Jet Falcon 900 Series M&O

N255

1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Local/Regional Business Aviation Associations Networking Session

N243

1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Tax Benefits When Using Business Aircraft

N242

1 p.m. - 2 p.m.

Supplemental Lift and Your Flight Department

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

How to Mitigate Health and Security Risks in Emerging Markets

N237

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

Cape Town Treaty and International Registry Update–the Latest Issues and Practical Solutions

N231

1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

12th Annual Friends & Partners of Aviation Weather

N245

1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

New York City Airspace Review and Discussion

N232

display. For up-to-the-minute show information, a comprehensive 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. The NBAA 64th Annual Meeting & Convention (NBAA2011) offers an expansive schedule of Education Sessions, Maintenance & Operations Sessions (M&Os) and special events. 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. EXHIBIT HOURS Tuesday, October 11

9 a.m. - 5 pm

1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Worthington Aviation Westwind M&O

N264

Wednesday, October 12

9 a.m. - 4 pm

1 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6 M&O

N262

STATIC DISPLAY HOURS

FAA Runway Safety: Maintaining the Focus on Surface Safety

N223

9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Bombardier Global Series Technical Session

N260

Wednesday, October 12

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

2 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Dassault Falcon Jet Falcon 2000 Series M&O

N255

2 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Annual Meeting of Members

N249

2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Best Practices in Corporate Shuttle Operations

N237

3 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Aircraft Finance and Leasing Update

N231

3 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program Support by FAA

N219

3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Hawker 4000 Series M&O

N259

3 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Eclipse M&O

N253

3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Dassault Falcon Jet Falcon 7X Series M&O

N255

3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Bombardier Challenger 800 Series Technical Session

N260

3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m.

The Importance of Stabilized Landings–A Runway Excursion Prevention Tool

N232

4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Security Review with TSA General Aviation Leadership

N234

4 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Extraordinary Breakthroughs That Will Change the Future of Aviation

N242

4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m.

NBAA Aviation Insurance Committee Meeting

N243

4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Bombardier Learjet 20/30/55 Technical Update

N260

6 p.m. - 11 p.m.

CAN Charity Benefit with Live and Silent Auctions, featuring America's Band, The Beach Boys

R A T E B I N

1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m.

Tuesday, October 11

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

94 NBAA Convention News • October 11, 2011 • www.ainonline.com

Bellagio Hotel Grand Ballroom

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