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49/Flight
Support - 54/FBO Airport Base
BI-MONTHLY / DECEMBER - JANUARY / POSTING OFFICE BE 1380 LASNE
PREMIER TRANSATLANTIC BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE
OUR 26th YEAR
DEC 2014 - JAN 2015
NEW BUDS ON
THE GULFSTREAM LIMBS
32/MEBA MiddEast Marquee Industry Event
80/FANS Why is the Mandate so Important?
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
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“ Jeppesen and Company celebrated its
50th anniversary last week. It was very
exciting and emotional. I got some really
good licks in for FlightSafety.”
It’s like Einstein and an F-16 had a baby
– Jepp Jeppesen, from a letter to
FlightSafety founder Al Ueltschi, 1984
ELREY B. JEPPESEN Navigational Aviation Pioneer
A Legacy of Trust
Aviation pioneers Elrey “Jepp” Jeppesen and Al Ueltschi started out as barnstormers and went
on to become industry leaders and icons. They were close friends and business colleagues
who led industry-changing efforts to make aviation safer.
Their correspondence, now housed in Seattle’s Museum of Flight, illuminates their mutual respect
and goals. In 1962 Ueltschi wrote in a letter to Jeppesen, “If we can provide the finest instruction
and equipment, our Company should continue to grow even more.” Jeppesen shared how
he actively promoted FlightSafety, whether at aviation events or in one-on-one interactions.
As a longstanding member of FlightSafety’s board of directors, Jeppesen was directly involved
in the business. Al and Jepp discussed such milestones as ferrying the first Falcon aircraft
across the ocean and the arrival of FlightSafety’s Gulfstream, Falcon and JetStar simulators.
The company Jepp founded in 1934 continues to help aviation professionals worldwide reach their
destinations safely and efficiently. Al’s commitment in 1951 to provide the very best training and
simulators remains at the core of FlightSafety’s mission to enhance aviation safety around the world.
Building trust over time, and continuing to earn it each day, is FlightSafety’s promise and commitment. Aviation
professionals from around the world trust FlightSafety to continuously provide the highest quality training and
outstanding service they expect and deserve since 1951. Today more than 1,800 highly experienced professional
instructors deliver aircraft and mission-specific courses, using FlightSafety’s comprehensive training systems and
advanced-technology flight simulators designed to enhance safety. Trust your training to FlightSafety. You’ll see why
so many of yesterday’s and today’s aviation professionals have made the same choice.
For information, please contact Steve Gross, Vice President, Sales • 314.785.7815
[email protected] • flightsafety.com • A Berkshire Hathaway company
JEPPESEN TRUST AD - BART INTL - DEC 2014/JAN 2015 ISSUE - Trim: 8.25” w x 11.25” h
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From the Editor
SEASONs WISHES
FLYING CARS, MAIL DISTRIBUTION BY
PARACHUTE and more recently drones
delivering internet purchases; scientists gazing
into their crystal balls have always envisioned
the world to come. By all accounts, the wrist
radio and wrist TVs of Dick Tracy that were
thought of as a joke a generation ago are now a
reality. If all watches tell time, the apple ewatch due in 2015 will do everything on top,
from managing your money to helping your
emotional life. Not to mention letting loved
ones know when you are thinking of them with
a gentle tap on the wrist.
Make no mistake about it, advanced
technology and communications will continue
to invade our lives and forge the new
generations. Recently one of our editors was
amazed to see that while overflying a
breathtaking autumnal countryside at 2,000 ft
in his in his Cessna 172, the grandkids he had
taken along for the trip were texting head down
on their cell phones instead of enjoying the
scenery.
There can be little doubt that with the advent
of the internet, we have entered a past postal
era. Emails are replacing letters and Ecards are
common, cheap substitutes to hand addressed
envelopes containing Christmas cards and other
Hanukkah greetings. Glossy magazines are
disappearing from the mailmans bag, replaced
by apps giving you the privilege to puzzle out
virtual articles on your tablet or cell phone.
Maybe the e-watch will tell you everything
about your health and physical condition,
warning you for example if your blood
pressure is too high, but it will never
substitute a visit to your doctor. Ecards will
never replace well chosen colorful cards sent
by: aunts, cousins, distant relatives or friends,
containing their own prodigious batch of
greetings. Shopping for cards is a real delight.
Nativity scenes, environmental or artsy, real
symbols of the Season, these traditional handprinted cards with handwritten messages will
be displayed on the mantelpiece or the
bookshelf and kept during the Holiday Season.
Would you print an Ecard and Scotch-tape it
to your HD flat screen?
You can have a look at the virtual version
of BART International on our web site, but
your own edition printed on glossy paper
will always be bimonthly in your mail box.
Pilots will always enjoy reading it at major
FBOs where the same issue is read by
dozens of visitors. Tablet reading may be
handy, but paper is noble and the natural
medium for quality editorial columns.
In the business world, there will never be a
substitute for personal contact and Business
Aviation will never be affected by the advent
of these new technologies because when
J.C. Strongfield needs to get something
important done, he, she or any of their
executives will go in person and they will
use their own aircraft. Nothing can replace
a handshake and business aircraft are here
to stay.
One can never have enough socks. Another Christmas has come and gone and I didnt get a single pair.
People will insist on giving me books.
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone
Magenta Yellow Black Cyan
27-NOV-14
Avionics Editor
Steve Nichols
PREMIER TRANSATLANTIC
BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE
Editor and Publisher
Fernand M. Francois
Associate Publisher
Kathy Ann Francois
Executive Editor
Paul Walsh
Senior Editor
Marc Grangier
Training Editor
Captain LeRoy Cook
MRO Editor
Bernard Fitzsimons
DEC-JAN - 2014 - 2015
Volume XVII - No 6
BART No 154
WWW.BARTINTL.COM
New-York Editor
Kirby J. Harrison
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Fabio Gamba, Nick Klenske,
Louis Smyth, Giulia Mauri,
Derek A. Bloom,
Guy Viselé, Yvan Veretennikov
PRODUCTION
Tanguy Francois
Production Manager
ADVERTISING
Kathy Ann Francois
Advertising Director
[email protected]
CIRCULATION
Thais Cremer
Marketing Assistant
[email protected]
SECTIONS
3
EDITORIAL
6
POINTER
8
FAST TRACK
26
BUSINESS NEWS
28
TRANSATLANTIC UPDATE
CONTENTS
32
54
MEBA TO BOOST MIDEAST GROWTH
With 8000 visitors expected to descend on MEBA in
December, we profile this booming
Business Aviation event.
FBO FEEDING FRENZY
As the FBO sector is finally starting to grow again we
examine an industry undergoing huge change.
40
IS FLYING SAFE?
LeRoy Cook argues that while technology is making
aircraft safer, flying is still inherently hazardous.
REGIONAL FOCUS
Saudi Arabia is experiencing impressive growth but is the
infrastructure there to support it?
BART International investigates.
50
MAINTENANCE MATTERS
There are still huge opportunities for maintenance in the
Middle East, we profile the latest developments.
49
FLIGHT PLANNING
In this special feature find out how technology is making
trip planning easier than ever before.
68
72
A TOOL FOR BUSINESS
This years NBAA clearly demonstrated that Business
Aviation is a tool for getting business done.
We report on the most exciting announcements.
80
PREPARING FOR FANS
With the FANS mandate coming into effect in 2015.
We look at the options for becoming compliant.
27-NOV-14
LEADER
Jet Aviation Dubai is at the
forefront of Business Aviation
growth in the Middle East. To
find out more see our
Maintenance Matters report
page 45.
OUR COVER
The all-new Gulfstream G500
rolls-out under its own power at
Gulfstreams headquarters in
Savannah.
Member
OUR ADVERTISERS AND THEIR AGENCIES
57
11
9
39
53
2
27
25
60
81
13
61
23
35
21
19
7
84
17
83
15
Aéroports de Lyon
Dassault Falcon (PUCK LAGENCE)
Duncan Aviation
EBACE 2015
Euro Jet Intercontinental
FlightSafety (GRETEMAN GROUP)
FlightSafety (GRETEMAN GROUP)
GCS Safety Solution
Geneva Air Park
Honeywell Aerospace
Jet Aviation
JetNet LLC
Jet Support Services Inc. (JSSI)
NBAA 2015
Pilatus Aircraft
Rockwell Collins ARINC Direct
Textron Aviation Customer Support (COPP MEDIA SERVICES, INC.)
Textron Aviation Customer Support (COPP MEDIA SERVICES, INC.)
The Registry of Aruba
Universal Avionics Systems, Corp
Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc.
BART International. Business Aviation Real Tool is the Premier Transatlantic Business Aviation Magazine. ISSN 07767596 Printed in Belgium and published Bi-Monthly by Société Anonyme Frankie&Lette 20 rue de lIndustrie, 1400
Nivelles, Belgium. Phone +326 788 3603; Fax +326 788 3623. With US offices in Texas and Arizona, BART International
is governed by international copyright laws. Single copy $12.95 U.S. or 10.00 EUR. Professional Subscription
available at 12 issues $31.00 U.S. or 24.00 EUR. Bank account BNP PARIBAS Fortis BE92 2710 0610 0423.
Administration and Circulation Thais Cremer [email protected]. International distribution by ASENDIA. USPS
016707 Periodical postage paid. For details call IMS at 1(800) 428 3003. Belgian posting office: BE1380 Lasne.
Office Coordinator Paul Walsh - Strategic Development Officer. Responsible Publisher - Fernand M. Francois
POINTER
Events
Agenda
27-NOV-14
IN SEQUENCE
Reading
You Five
For more than twenty six
years our editors have been
informing you about Business
Aviation and its
uncompromised safety and
efficiency; contributing to the
economy and the well being
of humanity.
Give us your views and
opinions. All this requires
your feedback.
Dubai World Center
Dec 08 - Dec 10 2014
Dubai, U.A.E.
SDC
Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference
Feb 3 - Feb 6 2015
San Jose, California U.S.A.
Take a few minutes and write
your comments to
[email protected]
AERO Friedrichsaffen 2015
Apr 15 - Apr 18 2015
Friedrichsaffen, Germany
Paul Walsh
Executive Editor
Dear Editor,
As you are the only contact saved in our
database for BART International I
would like to thank you for a very nice
and clear-cut feature of Satcom1 on
pages 53-54 in your latest 151 issue.
The piece was insightful and captured
quite succinctly what we offer to our
customers.
I dont have an email for your specialist
Kirby Harrison to send my thanks, but I
would appreciate if you can pass it to
him. Have a wonderful day!
Sincerely
Sylwia Bodzon
Marketing Manager
Satcom1
DK-2670, Greve - Denmark
Thank you very much for your
considerate comments. We are of
course delighted to convey your kind
remarks to our New-York Editor Kirby
Harrison. Its always a pleasure for us to
cover the developments in airborne
satellite communications. As Satcom1 is
an important player in the field, were
glad that we could also cover your
company.
Stay tuned for more exciting features
on this topic in our forthcoming issues.
Follow us on
@bart_intl
OUR MAN IN THE COCKPIT
HAI HELI-EXPO 2015
March 25 2015
Orlando, USA
EBACE 2015
May 19-21 2015
Geneva, Switzerland
Introducing LeRoy Cook.
BART International Training Editor
A flight instructor who has been studying
various aspects of aviation for more than 50
years, LeRoy Cook is a former senior editor
and columnist at Private Pilot Magazine. He
is also the author of 101 Things to Do with
Your Private License, and the coauthor of
American Aviation: An Illustrated History.
For the past number of years LeRoy has
transmitted its wisdom and expertise to our
pilot readers in the BART International
From the Cockpit column, helping Business
Aviation in its quest towards safety.
Captain Cook lives in Missouri.
6 - BART: DECEMBER - JANUARY - 2014 - 2015
27-NOV-14
CONSUMABLE
PARTS
FOR VIRTUALLY EVERY AIRCRAFT MAKE AND MODEL.
From unsurpassed speed of service, to best spare parts
availability, our company-owned service centers and parts
distribution facilities worldwide will keep your aircraft in the
air no matter what or where you fly.
U.S. and the Americas +1.316.517.6273
|
textronaviation.com
27-NOV-14
CESSNA SEES UPTICK IN CARAVAN INTEREST AMONG ASIA-PACIFIC OPERATORS
Cessna Aircraft Company, has called the first year of operations at
Cessna-AVIC Aircraft (Shijiazhuang) Co., Ltd. a success. The joint
venture between Cessna and China Aviation Industry General
Aircraft Company (CAIGA) assembles and delivers Caravan utility
turboprop aircraft for the Chinese market. A Grand Caravan EX is
one of four Cessna and Beechcraft aircraft at the Textron Aviation static display this week during Airshow China 2014 in Zhuhai.
“The joint venture with CAIGA has been an efficient way to provide solutions to the marketplace as Business Aviation continues to expand in
China,” said Bill Harris, vice president, Sales in the region. “The reliability
and versatility of the Cessna Caravan make it particularly well suited for
growing global markets like China. We’re seeing customers order configurations for
executive travel, hauling freight, aerial survey and tourism.”
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) granted approval for the Cessna Grand Caravan EX to operate on floats in China in
March of this year resulting in an increase in orders for amphibian models.
JET AVIATION OPENS A NEW FIXED BASE OPERATION AT MUNICH AIRPORT
Jet Aviation now offers handling and ground
support services from its newly opened FBO
at Munich International Airport. The newest
addition to Jet Aviation’s global FBO network will be managed by Klaus Besold.The
new Jet Aviation Munich FBO at Munich
International Airport is the company’s third
handling facility in Germany, including
Berlin and Dusseldorf, and began operation in November 2014. The company offers passenger handling, on-site immigration and customs clearance, transportation, hotel and catering coordination, as
well as aircraft cleaning, de-icing and refueling. Available amenities include an executive lounge and
conference room, a crew lounge, a snooze room, showers and flight planning facilities.
Klaus Besold has been appointed as station manager of Jet Aviation Munich and reports directly to
Frank Kusserow, Jet Aviation’s FBO managing director in Germany. A 20-year handling veteran,
Besold co-founded MES-Handling in Munich, which was sold to new ownership in 2008, under which
he continued as general manager until 2012.
SAFRAN ENGINEERING SERVICES JOINS DUNCAN AVIATION ON ADS-B OUT
Safran Engineering Services, a subsidiary of Labinal Power
Systems (Safran) has announced that it is developing with Duncan
Aviation of Lincoln (Nebraska), an Approved Model List
Supplemental Type Certificate (AML-STC), for Automatic
Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast “Out” (ADS-B Out), utilizing
the Rockwell Collins TDR-94D Transponder.
Safran Engineering Services and Duncan Aviation are responsible
for the design, development, integration, testing and certification
of the AML-STC for the ADS-B “Out” FAA mandated requirement.
The Safran Engineering Services ADS-B Out AML-STC solution
will initially cover the Bombardier Challenger 601-3A/3R, Lear 60,
Gulfstream G100, G200 and the Textron Hawker 800 Series.
In addition to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval,
Safran Engineering Services intends to seek appropriate approvals
with Transport Canada (TC) and the European Aviation Safety
Agency (EASA) for the aforementioned aircraft models, which will
streamline the installation process for ADS-B Out equipage in the
United States, Canada and in Europe.
27-NOV-14
27-NOV-14
AMERICAN JET INTERNATIONAL ADDS HAWKER 800A TO FLEET
American Jet International Million Air Charter, a member of the award-winning private aviation Million Air FBO company based in Houston, TX, is pleased to announce the addition of a
Hawker 800A to its managed fleet of business jets. It is immediately available for charter.
This mid-size private jet is ideal for domestic travel, including coast-to-coast trips due to its
fuel efficiency, aerodynamics, and comfort. The Hawker is a favorite jet of choice because it
is one of the largest in its class. Features of the cabin include stand-up headroom, lighting,
seat controls, reclining seats, enclosed lavatory and plenty of in-cabin storage. The cabin
accommodates up to eight passengers.
“Our customers are excited about using this mid-size Hawker, with the comfort and convenience for both business and leisure travel,” said Anthony Ethridge, Vice President of
Business Development. “The Hawker 800A is a great addition to our fleet because it’s the
perfect size for domestic trips as well as international travel to Canada, Mexico, Central
America and the Caribbean. Our growth is fantastic and it stems from the impeccable team
of industry experts we have put together. We are in the process of adding three additional
aircraft before year end.
AIR CULINAIRE WORLDWIDE
UNVEILS NEW REGIONAL MENUS
Air Culinaire Worldwide has introduced
new regional menus for its 16 ownedand-operated kitchens in the United
States and three locations in London,
England.
"Food is a very personal experience, so we
want to ensure our clients are presented
with a variety of the latest food trends and
long-standing favorites. Whether you want
to sample local favorites or are in the mood
for grass-fed beef in Colorado or a knuckle
sandwich in Boston, we can deliver a memorable in-flight catering experience" said
Roger Leemann, SVP of Culinary
Operations. "While we have a global footprint, each kitchen team has deep knowledge of the flavors and ingredients that
make their local cuisine unique. We capture
the essence of each region's cuisine, and
ensure that each item is properly adapted
for safe stowage and reheating onboard the
aircraft."
PIAGGIO AEROSPACE OPENS
CENTER OF EXCELLENCE
Piaggio Aerospace inaugurated its new
aerospace center of excellence at
Villanova d’Albenga in the presence of
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Minister
of Defence Roberta Pinotti, numerous
civilian and military authorities as well
as over 500 international guests and
company’s employees. The new manufacturing plant is at the forefront of
aerospace technology with the capacity, systems and processes to make it
one of the world’s most advanced
industrial aerospace plants.
Strategically located for direct access
to the airport of Villanova d’Albenga
the 127,000 sqm site at hosts a stateof-the-art industrial plant covering
49.000 sqm where Piaggio Aerospace
designs, develops and manufactures
aircraft: the most efficient, high performance aircraft for Business
Aviation and special missions like the
Avanti EVO - the third generation of
the world’s fastest and most efficient
turboprop – and the innovative MPAMultirole Patrol Aircraft (MPA).
SURF AIR TAKES DELIVERY OF THEIR FIRST PILATUS PC-12 NG
In a ceremony held at Pilatus Business Aircraft Ltd's facility in Broomfield, Colorado,
Surf Air took delivery of PC-12 NG serial number 1490, with the registration number
N809SA. The aircraft, sporting Surf Air's unique new fleet paint scheme, is the first of fifteen firm aircraft the membership-based airline ordered from Pilatus earlier this year.
This newest aircraft joins a fleet of three "Legacy" PC-12s Surf Air employed initially to
introduce their business model. Two additional new PC-12 NGs will join the fleet by the
end of this year. As new aircraft come on line, the older Legacy PC-12s will eventually
be phased out and replaced with PC-12 NGs featuring the Honeywell Primus Apex integrated avionics system, a higher horsepower Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67P engine, and
customized BMW DesignworksUSA executive interiors.
27-NOV-14
PROVEN PERFORMER
Fly nonstop across oceans (up to 4,750 nm/8,800 km); fly one-stop to almost anywhere in the world. The 900LX has unrivaled capability, flying in and
out of impressively short fields, burning 40 percent less fuel than its nearest competitor, and offering the comfort factor of three engines. It’s the latest
and the best in the iconic Falcon 900 series.
WWW.DASSAULTFALCON.COM I FRANCE: +33 1 47 11 88 68 I USA: +1 201 541 4600
JSSI PARTNERS WITH EMBRY-RIDDLE
Jet Support Services, Inc.
(JSSI), and Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical
University
(ERAU) will be co-hosting the
American Society of Appraisers
(ASA) Aviation Valuation
Educational Series for 2015.
By participating in this educational program, aviation professionals seeking a career in aircraft valuation and appraising
or a specialty designation can
obtain certification, offered
through this ASA program, as
well as meet the on-going continuing education requirements. The
course, ME201ASA – Introduction to Machinery and Equipment
Valuation, will be presented at the ERAU campus in Daytona Beach,
Florida, January 11-14, 2015.
As ASA expands its global footprint, the ME201ASA course will later be
conducted in Farnborough, England on February 5-8, 2015 at the TAG
facility on the Farnborough International Airport, which is also home to
JSSI’s International Headquarters. JSSI will provide expert insight into
aircraft maintenance and its effect on asset value, as well as the benefits
of hourly cost maintenance programs, at both ASA course locations.
27-NOV-14
WEST STAR AVIATION INSTALLS
FIRST EPIC CDS/R ON CHALLENGER 601
West Star Aviation is proud to announce the launch of their
newest avionics program for the installation of the Honeywell
Primus Epic CDS/R full color (LCD) liquid crystal cockpit
display system on the Challenger 601. West Star will begin
taking installation orders in the second quarter of 2015.
This first type installation includes four new LCD displays,
dual Advance File Graphics Servers (AFGS), and XM graphical weather. In addition, the system is equipped with NZ-2000
FMS 6.1 software, WAAS/LPV, TCAS 7.1, ASD-B Out, and
CPDLC. All current mandates are incorporated into the system as well.
In the installation, most existing line replaceable units (LRUs)
are retained, such as radar, air data computers, autopilot,
radios, and inertial reference systems. Other upgrade options
available include radio tuning units and flight management
systems.
LCD glass upgrades provide many benefits to the operator,
increasing situational awareness, enhanced features, and
information management. Improved system reliability and
maintainability, reduced weight and electrical power consumption, and future upgrade capability will be recognized by
the flight department.
TAG FARNBOROUGH AIRPORT VOTED BEST HANDLING AGENT/FBO
TAG Farnborough Airport has been awarded ‘Best Handling Agent/FBO’ at the Baltic Air Charter
Association (BACA) Awards 2014.
Roger Walker, Director Airport Operations at TAG Farnborough Airport, was presented with the award
by Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, CEO of London Executive Aviation, the sponsor of this category, at
the BACA 2014 Autumn Lunch & Excellence Awards at London’s Guildhall on 30 October 2014.
BACA is a worldwide organisation for air charter professionals, representing the interests of 200
member companies, including brokers, charter airlines, airports, business aircraft operators and
consultants. The winners of BACA’s Annual Awards are chosen by BACA members, who are invited
to vote for the company they consider has excelled through their commitment to quality and service within the air charter industry.
Roger Walker said: “We are delighted to have been recognised by our industry partners for the
work we do. This accolade underpins the continued commitment of our airport team to provide customers with quality services tailored to their needs.”
TEXTRON AVIATION TEAMS WITH GUARDIAN JET TO MARKET CITATION X ELITE
Cessna has announced plans to enter into an exclusive agreement with
Connecticut-based Guardian Jet, LLC to market the Citation X Elite business jet.
“Guardian is a great addition to the Cessna sales effort for the Citation X Elite due
to the company’s global experience with the midsize jet market,” said Brad Thress,
senior vice president, Customer Service. “The Citation X Elite program is unique in
the industry and having Guardian now as our sales partner extends our ability to
communicate the many benefits the Citation X Elite offers.”
The Citation X Elite program sends legacy Citation X aircraft through a complete
refurbishment and systems update at the Textron Aviation Service Center in
Wichita for customers seeking a low-cost option for owning one of the fastest civil
aviation aircraft in the world.
27-NOV-14
27-NOV-14
328 SUPPORT SERVICES ANNOUNCES A MAJOR UPGRADE OF DORNIER 328
328 Support Services GmbH, the Type Certificate holder for the D328 Jet and
turboprop aircraft, is pleased to announce the commencement of a major
cockpit upgrade program for the aircraft. The program, which has just commenced, is expected to be certified by EASA and the US FAA by late 2016.
In partnership with the current avionics system provider and a number of
strategic customers, the existing flight deck will be enhanced with features that will include:
• Compliance with ADS-B out requirements.
• New Primus Elite LCD displays that save weight and provide enhanced
features such as charts and maps, enhanced vision, video display capabilities and synthetic vision, which will be available as an option.
• A second FMS option will be available for the first time on the D328 turboprop aircraft allowing WAAS-LPV and remote and oceanic operations.
• The capability to provide PM-CPDLC communications with ground
based stations.
• Smart Runway and Smart Landing upgrade capability
• A Class 3 Electronic flight bag.
DUNCAN AVIATION RECEIVES FANS STC
APPROVAL FOR FALCON 900B
Duncan Aviation recently received FAA Supplemental
Type Certification (STC) for the installation of a
Future Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A+ solution
for a Falcon 900B with Universal Avionics EFI-890R
Advanced Flight Displays.
Since the announcement of the Universal Avionics EFI890R Falcon 900B avionics retrofit option last fall,
Duncan Aviation has completed two of the Falcon 900B
avionics upgrades. The company is now pleased to
announce completion of the FANS 1/A+ certification,
which will allow aircraft wanting to fly the most efficient
path to Europe to do so. As other aircraft continue to
wait for a solution to meet the 2017 guidelines, the
Falcon 900B owners now have a pathway.
“The benefits of FANS 1/A+ to the Falcon 900B are
huge,” explains Gary Harpster, a Duncan Aviation
Avionics Sales Representative. “It improves safety,
reduces operating costs and flight time to Europe and
gives crew and passengers access to the most efficient routing for the current conditions.
LSGG: TIME TO THINK ABOUT WINTER PARKING!
Based on the success of these past months, the Geneva Airpark team is more
than ever ready to welcome its clients for a 5th winter at Geneva International
Airport.
In order to deal with the growing demand to shelter business jets, Geneva
Airpark is offering a global solution for Business Aviation, with daily, weekend or long term hosting possibilities, along with new additions to the range
of made-to-measure services, which are more and more appreciated by the
clients.
Short term contracts: Geneva Airpark has recorded a 28 % increase in business since the beginning of 2014.
• 30 new clients
• 100 aircrafts sheltered
• 40 % from the Middle East, USA, Canada, Latin America and Eastern
Europe
• 60 % from Europe
In addition, Geneva Airpark still has a client base of annual adherents, with
over 30 different types of aircraft, that is loyal and increasingly attracted by
the addition of new services.
Geneva Airpark forecasts a 10 % progression in 2014 for these service activities.
27-NOV-14
27-NOV-14
WEST STAR TO JOIN SELECT GROUP OF AVIATION COMPANIES THAT HOLD ODA
West Star Aviation recently announced they have been appointed a
holder of the “Organization Designation Authorization (ODA)” by
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The ODA allows West Star to manage their own certification projects and determine compliance with the FAA procedures and
guidelines. The authorization will add a significant achievement
toward the certifications of STCs and PMAs for West Star.
“The ODA is a huge added value for our customers,” said Samuel
Haycraft, Executive Vice President/Founding Partner, West Star
Aviation. “The ability to manage and determine our compliance
will make us even more efficient and better able to meet our customer’s needs.”
In order to receive the authorization, West Star had to complete a
lengthy process to demonstrate to the FAA that they have the necessary competence and procedures in place in order to maintain the highest level of safety and compliance of industry standards.
“We are confident in our abilities and take this new responsibility very seriously,” continued Samuel Haycraft. “We have appointed current West Star employees to coordinate all activities and work closely with the local Aircraft Certification Offices (ACO) to complete our
STC and PMA projects.”
AMERICAN JET INTERNATIONAL OBTAINS ARG/US PLATINUM CERTIFICATE
American Jet International (AJI), powered by Million Air Houston (HOU), celebrated the completion
of a two-day audit of its Part 135 Air Carrier Operations conducted by the Aviation Research Group/US
(ARG/US) at NBAA. This audit renewed Million Air’s Platinum Safety Rating with ARG/US, which is
the highest safety rating issued to Part 135 operators by an outside auditing firm. The ARG/US audit is
a true “Process” and “Systems” audit that verifies that the flight operation is managed, organized, and
run consistent with industry best practices and reflects a clear commitment to safety.
“Most aircraft owners, card members and charter flyers expect safety to be a standard practice,” said
Anthony Ethridge, Vice President of Business Development. “At American Jet International, dba
Million Air Charter, 100% is not the ceiling for safety standards. We strive to go above and beyond
what others settle for and as one of less than 2% of the operators in the country that have achieved the
ARG/US and ISBAO safety rating we believe we are setting the standard. Our credo is to be a place
where genuine care and exceptional service is our highest mission.”
DAS NEW TEXAS FACILITY GROWS
Already known for their custom work and quick turn times, Dallas
Aeronautical Services (DAS) recently completed construction of a new
facility that allows for expanded capabilities and a 25% increase in employees; all in order to reach their goal of further reducing the turn times they
can offer to current and potential customers. Featuring two autoclaves,
two state of the art paint booths and new welding certification, DAS
opened the doors to their new 50,400 sq. ft. facility during summer 2014.
Specializing in the overhaul and repair of composites, thrust reversers and
inlets for corporate aircraft, DAS designed their new facility, located in
Cedar Hill, TX, to be as efficient as possible. For example, a second new 8’ x
21’ working area autoclave gives DAS increased capacity over their previous facility and allows for oversized tools that are used for larger components, such as Engine Cowls, to be run in multiple loads. In addition, parts
requiring different cure temperatures can now run at the same time in separate autoclaves, increasing DAS’ efficiency and reducing turn times.
The new facility features two new state of the art paint booths that will also work to reduce turn times by applying primer and topcoats
separately. The topcoat booth features a built-in cure oven, which allows topcoats to cure in just 90 minutes.
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JET PROFESSIONALS AND FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP
In ongoing efforts to support and contribute to professional development of the flight attendant community and those it employs, Jet
Professionals will rollout this new training with FlightSafety
International, commencing in January 2015.
This exclusive training opportunity allows flight attendants to complete recurrent training with zero initial training costs. Jet
Professionals will ensure payment of the upfront costs for eligible
contract flight attendants and offer a flexible re-payment plan.
FlightSafety hosts flight attendants from across the globe at their
four Learning Centers of Excellence located in Savannah, Ga.,
Teterboro, N.J., Long Beach, Calif., and Paris, France.
FlightSafety’s extensive training prepares crewmembers for
today’s demands, from proper business etiquette to onboard fire
suppression, assessing and handling emergency procedures, to
operating the latest cabin communication, environment and entertainment systems.
FL TECHNICS JETS BECOMES
AN AUTHORIZED ROCKWELL COLLINS DEALER
FL Technics Jets has announced the start of a new relationship
with Rockwell Collins under which the company is being
appointed as an Authorized Business and Regional Systems
(BRS) Dealer. FL Technics Jets is to provide Rockwell Collins
avionics sales and support solutions for various business and
regional aircraft operators and MROs worldwide.
According to the terms of the 4 year-long agreement, Rockwell
Collins BRS has authorized FL Technics Jets to promote and
sell a wide range of its products, including Pro Line 21™, Pro
Line 4™, Venue™ and other avionics system solutions, in target
regions. The extensive inventory range of the U.S. manufacturer
covers avionics equipment for almost every type of currently
operated business and regional jets, including Hawker
Beechcraft, Bombardier CRJ, Bombardier Challenger and
other.
JET AVIATION RECEIVES BALTIC AIR CHARTER ASSOCIATION GLOBAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Jet Aviation was recently named winner of the 2014 Baltic Air Charter Association (BACA) Global
Excellence Award sponsored by Air Charter Service (ACS).
The recipients of the 2014 Annual BACA Awards were elected by more than 73 percent of the association’s membership in recognition of commitment to quality and service within the air charter
industry. Announced at a luncheon for more than 380 guests in the Great Hall of London Guildhall
on October 30, 2014, Zurich-based director of Charter Sales Peter Baiker was in attendance to
accept the Global Excellence Award on behalf of Jet Aviation.
As the world’s largest Air Charter Association, BACA was founded nearly seventy years ago for its
members of Air Charter Brokers and operators from around Europe and the rest of the world. Tony
Coe, BACA chairman, described the 2014 BACA Excellence Awards as an opportunity to recognize
outstanding performance in the air charter industry over the past year and to commend companies
that uphold the high values and standards of BACA.
“It was a real honor for me to accept this award on behalf of Jet Aviation,” said Baiker. “We are fully
committed to the highest service standards and this award confirms that our customers value our
professional integrity.”
27-NOV-14
BALDWIN AVIATION ANNOUNCES SAFETY CO-OP
Baldwin Aviation, Inc., headquartered in Hilton Head, South
Carolina, became the first firm of its kind to achieve International
Standard for Business Aviation Operations (ISBAO) Registration.
Under a newly constructed registration, Baldwin will now be able
to extend the benefits of a co-operative registration plan to qualifying flight departments [1 aircraft, 4 or less staff] who are working directly with them on ISBAO compliance and registration.
“With Baldwin’s proven safety management programs, we are
able to offer SAFETY CO-OP™ to guide and assist the operator
through the entire process and beyond. Our credentialed professionals work with the operator to ensure they comply with
ISBAO standards and assist them in the creation and development of their own unique mission and profile documents, Safety
Management System tools, and Emergency Response Plans. We
regularly monitor the safety program and conduct annual
reviews. Our team streamlined the process for these small operators so it’s not so overwhelming,” said Don Baldwin, president of
Baldwin Aviation. “This is an important development for small
flight departments that have been reluctant to pursue ISBAO registration in the past due to the daunting prospects of establishing
and maintaining procedures and manuals, and the cost of an
audit,” he explained.
JET AVIATION SIGNS EXCLUSIVE MANAGEMENT
AGREEMENT WITH BAHAMAS FBO
Jet Aviation has signed an FBO management agreement with
Executive Flight Support (EFS) effective January 1, 2015. EFS is
based at Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau,
Bahamas, and was voted Best Caribbean International FBO of
2014 in Pro Pilot magazine.
The new addition to Jet Aviation’s worldwide FBO network will
be rebranded as Jet Aviation Bahamas. Managed by Jet Aviation
as of 2015, EFS is the premier full-service FBO in the Bahamas,
located at Lynden Pindling International Airport, the largest airport and the main international gateway into the country.
EFS’s facility encompasses 305,000 square feet of ramp and a fullservice FBO terminal building that includes onsite Bahamas
Customs and Immigration available 24 hours, concierge service,
computerized flight planning, pilot lounge, executive lounges,
conference room, courtesy offices, on-site car rental and 20,000
square feet of hangar space.
27-NOV-14
BLACKHAWK MODIFICATIONS SEES STEADY
GROWTH AND INTEREST IN REFURBISHED
TURBOPROP AIRCRAFT
Blackhawk Modifications Inc., continues to see steady growth
and interest in turboprop aircraft upgrades and refurbishments.
More powerful engines, advanced avionics, aerodynamic
improvements – all can be added to existing airframes thru the
Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) certification and installation
process. The result is a refreshed turboprop airplane with likenew levels of performance, safety and capability, all for a fraction
of the cost of a new one.
“It’s true that airframes seldom wear out,” says Bob Kromer,
Blackhawk’s Senior VP and Sales and Marketing. “They’re built to
last a long time, far longer than the original engines and avionics
that came with them. Incorporating our new PT6A engine
upgrades along with advanced avionics installations (such as
Garmin G1000), new paint and interior results in a refurbished airplane that very closely resembles a new one, inside and out. Looks
the same, feels the same, performs the same. The big difference is
cost – that refurbished airplane is considerably less expensive. For
those who can’t afford the cost barrier of new airplanes, refurbished ones can save significant amounts of upfront acquisition
capital while gaining improved safety, comfort, and performance.”
BALTIC AVIATION ACADEMY TO PRESENT
GROUND HANDLING TRAINING AT EATS
Baltic Aviation Academy, ATO aviation training center, based in
Lithuania is set to present its latest
training solutions at European
Aviation Training Symposium on the
28th-29th of October in Berlin.
Recently added to Baltic Aviation
Academy’s services list, ground handling training solutions are optimized to assist every client’s need.
Baltic Aviation Academy’s ground handling training programs are
designed according to the IATA and EASA Ground Handling
Training requirements. This assures that the training provided is
optimized and harmonized with the safety standards for ground
operations in all the regions.
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GUARDIAN FLIGHT ORDERS UPGRADE PACKAGE FOR SIX HAWKER 400XPR
Guardian Flight’s upgraded Hawker XPR aircraft will feature
Genuine Hawker Winglets and the increased power of the
Williams International FJ44-4A-32 engines. Combined, these
modifications are projected to realize a 33 percent increase in
range along with improvements in runway and hot/high performance.
Beechcraft Corporation, a subsidiary of Textron Aviation Inc.,a
Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced at the National
Business Aviation Association (NBAA) Convention & Exhibition
in Orlando that Guardian Flight has secured six orders for the
Hawker 400XPR upgrade package. First deliveries are planned
for the first half of 2015.
VECTOR AEROSPACE
RENEWS ENGINE SERVICES AGREEMENT
JSSI EXPANDS COMMITMENT
TO HELICOPTER MARKET
Vector Aerospace Corporation a global independent provider of
aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services is
pleased to announce that Vector Aerospace Engine ServicesAtlantic, Inc. (ES-A) has renewed its Engine Service Agreement
with Gander Aerospace Manufacturing/Evas Air based in
Gander, Newfoundland, Canada.
As per the terms of the exclusive agreement, ES-A provides
Gander Aerospace Manufacturing/Evas Air with comprehensive
fixed-wing aircraft engine repair and overhaul support from its
facility located in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
“Gander Aerospace Manufacturing/Evas Air is pleased to sign
this agreement,” says Patrick White, president and CEO of
Gander Aerospace Manufacturing/Evas Air. “ES-A has been a
highly valued supplier in support of Evas Air’s fleet of 10
Beechcraft 1900D aircraft. I am very pleased that our respective
teams were able to come to a fair and full deal that continues
the great long standing relationship between our company and
ES-A.”
Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI), the leading provider of hourly cost
maintenance programs for the Business Aviation industry, has
announced Tip-to-Tail® Program coverage on five additional helicopter models, as they continue their expansion into the rotor-wing
market.
"The helicopter market has been largely underserved when it
comes to maintenance programs," stated Neil Book, President and
Chief Executive Officer of JSSI. "We are committed to delivering
innovative programs that reduce our clients' cost of maintenance,
improve residual value of their asset and ultimately provide a customer support service that is second to none."
JSSI has been providing helicopter hourly cost maintenance programs since 1995 and offers more than 65 helicopter programs
today. The new Tip-to-Tail Programs announced at NBAA include
coverage for the AgustaWestland AW109K2, Airbus AS 350 series,
Bell 206L-3, Bell 412, and Bell 427 helicopters. Coverage includes
scheduled and unscheduled maintenance for the engines and virtually every assembly and system of the airframes.
DALLAS AIRMOTIVE OPENS STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY DEDICATED TO PT6A REPAIR AND OVERHAUL
Dallas Airmotive announced that the company has transformed its
former Regional Turbine Center (RTC), located on Dallas-Love
Field airport, into a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the repair
and overhaul of PT6A engines.
“As a company, we have been going through a transformation and
we are developing ways to serve our customers better and faster,”
said Doug Meador, President, Dallas Airmotive. “Our new facility
at Dallas-Love Field is a perfect example of that. Everything has
been completely overhauled and redesigned. The facility, employees, and the operations are exclusively focused on delivering the
best PT6A repair and overhaul service in the world.”
Dallas Airmotive was the first independent MRO provider to
receive authorization on the PT6 in 1964. This year it is celebrating 50 years supporting the PT6 engine and Meador
explained that this puts Dallas Airmotive in a unique position in
the industry.
27-NOV-14
PEOPLE
Banyan Air Service recently
selected Robert “Bob” Van
Riper as sales manager for
HondaJet Southeast.
assume the role of the European
Regional Sales Manager for the
Customer Support and Services
organization, responsible for
overseeing the aftermarket
sales activities within Europe.
Pavelec will be based at the Bell
Helicopter Prague facility.
Euro Jet Intercontinental, the
leading provider of global
ground support services has
appointed
Muhammad
Shakeel as its Pakistan country
manager. Shakeel will manage
all operational development in
the Middle East and throughout
parts of Asia.
“Bob” Van Riper
Van Riper is responsible for
HondaJet sales for an eight-state
territory that includes Florida,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana,
Arkansas,
Tennessee, and South Carolina.
“We are extremely pleased that
Bob has joined the Banyan team
as the southeast sales manager,” says Michael O’Keeffe,
Banyan’s Senior VP of Aircraft
Sales. “He offers a wealth of
knowledge about the HondaJet,
and he will be instrumental in
Banyan’s success in HondaJet
sales.”
Bell
Helicopter,
has
announced that Vit Pavelec will
Vit Pavelec
Muhammad Shakeel
Mr. Shakeel brings over 13
years of aviation experience
that includes an extensive
portfolio covering all major
aspects of aviation flight dispatch and ground handling
coordination. A certified flight
planner and dispatcher, he
has spent many years working
for different regional airlines
and major ground handling
companies.
In his role with Euro Jet,
Shakeel will continue to allow
Euro Jet to offer the highest
quality of ground handling
arrangements throughout the
Middle East, Southeast Asia,
and key countries that include
27-NOV-14
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,
Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
“Not only is Euro Jet expanding
our presence into this geographic area, but we are also promoting our ability to get both overflight and landing permits quickly and at a competitive price.
Most countries in this area of
the world require permits and
Euro Jet is committed to assisting its customers in this region
as part of our global expansion,”
says Gareth Danker, Director of
Global Sales and Marketing.
“Muhammad provides us with a
local presence that is so important in global aviation. In this
role he can negotiate the best
deals for our customers and
ensure that the service provided
is only at the highest level,” says
Mr. Danker.
J e t H Q , the Middle East's
fastest growing aircraft sales
consultancy, today announced
that Ted Farid will be joining
the company as its first
Chairman. Mr. Farid has 47
years of global aviation leadership experience from some of
the world's leading OEMs
including Cessna, Learjet and
Beechcraft. His experience
brings sophisticated expertise
and extensive global relationships to JetHQ clients.
Ted Farid started with Cessna
in 1967 as a structural engineer
and moved into sales and marketing for the Citation jet division in 1974. Mr. Farid held
Ted Farid
various senior leadership roles
in special missions and commercial sales, eventually heading all international sales for
Citation jets. During his
tenure, he sold the first
Citation into China in 1979.
David M. Brantner has been
appointed President Aerospace
Division, GKN Aerospace. a
new role with global oversight
of customer relations, including program performance and
strategic product and technology deployment for sustained
growth. He reports to Kevin
Cummings Chief Executive,
GKN Aerospace.
After several years as the
Flight Test Director and Vice
President
at
Micro
AeroDynamics, Ms. Anni
Brogan has become President
of the company. She succeeds
C h a r l e s W h i t e , founder of
Micro AeroDynamics, who
remains active in the company.
F l i g h t S a f e t y International
announces
that
Brian
Goodsite has been promoted
to Manager of the company’s
Cessna Aircraft Maintenance
Learning Center in Wichita,
Kansas. He succeeds John
Brasfield who is now leading
FlightSafety’s efforts to restore
the training programs affected
by the recent accident at the
company’s Learning Center in
Wichita, Kansas.
“Brian’s in-depth knowledge of
aircraft maintenance training,
and experience working with
aviation regulatory agencies
around the world, made him
the ideal choice to manage our
Cessna Maintenance Learning
Center,”
said
Daniel
MacLellan, Vice President
Operations. “We look forward
to Brian’s contributions in this
new role, and to serving the
growing number of technicians
who train at the Center.”
27-NOV-14
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JSSI
SEES GLOBAL GROWTH
TEXTRON
REPORTS THIRD QUARTER 2014 INCOME
Global Business Aviation activity saw modest gains in Q3 2014, with 2 percent growth
quarter-over-quarter and 2.2 percent growth
year-over-year, according to JSSI’s most
recent Business Aviation Index.
JSSI tracks the number of hours that business aircraft have flown by region, industry
and aircraft type and releases all related
data on a quarterly basis.
“The results we’re seeing are consistent
with macro trends in the greater U.S. economy in that there continues to be steady
growth, but at a lower rate than during the
second quarter when the economy was
bouncing back from a particularly harsh
winter. Fortunately for business jet operators, the cost of fuel has come down this
year. With that said, the cost of maintenance continues to be quite volatile. JSSI
has been at the forefront of allowing businesses to not only fix their maintenance
budget, but to reduce their overall cost of
maintenance as well,” said Neil Book,
President and CEO, JSSI.
At the industry level, the aviation, construction, consumer goods, power and energy
sectors all saw positive growth since last
quarter. “The consistent and encouraging
growth we’re seeing in the charter market
reflects the steady pace in business investment growth seen across the economy,”
said Mr. Book. “With consumer confidence
at a seven-year high and gas prices on the
decline, we’re optimistic about a strong holiday season for retailers and a positive
fourth quarter for business aviation overall.”
$
27-NOV-14
Textron Inc. has reported third quarter
2014 income from continuing operations of
$0.57 per share, up 62.9 percent from $0.35
per share in the third quarter of 2013.
Total revenues in the quarter were $3.4 billion, up from $2.9 billion in the third quarter of 2013, an 18.1 percent increase.
Beechcraft, which was acquired in March,
2014, contributed $398 million to the
increase. Textron segment profit in the
quarter was $293 million, up $85 million
from the third quarter of 2013.
Third quarter 2014 manufacturing cash flow
before pension contributions was $144 million compared to $269 million during the
third quarter of 2013. The company contributed $17 million to its pension plans
during the third quarter.
“Revenues at Textron Aviation, Industrial
and Bell were up during the quarter, primarily reflecting the success of our new
product investment and acquisition strategies,” said Textron Chairman and CEO
Scott C. Donnelly. Donnelly continued,
“Operationally, we achieved significant margin improvement in the quarter at Textron
Aviation, reflecting higher volumes and better performance. Bell also had improved
performance, leading to an increase in quarterly margins compared to last year.”
Textron third quarter 2014 results included
$3 million ($0.01 per share, after-tax) in
restructuring costs, recorded as part of
Acquisition and Restructuring Costs, and
Textron Aviation segment profit reflected a
$10 million ($0.02 per share, after tax) negative impact from fair value step-up adjustments to Beechcraft inventories sold during
the quarter.
Outlook
Textron increased its 2014 earnings per
share from continuing operations guidance
to a range of $2.05 to $2.15 and increased
its expectation for cash flow from continuing operations of the manufacturing group
before pension contributions to a range of
$700 million to $800 million with expected
pension contributions of about $83 million.
Third Quarter Segment Results
Textron Aviation
Revenues at Textron Aviation were up $487
million, reflecting the impact of the
Beechcraft acquisition and higher jet deliveries. Textron Aviation delivered 33 new
jets in the quarter, up from 25 jets in last
year’s third quarter, and 30 King Air turboprops.
Textron Aviation recorded a segment profit
of $62 million in the third quarter compared
to a loss of $23 million a year ago in our
Cessna segment. The improvement reflects
the impact of the Beechcraft acquisition,
higher volumes and favorable pricing and
inflation.
Textron Aviation backlog at the end of the
third quarter was $1.4 billion, approximately flat with the end of the second quarter.
Bell
Bell revenues increased $20 million, primarily the result of higher V-22 program
volume, partially offset by lower H-1 and
commercial deliveries.
Bell delivered 12 V-22’s and 4 H-1’s in the
quarter, compared to 10 V-22’s and 7 H-1’s
in last year’s third quarter and 41 commercial helicopters, compared to 54 units last
year.
Segment profit increased $15 million primarily due to favorable performance.
Bell backlog at the end of the third quarter
was $5.3 billion, down $499 million from the
end of the second quarter.
$
27-NOV-14
GENERAL DYNAMICS REPORTS
THIRD-QUARTER 2014 RESULTS
General Dynamics has reported third-quarter 2014 net earnings from continuing operations of $694 million, or $2.05 per
share on a diluted basis, on revenues of $7.75 billion. This
compares to 2013 third-quarter net earnings from continuing operations of $652 million, or $1.84 per diluted share, on
revenues of $7.74 billion. Third-quarter 2014 operating earnings rose $38 million to $999 million, a 4 percent increase
over the year-ago quarter.
Margins
Company-wide operating margins for the third quarter of
2014 were 12.9 percent, 50 basis points higher than thirdquarter 2013 margins.
Cash
Net cash provided by operating activities in third-quarter
2014 was $2.5 billion. Free cash flow from operations,
defined as net cash provided by operating activities less capital expenditures, was $2.3 billion in the quarter.
Backlog
Total backlog at the end of third-quarter 2014 was $74.4 billion, up 56 percent from the third quarter of 2013. The estimated potential contract value, representing management's
estimate of value in unfunded indefinite delivery, indefinite
quantity (IDIQ) contracts and unexercised options, was
$26.7 billion. Total potential contract value, the sum of all
backlog components, was $101.1 billion at the end of the
quarter.
The Aerospace group experienced continued demand in the
quarter with order activity across its product portfolio.
Significant awards received in the quarter from the company's defense groups include a $5.9 billion contract to deliver
SCOUT Specialist Vehicles to the British Army, $175 million
from the U.S. Navy to provide planning and support services
for nuclear submarines, $165 million for the U.S. Army's
Common Hardware Systems-4 program, and $140 million
for maintenance and overhaul services for the Navy's USS
Pearl Harbor.
"General Dynamics had a very strong quarter, evident in
our operating earnings, operating margins at 12.9 percent
and solid cash performance," said Phebe N. Novakovic,
chairman and chief executive officer. "With a continued
focus on operating performance and the company's significant increase in backlog throughout 2014, we are well-positioned for the opportunities ahead."
$
27-NOV-14
TRANSATLANTIC
EUROPE ON OUR RADAR THIS MONTH
THE EBAA MAKES ITS VOICE HEARD
Fabio Gamba in discussion with Paul Walsh
From the Desk of
Fabio Gamba CEO EBAA
While the airline industry is adept at
defending its interests at EU level, our
industry has always found it harder to win
peoples attention.
And even when people are listening,
getting lawmakers to understand the
definition of Business Aviation can be
hugely challenging. The good news is that
we have experienced former airlinelobbyist Fabio Gamba at the helm of the
EBAA. But what has he learned from the
airlines and how does he apply this to
Business Aviation?
First of all the airlines are more visible
than any other segment in air transport. So
they have the pros and cons of being
visible. On the positive side, when a
legislator is churning out new laws, he or
she will have the airlines in mind. The
disadvantage is that the airlines are big
corporations and as a result they can be
perceived and targeted as anti-consumer.
However the problems really arent any
different here in Business Aviation, its just
that the degree of visibility is different.
Legislators know air transport through the
prism of commercial airlines. So they
assume that Business Aviation is like
commercial, except that the size of the
aircraft is different. So first we have to tell
them, no, its not. Then we have to explain
why.
A step in the right direction
Gamba adds that the European
Commission now acknowledges that it
doesnt understand what Business Aviation
is, and that this is actually a step in the
right direction. In fact the European
Commission says that it wants to revise its
basic perception of us. And as you know
the time is ripe for doing this, because
EASA is now widening its scope and looking
at gradually transitioning into a European
Aviation Authority.
The real stumbling block, according to
Gamba, is that the Commission follows the
ICAO definitions: Commercial air transport,
general aviation and aerial work.
Commercial air transport is everything
that is commercial, whether youre flying
with a Falcon or a 747. General aviation is
everything that is not commercial. But
Business Aviation is stuck between
commercial and GA and until the
Commission understands that, there will
always be a problem. So what we are
saying is, before you do anything: treat us
a sector. We have differences within the
sector, some activities are commercial,
some are non-commercial; some are in
between. But we have made a definition
because it makes sense and many different
business models fit in this definition.
Whats happening at the Commission is
clearly an interesting development and
Gamba foresees a substantial change in the
way that things are being done. The
danger, however, is that the Commission
will embark on a new program of changes
but do so on the basis of the wrong
definition. That would mean that Business
Aviation would become more visible while
at the same time being split in two by the
regulators. In short, says Gamba, it would
be a challenge.
The commonality between the different
types of Business Aviation is the important
point he says. We are unscheduled; we
have the same type of operational
patterns. It doesnt matter whether a flight
is commercial or non-commercial, if the
nature of the operation is the same or
similar. When ICAO made the definition it
didnt grasp this. But that was 70
years ago and actually if you speak with
ICAO people today, theyll agree that the
definitions that they are working with are
outdated.
For a certain period when Business
Aviation was smaller, we could find our
way, he adds, but this era is clearly over
and nowadays BizAv is an established
sector with 7% of movements a year in
Europe, 20% in the US. Its simply too
hard to ignore anymore, legislators have to
try and understand what it is all about.
We are not asking for deregulation. We
understand that it is a regulated sector,
but we just want the regulation to be fair.
Looming regulation
One of the most pressing issues at the
moment is the upcoming EASA regulations
for non-commercial aircraft (NCC), and
while Gamba broadly welcomes the
27-NOV-14
/EUROPE
TRANSATLANTIC
development, the fear is that many
operators are not prepared for whats
coming.
In conjunction with EASA were
organizing workshops for operators
throughout 2015. People will be able to
speak with EASA directly and bring
questions about their operation: well be
the filter.
So are operators ready?
The general comment I have is that
nowadays commercial and noncommercial are treated very differently.
The commercial guys are overregulated
and un-commercial operations are highly
under-regulated.
It goes back to what I said earlier.
People are in the same family of Business
Aviation but experience a totally opposed
form of regulation. And actually this is
one of the reasons why there are noncomplying operations throughout
Europe. And so EASA has legitimately
decided that there needs to be a
framework within which Part NCC can
evolve.
Another issue on the lips of many is
consolidation. And while some assumed
that the recession would bring a wave of
consolidation, significant mergers and
acquisitions have only taken place in the
past year.
In many ways Business Aviation wasnt
ready for the recession; its not
something that this industry is used to.
And in that way were different from the
airlines. We were still in growth mode
when the recession hit, with many new
entrants wanting to tap into the
seemingly endless sea of opportunities.
Then when 2008-2009 came there were
15% less movements. We were the worst
hit sector in the industry.
It rang an alarm bell for many people, so
that they began to think about whether
they should merge with what was
previously their main competitor.
Why is it not happening at a higher
speed?
Thats partly the nature of Business
Aviation. Its difficult for one small entity
to acquire another small entity. The
synergies are not that obvious. Plus the
mentality is much more parochial in a
small company than in a huge company.
The head and the heart
Meanwhile one thing that has been very
clear recently is that the EBAA is doing
plenty of rigorous analytic work to
emphasize the weight and importance of
Business Aviation as a sector. But at the
same time wider and more public
campaigns like the NBAAs No Plane No
Gain are noticeably lacking. Is this
something Gamba would like to rectify?
In beginning I wanted to avoid
presenting an emotionally charged
picture of Business Aviation. I wanted
people to look at the facts, and
understand that our industry makes
sense. These efforts will continue. But I
agree that you also have to talk to the
heart and well definitely do more in this
direction too.
First of all theres the battle of EBAA
versus the operators. There are a lot of
European operators that are not EBAA
members. Why is this the case? You
know its not just a question of what we
can provide to them; the nature of what
were doing is such that you benefit
whether youre a member or not. So we
want to tell them that theyre a part of
the family and that they can bring
something to the table. In other words
its important to have the biggest family
possible within the sector. Not only
because of the influence of the sector
but also because of the type of
discussion youll have.
Weve hired a communications
manager. And this is not just to address
policy makers, but also the people in the
street: to sell the image of Business
Aviation in a more positive way, because
its not generally perceived in the right
way now. So its a priority. Coming up
with the numbers is one aspect, but a
good story is just as important.
But what we are looking at is quality
rather than quantity. For instance we
want to make sure that our website
anticipates and offers solutions. Id even
like people in the industry to have the
EBAA website as their front page,
because every day there is relevant and
accurate information.
But more and more we want to reach
out to people that we had never
thought we would talk to. We want to
address business gatherings and
networking events. This is where we can
talk to potential customers. Of course
were not selling anything, other than
the image of Business Aviation. This is
one aspect of lobbying, its called
marketing and we want to do more of
it.
✈
EUROCONTROL
PUBLISHES CALL FOR
TENDERS FOR CS1
EUROCONTROL has published the
Call for Tenders for a second
Centralized Service, the CS1, the
Flight Plan and Airport Slot
Consistency Service (FAS).
CS1 is a Centralized Service to check
the consistency of flight plans against
airport slots on a centralized basis. It
will inform ATM stakeholders of
mismatches and provide postoperation analysis. This will result in
better exploitation of airport
capacity and improved flight
punctuality, helping to enhance
predictability and consistency.
"To make best use of our
unfortunately very limited airport
capacities in Europe, we need to
exploit the available infrastructure to
the maximum" says Frank Brenner,
Director General of EUROCONTROL.
"The CS1/FAS is a Europe-wide
service that the 40 EUROCONTROL
Member States asked us to develop,
set-up and demonstrate at the start
of this year."
✈
BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA
JOINS EUROPEAN
NETWORK
On 13 November 2014 a new Air
Traffic Control Center (ACC) started
operations in the European network.
The new Bosnia Herzegovina Air
Traffic Control Centre (BH ACC) will
initially provide air traffic services
over parts of Sarajevo Flight
Information Region up to FL325,
while for the remaining portions of
the airspace and for the airspace
above FL325, air traffic services will
continue to be provided from
Belgrade and Zagreb ACCs.
Representatives from the civil
aviation authorities of BosniaHerzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro
and Serbia and their air navigation
service providers (BHANSA, Croatia
Control and SMATSA) together with
EUROCONTROL worked closely
together towards the achievement of
this goal.
✈
BART: DECEMBER - JANUARY - 2014 - 2015 - 29
27-NOV-14
TRANSATLANTIC
U.S.A. ON OUR RADAR THIS MONTH
BUSINESS AVIATIONS SAFETY EMPHASIS,
HIGHLIGHTED AT RECENT PRAGUE EXPO,
APPLIES WORLDWIDE
From the Desk of
Ed Bolen NBAA
President and CEO
Business Aviation connects points
throughout the world, and the challenges
and policies of one region affect our
shared, global aviation community,
including on matters related to aviation
safety. That is why NBAA recently
participated in the Central Europe Private
Aviation Convention (CEPA EXPO 2014)
that took place Nov. 19-20 in Prague,
Czech Republic.
Doug Carr, NBAA's vice president of
regulatory and international affairs,
attended the event, titled "Business Growth
Through Aviation."
Among the most important presentations
Doug made at the conference was one on
the need for the industry to continue
working with regulators to enhance the
safety of business aviation operations
worldwide, and the need for mutual trust
that information shared in order to promote
safety is not used to penalize operators.
Nothing that "trust is the backbone of any
good safety culture," Doug emphasized that
states, in Europe and around the world,
must ensure that aviation safety data including safety reports, aircraft data and
other safety tools - receive protection from
subpoenas and other legal mechanisms
seeking access to this sensitive information.
Doug went on to explain how delicate a
positive safety culture, including reporting
of errors and other incidents, can be.
The Expo provided other venues for NBAA
to share information about safety best
practices and regulation - for example, Doug
moderated a safety management panel,
which focused on European Aviation Safety
Agency (EASA) /FAA bilateral safety
agreement changes, implications of EASA
reorganization and EASA pilot-training
requirements.
The event proved a valuable opportunity to
share what NBAA Members have learned
about safety culture. We were pleased with
the positive reception Doug's comments
received at the Expo, and the need for
continued use of data for determining the
root causes of accidents and enhancing
safety, whether in developing best
practices, or producing effective, yet
30 - BART: DECEMBER - JANUARY - 2014 -2015
workable regulations, is a message NBAA
will continue to share, both in the U.S. and
abroad.
And, of course NBAA's work to support the
industry's global safety emphasis continues
on a year-round basis. For example, when
we partner each year with the European
Business Aviation Association in hosting the
annual European Business Aviation
Convention & Exhibition (EBACE), we make
sure that a Safety Workshop is always part
of that event.
The workshop, developed primarily for
professionals in the business aviation
community in Europe, is an effort to provide
critical information and training that is
directly related to human performance. The
day-long event is neither aircraft- nor
manufacturer- specific, but instead is
applicable to anyone flying any aircraft type
for business. It's also designed to challenge,
in a productive manner, the way people
think about safety.
In addition to the event-based safety
workshops NBAA sponsors, the association
also continually produces safety-related
tools for business aircraft operators. As just
one example, NBAA recently published a
resource titled the Flight Safety Foundation
Duty/Rest Guidelines for Business Aviation.
NBAA partnered with the Flight Safety
Foundation to update these guidelines, in
an effort to address the 24-hour-a-day
needs of business aviation while considering
current research in fatigue science and
human physiology. Implementing concepts
set forth in the guidelines document can
help flight departments meet the needs of
their customers while mitigating the risk of
fatigue.
In short, whether NBAA is attending safetyfocused events, hosting safety forums or
producing and disseminating safety
resources, we do so out of recognition that
our association is a national one, but our
industry is a global one. That's why NBAA
will continue to promote an international
approach to ensuring that business aviation
remains a safe industry around the world.
✈
27-NOV-14
/U.S.A.
TRANSATLANTIC
USE DATA TO IMPROVE
SAFETY, SAYS NBAA
Doug Carr, NBAA’s vice president of
regulatory and international affairs, told
attendees at a recent European aviation
event that pilots and other aviation
professionals must have confidence
that operators and safety regulators will
use safety reports and other
information to improve safety and not
to penalize individuals.
Individual safety reports are important
because they often contain “sole
source” information – information that
would not have been discovered or
reported by another system, he added.
Carr made those remarks at the
Central Europe Private Aviation
(CEPA) CEPA EXPO 2014: Business
Growth Through Aviation, which was
held Nov. 19 to 20 in Prague, Czech
Republic. During the event, Carr also
discussed a number of other safety
topics, including safety data analysis, a
review of 2013 business aviation
accidents and the merits of developing
a positive safety culture.
The FAA recently made two
determinations that, although unrelated
to each other, carry ramifications for
communities seeking to exert undue
authority over the control of local
airports.
FAA RULINGS REAFFIRM
AUTHORITY OVER
AIRPORT OPERATIONS
In a final policy statement published in
the Federal Register earlier this month,
the FAA reaffirmed its “long-standing
policy“ on the allocation of funds
derived from taxes on aviation fuel, and
the responsibilities of airports over
funds that aren’t levied by the airports
themselves, as outlined in 49 U.S.C.
47133. Generally, revenue raised by
airports – including through taxation –
must only be used for aviation-related
purposes.
While acknowledging that state
governments and local municipalities
&nd and not airports – have ultimate
control over the disbursement of taxes
they receive, the FAA also noted “the
plain language of the statute at issue,
[and] the detailed legislative history,
reflect strong congressional intent that
aviation fuel taxes be used for airport
purposes and state aviation programs.“
NBAA MAKES PUSH FOR
TAX PROVISIONS
With the 2014 midterm elections over,
Congress is likely to address only a
few priorities before the new year. In a
joint letter this week, NBAA and more
than 500 other industry groups urged
Congress to make extending several
expired or expiring tax provisions –
including accelerated depreciation – a
top priority.
Accelerated or “bonus” depreciation
has been passed many times by
Congress, and allows businesses to
immediately deduct 50 percent of the
cost of an investment. Businesses are
not entitled to more depreciation; they
simply are allowed to recover
investment costs more quickly.
Accelerated depreciation expired at
the end of 2013, but over the last year
NBAA and a broad coalition of
industry groups have supported efforts
in Congress to renew it retroactively
as one of 57 tax “extenders.”
“Failure to extend these provisions is a
tax increase,” states the Nov. 18 letter,
which was sent to all members of the
Senate and House of Representatives.
“Acting promptly on this matter in the
lame duck session will provide
important predictability necessary for
economic growth.”
FAA CHANGES
APPROVALS FOR
OVERWATER OPS
The FAA recently made changes to
Operational Specification/
Management Specification (MSPec)/
Letter of Authorization (LOA) B045,
Extended Overwater Operations Using
a Single Long-Range Communication
System. The changes affect FAR Part
91K, 121, 125 and 135 operators
utilizing a single long-range
communication system (SLRCS) in the
West Atlantic Route System (WATRS),
Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico.
The current template for B045 is
combined for Parts 121, 152 and 135,
which causes confusion for operational
control organizations. It also contains
contradicting information regarding
the various communication
requirements for each regulatory part.
The current template allows a gap of
up to 30 minutes in very high
frequency radio coverage; however,
Parts 121, 125 and 135 do not contain
time restraints for SLRCS in this area.
New separate templates have been
created for each of the regulatory
classifications. Operators must obtain
the mandatory new approval by April
23, 2015. The new templates are
tailored for the operational control
organization and clarify the
communication requirements of each
part. The changes provide for greater
planning flexibility while maintaining
high levels of voice communication
reliability
TETERBORO OFFICIALS
OUTLINE WINTER OPS PLANS
During snowstorms, officials at the
New Jersey airport plan to give first
priority to keeping Runway 6/24 open
and clearing enough taxiways so that
aircraft can reach the FBOs from that
runway. After that, the focus will be on
plowing Runway 1/19 and the
remaining taxiways, explained John
Kastens, Teterboro’s operations
manager.
When snow and freezing rain require
deicing, pilots should contact the
tower before deicing to determine
conditions at their destination, advised
Larry Brady, Teterboro’s tower
specialist. He also recommended that
pilots call for taxi clearance only after
deicing is completed.
To lessen noise over Hackensack
University Medical Center, which is
located northwest of the airport, the
FAA is creating a new visual approach,
which is expected to be published by
the middle of 2015. Landmarks and
major roadways that will help pilots
avoid overflying towns will be used to
define the route.
✈
BART: DECEMBER - JANUARY - 2014 -2015 - 31
PREVIEW
Take a region with a rising
population, high disposable
income; a favorable
geographic location; and an
appetite to do business at a
global level, and you already
know that Business Aviation is
going to play a key role in its
economic development.
27-NOV-14
MEBA
MEBA TO FOCUS
ON MIDEAST GROWTH
By Paul Walsh
T
he region we are talking about is
the Middle East, where there are
currently 530 registered business
aircraft, a figure that’s expected to rise
to 1200 by 2020. Meanwhile the number of movements in the region is
anticipated to reach 175,000 by 2020,
up from 105,000 in 2012.
It shouldn’t surprise you then that
the region’s marquee industry event:
MEBA tends to filled with optimism at
the bright future that Business
Aviation can bring. This year it’s set to
take place at Dubai World Central
VISIT
8000 visitors are
expected at this
years MEBA
event says Ali Al
Naqbi the
Founding
Chairman of
MEBAA.
from December 8th till 10th and will
have a strong focus on anticipated sector growth, as Business Aviation analysts suggest the region’s private business jet market is on course for a 13 to
15 per cent growth in 2014; bolstered
by more aircraft orders and charter
requests.
“We are set to witness a fantastic
event, with over 400 exhibitors, more
than 8,000 visitors and some 50 air-
craft on static display”, says Ali Al
Naqbi, Founding Chairman of
MEBAA. We’re looking forward to
welcoming some of the world’s most
influential aviation players, in this purpose-built environment which underlines the importance of the Business
Aviation sector to the regional economy.” He continues, “With the new
venue at DWC plus an expanding FBO
infrastructure coupled with footfall and
demand forecasts growing, the event
will surely set the benchmark for
industry events.”
Meanwhile Michele van Akelijen,
Managing Director, F&E Aerospace,
confirms the range of exhibitors
expected at the show, saying “This
year, more than 70 per cent of our
exhibitors are from outside the Middle
East, representing 45 countries, from
as far afield as the USA, Europe and
Asia.”
Al Naqbi points that at current
growth rates, the sector is set to be
worth US$1.3 billion by 2020, growing at a compound annual rate in
excess of 9.4% over the next two
years, according to an Infiniti
Research report into the global
Business Aviation market.
“Dubai is rapidly being declared the
global aviation business hub. Recent
figures from analysts Oxford
Economics suggest the total aviation
sector in this emirate alone supports
more than 250,000 jobs and contributes over US$22 billion annually to
Dubai’s GDP; representing around
19% of total employment in Dubai and
28% of GDP. And that figure is growing,” says the MEBAA Founding
Chairman.
27-NOV-14
Among the OEMs at the show
Dassault will be present with a number of aircraft on display, sources from
the company say that the Middle East
is expected to be a major market for
the all new Falcon 5X, due to enter
service in mid 2017 and will be one of
the highlights for Dassault at the
show.
Earlier, Dassault delivered its first
Falcon 900LX in Saudi Arabia to
Wallan Aviation, the prominent
Middle East general aviation company. The 4,750 nm tri-engine Falcon
900LX is the most efficient airplane
in its class, with a fuel burn up to
40% lower than other comparable aircraft.
. “The 5,200 nm (9,630 km) Falcon
5X will feature the largest cabin crosssection and the most advanced digital
flight controls in Business Aviation,
enabling it to link Dubai to all destinations in Africa, the Far East and
Europe with a level of comfort and efficiency unmatched in the large cabin
segment,” said Renaud Cloatre,
Dassault Aviation’s sales director for
the Middle East. “We believe it will be
a perfect match for the demands of the
Middle East market.”
The company has delivered over
2,250 Falcons and become the
acknowledged leader in the large
cabin sector.
Textron Aviation will also be present with both Cessna and
Beechcraft brands on display in
Dubai.
For one thing Beechcraft has a yearround presence in Dubai with a sales
and support office there as well as a
parts distribution center, and it continues to grow its market share of business turboprop aircraft throughout the
Middle East region.
“Beechcraft’s presence and market
share continues to grow as the
“The business jet market in the Middle
East shows promise for a healthy
future,” says Eric Trappier, Chairman
and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
Falcons continue to meet the demands
of Middle East customers, who appreciate the operating performance and flexibility, cabin comfort and technological
excellence. More than 30 aircraft have
been delivered to customers in the
region over the past five years, nearly
doubling the regional Falcon fleet to 67
aircraft.
“We are proud to list prestigious
regional operators like Saudi Private
Aviation and Wallan Aviation among our
loyal customers,” said Trappier. “We
forecast continued growth in the years
ahead, and plan to continue investing in
the region to better support our operators.”
Dassault
currently
operates
Authorized Service Centers in Dubai
and Jeddah, a spares distribution center
in Dubai and a technical office in Jeddah
to serve the Middle East market. It also
runs a regional sales office in Dubai.
The ultra-long range 7X is the fastestselling Falcon model in the Middle
East, accounting for 40% of sales.
Thirteen of the advanced trijet are currently in service in the region.
The popular Falcon 2000 is also in
demand in the region and represents about one third of the aircraft
operating in the region. Along with
the Falcon 2000S, Dassault recently
certified another new 2000 model,
the 2000LXS, which combines the
short-field performance and low
operating costs of the “S” model
with the long range capability of the
2000LX.
region’s use of special mission and
business aircraft increases,” said one
Beechcraft executive “Historically,
King Airs account for 67 percent of the
Middle East’s business turboprop market. During the past five years the
Middle East has experienced dramatic
growth in Business Aviation, and nearly 84 percent of business turboprop
deliveries in the region are Beechcraft
King Airs.”
CENTER
OEMs are
increasingly
looking upon
Dubai as a
global Business
Aviation hub.
Beechcraft
KingAir 350i
bottom (right).
PREVIEW
27-NOV-14
MEBA
According to industry data there are
91 business turboprops registered in
the Middle East – 61 of these are King
Airs. This same data shows turboprops are increasingly popular in the
region: in the last five years, business
turboprop deliveries jumped more
than 1,000 percent from the previous
five years. Beechcraft delivered 29
King Airs to the Middle East from
2008-2012.
“One of Beechcraft’s largest growth
segments in the Middle East is special
mission applications, and some of the
most popular in this region are surveillance, air ambulance and high density
configurations,” he added, “operators
find that the range and payload capabilities of the King Air and its ability to
DESIRE
Both the Citation
X (top) and the
Embraer Legacy
650 are
becoming very
attractive to
Middle East
customers.
land on unimproved runways provide
cost-effective transportation solutions
for intra-regional missions.
“Our most active markets in the
region are Turkey, Saudi Arabia and
the United Arab Emirates. And we
expect the strong demand for business
aircraft in the Middle East to continue
in the coming years, reflecting the
region’s increasing global influence
and economic development.”
Demand for private aviation in the
Middle East led Beechcraft to open an
office staffed with sales and support
experts in Dubai in 2011. Additionally,
Beechcraft Parts & Distribution ships
genuine factory parts from a distribution center in Dubai.
Meanwhile Cessna are very excited
about the sales performance of the
Citation X, which has been very attractive to Middle East customers, particularly given the features of Clairity,
Cessna’s new proprietary cabin technology system.
The Citation X will be able to reach
altitude faster, and travel farther, than
its previous model. Seating up to nine
passengers and two pilots, it is 15 inches longer, providing extra passenger
legroom in the forward club seating
area.
Clairity is standard on the aircraft.
Developed by Cessna in partnership
with Dallas-based Heads Up
Technologies, Clairity is an intelligent
cabin technology solution that ties into
the aircraft avionics systems and can
integrate cabin electrical systems and
data and communication sharing
through a fiber optic backbone, controlled through either an intuitive
touch-screen user interface at each
seat or the customer’s personal electronic device.
Clairity’s touch-screen system controllers or Wi-Fi connectivity to a personal electronic device allow complete
control of cabin lighting, window
shades, temperature, audio (digital
media, MP3/iPhone), video (digital,
Blu-ray), and individual interactive
moving maps. The basic system
includes the interactive moving maps
and USB/device inputs. Options such
as satellite radio, Blu-ray players,
external cameras or high-speed
Internet browsing can be easily added.
Embraer will also be present and
the Brazilian OEM has received a
strong endorsement from customers
in the Middle East, which has become
the largest market for the Lineage
1000 and the second largest market
for the Legacy 650. These two jets are
the most popular models with their
long flight ranges enabling non-stop
flights from Dubai to South Africa,
Western Europe, Northeastern Russia,
Japan, China, and Central Asia.
In addition, Embraer has designated
three authorized service centers in the
region to provide maintenance, repair,
and overhaul (MRO): two for executive aviation (in Dubai and Abu Dhabi)
and one for commercial jets – in
Egypt.
The company has also enlarged the
authorization scope of ExecuJet Middle
East as an Embraer Authorized Service
27-NOV-14
PREVIEW
27-NOV-14
MEBA
Center (EASC). The service center,
located at Dubai International Airport, is
now authorized for line maintenance on
the ultra- large Lineage 1000 and for
base maintenance on the Phenom 300
light jet. ExecuJet Middle East was first
appointed as an Embraer Authorized
Service Center (EASC) in October 2010.
“Having ExecuJet Middle East in our
network of authorized service centers
is a great advantage as they are committed to delivering an excellent service to our customers,” says Pedro
Paiva, Vice President, Customer
Support and Services Europe, Middle
East and Africa – Executive Jets.
“Company skill, combined with the
existing Embraer on-site stock of
spare parts available at their facilities
in Dubai, already provides our
Phenom 300 and Legacy 600 / 650
customers with comprehensive support in the region. In addition, the
inclusion of Lineage 1000 line maintenance capability gives our customers a
further option in the Middle East
region for this model.”
ExecuJet’s enhanced maintenance
level capability consolidates Embraer’s
customer support and services network in the buoyant Middle East market where Embraer Executive Jets
already has authorized service centers
in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, plus a dedicated spare parts distribution center in
Dubai. The company, which has provided base maintenance services for
the Legacy 600 and the Legacy 650
since March 2011, becomes the second service center in the region to pro-
SIZE
Buyers in the
Middle East love
big irons.
Embraer
Lineage 1000
(top)
Gulfstream
650ER (center)
and Bombardier
Global 5000
(bottom).
27-NOV-14
vide support for the Lineage 1000.
“We are very pleased that Embraer
Executive Jets has renewed its confidence in our company by extending
its authorized service center agreement to other aircraft in its family,”
says Nick Weber, Maintenance
Director – AMO Middle East,
ExecuJet Aviation Group. “This is a
result of our commitment and
reflects the high level of skill
acquired by ExecuJet over the years
to provide a wide range of services to
Embraer customers in the region.
Over the next 20 years, Bombardier
forecasts 1,200 business jet deliveries
in the Middle East, driven by the
region’s oil exports, long distances
between its major cities, and difficult
surface transportation. With the industry’s most comprehensive product
portfolio and a commitment to leadership in customer satisfaction,
Bombardier continues to grow its lead-
ership position in the Business
Aviation industry. From light jets to
large, ultra long range aircraft,
Bombardier offers a solution to all customers, whatever their requirements
may be. There are approximately 100
of Bombardier’s Learjet, Challenger
and Global business jets in operation
in the Middle East.
Gulfstream’s presence in the
Middle East is already very strong, a
fact that was underlined recently by a
Memorandum of Understanding that it
signed with Qatar Airways for the purchase of up to 20 aircraft. The agreement was announced in conjunction
with Gulfstream’s introduction of an
all-new family of business jets, the
Gulfstream G500 and G600.
This establishes the initial agreement for Qatar Airways to order up to
20 Gulfstream aircraft, including firm
orders and options for the all-new,
wide-cabin G500 and the flagship
G650ER as well as marking the beginning of a new relationship between
Qatar Airways and Gulfstream.
“This agreement is evidence of the
industry-leading performance of
Gulfstream’s flagship aircraft, the
G650ER, and of our commitment to
deliver on the promises we have made
for our new family of aircraft, which
includes the G500,” said Larry Flynn,
president, Gulfstream. “With their
unmatched high-speed capabilities
and class-leading cabin comfort, the
G650ER and G500 will allow Qatar
Airways to introduce a new level of
service to their customers in the
Middle East and abroad.”
Said His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al
Baker, group chief executive, Qatar
Airways, “Qatar Executive has been
on an accelerated growth path since
its inception and is held to an exceptional standard of quality that is
widely known by our global clientele. In order to keep pace with the
future strategic growth plans of our
private jet division, the fleet is being
expanded with aircraft that meet the
needs of our guests, providing a
wide range of options. Today’s
announcement of the Memorandum
of Understanding for G650ERs and
G500s signals a next step for Qatar
Executive’s relatively young and
buoyant history.”
From its start in 2009, Qatar
Executive has rapidly risen to become
a leader in air charter services for individuals, families, businesses, corporations and governments. As part of
Qatar Airways, one of the world’s leading airlines, Qatar Executive’s clients
are assured an excellent charter experience.
Qatar Executive was established as
part of Qatar Airways’ ongoing robust
global growth strategy and continued
commitment to the Middle East and
global business travel community.
Nextant Aerospace, will also be
present and has announced the
appointment of JetHQ as its exclusive
INTEREST
Qatar Airways
has signed an
MOU for up to
20 Gulfstream
aircraft. Akbar Al
Baker Group
Chief Executive
Qatar Airways.
PREVIEW
27-NOV-14
MEBA
sales agent for Saudi Arabia, the UAE,
Turkey, and Lebanon. These countries
represent some of the most active private aviation markets in the Middle
East.
JetHQ and its Dubai-based Managing
Director Garett Jerde will play a key
role in progressing with Nextant’s
sales, marketing, and customer service strategy in the region. Mr. Jerde
has strong experience in private aviation and deep product knowledge of
entry-level aircraft. JetHQ has seen
commercial success broking a wide
range of aircraft including Beechcraft,
Hawker, Bombardier, Gulfstream, and
Augusta. Before starting JetHQ, Mr.
Jerde was a top salesman for Hawker
Beechcraft, twice earning honors as
Salesman of the Year.
GROWTH
Nextant (top) is
growing its
presence in the
Middle East
while Jet
Aviation recently
opened an FBO
at Dubai world
central.
“I am excited to be part of the global
Nextant team,” said Mr. Jerde. “Both
the 400XTi and the G90XT are great
aircraft for the Middle Eastern market.
They deliver unmatched performance,
versatility and reliability at half the
price of the competition. The aircraft
are also excellent platforms for Special
Missions applications including air
ambulance, freight, training, surveillance, and high-density seating and
cloud seeding.”
Finally Jet Aviation Dubai recently
opened a new FBO facility at Dubai
World Central’s Al Maktoum
International Airport. The company
continues to provide MRO and FBO
services at Dubai International
Airport.
Jet Aviation was granted permission to permanently operate an FBO
at Dubai World Central’s (DWC) Al
Maktoum International Airport following its appointment as the dedi-
cated ground handling service
provider for the Middle East
Business Aviation (MEBA) exhibition in December 2012. The company will continue to provide maintenance and FBO operations at Dubai
International Airport, the other international airport in Dubai.
For passengers and crew members,
Jet Aviation’s FBO at Al Maktoum
International Airport provides 24/7
handling services such as immigration and customs support, crew
transportation, hotel reservations
and catering coordination. Aircraft
services include taxiing, luggage
handling, lavatory drainage and aircraft refueling service for which all
Jet Aviation FBO and MRO customers in EMEA receive preferential
rates. Amenities at the facility
include two new customer lounges.
“Aircraft
at
Al
Maktoum
International Airport are not subject
to any parking or slot restrictions
and Business Aviation traffic is
increasingly being diverted there,”
says Michael Rucker, vice president
and general manager at Jet Aviation
Dubai. “With the opening of this
FBO facility, we can now better meet
the needs of our customers in the
region, whether at Dubai World
Central or Dubai International
Airport.”
✈
27-NOV-14
Join European business leaders, government officials, manufacturers, corporate
aviation department personnel and all those involved in business aviation for the
15th annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2015).
Save the date and visit the EBACE website to learn more.
www.ebace.aero/BART
REGIONAL REPORT
By Paul Walsh
N
owadays many countries appear
to have thriving Business
Aviation sectors, although the
reality on the ground may be quite different, with aircraft that are listed in a
country`s fleet that not flying because
of poor infrastructure or lack of interest.
One country that has looked good on
paper for a long time is Saudi Arabia.
Over the past number of years its
BizAv market has experienced an
annual growth rate of 20% with estimates saying that there are now over
300 aircraft based in the country, representing 35% of all registered jets in
the Middle East.
Richard Koe of aviation consultancy
Wingx Advance points out the average
age of Saudi aircraft is 13.5 years
meaning that OEMs have a tremendous opportunity to convince buyers
to trade up to a newer model.
In spite of this buoyancy, operating a
business aircraft in Saudi Arabia can
be challenging. “There are many barriers for non-Saudi operators,” says
Judith Milne Universal Weather and
Aviation’s Regional Vice President
Europe, Middle East and Africa.
“The issues include Visas, lack of support for AOG situations, quality of handling in some locations and looking
after the safety of crew in ground
transportation. The ATC capacity is
sometimes stretched and experiences
saturation at times, and the quality of
catering is poor.”
SPEED
Saudi Arabia is
experiencing
rapid BizAv
growth, although
challenges in
infrastructure
remain an issue.
27-NOV-14
SAUDI ARABIA
DOING BUSINESS
IN THE KINGDOM
You need to have patience when
doing business in Saudi Arabia says
Milne, although many new companies
are entering the market. “Things are
improving and changing and the
future for Business Aviation is bright
and positive.”
According to Keith Foreman, who’s
also with Universal Weather and
Aviation, “Landing permits are needed
for all private non-revenue and charter
(non-scheduled commercial) operations to Saudi Arabia. So long as all
required information is submitted with
the initial request, the recommended
lead time for landing permits is three
days. Short-notice requests may be
possible, but the process is slower outside of normal Civil Aviation Authority
(CAA) operating hours. While CAA
operates 24 hours, things often slow
down at night and over holiday periods. Note that permit validity is +48
hours. If you require a permit revision
– including for changes to departure
and destination (before or after a
Saudi Arabia landing) – plan on at
least 24 hours’ advance notification.”
He adds that overflight permits are
always required when traversing the
Saudi Arabian airspace. While the
actual routing is not important, for permit purposes destination and departure points must always be provided.
Then depending on nationality, visas
may be required for passengers and
crew members. “Visas on arrival may
be possible for crew members
although not passengers, but this is
limited to a max stay of 72 hours.” He
notes that it’s important to check in
advance to ensure you meet visa-onarrival requirements.
“For crew visas on arrival, you’ll
need to submit copies of passports to
airport authorities and plan on 48
hours’ advance notification. As visas
on arrival cannot be extended unless
it’s an emergency, it’s always best
practice to have visas prior to arrival.
Note that a letter from a local Saudi
national sponsor is required in order
to obtain visas and landing permits.
Always ensure that you provide a cell
phone contact number for your sponsor as authorities will contact him or
her.”
Customs clearance is normally
accomplished either in an FBO or
within the main commercial terminal.
Planeside or onboard clearance may
be possible in Saudi Arabia, depending
on the person onboard and purpose of
the flight, but that needs to be set up
in advance.
Finding suitable maintenance facilities can also be an issue. “In most locations there is a serious shortage of
hangar space and with a few exceptions many handling facilities are low
quality,” says Milne.
However infrastructure has come a
long way the last few years and a new
Jeddah Airport will increase capacity
significantly, in its first phase passenger capacity will grow to 30 million
and then to 80 million by its final
phase. The airport will cover an area
of 670,000 sqm with terminals for
domestic and international passengers.
It’s also worth noting that unlike certain aircraft markets, Saudi owners put
their aircraft to good use and last year
27-NOV-14
the country experienced 29,869 aircraft movements based mainly around
the Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam
King Fahd Airports. Of these 2344
were Business Aviation movements, a
figure that grew by 9.9% compared to
last year. Off these movements 62%
were private and 32% were charter.
Finally cultural issues also play a
very important role when operating in
Saudi Arabia. Foreman notes that
while you are in Saudi Arabia, it’s
important to dress conservatively and
avoid wearing revealing clothing. “No
alcohol is permitted within the country. If you have alcohol onboard, it
must be in a locked cabinet. Airport
authorities will add a tamper-proof seal
after you’ve locked up any onboard
liquor. Be sure to put away any
onboard reading materials that may
contain images of skin exposure”.
It’s recommended that any female
flight crew member sit in the right
seat, even if she’s the pilot in command, due to cultural norms in the
country. When you are off-airport, it’s
not a problem to walk around as long
as you pay attention to your surroundings and cultural norms, but female
crew members should always be
accompanied by men and dressed conservatively. This country has a conservative culture – for instance, there are
often separate areas in hotels for men,
women, and families – however, certain exceptions are made for non-Saudi
crew members.
✈
AIRPORTS
Investments
continue to pour
into Saudi
Arabia. Al
Bateen ramp
(top)
Yanbu
International
Airport (bottom).
REGIONAL REPORT
27-NOV-14
MIDDLE EAST
BizAv BOOMS IN MIDDLE EAST
belonging to Saudi businessmen registered abroad totals more than 700. He
believes this is attributable to the
absence of a structured legislative and
regulatory environment in the Middle
East region.”
Middle East Aviation
Insurance Program Expands
The Middle East Business Aviation
Association (MEBAA)has expanded
its aviation insurance program to
include coverage for MROs, pilots,
ground handlers, refuelers, fuel sales
agents and other industry stakeholders.
By Kirby Harrison
W
ABUNDANCE
The Middle East
is still a fertile
market for many
OEMs.
hen Bombardier Business Jets
released its market forecast
for 2014 to 2033, the Middle
East came in for a modestly positive
review based on “Significant economic
growth expected in this region as
global economic conditions improve in
the coming years.” As 2014
approached year-end, there is evidence the forecast is accurate.
Earlier this year, Gulfstream
Aerospace announced its fleet of business jets owned and operated in the
Arabian Gulf region had reached 100
aircraft. Gulfstream Regional Vice
President Trevor Esling singled out in
particular Saudi Arabia and the United
Arab Emirates, noting during the Abu
Dhabi Air Expo that, “We have around
55 percent of the large-cabin market
there.”
The Savannah, Georgia-based OEM
has found the Middle East region a fertile market for its new ultra-long-range
G650. “We have quite a number of
orders and we’ll deliver them in the
next two years, said Esling.” He added
that Gulfstream’s success has been primarily among Middle East heads of
state, wealthy individual and private
companies, and for the most part for the
large-cabin G450, G550 and G650. “That
market remains pretty strong [and] I
see the market continuing to grow.”
If the growth of the bi-annual Middle
East Business Aviation (MEBA) trade
show is any indication, Business
Aviation in the region remains strong
and continues to grow. Sponsored by
the Middle East Business Aviation
Association (MEBAA), the 2010 event
rang up a total of 7,549 visitors, up
from 5,500 in 2008. And the 338
exhibitors in 2010 was a substantial
jump from 250 exhibitors in 2008. Two
years later in 2012 the number of
attendees increased to 7,549 and total
exhibitors to 385. This year, MEBAA
was expecting more than 8,000 visitors
and more than 400 exhibitors.
MEBAA believes $500 million in private aviation sector revenues could
triple in value, provided “governments,
legislators and the region’s 34 private
jet operators join forces to ensure
proper regulation.”
MEBAA founder and chairman Ali Al
Naqbi pointed out that while there are
150 private jets registered in Saudi
Arabia, the number of private jets
The discount program for operators
was launched in 2011 at the Dubai Air
Show. “Over the past two years, we
have provided our operator members
with coverage for a range of risks, and
with the program’s success came
increased demand for coverage from
non-operators,” said MEBAA founder
and chairman Ali Al Naqbi.
MEBAA has teamed with Willis
Group on the program, whose aviation
regional practice leader Henry Adair
noted that Willis has worked with AIG
and Abu Dhabi National Insurance to
further offer premises, hangar-keepers
and product liability coverage up to
$80 million limit. Dubai-based
Diamond Jet Detailing was the first
company to take advantage of the
expanded insurance offering.
Even with the strong growth, or perhaps because of it, the Middle East as
well as other parts of the world is
struggling with the issue of illegal
charter, also known as “the gray-market.”
The definition of an illegal flight is
not always straight forward, and therein lies part of the problem, according
to MEBAA. “Aside from the absence
of an air operator certificate granting
commercial license, an illegal flight
may be one whereby an operator
enters a country with the correct permit, but flies to another where a bilateral agreement is not in place.”
“The gray market is like a disease,”
says Al Naqbi. “We are currently campaigning to raise the awareness of
exactly what is an illegal flight . . . by
organizing conferences, arranging
training, writing in the media, and
establishing resources Online. By flying illegally,” he warned charter customers, “you might get less than the
market price, but you are jeopardizing
your life.”
If illegal flights continue to flourish,
he explained, the entire industry is the
poorer for it. The reduction of costs by
ignoring certain critical standards of
safety and legality is highly unsatisfactory and must continue to be
addressed in a fashion involving all
professional bodie, he explained. “If
the problem is not lessened or contained, it may result in legal operators
leaving the market or joining the
scam.”
Marc Bailey, CEO of the British
Business and General Aviation
Association (BBGA) urges in addition
that passengers be up front with their
charter brokers and ask the right
questions. Foremost among them is
“Can you confirm that this operator
has an AOC (aviation operators certificate)? If you are not prepared to ask
this question, you will be carrying on
down a slippery slope and are equally
guilty in the [illegal] process.”
If the expansion of the MEBA show
is an indication of the growth of
Business Aviation in the Middle East,
the growth of ground support and
expansion of the region’s organic aviation resources is no less so.
Poised to take advantage of the market is XJet, one of four FBOs licensed
to operate at the new Dubai World
Central – Al Maktoum International
Airport, the FBO’s global headquarters. “We have successfully established a hub in the United States and
are now committed to establishing
global hubs in the United Arab
Emirates and Europe,” said CEO Josh
Stewart. He added that the company
projects a doubling of private jet movements in the next five years in the
Middle East and North Africa.
Other aviation businesses in the
Middle East are also expanding outward. Jetex, a Dubai-based ground
handling and trip planning provider
recent launched operations in the U.S.
market, based adjacent to Miami
International Airport. The move is
intended to expand on the company’s
global reputation for world-class
FBOs, trip planning, concierge services and fuel.
“Not only does it give our U.S. customers local access to our services, it
provides all customers with a strategic
gateway into North American and easy
access to both Latin and South
America,” said Regional Sales
Manager Heath Satchwell.
The U.S.-based General Aviation
Manufacturers Association (GAMA)
earlier this year announced the opening of a representative office, co-located with MEBAA offices in Dubai. The
new office, said GAMA, emphasizes
the importance of the Middle East to
Business Aviation and forges a new
partnership between GAMA and
MEBAA. Part of that new partnership
will be efforts at changing the regulatory environment.
According to Bombardier, concerns
regarding Business Aviation mainly
revolve around the need for regulations related to carbon emissions,
emergency response and chartering.
Jet Aviation, home-based in Basel,
Switzerland, has become a major player in ground support services in the
Middle East in just a few short years.
In late 2013, Jet Aviation Dubai
expanded its services at Dubai World
27-NOV-14
Center – Al Maktoum International
Airport in preparation for an increase
in traffic. The facility now offers 96hour visa facilities, public transport,
24-hour limousine service, interior and
exterior cleaning and detailing and
improved catering service through
local suppliers.
This past summer, there were renovations of the FBO in Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia, “to provide maximum style
and comfort through enhanced passenger amenities and customer services, said Monica Beusch, head of Jet
Aviation FBO services in Europe, the
Middle East and Africa. In September,
the Jeddah facility received FAA repair
station approval for Gulfstream aircraft.
GDC Technics in San Antonio, Texas
has strong ties to the Middle East. In
trouble two years ago as Gore Design
Completions, it was acquired by the
Saudi investment group Malzeer and
is now managed by MAZ Aviation as
GDC. With Mohammed Alzeer, a general partner in Malzeer as its owner,
the center continues to grow and
expects to add 350 jobs, bringing the
total to 1,000 employees by the summer of 2015. Currently being outfitted
for Middle East clients at GDC are two
wide-body BBJ787s. According Alzeer,
the company plans to expand GDC’s
global presence, adding satellite facilities in the Middle East and Europe.
Associated Air Center in San
Antonio, Texas is a subsidiary of
StandardAero, which is under the
ownership of Dubai Aerospace
Enterprise, a UAE-based entity with
global interests. In its 66-year history,
Associated has completed numerous
interiors for Middle East customers.
The center delivered an ACJ330-200 in
September this year and is currently
working on a BBJ747-8 and a BBJ787.
Christine Hadley, senior marketing
manager at Greenpoint Technologies
in Kirkland, Washington, said her
cabin completion and refurbishment
center is exhibiting at MEBA for the
first time. The company has performed head-of-state cabin completion
outfitting on numerous Boeing
Business Jets and is currently outfitting two BBJ787s.
Also drawing numerous Business
Aviation manufacturers and suppliers to the region is the 2015 Dubai
Air Show, November 8-12 at Al
Maktoum International Airport.
While marketed primarily to the
SICKNESS
The grey market
is like a disease
says Al Naqbi
founder of
MEBAA.
REGIONAL REPORT
OBSTACLES
The Middle East
still poses
challenges and
flying into Israel
is one of them.
commercial and military aviation
segments, the show also has wide
appeal to Business Aviation. On the
exhibitor list are such major
Business Aviation entitles as
Bombardier Business Aviation of
Canada, Embraer Executive Jets
from Brazil, and B/E Aerospace
from the U.S. The show alternatives
with MEBA and at the 2013 event
drew 1,046 exhibitors from 60 countries and 60,000 trade visitors.
Other Middle East shows include
Aircraft Interiors Middle East,
February 2-3, 2015 and the
Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
Middle East, also February 2-3, and
both at the Dubai World Trade
Center in Dubai.
Even during the global recession
that hit hardest in the Europe, the
U.S. Business Aviation in the Middle
East has remained healthy, even
growing. According to MEBAA’s
founder Ali Al Naqbi, the region
expects to see growth of around 12to 15-percent, “a dramatic jump.”
The two big guys on the block –
Airbus Corporate Jet and Boeing
Business Jets – are carefully focused
on the Middle East market.
The first two corporate jets delivered by Airbus in the mid-1980s were
two A300-600s, both for Middle East
clients, “and the region remains the
company’s most important market
today,” said Airbus Corporate Jets
marketing director David Vilupillai.
He also pointed out that he Middle
East is the world’s largest VIP widebody market, in particular for the
ACJ330 Summit, “which can deliver a
mix of VIP and airline-style accommodations for less investment.”
27-NOV-14
MIDDLE EAST
Boeing Business Jets claims to
dominate the Middle East VP market, with a 49-percent share of the
large sing-aisle market and more
than 65 percent of the twin-aisle
market. The OEM has field representatives based in Saudi Arabia and
a regional spares center in Dubai.
According to Boeing, the Middle
East represents the largest hub for
747s used by governments and private individuals. In addition 30 percent of all BBJ orders, are from the
Middle East. And of 487 business
jets of all sizes in the region, both
ordered and in service, more than
one quarter are Boeings.
Reports
from
Bombardier
Business Jets is equally positive.
“The Middle East has more than
doubled the size of its business jet
fleet in the past 10 years, said a
spokeswoman, with medium-size
Challenger business jets dominating
deliveries. The OEM’s Global largecabin business jet accounts for a
quarter of deliveries.
Independent Business Aviation
analysts have suggested the private business jet market is on
course for 13- to 15-percent growth
in 2014; bolstered by more aircraft
orders and charter requests.
There are approximately 550 business aircraft registered in the
Middle East and North Africa and
that number is expected to reach
1,200 by the year 2020. MEBAA
anticipates the number of aircraft
movements in the region is expected to grow from 105,000 in 2012 to
175,000 by 2020.
“We are facing exciting times
across the region,” said Al Naqbi.
Flying Into Israel
Offers Challenges
According to the National Business
Aviation Association, Business Aviation
operations into Israel have become
more of a challenge in a region marked
by political instability.
While a landing permit approved by
the Israeli Aviation Security Operations
Center (ASOC) has always been
required, government officials there
now require 72-hours notice prior to
arrival at Ben Gurion International
Airport. “Israel is being especially strict
about landing permit notification,” said
Misty Benefield, a senior trip support
specialist at Universal Weather &
Aviation.
Further, since the first of the year,
pilots (whether employees of, or contractors to, the operator) have been
required to provide 10 years of previous
work history when requesting a landing
permit. And in some cases, ASOC may
also require a letter from the aircraft
cabin crew describing passengers and
the purpose of the flight.
In addition, it may be difficult to travel
between Israel and other Middle East
or Islamic nations on the same passport,
and some countries will not allow operators in if they are in transit directly from
Israel. “Consider where you are going
next or have come from recently,” said
Universal Weather & Aviation senior
trip support specialist Misty Benefield.
And she added, “A second passport can
be helpful if you are crossing between
Israel and most Islamic countries.”
Jeppesen recommends a “pull-out”
passport page to which the Israeli
entrance and departure stamp may be
affixed.
✈
MAINTENANCE MATTERS
Maintenance is an essential
support activity for Business
Aviation, and providers in the
Middle East are responding to
ongoing fleet growth with new
locations and services.
27-NOV-14
MIDDLE EAST
MAINTAINING THE
MIDDLE EASTERN FLEET
work at Dubai International during the
runway closures, which started on 1
May, and resumed line maintenance
there when the restrictions were lifted
in late July.
The facility continues to broaden its
offering, having become an authorized
service center for the Rolls-Royce
BR710, BR725 and Tay engines and
for Satcom Direct satellite communication systems. The Rolls authorization
covers line maintenance and warranty
support for the three engine types,
while the Satcom Direct designation
builds on the Dubai facility’s status as
an authorized service station for
Honeywell avionics.
By Bernard Fitzsimons
T
he Middle East business jet fleet
has more than doubled in size
over the last 10 years and is set to
nearly double again by 2023 according
to Bombardier’s latest forecast.
Movements, too, are growing, with the
latest figures suggesting a 12 per cent
year on year increase. New maintenance facilities are helping to keep the
expanded fleet flying, but obstacles to
growth remain.
One difficulty in the region is the
profusion of airworthiness and certification authorities and the consequent
need for multiple approvals. The
Middle East Business Aviation
Association has been promoting the
idea of a harmonized set of regulations
for Business Aviation that would cover
the entire Middle East and North
Africa region, and has enlisted the aid
of the US General Aviation
Manufacturers Association to help
convince the region’s 23 civil aviation
authorities.
So far the UAE General Civil
Aviation Authority and Bahrain Civil
Aviation Affairs have signed an MoU
on mutual acceptance of aircraft maintenance organization approvals.
MEBAA hopes that is just the first
step.
UAE
Nearly three months of single-runway operations at Dubai International
in the summer saw general aviation
traffic redirected to Dubai World
Central. Jet Aviation and ExecuJet,
DXB’s two resident Business Aviation
maintenance providers, responded by
focusing their line maintenance activities on the new airport.
Jet Aviation had already opened an
FBO at DWC, with line maintenance
provided by staff detached from DXB.
Jet continued scheduled maintenance
In June Jet Aviation Dubai re-delivered its first CPDLC and ADS-B out
modifications upgrade for a regional
customer’s Gulfstream 550. “We continuously strive to improve our capabilities by investing in new technologies and the ongoing training of our
employees,” comments VP and general manager Hardy Bütschi. “This
upgrade demonstrates our commitment.” Recent additions to its capability list include EASA Falcon 2000 line
and FAA Gulfstream 650 line and base
maintenance approvals.
DEVELOPING
With the Middle
East BizAv fleet
doubling in the
past 10 years
maintenance
suppliers are
rushing to catch
up. Jet Aviation
Dubai (top),
Execujet Hangar
Dubai (center).
MAINTENANCE MATTERS
27-NOV-14
MIDDLE EAST
Lineage 1000,Legacy 600 and EMB145. It includes a 5,100 square meter
hangar capable of accommodating
three Lineage 1000s and is capable of
carrying out 48-month inspections.
There is also a dedicated wash and
cabin appearance section with a 2,300
square meter covered aircraft wash
bay big enough to take a BBJ.
Gama Group’s Middle East business
unit, Gama Aviation, opened its FBO
at Sharjah airport in 2012, along with a
BBJ/ACJ-compatible maintenance and
storage hangar. A charter operator at
the airport since 2006, Gama has been
the exclusive ground handler for business aircraft since 2012.
BASE
ExecuJet Middle
East (top) is one
of a number of
companies with
an FBO at Dubai
World Central.
Falcon Aviation
Group Dubai
(center).
ExecuJet Middle East also has an
FBO at DWC, plus a line station offering maintenance up to minor scheduled checks, with heavy maintenance
and engineering support from its
Dubai International base. Ahead of the
DXB runway closure it gained
approval to carry out scheduled maintenance packages on Bombardier,
Embraer and Hawker aircraft already
supported by the Dubai International
MRO.
A Rolls-Royce ASC for the BR710 and
AE 3007A engines since 2012,
ExecuJet Middle East is also an authorized service center for the
Bombardier Challenger series’ GE
Aviation CF34-3 engine, with approval
for line inspections and routine
installed engine maintenance, including engine and component removals.
The first maintenance provider with
its own hangar at DWC, a joint venture
between the UAE’s Al Futtaim Group
and DC Aviation of Germany, opened
its 5,700-square meter hangar and
adjacent FBO last year. Big enough to
accommodate four ACJ/BBJ plus two
ultra-long range jets, the facility has
EASA certification for line and base
maintenance and is approved to maintain the ACJ plus the Bombardier
Global Express and Challenger
604/605.
The future of Business Aviation in
Dubai almost certainly lies at Dubai
World Central and its Al Maktoum
International airport, as DXB inexorably fills up with Emirates and
flyDubai aircraft. And while the emirate’s grandiose vision for the site is
taking longer to realize than originally
envisaged, there have been moves to
regain impetus on the development.
The Dubai Airshow moved there in
2013 to a new exhibition venue that
forms part of the planned aviation district, intended to be a maintenance
center dedicated to business jets and
helicopters. French engineering group
Altran, the airport operator’s adviser
on the development, says it will
include manufacturing and education
zones alongside MRO providers.
One announced tenant of the aviation
district is Abu Dhabi’s Falcon Aviation
Services, which plans to open a VVIP
completion center there capable of
accommodating aircraft as big as the
Boeing 747-8. It is planned to double
as a third party MRO facility and the
company has said that it could be open
before the end of 2015.
Falcon’s existing MRO at Abu
Dhabi’s Al Bateen airport is an authorized service center for the Embraer
Bahrain
MENA Aerospace Enterprises
opened a new hangar on the northern side of Bahrain International at
the beginning of this year. The 6,400
square meter hangar and office complex includes two separate bays,
each more than 3,000 square meters
in area, and doors high enough to
accommodate the tailfins of most airliners. MENA vice chairman Tawfiq
Al Zamil said that as well as offering
maintenance of both locally based
and transient aircraft, the new facility would meet a specific requirement
for hangar parking.
Scandinavian Avionics, MENA’s joint
venture partner in SA MENA Avionics,
has added approvals from the UAE
GCAA and Saudi Arabia’s GACA to its
EASA, FAA and Bahrain BCAA certification. The company’s services range
from equipment maintenance and system troubleshooting to systems engi-
27-NOV-14
neering, integration, certification and
installation. A new joint venture, meanwhile, will provide local representation
for US firm Tempus Jet Centers, operator of a maintenance, modification
and completion center in Brunswick,
Maine. MENA Tempus is also intended to develop a local technical capability.
Qatar
Qatar Executive, the private jet arm
of Qatar Airways, is building a new
hangar at Hamad International airport.
Its existing 6,400 square meter hangar
at Doha International opened in 2011
and the following year became a
Bombardier authorized service facility
for line and AOG maintenance and
warranty repairs for the Challenger
Jeddah, SAEI also has a private aviation maintenance division with more
than 200 staff. It is a Dassault Falcon
authorized service center and its capabilities list includes Gulfstreams, the
Falcon 900 and 7X and the Hawker
400XP.
The last two types feature in the fleet
of Saudia Private Aviation, the airline’s
charter arm, whose fleet of four Falcon
7Xs is the world’s biggest. SPA’s CEO,
Faisal bin Ghazi Kayyal, says Saudis
own 60 per cent of the region’s private
jets. He puts the local population at
close to 400 and expects the number
to double by the end of the decade.
SPA itself has FBOs with ground han300, Challenger 604/605 and Global
family. It can accommodate four
Globals and four Challengers simultaneously.
The operation subsequently added
Qatar CAA approval for base maintenance on the Challenger 604/605 and
Globals. It also has EASA certification
for scheduled maintenance, repair and
warranty services and Bahrain CAA
approval for line maintenance on the
types. Mobile repair teams are available 24/7 to resolve technical defects
and AOG issues anywhere in the
region.
Saudi Arabia
The country with the region’s
biggest concentration of business
jets and VIP aircraft, Saudi Arabia
has a steadily diversifying list of
MRO providers with several new
operations opening at the major
hubs.
EXPANSION
The country’s biggest maintenance
provider is Saudi Aerospace
Engineering Industries, formerly the
maintenance arm of national airline
Saudi Arabian Airways. Currently
building a new 12-bay hangar at
dling provision in Jeddah, Medina,
Riyadh and Dammam.
Alsalam Aircraft, established as part
of a defense sales offset deal, started
operations in Riyadh in 1989. Still part
owned by Boeing, it is a predominant-
Qatar Airways is
building a new
hangar at
Hamad
International
Airport while
Saudi Aerospace
Engineering
(center)
and Wallan
Aviation (bottom)
are growing their
presence.
MAINTENANCE MATTERS
DEVELOPMENTS
Arabasco is
expanding its
avionics capabilities
in Jeddah, while
Emair is offering
Cessna
maintenance
support in Jeddah.
ly military MRO but with a strong line
in VIP aircraft maintenance and completions. A BBJ authorized service
center of 10 years’ standing, Alsalam
also specializes in customizing airliners as VIP transports for the Saudi
government and royal flight.
National Air Services subsidiary
NasTech supports the group’s low cost
airline NasAir as well as NasJet, which
claims to be the region’s biggest private jet operator, at Riyadh King
Khalid airport. It offers line maintenance, A checks and engine change
for the A320 and Embraer 190 families, the Boeing BBJ, the Cessna
Citation 550, HS125 and Gulfstream
IV, and heavy checks for the three
business jet types.
At Thumamah, 16 nm north of King
Khalid, Wallan Aviation operates a
Cessna authorized maintenance facility comprising three hangars with a
combined area of 5,200 square meters
plus workshops for wheels, sheet
metal and both lead acid and NiCad
batteries. There is also an extensive
parts store. Along with scheduled and
unscheduled maintenance, defect rectification and troubleshooting for all
Citation models, Wallan has both Pratt
& Whitney and Williams International
approvals. AOG teams, usually dispatched within 24 hours, cover the
entire Middle East, North Africa and
Pakistan. The company also operates a
line maintenance facility at King
Khalid, and recently added an FBO
operated in conjunction with ExecuJet.
Bahrain’s MENA Aerospace and
local group Attar Holding agreed earlier this year to form a company to provide line maintenance services at
Jeddah International. Attar already has
a facility providing ground support and
27-NOV-14
MIDDLE EAST
equipment at Jeddah: the new joint
venture, MENA Technical Services,
will cater to business jet operators and
private aviation as well as airlines.
Jet Aviation has operated at Jeddah
for more than 30 years, and recently
opened a new FBO there. Its line station has FA approval to maintain the
Gulfstream II, II, IV and V and provides line maintenance for the Falcon
7X. Jet has also provided ground handling at Riyadh since 1983 and Medina
since 2012. This year it added a fourth
FBO and ground handling location at
Dammam.
Last year saw Jeddah-based
Arabasco become a local sales and service representative for avionics majors
Honeywell and Rockwell Collins. As a
Honeywell approved service center for
avionics, the company will can provide
refits, modifications and upgrades as
well as maintenance and services. Its
customers have access to Honeywell
repairs, spares and the SPEX avionics
parts exchange service, an LRU
exchange and rental service for both
warranty and non-warranty support.
Rockwell
Collins
appointed
Arabasco as an authorized sales and
service dealer for its VIP and business aircraft avionics and cabin products. “This adds to our strategy to
expand in the Middle East region,
which began with the opening of our
Dubai office back in 2009,” said commercial sales VP Scott Gunnufson.
Avionics technicians are based alongside airframe and powerplant technicians at Arabasco’s base and line
maintenance facility in Jeddah. It services aircraft ranging from
Gulfstreams to BBJs with battery,
wheel and brake and other back-up
shops and regional AOG support.
Turkey
AMAC Aerospace Turkey, the
Istanbul Ataturk outpost of Basel,
Switzerland-based VIP completion center and MRO AMAC Aerospace, has
been approved by the Turkey DGCA
for base and line maintenance up to C
check on the Dassault Falcon 900Ex
Easy, 2000 and 2000Ex EASy models.
The company aims to add EASA
approval for these models. Its hangar
at the airport can accommodate up to
three Falcons. In April, having already
achieved DGAC and EASA approval
for base and line maintenance on the
Falcon 900s, AMAC Turkey became a
Dassault authorized service center.
AMAC Turkey expects to achieve
EASA and DGCA approval for line
maintenance up to A Check for the
Falcon 7X early next year. It is also
working with the US FAA to obtain
FAR 145 approval to work on N registered Falcons. “We are keen to emphasize to owners and operators in the
region that we offer high quality, 24/7
maintenance support at highly competitive costs conveniently located between
Europe and the Middle East,” comments strategic operations and business development VP Waleed
Muhiddin.
Cessna support in Turkey is offered
by EMAIR Aviation at Ankara
Esenboga. The Cessna sales representative in the country, EMAIR has delivered around 50 Citation s to government, military and private customers.
The company established a maintenance facility in 1994 and is EASA- and
OEM-approved to work on both 500 and
600 series Citations. In 2010 it opened a
new 2,000 square metre hangar
✈
SPECIAL FEATURE
27-NOV-14
TRIP SUPPORTS SPECIALISTS
GETTING FROM HERE TO THERE
In many ways, getting from
here to there by air was never
easier. On the other hand, it
was never harder, and more
than ever the flight support
services available to owners
and operators of business
aircraft are invaluable.
By Kirby Harrison
T
he modern business jet is a marvel, whisking passengers and
crew more than 6,000 nautical
miles at Mach 0.85.from one end of
the world to the other. In the cockpit is the latest in touch-screen controls, giving pilots access to flight
data on four large LCD screens.
With just a swipe of the finger, the
crew has control of the aircraft’s navigation, traffic, surveillance and communication systems. With synthetic
vision technology, they have a clear,
ADVANCED
Technology is
making life
easier for trip
support
specialists.
27-NOV-14
SPECIAL FEATURE
Going Global
MOBILE
In a global economy, in which business jets are traveling further and
faster to more destinations that ever,
the scope of the trip support specialist
is broad. “We’re seeing growth markets in Asia/Pacific, driven primarily
by China, and we’re also seeing
growth in Africa, mostly the subSahara from Nigeria to South Africa,”
said Jeppesen Senior Manager of
Global Vendor Relations Matt York.
One of the problems in Africa is that
of coordinating everything, in a region
that includes 54 countries, all with separate air travel requirements. But on
the other hand, Bartholomew added,
the newly formed African Business
Aviation Association (AfBAA) could do
Theres a
growing
prevalence of
trip support iPad
apps like this
Universal Ops
iPad App.
IMPROVE
The AfBAA is
creating
accredited
standards for
African BizAv.
AfBAA founder
Tarek Ragheb.
dimensional view of everything outside the windscreen, even racing
through the night in dense clouds.
It’s every high-tech video game every
kid ever wished for come true.
Getting there by air has never been
easier.
Nevertheless, the trips remain
fraught with bumpy air, starting well
before takeoff, extending throughout
the flight and including arrival at a
destination that may be thousands of
miles and an ocean or two away. This
is the world of the trip support specialist; the person who makes that
flight possible in a hundred ways. As
Honeywell Flight Support Services
and partner Jetex Flight Support
Services explain it at a basic level,
they provide private jet operators
access to dependable, end-to-end
international flight services putting
customers at the controls of everything they need to navigate the
globe.
Trip support specialists are on top of
everything from weather conditions to
fuel prices. They arrange overflight
and landing permits, check for regulatory compliance, confirm visa and
passport requirements, obtain TSA
waivers, submit advance passenger
information (API), put together passenger and crew security at destinations anywhere in the world, and create a detailed quote for any destination, including special fees. And with
agents based all over the world, they
can do all this in just about any language.
much to ease the problems of
Business Aviation travel in Africa.
Trip support in the region is challenged. “There are no highways that
link us, no roads,” said AfBAA founding chairman Tarek Ragheb. “The
only option we have is air transportation. Business Aviation is the vehicle
that will improve economies in the
region.” One answer is in the creation
of AFBAA-accredited standards for
services and operations,” he said.
In fact, it is the countries just finding
their through the world of Business
Aviation travel that those “most interesting” challenges exist, said
Bartholomew.
One of these is China, and among the
difficulties is the shortage of aircraft
parking and the typical solution is to
submit a parking request at least 30
days in advance. A solution for limited
parking at Chek Lap Kok – Hong Kong
International Airport, and a lot of other
major airports is to drop off passengers
and reposition. In the case of Chek Lao
Koc, to Taipei or nearby Macao.
Parking for Business Aviation at
Beijing Capital International Airport is
limited to approximately 45 spots, of
which trip support specialists say only
about 20 are for foreign registered aircraft, and even for only 24 hours. And
aircraft moment while parked is strictly prohibited without ground control
approval.
According to ARINCDirect, Bejing
has local procedures that must be followed by air crews. “Aircraft may not be
moved at all without approval from the
tower,” said Bartholomew. “Not even a
two-foot push-back, and penalties have
been severe. We’ve heard that crew was
blacklisted for an entire year.”
“Ground handling in Beijing is actually run very efficiently,” said York.
“Just don’t break the rules.”
With the growing numbers of aircraft
with greater range, said Universal
Weather & Charter Management Team
Manager, Adam Hartley, the expectations of owners and operators have
changed. There are a lot of people trading up from mid-size aircraft and other
customers going straight to a largecabin business jet, he said. “And with
the advent of larger airplanes with additional range, people are wanting to go
places they’ve never been, which presents its own challenges.”
Some of those places include the
FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the
Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia in
2014. Such events, said Hartley, are
massive, and often restrictive to
Business Aviation; especially to aircraft of foreign registration. “Even getting a landing or transient permit can
be difficult.”
27-NOV-14
In São Paulo, Brazil, visitors were
faced with massive traffic jams and
many ARINCDirect trip support specialists found themselves organizing
helicopter transport around the city as
the only reasonable alternative.
The Olympics were tough, said
York. “There was a slot-availability
“pecking order,” that put IOC
(International Olympic Committee)
members and sponsors at the top and
then airlines. Business Aviation owners and operators without pull were at
the bottom.”
Demanding clients are not unusual,
but something that trip support specialists accept as part of the job. “One
of the reasons people own business
jets is so they can make changes in
their travel itinerary,” said
Bartholomew. “That’s what we do.
They have certain expectations and
Large Cabins
Trip support specialists all report
growing activity by large-cabin aircraft
has created changes in business jet air
travel. The size of the aircraft alone
reduces the number of available airports due to runway lengths and ramp
weight restrictions. And airports that
are tech stops for smaller business jets
with less range, such as Gandar
International in Newfoundland and
Shannon Airport in Ireland, are seeing
a drop in activity as they become “flyovers” for airplanes with longer-range
and better fuel efficiency.
it’s our job to see that those expectations are met, efficiently and smoothly.”
“It’s interesting that the expectations
of a Learjet owner are not so different
from those of a Boeing Business Jet
owner,” said Hartley, noting that meeting and managing the expectations of
principals, passengers and the itinerary are all part of the successful trip.
“It’s a game of act and react, and an
ability to deal with the unforeseen.”
World hot spots are a major consideration. Travel support specialists note
that there are no shortage of them
these days, including most recently,
restricted airspace over Ukraine, Syria
and Iraq. And the current Ebola crisis
in Western Africa countries of Guinea,
Liberia and Sierra Leone, resulted in a
OLYMPICS
Trip Planning
challenges this
year included the
Winter Olympics
in Sochi (center)
as well as the
FIFA World Cup.
SPECIAL FEATURE
sudden increase in and changes to
existing travel. South Africa has just
issued a requirement for crews and
passengers to fill out a health questionnaire prompted by the Ebola
scare.
EXPECTATIONS
People want to go
places theyve
never been and
Universal Weather
and Aviation are
there to help.
Increased Technology
Technology has turned trip planning and flight following into complex process. It has made a big difference in real-time updating of air
crews with regard to everything
from sudden political unrest to
weather changes to shifting availability of parking at the destination.
“And it means the aircraft crew and
passengers can communicate with us
on anything from lavatory servicing
and catering to changes in fuel
requirements at the destination,”
said Bartholomew.
“Nobody faxes anymore,” said
Jeppesen’s Nancy Pierce. “Now
‘paperwork’ is sent back and forth by
personal electronic devices (PEDs) –
laptops, tablets and smart phones –
and the latest technology has made it
faster and more efficient.
But there is also a generational
component involved in the technology. Jeppesen’s York pointed out that,
“There are some pilots and customers who would rather pick up a
phone and talk live to a dedicated
trip manager, but there is a generation of younger pilots who are more
comfortable with new technology.”
While the younger generation may
prefer texting and e-mailing,
Universal pointed out that there are
subtle nuances that cannot be communicated via the electronic written
word and trip support specialists
have discovered that more attention
must be paid to the wording.
The real headaches in trip planning
today
are
regulatory,
said
Bartholomew. “You may get an
announcement that an airport is
going to be closed for a certain period, and then the day before it’s due
to reopen, they decide to extend that
period.”
Regulatory changes are increasing
all over the place, according to York.
Some of it was prompted by the
worldwide financial crisis, but in
other cases, he explained, certain
officials see those traveling in private
27-NOV-14
TRIP SUPPORTS SPECIALISTS
jets as a source of income from people who aren’t paying their fair
share. Some countries have made it
quite clear they simply want to tax
those rich people, said one trip support specialist. Other problems are
more rooted in politics.
Venezuela has made it so difficult
in terms of paperwork and fees and
fines that many business jet travelers
are warned to simply avoid flying to
or over that South American country.
Airport preferences are often shifting, said Jeppeson’s Pierce. She
pointed out as an example the grow-
Trip Support
Developments
ing competition of Moscow’s three
major international airports –
Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and
Vnukovo – for Business Aviation.
They are very competitive, and new
highways are being built to ease
ground transportation from the outlying international airports into
Moscow center.
While the world of business aircraft
trip support is on a constantly shifting stage, one thing doesn’t change.
It is a service, they say, and the key
to success is identifying what the
client wants and meeting or exceeding those expectations, and being
prepared to deal with the unexpected
smoothly and seamlessly. “What it
amounts to is a game of ‘act and
react,’ and an ability to deal with
unforeseen,” said Hartley.
decision, according to Jetex
Regional Sales Manager Heather
Satchwell, was based on feedback
from U.S. and international customers and a significant increase in
U.S.-based customers.
“The Miami office will serve as an
important hub in our international
network,” said Satchwell. “Not only
does it give our U.S. customers
local access to our services, it provides all customers with a strategic
gateway into North America and
easy access to both Latin and South
America.
Jetex Launches U.S. Operations
Dubai-based ground handling and
trip support provider Jetex has set
its sights on the North American
market with the opening of a new
operations center at Miami
International Airport.
The facility is intended to expand
on “the company’s global reputation
for world-class trip planning, FBO
series and concierge and fuel.” The
Honeywell, Satcom1
Enhance Trip Planning
Honeywell Global Data Center is
now partnered with Satcom1 to offer
cockpit communication and manage-
27-NOV-14
FBOS
27-NOV-14
OASIS AT THE AIRPORT
FBO FEEDING FRENZY
There are nearly 4,000 fixedbased operators (FBO) in the
U.S. and the industry is
cautiously optimistic going
into 2015 that the slow
recovery of the past
18 months will continue.
By Kirby Harrison
E
RECOVER
Experts are
optimistic that
the FBO
recovery will
continue steadily
Brian Foley
pictured.
conomic indicators suggest these
expectations may be realistic.
“The GDP is good, corporate profits are up, and interest rates are low,”
said Richard Aboulafia, vice president
of analysis at Teal Group aerospace
analysts. And he noted there are also
positive indicators of a recovery in the
Business Aviation industry, among
them growing aircraft deliveries and a
steady increase in flight activity.
Brian Foley, president of Brian Foley
Associates aviation research and
analysis, pointed out that according to
the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA), prior to the recession in 2007
there were approximately 406,844
Business Aviation operations a month,
and by 2009 that total had dropped to
about 266,218 operations. “Now, as of
mid-November, that has inched up to
about 352,877 operations a month, signaling what some might describe as
irrational exuberance.”
Reports from the General Aviation
Manufacturers Association (GAMA)
suggests better times ahead for FBOs,
the most recent business jet delivery
numbers from the association show
approximately 700 new jets coming
into the system, said Foley.
According to GAMA, for the first
nine months of 2014, business jet
deliveries were up 9 percent compared
with the same period in 2013.” Foley
added that his own numbers show that
in the first three-quarters of 2014,
small business jet deliveries were up
22 percent and medium jet deliveries
were up 19 percent. While large-cabin
aircraft deliveries from the Falcon 900
up through the 747-8 were actually
down 1 percent, he added, it was not
enough to negatively impact FBO fuel
sales.
While all this suggests increasing aircraft movements, it does not necessarily translate to greater fuel sales, and
Ron Jackson, of Aviation Business
Strategies Group (ABSG) consultants
points out that, “Jet A is the lifeblood
of the FBO.”
During the recession FBOs pulled
back, adapting to tough economic
times. Free cookies, coffee, newspapers, baggage handling and cabin
cleaning began to disappear as it
became more difficult for FBOs – in
particular independent FBOs – to
maintain the traditional revenue
stream, and more and more the real
estate had to pay for itself. To that
end, said Jackson, “We are seeing
increasing ramp, facility and APU fees,
along with development of other revenue streams.”
The value of diverse revenue
streams was proven during the recession, said Independent Fixed Base
Operators Association (IFBOA) executive director John Wraga, Jr. In addition, he said, FBOs have adopted the
practice of bundling; the practice of
combining “extras” such as ramp fees,
with the fuel cost.
Some FBOs have developed additional sources of revenue; maintenance,
repair and overhaul, avionics, hangar
rent, aircraft charter and management.
In some cases, facilities that focus primarily on such specialty areas as cabin
completion and refurbishment and
MRO have refurbished an existing
FBO to better accommodate the growing customer case.
BizJet International, a subsidiary of
Lufthansa Technik based in Tulsa,
Oklahoma, recently completed refurbishment of one of its hangars in order
to expand its FBO service. In now
includes more than 33,000 square feet
of hangar space as well as 2,500 square
feet dedicated to reception, a pilot’s
lounge, conference room, snooze
rooms and showers.
“We are very excited about this new
location and added services,” said
BizJet International FBO manager
Windy Worden-Carr.
FBOs have also latched onto the
world of wireless high-speed Internet
communication as a customer incentive. In growing numbers business jet
passengers and crews board the air-
craft carrying personal electronic
devices (PEDs) for entertainment and
Internet communication – from laptops
to tablets to smart phones. And when
they enter the FBO, they expect the
same seamless connectivity.
Fuel Remains Main Sources
of Revenue
While such electronic amenities are
popular, admitted Wraga, fuel he said
remains the primary source of revenue
for the FBO, accounting for as much as
60 percent of total revenue, typically followed by hangar rent and ramp fees.
Fuel not only remains the primary
source of income for FBOs, according
to Wraga it represents 60-percent of
revenue for independent FBOs that do
not have additional sources such as aircraft maintenance and avionics service.
27-NOV-14
And in an effort to provide a further revenue bump, many FBOs have adopted
the practice of bundling other services
with fuel contracts, such as lavatory
service and parking he added.
The price of crude oil dropped from
approximately $96 per barrel in midSeptember to about $78 per barrel by
mid-November and was for the most
part responsible for driving down the
cost of automobile regular gas to below
$3 per gallon in many parts of the country. But the cost of JetA at FBOs has
remained flat, ranging from a low of
about $3.50 to $5.00 a gallon in
November.
Wraga pointed out that Aviation fuel
prices have always lagged behind auto
fuel, especially as regards decreases.
But he added, “Jet fuel will trend down
over the next six months, unless some
global events slow the declining price
of crude,” said Wraga in November.
In January 2014, ABSG released its
annual FBO Industry Annual Forecast,
predicting that fuel sales in the FBO
industry would remain relatively flat in
2014, “with only half the marketplace
seeing a relatively small increase in fuel
sales volume.”
Enticknap said a strong push by
flight departments and charter and
fractional operators towards an alternative fuel purchasing strategy in 2014
might force FBOs to change the way
they deliver and charge for services.
“On one end, FBOs are faced with
higher cost of fuel which drives up the
base price,” he explained. “At the
other end is the more savvy aircraft
operator trying to drive down the post-
STEADY
Fuel sales have
relatively flat in
2014. Tag
Farnborough
(center)
Bizjet (bottom)
FBOS
27-NOV-14
ed price, [and] caught in the middle is
the FBO margin, being squeezed like
a lemon in a juice press.
“Because FBOs operate on such thin
margins, the days of selling fuel at
wholesale are gradually coming to an
end,” said ABSG’s Ron Jackson. “As a
result a new business model is emerging that focuses on maximizing fuel
pricing, greater customer service and
not giving away free services.”
The 2014 ABSG survey asked
respondents for predictions of fuel
sales compared with 2013, with interesting results: 18 percent expected a
decrease in fuel sales; 37 percent
expected prices to remain the same as
the previous year; 27 percent expected
an increase of 1 to 4 percent; 10 perothers in Africa, Asia, Canada, Central
America, the European Union, and
South America.
SCALE
Atlantic Aviation
boasts 60
locations across
the US, while
Signature has
purchased 16
FBOs in the
past year.
cent expected a 5- to 8-percent
increase; and 8 percent an increase of
more than 8 percent.
Asked if they felt the U.S. economy
was headed in the right direction, 48
percent of respondents said “no,” 28
percent said “yes” and 24 percent fell
into the “undecided” category.
Meanwhile Atlantic Aviation, a major
FBO chain with 60 locations across
the U.S., recently selected Garsite, a
leading manufacturer of aircraft refueling products, to replace approximately
20 percent of its refueler fleet.
The selection calls for the Kansas
City, Kansas refueling products supplier to re-engineer certain components
to meet Atlantic Aviation’s operational
needs. Atlantic has worked with
Garsite for three years. “Their dedication to quality and willingness to help
us design refuelers that meet our
needs makes them a good fit,” said
Atlantic Director of Procurement Todd
Baker.
One of the more recent market phenomena in the market is growing number of acquisitions by other FBOs, in
particular by the larger chains. “The
chains have an advantage in that they
are owned by parent companies with
considerable resources for expansion.
The Signature chain, for example,
totals more than 120 FBOs, of which
16 are acquisitions since January this
year, either by acquisition, licensing,
or as Signature Select affiliates. There
are 65 such facilities in the U.S. and 56
The European Picture
“While things are looking
respectable for FBOs in the U.S.,” said
Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafia
in November, “In Europe the macroeconomics are still grim and FBOs
there are still looking for the right formula for growth.”
While small and mid-size business jet
activity is traditionally greater in
Europe than in the U.S., resulting in
greater fuel revenues, that activity has
not been growing. And while movements by large-cabin aircraft are up,
the lower frequency of movements
means lower fuel revenues.
Signature Flight Support has 24 locations in Europe and while the chain is
hopeful of a recovery in 2015, the
European GDP is not encouraging.
According to The Economist Online,
investors through most of October
were “feeling more optimistic about
the euro zone.”
“All that has changed,” said The
Economist in early November. “There
are now serious worries that the euro
zone will succumb to a ‘triple-dip’
recession [and] fears are growing that
the 18-member currency club may fall
into deflation.” Nevertheless, a number of U.S. FBO chains continue to
expand into Europe via acquisition.
Europe hasn’t seen the market
recovery we’ve seen here,” said
Signature Vice President of
27-NOV-14
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offers little hope for the immediate
future, noting that aviation traffic in
Europe is down approximately 1.8 percent from 2013. “And FBOs are all
about utilization,” explained Aboulafia.
Brian Foley of Brian Foley
Associates in Sparta, New Jersey is no
more encouraging than Aboulafia.
“The really strong part of the industry
is the U.S., while in the rest of the
world things are rather flat [and] in
Europe, the industry is still bouncing
along the rocks at the bottom of the
recession. A recovery could be another three of our years in the making
UPGRADE
Landmark has
completed a new
facility at San
Diego (top).
Euro Jet (center).
Marketing Patrick Sniffen. But he
added, “We think there are opportunities . . . that make sense.” Among
those opportunities in Europe was
the acquisition of Jets FBO at
London Biggin Hill Airport.
Elsewhere, competitor Landmark
Aviation acquired RSS Jet Center at
London Luton Airport in May. The
Houston, Texas-based chain operates
a total of 57 FBOs, including 10 in
France, including the new $4.1 million facility at Paris Le Bourget
Airport.
Avflight, a smaller chain now has an
FBO at George Best Belfast City
Airport, and in November purchased
the fueling operation at Isle of Man’s
Ronaldsway Airport. “Although we’re
primarily known in the United States
as an FBO chain, the European fuel
model is an excellent opportunity to
showcase our supply strength and fuel
service expertise,” said Avflight
President Carl Muhs.
As for a recovery by European FBOs,
a report from the European Business
Aviation Association and Euro-control
Euro Jet Prospers
in Eastern Europe
Over the past decade, no part of
Europe has experienced more significant growth in Business Aviation airport
traffic than that of Eastern Europe.
The recent 25 year anniversary of the
Berlin Wall reminded us of how this
once closed off part of the world has
now become a free market for trade,
investment, and tourism.
Euro Jet has an FBO in Prague and is
a handling agent in Eastern Europe
with representation at every airport in
the region. Its one-of-a-kind network
spans 32 airports in 195 locations with
hundreds of employees providing VIP
service. In addition to the FBO, Prague
is also the location of its 24 hour operations center.
“The growth of aviation in Eastern
Europe has not been an overnight phe-
nomenon, but rather gradually
occurred over the past few years at a
steady pace as investment continues
to come in. It has further increased as
many countries have entered the
European Union, Crotia being the
most recent,” says Gareth Danker,
Director of Global Sales and
Marketing.
Having an FBO in Prague makes
the most sense as it is one of the
busiest airports in Eastern Europe
supporting a strong economy and popular tourist destination. Euro Jet offers
a unique combination of two lounges
in Terminal 3, one before the security
checkpoint and one ramp side after
screening. Furthermore it has a large
hanger space that fits several heavy
jets which is essential during the cold
winter months.
Outside of Prague, Euro Jet has
lounges in Tivat, Zagreb, Bucharest,
Constanta and Poprad, a ski resort
area in the Tatra mountain range. In
addition to his they have direct agreements with all airports, ramp cars, discounted rates with local caterers, and
transportation companies and of
course their own people.
27-NOV-14
“While you can own all the equipment and have a great facility, if you
don’t have the right people, a private
aviation handling experience can go
bad very quickly,” says Danker.
“Our Euro Jet staff are experts in
handling VIP private aviation flights.
Everyone has extensive experience
working at the airport, all speak fluent English, and are trained by us.
Eastern Europe is a part of the world
where customer service has not
been part of the local language.
Some of Euro Jet’s busiest locations
include the biggest economies of the
INVEST
From left to right:
Signature, Jet
Aviation Geneva,
Aeroports de
Lyon and Tag
Aviation have all
invested in
improving their
facilities recently.
27-NOV-14
27-NOV-14
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The World Leader in Aviation Market Intelligence | 800.553.8638 | +1.315.797.4420 | jetnet.com
PROFILE
27-NOV-14
GULFSTREAM G500 AND G600
NEW BUDS ON THE
GULFSTREAM BRANCH
While the NBAA convention
may have welcomed 25,000
visitors from October 21st to the
24th, Gulfstream Aerospace
alone, a few days before
unveiled two all-new business
jets at its Savannah facility to a
gathering of 3,000 individuals
customers, employees,
suppliers and media. BART
International reports.
C
IMPRESS
Gulfstream
surprised the
industry by
releasing two
new clean sheet
aircraft in
advance of this
years NBAA.
G600 (top),
G500 (bottom).
The established
G550 (center)
ombining speed, range and efficiency, the G500 and G600 are
clean-sheet aircraft built upon the
technology present in the G650 and the
latest G650ER. “They will not replace
any existing Gulfstream’s models” said
Larry Flynn, Gulfstream president
addressing the audience. “They will
complement the fleet on hand, from the
G150 to G650ER”. “The new additions
to Gulfstream’s product line were
designed with the input of Gulfstream
owners and pilots to offer customers
best-in-class performance,” he said.
“Once again, our customers played a
major role in the development and creation of these aircraft. The G500 and
600 continue the long Gulfstream tradition of being the first original equipment manufacturer to ensure an opti-
mal combination of speed, range, widecabin comfort and fuel burn”.
During the event, the first G500 taxied up under its own power, while
Phebe Novakovic, chairman and CEO
of General Dynamics revealed the 70foot mockup of the G600. “ Today’s
announcement demonstrates the
power of General Dynamics’ consistent and disciplined investment in
both Gulfstream’s research and development and manufacturing facilities,”
said Novakovic. “The effect of that
investment is manifest in the two airplanes we are presenting today.”
The G500 will fly 5,000 NM at Mach
0.85 or 3,800 NM at Mach0.90. The
G600 is able of flying 6,200 NM at
Mach 0.85 or 4,800 NM at Mach 0.90.
The maximum operating speed for
both aircraft is Mach 0.925. “The
cabins of both aircraft feature wide
cross-sections, offering maximum
passenger comfort with substantial
head and shoulder room many of the
same features of the G650,” said Scott
Neal, Gulfstream’s senior vice presi-
dent for sales and marketing. “These
are an all-new family of Gulfstream
aircraft,” Neal said, emphasizing that
the G500 and 600 will increase the
company’s product offering and are
not set to take the place of the G450
and G550.
An all-new element for both aircraft
is branded Symmetry Flight Deck, a
technology including active control
side-sticks, integrated touchscreen
controllers, e next-gen enhanced
vision system and high-tech
Honeywell avionics. The G500 and 600
will also offer a digital fly-by-wire system offering a flight-envelope protection, stability augmentation, increased
redundancy and reduced maintenance. The planes will be powered by
all new Pratt&Whitney Canada PW800
series turbofan engines in the 10,000
lbf (45 kN) thrust class. The engine is
currently under development, the core
of the engine having begun testing
since December 2009.
The aircraft, including stream-produced wings and stabilizers will be
manufactured in two Gulfstream facilities at Savannah International
Airport. The $43.5 million G500 will
27-NOV-14
Gulfstream G500
Performance Specifications
Maximum Range * (Mach 0.85, 8 passengers,
5,000 nm / 9,260 km
3 crew and NBAA IFR reserves)
High-Speed
Mach 0.90 / 516 ktas / 956 km/h
Long-Range
Mach 0.85 / 488 ktas / 904 km/h
MMO (Maximum Operating Mach Number)
Mach 0.925
Takeoff Distance (SL, ISA, MTOW)
5,200 ft / 1,585 m
Landing Distance (SL, ISA, MLW)
3,100 ft / 945 m
Initial Cruise Altitude
41,000 ft / 12,497 m
Maximum Cruise Altitude
51,000 ft / 15,545 m
* NBAA IFR theoretical range. Actual range will be affected by ATC routing,
operating speed, weather,
outfitting options and other factors All performance is based on preliminary data
and subject to change.
Gulfstream G600
Performance Specifications
Maximum Range * (Mach 0.85, 8 passengers,
6,200 nm / 11,482 km
4 crew and NBAA IFR reserves)
High-Speed
Mach 0.90 / 516 ktas / 956 km/h
Long-Range
Mach 0.85 / 488 ktas / 904 km/h
MMO (Maximum Operating Mach Number)
Mach 0.925
Takeoff Distance (SL, ISA, MTOW)
5,700 ft / 1,737 m
Landing Distance (SL, ISA, MLW)
3,100 ft / 945 m
Initial Cruise Altitude
41,000 ft / 12,497 m
Maximum Cruise Altitude
51,000 ft / 15,545 m
* NBAA IFR theoretical range. Actual range will be affected by ATC routing,
operating speed, weather,
outfitting options and other factors All performance is based on preliminary data
and subject to change.
FIRST OF NEW
G500 MODELS ALREADY SOLD
make its first test flight sometime
next year, with both FAA and EASA
certification expected in 2017 and
deliveries in 2018. The G600 estimated to sell for $54.5 million has a its
flight test program anticipated 12-15
month after.
“I am especially thrilled and honored
to be making this announcement in
Savannah” concluded Flynn while surveying the crowd. “We got our roots in
Bethpage N.Y. in 1958, when we introduced the G1, but it’s in Savannah that
we have spread our wings”
A signing ceremony was held in conjunction with the introduction of the
new aircraft with Flexjet LLC of
Dallas, which offers fractional ownership and leasing operating a fleet of
more than 150 business jets including
firm orders and options for G450,
G500 and G650 aircraft as well as long
term service support agreement.
“Flexjet is privileged to fill the void in
the fractional market for new
Gulfstream aircraft, including the
highly anticipated G500” said Kenn
Ricci, chairman of Flexjet.
The same day, Larry Flynn signed a
Memorandum of Understanding with
Akbar Al Baker, group CEO Qatar
Airways for the purchase of up to 20
aircraft for the airline’s Executive
Division, including firm orders for the
G500 and the flagship G650ER. “This
agreement is evidence of the industry
leading performance of Gulfstream
flagship aircraft, the G650ER, and of
our commitment to deliver on the
promises we made for our new family
of aircraft, which includes the G500,”
concluded Flynn.
✈
RANGE
The G500 can
fly 5000 NM at
Mach .85 while
the G600 can fly
6,200NM at
Mach .85.
PROFILE
By Kirby Harrison
I
t should come as no surprise to
anyone that an aviation company
called Flying Colours was founded
as an exterior paint shop.
Thirty-five years later, Flying
Colours is still painting airplanes, and
a lot more. At facilities in
Peterborough,
Canada
and
Chesterfield, Missouri (not far from
St. Louis) 320 employees provide:
scheduled inspections; maintenance
and overhaul; airframe modification;
and avionics; not to mention the center’s signature cabin completion and
refurbishment work, from component
fabrications to installation.
To meet growing demand for its
products from the business aviation
industry, Flying Colours is rapidly
expanding
its
facilities
at
Peterborough Airport. Most recently
opened is a 120,000-square-foot hangar
capable of simultaneously accommodating as many as 12 large-cabin aircraft for green completion work.
DEVELOPED
In thirty-five
years Flying
Colours grown
from an exterior
paint specialist
to a
comprehensive
completions and
maintenance
provider
Early next year, the company will
break ground on another 120,000
square foot facility that will include
back shops. One wing capable of holding up to six large-cabin aircraft will be
devoted to completion and refurbishment work and the wing will house a
second paint shop with two bays for
prep-and-paint shop. Also planned as
part of the complex, are administrative
offices and a VIP lounge. The project
represents an investment of approximately $3.5 million.
27-NOV-14
FLYING COLOURS
FLYING COLOURS
FORECASTS CLEAR SKIES
Finally, an expansion is also planned
for the U.S.-based Jet Corp center. The
65,000 square foot complex will
include a new hangar and a second
paint shop.
If it seems a lot of expansion,
Executive Vice President Sean
Gillespie assures that it does not represent wishful thinking. “We do all of
Bombardier’s Challenger 850 green
completion work, we have an eight-aircraft ExecLiner project in the works
for a Chinese customer and we are fin-
ishing five Challenger 850s for a
Chinese bank, not to mention a growing special mission market.”
With a burgeoning market in China,
expansion outside Canada should be
no surprise. The company reached an
agreement with Bombardier earlier
this year to provide interior refurbishment and reconfiguration services at
Bombardier’s Singapore Service
Center at Seletar Airport. New hires in
Singapore are already undergoing
training at Peterborough and will
return, along with a half-dozen Flying
Colours technicians and skilled craftsmen, to assist with start-up in
Singapore.
In Singapore, Flying Colours will provide services for Bombardier aircraft
registered in China, as well as those
from across all the Asian/Pacific market. According to Gillespie, the center
is scheduled for a January 2015 startup, “and we already have projects
booked.”
The goal in Singapore is to offer the
same services and skills that are available at the main Peterborough facilities, including cabinetry, upholstery
and reinstallation. At this point the
facility cannot take in other than
Bombardier aircraft. “Not yet,” said
Gillespie. “We’ll deal with that when it
comes.”
If the Challenger 850 interiors are
Flying Colours “bread,” then conversion of CRJ200 regional airliners to
corporate and business use is the butter. To date, 16 ExecLiners are in service worldwide, and six more are in
the reconfiguration process at the
Sharjah-based Eagle Aviation in the
United Arab Emirates and will offer
regular VIP charter, medevac options,
or a combination of the two.
The cabin has three separate zones
that can be adapted for specific charter
missions. Two forward VIP areas feature a front section with settee and two
facing complimentary business class
seats, while a mid-section features a
27-NOV-14
The Peterborough main facility is
Transport Canada-approved for
maintenance and also has similar
approvals from the Civil Aviation
Administration of China, General
Authority of Civil Aviation for the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the
Federal Aviation Administration of
the U.S., the European Aviation
Safety Agency, the Cayman Islands
and the Isle of Man.
Most recently, approval was given
by the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority
to carry out maintenance on business aircraft registered in that Gulf
state. In fact, a Flying Colours team
recently complete maintenance
repair and overhaul (MRO) work on
the company’s first Qatari aircraft, a
Global Express. Also new is approval
from Bombardier for the Jet Corp
facility to work on the Learjet 70/75
and the new Challenger 350.
Least the casual visitor imagine
that Flying Colours’ work is a bit
mundane and lacking in creativity,
Gillespie offers up for consideration
a Challenger 850 with a “complete
carbon fibre interior” delivered to a
Hong Kong customer.
main Peterborough center and at Jet
Corp. In fact, most of the departments
in Peterborough are currently operating two shifts to keep up with the work
load.
Although the bulk of Flying
Colours’ work is on Bombardier aircraft, the center has provided completion and refurbishment work on
more than a dozen business jets from
other OEMs over the years, including Citations, Gulfstreams and
Beechcraft King Airs.
Special missions interior configurations is among the latest Flying
Colours projects. The company
already has a seven-aircraft contract
for CRJ700 conversions to special missions roles. “Eventually, we’d like to
cover all aspects of special mission
work from medEvac to surveillance,”
said Gillespie. Other aircraft being
considered for special mission roles
include the Global 5000 and Global
6000, as well as the Challenger 600
series and CRJ200s.
The first special mission aircraft is an
ExecLiner variant combining an executive interior alongside a medivac
option. The aircraft was delivered to
The predominately black and gray
carbon fiber surfaces are complimented with ebony hardwood veneer
accents, while the seats are finished
in white leather, and the side-facing,
berthable divan is done in contrasting fabrics.
Satin-nickel plating adds a further
touch of style, and complimenting
the furnishings is an in-flight entertainment system featuring 22-inch
wide-screen monitors, wireless cabin
connectivity,
SwiftBroadband
Internet connectivity, and Airshow
4000 flight tracking from Rockwell
Collins.
club-style fur business class seats. The
aft cabin is fitted with 22 economy
cabin style seats. The settee forward
can to converted in minutes for medivac use and offers a full-size certified
stretcher system.
The market expansion has also
brought with it more and more contact
with and approvals from governments
outside Canada, whether it’s for maintenance or interior completion certification.
While somewhat outside the typical
completion profile, Gillespie said the
total project took just 16 weeks to
finish and was delivered on time and
on budget to the client’s specifications and satisfaction.
“Just because we don’t do everything, it doesn’t mean we can’t,” concluded Gillespie. And he noted that
the new hangar scheduled to open in
2015 is large enough to accommodate an Airbus Corporate Jet.
✈
GLOBAL
Flying Colours is
receiving
approvals from
countries
including China,
Saudi Arabia
and Qatar. Kate
Ahrens, VP of
corporate
development
and interior
design (center).
PROFILE
27-NOV-14
FLIGHTSAFETY INTERNATIONAL
T H E SECRETS OF SUCCESS
By Paul Walsh
I
MODEST
Flightsafety grew
from humble
beginnings in a
small office at
LaGuardia
airport.
ndentifying the recipe for making a
great company is never easy, but in
FlightSafety’s case it seems there
are three main ingredients: a whole lot
of passion, a simple idea, and a dedication to safety.
The passion started with company
founder A.L. Ueltschi, the youngest of
seven children raised on a dairy farm
in Kentucky. In 1927 he was glued to
the radio as Charles Lindbergh made
his legendary transatlantic flight. That
was it for Ueltschi, he had to become a
pilot.
He soloed at 16, having gathered
money for flying lessons by selling
hamburgers to hungry pilots. Then
after a period of barnstorming, he
entered the commercial aviation world
as a pilot for Pan Am.
The big idea came there, where
Ueltschi had graduated to flying the
company’s president a Juan Trippe
across the US in a converted WWII
aircraft. Ueltschi saw that pilots of
nascent business aircraft like his
lacked the formal training enjoyed by
airline professionals. It was a gap in
the market but it was also something
that he was passionately dedicated to
changing.
In 1951 he established his pilot training company at New York’s LaGuardia
Airport. In the beginning he worked
part time from a small office in
LaGuardia’s Marine Air Terminal,
while continuing his tenure at Pan Am.
Growth was steady and by 1968 he
was able to take his company public,
retire from Pan Am to devote all of his
considerable energy to making
FlightSafety an international success.
Nowadays FlightSafety is a truly
global entity where over 1,800 highly
qualified instructors provide more
than 3,500 individual courses for 135
aircraft types, using more than 300
simulators to serve Customers from
167 countries. Their range continually
increases.
Technology
Its commitment to safety is evident
in every training center you visit. It’s
also evident in the fact that
FlightSafety is a leader in simulation
technology, an example being its new
generation VITAL 1100 visual system.
The computational performance of
VITAL 1100 is five times greater than
that of its popular predecessor, the
VITAL X. This significantly enhances
training by providing imagery with
vastly improved scene content and levels of detail that just haven’t been seen
before.
Its ability to deliver exceptional visual realism has already been demonstrated by the integration of VITAL
1100 with a Level D qualified full flight
simulator. Hundreds of millions of
scene elements are processed every
second and presented along with environmental effects such as physicsbased weather models of rain, snow
and hail that develop and react as they
do in the real world. Other unique features include dynamic shadowing and
enhanced shading effects. This adds a
new dimension to the training environment by providing aircrews with
extremely valuable cues and added
realism.
tion microtexture. This gives the
viewer the necessary resolution for virtually any altitude and position,
whether on short final in a fixed wing
aircraft, or during hover/land maneuvering in a rotary wing platform.
The display management system
incorporated into VITAL 1100 reduces
life cycle and maintenance costs.
While removing the need for manual
adjustments and special skill sets, this
automatic calibration system also
allows utilization of new LED and
other display technologies as well as
conventional LCoS projectors.
So far FlightSafety has delivered
over 1,000 visual systems and close to
800 simulators and other advanced
training devices to date. The simulators and visual systems are part of an
integrated training system used
throughout the company’s network of
Learning Centers and by many other
leading commercial, government and
military organizations worldwide.
“VITAL 1100 offers unprecedented
fidelity for a wide variety of uses with
full flight simulators and a complete
range of other advanced training
devices,” said Jon Hester, General
Manager, Visual Systems. “Our team of
highly qualified engineers and design-
For instance it can provide system
resolutions that are well over 20 million pixels for a typical out the window
field of view of 200 degrees horizontally. This increase in resolution capability offers a big improvement in visual
acuity. Target recognition and identification are greatly enhanced while
additional scene resolution is provided
by the system’s superior high defini-
ers developed VITAL 1100 based on
Customer requirements and the experience gained during more than 44 years
of producing the successful series of
VITAL visual systems.”
Customer Portal
Then there’s the myFlightSafety
customer portal which provides
flight department managers, pilots,
27-NOV-14
maintenance technicians and other
aviation professionals with password protected access to the information needed to manage their
training online.
“FlightSafety’s ongoing investment
in extending technology-driven
solutions to our customers that
align with their business processes
continues to enhance their experience and the value that they receive
from FlightSafety,” says Chris
Weinberg, CIO. “There are currently more than 60,000 registered
users of myFlightSafety and this
number is expected to increase significantly with the addition of major
new functionality.”
FlightSafety’s new online reservation system enables customers to
schedule their training and confirm
simulator times online and most
customers who utilize this functionality will also be able to get their
training records immediately upon
completion of training. The system
is currently being used by a select
number of customers and will be
further expanded early next year.
Applications
There’s also FlightSafety’s y
enhanced iPad App which offers
interactive
features
that
“increase the efficiency and effectiveness of training while providing
convenient access to pre-study and
classroom course materials,” said
Greg McGowan, Senior Vice
President, Operations.
Once a FlightSafety Customer is
enrolled in a training program, the
App will automatically download of
the course materials. It is currently
available for use in a growing number of pilot, maintenance technician
and flight attendant courses.
It includes digital training manuals, cockpit posters, flashcards, and
guides that serve as an excellent
resource for post-course review and
reference. The App features an
advanced notebook function that
automatically
transfers
the
Customers’ notes and bookmarks to
subsequent document versions. It
also offers a search function, a freehand drawing tool with floating text,
and the ability to export document
with notes and drawings to mydocuments area of the App.
✈
APP
FlightSafetys
iPad App
increases the
efficiency and
effectiveness of
training.
27-NOV-14
FROM THE COCKPIT
SAFETY
IS FLYING SAFE?
by LeRoy Cook
T
COMPLACENT
Its a mistake to
pretend that
weve created
perfectly reliable
aircraft.
here is a growing view in today’s
society that we must expect a perfectly safe environment in every
aspect of life. This rationale prevails
with vehicle tires, food labels, building
standards and even hand tools—oftentimes far past common sense, such as
putting instructions on an electric iron
reading “do not iron clothes on body.”
We’ve come a long way in making
aviation safer than it once was, with
better engineering and construction,
more reliable engines and vastly more
capable aids to navigation. However,
even in an age of whole-plane parachutes and synthetic vision, the question remains: Is flying safe?
“Absolutely not,” I always respond to
such an inquiry. “Flying is inherently
quite hazardous. We go to great
lengths to minimize these hazards, but
there will always be a potential for
harm to be dealt with.” We must never
lose sight of this fact and we should
always be motivated to manage risks.
In our zeal to sell our products and
services, we must never pretend that
we have now created perfectly reli-
able aircraft and that by following
today’s complex rules we’re fully protected against disaster. In doing so,
we paint a false picture leading to disappointment, unanticipated consequences and litigation. General aviation airplanes aren’t simply safe substitutes for commercial transportation or automobiles. Nor should we
place so much faith in modern electronics that we trust them to venture
into areas of operation we wouldn’t
attempt without their aid.
Basic Aviation
In the most basic form of aviation, a
pilot uses his or her skill and judgment to overcome the limitations
imposed by machine and environment. For instance, no airplane will
run forever without adding fuel, and
no man-made fuel gauge is totally
reliable. Thus, every preflight preparation should include, as much as
possible, physically looking at the
fuel level and comparing it to records
of fuel purchase and use.
If abnormal fuel-related indications
show up during flight, such as unresponsive fuel-quantity levels or an
engine hiccup after switching tanks,
we are programmed to take action,
diverting to add “insurance” fuel and
returning a fuel valve to its previous
setting. Over time, we verify the fuel
gauges and totalizer by applying our
experience with normal fuel burns,
but we never ignore a suspicious
indication.
Engine failure, or disparate readings pointing to the possibility of a
failure, requires pilot analysis and
action. Because the engine(s) are
installed for valid reasons of safety,
anything that could affect powerplant
operation needs to be addressed.
Modern engines don’t usually fail
completely, without warning. A partial or intermittent power loss is, in
its way, more difficult to handle than
a total failure. Decisions have to be
made; shall we secure it or try managing it, continue to destination or
divert, choose a large airport far
away or head toward a smaller, closer one?
An engine’s failure requires basic
steps to be followed. First, pitch to
an attitude that assures safe, controlled flight, even if it results in a
27-NOV-14
descent. Trim to allow hands-free
maintenance of this attitude,
because step Two requires diverted
attention toward solving the failure,
such as checking fuel source, induction air, ignition and alternative
sources of each. Step Three
demands attention to the course
being flown; it makes no sense to
continue further away from potential landing spots if there’s any
doubt about the aircraft’s ability to
sustain flight. Step Four is to advise
ATC of your problem and your
intentions, be it under emergency
authority or precautionary.
Stalls Still Need To Be Avoided
In addition to having continued adequate power, airplanes need to flown
in attitudes that create the performance desired. That’s simple, basic
airmanship, but we seem to be ignoring it on advanced flight decks, especially when in obscured flight conditions with conflicting cues. Airspeed
indications are only an approximation
of angle-of-attack; if the ASI doesn’t
look right, resolve it with attitude. If
you know your aircraft flies 5-degrees
noseup in long-range cruise, why
would you pull it to 15-20 degrees in
an attempt to reduce a false overspeed
indication?
Attitude, of course, is also not an exact
angle-of-attack cue, but it is a marker of
performance. A certain power setting in
a given pitch attitude should produce a
known flight condition. Instead, pilots
are trained to simply push and pull on
the controls and expect predictable
results or, worse yet, switch on the
autopilot and watch it fly. “To prevent a
descent, pull the nose up” works only as
long as critical angle of attack is not
exceeded.
For years, turbine pilots were trained
to shove the thrust levers forward in a
stall recovery, while holding the nose
on the horizon and accelerating out of
the stall. That works if the abundant
power is prompt in coming and the
thrust acts in a vector that lowers angle
of attack. A better procedure, however,
is to lower pitch angle while power is
applied, assuring that the stall is exited
immediately, even the nose winds up at
a point below the horizon. Basic airmanship should be to break the stall, then
return to stable straight-and-level flight.
Follow The Rules?
Following regulations enhances safety,
but safety is never guaranteed by rules
alone. Adding personal minimums, taking into account time-in-type and recent
experience, may be necessary to assure
a safe flight. A pilot who has just been
qualified in the aircraft needs to be
placed on increased weather minimums
for a period of time, gaining proficiency
while learning the airplane’s nuances. In
non-commercial operation, this may be a
self-imposed restriction, but a sensible
one nonetheless.
Time in type is a sacred barometer,
used by insurance underwriters to
gauge the odds of coming to grief in
an unfamiliar cockpit. But more importantly, it would seem, is the pilot’s willingness to cancel a trip if conditions
are not in accordance with his or her
personal minimums—and those minimums are going to have to be higher if
he or she has limited time in the particular airplane being flown. Knowing
full well that we’re not as sharp as
usual should be enough to make the
decision “no” instead of “go.”
Standards for safe operation must go
beyond the basic regulatory framework, taking into account pilot fatigue,
equipment discrepancies, recent maintenance, or unfamiliar airport and terrain. Factoring in weather and darkness as added risks requires additional risk management.
The freedom we enjoy in general aviation comes with a price, paid by dedication to honing our skills, continuing
our education and insisting on airworthy equipment. Turning a blind eye to
the risk involved increases our exposure.
If we promote flying as perfectly safe,
how do we answer questions when a
newsworthy crash makes the headlines? We should make everyone
aware that we recognize the potential
for danger that’s an integral part of aviation, along with accepting the responsibility to limit the danger through
preventative action.
Is flying safe? It certainly isn’t.
Knowing this motivates us to actively
work at diluting the danger to an
acceptable level. Never should we REGULATIONS
ignore the unforgiving nature of fly- Safety is never
ing.
guaranteed by
✈ rules alone.
SAFETY SENSE
27-NOV-14
SECURITY
BEHIND A LOCKED DOOR
While airliners transport a wide section of people, business or corporate
aviation operators often transport
VIPs. Such VIPs may be exposed to
security risks higher than to the risks
airline passengers might be exposed
to. It is therefore even more important
for such operators to consider security
risks.
The IS-BAO standard requires operators to establish, maintain and carry
out a security programme that is proportional to the threat against the
operator.
Besides preventing unauthorized
access to and tampering with the aircraft, the operator is required to analyze the threats by actively gathering
information on the area of operation.
This includes security information on
By Michael R. Grüninger
and Capt. Carl C. Norgren
of Great Circle Services AG (GCS)
T
his topic is very emotional. This
topic is potentially controversial.
This topic is certainly difficult. Do
security measures lower the level of
safety in civil aviation?
Security has become a major concern. Newspapers constantly remind
their readers of security risks to civil
aviation and human civilization in general.
There is a wide debate outside civil
aviation, particularly in circles interested in politics, psychology and philosophy, on the reasons for and mechanisms of the current-day security
threats and associated measures. This
column is not the place to discuss
these issues, but to consider the repercussions security measures have or
might still have on aviation safety.
Two topics emerge: the importance
of flight planning and the situation of
aircraft equipped with a reinforced
lockable flight crew compartment
door.
CONTROVERSY
Its worth asking:
do security
measures
sometimes lower
safety levels?
Out of Sight, Out of Mind
Searching the internet for airliner
shoot downs quickly presents a list
longer than imagined.
MH17, shot down on July 17, 2014,
over the territory of Ukraine is but the
last shoot down in a long series.
The first such incident dates back to
the 1930s.
Wikipedia describes the incident as
follows: “Believed to be the first commercial passenger plane destroyed
by hostile forces. On August 24, 1938
- during the Second Sino-Japanese
War - a DC-2 (the Kweilin), jointly
operated by China National Aviation
Corporation (CNAC) and Pan
American, carrying 18 passengers
and crew, was forced down by
Japanese aircraft just north of Hong
Kong in Chinese territory. 15 people
were killed when the Kweilin, which
made an emergency water landing to
avoid the hostile attack, was strafed
by the Japanese and sunk in a river.
[...] It was later believed to be an
assassination attempt on Chinese
President Sun Yat-sen’s only son, Sun
Fo, who was thought to be aboard
the flight but was not.”
the airports to be used and the route
to be flown.
Security information and security
risk analysis are part of the flight planning process. No doubt that after a
careful threat assessment, the flight
planner will avoid planning routes
overflying risky territories. The fate of
MH17 drastically demonstrates the
need to stay clear of areas of trouble.
Sometimes it is hard to imagine that
things happening on the ground might
affect an aircraft flying at high altitudes. Is flying high above the clouds
not synonymous with unbounded freedom? Unfortunately, today’s weapon
systems, utilized by both regular and
irregular fighters, are able to shoot
down aircraft at any altitude. Out of
sight, out of mind is a dangerous
recipe.
Avoiding conflict zones leads to
longer flight paths, increasing duty
times and sometimes requiring additional fuel stops. It also leads to
increased traffic congestion in the
airspace surrounding the conflict
zone. These risks to aviation safety
may be small compared to the security gain.
However we should not forget that
aircraft have also been shot down
which were not crossing a hostile
conflict zone. In 1988 a warship, the
USS Vincennes, mistook a civilian
airliner for a fighter aircraft attacking. Iran Air flight 655, an Airbus
A300, was in Iranian airspace on a
flight from Bandar Abbas to Dubai
when it was shot down with the loss
of all 290 souls on-board. In 2001 the
Ukrainian military accidentally shot
down Siberian Airlines Flight 1812, a
Tu-154 en-route from Tel Aviv to
Novosibirsk with the loss of all 78
persons on-board. The anti-aircraft
missile had been fired during an
exercise and had failed to hit the
intended target drone, instead
locked-in on the civilian airliner at
36’000 ft. These aircraft were flying
along published civilian airways
under ATC control with functioning
transponders clearly identifying
them as civilian aircraft.
Avoiding conflict areas will reduce
the risk of accidental shoot-downs,
but will not eliminate it.
Trapped by a locked door
After 9/11 the need for securing
the flight deck from unauthorized
access became a key focus of aviation security measures.
First the FAA, then European state
regulators and today the European
Commission (ORO.SEC.100.A and
ORO.SEC.100.H) require all passenger-carrying airplanes of a maximum
certificated take-off mass exceeding
45 500 kg, or with a maximum operational passenger seating configuration of more than 60 engaged in the
commercial transportation of passengers, to be equipped with an
approved flight crew compartment
door that is capable of being locked
and unlocked from either pilot’s station and designed to meet the applicable airworthiness requirements.
Some business aircraft are also
equipped with such doors.
On October 10, 2006, a BAE 146-200
(a type also used as business aircraft)
ran off the runway at Stord Airport
(ENSO) in Norway. OY-CRG, operated
by Atlantic Airways, plunged down a
steep slope at the end of the runway.
The aircraft sustained considerable
damage and caught fire immediately.
The accident report continues stating
that four people died and six were seriously injured.
The accident was caused by a failure
of the lift spoilers to deploy and insufficient braking effectiveness. The position of the aircraft lying on fire on a
steep slope made evacuation difficult.
The floor of the cabin was at a gradient. Thus, the passengers had to grab
hold of the seats in order to climb up
towards the rear of the aircraft. The
front cabin doors were jammed or
leading into the blaze. Only the left
hand aft cabin door was available for
evacuating the cabin.
The pilots escaped via the cockpit
window.
The purser and a passenger in the
front part of the cabin could not climb
up through the cabin to reach the aft
door. They attempted to escape via the
cockpit door. The pilot tried to open
the door from within the cockpit.
The reinforced door would not open.
The cockpit door was blocked as a
consequence of fuselage deformations.
Fire fighters found these two persons dead in the cabin, behind the
reinforced cockpit door, which prevented evacuation via the cockpit.
Although most business aircraft are
not equipped with such doors, the
case still bears some lessons for business aircraft operators. Mainly to consider freedom of evacuation paths and
making sure such evacuation paths
remain unobstructed.
What also needs to be kept in mind
when equipping an aircraft with a
secure, bullet-proof flight deck door is
the risk of the flight deck crew intentional committing an act of sabotage.
There are a number of documented
suicides by flight crew members
(Royal Air Maroc flight 630 in 1994,
SilkAir flight 185 in 1997, Egypt Air
flight 990 in 1999 and most recently
LAM Mozambique Airlines flight 470
in 2013). For a crew member intending to commit suicide or wanting to hijack the aircraft, a secure flight compartment door ensures he can carry
27-NOV-14
out his actions undisturbed once the
other flight deck occupant has left the
flight deck. Probably a secure flight
deck door would have helped the
hijackers of United Airlines flight 93 in
2001 to keep out the passengers who
foiled their attempt to use the B757 in
the 9/11 attacks by storming the flight
deck and overwhelming the hijackers.
As always in aviation there is no
absolute security and no absolute safety.
Security measures have to be evaluated based on their benefits and risks.
When deciding on security measures
their possible negative safety implications must be taken into account and
mitigated as far as possible or at least
as far as practicable.
✈
Michael R. Grüninger is Managing
Director and Capt. Carl C. Norgren is
Senior Aviation Consultant of Great
Circle Services (GCS) Safety
Solutions. GCS assists in the whole
range of planning and management
issues, offering customized solutions to
strengthen the position of a business
in the aviation market. Its services
include training and auditing (ISBAO, IOSA), consultancy, manual
development and process engineering.
GCS can be reached at www.gcs-safety.com and +41-41 460 46 60. The
column Safety Sense appears regularly in BART International.
TRAGIC
In the crash of
OY-CRG in
Norway in 2006,
a reinforced
cockpit door
prevented two
people from
escaping.
REPORT
27-NOV-14
NBAA 2014
PROMOTING
A POSITIVE IMAGE
nies that are publicly traded as well
as family-owned, and companies in a
variety of different kinds of industries.
To take just one example, the legendary Frederick W. Smith
Chairman and CEO of the FedEx corporation says: “Business Aviation has
been an integral part of FedEx’s success since the day we were founded.
The military calls it a ‘force multiplier,’ and that’s what business aircraft
have been for FedEx. They’ve given
us the capability to fight above our
weight, and with the enormous global network we have in place today,
they allow our people to move
around the world in a much more
efficient and productive fashion than
would have been the case had we not
operated with business aircraft.”
By Paul Walsh
The NBAA Meeting and
Convention has experienced
its fair share of knocks
and challenges dating
back to 2008.
H
PROMOTE
Business
Aviation is a tool
for getting
business done
was the
message of this
years NBAA. Ed
Bolen NBAA
President and
CEO (center).
owever from the perspective of a
successful 2014 edition, it seems
that adversity has only served to
strengthen the convention making it
more robust and popular than ever.
It’s also true that the NBAA has
learned from the unfairly negative perception of Business Aviation that grew
up in the years following the 2008
downturn. The lesson: to relentlessly
promote the positive image of the
industry as a tool for creating jobs and
getting business done.
Indeed, when visitors entered the
halls of the Orange Country
Convention Center this year, they
were confronted with a blizzard of
publicity, including numerous testimonials from high-performing executives
about how Business Aviation is fundamental to the success of their companies.
At the show NBAA President and
CEO Ed Bolen announced a new lineup of “Business Leaders on Business
Aviation” as part of the campaign, in
which a record number of chief executives from companies of all sizes, from
all across the country, show their support for Business Aviation.
CEOs Speak Out
The campaign is a follow up to the
successful “Top Ten” initiative
launched at last year’s convention in
Las Vegas, in which 10 highly respected CEOs were featured.
“Last year, we had 10 CEOs speak
out,” Bolen said. “This year, 10 more
raised their hands. Fifteen more
raised their hands. Twenty more
raised their hands. When all was said
and done, dozens of CEOs spoke out
in support of Business Aviation –
explaining why the use of a business
airplane is critical to their companies’
success.”
The new campaign features more
than 30 personal testimonials from
companies large and small, compa-
Success
And as the show concluded Ed Bolen
was triumphant, “This year’s show was
an enormous success, filled with
announcements and product introductions. The exhibit floor and aircraft
displays had lots of activity and excitement. The education sessions were
informative and well attended. The
event once again showcased the industry’s size, diversity and significance.
Perhaps most important, the show provided many reminders that ours is an
industry characterized by passion and
professionalism.”
It’s worth noting that the event featured 1,100 exhibitors and additionally, more than 100 aircraft were displayed in several locations – at a sold-
out static display at Orlando Executive
Airport, at an indoor display inside the
convention center and at various
exhibitor booths on the show floor.
More than 26,000 people attended the
show, which included representatives
from 49 U.S. states and 95 countries
around the world.
Against this backdrop the OEMs
were out in force announcing new
products and upgrades to drive the
industry forward in coming years.
Gulfstream had a head-start, as just
prior to the show, they launched an
all-new family of business jets: the
Gulfstream G500 and G600 before a
crowd of approximately 3,000 people
at their headquarters in Savannah.
You’ll find out more about the actual
details of these aircraft if you turn to
page 62 of this issue.
At the show the OEM also
announced that its service and support
organization, already the largest in
Business Aviation, has grown to more
than 4,200 employees worldwide, an
increase of more than 10 percent in
the last year. The growth includes
field service representatives (FSRs) in
the U.S. and other key personnel in
Europe and Asia.
The growth will continue in 2015
with the completion of an aircraft
refurbishment paint facility that is
expected to produce 100 jobs in
Savannah. Gulfstream’s new $33 million, 72,000-square-foot/6,690-squaremeter paint facility will be located near
the Gulfstream Savannah Service
Center, the largest facility in the world
dedicated to business jet maintenance.
“Our team continues to grow at a fast
pace to meet the demands of a growing fleet around the world,” said Mark
27-NOV-14
Burns, president, Gulfstream Product
Support. “Whether they are new facilities or more personnel, the customer
resources we’ve announced and added
enable us to achieve the goal that we
fuel system and flight control system
testing and vibration tests, was concluded in October. All systems performed
as
designed.
Meanwhile the Engine run-up is
planned for the end of the year and first
flight later in the first quarter of 2015.
Three aircraft will be involved in the
flight test and certification campaign,
including one fully outfitted with an
interior. Aircraft number two completed wing joining operations earlier this
month and is due to fly in the second
quarter.
“Thanks to the wealth of experience
from the popular 7X – over 250 units
have been produced to date – and the
maturity of the digital processes put in
place for its development and production, work on the 8X is quickly advancing, and reaching schedule milestones,” said Olivier Villa, Senior Vice
President, Civil Aircraft, Dassault
Aviation.
talk about every day: creating and
delivering the world’s finest aviation
experience.”
Meanwhile for Dassault who
already launched two aircraft in 2013,
the message was all about how their
8X and 5X were progressing steadily
through the certification process.
First off it was announced that the 8X
has completed its ground test campaign preparing the way for a maiden
flight in the first quarter of next year.
Wing mating and engine installation
operations on aircraft number one were
completed at Dassault’s final assembly
plant in Mérignac, near Bordeaux, in
early July. The aircraft was powered up
for the first time shortly after. The initial ground test campaign, including
In other news Dassault’s brand new
Falcon 5X has entered the ground testing phase following power up of the
first aircraft at the end of August.
First flight is expected by the second
quarter of next year and certification
by the end of 2016.
The fuselage for the first aircraft
arrived at Dassault’s main assembly
plant in Mérignac, near Bordeaux, in
June and received its wings, new
Snecma Silvercrest engines and
onboard systems during the summer. The initial ground tests covered
electrical and fuel system,
hydraulics, and testing of the Falcon
5X’s advanced digital flight controls.
All tests went as expected. Ground
vibration testing will start later this
CERTIFICATION
The 8X is steadily
progressing
through
certification. Plenty
of activity of the
static (top).
REPORT
DEBUT
The Citation
Latitude made its
first public
appearance on
the static,
Snecma
Silvercrest
impressed
viewers at the
show.
month.
“We are extremely pleased with the
way the program is advancing, and
are fully on schedule for a second
quarter 2015 first flight,” said Villa.
“Wing mating and other operations
were completed in a single step without need for rework, using our latest
Product Lifecycle Management digital modeling methods. Development
has also benefited from the use of
our new FalconScan tool, developed
for onboard fault diagnosis, which
we have employed to facilitate
ground
testing.”
Assembly teams are currently
installing final onboard test equipment on aircraft number one in anticipation of an initial engine run-up by
year end and the commencement of
taxi tests shortly thereafter. Final
fuselage outfitting of aircraft number
27-NOV-14
NBAA 2014
two is set to begin in November and
work on the subsequent units will
follow at one aircraft per month.
The development program for the
new Silvercrest high-bypass engine is
proceeding as planned, with eight
power plants involved in the engine
test and certification campaign. The
engine has accumulated 1,300 hours
on the bench to date. SNECMA commenced the engine flight test campaign in June using a dedicated flying
test bed. “The engines have demonstrated nominal and max take-off
thrust levels and shown very satisfactory operability and dynamic behavior,” said Villa.
There was plenty of excitement
around Textron Aviation’s exhibit on
the static display where Cessna’s
Citation Latitude made its public
debut.
“From cabin to cockpit, customers
are impressed with the expansiveness
of the Citation Latitude,” said Kriya
Shortt, senior vice president, Sales and
Marketing. “The superior flight functionality, performance and reliability
that are inherently Citation are
matched by the clean, contemporary
cabin environment, superior in-flight
productivity and integrated flight management suite – elevating the flight
experience for both passengers and
pilots.”
The aircraft on display is one of four
Citation Latitudes flying in the company’s certification flight test program,
which has logged more than 600 flight
hours in 260 flights. Performance
improvements demonstrated in the
flight test program have prompted
Cessna to update the aircraft specification to reflect an eight percent greater
range to 2,700 nautical miles at longrange cruise speed, and shorter runway performance with takeoff distance
now an impressive 3,668 feet.
Type certification by the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) is
expected in the second quarter of
2015.
Announced at NBAA just three years
ago, the Citation Latitude features an
all-new fuselage, the widest fuselage of
any Citation jet, a flat cabin floor and
six feet (1.83 meters) of cabin height,
Garmin G5000 avionics, and two Pratt
& Whitney Canada PW306D engines
with auto-throttle capabilities.
Cessna’s Clairity cabin-technology system ties into the Citation Latitude’s
advanced avionics center to provide
connectivity and productivity to each
passenger through their personal electronic devices.
27-NOV-14
cased all seven aircraft on static display, including a prototype of the
Legacy 450 mid-light jet, which is
expected to be certified in mid-2015.
“We are thrilled to bring the Legacy
450 to NBAA alongside the Legacy
500, which was delivered to the first
customer last week,” said Marco Túlio
Pellegrini, President and CEO,
Embraer Executive Jets. “These are
revolutionary aircraft, delivering true
innovation in their classes.”
And they were also in the fortunate
position of being able to announce that
their Legacy 500 executive was granted
FAA
(Federal
Aviation
Administration) certification during a
ceremony at the show. The approval
The Citation Latitude accommodates
up to nine passengers and can reach a
flight level of 43,000 feet (13,106
meters) in just 24 minutes. It is
designed with a powerful new cabin
cooling system and a pressurization
system providing a 6,000-foot (1,829meter) cabin altitude at the aircraft’s
maximum operating altitude of 45,000
feet (13,716 meters).
Meanwhile
sister
company
Beechcraft announced that beginning
in Q4 2014, the latest model of the
Beechcraft King Air C90GTx will offer
new standard features that deliver
shorter takeoff and landing distances,
better handling characteristics and
enhanced passenger experience.
“This is the latest in a long series of
continuous enhancements we have
introduced to the King Air 90 series.
The new Beechcraft King Air C90GTx
looks stunning on the ramp and performs like no other,” said Christi
Tannahill, senior vice president,
Turboprop Aircraft. “The most significant of the changes is shortening the
takeoff distance by nearly 600 feet
(182 meters), opening up more airports and getting our owners closer to
their final destination.”
The increased takeoff, climb and
landing performance resulted from the
incorporation
of
Raisbeck
Engineering’s performance enhancements consisting of swept-blade propellers and dual aft body strakes.
The new King Air C90GTx features
the Hartzell swept blade turbofan propeller with a 30-degree blade sweep
and 96-inch diameter (6-inch increase
over existing). The propeller provides
more takeoff and climb thrust with
less noise in the cockpit. The aircraft’s
takeoff distance was reduced by 23
percent, from 2,575 feet to 1,984 feet.
While slower approach speeds provide
10 percent shorter landing distances
over a 50 foot obstacle from 2,400 feet
to 2,160 feet.
In addition to the new propeller, dual
aft body strakes have been added to
improve directional stability at low
speeds, passenger ride quality and aircraft handling characteristics. Other
improvements include a new highspeed nose gear tire and updates to
the Collins Pro Line 21™ flight displays. Flight testing and certification
was conducted under a joint program
by Raisbeck Engineering and
Beechcraft.
Embraer exhibited its full aircraft
portfolio at the show and it was the
first time that the Company show-
enables entry into service of the aircraft in the United States and in countries that require such certification.
“The FAA certification is a significant
milestone achievement for such an
advanced aircraft,” said Marco Túlio
Pellegrini, President and CEO of
Embraer Executive Jets. “The cleansheet Legacy 500 is a prime example
of Embraer’s commitment to delivering innovative products and setting
new standards in each market segment.”
The exiting news from Bombardier
was that it had expanded its leading
Challenger family of business jets
with the addition of the new
Challenger 650 aircraft. In partnership with NetJets, the global launch
customer for the aircraft, the
Challenger 650 jet was introduced.
IMPRESS
Beechcrafts
King Air C90GTx
(top)
and Embrears
Legacy 450 both
looked stunning
on the ramp.
REPORT
27-NOV-14
NBAA 2014
On June 11, 2012, NetJets placed a
firm order for 25 Challenger 650 jets,
formerly referred to as theChallenger
605 “NG”, with options for 50 additional aircraft. The Signature Series
brand of the Challenger 650 aircraft
has been designed with unique features such as customized cabinetry,
seating, next-generation In-Flight
Entertainment (IFE) and lighting.
Deliveries of the aircraft are scheduled
to begin in 2015.
“The Challenger 650 jet enhances
our leading business aircraft portfolio,
the largest within the industry and will
establish new standards in its segment,” said Éric Martel, President,
Bombardier Business Aircraft. “This
aircraft will provide our customers with
the ultimate in-flight experience, a
flight in the HondaJet during a special demonstration tour, and we have
enjoyed seeing their excitement as
we showcase the aircraft’s capabilities,” said Honda Aircraft Company
President and CEO Michimasa
Fujino. “The HondaJet program is
also in the final phase of certification
testing with the Federal Aviation
Administration with all four flight
test aircraft maintaining an intensive
certification testing schedule.”
Honda Aircraft Company has conducted extensive certification flight testing
at various locations across the United
States. This includes test of minimum
control speed on ground (Vmcg) in
Kinston, North Carolina; high-field
operation test in Telluride, Colorado;
high-elevation field performance test in
TECHNOLOGY
The Challenger
650 mock up,
the HondaJet
and Pilatus PC
12 NG all drew
crowds at the
show.
superior baseline offering and the lowest direct operating costs in its class.
With the Challenger 650 jet, they will
have it all,” added Mr. Martel.
NetJets Senior Vice President of
Global Asset Management Chuck Suma
said, “The proven reliability of
theChallenger 605 series played a significant role in our decision to order
Challenger 650 aircraft. This new aircraft, with its enhanced performance
capabilities, cutting-edge interior design
will be a great addition to our fleet.”
Meanwhile H o n d a A i r c r a f t
Company announced progress of
their innovative HondaJet program.
“Over the past three weeks, many
customers experienced their first
27-NOV-14
Roswell, New Mexico; crosswind landing test in Lubbock, Texas; avionics
system test in Wichita, Kansas; and
extreme cold weather testing at Eglin
Air Force Base in Florida.
Pilatus were also present and it
seems that the exposure they got
their paid off as just following the
show Surf Air took delivery of PC-12
NG serial number 1490, with the registration number N809SA. The aircraft, sporting Surf Air’s unique new
fleet paint scheme, is the first of fifteen firm aircraft the membershipbased airline ordered from Pilatus
earlier this year.
This newest aircraft joins a fleet of
three “Legacy” PC-12s Surf Air
employed initially to introduce their
business model. Two additional new
PC-12 NGs will join the fleet by the
end of this year. As new aircraft come
on line, the older Legacy PC-12s will
Under the agreement, Airbus Group,
through its Defense and Space
Division, will provide technical and
certification support, which will
include the assignment of senior engineering staff to Aerion’s expanding
development organization. Aerion and
Airbus Defence and Space professionals will work together at Aerion’s new
and larger engineering offices in Reno,
Nevada.
“This is a major step forward for
Aerion,” said the company’s chairman
and principal investor, Robert M.
Bass. “It puts us solidly on track
toward our objective of certifying the
world’s first supersonic business jet in
2021. Needless to say, we are thrilled
with the resources Airbus Group will
bring to the program.”
Over the longer term, Aerion will
provide proprietary technology and
assistance to Airbus Group in its high-
two years pushing the total to a
remarkable 220 as of October 2014.
“Reaching 220 completions after
recording our 200th in December 2012
is a significant demonstration of our
growing capabilities and performance,” said Chuck Krugh, senior
vice president and general manager at
Jet Aviation St. Louis.
Krugh noted that Jet Aviation St.
Louis has delivered the majority of the
completions – 117 aircraft – since
2008, despite the global recession that
peaked that year. Jet Aviation St.
Louis started its first completion in
1982 and the work on that line of business fluctuated until completions
began in earnest in 1997 with the first
Challenger 601.
“We’re dedicated to delivering completions that exceed our customers’
expectations and set a high standard
in the industry,” Krugh said.
eventually be phased out and replaced
with PC-12 NGs featuring the
Honeywell Primus Apex integrated
avionics system, a higher horsepower
Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67P engine,
and customized BMW Designworks
USA executive interiors.
Aerion hosted an event to celebrate
their recently announced collaboration
with Airbus. To further their mutual
objectives, both companies will
exchange knowledge and capabilities
in design, manufacturing and certification.
For Aerion, this means collaboration
to advance the development and commercialization of the Aerion AS2
supersonic business jet.
performance aircraft technology development. These technologies include
Aerion’s extensive research, its proprietary design tools and patented aerodynamic designs.
JSSI were in jubilant form and continued the celebration of their 25 th
anniversary by recognizing the first
client to enroll onto a JSSI Program. In
1989, Boise Cascade Corporation was
the first customer to enroll its Falcon
50 Honeywell TFE731 engines onto a
JSSI hourly cost maintenance program, and they remain a customer
today.
The popular TFE731 series engines
were a good fit for hourly cost maintenance programs back in 1989, and
many early JSSI customers flying
Citations, Falcons, and Learjets were
looking for options to help them manage the maintenance costs. JSSI
introduced its programs to provide
Maintenance and Completions
On the maintenance and completions
side of the industry, NBAA also
brought plenty of announcements. For
instance Jet Aviation St. Louis
announced that it had delivering a
milestone 220th completion less than
two years after breaking the 200 barrier.
The rate of green completions at Jet
Aviation St. Louis continues to gather
steam, with 20 deliveries in less than
COLLABORATION
Aerion and Airbus
bring the future of
supersonic flight one
step closer.
REPORT
27-NOV-14
NBAA 2014
ACHIEVEMENT budget stability for these operators
JSSIs Co
Presidents Neil
Book and Susan
Marr celebrating
25 years of their
companys
existence
HONOR
Jet Aviation
presented a
wounded warrior
with a specially
customized John
Deere Gator
(below).
through a highly competitive costper-flight-hour service. The same
advantages that set JSSI apart back in
those days remain at the core of their
business today with the largest, most
experienced technical and client services teams in the industry and the
ability to cover virtually any make
and model of turbine powered business aircraft.
In avionics the most exciting news
was that Universal Avionics’
unveiled its newest avionics suite – the
feature-rich InSight Integrated Flight
Deck, a system which is the embedded next generation Synthetic Vision
System (SVS) with advanced mapping
capability and intuitive system-wide
Graphical Pilot Interface.
Primary hardware components of the
InSight Integrated Flight Deck include
a 10.4” EFI-1040 Display acting as
PFD and/or MFD, Electronic Control
Display Unit (ECDU), Alphanumeric
Keyboard
(ANK)
and
Data
Concentrator Unit (DCU) II. The 10.4”
high-resolution LED backlit LCD EFI1040 Display offers multiple processors / partitioning, an Ethernet-based
architecture, and future size and orientation options. Pilot interface and control of the system is conveniently provided through the ECDU, a 5.0” flat
panel display, and a Cursor Control
Panel (CCP) – a unique ‘Point & Click’
system controller. The ANK allows for
alphanumeric
entries,
Flight
Management System (FMS) function
keys and a database SD card server. A
second generation data concentrator,
the DCU II, provides analog / digital
conversion / concentration.
“We have an extensive knowledge
base in retrofit display systems, garnished from our work with our EFI890R which is currently STC’d in
over 30 aircraft types. We listened to
our customers, combined their input
with this knowledge and incorporated what we’ve learned into the
InSight design,” said Dan Reida,
Universal Avionics Vice President of
Sales, Marketing and Support. “The
result is a user-friendly and flexible
system that provides our customers
with a feature rich platform for operating in the NextGen and SESAR
environment,” he added.
Also at the show Duncan Aviation
announced that it had received FAA
Supplemental Type Certification
(STC) for the installation of a Future
Air Navigation System (FANS) 1/A+
solution for a Falcon 900B with
Universal Avionics EFI-890R
Advanced Flight Displays.
Since the announcement of the
Universal Avionics EFI-890R Falcon
900B avionics retrofit option last fall,
Duncan Aviation has completed two
of the Falcon 900B avionics
upgrades. The company is now
pleased to announce completion of
the FANS 1/A+ certification, which
will allow aircraft wanting to fly the
most efficient path to Europe to do
so. As other aircraft continue to wait
for a solution to meet the 2017 guidelines, the Falcon 900B owners now
have a pathway.
“The benefits of FANS 1/A+ to the
Falcon 900B are huge,” explains Gary
Harpster, a Duncan Aviation Avionics
Sales Representative. “It improves
safety, reduces operating costs and
flight time to Europe and gives crew
and passengers access to the most
efficient routing for the current conditions.
“The Falcon 900B has always been
a good aircraft, but the avionics had
become the weakest link in its future
capabilities. The Universal Avionics
solution replaces the items that cause
those limitations as well as provides
the operator with additional capabilities. Synthetic Vision allows the pilot
the best in situational awareness
throughout each aspect of the flight
regime. The Application Server Units
(ASU) provide the crew with a higher
level of guidance when taxiing at
unfamiliar airports, as well as weather and a user-definable checklist.
This system also offers the ability for
camera input on the Primary Flight
Displays, WAAS with LPV, RNP 0.3
for approaches, the foundation for
ADS-B, RNP 4 for flight within the
NAT Tracks, UniLink® UL-801 CMU
weather, displayed Jepp charts and
winds aloft, and more.”
Meanwhile Rockwell Collins introduced its new ARINCDirect suite of
flight support services for Business
Aviation. The new ARINCDirect consolidates and integrates the company’s
former
Ascend
Flight
Information Solutions and ARINC
Direct services into one industryleading solution for flight planning,
regional and international trip support, cabin connectivity and flight
operations management.
“With our acquisition of ARINC in
December of 2013, we recognized
that we had two portfolios of flight
support services from two great companies, each with best-in-class solutions,” said Jeff Standerski, senior
vice
president,
Information
Management Services for Rockwell
Collins. “By combining the best of
Ascend and ARINC Direct, Business
Aviation operators can now experience the single most comprehensive
portfolio of flight support solutions in
the industry, along with the reliable
performance, industry-leading technical expertise and outstanding customer service they expect — all from
a brand they have come to know and
trust.”
Through the new ARINCDirect,
Rockwell Collins will offer its more
than 3,500 flight support services
customers around the globe the latest in intuitive flight planning using
state-of-the-art online and mobile
platforms; award-winning regional
and international trip support; comprehensive weather services; a full
spectrum of cabin connectivity
options; and flexible and integrated
flight operations and scheduling services.
Honeywell, for their part, emphasized the technologies including the
new Symmetry™ Flight Deck, which
will feature on the G500 and G600.
“The new G500 and G600 represent
the most advanced business aircraft
designed today and continue the
strong innovation partnership
between Honeywell and Gulfstream,”
said Brian Sill, President, Business
and General Aviation at Honeywell
Aerospace. “From consumer-like
touch functionality in the cockpit to
mechanical systems that reduce
weight and increase flight efficiency,
we are providing customers, pilots
and passengers the best flight experience possible.”
And Garmin announced strategic
partnerships with select members of
the company’s Authorized Dealer
Network to provide a stand-alone
Automatic Dependent SurveillanceBroadcast (ADS-B) solution for popu-
lar business and transport aircraft.
This minimally intrusive solution, not
only satisfies global ADS-B requirements, but also leverages existing
equipment to alleviate the need for
costly Flight Management System
(FMS) and cockpit display upgrades.
Utilizing Garmin’s GTX 3000 Mode S
Extended Squitter (ES) transponders, GDL 88 ADS-B datalink and
Flight Stream wireless gateway, operators are provided a lower-cost alternative to meet ADS-B Out requirements while adding the capability to
wirelessly receive the benefits of
ADS-B In on a mobile device in the
cockpit.
In
training
FlightSafety
International announced that it has
been selected by Dassault as the factory authorized training provider for
the new Falcon 8X aircraft.
“We are pleased to have been
selected by Dassault to provide training for the Falcon 8X,” said Bruce
Whitman, President & CEO. “Our
Customers will appreciate the addition of the Falcon 8X to the complete
range of training we provide for
Dassault aircraft. FlightSafety’s simulation engineers and courseware
developers will work closely with
Dassault to ensure the full flight simulators and training programs are of
the highest quality and meet the specific needs of the pilots, maintenance
technicians and flight attendants who
will operate and support the Falcon
8X around the world.”
27-NOV-14
FlightSafety will initially design and
manufacture two full flight simulators
for the Falcon 8X. The first simulator
will be installed at FlightSafety’s newly
expanded Learning Center in
Teterboro, New Jersey. The start of
training will coincide with the entry
into service of the aircraft. The second
Falcon 8X simulator will be installed at
FlightSafety’s Learning Center in
Paris.
Finally just following the show
Universal Weather and Aviation’s
catering arm, Air Culinaire Worldwide
announced that it has introduced new
regional menus for its 16 owned-andoperated kitchens in the United States
and three locations in London,
England.
“Food is a very personal experience,
so we want to ensure our clients are
presented with a variety of the latest
food trends and long-standing
favorites. Whether you want to sample
local favorites or are in the mood for
grass-fed beef in Colorado or a knuckle sandwich in Boston, we can deliver
a memorable in-flight catering experience” said Roger Leemann, SVP of
Culinary Operations. “While we have a
global footprint, each kitchen team
has deep knowledge of the flavors and
ingredients that make their local cuisine unique. We capture the essence
of each region’s cuisine, and ensure
that each item is properly adapted for
safe stowage and reheating onboard
the aircraft.”
✈
REGIONALIZE
Universal
Weather and
Aviations
catering arm Air
Culinaire has
announced
regional menus
for its 16 owned
and operated
kitchens.
AVIONICS UPGRADES
Business jet operators who fly
across the North Atlantic are
being urged to upgrade their
avionics to be Future Air
Navigation System (FANS)
compatible with a new
mandate coming into effect
on 5 February 2015.
27-NOV-14
FANS
FANS A CALL TO ACTION
By Steve Nichols
B
CONNECT
Companies are
being urged to
upgrade to the
new FANS
system
Honeywell
(Page 81) offers
FANS capability
on its Primus
Epic cockpit
solution.
ut what is FANS and why is the
mandate so important?
FANS provides direct datalink communication between the pilot and air
traffic control (ATC).
The goal of FANS is to improve performance related to Communication,
Navigation and Surveillance (CNS)/
Air Traffic Management (ATM) activities. Radio (VHF) or satellite technology (satcom) is used to enable digital
transmission of short messages
between the aircraft and ground stations with communications typically
including air traffic control clearances,
pilot requests and position reporting.
To understand why FANS has come
about you need to look at the history
of radio communications and clearance for trans-Atlantic and similar
flights.
Ground-based VHF radio only has a
limited range, which means that aircraft flying across oceanic areas can’t
use it to keep in touch with ATC.
For years, the only means of communication in remote/oceanic airspace
was high frequency (HF) radio, which
uses either line of sight or the ionosphere to bounce the transmissions to
the recipient.
The problem is that HF is highly
dependent on the sun. A solar flare
can wipe out transmissions for minutes or hours, plus effects related to
solar coronal mass ejections can also
seriously impede links.
Plus you also have to factor in the
time of day, and even the time of year
to pick the right frequency for reliable
contact.
In days gone by pilots reported their
position to a radio operator who, in
turn, relayed the aircraft position
report over a telephone line to ATC.
While some aircraft still use HF com-
munications it is slowly being phased
out.
FANS provides a step up from HF
radio communication by using data
link communication through satellites.
Boeing announced the first implementation of FANS in the early 1990s,
known as FANS-1, using existing satellite-based Aircraft Communications
Addressing and Reporting System
(ACARS) communications, A similar
product was developed by Airbus,
known as “FANS A.”
Today the two technologies are collectively known as “FANS 1/A”, which
uses automatic position reporting and
Controller
Pilot
Data
Link
Communications (CPDLC) directly to
ATC over VHF or satcoms using
Inmarsat/Iridium in lieu of HF
ACARS.
The existing satellite-based ACARS,
as found on the Inmarsat Classic services, was used during the first implementation of FANS.
Things are now moving ahead with
the Iridium satellite constellation
approved for FANS ATC or safety
services communications. Inmarsat’s
SwiftBroadband (SBB) service over
its L-band I-4 satellites is also currently undergoing trials to get safety
services certified, probably in early
2016.
Almost all long-haul aircraft have
Inmarsat Classic services fitted, but
more L-band (SBB) satellite launches
are in the pipeline, which bodes well
for FANS-capable satcoms.
But while FANS-1/A is being introduced in stages between now and
2020, one upcoming mandate could
catch out pilots and operators if they
don’t take action now.
The European Aviation Safety
Agency (EASA) mandate for 2015 covers ATNB1 or Link 2000+ and comes
into effect on 5 February 2015. On the
same day aircraft using the North
Atlantic Tracks will require FANS in
order to fly them.
The North Atlantic Tracks provide
the fastest, most efficient means of
traveling between North America and
Europe.
Westland AW-139 helicopter;
Dassault Falcon, Cessna Sovereign
and Hawker.
Darshan Gandhi, Director Marketing
and Product Management - Datalink,
Honeywell Aerospace, said: “Primus
Epic doesn’t need any upgrades to satisfy the FANS mandate and in fact our
integrated flight deck has supported
the FANS solution for many years
already. It features FMS support for
the messages to and from ATC, and
benefits from a Communication
Management Function (CMF) capable
of supporting ACARS-based routing,
as standard.”
In addition to Primus Epic,
Honeywell also provides a FANS
upgrade for legacy aircraft such as the
Gulfstream G-IV and G-V, Dassault
Falcon 900 A/B/C/EX, Bombardier
Challenger-601 and many others with
older P1000 and P2000 cockpits.
27-NOV-14
what’s missing?
You are!
The Global Customer Committee
(GCC) is an independent group
of aerospace professionals
that works hand in hand with
Honeywell to identify and
address key issues facing the
business aviation community.
The International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO) approved a
Proposal for Amendment (PFA) of the
North Atlantic Tracks Regional
Supplement Procedures (NAT
Regional SUPPS) on 4 January 2012.
Right now FANS 1/A Data Link systems are mandatory for aircraft flying
between flight levels 360 – 390 (inclusive) on the two-core centre NAT
organised tracks.
But from 5 February 2015 this is
being extended to the whole of the
NAT-organised track system between
flight levels 350 and 390 (inclusive)
with no exemptions.
H o n e y w e l l also offers a FANS
capability on its Primus Epic integrated cockpit solution. This is available
for a range of aircraft including
Embraer, Gulfstream; Augusta
“This offering includes an integrated
FMS with a Mk III Communication
Management Unit (CMU). In addition,
Honeywell provides a complete solution with VHF data radios, cockpit
voice recorder that support datalink
recording (CVR-DLR), satcom and
optional printer.
“One of the core things operators
should consider when evaluating
FANS upgrade paths is the level of
integration that is provided with the
FMS. This is important in order to
avoid manual processes such as having to retype CPDLC messages, which
of course carries an error risk, and
mitigate having the same computer
that is flying the aircraft also handling
the navigation,” Gandhi concluded.
Carey Miller, Universal Avionics
manager of business development,
We are currently looking for
new members to represent
business aviation operators
and pilots in the EMEAI region.
If you would like to influence
the direction of Honeywell
programs, technical fixes and
support strategy, and ensure
that the views and concerns of
the regional Business Aviation
community are represented,
then apply today.
For more information on GCC,
visit http://committees.honeywell.com or email [email protected]
© 2014 Honeywell International Inc. All Rights Reserved
27-NOV-14
AVIONICS UPGRADES
said that aircraft that are not equipped
with FANS equipment will not be able
to fly these tracks and will have to
route themselves accordingly.
“As a result of this mandate we are
seeing people express a lot more interest in FANS,” Miller said.
“The next big milestone after that
will be in December 2017 when another mandate comes into effect for the
whole ICAO North Atlantic region.
This will affect flight levels 350 and
390 as well.
STANDARD
FANS
functionality will
soon become
the norm on
business aircraft.
“If you are not FANS-equipped you
are going to have to go around those
tracks,” Miller said.
Miller added that a lot of aircraft
owners think this is not such a “big
deal”.
“But going around the North Atlantic
tracks, especially when you are going
westbound against the wind, will probably mean you are going to have to
make an additional tech stop for refuelling,” he said.
“And when the mandate is introduced in 2017 you will probably have
to make a tech stop when flying eastbound as well. So it is going to start to
get very expensive for operators with
aircraft that are not FANS equipped.”
Miller also said that he has heard
from quite a few business aircraft
operators in the US that the required
FAA letters of authorisation (LOAs)
for FANS are taking between four and
nine months to obtain.
“If there is a solution available for
your aircraft you may be able to get it
installed, but the wait time for the letter of authorisation is getting longer
and longer,” he said.
The main problem has been the rise
in the number of operators requesting
LOAs. Miller said that in 2013 there
had been fewer than 10 requests for
FANS authorisation. But in 2014 this
has grown considerably.
“By October there had already been
close to 70 LOAs submitted to the
FAA,” said Miller. “If you start adding
up the aircraft that are going to be
affected by the mandate it is going to
end up somewhere close to 3,000 aircraft in total over the next five years.
“The FAA’s workload is going to go
up enormously so we are recommending that operators get their LOA applications in sooner rather than later,
otherwise the wait times are going to
affect their operations.”
But it is one thing to apply for a letter
of authority, but you also need to have
the equipment on board the aircraft.
So who is offering what?
Universal Avionics has a solution for
customers using its flight management system (FMS). This upgrades
the FMS to a Satellite-Based
Augmentation System (SBAS) specification. You then add the FANS-capable datalink system and a data-capable
cockpit voice recorder (CVR).
“There are other aircraft using a
standalone Universal FMS that isn’t
integrated into the current avionics
systems,” said Miller. “This isn’t coupled to the autopilot, but we can provide the communications support
needed for FANS.
“We currently have about 20 STCs
supporting this work right now.”
Rockwell Collins has also delivered
FANS solutions for business aircraft,
including approximately 200 new Pro
Line Fusion-equipped Bombardier
Global 5000 and Global 6000 aircraft
and Gulfstream G280s.
The company is also delivering
FANS 1/A as part of the Bombardier
Vision flight deck for Challenger 300
and Challenger 350 aircraft, and has
announced availability for Falcon 50EX
and 2000 operators with its Pro Line 4to-21 flight deck upgrade.
It also recently announced FANS
1/A capability for Bombardier’s
Challenger 604 aircraft equipped with
Rockwell Collins Pro Line 4 avionics.
The upgrade makes installation and
training straightforward for operators
by building on the aircraft’s current
FMS and control display units
(CDUs), while incorporating a new
communications management unit
provided by Rockwell Collins.
Craig Olson, vice president and general manager, Business and Regional
Systems for Rockwell Collins, said:
“The installation of our FANS 1/A
solution on the Challenger 604 aircraft
requires minimal downtime and associated labour costs, making it the most
cost-effective offering on the market.
“Furthermore, training on the system is fast and less costly since flight
crews are already proficient with the
onboard FMS and CDU.”
✈
27-NOV-14
“ Jeppesen and Company celebrated its
50th anniversary last week. It was very
exciting and emotional. I got some really
good licks in for FlightSafety.”
It’s like Einstein and an F-16 had a baby
– Jepp Jeppesen, from a letter to
FlightSafety founder Al Ueltschi, 1984
ELREY B. JEPPESEN Navigational Aviation Pioneer
A Legacy of Trust
Aviation pioneers Elrey “Jepp” Jeppesen and Al Ueltschi started out as barnstormers and went
on to become industry leaders and icons. They were close friends and business colleagues
who led industry-changing efforts to make aviation safer.
Their correspondence, now housed in Seattle’s Museum of Flight, illuminates their mutual respect
and goals. In 1962 Ueltschi wrote in a letter to Jeppesen, “If we can provide the finest instruction
and equipment, our Company should continue to grow even more.” Jeppesen shared how
he actively promoted FlightSafety, whether at aviation events or in one-on-one interactions.
As a longstanding member of FlightSafety’s board of directors, Jeppesen was directly involved
in the business. Al and Jepp discussed such milestones as ferrying the first Falcon aircraft
across the ocean and the arrival of FlightSafety’s Gulfstream, Falcon and JetStar simulators.
The company Jepp founded in 1934 continues to help aviation professionals worldwide reach their
destinations safely and efficiently. Al’s commitment in 1951 to provide the very best training and
simulators remains at the core of FlightSafety’s mission to enhance aviation safety around the world.
Building trust over time, and continuing to earn it each day, is FlightSafety’s promise and commitment. Aviation
professionals from around the world trust FlightSafety to continuously provide the highest quality training and
outstanding service they expect and deserve since 1951. Today more than 1,800 highly experienced professional
instructors deliver aircraft and mission-specific courses, using FlightSafety’s comprehensive training systems and
advanced-technology flight simulators designed to enhance safety. Trust your training to FlightSafety. You’ll see why
so many of yesterday’s and today’s aviation professionals have made the same choice.
For information, please contact Steve Gross, Vice President, Sales • 314.785.7815
[email protected] • flightsafety.com • A Berkshire Hathaway company
JEPPESEN TRUST AD - BART INTL - DEC 2014/JAN 2015 ISSUE - Trim: 8.25” w x 11.25” h
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27-NOV-14
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Support - 54/FBO Airport Base
BI-MONTHLY / DECEMBER - JANUARY / POSTING OFFICE BE 1380 LASNE
PREMIER TRANSATLANTIC BUSINESS AVIATION MAGAZINE
OUR 26th YEAR
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